Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2019 i Woman & Home

‘There is an invisible army of carers who deserve recognition and support’ There are so many emotional moments when I’m editing a magazine and it’s what makes the job so incredibly fulfilling. At woman&home we have the capacity to be able to shine a light on so many subjects, from uplifting life-affirming features, to stories about women like you who inspire us every day. However, this issue, one of the articles that really resonated with me is Who’s caring for the carers? on page 118. This piece is especially close to my heart because last year, my grandma, who had been suffering with dementia for many years, passed away aged 85. My mum cared for her mother for five years because she didn’t want to put her in a home.…

SHE SAID IT: ‘For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone’ Audrey Hepburn, one of our style icons in The women who changed fashion on p38 WHAT YOU TOLD US… After my daughter heard me making up stories to entertain my grandchildren, I took the plunge and have just celebrated the launch of my first children’s publication – and I’m over the moon. Carole Bas ✢ Congratulations Carole. For more inspiration, read Guess what I did! on p48, and let us know if you’ve notched up an achievement you’re proud of womanandhome…

Women always fret, ‘Am I good enough?’ Here’s one of life’s great mysteries for you: why are women lacking in confidence when men are so darn full of the stuff? Just look at me. Several years ago, I found myself at a Savoy Hotel literary event with Boris Johnson. The two speakers, Boris and I, sat next to each other during lunch. Dry-mouthed, unable to eat a thing and nervously flicking through my speech, I glanced at Boris. He had wolfed down his food, was the life and soul of the party and had just jotted down a few words on a coaster. It took me a minute to realise what the words were – his speech. When I got up on the stage, I joked to the audience that…

‘I hate doing housework but I love mucking out the pigs and the chickens’ What is your earliest wildlife memory? I grew up in leafy Berkshire, surrounded by fields and with a lovely garden, and there was a sparrow I named Martha, who would fly in the kitchen window every morning and share our toast. Mum still feeds the birds now and I tell her off because I think the crusts are the best bit of the toast – that’s why I’ve got curly hair! Did you have a plan B? I’ve never really had a plan. When I was a kid, all I could think about was horses. I wanted to be a circus performer like the rider Nell Gifford – she’s got my dream job. I flirted with…

The realisation has been sneaking up on me for quite some time now. And like many profound life changes, I have noticed it taking hold in small increments. No, I’m not talking about my slow and reluctant acceptance that I can really only drink Prosecco nowadays. I’m talking about the flat shoe and its growing importance in my life. ‘Suddenly heels were not the only evening option’ Why, only a few years ago, no fashionable outfit was complete without a trusty Jimmy Choo spike heel or a Christian Louboutin platform. I would have no more considered wearing flats for any vaguely smart/glamorous/ formal event (delete as appropriate) than I would have considered turning up in my underwear. Because heels = special. They send out a put-together semaphore – polished and…

There’s no doubt that a good hair day can make you feel great. Thick, glossy locks are the ultimate symbol of our femininity and, just like a great pair of heels or a new dress, when our hair looks good, it puts a spring in our step. A recent survey* by haircare brand Plantur found that 76% of women feel their hair is a very important matter in their lives and appearance. But after the age of 40, as we approach the menopause, a shift in hormones can create all sorts of changes in our body, including mood swings and night sweats, and a third of women in the UK** over 40 also find their hair becomes thinner and falls out prematurely. Hair loss and hair thinning can really affect…

BEAT THOSE BREAKOUTS I had barely a pimple as a teenager, but my 40-year-old self isn’t so lucky. Seems I’m not alone, with 50% of adults suffering from acne. Look for products containing salicylic acid, which penetrates the skin, unclogging pores and calming inflammation. ZitSticka Killa, £27, delivers salicylic acid through a patch, while Ren Clearcalm Non-Drying Spot Treatment, £15, is tough on imperfections but kind to skin. THIS SEPTEMBER I’VE BEEN TRYING OUT Maybelline’s Superstay Ink Crayon Lipstick, £9.99 – it has the creaminess of a lipstick with the precision of a liner. BOOSTING skin and hair with supplement powder WelleCo Super Elixir in Lemon and Ginger, from £62.50 for 300g. WAKING UP to glowing skin with James Read Sleep Mask Retinol, £30. UPGRADING MY MORNING SHOWER with L’Occitane…

For a glow: try LED IN THE CLINIC Quick, gentle and relatively affordable, LED therapy sends various wavelengths of light into the skin, each with their own benefits. The shallowest light – blue, blitzes surface bacteria, red stimulates collagen, and invisible infrared digs deeper for an anti-inflammatory effect. AT HOME Light therapy works best with a ‘little and often’ approach, meaning regular DIY LED could be a better bet than a professional session once in a blue moon. MZ Skin Light Therapy Golden Facial Treatment Device, £385, is a sizeable investment and looks a bit unsettling, but offers powerful customisable combos of five LED types in sessions of 10 to 30 minutes. HOW IT FEELS It’s satisfyingly weighty, you can watch TV through the eyeholes (just), and it’s a warm,…

1 BEST FOR: A TINT EFFECT Shavata Day-Long Brow Tint, £19 For those of you who regularly book in for lash tints, Shavata’s latest innovation is sure to tick a lot of boxes. Imagine a wide felt-tip end positioned below three blunt plastic prongs. These prongs act as a buffer between the marker and your skin, ensuring the colour only hits your brow hairs. Simply glide the pen across your brows and watch as their tone deepens instantly. Top tip This is a long-lasting product, so a good make-up remover is essential. Try Bioderma Sensibio H2O, £10.80. 2 BEST FOR: DARK BROWS WITH SPARSE AREAS Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade, £19 If you want to add depth and fill in any patchy areas, this product is heavy on pigment so…

✢ Work movement into your life, every hour and every day. A stretch at your desk or a walk to the corner shop can make a difference. ✢ Keep weights by the kettle, walk to the station, dust down your bike – add exercise into your daily life. ✢ Plan a variety of exercise – a walk one day, dancing with friends the next, a yoga class later in the week. ✢ Consider your constantly evolving bones. Exercise keeps them strong. ✢ Exercise in nature. Walking in the woods or lifting weights in the garden is more beneficial than the same exercise done indoors. ✢ Always consult your GP first, and stop if it feels too much.…

✢ Exercise every day, outdoors if possible. ✢ Embrace guilt-free afternoon naps. ✢ Change how and what you eat and drink in the evening. ✢ Allow time to unwind before bed. ✢ Invest in a new mattress and pillow, and some essential oils. ✢ Turn off sources of blue light an hour before you want to sleep. ✢ Open your bedroom window and keep the temperature down. ✢ Keep regular hours. ✢ Make time for seven to eight hours of sleep, but don’t fret if sleep eludes you. Instead get up or read a book.…

Q I’m 59 and need to lose some weight, so I recently bought a fitness monitor. I put all my details into the app, and I was really surprised to see that I only need around 1,300 calories a day to maintain my weight. Surely this isn’t enough? I thought that’s what you eat to lose weight? A Our basal metabolic rate (BMR) – the amount of energy you need at rest each day – gradually reduces with increasing age, largely because of a fall in the amount of muscle mass. You need fewer calories each day in your fifties compared with your thirties, and if you carry on eating the same amount when you are older as you did when you were younger, you are likely to put on…

Most agree that the origins of tapas comes from the Spanish word for a small terracotta dish, ‘una tapa’. A selection of appetisers were traditionally served to travellers on these mini plates by Spanish innkeepers. Since bars used to be standing room only, anyone ordering a snack had nowhere to put their plate but on top of their glass. Gambas with aioli A tapas classic. Cooking the prawns with their shells and heads on boosts the flavour. Serves 6 • Ready in 15 mins, plus marinating 18 prawns (with head and shell on) 2tsp smoked paprika 50ml extra virgin olive oil 2tbsp sherry vinegar for the aioli: 2 large garlic cloves, crushed juice of ½ lemon 1 egg yolk, lightly whisked 125ml light olive oil 2tbsp flat-leaf parsley, to serve (optional)…

Raspberry and white chocolate bundt cake We love bundt tins for their distinctive shape, which always bring the baking wow factor. Add melted chocolate and raspberries, and you’ve got a showstopping party cake. Serves 12 • Ready in 1 hr 30 mins, plus cooling for the sponge: 340g plain flour 1½tsp baking powder ½tsp salt 340g caster sugar 200ml milk 160g butter 110g white chocolate, broken into pieces 4 eggs 1tsp vanilla essence 1tsp almond extract for the raspberry glaze: 100g raspberries, plus extra, to serve 125ml double cream 110g white chocolate you will need:  a bundt tin, greased and floured 1 Heat the oven to 170C/Gas Mark 3. For the sponge, in a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. 2 Gently heat the milk, then stir…

WALL ART This stunning wallpaper, designed and hand-painted by artist Sian Zeng, will ensure those fresh, summery vibes remain in your home all year long. Highlighting the simple beauty of the clematis flower, choose from a white, pink or blue background to add some wow factor to your walls. From £185 for a 210x320cm panel, Sian Zeng SOUNDS GOOD Show-stopping in both looks and sounds quality, it might be a little more than you’d usually pay for a radio-cum-alarm clock, but this collaboration between furniture designer Linley and audio connoisseurs Ruark, proves that even the everyday item can become a stylish heirloom. Available in blue, yellow, burgundy and this Beret pink. Ruark Audio x Linley Tempo radio, £1,295, Linley PEACE OF MIND Ever wonder what your pampered pooch gets up…

Author STEPHANIE CALMAN’s bestselling books include Confessions of a Bad Mother, and she created hit Channel 4 comedy Dressing for Breakfast. She writes about parenting on p54. What’s your favourite UK beauty spot? The view above the village of Wye, Kent. It has a hand-operated level crossing, a pub on a river, and – opposite where my mother lived until she died – a village green. My husband Peter and I were married in the church, 25 years ago. JESS WOOD is fashion features director at marie claire. Her monthly column, Thinking Fashion, explores ways to dress more sustainably. Of all her fashion loves – and there are a lot – OTT jewellery has first place in her heart. She writes about fashion’s influential icons on p38. What’s your favourite…

There’s no stopping Sara Cox – she’s been working since her teens, when she was scouted as a model after finishing her A levels – and still shows no signs of slowing down. Sara’s been part of BBC Radio since the late 1990s, and is now a popular household name. She tells us, ‘I can’t see myself doing any other kind of radio if I’m honest. I feel like Radio 1 hatched me and nurtured me and now I’ve spread my wings.’ Sara, 44, now hosts the Drivetime spot on Radio 2 from 5pm until 7pm every week night, a new job she landed late last year. However at the time, the only headlines were about who was going to take over from Chris Evans on the breakfast show. It…

‘I BECAME A BEAUTY QUEEN IN MY 50s’ VIVIENNE RADFAR, 58, works part-time as a PA. She lives in Newport Pagnell with her husband, Mehran, 60. If someone had told me 10 years ago that I’d start taking part in beauty pageants at the age of 54, I’d never have believed them. Yet here I am, doing just that. Before I discovered pageants, my confidence was non-existent. I needed something just for me; a frivolous way of escaping the stresses of daily life. It was August 2015 and I’d recently returned from a relative’s wedding in Los Angeles. It was amazingly glamorous – we were treated like film stars and I loved the dressing up. When I chanced on an advert on social media for a pageant called ‘Miss Over…

✢ There are around 330,000 allotments in the UK and rent costs from around £30 per year. To find an allotment near you, go to your council’s website or gov.uk/apply-allotment. You can find out more from The National Allotment Society, nsalg.org.uk ✢ foodcycle.org.uk is a UK-wide charity that serves tasty food to those who are hungry and/or isolated. ✢ The British Beekeepers Association (bbka.org.uk) runs introductory courses and has 75 local associations throughout the UK. ✢ The British Hen Welfare Trust has information on keeping and rehoming hens at bhwt.org.uk. ✢ poultrykeeper.com has guides to keeping ducks and other poultry. ✢ Already living the dream? Tell us about it and send a pic to w&hmail@ti-media.com w&h…

Even with the best will in the world, family holidays can be fraught. While you might get along at sporadic gatherings throughout the year, spending 10 days together can be another matter. Would this work, I wondered, as I wheeled my suitcase to meet my elder sister Lynne, and fly halfway across the world. I hadn’t been on holiday with Lynne since I was 12 years old, when we went to a holiday camp on the Isle of Wight and she won Miss Whitecliff Bay and I sang Puff the Magic Dragon in the ‘Under 13s Talent Show’ (I didn’t win). So I wasn’t sure what to expect when she suggested we travel to Thailand together to meet up with her daughter, Donna – my niece – who lives in…

It was the morning after the night before. It was 1994 and I walked into work to find the whole office gossiping about people I didn’t know. ‘Remember when Ross said…?’ ‘I loved it when Joey…’ ‘I’m going to get a Rachel haircut…’ Aged 30, fearing I’d missed out on a brilliant party, I asked, ‘Who are these people?’ ‘Friends!’ came the reply. Not just any friends. America’s hottest new TV show had just been aired in the UK and these were Friends with a capital F – the kind that stick around forever. I watched the next episode and, along with half the country, fell in love with them too. Were we feeling particularly optimistic that year? Nelson Mandela had become President of South Africa, Four Weddings and a…

LISA MORRISON, 50, is a psychotherapist. Her husband Jim, 61, is a business director. As soon as I met Jim, I felt an instant connection. He had a great sense of humour and I warmed to him immediately. We were both fresh out of long-term relationships and dipping our toes back into dating. I was a few months out of a 22-year marriage and Jim’s 26-year marriage had also broken down. Part of me simply wanted to enjoy the fun of the dating scene for a while. But I could feel myself falling for Jim and I was powerless to stop it. A month or so into seeing each other, we were talking about how perhaps we should date more, given we’d both been married for so long. Jim looked…

KEEP UP TO DATE Install updates – they will fix any bugs that the manufacturer has solved. Review security settings and switch on two-step authentication (a password and a PIN) if it’s available. ONLY CONNECT WHEN NECESSARY If you’ve bought a device for one reason, consider disabling the parts you won’t use or choose a product that does the single thing you want. For example, do you need a coffee machine that’s connected? More smart functionality equals more vulnerability. BEEF UP SECURITY Get a strong anti-virus protection product. Some scan home networks to detect if any of your devices have security flaws and protect you while you’re online.…

Brenda Fowler, 60, from Leeds, and Jade Sparkes, 40, from London, are w&h readers. LEOPARD PRINT SHIRT ✢ Leopard print never dates, so is always a wise investment buy. ✢ A flattering V-neck blouse is very versatile. Pair with stylish culottes or amp up the glamour for evening with a leather pencil skirt. PUSSY-BOW BLOUSE ✢ Slim your silhouette by teaming a floaty, tie-neck blouse with beautifully tapered trousers. ✢ Look out for high-end quirks like the layered ruffle sleeves on this blouse. Same goes for the slit detail on these green trousers – perfect for making this season’s white heeled boots a focal point. BELTED DRESS ✢ Updated in geometric print, the contrasting tie belt stops the pattern from distorting your shape. ✢ Swap the matching belt for a…

WORK THOSE WAVES If your hair is not quite curly and not quite straight, it can be tempting to use straightening irons, but with a little know-how you can stash away those gadgets. There are three levels of wave and each requires care to look its best. Fine and loose With a bit of styling your hair can easily pass for straight. But the trick to working your natural wave is to use lightweight products. Wash with Wella Nutricurls Shampoo for Waves, £14.90, then try a serum like Davines OI All in One Milk, £14.90, to smooth. Finally, boost that wave with a texturising spritz like Osmo Matt Salt Spray, £8.50. Defined S-shaped waves If your hair is thick and holds a wave well but is prone to frizz, then…

Think a professional ‘tweakment’ could be for you? Author and aesthetic treatment expert Alice Hart-Davis breaks down the nonsurgical procedures that really work. ✢ Pigmentation problems such as brown age spots and melasma Intense pulsed light (IPL) laser, skin peels. ✢ Dynamic lines and wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes Wrinkle-relaxing toxin injections. ✢ Hooded eyes Skin tightening with Tixel, radiofrequency, Plexr. ✢ Thread veins, rosacea, redness, large pores and acne IPL, laser microneedling, LED light. ✢ Loss of volume that leads to flatter cheeks, hollow eyes, and nose-to-mouth lines Facial filler injections. ✢ Thin lips and loss of lip volume Lip filler injections, injectable moisturiser. ✢ Double chins and fatty jowls Fat freezing, fat-dissolving injections. ✢ Crepey décolletage Skin tightening with radiofrequency and focused ultrasound, injectable moisturiser.…

1 COMPLEXION Max Factor Miracle Touch Foundation, £13.99 Without question the easiest and most versatile way to perfect your complexion. Whether you use a sponge or a brush, you can adapt to the coverage you need. It has SPF 30 and contains hyaluronic acid to protect and hydrate skin. 2 HAIRCARE Dream Coat Color WOW, £24 If you have dry, frizzy or unruly hair – or, like me, all three – this is a godsend. The most transformative hair product I’ve ever tried. It’s heat reactive and leaves your hair with natural, soft movement and mega shine. 3 SKINCARE Medik8 r-Retinoate Intense, £210 The best retinol I have ever used and now they’ve upgraded it so that the retinaldehyde joins forces with retinyl retinoate to deliver the ultimate in vitamin…

✢ Learn the basics of the Mediterranean diet. ✢ Focus on eating vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, pulses and fish. ✢ Olive oil is liquid gold – use it for cooking and salad dressings. ✢ Add vegetables to every meal – breakfast, lunch and supper. ✢ Be good to your gut. Just one day on a completely plant-based diet (grains, legumes, vegetables and fruit) immediately improves the bacteria in your gut. ✢ Cut heavily processed foods from your life – they won’t help you age well.…

For stronger immunity and all-round healthier bodies, follow these tips: ✢ Pay special attention to your gums and teeth. ✢ Build immunity by paying attention to all the cornerstones of healthy ageing. ✢ Read up on the medications linked by researchers to Alzheimer’s. ✢ Eat the right foods for your skin, eyes and hair. ✢ Use an anti-pollution serum every day, and sunscreen. ✢ Avoid chemical-laden personal care products – opt for organic where possible. ✢ The really important supplements are vitamin D – and zinc for immunity. ✢ Have regular eye check-ups. ✢ Avoid pollution-heavy areas where possible. ✢ Counter pollution with the right food, houseplants and an air purifier. ✢ Avoid pesticides and other chemicals when gardening, eating and cleaning.…

Made with wholegrain oats and 60% less fat than the fried variety. Nairn’s Pop Oats Sour Cream & Chive, 89p, nairns-oatcakes.com Itsu Thins curb your crisps cravings, plus contain B vitamins, iron, iodine and zinc. Itsu Korean BBQ Crispy Seaweed Thins, £1, Ocado Try these unpasteurised olives packed with nutritional goodness. Olly’s Olives Basil & Garlic Green Olives, £1.79, Holland & Barrett Fancy a cheesy fix? These organic puffs will hit the spot. Gluten and dairy free, and a good source of protein and fibre too. Hippeas Take it Cheesy Chickpea Puffs, £1.80 for a pack of 5, Waitrose & Partners A lighter way to hit that choc orange craving. Metcalfe’s Dark Chocolate Orange Mini Ricecakes, £1, Tesco Snack away thanks to Boka bars’ all-green traffic light label. Boka Apple…

‘Plants can bring feng shui benefits,’ says expert Alexandra Lees (wuweiwisdom.com). ‘Nature has a positive Qi energy, and tending to plants and enjoying their changing form, colour and texture, will have a positive effect on energy and health.’ That’s why, if a plant has wilted, it’s vital to know when to remove it. ‘Once a plant starts to die it should be disposed of, as the energy of the plant will no longer be beneficial. It’s for this reason that the use of artificial plants is discouraged in feng shui.’…

TREAT YOURSELF Snap up theatre tickets for less and films for free from websites designed to fill spare seats. Register at centraltickets.co.uk, and you can check out last-minute tickets at bargain prices for West End shows, opera and concerts, mainly in and around London. Central Tickets is free to join, while a similar site, theaudienceclub. com, asks for a £5 charity donation to sign up. Meanwhile, showfilmfirst.com focuses on free film previews and other events up and down the country. NEED TO KNOW Hundreds of thousands of grandparents who look after their grandchildren could be missing out on £5,000 in state pension. As parents return to work after the summer holidays, many grandparents step in to help with childcare. Under a government scheme, grandparents caring for children under the age of…

A Mediterranean diet is great for your health. It tastes fresh and fantastic, and eating continental-style can help prolong that feel-good holiday feeling. And it couldn’t be easier with Mazola Rapeseed Oil. Add herbs for a great salad dressing. Or use it to make a tasty marinade for fresh fish or meat, or to pan-fry your fish and roast a tray of delicious veg. In fact, Mazola Rapeseed Oil is so versatile. ✢ THE BENEFITS Rapeseed oil has lower saturated fat levels than both sunflower or olive oil, and is high in mono-unsaturated fats. It’s made from the tiny black seeds of the sunshine-yellow rapeseed flower, grown in fields throughout the UK countryside. The seeds – about the size of a poppy seed – have a golden-yellow centre, and are…

CHEERS FOR BEERS! Enjoy the taste without the extra calories with these thirst-quenching beers, all at under 2.8% ABV. Each has an average of 70 calories. The Original Small Beer Lager, £2.45 for 350ml; The Original Small Beer Steam, £2.65 for 350ml; The Original Small Beer Dark Lager, £2.75 for 350ml, available in Majestic Wine stores and thewhisky exchange.com AISLE TAKE IT This bargain Chardonnay from Morrison’s has been voted one of the top supermarket wines at the Decanter World Wine Awards, the world’s largest wine competition. Produced in Moldova, it’s fresh, citrusy and tastes great with grilled fish or chicken. Morrison’s Chardonnay, £4.50, available in 490 Morrison’s stores nationwide. DO THE CAN CAN! Once the realm of sugary student alcopops, adult drinks in a can are having a bit…

We stripped out the entire house, removed every chimney breast, extended the ground floor, built into the loft and dug out and extended the basement,’ says Émilie Mauran, of the renovation work on her London home. ‘The house was 130sq m when we first saw it. Now, it’s 285sq m!’ More than doubling the house’s volume may seem ambitious, but when you discover that Émilie and her husband François have four children, it suddenly makes sense. The couple moved to London from France in 2003 and Arthur, 13, Alice, 11, Lucie, nine, and Juliette, five, were all born here. ‘They speak fluent English with amazing accents, so despite having lived here for 16 years, I still have the strongest French accent!’ laughs Émilie. The couple bought the house in December…

BOOK OF THE MONTH Do Not Feed the Bear by Rachel Elliott (Headline) Freerunner Sydney is always on the move, but never quite able to come to terms with a tragic event that took place when she was a child. As her 47th birthday approaches, her partner Ruth wants them to celebrate together, but instead Sydney is standing on a rooftop in St Ives preparing to jump. Beautifully written, Elliott’s unique, mesmerising voice effortlessly draws you in. POWERFUL WOMEN Tidelands by Philippa Gregory (Simon & Schuster) Set towards the end of the English Civil War, in a world where a woman’s path is treacherous at every turn, midwife Alinor struggles to keep her home and children together after her shiftless husband deserts the family. This dark, gripping story…

Journalist Sophia Money-Coutts had huge success with her debut novel, The Plus One, in 2018. Her second novel, What Happens Now?, draws once again  on her humour and wry observations. I cajole myself through the writing day with sugary treats. Arriving at my local coffee shop in West London before 8am, I order an Americano and sit down with my laptop. Then comes the first bribe: ‘If you write 500 words before 9am, you can have an almond croissant’. I almost never achieve that but I have the croissant anyway. It was blissful spending six weeks at a friend’s cottage in North Yorkshire to finish What Happens Now?. I’d wake up early every morning and write at the kitchen table until lunch, then set off for the local market. I…

Middlemarch by George Eliot This is a state of the nation novel, which has this saga size to it. Everyone should read it. Persuasion by Jane Austen A subtle, kind and mature book that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You think it’s not going to end happily, then right at the last minute it does. The Making of the English Working Class by E.P. Thompson E.P. Thompson is a great historian looking at people we should all be looking at, instead of top down. Jude The Obscure by Thomas Hardy This is a novel about the arrival of the modern woman into the traditional landscape, and the impossibility of conventional men changing themselves. A Room With a View by E.M. Forster A deceptively simple coming-of-age story. I…

A Confession The real-life murders of Becky Godden and Sian O’Callaghan are retold in this six-part drama with Martin Freeman playing DS Steve Fulcher, who caught the double murderer. Imelda Staunton and Siobhan Finneran also star. ITV I am Hannah Gemma Chan plays a woman at a crossroads in her life in this one-off story. Hannah’s had a series of bad dates while all her friends are settling down. Can she ignore the weight of expectation and find her own idea of happiness? C4 Hold The Sunset The hit comedy returns with John Cleese and Alison Steadman as Phil and Edith, still planning to move abroad. Jason Watkins plays her annoying stay-at-home son Roger. BBC One Dad’s Army: The Lost Episodes Three episodes of classic comedy Dad’s Army that were…

The Dark Crystal Starring Taron Egerton, this prequel of Jim Henson’s fantasy 1982 film The Dark Crystal follows three Gelfling who inspire a rebellion. Netflix Carnival Row Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne are among the all-star cast of this new fantasy drama set in a city full of mythical creatures fleeing their war-torn homeland. Amazon Prime Video Orange is the New Black The seventh and final series of the hit American prison drama follows Piper (Taylor Schilling) as she tries to adjust to normal life on the outside following her early release. Netflix…

DITCHING DRINKING I had to write in to applaud the article Is it OK to get drunk over 40? (July 2019). Having been a daily wine drinker to ‘de-stress’ after a long day at work, I realised that it was tipping over into dependency. So after doing Dry January, I kept going and stayed off alcohol altogether. Six months on, my work colleagues often comment about how bright and happy I look. And I am! Karen Taylor VIEW FROM THE ‘OTHER WOMAN’ I read with interest the article by Allison Pearson (June 2019), who says, ‘I know women who have given up on getting what they need from their husbands as they withdraw into their sheds’. But does anyone ask why the men have withdrawn into their sheds? I have…

What are you most terrified of? Heights, although I did walk over The O2 Arena recently! You’re high up, but there are no sheer drops so it wasn’t too bad. Who is your ultimate power woman? Davina McCall. What you see is what you get with her. I admire her, she’s really smart and brilliant at what she does. What’s your biggest achievement? Getting the Radio 2 teatime slot – I still pinch myself every day. What’s your guilty pleasure? I like playing The Feeling on the radio. There’ll be some tunes I play that I secretly love.…

SUITS YOU! Luxury British brand Jigsaw is back with a bang! Its classic tailoring has been given a new lease of life – think sleek, long-line blazers with matching wide-leg trousers in both soft and vibrant shades. Sizes 6-16, jigsaw-online.com TREASURE TROVE If you love all things vintage, then you’ll love Wilson Jewellery. Owner Sarah Wilson scours antiques markets for gorgeous finds and reimagines them without losing their history or charm – like these bracelets, which were once vintage buckles. Each piece is a one-off and totally unique! wilsonjewellery.com SMART GRAPHICS Update your knitwear this season with some fun logos. Wear them with jeans and smart trainers for the perfect weekend outfit. HOT OFF THE PRESS Formerly the go-to shop for occasion wear, Coast is relaunching online and it’s going…

Fashion Week hits London this month, bringing with it a whole parade of new catwalk trends – not to mention a host of street style stars creating a buzz in their envelope-pushing looks. But when it comes to putting a great everyday outfit together, we all know it’s about wardrobe staples. Forget statement sleeves and tricky colour combinations – where would we be without our favourite navy-and-white-striped top? Or that perfect pair of jeans that imbue us with body confidence? It’s hard to imagine that once upon a time, before Katharine Hepburn stomped onto the scene, wearing tailored wool trousers wasn’t an option – head-to-toe dressing in ‘appropriate’ outfits and matching accessories was the only acceptable way for a woman to dress. Thanks to a parade of stylish 20th-century women,…

Anyone who has imagined themselves on a sun-drenched beach or bathing in turquoise waters is likely to nudge The Bahamas to the top of their travel bucket list. But there’s so much more to this archipelago of islands in the Atlantic Ocean – and nowhere is that more evident than in Nassau, capital city of The Bahamas. Just off the coast of Florida, Nassau is a vibrant city with bewitching natural beauty, a swashbuckling past and candy pink buildings. It’s a shopper’s paradise too. Right in the heart of the city’s bustling Bay Street you’ll discover the world-famous Straw Market brimming with authentic Bahamian crafts, including straw hats, bags and dolls. For designer boutiques and haute couture labels there’s Crystal Court Shops on Paradise Island. A location for many of…

Kate Phillips lives in London with her partner and her cat, Lenny. ORANGE NATURAL WINE It’s quite an East End thing to be into, so you will probably find it in Hackney! It has a really beautiful texture and tastes like cider. When it arrives it’s murky and looks a bit suspicious, but it’s delicious and I love it. CHANEL PERFUME  I found a bottle of Chanel Eau Fraîche in my mum’s drawer years ago and I’ve stolen it as my scent. MY CAT, LENNY We have the most ‘dog-like’ cat – he’s half-Burmese. We’ve had him two years and I’m completely obsessed with him. He’s ‘dog-like’ because he constantly wants attention, demands to sit on someone or eat people’s food. Now he won’t come home for days because the…

On 31 January 2017 I made a decision that no mother should ever have to make… I told the doctors not to attempt any further resuscitation and to stop my daughter’s life support. She was 12. ‘The most selfless thing I could do for her was to let her go’ Daisy Rose was born on 14 December 2004. She was a much wanted fourth child but it was clear from the outset that there was something very wrong. Not long after her premature birth she was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease called Costello syndrome. She was very poorly and the doctors did not know whether she would make her first birthday; the only thing they could guarantee was that she would live a shortened life and probably not reach…

Like many people, I was curious about my genealogy and family history. So in my fifties, I decided to take a DNA test, to see what it might bring up. Little did I know this simple decision would unleash a howling wilderness of bewilderment, confusion, betrayal and grief. The test revealed my heritage was clearly at odds with the family I grew up with. There were matches with my mum, but 50% of my heritage had nothing at all to do with my late father’s family. ‘I felt an overwhelming grief that I was not related to my lovely dad’ Feeling very distressed, I spent some time trying to work out what this meant and eventually told my mother that I believed my dad was not my biological father. Reluctantly,…

✢ The original theme tune was REM’s Shiny Happy People, used in the pilot, Friends Like Us. But it was later replaced by I’ll Be There For You, performed by The Rembrandts. ✢ James Michael Tyler, who plays barista Gunther, got the part because he knew how to operate an espresso machine, having worked in a Hollywood coffee shop called Bourgeois Pig. His first line came after 33 episodes: ‘Yeah’. ✢ Fans naturally assume the fountain shown in the opening sequence is in New York, and take selfies in front of Cherry Hill Fountain in Central Park. In reality, it is located 2,800 miles away in a Warner Brothers studio in Burbank, California. ✢ When Matt LeBlanc auditioned, he was down to his last $11. Hearing he’d won the role…

Susan Quilliam shares her thoughts on Lisa’s relationship. The question most of us will ask about Lisa’s story is, ‘Why?’ For in current society, it’s difficult to understand polyamory – surely it’s irresponsible, unethical, simply weird? At best, immature; surely Lisa and Jim turn to others because otherwise they can’t maintain a grown-up, committed relationship? But this isn’t Lisa’s experience. Her answers to ‘why’ are all positive – fun, friendship, fulfilment. She feels polyamory actively strengthens her relationship – she and Jim are married, devoted, content. So how can polyamory work? Ironically, for Lisa and Jim, the answer is by following the classic guidelines for a monogamous partnership. Discussing values, needs, ground rules. Resolving issues through communication. Even, unlike many seemingly more responsible couples, practising safe sex. Yet surely polyamory…

I hesitate to be that person who talks about next season when we are finally – finally – getting to enjoy this one. (As I write it’s warm and sunny, though I know this country of ours well enough to be well aware that, as you read, it may not be.) But – what can I say? – I work in fashion. Which means I have an eye on the fact that – to quote Game of Thrones – winter is coming. Don’t worry. I am not going to advocate you go out and buy a full-blown cold-weather coat just yet. I have not gone rogue to that degree since I started hanging out on the front row (which is more years ago than I care to remember). Yet I…

The woman&home Diet by Jane Plan is the diet delivery service that provides you with meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner – plus snacks – all ready-prepared for you. We know what it’s like not to feel confident in what you’re wearing, which is why we’re here to help – and with a great money-off offer. Choose a plan that suits your weight-loss needs SIGN UP NOW & SAVE £25 Use the code WHCPA0919 at janeplan.com or call 020 3489 4770 *Prices quoted for the first month of the plan include £25 introductory discount. Not combinable with any other code. Post and packaging charges may apply. Offer operated by and your resulting contract is with Jane Plan Ltd, a company wholly independent of woman&home, published by TI Media Limited. PLUS!…

Got straight hair? Keep hair sleek without the straightening irons by using our top picks: WASH Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo, £22. Ideal for all hair types, it blocks humidity and smooths hair. CONDITION Redken Frizz Dismiss Conditioner, £12.45. Hydrates and eliminates frizz without weighing down your hair. SMOOTH IGK Good Behavior Spirulina Protein Smoothing Spray, £27, mimics the results of a keratin treatment. WEATHER-PROOF John Frieda Frizz Ease Weightless Wonder Featherlight Smoothing Crème, £6.99, protects from frizz.…

If Chanel can make tweed, pearls and quilting sexy, it’s no stretch to do the same for a useful but slightly pedestrian beauty staple. Yes, this is good old hand cream, but unlike that tube you have rolling around in your bag, this is also serious science-packed skincare. It has plumping hyaluronic acid and alfalfa concentrate to build density, there are plant lipids to boost your skin’s protective barrier, and liquorice extract, which inhibits melanin to tackle sunspots. All handy stuff if you tend to look at your skin as summer tails off and think, oops, could have been more careful. Circling back to that egg design, isn’t she a beaut? You’ll be eager to reapply in public, which is more important than it sounds – the most effective products…

The best way to live longer is by taking action in our midlife years, according to findings by The Age-Well Project – a blog and now a book pulling together research on how to achieve a healthy older age. The project was created by Annabel Streets and Susan Saunders, who met when they were both raising families and working full-time. Both had watched loved ones die far too early from dementia, heart disease and cancer – or worse, living out their so-called golden years blighted by illness. Inspired, they started agewellproject. com. Here are their easy ways to improve your chances of a longer, healthier, happier life. ✢ KEEP EXERCISING Find ways of incorporating movement into your daily life With so many of us in sedentary careers, more movement is…

✢ Cultivate a wide range of friendships, including new ones. ✢ Learn something new, and when you’ve mastered it, try something else. ✢ Ideally learn in company rather than alone. Instruments and languages particularly benefit the brain, but anything that makes your brain ache will do. ✢ Read books, of all genres. Every day. ✢ Stay working, paid or unpaid, full-time or part-time. ✢ Adopt a hobby, creative if you can. ✢ Develop a mindset that is optimistic, grateful and purposeful. ✢ Care for someone – a partner, a dog, those in the local hospice. Someone needs you, and science suggests you might benefit too. ✢ For maximum bang for buck, select activities that involve other people, a brain workout and movement all at once. Dancing, tennis, a book group…

Just the idea of a close friend or family member being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s can strike fear into many of us. But, if you’re one of the 700,000 informal carers in the UK looking after someone at home, that nightmare is your daily reality. ‘It’s almost like a bereavement,’ says lead psychiatrist Dr Arghya Sarkhel (livingmind.co.uk). ‘You’re losing your near and dear ones, and yet they are fully conscious and can talk, even if they don’t make sense at times.’ Alzheimer’s commonly leads to dementia symptoms including memory loss, difficulties with language and problem-solving, and gradually those affected are unable to look after themselves. Of all the UK’s unpaid carers, 11%* are looking after loved ones with a type of dementia, and it can be an emotional rollercoaster. ‘Helplessness, sadness…

Want a brew with benefits? Fresh herbs grown at home can have powerful properties when used as tea. Simply add to a diffuser and steep for at least five minutes. ✢ Lemon balm ‘Medical herbalists use it when anxiety is affecting digestion,’ says Charman. ‘It’s very good at balancing mood.’ ✢ Parsley ‘Cleanses the bladder of infectious organisms,’ explains holistic practitioner Anu Paavola. ✢ Lavender ‘This can be used to soothe stress-related headaches,’ reveals Charman. ‘It’s ideal for when stress has left you exhausted.’ ✢ Sage Anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and immune boosting – ideal for easing coughs. ✢ Rosemary ‘Helps to clear brain fog and improve memory and focus,’ explains Charman. ✢ Valerian US clinical trials have found that this improves sleep quality. ✢ Rose ‘It’s used by medical herbalists to…

East Winds, Saint Lucia: save up to 20% per person and enjoy complimentary inclusions on a Creative Writing Retreat. Carrier (0161 492 1354, carrier.co.uk) offers seven nights from £2,515 per person (including discount) based on two adults sharing a Superior Cottage on an all-inclusive basis, including complimentary Garden Tour, one cooking class per stay, one private meditation session per stay, one private boat trip to see the Pitons and the sulphur mud baths, with snorkelling and lunch on board. Return flights from London Gatwick with British Airways and return private transfers. Offer valid 9-16 November 2019. Based on departures 9 November 2019.…

From the lush green vineyards of Burgundy to the sun-kissed hills of Provence and the wild ruggedness of the Ardèche Gorges to the medieval allure of Avignon – on this truly enthralling cruise, every day is full of fascination. We start in France’s gastronomic capital and explore the beautiful Saône and Rhône rivers, the preferred route of traders and invaders alike since the dawn of recorded history. Everywhere there are reminders of the Romans and the greatest empire of the ancient world. You’ll be amazed by the engineering genius of the staggering amphitheatre at Arles, and the huge aqueduct at the Pont du Gard. Avignon was the seat of the Papacy during medieval times, heralding a century of greatness crowned by the absorbing Papal Palace and its stunning renaissance art…

‘My customer feedback button generates £2m a year’ LINDSAY WILLOTT, 42, lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and their nine-year-old son. She is CEO and founder of online customer feedback tool, Customer Thermometer. ✢ THE IDEA I’d been running my own technology marketing agency since I was 24. We had big customers such as Microsoft and part of the job was finding out how happy they were with our service. But we were dealing with busy people who don’t have time to fill in long email surveys. So the seed of an idea formed for a way of getting feedback that’s easy for the customer through an integrated feedback button (gold, green, amber, red) that’s included in every email sent to a customer. A few years previously, I’d written to…

WHAT’S IN SEASON Squeeze the day out of the last of the summer berries, then gorge on apples, plums, grapes, figs and pears as they hit their peak. Pumpkin, squash, kale and leeks also make their debut, just in time for early autumn lamb roasts with all the trimmings. BOOK OF THE MONTH A Flash in the Pan by John Whaite (Kyle Books, £20). This beautifully simple book is perfect for this time of year when summer is wrapping up and you want easy, nourishing meals in under 45 minutes. Some lovely ideas in this one, such as stovetop lasagna and cornflake French toast. ROAST POST Pact is a fantastic service that drops fresh, luxury coffee through your letter box as beans, ground coffee or pods. Sourced from…

Serves 2 • Ready in 20 mins 100g ciabatta loaf 300g ripe mixed tomatoes 5tbsp Mazola Rapeseed Oil sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 red onion 2 garlic cloves 1 bunch fresh basil a splash of red wine vinegar 1 handful small capers 180g jar red peppers 1 Heat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Tear the ciabatta into rough 3cm pieces and place in a bowl. 2 Roughly chop the tomatoes and place them in the bowl. Lightly drizzle everything in 1tbsp Mazola Rapeseed Oil, so the bread soaks up the tomato and oil flavours, before seasoning with salt and pepper. 3 Peel and cut the red onion into quarters, lay onto a baking tray, coat with standard olive oil and roast for 15 mins. 4 Using a…

✢ SIREN’S CALL At the annual Junipalooza gin festival in London earlier this summer, drinks connoisseurs queued around the block for this gin. Housed in a stunning fishscale-style bottle that is 100% plastic-free, from its wooden cork to its plant-based seal, this drink from the Isle Of Wight Distillery really loves the ocean. Unusual notes of coriander, pepper and rock samphire make it the perfect show-stopping gift for a friend’s birthday. And now it also comes in pink! Mermaid Gin, £49 for 700ml, Harvey Nichols stores and online. ✢ YOU DO RUM RUM With over 40 gold and silver awards to its name, Neptune Rum is the king of the sea – and the spirits aisle. A quick Google search of customer reviews shows just how loved this aged golden…

Lusting after that idyllic shoreside property where you wake to the sound and sight of lapping waves and endless blue? It’s easier than you think to achieve this style in your own home – by blending classic coastal with rustic country textures and laid-back boho details, you can create that summer holiday feeling all year round. Deep blue sea Bed linen with a striking cross-hatch design in dark-as-night blue adds drama to your bedroom, when combined with pale walls and floors. Metallic touches in accessories and furniture will give it an elegant edge. Metal side table, £79; ikat print and pom-pom double bedding sets, £39.50 each, all M&S Picture this Update artwork by swapping cliché beach prints for abstract seascapes instead. A thin black frame will enhance the balance of…

1 Secrets of Santorini by Patricia Wilson (Zaffre) Returning to her roots on the island of Santorini, Irini must uncover family secrets if she is to make peace with her mother. 2 A Summer to Remember by Sue Moorcroft (HarperCollins) This captures the wonderful sense of a Norfolk coastal village as Clancy escapes London. 3 MyLemon Grove Summer by Jo Thomas (Headline) A feel-good read that follows two friends immersing themselves in a Sicilian community. 4 Her Last Promise by Kathryn Hughes (Headline) A mysterious letter sees Tara Richards journey to Spain in search of answers. A gripping summer read. 5 In a Kingdom by the Sea by Sara MacDonald (HarperCollins) When Gabby’s husband’s job takes them to Karachi in Pakistan, a painful secret puts…

Historical novelist Philippa Gregory has written 25 books, including The Other Boleyn Girl, which achieved phenomenal success and was made into a major film starring Scarlett Johansson. Her new novel, Tidelands, set in the final years of the English Civil War, is the first in a new series. It takes Philippa in a new direction, far from courts and queens, as she examines the deadly dangers faced by a village midwife when suspicions of witchcraft are all too easily roused in the community. Philippa lives on a small farm in Yorkshire, and last year celebrated 30 years of being a novelist. I have always been interested in writing about women. It just so happens that a lot of women I write about are elite because their stories are so available.…

Watching Fleabag and Killing Eve. The magnificent Phoebe Waller-Bridge not only wrote both of these series but starred in the former and it was devastatingly good. Reading The Thunder Girls by Melanie Blake, the novel which my new play is taken from. It spans 30 years so I did lots of research for the character I’m playing. Listening to Beyond Skin by Nitin Sawhney. This year is the 20th anniversary of this beautiful album. Eating at The Spice Lounge in my village, Lees, Saddleworth. It’s a privilege to have worked all over the country this year but there’s no place like home. Learning to Plant a herbiary. I’m studying to be a master herbalist. As a singer I’ve always had tinctures and herbal remedies to keep my voice healthy. I…

✢ Don’t miss Lenny Henry: Who Am I, Again?, a funny, heart-warming show based on his soon-to-be published memoir. From 20 October; lennyhenryontour.net ✢ Opera North’s A/W season includes rarely performed treats, Weill’s Street Scene and classics such as La boh•me. From 14 September; operanorth.co.uk ✢ For crime fiction lovers, it’s your last chance to get tickets for the Capital Crime Festival on 26-28 September at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London; capitalcrime.org w&h…

Star sign of the month VIRGO 24 AUGUST – 22 SEPTEMBER  Your cup runneth over as September starts with four Virgo planets. As one is feisty Mars, you’ll be on a mission to sort stuff out. Give it an extra push around the 8th and voila! YOUR MONTHS AHEAD  The rest of 2019 brings challenges with children and lovers. December is a pleasure cruise. And April’s positive development helps things improve. Call 0905 789 4155* and choose weekly, monthly and yearly updates. LIBRA 23 SEPTEMBER – 23 OCTOBER It’s easy to get what you want this month. Especially around the 18th. Make a big wish on the 28th. Call 0905 789 4156* and choose weekly, monthly and yearly updates. SCORPIO 24 OCTOBER – 22 NOVEMBER With your ruler in detail-loving…

Gregg lives in Kent with his wife Anne-Marie, 32, her parents and their three-month-old son Sid, plus his son Tom, 25, and daughter Libby, 22, from his second marriage. My career Having no qualifications and getting people to trust my brain rather than my hands was hard – I was a van driver, a labourer and a greengrocer. People say, ‘How can you be a judge on MasterChef if you’re not a chef?’ but they never ask that of the restaurant critics. I think that’s because my voice is common. I’ve never wanted to be a chef – I want to pay my bills. My roots I grew up in Peckham and I had my nan and grandad living upstairs, which was amazing as a little boy. My grandad instilled…