Innholdsfortegnelse for 10-Dec-2019 i Woman's Weekly

As you’re all aware, we updated both the design and content of Woman’s Weekly a few issues ago and in this letter I asked you for your thoughts. You responded in your hundreds – as I hoped you would! And while many of you wrote in to praise our new look, others really missed a fiction serial, so we will be reintroducing one from our 31 December issue, on sale 23 December. From this issue, we have also improved the legibility of the text – another request from a number of you. And in the meantime, I will continue to listen and implement changes where at all possible.…

‘We all feel like children at times, even when there’s no one there to be a child for’ With a career spanning nearly four decades, it’s fair to say Sue Johnston is a British TV favourite. And while actress, who is coming up to her 76th birthday, is best known as Barbara Royle in the hit comedy The Royle Family, and as Gloria Price with her always-perfect blow-dry behind the Rovers Return bar in Coronation Street, her upcoming role in The Cure couldn’t be further from either of those roles. Based on true events in 2007, the Channel 4 drama follows Julie Bailey – played by Sian Brooke – as she exposes the widespread neglect occurring at Stafford Hospital, where her mum, Bella Bailey (Sue’s character), died under their care.…

This week’s columnist: Best-selling author Adele Parks “I’ve tried to deliver the perfect Christmas, I really have. I’m a 21st-century woman living in the Western world. I’ve been led to believe that colour theming the decorations on my tree, making my own mince pies and dipping my child’s foot in brown paint to make reindeer Christmas cards is the only way to happiness. Perfection is all, and by perfection, I mean increasing workload, stretching the credit card and introducing extreme stress – obviously! ‘Christmas is all about lists’ I start with lists. Christmas is all about lists. Firstly, who is on the Naughty and Nice Lists? On the run-up to Christmas, my good intentions and panic-induced mood swings means I bounce between the two with indecent frequency. There are endless…

SUPERSTAR MASCARAS This is the one product that never fails to make an impact. For most of us, the dream formula combines length, a nice curl and sooty black colour that glides on with no clumps, smudges or flaking. Formulas rarely change much, but the usual wax and pigment blends have ever-improved results, thanks to wand innovation. Think flexible brushes, spiral shapes and densely packed bristles. ✣ FOR CURL Collection Lash Surge, £4.99, has a bristly spiral brush that pulls lashes upwards as you wiggle the super-inky pigment through them. ✣ FOR LENGTH Rimmel London Wonderfully Real Mascara, £7.99, has tiny, fin-like bristles that comb the fibre-rich formula through your lashes without any pesky clogging. ✣ FOR VOLUME W7 Absolute Lashes, £6.95, has spiky bristles that coat lashes heavily at…

Try this insteadÉ Spending it with your family. Because spending the festive season with your partner’s clan can change your gut bacteria and make you depressed! Yes, really – according to research at the Amsterdam University Medical Centre. They found lower levels of a bug, believed to help fight stress and depression, in those who stayed with the in-laws, and higher levels of feel-good gut genes in those who stayed with their own family. So now you have the perfect excuse to get out of lengthy in-law visits if you need to!…

A It’s impossible to be absolutely certain that any skin lesion is safe, and will remain safe, but there are symptoms and signs to look for that may suggest the spot needs investigating. In particular, you need to look for shape or colour change, or variable colouration across a mole. Itching or bleeding, irregular surface, rolled edge or ulcer formation, and ‘satellites’ – new lesions around the original one – are all warning signs. Any crusting or scabbing, soreness or discomfort needs review by your GP, although many skin cancers don’t cause pain. New or rapidly changing moles or freckles, or the growth of little blood vessels around the lesion should also alert you to report to your doctor. Even then, your doctor may have trouble deciding if it’s benign,…

Call 0330 333 1113 and quote ATP9 or visit womansweeklysubs.co.uk/ATP9. *When paying by UK Direct Debit. After six issues, your payments will then continue every three months at £11.49, saving 28% on the full price of £15.99. Offer open to new subscribers only. The price is guaranteed for the first 12 months and we will notify you in advance of any price changes. Final closing date is 3 February 2020. For enquiries and overseas rates, please call +44 (0)330 333 1113 (phone lines are open Monday to Saturday, 8am-6pm, UK time). For full terms and conditions, please visit magazinesdirect.com/terms…

HELEN MERRIFIELD, 52 Tell us about your look Everything I’m wearing is quite old. I’ve just pulled out some favourite pieces and put them together in a new way. The gilet came from Zara and my skirt is Jigsaw. My jumper is from the men’s collection at Uniqlo. I’m wearing Belstaff boots and it’s a Mulberry bag. And the best bit of your body? My friends often compliment me on my skin. NICOLA WARD, 42 Tell us about your look I’d say my style is classic with a touch of quirkiness. I like to mix high street with designer for an individual look. My coat is last season from Zara. Underneath is a black glittery top from & Other Stories and a leather skirt from Arket – one of my…

‘There’ll be feathers, rhinestones and Christmas sparkle’ Tracey Iliffe has been choreographer of the Thursford Christmas Spectacular in Norfolk since 2012. One of Europe’s biggest Christmas shows, Thursford has a cast of 120 and more than 5.7 million people have seen it since it first began in 1977. ‘The sheer scale of the Spectacular is something to behold. It’s a hugely exciting production to work on, and we have a high calibre of talent performing. ‘We begin rehearsals in September, so I’m fully immersed in the festive season early on, but I don’t mind; I love Christmas! ‘The show is a beautiful and magical spectacle, which I think taps into nostalgia in audiences. ‘Every year is different – and this year, audiences can look forward to big-production numbers, an opening…

WHERE I’VE BEEN Kew Gardens. It’s literally dazzling at this time of year. WHAT I’VE BOUGHT More ‘stuff’ than I should! This year, Christmas was going to be about doing things as a family, not just buying, but I keep popping bits into my basket! WHO I’VE MET Author friends including Liz Fenwick, Helen Warner, Anita Frank and BA Paris. Christmas should be about catching up with friends. WHAT I’VE SEEN The Mary Quant Exhibition at the V&A Museum in London – a total treat.…

CROSSING YOUR LEGS DOESN’T cause varicose veins The idea that crossing your legs causes varicose veins is an old wives’ tale. We now know that you can’t stop varicose veins happening. They’re caused when valves give way, letting blood fall back down a vein, which then dilates to become varicose. They’re ‘familial’, which means you inherit them from your parents, and there’s not much you can do about that. What you can do is keep your veins healthy and reduce your risk of complications, such as clots, leg ulcers and bleeding. The top thing is exercise – walking is perfect to help pump blood back from your legs to your heart and keep veins healthy. And when you’re not moving about, put your feet up to ease pressure at your…

Lichen sclerosus is a poorly understood condition affecting any area of the skin, especially the genitalia. It can occur at any age, but is commoner in the over 50s and occurs in 3% of women, less than 0.1% of men. The cause is unknown, but may be an autoimmune condition, where your immune system mistakenly sees your own tissue as foreign and attacks skin cells, damaging them. There’s an association with other autoimmune diseases in women such as thyroid disease and a tendency in families. It’s not an infection and it isn’t contagious. Previous infection, however, may be a trigger and trauma or occlusive wound dressings such as after surgical wounds, radiotherapy or even sunburn may be factors. It isn’t related to poor personal hygiene. In men it’s linked to…

1 FLUIDS Fever and sweating dehydrate you, making you feel worse, so ensure you take plenty of clear fluids including water, diluted juice or squash and tea. 2 PAINKILLERS Both paracetamol and ibuprofen reduce fever as well as relieving pain so use them regularly, up to the limit set on the packet. 3 REST Activity, even eating large meals, will tire you. Rest, eat small, regular amounts when hungry, and keep away from others while you’re infectious. 4 VACCINATION Annual vaccination, available from October, protects against the predicted common strains for that winter and reduces the spread through the population.…

MEASUREMENTS Approximately 22cm/8¾in wide x 13cm/5in deep. MATERIALS 1 x 100g (289m) ball of GO-TO DK (100% acrylic) in Lavender (13)*. Pair of 3.25mm (No. 10) knitting needles plus a spare needle; one button; 2 removable stitch markers or contrast thread. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk TENSION 26 stitches and 36 rows, to 10 x 10cm, over stocking stitch, using 3.25mm needles. ABBREVIATIONS St(s), stitch(es); k, knit; p, purl; ss, stocking stitch (k on right side and p on wrong side); inc, increase 1 st (by working into same st twice); tog, together (decrease, by working as many sts together as stated); psso, pass slipped st over; skpo, slip 1 st, k1, psso (to decrease 1 st); sl, slip; up1, pick up loop lying between needles and k into the…

ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr This is a good week for examining how you use your time. Set yourself important priorities and you’ll accomplish much more. TAURUS 21 Apr – 21 May It’s important to take time out and to have more fun. Remind yourself to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. GEMINI 22 May – 21 Jun This is an excellent time for research and for gaining more knowledge. Remember, information is power. CANCER 22 Jun – 23 Jul Relationships are in the limelight this week. Setting clear boundaries, and keeping them, will be your greatest challenge. LEO 24 Jul – 23 Aug Health and fitness are under favourable aspects for you. If you can do everything in moderation, you’ll regain your balance. VIRGO 24 Aug – 23…

Died and Gone to Devon  by TP Fielden (£8.99, HQ) In the fourth in the Miss Dimont mystery novels, we find ourselves once again in the seaside town of Temple Regis. Set in the 1950s, Riviera Express reporter-turned-sleuth Judy Dimont is in search of a killer after the body of a political candidate is discovered. Desperate to catch the killer before they strike again, Judy is also protecting her position as the town’s best reporter. In this wonderful retro crime novel, TP Fielden uses wit and charm to bring a touch of magic to this golden age of mystery.…

Muriel Bamford, 1950s, sent in by her friend Kay Wickes This photo of Muriel was taken when she was wearing a pretty pink floral dress. She lived in Macclesfield then moved to Adelaide, Australia, in 1973. This will be a lovely surprise! ✣ We’d love to see how great you looked in any era up to and including the 1980s. Please send a good-quality photo with your name, address and daytime phone number clearly written on the back, to: Fashion Dept, Woman’s Weekly, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. Photos will be returned.…

Although no longer the case, we used to have to nominate one word on our passport to describe our occupation. Gardener, broadcaster, poet, novelist, author, singer... ask Alan Titchmarsh which he’d choose and he doesn’t hesitate. ‘Gardener,’ he says, ‘It’s what I was trained for. Gardening is what I was put on this earth to do. The other things are simply what I’ve been allowed to do.’ His roles are many and varied. A prolific writer, he’s also a great lover of music and regularly presents a selection of his favourites on Classic FM. And, although he celebrated his 70th birthday this year with his wife of 44 years, Alison, and their family, he shows little sign of slowing up. He’s embarking on a brief tour in the New Year…

SAUSAGE ROLL WREATH A bit of fun for Christmas and actually very pretty! This is easier if you buy top-notch sausages from your local butcher and remove the skins first. SERVES 12 ✣ 2tsp oil ✣ 3 shallots, finely chopped ✣ 200g (7oz) brown cap mushrooms, finely chopped ✣ 2 garlic cloves, crushed ✣ 500g (1lb 2oz) all-butter puff pastry ✣ 1 egg yolk, to glaze ✣ 8 free-range pork sausages, skins removed ✣ 1tbsp mustard seeds, lightly crushed 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the shallots until soft. Set aside. Fry the mushrooms until cooked, stir in the garlic for a few mins, then mix with the shallots. 2 Roll out the pastry to a 90cm x 20cm (35in x 8in) rectangle. Brush the edges…

1 DRINK LOTS Of water or squash, that is, to rehydrate you when this winter vomiting bug hits. The sickness should stop within a day or two, and diarrhoea within a week. If not, see a GP. 2 STAY AT HOME And rest until you’ve been symptom-free for at least two days. Wash your hands regularly and clean toilets, taps and door handles daily to avoid spreading it at home. 3 HELPFUL MEDS Take paracetamol if you have a temperature, or oral rehydration sachets if you’re dehydrated.…

✣ Washing Use emollient soap substitutes, not regular soap. There is a variety available. Look for non-perfumed ones and gently pat dry afterwards. ✣ Barriers and lubricants Regularly apply a barrier cream or ointment such as ones containing petroleum jelly. Try using a lubricant if sex is uncomfortable. ✣ Clothing Wear natural fibre underwear, such as cotton or silk, with loose, non-constricting clothes on top. Women should avoid wearing tights. Stockings may be preferable. ✣ Laundry Don’t wash your clothes with detergent. Simply use a water wash and avoid other chemicals, such as conditioners.…

My friends envy me Q I have four friends I’ve known since the children started school. We have been through a lot together and we know each other’s children and families really well. I was very conscious the last time we all met that I am the only one still in my original relationship. I came away feeling a mixture of guilt and envy from them. Debbie, Guildford A How are those feelings helping you? My hunch is not at all. You’ve remained in your relationship, which is lovely for you. They’ve all taken a different route. Some may wish they were still with their previous partner, but others not. I think you’re making a lot of assumptions about what they’re thinking. You can deal with this if the need…

YOU WILL NEED ✣ Old baubles or blank ceramic baubles ✣ Fine sandpaper (optional) ✣ String ✣ Disposable gloves ✣ Primer spray paint ✣ Old plastic box ✣ Gloss spray paint in light blue, navy, white and copper ✣ Thin gold ribbon Time to make: 2 hours (plus drying time) Stockists: Ceramic baubles, £3 for set of three, Hobbycraft. Rust-Oleum multipurpose gloss spray paint in spa blue, deep blue, white and copper, £10 each, B&Q. 1 Prepare the baubles by wiping away any dust. If using ceramic baubles, remove any rough patches with a piece of fine sandpaper. 2 Attach a piece of string to the top of each bauble to hang it with while you’re spraying and drying. 3 Make sure to wear the disposable gloves and to hold…

Visiting a petting farm this close to Christmas was a mistake, I’d always thought that. Miss Stevens is in charge of Year 3, and I’ve got Year 4. We were supposed to come in the autumn, but it got postponed, the deputy head making the rash promise that the visit would occur ‘later in the year’, even though we were fast running out of year. My bunch were already in a hyped-up state before they even got off the coach, because they’re putting on the school Nativity play next week. Actually, as director, prompter, gluer of tinsel to coat hangers and mopper of tears, I’m in a worse state. At least Heverdean Animal Farm has done its best to look Christmassy. As soon as we arrived, all the kids made…

Take a chance The O2 in London plays host to one of the greatest bands of the 70s as Entertainment Exhibitions International and Stockholm’s ABBA The Museum come together to create ABBA: Super Troupers the Exhibition. Delving into the lives of the international superstar band members, this immersive experience showcases photos, costumes, lyrics and personal items. It’s the ultimate behind-the-scenes tour, and is on from 6 December to 31 August 2020. Visit abbasupertroupers. com to find out more. The Royal Variety Performance 2019 ITV Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan are this year’s hosts at the London Palladium. Expect to see Robbie Williams, Lewis Capaldi, Emeli Sandé, the cast of new West End musical Mary Poppins and Britain’s Got Talent winner Colin Thackery (above). Ordinary Love Liam Neeson takes a break…

Here is a confession for which I will probably be thrown out of the WI. It is a revelation about what we ladies get up to in the privacy of… well, wherever it is that the chaps can’t overhear. Gentlemen readers might care to skip the next couple of paragraphs. This is not going to be pretty. The thing is, whenever women are gathered together, there is a danger that they will talk about men in unflattering terms. We will reveal, in quite uncompromising language, what it is about men that most annoys us. There are women of my acquaintance who can talk furiously on the subject of beards for 20 minutes at a stretch. Others complain about the male attitude to the television remote control, and complete lack of…