Pick Me Up! 18-Feb-2021

Growing up, I was always a sociable lad. With a love of rugby, sports and spending time with my mates, I never imagined that in my early twenties, I’d begin to struggle with my mental health. Only, that’s what happened. At the beginning of my second year at university, I was diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and depression. I dreaded going out or seeing anyone and as a result, I became incredibly isolated. Only, true to the stereotype, I didn’t want to talk about it. Instead of acknowledging the problem, I became embarrassed about it. Over time though, I began to open up and confide in therapists, as well as loved ones. However, it wasn’t easy. As much as I had an amazing support system, no one could understand. It was…

DON’T MISS THIS Sure to delight hungry herbivores around the country, Asda has announced a partnership with vegan concept creator Kbox Global to trial a supermarket vegan butcher counter in one of their stores. The new counter, Veelicious, is in Asda’s Watford store for a six-month trial and will have a consistent vegan butcher offering – including fake bacon, bean burgers and meat-free meatballs. With prices starting from 75p, Veelicious will serve a range of meat-free alternatives such as mock lamb and vegan ‘black pudding’, as well as a small selection of vegan cheeses, ready-to-eat meal kits and classic vegan staples, such as chutneys and base cooking sauces. Asda hopes to provide consumers with access to high quality and flavoursome vegan foods. HAVE YOU HEARD OF? Herpetophobia is a specific phobia…

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.…

Strolling through the town of Oxford, in my school uniform, I idly passed the time. ‘Hi, how are you?’ a man asked, flashing a smile. He was with his brother and they introduced themselves as Akhtar and Anjum Dogar. They were clearly quite a bit older than me – both in their early 20s while I was 12 – but they seemed so nice. ‘Aren’t you meant to be in school?’ they asked. ‘Yeah, didn’t fancy it,’ I replied, trying to sound cool. The brothers seemed so mature– completely different to the boys at school. After that, the two of them started meeting me almost every day. Picking me up from school in their fancy BMW and helping me bunk off without raising suspicions. ‘Ever tried alcohol before?’ they asked…

Stretching one arm over my head, I lengthened my body across the yoga mat. ‘Inhale through your nose, exhale out your mouth,’ the yoga instructor said, calmly. I felt my bump as I took deep breaths in and out. It was February 2020, and I was in my first trimester of pregnancy, having recently taken up pregnancy yoga. I had always wanted to be a mum, and me and my boyfriend Ryan, 28, couldn’t wait to welcome our baby girl into the world. At 21-weeks pregnant, I noticed that I was spotting blood. Worried, I went straight to the specialist pregnancy ward at St Thomas’ Hospital. ‘Is my baby okay?’ I asked. After lots of checks and scans, the doctor confirmed that the baby was fine and healthy. But they…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! Organise that never ending flow of laundry with this stylish designed linen hamper. Complete with a lid, the linen hamper comes with a large 50L capacity, allowing for ample storage for organising the family laundry. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Time urgent Any piece of correspondence that needs to arrive by a certain date, put the date in the stamp area to ensure you post it in good time. iz Tubby, Norfolk Clear as day Wipe your lenses with an antibacterial wipe then let them air dry to prevent them from steaming up while wearing a mask. Maureen Harper, Glasgow Hydration station Keep your plants happy when you’re away by filling…