Table of contents for 24-Jun-2021 in Pick Me Up!

From the moment my little girl could talk, she’s always been such a caring person. When she was just eight-years-old, Charlotte began raising money for charity, after her friend was taken into hospital. She’s always wanted to help and so before long, she started doing pageant work. As her mum, I imagined it would be like Toddlers & Tiaras, but that’s not the case. Each pageant represents a chosen charity, and Charlotte picked the Royal Sapphire as they raise awareness and money for Crawford House in our local area. Run by The Sick Children’s Trust, Crawford House is a ‘home away from home’ for families with ill children. Close to the hospital, it keeps families together in a time of need. Charlotte immediately knew this was the charity she wanted…

This week, our tip of the week will receive some great products from Addis! Creating a clean and neat space can help makeover a room with a minimal cost yet with maximum impact. This Addis sink caddy, drainer, bowl and composter is perfect for refreshing your sink side! To embrace and love your space visit addis.co.uk No messing I save leftover vinegar from pickled onions and add it to washing up water when I’m cleaning frying pans or dishes. It cuts through the grease well. Colleen Brunton, Enfield Blowing in the wind When drying sheets outside, I always leave a gap between each side of the sheet – it dries much quicker. Lucy Travell, Gloucester Crunch time! I always pack some Pringles when we go on a picnic because once…

Getting myself ready for another day in lockdown, my motivation to do anything was feeling pretty low. ‘Come on,’ my girlfriend Hayz said to me. ‘Let’s go for a walk!’ ‘Hmm,’ I sighed, unsure if I felt up to it. But I knew it would do me the world of good. Having lived with mental health problems since I was a child, I knew being stuck indoors wasn’t going to do me any favours. Aged 8, I first started seeing mental health professionals and by the time I was 14, I was admitted to a child psychiatric hospital. Struggling with depression and self-harming, I was in a particularly bad place. Some days, I felt like I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel at all. Put on…

Club foot 1 It’s something you’re born with. ■ True ■ False 2 It’s incurable. ■ True ■ False 3 It is genetic. ■ True ■ False 4 You can relapse. ■ True ■ False 5 1 in 10 have it. ■ True ■ False 1 TRUE Club foot is also known as talipes. This condition is where a baby is born with one or both feet turning in and under. It can be spotted during the ultrasound scan between 18 and 21 weeks. 2 FALSE The feet often correct themselves by the time the baby is three months old. However, sometimes babies need physiotherapy or treatment to manipulate the foot back to where it should be. 3 TRUE In some cases, it is believed to be caused by the genes which run…

Get tails wagging! Woofstock UK, a festival celebrating all things dog, returns to the county of Devon this August. Founded in 2014, the award-winning event welcomes families and their dogs to join in a weekend of canine-themed fun. Visitors can expect a host of exciting attractions at the festival: fun shows for dogs to get involved in, a shopping village full of doggy-related stalls, plus unique activities such as paw painting at the ‘Pawcasso’ tent and a dedicated doggy diving pool. Dogs lovers will also welcome the panel of guest speakers offering important pet care advice, and live music performances – which organisers have made sure are suitable for sensitive doggy ears. Taking place from Friday 6th to Sunday 8th August 2021, visitors can choose from either a weekend, daytime,…

Placing the freshly made liver cake packed full of goodies and a cheese frosting down in front of Kofi, my German shepherd, I forced a smile. ‘Good boy Kofi, that’s all yours!’ I said. Kofi had finished his smoked salmon and prawn cocktail starter and was ready for more. There was an entire barbeque loaded with steak, ribs and German sausages. I’m a vegaterian, so it was all for him. Scattered around the garden were cardboard boxes which he loved to rip up. It was Friday 9 April and I’d arranged a small BBQ party for Kofi, his brother, Novak, and a couple of our close family and friends. We were celebrating the end of his life. I’d devastatingly had to decide that he needed to have the injection before…

After collapsing at a Remembrance Sunday service almost 10 years ago, at just 15-years-old, Megan Taylor was left with not only a fractured skull, but also permanent damage to her vision, hearing and balance, as well as suffering from fainting episodes. With her daily tasks impaired, Megan decided to sign up her pet Border Collie cross Australian Kelpie, Ruby, with the charity Dog A.I.D, which enables people with disabilities to train their own dogs to become qualified Assistance Dogs. Ruby was taught how to pick up dropped items, take socks off, empty the washing machine, untie shoelaces and most importantly – push an emergency button to get help when Megan fainted. Megan says: ‘Ruby helped me to regain my independence, and because of her I finally felt safe in my home…

World’s smallest confession booth, £9.99, Firebox.com A place to confess all those tiny things you’ve done wrong. Kneel your fingers! Scratch map travelogue in red, £18.99, Prezzybox.com Great gift for an adventurer as travel begins to open up! Comes with eight scratch maps. Float on pink flamingo phone holder, £12, Redcandy.co.uk Send your smartphone on a sunny holiday! Bring the tropics to your desk.…

Everyone’s talking about Introducing your new summer essential… teapigs kombucha! The UK kombucha market is set to grow by 33% this year, and teapigs is excited to announce that they will be the first recognised tea brand to make it! So, what is kombucha? Essentially, kombucha is tea that has been fermented using water, raw sugar and a live SCOBY. Available in three tasty flavours – original, ginger & lemongrass and peach & mango. All natural, with no artificial flavours or sweeteners – plus 5p from each can supports communities in Rwanda. • Available for £1.90 per can on www.teapigs.co.uk GET IN TOUCH Send us your stories and photos, including all names and ages, a daytime phone number and full address. E-mail hello@pickmeupmag.co.uk WRITE TO Pick Me Up! Media Centre, Emma-Chris…

Screaming in my face, he accused me of sleeping with other men once again. ‘How can I be?’ I cried, growing frustrated Suddenly, his hands were gripping my legs and he dragged me out of the bed. Slamming me on the floor, he began kicking and punching me relentlessly. ‘This is what you get for being a sl*g,’ he shouted. I tried to push away from him, but he grabbed hold of my throat and throttled me. Trying to yell out he put his hand over my mouth so no one could hear me. I couldn’t breathe. I’m going to die, I thought. Finally, just as I was about to pass out, he released me. For the next few days, Andrew refused to let me leave the house – it…

Finishing my dinner, I looked over at my husband, David, 46. It was the weekend, on 29 September last year, and I thought my cheeky boys, Sebastian, then four, and Hunter three, deserved a treat. ‘Who wants to go to the park?’ I asked. My stepdaughter, Jasmine, 17, stayed home but the rest of us jumped up and headed out. Sebastian sprinted straight for the spider’s web climbing frame and got right to the top. He knows how to make me nervous, I thought. Then, it was bathtime and bed for them both. I read them a book as they slowly nodded off. At 1am there was a knock on our bedroom door. His legs crumpled beneath him ‘Sebastian wants you,’ Hunter said – they share a room and a…

Harry Ramsdens Range, from £1, Iceland and The Food Warehouse. Homemade fish and chips have never been easier thanks to Harry Ramsdens new range at Iceland. Choose from chip shop classics, such as battered cod, breaded scampi and steak pies. Häagen-Dazs Lime Mojito Sorbet and Piña Colada Ice Cream, £4.99, Asda. Häagen-Dazs are mixing things up this summer as they bring together their iconic creamy ice cream with two of the UK’s favourite cocktails - Lime Mojito and Piña Colada. Skittles® Giants Sours, from £1, all major retailers. Bigger on the outside, softer on the inside and jam packed with zingy sour flavour, the latest addition to the Skittles family of sweets is mouth-wateringly good! Princes Fruit Pots, £1.35, Tesco. All the packaging is 100% recyclable in this brand-new range…

Co-op and Hubbub are on a mission to feed communities up and down the country! The announced new partnership will fast-track the expansion of community fridges across the UK. Community fridges are open to everyone in communities – without any need to be referred – to share fresh food that would otherwise have gone to waste. The new partnership will see the existing Community Fridge Network increase to 250 over the next year, saving a further 6.8 million meals per year from going to waste. And what’s more, as well as improving access to food, the fridges go beyond this by empowering communities to connect with each other, and learn new skills through activities such as cookery sessions and workshops on how to grow your own fruit and veg. Marcus…

If your letter makes Star Letter of the week, you will receive some beautiful blooms from Flying Flowers. With over 30 years’ experience of helping celebrate life’s special moments and FREE delivery by post, a gorgeous bouquet by Flying Flowers is a lovely way to celebrate sharing smiles and happiness. See flyingflowers.co.uk for more details.…

Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: Biscuit. Answer on page 47. ACROSS 7 Putrefy (2,3) 8 Demolition vehicle (9) 10 TV commercial (6) 11 Postpone work on (8) 12 Idleness (8) 13 Look lasciviously (4) 15 Despots (7) 17 Famke _, played Dr Jean Grey in the 2000 superhero film X-Men (7) 20 _ Bean, played Boromir in the Lord of the Rings trilogy (4) 22 Curative (8) 25 Backs off (8) 26 Stage performers (6) 27 Unbelieving (9) 28 Expel from a property (5) DOWN 1 1995 spy film starring 17 Across, 20 Across, 3 Down, 5 Down, 19 Down & 24 Down (9) 2 Spanish city (8) 3 Alan _, played TV star Fegan Floop in the Spy Kids…

Q I’ve had a persistent cough for the last few weeks. I took a PCR Covid-19 test and isn’t that. What could it be? Chris, Dorset A If you don’t have Covid-19 and you’ve had a cough lasting three weeks or more, then I would encourage you to contact your GP to rule out any health issues. It’s probably nothing serious, but an ongoing cough should always be checked out. There can be many causes such as allergies, gastric reflux, but it also can be a sign of lung cancer and if it is that, the earlier it is caught, the more treatable it is. NHS England and Public Health England’s campaign, ‘Help Us, Help You’ is reminding the public that the NHS is open and here to see you…

Glancing at my reflection in the mirror, I made sure my outfit looked presentable. ‘That’ll do,’ I said to myself, not wanting to look at myself for much longer. In fact, I tried to avoid mirrors at all costs – never wanting to look at the reflection that was staring back at me. With my weight creeping up over the last few years, I hadn’t felt comfortable in my own skin for quite some time. And by now, in the summer of 2019, I was the biggest I had ever been. While to most I might not have looked massively overweight, at just 5ft 3in and struggling to fit into size 16 clothes, I was on a slippery slope. Eating little and often, I’d often find myself having a sugary…

Germs, infections and diseases: Three things that we used to believe animals would bring into hospitals Happiness, calmness and companionship: Three things that we now understand animals can bring into hospitals and care home In recent years, medical research and experience has proven that trained animals can lift spirits, provide comfort and increase socialisation in healthcare settings. The use of animals for therapeutic purposes is now flourishing. Dogs, cats, rabbits, fish, guinea pigs and even llamas are increasingly being used in hospitals, cancer clinics, nursing homes and hospices as therapy pets. Pet therapy, also referred to as animal-assisted therapy (AAT), is a guided interaction between a person and a trained animal. The purpose of pet therapy is to help someone recover from or cope with a health problem or mental…

Big Dog Britain, Channel 4 We take a humorous look at the lives of dog owners who share their home with some of the biggest breeds around. We see the quirks and characteristics of breeds such as Great Danes and Newfoundland’s, as well as meet their dedicated owners, who will do anything for the dogs they deem their best friends. Although The Kennel Club reports that smaller dogs have become increasingly popular, Big Dog Britain shows that for some people, big is best. While caring for a big dog can be expensive, these pets live with devoted owners who are willing to fund diets of filet mignon and allocate a bedroom to their pooches – flatscreen TV included. The Comeback Trail, Sky Cinema Screen legends Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee…

British Piccolo cherry tomatoes are a pocket-sized, perfectly-balanced, juicier and crunchier variety of tomato, grown from the highest quality seeds by talented and passionate growers. Piccolo cherry tomatoes are packed with healthy goodness, vitamins and minerals and are perfect for creating vibrant, summery recipes! • Find more inspiration at www.piccolocherrytomato.co.uk Piccolo, lemon zest and sage risotto with burrata Serves: 4 □ 3 tbsp olive oil□ 2 shallots, finely chopped□ 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped□ 1½ tbsp tomato purée□ 280g risotto rice, such as Arborio□ Knob of butter□ 100ml white wine□ 1 litre stock (made with 1 vegetable or chicken stock cube)□ 1 lemon, zest only □ 10 sage leaves, chopped□ 50g Parmesan, finely grated□ 250g Piccolo cherry tomatoes, left whole, stalks removed if preferred□ 115g burrata, divided into quarters□ 1 heaped…