Table of contents for 01-Oct-2020 in Pick Me Up!

When I graduated from Southampton University two years ago, with a degree in history, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Deciding on a year abroad, I started working at an animal charity in order to save some money. I absolutely loved working there and soon saved up enough to go away. But whilst travelling, I was overwhelmed by the number of homeless citizens. I’ve always known it’s an issue, but in the inner cities of Australia, I couldn’t believe how bad it was. And that’s when I decided to pursue a career in charity. I wanted to make a difference in the world and so back at home, I put my energy into finding a job. Stumbling across a fundraising administrative role for the…

As I was hanging out with some mates at the local park, we were joined by a few new faces, including a good-looking guy who caught my attention. ‘Who’s that?’ I asked, nudging a friend. ‘This is Joe,’ he said, dragging me over and introducing the pair of us. In July 2019, Joe James, 22, joined my circle of friends and we soon started seeing a lot of each other. At first I didn’t think he liked me, but he just turned out to be incredibly shy. Joe and I started chatting on Facebook, and we got to know each other more I learned that he suffered with depression growing up, and had to be home schooled, which meant he’d always struggled to meet new people. I had struggled with…

ACROSS 7 Pursuit (5) 8 Pointer (9) 10 Harden into ice (6) 11 Unjust or illegal (8) 12 Well-known (8) 13 Flat (4) 15 Tool for cutting metal (7) 17 Flightless bird (7) 20 _ Gyllenhaal, actor whose starring roles include Donnie Darko and Enemy (4) 22 Powerful light at the front of a car (8) 25 Withstands (8) 26 DJ _, music producer behind two UK No. 1 singles in 2017 - I’m The One and Wild Thoughts (6) 27 Nothing like (3,6) 28 Large tree (5) DOWN 1 Impostor or quack (9) 2 Star-shaped character (8) 3 Oblivious (7) 4 Bereaved husbands (8) 5 Sister of 20 Across, a fellow actor whose credits include The Dark Knight and White House Down (6) 6 Add numbers together (3,2) 9…

Digging my hand into a bag of crisps, I shoved a handful into my mouth. It was October 2017, and I was a third-year accounting student in Toronto, Canada. With so much coursework to get through, I barely had time for a proper meal, and would instead snack on junk food while typing out essays. I’d always been a fairly big lad, but living in student accommodation had taken its toll, and I was pushing 21st. That night, as I typed out a lengthy essay, I noticed a small patch of red, itchy skin on my right hand. I ignored it at first, but over the next few days, the patch started to grow. It had become raw and painful, and so itchy. I went to my GP, where I…

PET NEWS Pup petaways Leading dog-friendly holiday company PetsPyjamas reveals the top petaway locations for some of the UK’s most popular dog breeds. 1. Labradors love the Lakes! Requiring more than two hours exercise a day and having a reputation as foodies, the Lake District is the perfect playground for an athletic Lab to burn off steam. Another Place – The Lake, Ullswater is great for active families. 2. Cocker Spaniels go crazy for Cornwall With their lively and playful nature, this people-orientated dog will find their tail wagging with their family on the Cornish coast. St Michael’s resort in Falmouth is a great choice for couples 3. Devon will delight a Dachshund A versatile little dog, Daxies can adapt and enjoy both town and country life – and this…

Better tights As we move into autumn, tights are your capsule wardrobe’s best friend. They’re a super easy and stylish way to bring AW20 colours into your everyday look. Here’s how you can wear this season’s colours with brand new, inclusive and sustainable tights brand Better… BACK TO BLACK In stark contrast to last season’s crisp whites, the classic black is back. Pair your favourite little black dress with black opaque tights for an elegant look. SEEING RED Angry reds are back to make a bold statement. Adding this stylish colour is a great way to update your outfit for autumn. GO NATURAL Natural hues are one of the longest-lasting trends and they aren’t going anywhere. Think beige, camel and light browns. Shop all tights for £6.50 online at bettertights.com…

Across the world, close to 800,000 people die due to suicide every year, which is one person every 40 seconds. Chances are, if you haven’t lost someone you love to suicide, you know someone who has. But when it comes to the official figures, there is a shocking disparity between men and women. In the UK alone, men are three times more likely to take their own life, with suicide being the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45. On average, in the UK, we lose 12 men to suicide every single day. And it’s a very similar story across the world. Data from the World Health Organisation shows that nearly 40% of countries have more than 15 suicide deaths per 100,000 men, with only 1.5% showing…

Gentle giant Robert Poynter was a real-life hero. The veteran firefighter was retired, but no one had forgotten the lives he had saved, and everyone still instinctively turned to him for help. Robert, 47, had spent 19 years fighting blazes while based at the University Park firehouse near Dallas, and eventually made Captain. He’d earned the respect of his colleagues for being able to use his physical strength in life and death situations, but also his gentle side for comforting traumatised children at the scenes of the fires. Robert had been happily married to his first wife, and had two daughters, but then he met Chacey Morman. At the time, Chacey was just 20 – she was 12 years his junior. Eventually Robert left his wife for the blonde assistant…

Great achievement! Leading UK pet charity Blue Cross has announced the winners of their recent creative competition for children, ‘Britain’s Most Heroic Tails’. The competition, which was launched in March to raise awareness of the 80th Anniversary of the Blue Cross Medal, asked children aged 7-11 to put their creative caps on and draw their favourite pets onto a superherothemed poster. The charity received designs from kids all across the UK, featuring cats, dogs, hamsters, rabbits, goldfish and more. To commemorate their wins, Blue Cross commissioned British comic book illustrator Brian Williamson – who works with Marvel and DC Comics – to bring their ‘su-purr’ hero pets to life, by creating real life movie posters. Here are their top five winners: 1. George Mitchell – Ollie the Wonderdog 2. Joel Hitch…

Sitting down in front of the TV, I waited for Coronation Street to begin. I’ve watched the show for as long as I can remember, only this particular episode suddenly became very close to home. Following the soap, I knew the character of three-year-old Oliver Battersby was poorly. However, I couldn’t believe it when suddenly he was diagnosed with Mitochondrial Disease. For me, this wasn’t just a storyline on a TV programme, it was my life. Just weeks before, in March of this year, my nine-year-old daughter Kiya, had been diagnosed with the very same disease. Unlike Oliver who was diagnosed in just one appointment, it took us a year of pain and suffering. Not two years ago, Kiya was an energetic child who loved horse riding and swimming. She…

Hygiene habits According to new research, a shocking 44% of adults in the UK have only been brushing their teeth once a day. Even more worryingly, 18% admitted to not brushing their teeth on a daily basis at all! The new statistics come from Floe Oral Care, who are on a mission to address the nation’s looming oral care health crisis by creating a dental care subscription service. They’ve launched the UK’s first 100% circular and eco-friendly subscription box that collects all used toothbrushes for recycling at the end of life to be turned into new products. Every 12 weeks, the time recommended by dentists to replace your toothbrush, the Floe subscription service delivers all the resources to maintain good oral health, without adding to the environmental crisis. For more…

They say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I strongly believe that it is so important to always maintain a positive attitude. Even when faced with an incurable illness. My chemotherapy is what’s keeping me alive, but my optimism is the reason I am still smiling. 10 years ago, I met my partner Alistair, 57, online dating on Match.com. We got chatting, found common interests and then met up a couple of weeks later. And we’ve been madly in love ever since. I introduced Alistair to my son Tristan, now 13, and he became the third member of our family. Six years into the relationship, in early 2016, I went to my annual health assessment at the doctors. And my mammogram came back clear. Then months later, I was…

Birds Eye Crispy Chunky Fish Fingers, £3, Tesco, Morrisons, Iceland and Ocado. No more debating over whether to tuck into a piece of beautifully battered fish or flavoursome fish fingers, these offer the best of both worlds. Cheese and Bean Chicken Kiev (Pack of 2), £1.49, Aldi. Aldi have got families covered with these Cheese and Bean Chicken Kievs - perfect for a quick and easy after school meal. The Real Olive Company Limone Olives, £3.35, Abel & Cole. The Real Olive Company has a brand new flavour - Limone. Crisp and zesty, the olives are marinated in cold-pressed oil to keep them at their freshest and tastiest whilst maintaining all of their usual goodness. Gianni’s Titan Ice Cream Bars, £1.29 (pack of 4), Aldi. Shoppers have gone wild for…

www.theastrologyroom.com ARIES 21 March–20 April It’s easy to see why you got lost, when the map was in your hand and not in your heart. Friends you make through work help you find a more fulfilling social life, if you give them the chance. Geminis link to a secret you must not reveal. Loose lipped talking could see you being labelled a gossip. Some would say you’re avoiding that family stand off. Are you? Call: 09058 170 710* LEO 24 July–23 Aug Take the time to check in with yourself everyday. You need a boost, and the only person you should ever compete with is yourself. You can’t hope for a fairer match. By the end of this week, you start to see a dream you had put on hold…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! If you’re looking for a quick and cost effective way to freshen up your kitchen, then invest in this pair. The deep wire drainer and washing up bowl made from 100% recycled household plastic will be a perfect addition to your home. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Deep clean Once a week, I soak all of my chopping boards in Milton – a brand of baby bottle sterilising fluid to remove dirt. Lucy Travell, Gloucester Everlasting lip balm On a warm day, put your lip balm in the freezer. It revives a firm smooth outline and stops the product from turning to liquid Marion Aldred, London Host with the most I…

Laying on the patient’s chair, I opened my mouth wide. ‘Lovely teeth as always Gill,’ my dentist smiled, examining my gums. It was my six-monthly checkup at the dentist. I had always been a regular dentist-goer, and took pride in my near perfect teeth that had never had so much as a filling or a crown. ‘See you in another six months!’ my dentist said. ‘Brush until they’re shining!’ I nagged them day and night. A couple of months after my appointment, in May 2019, I began to feel some pain and tingling in my jaw that wouldn’t budge. ‘It’s best you got it checked out,’ my husband Rob, 47, said. Thankfully, my dentist wasn’t worried. ‘It looks like it’s just an abscess,’ he assured me, before handing me some…

Walking through the front door, I caught the sweet smell of a scented candle. ‘I’ve run you a bubble bath,’ my boyfriend Dan smiled. ‘Why don’t you have a nice soak while I get dinner on?’ ‘This is just what I needed,’ I said, kicking off my shoes. ‘Thank you.’ Working as a midwife, I was rushed off my feet, but my boyfriend Dan Smyth, 28, knew exactly how to treat me. When we met in a pub back in January 2014, I’d just moved over from Ireland, didn’t really know anyone. But Dan, a mechanic, was friendly and charming, and swept me off my feet. We spent every day together after that, and on Valentine’s Day that year, he plucked up the courage to ask me out. Ever since…

As she gingerly placed one tiny foot in front of the other, my little girl slowly toddled her way across the living room. ‘Well done!’ I beamed proudly. It was a moment every mum dreams of. At just 10 months old, my clever daughter Orla had just taken her first steps. She was so smart for her age, had beaten her older sisters Mia, then five, and Aoife, three, when it came to reaching her milestones. ‘She’ll be running circles around us in no time,’ my husband Gavin, 41, said. I knew it was only a matter of time before Orla would be racing around the house, but for now, she was only taking baby steps. Afew weeks later, on 23 June 2018, Orla was toddling about more often. But…

The Great British Bake Off, Channel 4 The Great British Bake Off returns this week, under exceptional circumstances and with some changes. Brand new host Matt Lucas joins Noel Fielding, and as we all adapt to the challenges 2020 has brought us, 12 new bakers form a bubble and enter the iconic white tent to tackle brand new challenges set by Judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. An Extra Slice is also back to bring us more treats from the tent. Each week Jo Brand welcomes a panel of celebrity Bake Off fans to unpack the best bits from the show, as well as unseen footage and an exclusive interview with the baker who’s leaving the competition that week. Comedian and Extra Slice regular Tom Allen has invited an array…

Struggle to know which cooking oil to use? U:ME have developed a new range designed for different cooking techniques, with helpful on-pack guidance. So far, there’s Vegetable & Olive Oil Blend for roasting and frying, and Coconut Oil Blend and Coconut Oil Spray, both ideal for stir-frying and baking. MasterChef finalists Billy Wright and Jack Layer, aka Billy and Jack, have partnered with U:ME to create some delicious recipes to showcase how these oils make the perfect cooking partner. U:ME is now available in Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Morrisons. For more inspiration visit ume.cooking Broccoli, prawn & peanut stir-fry Serves 4 ▪ U:ME Coconut Oil Spray▪ 400g tender stem broccoli▪ 1 carrot▪ 8 garlic cloves▪ 2 thumb sized pieces of ginger▪ 1 tbsp tomato purée▪ 2 red chillis▪ 1 tbsp marmalade▪…

Lee Kum Kee is the largest and best known Chinese sauce brand in the global Chinese market as well as the brand of choice for Michelin-starred Chinese restaurants and chefs. These recipes from their Yin and Yang collection are all about striking balance and careful attention to how the different ingredients work together to achieve harmony in texture, cooking styles and flavour. (www.lkk.com) Grilled vegetable vermicelli noodles WHAT YOU’LL NEED: ▪ 200g vermicelli noodles▪ 1 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce▪ 3 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce▪ 2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Chilli Garlic Sauce▪ 1 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Pure Sesame Oil▪ 1 aubergine, thinly sliced into rounds▪ 1 mixed bag of peppers (red, yellow and green), sliced▪ 250g shitake mushrooms, larger ones torn▪ Drizzle…

Sat with my youngest daughter Harleigh, two, she played peacefully with her Lego blocks, listening to YouTube nursery rhymes. As I tried to help her build a tower, she stopped me. ‘I’ll do it!’ she declared. Following orders, I chuckled. Harleigh is a very independent little girl. A proper chatterbox, and very head strong for her age. Even though she’s the littlest, she loves bossing around her big sisters Jorgie, eight, and Devinn, 11. Me and my husband David, 37, can’t help but laugh at her. On 13 July, David was fishing and I was looking after the girls. We’d been toilet training Harleigh to use a children’s toilet training seat. And it was going smoothly! Or at least, I thought it was… Moments later, Harleigh came toddling into the…