Indice dei contenuti per 08-Jul-2021 in Chat

When I was growing up, we’d ask, ‘Does my bum look big in this?’ Young women are still asking this today, only they’re hoping the answer is yes! Just ask Natasha (p34). Just goes to show how these things change and we should all love our behinds, no matter their size. Also this week Leona shares how her unborn baby saved both their lives after she was shot while pregnant (p44), plus Zoe’s amazing story of her life-changing – and mind-blowing – surgery (p30). There’s all your faves and puzzles as well as £l,000s of extra prizes, including hotel stays and a year’s supply of pies (p46)! Stay safe and well this week.…

TU at SAINSBURY’S All sizes 8-24 STYLE TIP Toughen up your outfit with comfy, sandals. NUTMEG at MORRISONS All sizes 8-22 STYLE TIP Tuck a top into this floral midi skirt to highlight k your waist. GEORGE at ASDA All sizes 8-24 STYLE TIP Swap jeans for relaxed wide-leg trousers that skim over thighs. F&F at TESCO All sizes 6-22 STYLE TIP Try a stretchy shirred midi dress with feminine puff sleeves that’s great for a fuller bust. Find out more about our commitment to REAL women womanandhome.com/real…

The jury considered for only two hours on a Thursday afternoon before finding Dylann Roof guilty of all 33 charges against him. When he appeared for sentencing in January 2017, Roof represented himself. He told the jury that there was ‘nothing wrong with him psychologically’, asking them to ignore everything they’d heard from his defence team. Prosecutor Jay Richardson called 23 witnesses to talk about the impact of their loved ones’ deaths. In Roof’s closing statement, he said, ‘I felt like I had to do it. I still feel like I had to do it.’ The jury decided Roof should be executed. Sentencing Roof to death, Judge Richard Gergel said, ‘This trial has produced no winners, only losers.’ With his federal trial over, Roof still had to stand trial in…

Set the tone When we walk into a room, we begin associating specific activities with the space, and your bedroom needs to get your mind ready for relaxation. ‘Create an environment that promotes sleep and rest. Softer muted colours, like grey, pink and purple, are neutral and promote tranquillity,’ says Hope. Also invest in thick curtains to block out the light and ear plugs if you’re easily disturbed by noise. Not too hot Keep your bedroom temperature at 18 degrees or lower to mimic the body’s hibernation state and maintain a calmer mind. Open a window if it’s safe and you feel comfortable. ‘Air circulation also moderates temperature. Having plants in the bedroom provides a good supply of oxygen,’ adds Hope. What to wear As if we needed an excuse…

Most of us have received this type of message – a text from a delivery service asking for a fee to dispatch a parcel, or your bank claiming there’s been a security breach. Only, how do you know whether the text is genuine or not? The safest thing is to assume it isn’t the real deal. Ignore it. Trouble is, with more legitimate companies using email and text to contact customers, it’s not always easy to know which messages to trust. And more and more of us are being taken in by increasingly sophisticated scams – and losing cash as a result. Fraudsters have swindled an estimated £54 million from people in the UK in the last year alone through an initial text message leading to people paying or transferring…

Zoe Elliott, 28, Salisbury Staring at the scan screen, I could see my skull wobbling back and forth. Like a bobblehead doll. ‘You have craniocervical instability (CCI),’ the doctor told me. My vertebrae and muscles weren’t strong enough to hold my head up properly. One wrong move could sever my spinal cord. Leaving me internally decapitated! ‘I’m sorry,’ the doctor said as I burst out crying. Only, believe it or not, they were actually tears of happiness. Yes, it was a terrifying diagnosis. ‘But I’m just relieved to have answers,’ I blubbed. It was March 2020, and I’d been suffering for decades. It’d started in the school playground at 7… I was always tripping up. My legs would give way, I’d dislocate a knee or ankle. My joints were hyperflexible,…

Doctors decided to up my dose of chemo, try a stronger batch. It made me so ill. What was left of my once-thick, long brown hair came out in chunks. I had to spend days at a time in hospital. Having blood transfusions, being fed with a tube. Then, in March 2020, with the arrival of COVID-19 lockdown, family and friends were banned from visiting. I spent many long hours alone on the ward, lying in bed. Cards, flowers and video calls kept me going. Nurses and doctors, my old colleagues, came in to chat when they could. Kept my spirits up. But in April 2020, there was more bad news. ‘The chemo still isn’t working,’ my consultant explained to me. By now, I was running out of options. I…

TEST KITCHEN UK Cheat’s tiramisu Finish your feast with our take on the Italian classic pud. Yum! SERVES: 4, WITH LEFTOVERS PREP TIME: 20 MINS COOK TIME: 5 MINS ● 250g tub mascarpone ● 600ml double cream ● 50g icing sugar ● 400ml hot, Very strong black coffee, instant is fine ● 200g ladyfinger biscuits ● 50g cocoa powder, sifted ● 20g dark chocolate, to garnish (optional) 1 In a bowl, Whisk the mascarpone, double cream and icing sugar together using an electric whisk. Set aside until needed. 2 Pour the coffee into a dish and dip half of the biscuits briefly into the coffee, turning to coat, then put straight into a large serving dish to form a base layer. 3 Add half of the cream mixture, a spoonful…

Aries 21 March-20 April It’s time to rethink your need for material things. If you have the most valued things – health, friends, family and time – you’re already on the rich list. • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May You learn a deep truth about yourself when a friend asks for your help. It turns out to be a task you strongly disagree with, so you need to make a decision. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June You know how to melt your partner’s heart, but as things speed up in your love life you’re not quite ready. Try to start enjoying the pleasures of romance. • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July You’ve been pretending…

Lush New Shampoo Bar, £8, uk.lush.com Shampoo bars last for around 60 uses and, with zero plastic packaging, they’re better for the environment For thin hair clove and cinnamon oil wake up the scalp, while nettle and peppermint encourages hair growth to boost fullness. L’Occitane Purifying Freshness Solid Shampoo, £10, uk.loccitane.com First of all, the minty-fresh scent is amazing. It’s thanks to essential oils like peppermint, thyme and grapefruit, which also provide a deep-clean feeling, perfect for hair that gets greasy quickly. Garnier Ultimate Blends Softening Shampoo Bar, £7.99, Boots This works up into a rich and creamy lather that softens fragile, straw-like hair and is gentle enough for sensitive scalps. Plus the gentle curved shape feels comfortable in the hand for a relaxing scalp massage.…

CLOSING DATE FOR ALL ENTRIES IS 20 JULY 2021 (Three days later for postal entries) HOW TO ENTER TEXT Simply text CHATB followed by a space and your answer/s (spaces between answers please) full name, door number and postcode to 84988 Texts cost 50p plus standard network charge (maximum 160 characters per text). When you enter by text, you may in future get SMS marketing messages from Future plc and Chat. If you want to receive these, please end your text with OPTIN. Texting tips • Don’t put any spaces in an answer that has several words: eg: CHATISTHEBEST not CHAT IS THE BEST. • If the answer is a name, you need only give the surname: eg: CLOONEY not GEORGE CLOONEY. • You can use capitals or small letters, but…

£25 for any photos that we use on Picture Perfect. They £25 must not have been sent to any other publication and you must include written permission from a child’s parent/s or guardian/s. Post to Picture Perfect, Chat, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP, or email chat_magazine@futurenet.com Unfortunately, we can’t return photos without an SAE. And please don’t forget to include your full address and a contact number.…

THE BIGGIE What has British actor Rupert Grint said is one of his biggest regrets about filming the Harry Potter movies? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the five-word prize answer. ACROSS 11 Household tasks (6) 12 Kitchen gadget (3,6) 13 The Queen’s daughter (4) 14 Capital of Brazil (8) 15 Japanese dish (5) 16 Grins (6) 17 Yelled (7) 18 Lacking in grace (11) 20 Thierry _, former footballer (5) 22 Puts at risk (9) 24 Lawn plant (5) 28 Wariness (7) 29 Rabbit from the film Bambi (7) 32 One who damages property (6) 34 Gave back (8) 36 Hot pepper (8) 37 Hospital workers (6) 39 Eye make-up (7) 40 Large frozen mass that moves slowly (7) 45 South…

Amy Harriet, 19, Birmingham Tapping out a message on my phone, I grinned. Can’t wait to meet you, Grace. It was September 2020 and I was moving from my home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, to start my Drama degree at Birmingham University. I’d been allocated a student flat with six other girls, and been given their contact details. Grace Castle was from Tunbridge Wells. We’d hit it off on Snapchat, messaging non-stop. We even arranged to move in the day before our other flatmates. Days later, walking into my new flat with my mum Tanya, then 56, and dad Steve, 52, I saw a figure in the kitchen, her face hidden by a cupboard door. And as she turned her head, I froze. We both gasped. Stared in disbelief. ‘You look…

Are DIY enemas safe? Q My friend uses DIY enemas to stay healthy and lose weight. I’m tempted, but are they safe? Monique, Chigwell A An enema means introducing some type of liquid into your rectum. The only medical use is to treat constipation, where other treatments have Tailed. Homemade enemas might use diluted coffee, soap or salt and users follow DIY instructions from the internet, or buy kits often containing mixtures of chemicals. DIY enemas are supposed to rid your body of toxins, help conditions such as fatigue, boost your immune system and help with weight loss – this is all poppycock and there’s no scientific evidence to back it up. But there is a real danger of damage. The enema tube could perforate your bowel and some substances…

TEEN KNIFE DEATH On 28 June 2008, Ben Kinsella, 16, was out celebrating finishing his GCSEs. But as he and his mates left an Islington bar around 2am, they were chased by three teens, who stabbed Ben 11 times, including through his heart. The attack lasted seconds, but Ben became the 17th teenager killed in London that year. Jade Braithwaite, then 19, Michael Alleyne, 20, and Juress Kika, 18, were jailed for life, with 19-year minimum sentences. They’d been seeking revenge for a row at the club that had nothing to do with Ben. VICTORIAN MYSTERY In 1888, a merciless serial killer began terrorising Whitechapel. Between August and November, the bodies of five prostitutes – Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly – were…

WIN £100 Puzzle 14 Bouillabaisse, ratatouille and tapenade are all dishes associated with which region of France? Solve the puzzle by following the arrows and writing in your answers. Then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the prize answer. Your answer: FILL ME IN CIRCLE TIME The Incan god Urcuchillay was thought to take the form of a multicoloured version of what animal? Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles. 3 letters AIM AIR ARC ASH ASP TAG TAP TAR TEA 4 letters CLAP LAMB MALL PALM SOBS SPIT 5 letters CAMEL EAGLE LOSER RULER 6 letters PALACE PAPAYA PILLAR PUPILS 7 letters HOSTILE TIMPANI WIN £100 Puzzle 15 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for…

3 ways to… boost your career online Social media is no longer just for our personal lives – it can be a valuable asset when you’re job hunting too, says recruitment consultants Adecco’s Niki Turner-Harding. 1 Show your best side Many companies use social media as a recruitment tool for finding and screening potential new employees. But don’t assume they’ll only check your LinkedIn profile – they may also check other networks like Facebook and Twitter. The things you post and share, the pages and groups you follow and the comments you make can give recruiters an impression of your personality and values. So be mindful of this when you’re on social media. 2 Go back in time Check your older posts and activity too, and remove anything that could…

Leona Brown, 40, east London Browsing the aisles of TK Maxx, I picked up a tiny blue jumper. ‘Perfect,’ I smiled, stroking my bump. It was March 2020, and me and my partner Tom, then 30, were shopping for our long-awaited baby boy. We’d met online four years earlier. Tom had been new to the area, and after meeting in November 2016, we’d hit it off. He was tall, handsome, and I was mesmerised by his deep-brown eyes. I was already a mum of four, so Tom moved in with me and was a great stepdad to my kids, then 18, 16, 15 and 3. A painter by trade, Tom redecorated my three-bed house. I’d lived there 11 years, but having new laminate floor and freshly painted walls made the…

Q My skin is always so dry and fake tan never looks good. Are there moisturising options out there? Sheila Fleming, 62, Leeds A Dry skin is the enemy of a flawless tan. The colour clings to dry patches, making your colour look streaky and uneven. Always wait for extremely dry, cracked skin to heal before tanning. La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Soothing Face and Body Balm, £8, Boots, is a wonder worker on rough elbows and knees. The night before you tan, indulge in a nice soak and massage St Moriz Exfoliating Skin Primer, £4.99, Superdrug, to slough dry, flaky patches. Pat skin dry leaving it just damp, then apply Bondi Sands Body Moisturiser, £9.99, Boots, over the whole body to lock in moisture. When it comes to the tan itself,…

Chat winners issue 14 (8 April 2021) £1,001 CASH S Kemp, Burton-on-Trent £1000 CASH D Akuji, Old Trafford £500 CASH K Stone, Cardiff; H Lawrenson, Derby £250 CASH C Martin, Kettering £150 CASH M Crow, Telford £100 CASH J Golzey, Clacton-on-Sea; L Williamson, Liverpool; J Parker, Littleborough; L Osman, Harrow; D Cunningham, Uttoxeter £60 CASH L Speed, Leicester £50 CASH A Wedlock, Airdrie; O Hawkins, Warwick; Z Hughes, Llanon £30 CASH J Felgueroso, London; H May, Newport; A Daly, Wellingborough; A Astbury, Liverpool; J Dennis, Liverpool £25 CASH C Hall, Wakefield; C Baker, Wisbech; R Lees, Halbeath; S Marfell, Ruardean; E Robinson, Driffield; J Proudfoot, Swansea; J Draper, St Helens; J Allanson, Scarborough; E Knight, Haverfordwest Chat PUZZLE 2 PLASMA Chat PUZZLE 11 868 Chat PUZZIE 14 GERANIUM • All…

Donna Riley, 41, Coatbridge The engine roared as the Mustang pulled into our drive. Grinning, my husband Gerard, then 30, climbed out from behind the wheel. ‘She’s all yours,’ he said. Bursting with excitement, I ran over and wrapped my arms around his neck. ‘Really?’ I cried. It was 2013 and Gerard nd I were enjoying our life in Florida. We had a property-maintenance business. A gorgeous house. Fancy cars, jewellery... I wanted for nothing. And we were expecting our first child. I couldn’t have been happier. I’d been on a girls’ week in Spain when I’d met Gerard, then 19, in 2003. Our holiday romance was hot and heavy. With Gerard in Scotland and me in Manchester, I thought it was just a fling. Only, he couldn’t stay away,…

Members of a historic black church in South Carolina had just begun their evening Bible study in June 2015, when the door opened and in walked a stranger. The young white man was welcomed with a smile. The pastor pulled up an empty seat next to his own and handed him a Bible. Around 45 minutes later, the group stood up to pray. Then, with their eyes closed, they heard a deafening bang. The young man had pulled out a pistol and shot Reverend Clementa Pinckney at close range. In the horrifying minutes that followed, the man opened fire on the rest of the group, shooting nine dead. As he fled Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, he told one survivor he planned to kill himself. Laughing confession Emergency…

Jess Grayson, 21, Stockport Feeling my stomach grumble, I quickly grabbed my school bag and headed to the door. I needed the loo – fast. ‘Where are you going, Jess?’ my mates called. ‘Back in a mo,’ I grimaced. It was January 2013. I was 13 and felt rough, couldn’t stop going to the loo, was exhausted. ‘I need a day off school,’ I grumbled to my parents the next day, after rushing back to the bathroom. ‘I’m sure it’ll pass,’ my mum Jane said to me. We thought it was a tummy bug. But a few days later, I was still unwell. And even when I went back to school for a week or so, it wasn’t long before my symptoms were back. Needing the loo all the time,…

OVER TO YOU Can you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address on p3. There’s £20 for every one we use! This week’s puzzle was compiled by Shannon Workman, Birmingham ACROSS 1 Combine together 2 Cellular breakdown 3 Crystalline compound 4 Gain deservedly DOWN 1 Indication 2 Small constellation 3 Person who takes advantage 4 Edible seed WIN 5x £25 Puzzle 6 Your answer: CHAIN WORDS What is the name for a flap of skin found running down the neck of certain animals, such as rabbits and moose? Get from Start to Finish, making words by joining two boxes together as you go, eg: OVER + ALL, ALL +... you decide! When you reach Finish, two unused boxes join together to…

ARROW WORD Which chemical element derived from the Greek for ‘unstable’ is often estimated to be the rarest naturally occurring element in the Earth’s crust? Solve the puzzle by following the arrows and writing in your answers. Then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the prize answer. WIN £1,000 Puzzle 10 Your answer: SUDOKU To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle and the numbers in the highlighted squares will give you the prize puzzle answer. WIN £60 Puzzle 11 Your answer: WORDSEARCH In the song Take a Break from the musical Hamilton, the title character compares his situation to which Shakespeare character? The answer is the one missing from…

Does ex want me? Q Eight years ago, I left my husband of 34 years. I had cancer and he didn’t support me. I ended up alone and miserable in a poky flat. A family crisis reunited us. Our love was rekindled and I suggested we start afresh, but he dismissed it. Then, three years ago, he moved abroad. He’s visited twice and it was wonderful, but he was here on business – not to see me. I don’t want anyone else – and as far as I know, neither does he, but I’m finding it hard. Is this unrequited love? Bev, 60 A You have your ex-hubby on a pedestal and, frankly, I don’t know why! Start meeting other people, see him when he visits if you want, but…

Stacey Braddish, 23, Dublin Scanning the image of my patient’s heart on the monitor, I stifled a cough ‘Excuse me,’ I choked. As a Cardiac Physiology student at Connolly Hospital in Dublin, it was my job to check for signs something was wrong. It could mean life or death for my patient. Working in a hospital, helping people, was something I’d dreamt of doing since I was little. And now, in October 2019, in my third year of a four-year medical degree, I was well on my way to fulfilling my dreams. Only, for months now, I’d been struggling with this cough. Felt breathless as I walked up and down the hospital stairs. Probably a chest infection, I reasoned. But my mum Jackie, then 50, and dad Synan, then 58,…

Q I enjoy cooking most of the time, but sometimes I can’t be bothered and end up getting a takeaway. However, they can be expensive. Do you have any tips? S Smith, Huddersfield A The key is to be prepared. Batchcooking – when you cook in bulk so you can store portions for later use – is great for saving time and money. Or have a stash of ready meals or pizzas in the freezer. They’re usually more expensive than if you cook from scratch, but it’ll be cheaper than getting a takeaway, especially if you buy them when they’re on offer.…

Barry M Sanitiser Proof Top Coat, £3.99 Hand sanitiser is a necessity, but the alcohol content dries out polish and cuticles, causing unsightly chips. Seal your colour with this protective topcoat to maintain a beautiful manicure. Primark x Andrew Fitzsimons Root Concealer, £3 Celebrity stylist Andrew has put his 15 years’ expertise into this collection, including a bargain root concealer – great when you’re in between dye jobs. The dual-ended brush gives you maximum control touching up greys around the hairline and parting. Footner Exfoliating Socks, £9.99, Boots It’s that time of year again, when I wax lyrical about these pedicure socks. They’re filled with an acid gel to gently slough dead skin. Wear them for an hour, wash your feet and within seven days hard skin will peel away.…

Dear SallyAnn, When we met in March 2017, I was just a lost 15-year-old. My upbringing had been tough. The eldest of five, I’d been raising my siblings. Cooking, cleaning, making sure they got to school – even though I mostly bunked off myself We weren’t receiving the love at home we needed – and that month, we all ended up in foster care. For me, that meant moving in with you and your fiancé Ryan, then 22. I was a nervous wreck, with no idea what to expect. But I was grateful to be somewhere safe, have some stability at last. ‘Let me know if there’s anything you need,’ you told me, with a kind smile on your face. Only 22, you were still young yourself. But as a…