Innholdsfortegnelse for 18-Feb-2025 i Woman's Weekly

Traces of the past It’s extraordinary how much the British landscape, which feels very much as if it’s fashioned by nature, is in reality largely created by us – the small ancient fields of the west of England, the sinuous stone walls that frame the Yorkshire Dales, or the sublime treeless grandeur of so much of the Scottish Highlands. And what we’ve taken from underground over the centuries has had an impact too – you can see surface disturbance, and spoil left in particular by coal mining in the Scottish lowlands, the north of England, the Midlands, Wales and in Kent. But not many know we mined coal in Somerset too. See page 84.…

TRENCH COATS A timeless piece for a reason, this flattering belted design will cinch in the waist to create a gorgeous hourglass silhouette. It’s the perfect transitional jacket when a light layer is required. RELAXED TAILORING No longer reserved for the office, relaxed tailored trousers are an everyday staple. Dress them down with trainers, loafers or ballet pumps, and cosy knitwear. It can be worth getting these altered if you’re petite – alternatively, many high-street brands now offer different leg lengths. LIGHTWEIGHT KNITS The ultimate layering piece and an essential for the British climate! It’s light enough to be worn under jackets, draped over shoulders or tied around your waist. Larger busts can undo the top buttons of a cardigan to create a flattering V-neckline. MIDI DRESSES A midi dress…

Chicken livers and potatoes An old-school favourite gets a modern flavour makeover. SERVES 1 PREP 5 mins, plus soaking COOK 30 mins ✱ 125g chicken livers, sinew removed✱ 50ml milk✱ 2tbsp oil✱ 1 onion, thinly sliced✱ 170g new potatoes, cut into 5mm-thick rounds✱ 2 garlic cloves, crushed✱ 2tbsp flour, seasoned✱ 20g butter✱ 1tbsp balsamic vinegar✱ Small bunch parsley, finely chopped 1 Soak the chicken livers in the milk for 30 mins. 2 Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the onion and potatoes, stirring occasionally, for 20 mins, until tender and golden. Season and add the garlic, fry for 2 mins, then move the potato and onions to a plate. 3 Toss the livers in the flour and shake off the excess. Add the butter to…

3 NATURAL WAYS TO... Ease a cough 1 Scots pine This has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, says natural health expert and chemist Dr Tim Bond. ‘Scots pine essential oil is used to help against respiratory system ailments, such as asthma, bronchitis, catarrh, coughs and sore throats.’ 2 Eucalyptus Extracted from the leaves, its essential oil E. globulus helps to clear mucus from the airways and break it up in the lungs, allowing you to breathe easier. 3 Tea tree oil It has strong antibacterial properties. ‘These properties explain the traditional use of tea tree oil in infections, including those of the respiratory tract, such as influenza, and the skin,’ says Dr Bond. HOW TO LOOK AFTER YOUR SKIN WHEN EXERCISING Paula Oliver is a dermatology nurse consultant. Keeping fit is a…

Bijou plots Whether you’re living in a city, renting or downsizing, it’s likely that outdoor space is limited. But that doesn’t mean you need to rein in your passion for gardening. With thoughtful plant choices and a splash of creative inspiration, even tiny spaces can look fabulous. Just remember to keep things tidy and uncluttered to maximise the sense of space. Bright canvas In a small garden, boundary walls and fences can dominate the view. Growing climbers will transform them from boring to bedazzling, without taking up precious ground space. Create sturdy supports by fixing trellis or horizontal galvanised wires at regular intervals. Then plant climbers about 30-60cm away from the boundary and guide them into place using a cane. For a portable display, grow potted climbers up bamboo wigwams.…

TESTED BY US so they work for you Difficulty level MEASUREMENTS Height 23cm/9in. MATERIALS 1 x 50g (140m) ball of Sirdar Stories DK (60% cotton, 40% acrylic) in each of Mid Green (Camping 814), Bright Green (Picnic 815) and Brown (Henna 800), plus a small amount of DK yarn in Black*. Pair of 3.25mm (No. 10) knitting needles; coloured thread; toy stuffing. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk TENSION 25 stitches and 36 rows to 10x10cm, over stocking stitch, using 3.25mm needles. ABBREVIATIONS B, through the back of the loops; k, knit; p, purl; skpo, slip 1, k1, pass slipped stitch over (to decrease 1 st); ss, stocking stitch (k on right side and p on wrong side); st(s), stitch(es); tog, together (decrease by working as many sts together as…

The Boy from the Sea by Garrett Carr (£16.99, HB, Pan Macmillan) Epitomising great storytelling from the get-go, we’re transported to a fishing community in Donegal. It’s 1973 and when a baby is discovered on the seashore, he’s taken in by Ambrose and Christine Bonnar, who already have a son. Tongues wag and family tensions ebb and flow. Beautifully observed, our narrator is the community that watches and comments, often very amusingly. As the rivalry intensifies between brothers Declan and Brendan, it threatens more than family harmony. Hope Street by Mike Gayle (£20, HB, Hodder & Stoughton) When Mike Gayle released My Legendary Girlfriend in the 90s it became an instant bestseller, and he hasn’t stopped entertaining us since. In this wonderful story we meet Lila, a trainee journalist who…

SECRETS REVEALED It’s 20 years since the publication of Kate Mosse’s hugely successful novel Labyrinth. To mark the occasion, the author is embarking on a 33-date, one-woman tour, during which she’ll reveal the fascinating stories and shocking events that inspired the book. Unlocking the Secrets of the Labyrinth opens in Stafford on 26 February and tours the UK until 10 April. ✱ labyrinthlive2025.com Flight path If you set off on a long drive 20 years ago, you’ll remember the unfortunate insects that splattered your windscreen and number plates. These days, there are far fewer flying insects, and those recorded on number plates in the UK fell by 78% between 2004 and 2023. So to help conservationists understand these populations, Kent Wildlife Trust has embarked on an international citizen scientist study,…

Popular picks for a day out can have one major drawback – they are popular! So why not avoid the crowds and head to one of the UK’s many fascinating ‘hidden away’ attractions? Here are just a few lesser-known gems for you to choose from. Eel Pie Island Twickenham, SW London Accessed by a footbridge, this island in the River Thames has a magical quality. It’s thought the name came from the pies that were served in a tavern on the island in the 19th century. In the 1960s, the Eel Pie Island Hotel, once the venue for genteel tea dances in the 1920s, became a magnet for music fans. Rock legends such as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and The Who held gigs at the hotel, which burnt down…

Real roses There’s no better smell than a waft of freshly picked rose petals, but when the flower is used in fragrance, it’s often an artificial scent rather than the real deal. Luckily, The Body Shop Full Rose Eau de Parfum, £42, thebodyshop.com, is packed full of real rose extracts. Formulated with precious rose absolute, extracted from hand-picked flowers in France, this eau de parfum is bursting with authentic rose goodness. Other notes include geranium leaf, aromatic cardamom and green leaf. Gentle green tea Made from 100% natural green tea and camomile extracts, Batiste Naturally Dry Shampoo Green Tea & Chamomile, £4.25, Boots, refreshes your hair between washes. Removing excess oils and providing a dose of volume, this natural dry shampoo never leaves that dreaded powdery residue, and keeps your…

ADVICE FROM OUR WOMAN’S WEEKLY DOCTOR Endometriosis scanning The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends all women with suspected endometriosis have early specialist transvaginal ultrasound or MRI scans, even if physical examination is normal. NICE’s updated guideline on endometriosis diagnosis and management follows the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death, and Endometriosis UK reports highlighting poor healthcare professional awareness of the condition and how it presents, delayed diagnoses, prolonged suffering, ill health and reduced fertility. UK CANCER VACCINE PROGRESS The UK is becoming a centre for cancer vaccine trials, with 30 British hospitals joining the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad scheme, enrolling NHS patients in messenger RNA (mRNA) cancer vaccine trials, including against non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma and bowel cancer. The vaccines present tumour markers…

Code cracker Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones has revealed she used pulped what to clean and whiten her teeth? To find out, solve the puzzle... Fill in the grid. Each letter of the alphabet is represented by a number from 1 to 26. The shaded squares will spell out the one-word answer. We’ve given you five letters to start you off. Wordsearch A 2018 survey found that 53% of Brits have never tried which food? The answer is the one missing from the grid. ARTICHOKECOUSCOUSEELFROG’S LEGSGHEE GRITSGUMBOINSECTSJUNKETKEDGEREE MUESLISNAILSSQUIDSUSHIYAM Sudoku To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle and the numbers in the highlighted squares form the answer. Big quiz The answers to all these general knowledge…

Difficulty level TESTED BY US so they work for you MEASUREMENTS To fit ages 6-12 (12-18) (24-36) (36-48) months. Actual chest 54 (59) (65) (79) cm/21¼ (23¼) (25½) (27½)in. Side seam 15 (16) (17) (18)cm/6 (6¼) (6¾) (7)in. Length to shoulder 28 (30) (32) (35)cm/11 (11¾) (12½) (13½)in. Sleeve seam 20 (22) (24) (26)cm/8 (8¾) (9½) (10¼)in. MATERIALS 3 (3) (3) (4) x 50g (125m) balls of Rico Baby Cotton Soft DK (50% cotton, 50% acrylic) in Dark Pink (061)*. Pair each of 3mm (No. 11) and 3.75mm (No. 9) knitting needles; stitch holders; stitch markers; 1 button. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk. TENSION 22 stitches and 30 rows to 10x10cm, over stocking stitch, using 3.75mm needles. ABBREVIATIONS Dec, decrease by working 2 sts tog; inc, increase by…

Wordwise You have 15 minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the grid. Each word must contain four or more letters, one of which must be the central square. No proper nouns, plurals or foreign words are allowed. There is one nine-letter word, for which the clue is: Large public space. Average = 15 More than 25 = well done SUDOKU To solve this puzzle, fill in the grid so that each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column contains the numbers 1-9. LINKWORDS Fit 10 words into the grid so that each links with the end of the word on its left and the beginning of the one on the right. Then unscramble the letters in the shaded squares to make a…

Letter of the week Bea’s scrumptious scrumbles This is a photo of my nine-year-old granddaughter Bea, who is with her Auntie Jo, a nurse at the Severn Hospice in Shrewsbury. Recently, Bea used apples from the tree in her garden to make apple ‘scrumbles’ to sell to school friends, teachers and family. She raised a total of £433 and donated it all to the hospice. She is a very caring, loving little girl, and I’m so proud of her. Liz Rowley, Chirk Bank, Wrexham PAWS FOR THOUGHT This is my dog Lola, who I adopted in France. She’s a cross between a border collie and a Pyrenean sheep dog. Here, she has ‘stolen’ our other dog Bess’ birthday ‘carrot’ – she looks really guilty! Barbara Spurr, Leeds ✱ Got a…

Who needs to go to an expensive restaurant this Valentine’s Day when we can cosy up at home and watch some of our favourite comedy partnerships from across the years? Whether it’s Mick agreeing to Pam’s outlandish antics in Gavin & Stacey, or Sybil’s sharp-tongued insults to Basil in Fawlty Towers, here are some of the most enduring TV couples of all time. TERRY AND JUNE First appearing together as Terry and June Penfold in 70s sitcom Happy Ever After, the couple were so popular with viewers they were given a whole new show. Complete with a new surname, the characters moved to Purley and Terry and June was born. As bumbling, accident-prone Terry (Scott) went about taking French classes, gardening or having his boss over for dinner, level-headed and…

‘There aren’t enough thank yous’ Leanne Alston, 41, is a psychotherapist who lives in Bradford. As the wheels spun uselessly in the thick mud, I began to get scared, as there was surely nobody around for miles. It was Christmas Eve 2012; I was heading home to Yorkshire after visiting my friend Leonie in Shropshire. I’m a careful driver but I hit black ice on a tiny back road and the car spun out of control, coming to a halt in a ditch. At first, I felt relief: my car was fine and I was unhurt. But this soon gave way to despair when I realised I was stuck. Despite a poor mobile signal, I managed to call Leonie. ‘I’ll try to send my dad,’ she said, but explained that…

When primary school teacher Kelly Barker began one of the most transformative journeys she’d ever experienced, she knew it would be difficult. She had been overweight for as long as she could remember, putting her health at risk in the process, and was finally ready for a new lease of life. Along the way, Kelly made a new friend who would prove to be one of her greatest supporters. ‘I was treated like an outcast’ Throughout her childhood, Kelly, now 44, was taunted in the school playground. ‘They’d call me “Kelly the Elephant”. It was mortifying, and it stuck with me – the words and the weight,’ remembers Kelly, from Merseyside. ‘Over the years, the weight just piled on. I was always trying one diet or another. But I never…

Not sure if you’re getting enough exercise each day? Doing too little can put you at risk of increased aches and pains, and cut life expectancy. But staying active to keep fit and well isn’t all about hitting the gym hard. There are plenty of ways to keep moving and elevate your wellbeing. Answer these questions to find out more. Q How much movement do you do every week? ☐ Less than 150 minutes ☐ More than 150 minutes The recommended amount is 150 minutes. ‘That’s five sessions of 30 minutes at moderate intensity, or three lots of 25 minutes at high intensity, or a mix of both,’ says exercise coach Dean Zweck from Total Fitness. But remember this is the minimum. ‘The more exercise you do, the better your…

Should one child inherit less? Q I fell out with one of my children more than 20 years ago. I have tried every way to make contact with her but she’s always refused. She’s in occasional contact with her siblings, so I know she’s alive. We are reviewing our will and we’ve decided that we don’t want to leave her the same amount as the others. We have been well supported by them. I have discussed this with a few friends and they say we shouldn’t do this. Name and address withheld A It’s your will and you can do anything you want. That said, this may cause problems – the imbalance may be embarrassing for your children and could cause problems between them; or the excluded child could contest the will. I think you’d benefit from talking to a solicitor…

B&M M&S NEXT GEORGE HOME HABITAT DUNELM…

TESTED BY US so they work for you Difficulty level SIZE 20cm high YOU WILL NEED ✱ Access to a photocopier✱ Tracing paper and pencil✱ 50x25cm rectangle of camel plush fabric✱ 30x25cm rectangle of 1.7cm hedgehog mohair fabric✱ Pair of 1cm black toy safety eyes✱ One 1.5cm black cat toy safety nose✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Toy filling STOCKISTS Solid cuddle plush fabric, £5.50 for 75x50cm rectangle, Billow Fabrics, billowfabrics.co.uk; 1cm safety eyes, £1.05 per pair, and 1.5cm cat safety nose, 95p, Amazing Craft, amazingcraft.co.uk; 1.7cm hedgehog mohair fabric, £10.56 for 33x25cm rectangle, Mohair Bear Supplies, mohairbearmakingsupplies.co.uk. NOTE Take a 6mm seam allowance. Join pieces with right sides facing, matching alphabetical points, notches, dots and crosses. MAKING PAPER PATTERNS AND CUTTING OUT On a photocopier, enlarge the patterns (on the next…

ARIES 21 MAR – 20 APR Financially, new opportunities may present themselves. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, so stay grounded. TAURUS 21 APR – 21 MAY Sometimes you’ll do anything for a quiet life. Make sure you’re not compromising your principles. Temporary disruption will be well worth it. GEMINI 22 MAY – 21 JUN It’s time to go within for your answers. Everyone else has an opinion on what you should do, but you’re on a new journey of self-examination. CANCER 22 JUN – 23 JUL You’re naturally kind and loving but make sure you take time to care for yourself. Then you’ll be able to give twice as much. LEO 24 JUL – 23 AUG Patience is your keyword now. If something or…

We begin this week by considering a social issue that is even more divisive than the thorny problem of scone etiquette. You know, which goes first, jam or cream? My charity shop colleague Grace had popped over for morning coffee and we were in the woods, walking the dog, when we spotted a magpie in the far distance. ‘Good morning, Mr Magpie,’ I said, instinctively and with exaggerated politeness. Grace stopped in her tracks and looked at me as if I’d revealed myself as an ambassador from the Planet Neptune, living on Earth in human form and wondering whether she would be kind enough to take me to her leader. ‘There’s always this other chap to fall back on’ ‘Not you as well, Rose,’ she said. ‘I thought you’d be…