Table of contents for 5 March 2026 in Chat

Welcome to this week's Chat… My dream job is working here at Chat, of course! But other strong contenders would have to include being a gourmet-chocolate taster, a luxury-holiday reviewer, or a puppy raiser. Just like Kathryn (p58), who volunteers to socialise guide dog pups until they're ready for their specialist training. Her hard work prepares hero hounds for their lives supporting blind and partially sighted folk. But there are plenty of belly rubs and snuggles too – not to mention the warm and fuzzy feeling of knowing you're doing good in the world. There's more info on page 58 if you're tempted like me… Have a great week,…

As my son Harvey, then 10, flitted from one group to the next at the cricket ground, I couldn't keep up. I soon spotted him sitting beside two elderly ladies, their faces creased with laughter as he cracked jokes. Confident and bubbly, Harvey was a chatterbox. You couldn't stop him once he got going. It was September 2019 and I always joked he'd practically been born on the cricket field. Me, his dad Mark, then 46, and his older siblings Sophie, 22, and Lewis, 20, were all obsessed with the game. We spent most weekends at the ground near our home, watching local teams and spending time with fellow fans. Harvey was in his element there, chatting to anyone and everyone, young or old. At a recent open evening at…

What term denotes the rigid front part of a corset, often where the garment connects to itself? The number next to the clue tells you which line the answer's in. We've put in a section to start you off! There may be two Across answers in one line. Down words fill themselves in. The shaded squares spell out the prize answer. 2 Early life _-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars character 4 Stick Scope 6 Something worthless Baby's clothes protector 8 Trick, swindle Edible bulb WIN £100 Puzzle 2 Your answer:…

STYLE TIP Forest green and deep blue make a chic combo. Add a sporty accent with a cool cap for off-duty days. STYLE TIP Break up the colour with a classic check print. You can bring out the shade with a matching accessory. STYLE TIP Team khaki with neutrals for a grown-up take on the utility trend. Delicate jewels and ballet pumps add a feminine touch. STYLE TIP Chocolate brown is another on-trend hue that looks great with mint green. A patterned scarf will add extra interest.…

True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK As I pushed the service trolley down the aisle, the pain hit me. It started in my lower back and dragged around my tummy. I knew this pain well. Pressing my hand into my uniform, I took a deep breath. ‘Are you OK?’ my colleague asked. ‘I'm fine,’ I lied, smiling. It was 2015 and, at 26, I was working as cabin crew for an airline. I was also living with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – a hormonal disorder that can cause things like irregular periods. On top of that, I also had endometriosis – a condition where cells similar to the lining of the womb grow in other parts of the body. Some days, the endometriosis pain was so bad it made doing my job at…

What are these bald patches? Q I'm a 30-year-old man and I've noticed several patches of hair loss on my scalp that have got worse over the past few months. I've also noticed a couple of similar bald spots in my beard. I'm not on any medication, so what could it be? Jack, Tunbridge Wells A This sounds like alopecia areata, a condition where your immune system attacks hair follicles, causing smooth bald spots. Hair often grows back, especially if the patches are small and recent, though the condition can return or spread. Stress or illness may play a role, and it can be linked to thyroid problems, so see your GP to look for underlying causes. Treatments include strong steroid creams, or injections for stubborn areas if the cream has…

What name, taken from a similarly situated region of Asia, is applied to the region of Argentina that encompasses the provinces of Misiones, Corrientes and Entre Ríos? To find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Smudge = SEAR + M = SMEAR. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize answer. WIN 2 x £25 Puzzle 9 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Huffing and puffing, I tried to fasten my shirt. ‘It's no use,’ I moaned, the fabric straining over my boobs and belly. It was summer 2024 and I was heading out for coffee with friends. But not wearing this, I wasn't! I loved fashion. But with a sigh, I opened my wardrobe and groaned at the rail of dull trousers and tunics. All oversized, drab and baggy. Just like me, I thought, cancelling on my friends. Aged 68 and 5ft 7in, I tipped the scales at 15st 11lb. I buried my head in the fridge, scoffing snacks I looked enormous in my size-20 clothes. I'd struggled with my weight for years. After getting married to Dennis in 1977 and having our sons David in 1978 and Robert in 1979, it…

Pantene Grow Abundant Anti Hair-Loss Mask, £20, Boots Designed to combat styling damage, this works to produce visibly thicker hair and is proven to reduce hair loss by up to 90%. Lotil Nourishing Foot Cream, £5.99, amazon.co.uk Treat tired soles to a soothing and refreshing foot cream that leaves them feeling soft and nourished. The fast-absorbing cream boosts the skin barrier for up to 12 hours of hydration. W7 Let's Face It Face Palette in Soft Glow, £5, w7makeup.co.uk Everything you need for your base is here. Play around with a highly pigmented cream bronzer, contour, blusher and highlighter. Revolution Pro Miracle Pro-Collagen Face Oil, £12, revolutionbeauty.com Packed with vegan collagen, marine actives and a blend of calming essential oils, this lightweight face oil is like a spa treatment bottled.…

The Manzanares family had plenty to be excited about as they started a seven-day cruise along Alaska's glacier-carved fjords. Kristy and Kenneth, both 39, were staying on the Emerald Princess ship with their three daughters, Kalie, Kami and Kaiya, in July 2017. A dozen other family members joined them on the long-awaited holiday, including Kristy's dad Jeff and her two brothers. Childhood sweethearts Kristy and Kenneth had been married for 17 years. Neighbours said they were ‘the perfect American family’. Always upbeat, popular Kristy loved a turn on the karaoke with mates. An estate agent, she cherished time with her daughters, watching the stars and cuddling up in bed. Now the family were on a holiday of a lifetime. A chance for even more memories to be made. But two…

We pay £25 for any photos that we use on Chat To Us! Get in touch! EMAIL chat_magazine@futurenet.com POST Chat, 121-141 Westbourne Terrace, London W2 6JR Find us online at facebook.com/ChatMagazine…

The diameter of a hypodermic needle is denoted by what term, and often measured on a ‘Birmingham’ scale of eponymous units? To find out, solve the puzzle… The three answers in this puzzle read the same across and down. The clues are given, but not in the right order. Read down the shaded squares to spell the prize answer. WIN 5x £20 Puzzle 3 DOGSBODY CAREGIVER VEHICLE FOR TRANSPORTING GOODS Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Q Five years ago, I had back pain and was prescribed tramadol, which helped. I've hurt my back again, but when I asked for tramadol, my GP said no. Why? Ruby, Poole A New research shows it's not very effective for long-term back pain. It also doubles the risk of serious side effects, such as heart problems, and can cause nausea, dizziness and sleepiness. There's also a risk of dependence, and opioid-related deaths have been rising worldwide. For your back pain, try gentle exercise, stretching, physiotherapy, heat packs and painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen with food. Staying active is best, and improving posture can help prevent flare-ups. If your pain carries on for a couple of months or significantly affects your daily life, your GP may refer you to…

1 Countertops Your work surfaces and cooking area may look spotless but, worryingly, 60% of dishcloths are contaminated with E. coli, a sponge can be 200,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat with 10 million bacteria per square inch, and the kitchen sink can have more germs than the average bathroom. Wash cloths at 60C and kill bacteria with disinfectant. Make sure surface areas are clean and grease-free first, so it can work effectively. 2 Ovens and hobs Hate cleaning the cooker? Avoiding this chore allows bacteria to flourish, potentially contaminating your food and putting you at risk of stomach bugs. ‘Wipe after each use with warm, soapy water,’ says cleaning expert Lynsey Crombie*. ‘For deep cleaning, use a paste of bicarbonate of soda and washing-up liquid, leave to sit, then scrub.’ Do a light clean…

Sitting at the dining table, I frowned as my daughter Caitlyn, then 7, scrawled the number 22 in her homework book. ‘That's not right,’ I said gently, explaining how four plus four made eight. She sighed, frustrated. It was 2014 and for a while now I'd noticed Caitlyn didn't process things in the same way as her friends. I'd ask her to bring me my blue gloves, she'd come back with a pink hole punch. And homework had become a constant battle. Simple sums and spellings baffled her. Change proved a big problem for Caitlyn too. She'd painstakingly line up her toys in orderly rows, according to colour. If I moved one, even slightly, when tidying, she'd burst into tears. And school was overwhelming. ‘It's too loud,’ she'd say when…

Double-up dinners Top tip Leftovers make a fab pie filling, topped with buttery mash or puff pastry. Pork and apple casserole Serve this comforting classic with mash for mopping up the creamy sauce. SERVES 8 PREP 15 MINS COOK 2 HRS 30 MINS 1½tbsp vegetable oil 2kg pork shoulder or leg, cut into chunks 1 large onion, peeled and chopped 2tbsp seasoned flour 2 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped 500ml dry cider 1 bunch tarragon or parsley, leaves chopped 3tbsp crème fraiche or double cream Mashed potato and steamed greens, to serve (optional) 1 Heat the 1tbsp oil in a large saucepan. Brown the meat in batches, then set aside. 2 Add the remaining oil and gently cook the onion until soft. Return the pork to the pan and…

Aries 21 March-20 April With Saturn back in your sign, you can move forward confidently with your plans. Make a long-standing commitment to whatever is most important to you. ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May You plan for the long term, and when things don't work as you expect, it can be frustrating. Try to keep an open mind and be open to new ventures. ● Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Your sense of humour gets you everywhere and you know how to lighten the mood. Use this to uplift someone close who is struggling to find their joy. ● Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July With the Moon in your sign on 28 February, this…

Q What kind of cleanser should I be using? Marianne Brooks, Dorset A Choosing the right cleanser is all about understanding your skin type and its needs. If you have combination or oily skin, then a foaming one like CeraVe Balancing Air Foam Cleanser, £14.50, Boots, will suit you. The lightweight formula helps control oil production for up to eight hours, while hydrating and protecting your skin's barrier. Use every morning and evening for a balanced base. If you have a dehydrated or dry complexion, it will benefit from something more nourishing with a balm texture. We love Beauty Bay Chamomile + Oat Lipid Cleansing Balm, £10, beautybay.com, as it's packed with calming chamomile and oat extracts to soothe redness, whilst injecting moisture into your skin. For ‘normal’ skin, a…

Chat winners issue 47 (20 Nov 2025) Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £1,001 CASH LJ Foley, Stroud £500 CASH L Thompson, North Shields V Pearson, Lymington £250 CASH T Jones, Beaumaris A Fern, Cheltenham £200 CASH M Rengozzi, Swansea £100 CASH P Mason, Winsford T Jones, Crewe D Wallace, Arbroath £75 CASH E Upton, Evesham £50 CASH J Alcorn, Colchester K Kimji, Epping W Greenham,  Uckfield J Graham, Cumbria N Wheeler, Horsham C Healey, Londonderry £40 CASH K Ashlee, Ipswich £30 CASH C Murray, Ferryhill K Travis, Thornton Cleveleys £25 CASH M Brimacombe, Dawlish L Pyper, Bathgate £20 CASH A Wildman, Bingley J Dennis, Milton Keynes P Hayes, Liverpool C Spendlove, Ripley V Kirk, Leeds E Bestow, Seaford A Ohagan, Glasgow P Evans, Launceston G Cheetham, Stockport A Gilliland, Cheltenham M Chapman, Hounslow V McCaffery, Hebburn M Felstead, Hull F Hobbs, Lee-on-the-Solent S Spiby, Bolton R Mitchell, Batley M Haigh, Durham K…

Read any good books lately? I'm obsessed with classic literature. When I'm not nose deep in a novel, I'm inevitably reading about the author. At the moment, it's between The Brontë Myth by Lucasta Miller and Jane Austen, The Secret Radical by Helena Kelly. What would you like to be reincarnated as? One of our family dogs – especially on cold mornings when I'm off to work. They find the warm spot in the bed barely before I'm out of it! Can you remember the first concert you attended? Kylie's Fever tour in 2002 in Manchester. It was for my sister's birthday and I have the 20th anniversary vinyl in my collection. That makes me feel older than I'd like. WE PAY £50 to everyone we feature on this page!…

Bounding through the door, my little boy almost bundled me to the floor. ‘Steady!’ I laughed at Raffi, then 3. It was March 2025, and every Saturday after going to Rugbytots with his dad Neil, then 46, Raffi would come home full of beans. But as the weekend went on, he grew clingy. Instead of tearing around with his big sisters Ella, then 10, and Talya, 7, he just wanted cuddles. On Monday, my dad took him to nursery while I dropped the girls to school. But shortly after, the nursery manager called. ‘Raffi is a bit wobbly on his feet,’ she said. After 25 years working as a paediatric nurse, I put it down to an ear infection. I booked a GP appointment and picked Raffi up. The doc…

In her younger years, Cindyana Santangelo was known as a sex symbol. The Hollywood actress played a fun-loving stripper in sitcom Married… With Children. She appeared in music videos, films and dramas, like ER and CSI: Miami. Dubbed the ‘Latin Marilyn Monroe’, Cindyana loved the limelight. And the ‘party rock-star life’ that came with her fame. Eventually, Cindyana's hedonistic lifestyle caught up with her and she became ‘a hardcore addict’. But after marrying husband Frank in 2001 and having two sons, Cindyana sobered up. And getting clean made her want to help other women. New direction So, in 2009, she founded a women-only luxury sober-living facility in Malibu, California. A place for recovering addicts to stay after rehab. She invited cameras in to film, turning the project into a reality…

I don't want to meet his kids Q I've met a man I really like but he has five kids. I don't have any and I don't want any, which he totally gets. The thing is, though, I don't even want to meet his kids. I like him, I enjoy spending time together, but the thought of meeting them makes me feel overwhelmed and unsure. How do I explain my feelings to him? Kadie, 47 A You're allowed to not want to be a stepmum to five kids, hun. It doesn't make you cold or broken or selfish. And kids aren't a casual thing. Once you step into that role you're part of that dynamic forever. Take your time, wait till you all feel ready. But if you're sure that…

3 ways to … Safer car insurance Avoid small mistakes that can invalidate your policy. 1 Get it right Research by Tempcover (tempcover.com) found that 6.7 million UK drivers have admitted giving false info when buying car insurance. ‘Giving the wrong address or location of your car is one of the most common ways people accidentally invalidate their car insurance,’ Jake Lambert of Tempcover explains. ‘Insurers assess the risk based on where the car is kept most of the time, especially overnight.’ If you've moved house, changed where you park or spend most of the week away from your main address, update your policy. Invalidating your car insurance policy can mean your claim is denied, your policy cancelled and you could even face fines or a driving ban. It may also…

The BRIT Awards ITV1 ● Manchester's Co-op Live is the venue as Jack Whitehall hosts the glittering music awards bash, held outside London for the first time in its 49-year history. Leading the nominations are recent Grammy winners Olivia Dean and Lola Young, with five nods each. Lily Allen, Sam Fender, Sabrina Carpenter and Pulp are also up for gongs, while Mark Ronson will be honoured with the BRIT Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music and Noel Gallagher for Songwriter of the Year. Among those performing are Harry Styles, who performs songs from his latest album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. DON'T MISS DON'T MISS Vladimir NETFLIX ● Rachel Weisz plays an unnamed English professor who's infatuated with her much younger teaching colleague Vladimir in this quirky eight-part comedy.…

Picking up my spoon, I dug into my bowl of apple crumble as kids around me squealed noisily. Aged 19, I rolled my eyes at the little ones. ‘I can't believe we've been put on the children's table,’ Joe, then 23, sniggered. ‘At least we can have a laugh together,’ I said, smiling back at him. We were at a family party in April 2014. As our grandparents were siblings, it made Joe and I second cousins. We'd seen more of each other as kids, but these days, Joe lived 80 miles away in Chester. Known as our family's ‘golden child’, he was a talented rower. A bit arrogant at times, but I let it slide. He was family, after all. That day, we had fun chatting. ‘We should meet…

PS… K-Beauty Face Serum, £5, Primark Taking inspiration from Korean skincare trends, this ‘glass skin’ serum works to produce a dewy and luminous complexion. It's formulated with niacinamide to balance oils and hyaluronic acid to deeply nourish and plump. Use each morning and evening for a healthy and hydrated complexion that radiates a naturallooking glow. Collection Cosmetics Lasting Perfection Sheer Loose Powder in Neutralising Green, £3.99, collectioncosmetics.com Ideal for those who suffer from rosacea or redness, this setting powder is a must-have. Thanks to the neutralising green tones in the formula, redness is immediately counteracted for a more even complexion. It is also infused with vitamin E to nourish and condition skin. Use it as the last step in your routine to set and balance your make-up.…

Dear Zeb, Chatting over dinner, the conversation flowed. It was my first date with Ross, then 25. Both newly qualified chartered accountants, we chatted about our jobs. Then I dropped a bombshell. ‘I'm going to be a guide dog puppy raiser,’ I grinned. For years, I'd fundraised for the charity Guide Dogs, which trains dogs for people with sight loss. I'd always loved dogs. But I'd always wanted to look after a guide dog puppy, getting them ready for their new home with a blind or partially sighted owner. And now, as I worked from home, I was ready to do it. I'd already completed the necessary checks and training, and I was so excited. As I explained it all to Ross, he looked bemused. ‘I've never had a dog,’…