Pick Me Up! 23-Apr-2020

Setting up a Community Watch with a friend, we were desperate to put a stop the anti-social behaviour that was happening. I live in a nice area, but in a small walkway there were always things going on. Overgrown with hedges and trees, it became a prime area for trouble. So, we set up the Community Watch and soon organised a street clean-up. People of all ages from the area joined in to help tidy and bring the walkway back to life. Soon, the hedges were trimmed, and the streetlights were visible again. Only, during the clean-up, I noticed that despite all living on the same street, people were meeting one another for the first time. And so, as the weeks passed and the anti-social behaviour came to an end,…

Get involved! We all know its important to stay fit, healthy and positive in these difficult times, but it will be hard if you are spending long periods of time at home. With gyms across the UK now temporarily closed, there are other clever ways to stay active without leaving the house. • David Lloyds Clubs - the UK’s largest health, fitness and wellbeing group is launching David Lloyd Clubs@Home, offering a virtual range of workouts, advice and activities for every level and age. These include HIIT and weight classes, yoga and Pilates. Delivered by its team of experts, they are designed to re-energise the body and mind and can easily be done at home or in the garden. Visit www.davidlloyd.co.uk • P.E with Joe–The Body Coach Joe Wicks is…

Switching off the telly, I sighed to myself. Alone again, I thought. It was 23 January, and my husband Francesco, 61, had been away all day. Working as a carer, he often had to do 48-hour shifts. He’d been gone since 7.30am and was only due back home the following day. I missed him terribly when he was away, but I was so proud of the work he was doing. Now, at around 9.30pm, I’d grown bored of the telly. ‘I guess I’ll have an early night,’ I said to myself, heading up to the bedroom. Slipping into my pyjamas, I decided to listen to some music on my MP3 player to help me fall asleep. I listened to it most nights, the sounds of Scooter helping me drift off.…

Pollinator Green baked eggs Yes Peas! is run by the British Growers Association and encourages people to be creative with frozen peas (www.peas.org). □30g butter□1 tbsp olive oil□2 leeks, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced□A bunch of spring onions, roughly chopped□Sea salt flakes & freshly ground black pepper□1 tsp cumin seeds□150ml vegetable stock□200g frozen peas□A good handful of baby spinach□4 large eggs FOR THE DRESSING: □4 tbsp Greek yoghurt□100g Feta cheese, cubed□1 clove garlic Serves 2-4 1 Mix the yoghurt with the Feta cheese, smashing the cheese with a fork to combine well into a chunky sauce. Cut the garlic clove in half lengthwise and add to the yoghurt mixture, then set aside. 2 Heat a large sauté pan over a medium heat and add the butter and oil. Once the…

Walking home from school, me and my friend Jeanette, then 14, were chatting about boys and gossip from the school playground that day. ‘Are you going to come round to my house for tea tonight?’ she asked. ‘Sounds great, can’t wait to meet your family,’ I replied with a smile. Jeanette and I were like two peas in a pod. ‘This is my friend Anne,’ she said, introducing me to her mum, Janet, 44. ‘Lovely to meet you. The boys are somewhere around the house,’ Janet replied. Jeanette was one of 10 and had seven brothers. And as we went upstairs, I spotted a boy sprawled across his bed. ‘Oh, that’s my brother, Bobby. He thinks he’s a grown up,’ Jeanette joked, bashing the door open as we went by.…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! When life gets hectic, we tend to turn to convenience food that isn’t always the healthiest of choices and can often leave us feeling sluggish. For food on the go without the fuss, the Addis Clip and Go containers (from £1.99) will allow you to easily transport your breakfast, lunch or dinner. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Minty fresh Remove permanent marker stains by buffing with your toothpaste! Leeanne Maginn, Coleraine Ready, steady, cook! To remove skin from a tomato, wash and cut a cross in the bottom. Pop in microwave for 30 seconds, cool for a minute then remove the skin! Sue Clarke, Middlesbrough Five simple ways mums can be more…