Innehållsförteckning för December 2021 från Chat Specials

The holidays are coming, and we cannot wait to see what the magical season brings. Tis’ the season of good cheer, and we have plenty to get you in the mood. Meet the boxing champ determined to make a difference in her community. After joining her local club, Sedem (pg31), wanted to be a force for good and now helps get young people off the streets. When Lisa’s cousin was tragically diagnosed with bowel cancer, she knew she needed to do something (pg55). So, she’s now signed up to do the London Marathon in 2022 for Bowel Cancer UK. Good luck, Lisa! After little Cooper arrived at 23-weeks, Abbie was terrified as to whether he would survive (pg18). Only, this little fighter wasn’t giving up and today he is a…

Don’t forget Make sure to wash your hairbrush, just rinse under warm soapy water to remove built up oils. Samantha, Bedford Tidy up Put all of your spare cables in a storage box, that way they are all in one place and you wont have to turn the house upside down to find them! Lesley, Doncaster Hair for more! If you’re struggling to get semi-permanent colour out, crush up multivitamin tablets and mix with anti-dandruff shampoo, lather and rinse. Your hair will be back to normal in no time. Donna, Preston Quick fix Use hair straighteners to iron collars when you’re in a rush. Try different heat settings for varied clothing, even delicate items! Harley, Cornwall Gin-tastic! Use leftover alcohol empties for shampoo and shower gel when travelling. You can…

Laying on the examination bed with my knees up, I chatted away to the nurse. It was 2018, and I was having my routine smear test at the doctors. ‘This may feel a bit strange, but it shouldn’t be painful,’ the nurse told me. Within two minutes, it was all over and I didn’t think any more of it after that Then, I received my smear test results in the post. The sample detected abnormal cells in my cervix I was advised to book a follow up appointment at my doctors for six months’ time. ‘But what if it’s serious?’ I quickly worried to my fiancé George, then 27. Anything could happen in six months… I thought. I could sense that something was wrong with my body. So, going with…

The Hair Boss The Detangling Mist, £8.99, Superdrug Targeted to fix frizzy and damaged hair, this mist is designed to strengthen and smoothen strands. The spray will protect your hair by preventing breakages and deterring split ends. The mist penetrates deeply into the hair strands and strengthens, repairs and protects locks from within. Transform your tresses and say goodbye to tangles! OGX Damage Remedy Coconut Miracle Oil Hair mask, £7.99, Boots The ideal hair mask to keep your tresses moisturised and protected. The mask is an ultra-rich blend with coconut oil, vanilla bean extract and essence of tiaré. An extra-nourishing blend that helps calm frizz and tame flyaways, it leaves hair with a silky soft bounce and shine to help revive even the most damaged strands!…

Swollen ankles Q My ankles often get swollen, and a friend recommended compression stockings. Do they work? How long do I need to wear them for? Hannah, Carlisle A Ankle swelling occurs frequently, especially as we get older. The most common cause is varicose veins, but other causes include heart, kidney, or liver disease, deep vein thrombosis or cellulitis. If this is sudden onset, severe, or one-sided and with symptoms such as pain, redness or feeling unwell, see your GP. Compression stockings are an excellent choice of treatment. See your practice nurse to have your legs measured and ensure you get the right size. Wear the stockings from first thing in the morning until you get into bed, either short term or long term. There is a technique to putting…

Blinking my eyes open one morning, I frowned. I was suffering with a cold and my head felt fuzzy, but I heaved myself out of bed and padded to the bathroom. Bleary-eyed, I squeezed toothpaste onto my brush. But as I did, a terrifying realisation washed over me. I couldn’t smell anything. Panicking, I desperately started sniffing, wondering if it was just in my head. But my sense of smell had completely vanished. In shock, I rang my GP. ‘It’s probably just because you’ve got a cold,’ he said. ‘Once that clears up, your smell will come back.’ This didn’t feel normal though. When I’d had colds before, I could still smell to an extent – it was just a case of being blocked-up. This was different, and much more…

Aviator This is your captain speaking! Take your wardrobe to new heights with an aviator jacket. Keep your outfit plane and simple with skinny jeans and a graphic tee or wear over a midi dress for extra warmth! Teddy Can’t bear the colder weather? A teddy coat is the right option for you. The longer length helps retain heat and the oversized fit will feel like a hug. Plus it’s a great way to add texture to your winter wardrobe. Try wearing a chunky boot with a long coat! Neutral colours never go out of fashion! Belted Do you ever feel like you want to wear your dressing gown out of the house? Belted coats are your best option! They add extra warmth and the belt does a great job…

On The Edge by Jane Jesmond £9.99, WATERSTONES Jen Shaw has climbed all her life: daring ascents of sheer rock faces, crumbling buildings, cranes – the riskier the better. Her entire life revolved around free climbing, and the adrenaline high it gave her. Until one day her luck ran out and someone she cared about got hurt. So she’s given it all up now. Honestly, she has. Yet, when Jen awakens to find herself drugged and dangling off the local lighthouse during a wild storm less than 24 hours after a family emergency takes her home to Cornwall, she needs all her skill to battle her way to safety. Jen must embark on a high stakes, action-packed search for the truth in order to figure out whether she’s fallen back…

Slouching on the sofa at home snacking on some crisps, it was just like any other day. Picking up my phone, I scrolled through Facebook. Dread hit the pit of my stomach as I spotted a new album of photos a family member had uploaded of a wedding I had attended the week before, in 2014. Swiping through the pictures, I winced when I spotted one of me standing there awkwardly. My confidence was at an all-time low, especially since I had to go dress shopping for pretty frock to wear to the wedding. It was while I was trying on outfits that I realised that I had reached a huge size 24. Squeezing into the dress and turning up on the day I felt so embarrassed and ashamed of…

Update your lounge look with a new pair of fluffy slippers! With lots of different styles, colours and patterns you will be sure to find something to treat your feet this winter! Why don’t you add a pair to your Christmas list!…

SET THE SCENE Before your guests arrive, light a festive-scented candle and put on a carefully curated playlist to give them a warm welcome. A beautifully-laid table will make a great first impression, and a table runner or table cloth is an easy and cost-effective way to add a touch of luxe to the dinner table. Make sure your cutlery is polished, your glasses are sparkling and your placemats are straight. Finish off the table with candles to set the mood, and a gorgeous centrepiece to give it the wow factor. FOOD You can’t go wrong by sticking to a classic yet delicious menu. To keep things simple and stress free, buy ready-made dishes where you can. You can’t go wrong by sticking to a classic yet delicious menu. To…

St. Moriz Dry Skin Tanning Serum, £14.99, Superdrug Get your glow on with this gorgeous tanning serum. The silky formula glides onto the skin with an instant light glow that gradually builds and maintains a streak-free flawless finish. Packed with skin-loving ingredients, this tan will reduce redness and moisturise your skin. Catrice More Than Glow Highlighter, £3.95, Justmylook Glow from the high heavens with this gorgeous highlighter! Compared to Becca’s famous Shimmering Skin Perfector, this is the perfect dupe for any beauty lover. Body Collection Blusher Stick Blush, £2.50, Wilko Bring your complexion to life with the Body Collection Blusher Stick. Blended with iridescent pigments in a creamy stick form for a smooth and glowing finish, this multi-use blusher stick adds luminosity to your look and can be used on…

New research has revealed that one in 10 women have suicidal thoughts, and nearly nine in 10 suffer mental health issues, as a result of perimenopause. It also emerged that more than a third of women surveyed haven’t sought any kind of help for their mental health struggles. Perimenopause is defined as the first appearance of menopausal symptoms, even before periods stop. Over three quarters of women who took part confessed they had never experienced mental health problems before entering perimenopause. The survey of 2,000 UK women aged 46 to 60 was carried out by OnePoll on behalf of women’s health website healthandher.com.…

In her new book, ADVENT: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of Christmas (Quadrille, £25), Anja Dunk shares over 100 recipes for the best biscuits, cakes and treats synonymous with German winter culture. Based on a traditional advent calendar, the book has 24 chapters that act as an edible countdown to Christmas! This gorgeous clothbound volume will transport you to snowy Bavarian towns. SPICED ALMOND BISCUITS (Spekulatius) MAKES ABOUT 30 YOU’LL NEED: • 150g plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting• 50g rye flour• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon• ¼ tsp ground cloves• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg• 120g caster sugar• A pinch of fine sea salt• 125g unsalted butter, at room temp• 1 egg to finish• Milk, for brushing• 50g flaked (slivered) almonds…

Watching as my two new tabby kittens, Toulouse and Mila, explored their new surroundings, I smiled. ‘Welcome to your new home,’ I said. As the eight-week-old brother and sister marked their new territory, I was pleased they were settling in so quickly. I’d always had cats growing up, and having two kittens of my own was a dream come true. I kept a close eye on them, and it all seemed to be going well. But within a couple of hours, Toulouse was struggling. He kept trotting over to his litter tray, but nothing seemed to be happening. ‘It’s like he wants to go for a number two, but can’t,’ I said to my boyfriend, Tom. Worried, I booked an appointment for Toulouse at our local Vets4Pets in Castleford, West Yorkshire.…

As the sonographer ran the cold jelly across my tummy, my wife Staci, 45, squeezed my hand. ‘Everything looks good,’ the sonographer smiled as she studied the screen. It was November 2016, and we were at our 20-week scan. Staci and I had been married since 2013 and we couldn’t wait to be parents. With our due date not until April 2017, we thought we still had plenty of time to prepare. Only our baby seemed to have other ideas. Just a few weeks after my 20-week scan, I was rushed to Worcestershire Royal Hospital, where it soon became clear that I was heading into labour. ‘How is this happening?’ I cried to Staci, as doctors told us that our baby was on the way. At just 23-weeks pregnant, we…

They were a couple over 5,500 miles apart and only able to message or video call, but their romance had got serious, very quickly. William Hargrove was in Albany, Oregon while Anna Repkina lived in Moscow, Russia. They’d never met in person, but a few months after connecting online, William and Anna were already talking about taking a leap of faith at Christmas so they could make a start on their future together. It was 2016, and Anna, 27, had fallen hard for William. She was so smitten that she had agreed to travel to the US to spend the festive season with him, too. After splitting from her boyfriend of seven years, caring Anna had been looking for love, when she met William, then 26, online on a Russian…

Cosy up your home this winter with a fluffy rug Hints of gold will give your home a super luxe feel! Introduce subtle festive touches in the Christmas build-up…

When word spread that Crystal Brooke Howell’s father had not only moved away and left her alone, but then committed suicide, the teen got nothing but sympathy. It was even understandable when the 17-year-old invited some of her mates to stay with her at the remote, sprawling family cabin. But then Crystal started hosting wild parties, and even installed a pole-dancing pole in the kitchen. Was Crystal rebelling after suffering a terrible tragedy? Or was she celebrating too much for a grieving daughter? When her friends moved a pinball machine into an outdoor shed they found the answer, decomposing in a plastic container. Crystal’s parties had come at a terrible price. It was 2014 and Crystal lived with her dad, Michael Howell, in a remote community known as Sheepback Mountain,…

Second chances Q My ex is single again and he wants to give it another go. Can ‘take two’ on a relationship, ever work? How can I avoid past mistakes? Lily, Plymouth A Every relationship is unique, and so there is no one right answer! It is possible to find love again, if you are both willing to work at your relationship, keep honest lines of communication open, and commit to giving it your best. Have an honest conversation about what went wrong, and talk about ways you might be able to avoid the same things happening again. You might find it helpful to involve a third party in the discussion. Planning some quality time with each other once a week, where screens are switched off, will give you space…

If you’re struggling, you don’t need to suffer in silence. With its intuitive interface and light-hearted graphic design, My Possible Self it doesn’t feel like a mental health app. Log on to track your mood, or seek guidance in a moment of anxiety. It features sections covering anxiety, depression, sleep, stress and lifestyle, and within each one there are tools to help to reshape negative thoughts, reduce stress and lower anxiety. • Visit mypossibleself.com or download from the App store.…

A young student vanishes from a Metallica concert after getting separated from her friends. Five years later, another student disappears after getting lost on a night out. Two beautiful girls, alone and vulnerable, while a violent sexual predator was on the loose, hunting for his next target. Morgan Harrington and Hannah Graham had never met, but their lives would be forever linked by a killer that a judge has likened to a ‘modern day Jekyll and Hyde’. On 17 October 2009, Morgan Harrington, 20, attended a Metallica concert at an arena in Virginia with friends. The Virginia Tech student was dressed in a black skirt and a Pantera band t-shirt. Loved ones described Morgan as beautiful inside and out, and the talented artist had plans to become a teacher. During…

I have always loved animals. As a child we always had family pets, and I can remember them bringing me so much happiness. In 2003, I found an abandoned rabbit in the street. I decided to take him home, hand rearing him to recovery. I called him Sooty. In that moment he needed me, and I just couldn’t walk on by. After that, I found helping animals was a real passion of mine. So one night in February 2015, after working a long shift in A&E, I snuggled down on the sofa when I had received a text message from my friend, Louise. That’s when I saw the most beautiful Labrador cross staring back at me. Louise said his name was Mazar and that he was roaming the streets of…

THE RED LION AVEBURY, WILTSHIRE Surrounded by an ancient stone circle that’s older than Stonehenge, The Red Lion in Avebury dates back to the 1600s – and some of its original punters never left… The most famous ghost in this haunted old coaching inn is Florrie. During the English Civil War, Florrie’s husband came home to find his wife in the arms of another man. In a jealous rage, he slit her throat and threw her down a well (which you can still see at the pub today). The ghost of Florrie has haunted the pub ever since – and she has a particular penchant for men with beards, too… THE ANGEL INN LYMINGTON, HAMPSHIRE This spooky inn dates back to the 13th century, and is said to be one…