Innholdsfortegnelse for 22-Apr-2025 i Woman's Weekly

Loved, and pre-loved "I think I’ve mentioned before that I have a simple ring on my finger which belonged to my father, and before him, my grandfather. We still use an old silver teapot that was a much-loved possession of my mother’s, and she originally bought many of our current kitchen utensils – I can still remember her using them when I was a child. Later in life, Mum was able to afford nicer clothes and when she passed away my daughter asked if she could have them; now she wears her grandmother’s coats all the time. Isn’t there something comforting about such hand-me-downs? For similar stories from other families, see page 20."…

Fifty years since Torvill and Dean first started to ice dance together, and 40 years after they famously won a gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo for their stunning performance to Ravel’s Boléro, Jayne and Christopher are hanging up their blades as they embark on their final tour, Torvill & Dean: Our Last Dance. It will see them perform nationwide in a retrospective storytelling about their amazing success. The duo will be joined by some familiar ice-dancing pros, including the likes of Daniel Whiston, Vanessa Bauer and Sylvain Longchambon from Dancing on Ice, as they delight audiences with new routines. And, of course, some of their all-time classics. We caught up with the much-loved pair to find out how they feel as they gear up to say…

‘An extra layer of emotion was added to an already special day’ Fashion designer Jayne Lasley, 45, lives in Langbank, Renfrewshire, with her husband Keith, 45, and their children Carrie, 16, and Alfie, 13. When my mum Lesley, now 73, brought out a small box, opened it and drew out the christening gown, I gasped. It was perfect. ‘I didn’t know this existed!’ I told her. It was 2008 and I’d been talking to her about having my own daughter, Carrie, now 16, christened when Mum brought out the box and surprised me. ‘Mum and I share a love for beautiful clothing’ The dress had been bought in 1953 and she’d worn it at her own christening. Apparently I’d sported the same outfit for my special day and, as a…

3 REASONS TO... Eat chocolate (yes, really!) 1 IT MAKES YOU HAPPY ‘Eating chocolate increases the brain chemicals that can lift spirits and confidence, increase energy and aid the creation of the happy hormone, serotonin,’ says GP Dr Jeff Foster*. 2 IT MAY HELP YOUR HEART Middleaged and elderly women who ate dark chocolate once or twice a week had lower risk of heart failure, says the American Heart Association. It’s thought the minerals in it help to improve blood flow to the heart. 3 IT CAN BOOST ENERGY Milk chocolate doesn’t provide the same nutrients as dark, but it can provide a boost if you do lots of activity. ‘Due to the higher sugar levels, it can be ideal before exerting yourself,’ says dietician Karine Patel. NEWSFLASH Have your…

MIDNIGHT MAGIC Ukrainian-born Nikita Kuzmin is the latest Strictly star to launch his own live show. A modern-day Cinderella story, Midnight Dancer sees star-crossed lovers forced to part – but will they reunite at the masked ball? The UK and Ireland tour runs until 24 May. ✱ nikitalive.co.uk Beautiful bluebells Think dappled sunlight, a forest glade and a haze of glorious colour… Yes, it’s bluebell time once again, and over the coming weeks nature will put on one of her finest spectacles, with masses of delicate, nodding flowers creating a sea of heavenly blue in woodlands up and down the country. Bees and butterflies love them as much as we do. See them at their prime in RSPB nature reserves, including those at Loch Lomond, Ynys-hir and Minsmere. ✱ rspb.org.uk…

The fresh green shoots of wild herbs and wild flowers are growing vigorously now that daylight hours have begun to stretch. Many edible leaves are highly nutritious, being rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. When setting out on a foraging expedition, make sure you’re allowed to harvest what you find, and go armed with a book that clearly identifies the edible leaves from the inedible and poisonous. Nettle leaves Pick young nettle leaves as they emerge, from early to mid-spring, but leave them alone once they’re in flower. It goes without saying that you need to wear protective gloves when handling the plant to avoid getting stung. However, once added to boiling water, they lose their sting. Use the tender shoots in casseroles or soups, as they’re rich in…

1 RENEWAL MODE It sounds a bit sci-fi, but Growth Factors are peptides that instruct cells to renew and regenerate so they make tired, sluggish skin feel fresh and healthy. The Ordinary GF 15% Solution, £13.50, theordinary.com, minimises lines and wrinkles, firms the face and neck, and helps make skin look and feel younger. 2 PROTECT AND PERFECT Wearing sunscreen every single day is a must if you want your skin to be healthy. Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Brighten & Defend SPF 50+, £20, Boots, makes protecting your skin simple. The silky serum formulation is lighter than typical SPF creams, so it’s pleasant to wear even under make-up, with the added skin win of brightening vitamin C. 3 HYDRATION STATIONS When skin needs a big slurp of moisture, quench it…

Salmon fishcakes This dish is the perfect way to use up leftover potatoes and any bags of salad leaves lingering in the fridge. SERVES 4 (8 fishcakes) PREP 25 mins, plus chilling COOK 10 mins ✱ 1kg potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks✱ 2 x 213g tins salmon, drained✱ 50g rocket, watercress and spinach salad, shredded✱ Zest 1 lemon✱ 1 large free-range egg, beaten with a splash of water✱ 150g fresh breadcrumbs✱ 100ml cooking oil✱ Salad or steamed greens, to serve 1 Boil the potatoes until cooked (about 15 mins), drain and steam-dry, then tip back into the pan, and season and mash. 2 Mix through the salmon, salad and lemon zest. Divide the mixture into 8 then shape into patties. Chill for 30 mins. 3 Dip each patty into…

Coping with… A VENOUS LEG ULCER This chronic sore on the inside of the leg, between the knee and ankle, usually takes weeks to heal Symptoms of a venous leg ulcer include a painful ulcer, itching and swelling, surrounding discoloured or hardened skin. They can develop bacterial infection, with redness, swelling, fever and foul-smelling discharge, which may need antibiotics, but they don’t help ulcers heal. You may also have swollen ankles, aching legs, flaky, scaly and itchy skin on your legs (varicose eczema), or swollen varicose veins, which increase the risk of venous leg ulcers, the commonest ulcer, especially after a minor injury. Venous leg ulcers affect one in 50 people over 80, who are at greater risk if they previously had deep-vein thrombosis or are less mobile from arthritis,…

Cheese scones A joy to cook and even better to eat. Freshly baked, cheesy and rich – pure deliciousness. MAKES 10 PREP 10 mins COOK 15-20 mins ✱ 250g self-raising flour✱ 1tsp baking powder✱ 1½tsp mustard powder✱ ¼tsp cayenne pepper✱ 50g cold butter, finely grated✱ 100g mature Cheddar, finely grated, plus extra to top✱ 130ml milk, plus extra for glazing YOU WILL NEED ✱ 5cm round fluted cutter 1 Heat the oven to 200C Fan/ Gas 7 with a large lined baking tray inside. Sift the flour, baking powder, mustard powder, cayenne and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter until combined, then stir in the cheese. 2 Add the milk and use a table knife to incorporate it until you have a shaggy-looking mixture.…

YOU WILL NEED ✱ 8x16cm piece of contrasting fabric✱ 16x17cm interfacing✱ 16x17cm floral fabric✱ Pins and scissors✱ Matching thread✱ Sewing machine 1 Cut the contrasting fabric in half to create two 4x16cm pieces. Fold and press each piece in half lengthways with wrong sides facing. Open out the pieces, then fold the raw edges to the central crease with wrong sides facing to create the binding. 2 Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the floral fabric. Pin the binding to the two shorter sides of the floral fabric. Topstitch in place close to the edges. 3 Fold the rectangle so the two bound edges meet in the middle, with wrong sides facing. Pin along the raw edges, then sew together with a 1cm seam allowance. Turn right sides…

Difficulty level MEASUREMENTS To fit ages 0-6 months (6-12 months) (12-18 months) (18-24 months) (2-3 years) (4-5 years). Actual chest 54.5 (58) (62) (65.5) (69) (73)cm/21½ (22¾) (24½) (25¾) (27¼) (28¾)in. Length to shoulder 24 (27) (33) (34) (36) (38)cm/9½ (10½) (13) (13½) (14) (15)in. MATERIALS 2 (2) (2) (3) (3) (3) x 50g (104m) balls of King Cole Merino Blend DK (100% wool) in Pale Blue (1531) and 1 ball in each of Grey (Clerical 049), White (001), Brown (Chocolate 023) and Red (Scarlet 009)*. Pair each of 3.75mm (No. 9) and 4mm (No. 8) knitting needles; stitch holder; spare needle; safety pin. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk. TENSION 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10x10cm, over stocking stitch, using 4mm needles. ABBREVIATIONS K, knit; p, purl; skpo, slip…

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 in the grid, for which the clue is: Allowable. 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 word. CLUE: In classical antiquity, an inhabitant of Tyre, Sidon or Byblos. Crossword Try the easy or cryptic clues, then rearrange the letters in the shaded squares for the answer. CLUE: Club for…

yourastrologysigns.com ARIES 21 MAR – 20 APR You’re extremely independent and you like to solve everything yourself. But there are times when it’s important to get help. TAURUS 21 APR – 21 MAY Give yourself time to make any big decisions. Look carefully at the possible consequences before making a commitment. GEMINI 22 MAY – 21 JUN This is a week for pampering yourself. What can you do to uplift your spirits? It doesn’t take much to make you happy. CANCER 22 JUN – 23 JUL You’ve got so much going for you. But do you realise it? Now is the time to recognise and appreciate your unique being. LEO 24 JUL – 23 AUG With all that’s happening in your life, you may feel a little overwhelmed. Take regular…

Letter of the week Fishing for a future I was interested to read your article, The Lost World of the Fisherman’s Wife [4 February issue], about our fishing industry and the hard-working people trying to keep it alive. I thought you might like to see this gorgeous street mural that has been painted on the gable end of a house near where I live. It’s a beautiful tribute and reminder of the Cornish fishermen of old. Janet Miles, Newquay, Cornwall LOOK WHAT I MADE I noticed your craft article for hanging hearts [11 February issue], as I had just posted a parcel to my niece containing similar lavender sachets I had made for her birthday. My sachets had been upcycled using hand-embroidered linen from my aunt’s antimacassars. I filled them…

When much-loved items look more shabby than chic, the temptation is often to bin them and buy new. Shockingly, the average person now buys 60% more clothing than 15 years ago, and keeps things half as long*. But with the high cost of living and our growing awareness of the environmental impact of the fashion industry, attitudes are changing. According to new research by AEG, 86% of us recognise that making our clothes last longer is good for the environment. And with an average annual spend on new clothes and footwear per person of around £400**, it’s also good for your pocket! Use these tips to help your clothes look good for longer. ✱ Remove bobbles on fabrics with sticky tape, a fuzz removal gadget (try Gleener Fuzz Remover) or…

Her pink hair embarrasses me Q My mother is 75 and has started to dye her hair bright pink. I think it looks awful. It makes me feel embarrassed just looking at her. I can’t imagine what others think when they see her. I have avoided going out with her now for several weeks and I know that she knows why. I have told her what I think, but she says it makes her feel good and alive. I don’t know if I should try to talk her again. Lucy, Gloucester A If it makes her feel good, why would you want her to stop? She doesn’t feel ridiculous – she loves it! My hunch is there were times when you were a teenager when she might have felt the same but, as long as you were…

The Final Wife by Jenny Blackhurst (£9.99, PB, Canelo) When Luke Whitney is found stabbed to death, more than one person has reason to think he got what he deserved. His latest wife Anna is found at the scene of the crime, next to his bloodied corpse. She confesses immediately – but suspicions arise when she is strangely hazy on the details of the crime. A police investigation reveals that Luke was a liar, a cheat and a narcissist. From his ex to his mistress to his wife, any number of people wanted him gone. But who was it who finally did the deed? A deliciously dark tale of revenge. The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce (£20, HB, Transworld) There’s a heatwave across Europe and something’s in the air, as…

You join me in the charity shop, where there is something of a crisis. Rain has been beating at the window for most of the morning. The streets outside are virtually deserted. For the past two hours or more, Grace and I haven’t seen so much as a single customer. We have dusted and tidied and rearranged the bookshelves, and fiddled a bit with the window display. Honestly, you’d think we were expecting the King to pay a surprise visit. (Come to think of it, we have a couple of tweed suits which would be right up his Royal mews.) Anyway, we’re now behind the counter, working our way through two mugs of coffee and a packet of diet-busting fig rolls. And the crisis is this: we’ve completely run out…