Innehållsförteckning för March 2024 från Chat Specials

Running across the court, I leapt in the air, caught the ball and then passed it on to a teammate. ‘Great goal,’ I cheered, as her shot swished through the net. An evening playing netball was one of my favourite pastimes. With training and matches, in November 2018, I was on the court at least four times a week. And when I wasn’t wearing my netball bib, I was either playing tennis or doing martial arts. I’d never really been one for sweating it out in the gym, but sport was what kept me both happy and in shape instead. Weighing 10st 9lbs and measuring in at 5ft 1in, I’d maintained that shape for most of my adult life, fitting into a size 8. And at home, my partner Leon,…

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee Available to download on Spotify and Apple Podcasts What to do, what not to do… health and looking after ourselves has become a minefield. But Dr Rangan Chatterjee is here to set the record straight. With a new episode released every single week, everything is covered in simple, easy to understand lingo. From the truth behind sugar, caffeine and protein to how to create healthy thinking habits, take note to feel like the best version of yourself. Plus, with guests, inspirational stories and tips to take away, share your new knowledge with all.…

In a poll of British fish and chip shops, the most popular name was found to be ‘Mr Chips’, with ‘Chippy’ coming in third. What was second? To find out, solve the puzzle… Enter the answers to the clues in the grid. Every word is an anagram of its neighbours, plus or minus a letter. Read the shaded squares in number order for the prize answer. 1 Mapped 2 Piece of cotton 3 Bodily organ 4 Speed 5 Road material 6 Horsedrawn vehicle 7 Practical skill 8 Aspect, component 9 Workshop, plant Your answer __________________________ Brick trick Answer: CODFATHER…

Bored of sitting on the sofa watching films? Give one of these crafty days out a go! Try a new experience and broaden your horizons – you might even pick up a new hobby… Mad Hatters Pottery, Berkshire Fancy some funky, personalised crockery? It’s time to get lost in a pottery wonderland! Mad Hatters Pottery offers a wide range of pottery experiences, perfect for the whole family to get stuck into. Art skills not up to scratch? Not to worry! Mad Hatters offers free use of their stencils and stamps, plus their friendly staff are always available to assist with anything you need. They offer items tailored for little ones, too, such as fairies, animals and other fantasy characters. You can even personalise a bowl for your pet! After your…

Tingly toes Q I have an office job and sometimes, after a long day, my feet start to feel numb and tingly. Is there something wrong with me? Sheila, Middlesbrough A Changes in sensation to our feet and legs can be down to many reasons and can have both short and long-term implications for us. It may be that you have developed the initial symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. This means that over time, a build-up of blood sugar and fats have damaged the nerves and small blood vessels that feed them, which may give you many symptoms. To combat this, do all you can to be as active as possible. You can easily integrate more movement into your lifestyle, such as by taking phone calls whilst walking on the spot,…

If you seem to be someone who has awkward, embarrassing moments follow you around, then it’s probably a relief to hear you’re not alone! Everyone has their moments – even celebs! 18 March marks Awkward Moments Day in the UK and in celebration, here are some of the funniest awkward moments in popular culture… GUY GOMA BBC INTERVIEW, 2006 Quite possibly the greatest case of mistaken identity of all time. On 8 May 2006, Guy Goma arrived at the BBC for a job interview as a data cleanser. Only, he mistakenly identified as Guy Kewney – a tech journalist. He went through makeup, got wired to a microphone and was led into the studio, thinking this was the interview. Guy’s panicked look of realisation is enough to make you cringe.…

IN BLOOM Now that the weather is brightening up, head down to one of the country’s best loved woodland gardens, Exbury Gardens in the New Forest, which will reopen its gates on 9 March. Explore Exbury’s Daffodil Meadow, boasting thousands of bright yellow flower heads which will lead you down to the Beaulieu River. Then, you can gaze at the most impressive flower feature of all – the River of Gold – a lawned walkway fringed with over 100,000 yellow and blue spring bulbs. What a treat! Plus, with Mother’s Day on 10 March, you can treat your amazing mum to a special visit with its special half-price entry offer for the day. It’s worth revisiting in April, too, when Exbury’s famous Azalea Bowl will be celebrating its 60th anniversary in…

THAT’S SO BRITISH COMPLAINING THAT CREME EGGS GET SMALLER EVERY YEAR. PANIC-BUYING A LAST-MINUTE MOTHER’S DAY GIFT FROM CARD FACTORY. EATING HOT CROSS BUNS FOR BREAKFAST AS SOON AS THEY HIT THE SHOPS.…

Solve the puzzle to find a word. Fit the words back in the grid and the letters in the highlighted squares spell out the answer. We’ve put in one word to help. 3 letters BAR DUO HIM LIE OAK PAL 4 letters ICON ROAD SKIN TOTE 5 letters CREST KHAKI MUSHY NIECE 6 letters INVEST NOTION NUDISM SCANTY SPREAD 7 letters BLENDER OVERDUE PILGRIM REHOUSE SNIPPET 8 letters COMMUTER DELICATE MONOGRAM REGIONAL TEARDROP Your answer _____________________________ Cross it Answer: PARASOL…

HOW TO REGISTER It’s FREE to enter and it’s so easy to do. Just visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com and register by hitting the Create Free Account button, then you can enter as many competitions as you like. Go on, have fun! For website rules of play, go to comps.lifedeathprizes.com/rules. Terms and conditions apply, UK only…

Gazing around at the busy streets surrounding me, everyone had one thing in common. Here in the packed streets of the Philippines, tourists and locals alike zipped past us on moped scooters, speeding to wherever they needed to be. That looks so fun, I thought. I’d been travelling across Australia with my friend Jade after Covid delayed our plans. Now that we were in the Philippines, I didn’t want to miss out on any part of the unique experience – including using a moped. Only, I had a warning ringing in the back of my head, too. ‘Stay safe,’ my mum Jane, 59, told me as we waved goodbye in the airport. ‘And be careful if you go on those mopeds!’ She’d had a few friends whose children had been…

Slipping on my knitted cardigan and vintage swing pants, I headed out for my weekly shop Meeting my best friend Emma, 52, in town, we took to The Co-Op with our handwritten lists. That day, she’d gone for a tweed midi skirt and a collared blouse – we both looked like we’d stepped out of an old photograph. As we perused the aisles with our baskets, we gave the other shoppers a blast from the past. Some approached us, asking if we were in fancy dress, or maybe even filming on a set they had no clue about. But after a shake of the head, we got a few heartwarming comments. ‘You remind me of my grandma,’ one shopper said. ‘Your clothes look like what she used to wear.’ Smiling,…

FILM AND TV 1 Who is the longest-running cast member on Emmerdale? a Chris Chittell – Eric Pollard b Mark Charnock – Marlon Dingle c Claire King – Kim Tate 2 Who plays the Oompa Loompa in the 2023 hit film Wonka? a Colin Firth b Jim Broadbent c Hugh Grant 3 Which of these movies was directed by Quentin Tarantino? a Inception b Django Unchained c Logan 4 Who killed Keanu Taylor in EastEnders? a Denise Fox b Sharon Watts c Linda Carter 5 On TV show The Repair Shop, what does expert Steve Fletcher specialise in? a Clock restoring b Saddle making c Furniture restoring SHOWBIZ 6 What is the name of the 16-year-old darts prodigy who reached the World Darts Championship final? a Rob Rittler b Luke Littler c Dan…

Grab your hook and start stitching your way to success. After all, there’s no better time to do it than right now – it’s National Crochet Month. Whether you’re a seasoned crocheter or you're just picking up the hook for the first time, we’ve collated all you need to know to get creating. We’re already hooked! TOP TIP: Your slip knot should be loose enough that you can wiggle your hook inside, but not too loose! GETTING STARTED Picking up the hook for the first time can be a little daunting, let alone making your very first stitch. But luckily, Nicola from The Secret Crocheter is here to show you the basics. You can even scan her handy QR code to watch her tutorials in your own time, too. ●…

SIZE FITS ALL… Have a spring in your step this season with the latest fashion trends for all bodies. Midi-dresses, olive greens and staple pieces are a go-to. Basics may look simple, but they can have their moment… CELEBRATE Your curves No matter your shape or size, everyone should be able to ‘live unlimited’, which is exactly where this fashion brand gets its name! Offering flattering, comfortable and trending pieces from a size 12 to a size 28, feel fabulous and empowered. Here are a few styling options with tips and tricks, so you can step into spring confidently like the girl boss that you are… ● Live Unlimited – shop online now by visiting: liveunlimitedlondon.com NEW BRAND ALERT SMART CASUAL ● Stone Floral Print Chiffon Tie Neck Blouse, £69,…

Looking in the mirror, I took a deep breath. Wiping the tears from my mascara-stained cheeks, I tried to pull myself together. I’d just gone through another painful breakup with a man who wasn’t worth my time. At 26, I was sick of other men my age. They were unreliable, broke and didn’t know what they wanted. They couldn’t take care of themselves, so definitely couldn’t take care of me in the way that I knew I deserved. And that didn’t align with my standards or values. I was fed up. I just wanted someone to have fun with and to explore this beautiful world. ‘I’m done with this,’ I said to myself. No longer was I going to waste my time on men who didn’t deserve it. And while…

Daisy Desire has teamed up with Clipper to promote biodiveristy and fair trade within farming – and spill the tea on drag gardening! ● Visit: clipper-teas.com ● Follow on Instagram: @dragqueen_gardener 1. How did you get into gardening? I got into gardening around six years ago – I loved the idea of growing my own flowers to put on my desk or coffee table, so I started with a small allotment. I became fascinated with learning about plants, how biodiversity works and how one person can make a positive impact – eventually this led to me training as horticulturist with the Royal Horticultural Society. 2. How did you get into being a drag queen? Much like gardening, it was never something I did with any deliberate intentions. I just started…

Sitting down in front of four strangers, I burst into tears. In fact, for the first session, that’s all I could manage – hardly a word left my mouth. Only in a strange way, that in itself was a relief. From going to being at home on my own enveloped in an overwhelming feeling of grief, to having a group of people that would listen to my thoughts, it was a comforting experience. Stumbling across the drop-in café session at Treetops Hospice through Facebook one evening in September 2020, it was advertised as a safe space that was open to anyone who had suffered from some sort of bereavement – which sadly applied to me. After being happily married to Steve, meeting when we were roughly 22 back in 1974,…

Opening the lid of my laptop and scouring the internet, it wasn’t long before I placed an order. ‘I’ll get you some more of those puppy training pads,’ I said to my Jack Russell cross Lucy, as she sat at the bottom of my feet. Living alone, with my daughter Debbie, now 45, just a phone call away, Lucy was perfect company – even if she was a little nervous and didn’t necessarily like going out for a walk. Turning to Amazon for the essentials at the start of July 2023, knowing a thing or two about computers having been a CV consultant online before retiring, my laptop was never really that far away. Only as a few days passed and there was still no sign of my Amazon parcel,…

Coming towards the end of my shift, my feet were in complete agony. Working in retail in February 2022, I was used to being on my feet all day, dealing with customers. But as time went by, my feet were hurting more and more. Then waking up one morning, two months later, the knuckle and index finger on my right hand was very swollen. Oh God, I must have slept on it funny, I thought. ‘You should get it looked at,’ my parents Julie, 63, and Stephen, 62, said. After going to the doctors with Mum, I was sent for an X-ray. ‘It’s solid tissue swelling,’ I was told and sent home. I thought it was strange but accepted the explanation. But I wasn’t improving. My heels still ached all…

HERE COMES THE SUN As the weather starts to warm up, you may find yourself feeling a little pale. If you want to give your skin a glowing, bronzed look for the season, then we have you covered… St. Moriz Glow Serum Bronzing Face Drops, £10.99, Boots Give your complexion an instant boost with these new face drops. Mix in with your moisturiser, use alongside or on top of tan and makeup. These drops will transform your skin for a dewy, illuminating glow. Morphe 2 Sun & Done Smooth-Gliding Bronzer Stick, £12, Superdrug Swipe, bronze and go – it couldn’t be easier with the new sticks from Morphe. Giving you a beach-kissed complexion, this seaside-inspired range will give you a taste for the sun all year round. So creamy and…

Rifling through the school backpack to pick out a lunchbox and a new reading book, who knew what else I was going to find hidden inside. My daughter Darcie, now six, would love to get her hands dirty, involved in all things arts and crafts at school. And she’d often come home with a new portrait for me to stick proudly on the fridge. I’d often find plenty of colouring pens, paper and pencils scattered around the house, too. So when the academic term started again in September 2022, I knew Darcie would have fun completing a range of different arts and crafts during her day. Getting my things together to pick Darcie up one Wednesday afternoon, that’s when all the parents were invited into the classroom to see what…