Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2025 i Platinum

I wrote this in my editor’s letter for Top Santé and I’ll say it again here: how have we already reached the June issue? Where has this year gone? It’s been a packed first half for me, what with work trips to London, holidays and dance events – and with more of the latter on the horizon. I hope you’ve enjoyed the first half of 2025 and are making plans for an awesome summer. Perhaps you’re one of those eager planners who likes to have the whole year mapped out and have things lined up all the way through to December 31? And who could blame you?! Here at Platinum, we’re all about celebrating our “second spring” and planning for it to be as amazing as possible – perhaps even…

Sam Bond arrives at Platinum’s west London location house with a confession. ‘I woke up feeling cross,’ she says. ‘The trouble is, I don’t like having my photograph taken. Even on my wedding day my cousin took the pictures. There were no posh ones!’ Yet here she is. Punctual, full of pleasantries and hungry to get cracking (after a steadying glass of Sauvignon Blanc, no less). As one of the UK’s best-known actresses of stage and screen, Sam is no stranger to finding her feet during uncomfortable moments. Take the job she landed in her mid-50s in the West End musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. ‘It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done professionally,’ she says. ‘I hadn’t sung in front of people since I was 21 and in pantomime. At…

Alison Cline-Williams, 51, London instagram.com/alisonwilliams4617 ‘I wanted to be a model back in the days of Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell. However I was always a curvy lady and was a size 14 from once I started my period. When I saw Ageism Is Never In Style’s free stock imagery project advertised I applied straight away. I wanted to be part of the campaign as it falls in line with my values of being an ambassador for models of diversity. ‘I am currently doing this part time – it would be great if there was more work like this available. So far I’ve modelled for Ageism Is Never In Style, the Love Every Layer and JD Williams Christmas adverts, and I’ve also modelled on This Morning. I would say the…

Tackling the negative narrative on ageing is something I’ve been addressing via my social media accounts for years. I don’t subscribe to the idea that women have a “best-before” date, or that we need to try to appear youthful to have worth. Instead, I think it helps to define what’s important to us as we grow older. Many of us probably have mixed emotions about growing older and recognise there are some positives and some negatives. Being an active ager isn’t about denying some of the aspects about growing older we find challenging. Instead, it means taking action to support the healthiest versions of ourselves, and making peace with some of the aspects we may struggle with. To embrace active ageing, we need to confront the influence that ageism has…

One of the most ancient, natural foods in the world, pure honey made using traditional, time-honoured methods, with no added ingredients or chemicals and where the bees are treated respectfully, is also really, really good for you. Active honey is rich in naturally occurring antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that are measured by the term “Total Activity” (or TA) and the higher the TA score, the more effective strength is contained in the honey. The health benefits of honey include blood pressure management; cholesterol management; cough suppression; polyphenol content, which is thought to aid in digestion as well as other health benefits; antioxidant content, which fights free radicals; and even wound healing when used topically, particularly on burns. Honey is not only beautiful to look at, versatile in all manner of…

BLENHEIM PALACE: NOCTURNE LIVE 2025 JUNE 18-22, OXFORDSHIRE (NOCTURNELIVE.COM) Every year, the Great Court at Blenheim Palace is transformed into a 10,000-capacity open-air concert venue for Nocturne Live. Surrounded by splendour, enjoy five nights of feel-good summer tunes, with Gary Barlow, Richard Ashcroft, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, En Vogue, Lightning Seeds, The Zutons and Shalamar all confirmed for this year’s star-studded line up. Why not make the most of your visit and spend the day exploring the palace, park and gardens before settling in for an incredible evening of music?…

It is six months since I appeared on Gladiators and I still have a frisson of adrenaline every time someone mentions it to me – and they mention it a lot. My appearance seems to have unlocked a sense of fun in everyone from five to 70 years old. If you missed my debut and you are ever feeling a little low, I suggest you find the clip of me either falling flat on my face having tripped up over my own feet or being flung by the umpire Mark Clattenburg like a sack of potatoes over the hurdles at the start of the Eliminator. It was utterly hilarious. When I first got invited onto the programme, I laughed out loud at the absurdity of it – as did all…

LOUISE MINCHIN The TV presenter and author on loving her stint (and stunts!) on TV’s Gladiators. NICK HAMILTON Gardening guru Nick checks off his list of outdoor jobs for June, with tips for your garden. GAIL ROLFE Our fashion expert welcomes the skirt revival with the best ways to style them. ADELE PARKS MBE Bestselling author Adele rounds up her top new reads, plus an extract from one of her novels. DR DAWN HARPER The author and GP highlights Men’s Health Month with a look at intimacy issues. VALENTINA HARRIS Cook and author Valentina’s three recipes that put the spotlight on honey. JANE MOORE The Loose Women presenter has found her new home and given up her time sofa-surfing. SUZY GLASKIE The health coach suggests it’s time to stop filling…

After selling the family home to downsize, I put the majority of my possessions into storage and embarked on a period of nomadic sofa-surfing until I found a new abode. Well, I say sofa-surfing. But thanks to my generous, mostly divorced friends who live alone and welcome company, I was offered a variety of gorgeous en-suite bedrooms in multiple London locations. It proved to be an excellent litmus test for where, and in what, I might next lay my hat and call home. With the kids grown up, I have long fantasised about a river flat or a cutesy mews house in a more central location than the south London area I’ve lived in for the past 40 years. I imagined myself strolling to a patisserie for a freshly baked…

Fruit-based skincare can offer an effective way to improve the health and appearance of your skin and hair. Full of antioxidants, vitamins and beneficial nutrients, these powerful ingredients can help unlock the skin and hair you dream of. Of late, this has become a really big trend with more brands harnessing the fruity powered goodness in their skincare, haircare, fragrances and make-up. One brand I’ve discovered, Kelsey – a Kent based company – have made their humble farm-grown raspberry the star of all their products by using the berry, seed, pulp and leaf. Incorporating fruit-based hair and skincare into your routine can provide a wide range of benefits: hydration, anti-ageing and brightening to name a few. To get the most from your fruity skincare, make sure to choose the products…

Let me share a story that makes me cringe. Many years ago, when my three kids were younger and I was running a busy PR agency, we had a lovely au pair from the Czech Republic living with us (let’s call her Magda). One morning, I was working from home, frantically juggling my team’s demands. With my head bursting, I bustled into the kitchen to make a quick cuppa and I found Magda, standing stock-still, staring blank-eyed out the window. I asked her if she was okay and she pointed to the dishwasher, which showed three minutes on the countdown. She told me that she was watching a squirrel in the garden while she waited for the cycle to finish. My brain couldn’t take this in. It took a few…

Mushroom rarebit I love using big field mushrooms for this recipe, which makes an easy brunch or a light supper. Serve with spinach and a couple of tomatoes on the side. To add protein, enjoy it with any of the egg recipes on pages 42-43 in the book. Per serving: 270kcalNET CARBS 2gFIBRE 2gPROTEIN 13gFAT 23g ● 2 large portobello mushrooms, brushed clean● 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil● 1 egg● 25g mature Cheddar or other hard cheese, coarsely grated● ½ tsp Dijon mustard● Couple of drops of Worcestershire sauce (optional, leave this out if you don’t eat fish)● 1 tbsp Greek yoghurt, crème fraîche or double cream● Salt and pepper 1. Use a small knife to cut away the stalks of the mushrooms; set aside the stalks. Lay the…

THE NAMES by Florence Knapp (£16.99, Orion Publishing) Can a name shape destiny? Cora is trapped, controlled and abused by her husband, a man who everyone else considers a charming pillar of society. He has instructed her to register the birth of their son; he wants him to be named Gordon, like himself and his father before him. But Cora is afraid that if she names her boy after generations of domineering men, he will become one too. Her nine-year-old daughter wants to call the baby Bear, symbolising wildness and strength. Cora has her heart set on Julian, a name she is simply fond of and thinks might allow him to find his own path in life. The brilliance of this book is that we see three different stories unfold,…

Is the skirt about to make a resounding comeback? After languishing in the fashion doldrums for a decade or more, it seems from all the signs that it is climbing back into favour. Both maxi, midi and mini skirts swept the spring and summer catwalks in various guises, from sleek and sculptural, artisanal and bohemian, to retro elegance and elegant sophistication. So, it makes sense there should be a skirt that will fit and flatter your style, and suit all tastes and occasions from formal weddings to low-key lunch dates, and every occasion in between. However, unless your style icon is Brigitte Macron, or you are possessed with toned gazelle-like limbs, I suggest you discard the thought of this season’s penchant for micro minis. There is no doubt that midi…

June is Men’s Health Month so I thought it was a good time to talk about something that many women may have quietly noticed as their partners age but might not know how to address: when intimacy changes, and not by choice. If your partner has become hesitant in the bedroom or avoids physical affection, it may not be a reflection of how he feels about you. He may be struggling with erectile dysfunction, as half of men over 40 do. Difficulty getting or keeping an erection – a condition known as erectile dysfunction (ED) – is far more common than many realise, and while it can be frustrating, awkward, or even heartbreaking, the good news is that it’s treatable. Viagra and similar medications have long been the go-to solution,…

Restaurants really want you to buy wine with your meal. Think about when you go into a restaurant. There will be clean wine glasses on the table when you sit down. You’ll be handed food menus and also the wine list. All of this is meant to make you subconsciously feel that you should consume wine with your meal. And that’s important to restaurants because a lot of their margin is made from selling wine with their food. That’s why restaurants even employ wine experts – known as sommeliers (pronounced suhm-uhl-yey), from the French word for butler. The sommelier or “somm” is the in-house wine expert who can help you navigate the wine list, choose a wine you might not have had before and match your wine experience to the…

Sitting on a plane waiting to take off, I started to reflect on the whirlwind of my life over the past five years. At 60 and with four grandchildren, many might be considering winding down into retirement, but I felt the opposite: I was just getting started. In that moment, everything, from my childhood struggles to my entrepreneurial journey, made sense. It was all meant to be. I realised that I was finally living my purpose. At the age of four, in 1969, in Nantwich, my world changed when my lovely mum Enid was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) at the young age of 36. Back then, treatments were virtually non-existent, and the disease progressed quickly. As her health declined, my dad, Tony, faced the overwhelming reality of raising me…

CODEWORD Each letter of the alphabet has been replaced by the same number throughout this grid. Use the decoded letters given to work out the identity of other letters and fill in the grid. The alphabet list and reference grid will help you to keep track of the letters you’ve decoded. WORDWHEEL You have ten minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the wheel. Each word must be three letters or more and contain the central letter. Use each letter once, and no plurals, foreign words or proper nouns are allowed. There is at least one nine-letter word. AVERAGE: 22 wordsGOOD: 30 wordsEXCELLENT: 36 words CELL BLOCK Fill the grid by drawing blocks along the gridlines. Each block must contain the number of squares indicated…