Innehållsförteckning för June 2022 från Chat Specials

Parks, picnics and Prosecco – the perfect combination for summer. This year, we know how much you all want to celebrate. And with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, it’s going to be a summer to remember. It’s all happening in June, so this month, we’ve got you covered. From gardening hacks (pg58) to National Trust destinations (pg40), we’ve got plenty of inspiration for the season ahead. If you’re heading off for an exciting adventure, Lucy’s story will certainly tickle your fancy (pg52). A real-life Indiana Jones, she shares some incredible stories of her time in the Amazon and the North Pole. And she’s not the only one with an incredible story this month. After years of yo-yo dieting, a diagnosis changes Carol’s mindset forever (pg38). Now, she works in harmony with…

What did American Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Host Chris Tarrant do for a while before becoming rich and famous? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the four word answer. ACROSS 1 L-plated driver (7) 5 Kids (8) 9 Greedy, eager (4) 13 River or sea mammal (5) 14 Popular ice cream flavour (7) 15 Proverbial April weather (7) 16 Fragrance (5) 17 Playing card not in any suit (5) 18 Hair styling foam (6) 20 Curtain, swathe of fabric (5) 21 Merit, earn (7) 23 Betting prices (4) 26 Village gala (4) 27 North American grassland (7) 30 Powerful fire (7) 34 Fruit grove (7) 36 Red pizza topping (6) 37 Snooze (5) 39…

The row of Victorian houses at The Cliff, in Seaton Carew, County Durham, had panoramic views over the beach and the North Sea coastline. Married couple Anne and John Darwin lived at No3, The Cliff – a seven-bedroom property with grand rooms and period charm. They also owned No4 next door, which had been converted into bedsits. It was part of the couple’s property rental business, that included several bedsits across County Durham. Hartlepool-born John, 51, had been a teacher for 18 years and by 2002, he was working as a prison officer at HM Prison Holme House in Stockton. Anne, 50, was a doctor’s receptionist. He went out to sea in his red canoe The couple had been married for 30 years and had two sons, Mark, 32, and…

Tansy Wheeler, 51, from Taunton. Stepping off the plane, the warm air hit my face. Landing in France, I’d been looking forward to the trip for weeks. My parents, Ivy and Arthur, had moved to France 20 years ago and they were living the dream. My siblings, Anthony, now 70, Richard, now 69, Lucy, now 67, and Tim, now 59, and I would go over a few times a year. My parents were so happy there. Both artists, they would spend their time painting the sea and leisurely wandering around. They were so happy. With five kids and six grandchildren, whenever we all went over, we had so much fun. Dad was always cracking jokes and making everyone laugh. Polite and courteous, he was our gentle gentleman and loved having…

WHY G&T? Tonic is the Marmite of mixers – it’s certainly an acquired taste, but whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying it’s a classic cocktail combo!Where did it come from though? The cocktail was actually first mixed way back in early 19th century – by British officers working on the Indian subcontinent for the East India Trading Company. Plagued by persistent malaria, Scottish doctor George Cleghorn studied how quinine could be used to prevent it. Officers chugged back quinine-infused tonic, but they hated the bitter taste – so to make it easier, they mixed in water, sugar, lime and gin – and the classic G&T was born. Today, tonic contains much less quinine and is usually sweetened, so it doesn’t have the same bitter taste –…

The average adult has around 10 pints of blood – a donation uses just one! IT’S THE GREATEST GIFT What my girl has gone through has hammered home the importance of giving blood. Louise Pennington, 39, from Glasgow Sitting with my daughter Freya, seven, as a doctor stuck a needle in her arm, I was so proud of her.She was young but had been through so much – battling lymphoblastic leukemia since November 2020. She’d been poked and prodded all over, but she took it all in her stride. Her dad Adam and I were so proud. It wasn’t easy for any of us. What had started off as a sore knee for Freya turned into a nightmare for our family. But Freya, and her older sister Eliza, nine, and…

Paisley is in this season! Wear with flares or a denim skirt for a retro inspired outfit Pack a thin jumper in your suitcase for when the evenings draw in The Weekend Edit In her second collaboration with fashion retailer Peacocks, style icon Louise Redknapp has returned with a comfy edit perfect for all occasions. With a love for relaxed shapes, dressing up and dressing down, these fashion staples are the building blocks to a modern stress-free street style. Including sustainable shirts, comfy sweats, cosy knits and relaxed denim, find your perfect weekend match! Available in store now and online at peacocks.co.uk Wear a flannel shirt with a vest and denim shorts for a laidback look Louise says: ‘As a busy working mum, I want to relax at the weekends,…

FILL YOUR BASKET A good picnic is all about tasty, portable snacks – and you’ll want to make sure you hit all the major food groups! Don’t forget! good quality picnic hamper or A rucksack should include everything you need, but don’t forget to double check and make sure you’ve got enough to go around. Use this handy checklist: □ A hamper or backpack □ Cool box/bag and ice packs – no one wants warm coleslaw! □ Tupperware to pack your food in □ Picnic blanket □ Plates and glasses □ Cutlery □ Serving spoons or knives for things like cheese □ Napkins □ Salt and pepper shaker □ Bottle opener Fortnum and Mason claim they invented picnic favourite, the Scotch egg, in 1738 A feast fit for a Queen We’re…

Henry Slator, 68, from Bude. Sitting on the garden bench in the bright sunshine, my imagination went wild. As bees buzzed in nearby flowers, I took out my pair of binoculars, truly fascinated by the sheer amount of nature in front of me. Coming inside after a few hours of peaceful bliss, my wife Margaret, 65, handed me a letter. Opening the envelope, I had been invited for a routine colonoscopy. Booking my appointment in straight away, I knew it was better to be safe than sorry. Being a fit and active person, I never expected a frightening result. However, at the start of 2020, I had the most devastating news. ‘I’m sorry to say this Henry, you have colon cancer,’ the consultant confirmed, gently. Sitting in shock with Margaret…

Carol Tinker, 59, Lincoln. Slurping down on my juice box, my stomach roared with hunger. At three years old, I’d just had my tonsils out and was on a liquid diet. ‘I’m starving,’ I cried to my mum, Wendy, now 83. ‘I know you are, Love,’ she sighed. ‘I’m sorry.’ Looking around the ward, she could tell I was the chubbiest child on it. I might’ve been a toddler, but that stuck with me. Mum was amazing, but as I grew, I had quite a difficult relationship with food. It was my source of comfort, but there was always something telling me to lose weight. I was the chubbiest child there Only, by my pre-teens, I was already a size 12, with a massive weight complex. When I was 18,…

Ask our doc With Cheryl Lythgoe, head matron for Benenden Health Skin problems Q I’ve recently come off the pill to try for a baby, and my skin has broken out. Why is this? Amelia, Dorset A Contraceptives can be used for many things besides family planning.If you’ve been on the combined contraceptive pill, it helps the skin in three different ways – decreasing the amount of androgenic hormones produced, limiting the quantity of available testosterone, and decreasing oil production in the sebaceous glands. These things combined mean there is often an improvement in skin health for people taking it. When contraception is no longer taken, the body needs time to stabilise its natural hormone functions – but then any skin changes should settle. In the meantime, pay special attention…

Lucy Shepherd, 29, from London Hacking through dense bushes, I squinted. It was so dark, I could barely see my hand in front of my face. I was deep in the Amazon rainforest, trekking from east to west across the Kanuku mountains in Guyana, South America. This was uncharted territory – one of the last remaining unexplored wildernesses on earth. No one thought it was possible. But I wasn’t one to shy away from an adventure. Exploring the world was my full-time job, and I adored it. As a child, I was labelled as adventurous and free-spirited. I loved to explore, but I didn’t think it was a real job. I didn’t think modern-day explorers even existed – when I thought of them, I pictured men in woolly hats with…

FILM AND TV 1 Which star won I’m a Celebrity: Get Me Out Of Here in 2019? a Roman Kempb Jacqueline Jossac Andy Whyment 2 Which daytime show has recently come under scrutiny by Channel 4? a Countdownb Snog, Marry, Avoidc The Jeremy Kyle Show 3 Which film won Best Picture at the Oscars this year? a Coda b West Side Story c Dune 4 When did The Royle Family first air on TV? a 1995b 1998c 2001 5 Which well-known TV family live in a town called Springfield? a The Johnsonsb The Simpsonsc The Griffins GENERAL KNOWLEDGE 6 What is the name for a group of crows? a A school of crowsb A murder of crowsc A flock of crows 7 What is the longest Shakespeare play? a Hamletb Romeo and Julietc Macbeth 8 Which of these Teletubbies is also the name of a…

Karen Robinson, 44, from Manchester Growing up, my son Jack was such a quiet but cheeky lad. After splitting from his dad when he was three years old, it had always just been the two of us at home, and we were so close. Jack absolutely loved dinosaurs, cars and dragons. Like most boys his age, as he grew, he became obsessed with his Xbox, but he always wanted his mum. I loved that about him. When I met my now husband Andy, 43, in 2009, Jack was super supportive of us and the two of them got along well. Although Jack still saw his dad, it was nice that he accepted Andy. And when his little sister Lucy, now eight, came along, he was the best big brother. That…

Louise Mann, 42, from Bradford Giggling as I popped a new tape into my dad’s video recorder, I turned to my boyfriend Jonathan with a cheeky grin. ‘Let’s do it,’ I smiled, tugging at his trousers. As teenagers, we were the epitome of love’s young dream. I fancied the pants off of Jonathan, and we couldn’t keep our hands off of each other. And with my parents away for the weekend, we decided to spice things up. We’d been friends since we’d met when we started at secondary school, age 11, and we’d been inseparable ever since then. As we got older, friendship blossomed into romance, and with our rampant teenage hormones, we were all over each other. As I pressed play on the tape recorder, propped up on top…

Priscilla Silcock, 45, North London Blasting MTV, I was amazed by what I was watching. I wish I could watch this at home, I thought. But I knew I’d never get away with it. Growing up in the Brethren Church in Australia, I had a very strict upbringing. I was taught that women could only speak when spoken to and had to look a certain way. For a really long time, I didn’t know any different. As I entered my teenage years, I felt different. Going through puberty, I was having natural desires. All the kids in school were the same. Our hormones were all over the place. Yet, as my friends could watch MTV and listen to their favourite hits on the radio, I had to hide my true…

Stephanie Would, 37, from Bradford Avoiding the potholes and driving carefully, I made sure that my precious cargo remained intact. As other cars whizzed alongside me on the motorway, I steadily drove back to my hometown, Bradford, in October last year. For one slight swerve would end in disaster – I had a national treasure lying in my boot! Sir David Attenborough, measuring 4ft 5in was safely strapped in my van. Only, there was one slight difference to the man, the myth and the legend – this natural historian was made entirely of cake! I felt like a kid in a sweet shop! For the last three years, I had been entering cake competitions, but there was one event in particular that was the crème de la crème – Cake…

Are we there yet? is an all too familiar question. Driving down the motorway someone is either bursting for the toilet or looking out the window for a game of eye spy! However, if you’re out and about this summer, why not drop in at one of these National Trust destinations? Located next to main driving routes, let the kids run off some steam, or pop in for an idyllic view if you are tired of being stuck in traffic. Whatever your reasoning, make time for a picturesque pit stop… Knightshayes, Devon OFF THE M5, EXIT 28 – APPROXIMATELY SEVEN MILES FROM THE MOTORWAY Stood in the middle of luscious green grass and glorious gardens, Knighthayes is a spectacular Gothic Revival house. Walk the corridors of the dreamy country manor,…

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SPF OF DREAMS Heading away this year? Make sure to protect your skin! The Invisible Protect range has been designed for all skin tones and quickly absorbs so you can get on with what’s important – family time in the sun! With lightweight, non-sticky formulas, these suncreams are perfect for everyday wear. Defending you against UVA and UVB, each has a unique formula to offer you the protection you crave. Choose from: Give back Get your glow on this summer while raising vital funds for those at the end of their life.St. Moriz have partnered with Marie Curie, one of the UK’s leading end of life charities, to support those faced with terminal illness, grief and bereavement. With two exclusive products, St. Moriz will give 50p from each product to…

Have you heard of the Mandela effect? It’s when a person believes distorted memories are true. A person may claim they can remember certain events that never happened, or recall events with major inaccuracies they didn’t know existed. It’s not lying, or remembering things wrong – it’s a universal thing where many people remember the same things incorrectly. THE ORIGINAL MANDELA EFFECT The Mandela effect took its name from a time when thousands of people claim to have remembered Nelson Mandela dying in prison in the 1980s.But actually, Mandela was released from prison in 1990 – and did not die until 2013. MONOPOLY MAN AND HIS MONOCLE Everyone remembers the Monopoly man that features on the board game having a monocle. But you’re wrong! He has never had a monocle,…