Table of contents for 22-Apr-2021 in Pick Me Up!

I’ve always struggled with my speech. As a baby, my first words were delayed and speech therapists believed I would never have a full vocabulary. Thankfully, as the years passed, my voice and speech progressed, but I suffered from a severe stammer. Growing up, I hated the way I spoke and I was badly bullied at school. ‘Why can’t you say your own name?’ kids would taunt. ‘Why can’t you speak properly?’ Some of the comments were particularly nasty, but sadly, I just got used to it. With the help of therapy, my speech did improve, but by the time I began college, it all went downhill. Struggling to cope with the vast amount of social interaction demanded from me, my speech was worse than ever. So, in the summer…

Picking up my phone, I reactivated my Plenty of Fish account. What’s the harm in looking? I thought to myself in November last year. And it wasn’t long before I received a message from a chap named Alec Maguire, now 41. Hey, how are you? he wrote. He seemed nice, and when I looked at his profile, he looked it, too! We started chatting and seemed to get along. So much so, we agreed to go for a walk that very weekend. For years, I’d been going out on hill walks and climbing the likes of Snowdon and the Three Peaks in Yorkshire. So, the fact that Alec had suggested going for a walk, I was well up for it! We spoke every day after that, so by the time…

When I was just 10 years old, I weighed 10st. Growing up, I was constantly overweight. My size fluctuated, but I always had issues around food. Everything spiralled out of control after I lost my mum to cancer, and older brother Mark died. I was 37-weeks pregnant when I had to identify his body. There was so much grief and loss in my life, that in just under two years, I had put on over 10 stone in weight. Still, I didn’t let anything stop me from being a good wife to my husband Chris, then 28, and a good mum to my three children – Charlie, then eight, Deborah, then two, and newborn Eden. I was a dress size 30 but I pushed myself out of my comfort zone.…

Looking up at the clock on March 21, I gasped as the hand struck 12. But this wasn’t the start of any fairy tale story, it was the start of the national lockdown. I lay awake thinking about my future, worrying about my job as a self-employed makeup artist – I do makeup for weddings and special occasions. Waking up in the morning, it felt like life had come to a halt. ‘What do we do now?’ I asked my husband Rob, 35. ‘We could watch a film?’ Rob suggested. ‘How about Harry Potter?’ I grinned. ‘I knew you were going to say that,’ Rob laughed. The only films I’d suggest were Disney or Harry Potter. There’s just something about those fantasy worlds which draws me in and makes me…

Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make Up Star, BBC Three & BBC iPlayer The battle of the brushes is back with a brand-new host – Maya Jama. 10 talented and aspiring Make Up Artists (MUAs) are set a real-world Professional Assignment each week, as well as a themed Creative Brief at Glow Up HQ. The two MUAs who fail to impress judges Val Garland and Dominic Skinner then enter the elimination Face Off round, going head-to-head in a makeup skill drill on identical twins, before one is sent packing and heads home – leaving the competition for good. After eight weeks, the last MUA standing wins a contract assisting some of the world’s top makeup artists and is crowned Britain’s Next Make Up Star. In episode one, the MUAs are tasked…

According to research by tails.com a third of first-time puppy owners are worried about separation anxiety as the UK lifts restrictions over the next few months. Dr Sean McCormack, Head Vet at tails.com, shares his tops tips for preparing your puppy for post lockdown living: For easy to follow tips on how to manage your puppy’s separation anxiety or to take the first steps into training you can find a range of resources and support at tails.com/puppyhub…

CLEAN AND TRANSPARENT Meet Bondi Sands most conscientious self-tanning range yet. Pure is packaged in ethically sourced, 100% recyclable packaging to limit the impact on our environment. Pure combines the iconic Bondi Sands glow with skin-loving hyaluronic acid for hydration, vitamin C for radiance and vitamin E for repair, where the purpose of each of these ingredients has been identified on the packaging to highlight the transparency of the range. Dermatologically tested and suitable for sensitive skin, the Pure range is fragrance, dye and sulphate free, and is perfect for those looking for a sustainable alternative. Available from Boots and Superdrug. 1. Pure Self Tan Foaming Water, £15.99 his lightweight, dye free Foaming Water is designed to provide a natural, bronzed glow in just six to eight hours, no wash…

It’s spring clean season and we are all ready to declutter and organise our lives! Starting with the kitchen. Stelrad have created a list of seven easy and effective ways to organise your kitchen, from labelling to storage and organisation. 1 Packets of fun The best way to store your crisps in the cupboard is with the tension rod trick. Simply place a tension rod between the two sides of your kitchen cupboard. With curtain ring clips, click on all of your favourite crisps and snacks and then simply slide them onto the tension rod. This allows you to see what snacks you have and gives you easy access to them! 2 Fridge aesthetics A simple but effective organisation method for your fridge is for you to have boxes and…

Support a small business The socks that save species! A decade ago, Dom Desmond visited Borneo and fell in love with the world’s oldest rainforest and critically endangered wild orangutans. In 2017, Dom returned to Borneo. Only, the once lush rainforests he remembered had fallen victim to greedy palm oil plantations and illegal logging. With a drive to protect and restore the rainforest, Dom created Critically Endangered Socks. On a mission to help every critically endangered animal, Critically Endangered Socks sell the most beautifully crafted, ethical socks to raise money for multiple charities, such as WWF, IEF and WDC. We must act now if we want to rescue some of the earth’s most beautiful endangered creatures from the brink of extinction. The simplest way to do that? By wearing your…

Running from the shower to my room naked, I heard a squeal behind me. ‘Mum!’ my daughter Rebbecka, 28, yelled in embarrassment – having caught a glimpse of my bottom. ‘Sorry, Becky,’ I giggled. I was always running around in the nude and Becky hated it – so I tried my best to cover up if I knew she was about. If I had it my way, I’d walk around naked all the time. I was proud of my body. I may be in my 50’s but I still feel young and full of life. Becky and I are mother and daughter, but we are also the best of friends. After getting divorced when Becky was a baby, I have raised her as a single mum. I had her at…

ACROSS 1 Light creamy dessert (6) 4 & 22Dn. 2021 monster movie starring 10 Across, 15 Across & 26 Across (8,2,4) 10 _ Hall, actor who starred opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in the BBC period drama Parade’s End (7) 11 Pig’s foot (7) 12 Small branch (4) 13 Tedious (10) 15 _ Bobby Brown, star of hit horror series Stranger Things (6) 16 Art of shaping bushes (7) 20 Teach (7) 21 Spanish dish (6) 24 Fermented cabbage (10) 26 _ Chandler, actor whose film credits include The Wolf of Wall Street and Game Night (4) 28 Deep indignation or anger (7) 29 Steal the show from (7) 30 Act of welcoming (8) 31 Discourages (6) DOWN 1 Of shipping (8) 2 With all restraints removed (9) 3 Ill (4) 5…

Q I always feel tired and like I don’t have any energy. How can I change this? Jonny, Liverpool A Fatigue can be caused by many things. Firstly, make sure you’re eating a healthy balanced diet. Aim to be a healthy weight, exercise regularly and get a good night’s sleep: try to get eight hours of good quality sleep a night (relax and avoid alcohol before retiring). Avoid eating, and screen time, at least an hour before sleep. Ask your pharmacist if any medicines you’re taking could be a factor. If the problem is persistent and affecting your quality of life, talk to your GP, as there are a number of medical conditions that can have an influence on your energy levels.…

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This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! This stylish soap dispenser and sponge keeps your sink side area organised and clutter free. It comes with a soft touch non-slip base. Fill with your favourite detergent or hand wash. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Can full of cola For a sparkling toilet bowl pour coke, or a similar sparkling drink, into the toilet and allow it to sit overnight before flushing away. Angela Garvin, Essex Splatter free When decorating, slip your hands inside a plastic sandwich bag to keep them clean of paint drips. Benita Graham, Devon Kitchen queen When my dishwasher gave up the ghost and I had to get rid of it, I saved the cutlery basket…

Sue Tappenden is a Coach and People Expert who helps her clients improve their relationship with themselves and others. (www.headspacefor change.com) Can’t move on Q Last year, my brother took his own life. I feel such anger that he left us all – and guilt that I didn’t know he was so unhappy. I just can’t get closure. Dorothy, Suffolk A Grieving for someone close to us who has died is a natural process, and there is lots of information available that explains about moving through the stages of grief over time as we start to come to terms with the loss and the changes that it brings. However, when that person has taken their own life, it can be so hard to get our head around it all. It…

Patting my chest and letting out a little cough, I was beginning to get frustrated. It was January 2016, and for the last few weeks, I’d had this pesky cough that just wouldn’t seem to go away. It wasn’t particularly bad, just annoying. And no matter what I tried, I couldn’t shift it. ‘You should get that checked out,’ one of my friends encouraged. ‘Oh it’s probably nothing,’ I assured. But I decided to see my GP anyway. After some flooding near my home in Hebden Bridge, I’d recently been helping out with the clean-up efforts. Thinking it was related to being around those awful flood waters, I booked an appointment with my doctor. And after my GP examined me, I was sent for some tests. After various appointments and…

Tanja Furby, manager at the five-star The Grand, York, (thegrandyork.co.uk) shares how to achieve that luxury hotel bed feeling at home. MATTRESS MATTERS Medium to firm mattresses are preferable, as they suit the widest range of sleeping styles, providing optimum comfort for most guests. If you don’t want to replace your entire mattress at home, toppers can be great for adjusting the firmness. Get it at home: • Invest in a mattress with the correct firmness for you or fit a mattress topper • Choose a hybrid or innerspring design • Avoid memory foam unless it is heat regulating LUXURY LINEN Breathable, light, yet clean and crisp is what we’re looking for in sheets. Thread count is hugely important and at The Grand we use white Egyptian cotton for ultimate…

Sitting opposite my boyfriend Aaron at my favourite restaurant, I was enjoying the food on our date night. It was the week before Christmas in 2018, and Aaron and I had been in a relationship for five years. We were childhood sweethearts – having met at school. ‘I’ve got you a present!’ Aaron said, passing me something across the table. It was a beautiful Christmas bauble, with two important words written on it: Marry me? ‘Oh my gosh!’ I gasped when I realised what was happening. ‘Yes, of course I’ll marry you!’ I cried. And just like that, I suddenly had a fiancé. I welcomed in the New Year with my husband-to-be Aaron, and we planned our wedding for May 2020. We booked a beautiful venue called the Alverton Hotel…

Chocolate golf balls, £9.99, Firebox.com Whole? In one? Yes please! Set of three life-size, solid Belgian chocolate gold balls. Verdict: BONKERS! Putt this in your mouth! Glow up iridescent scented bath bomb, £4.99, Prezzybox.com Bathe in glitter. Filled with vanilla and cherry scents! A self-care treat. Verdict: GENIUS! Party in the bathtub! Duck duck pizza cutter, £18.50, RedCandy.co.uk Waddle you ever do without this gadget? Make pizza night even more fun! Verdict: BONKERS! A slice gift for a pizza lover.…

Sneaking into my daughters room, I stuffed another clock into her wardrobe. Along with some makeshift toadstools and flying teacups, every square inch of my daughter Sophie’s room was stashed full of props. ‘Don’t let your sister see,’ I whispered. ‘I won’t,’ seven-year-old Sophie beamed, as I crept back out the room. In on the secret, Sophie had been helping me plan a surprise party for her older sister’s birthday. Jessica was turning ten on January 12 and with lockdown in full swing, I wasn’t sure how to celebrate. Since the girls were little, I’d been known to throw extravagant themed parties. But never one to spend a fortune, everything was either made by me or borrowed from friends and family. I got creative with old boxes and recycling Last…