Pick Me Up! 07-May-2020

Flicking through my weekly magazine, I came across an interesting advert. The cancer charity Look Good Feel Better, were looking for makeup and skincare specialists to volunteer for them. As a beauty expert myself, I decided to apply. That was nearly 12 years ago now, and since then, I’ve been doing monthly workshops with cancer patients and survivors. For two hours, I talk them through beauty tips and tricks. The aim is to help them feel confident again. After chemo, their skin can be dry and sensitive, and they could have lost their lashes and brows, as well as their hair. So, for two hours, myself and sometimes a group of other specialists help them get their confidence back. We show them how to draw fake hairs onto their brows…

Planning ahead Cancelled birthday parties are bound to upset your children. But fear not, they don’t have to miss out at home! KinderList.com has put together a virtual birthday party guide to help any parents that are struggling with ideas in lockdown… • Plan – Invite friends and family to join in the virtual celebration via video call. Organise a date and time in advance and create a group chat for everyone to join. • Party food – Message guests in advance to prepare some fun food for the call. Bake or buy a cake, add some candles and let everyone sing happy birthday to your child together on camera. • Games – Organise fun games to play. Send everyone a personalised bingo card in advance and you can be…

If your letter makes Star Letter of the week, you will receive some beautiful blooms from Flying Flowers. With over 30 years’ experience of helping celebrate life’s special moments and FREE delivery by post, a gorgeous bouquet by Flying Flowers is a lovely way to celebrate sharing smiles and happiness. See flyingflowers.co.uk for more details.…

Sipping on my glass of wine, I spotted a few new faces approach our table. ‘Is this seat taken?’ a handsome stranger asked. ‘Be my guest,’ I blushed, offering him the spot. It was October 2012, and I was unwinding with a couple of colleagues in the local pub when I first met Dave Hughes, then 27. Right from the start, Dave, a trainee mechanic, seemed kind and outgoing – I felt instantly at ease around him. ‘Can I have your number?’ he asked boldly. ‘Of course,’ I beamed, handing him my phone before saying goodbye. The next morning, I woke up to a text from Dave. Lovely to meet you, he said. I felt like a giddy schoolgirl as the two of us started messaging back and forth before…

Kikkoman Soy Sauce is the essential all-purpose seasoning. It’s packed with natural umami – the fifth taste sensation – which enhances savoury flavours. Add a dash or two to your minced beef mixture instead of salt and enjoy the umami magic. For more BBQ recipes visit www.kikkoman.co.uk 500g lean steak mince 2 shallots, finely diced 2 tbsp Kikkoman Soy Sauce 1 egg yolk 20g Parmesan cheese, grated Black pepper 8 sunblush tomatoes 60g cheddar cheese, grated 4 burger buns, toasted Watercress 2 gherkins, sliced 1 Combine the mince, shallot, Kikkoman Soy Sauce, egg yolk, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl along with a twist of black pepper. Divide the mixture into four patties then chill in the fridge for 30 mins. 2 Preheat a griddle pan or BBQ, brush the…

Getting home from work after another busy day, I was exhausted. I was working long hours at my high-flying job in logistics and my health was beginning to suffer. Spending hours travelling up and down the country every week, I knew something needed to change. ‘I can’t go on like this,’ I said to my husband, Richard, 47. I’d been in a series of accidents which had a knockon effect, and by now I was really starting to struggle. I couldn’t even drive in to work, let alone do my job when I got there. I had Fibromyalgia, and Myelopathy – a longterm incurable illness that was a result of damage to the spinal cord. I carried on for as long as I could, until my doctor managed to talk…