Pick Me Up! 4-Aug-2022

Getting the painting set out of the cupboard, and wiping the surface of a pebble, it was time to decorate. My daughter Teacake, nine, created art on top of a stone. Joining forces with 20 other children, they got their creative caps on, too. Snapping the end results with stones adorned in the brightest of colours, we made an Instagram reel, smiling for the camera. However, this wasn’t just a fun activity, it was in support of raising awareness of cancer. Scrolling on Instagram there was a local woman, Shona Stone, who had been diagnosed with stage four cancer, she too was a mum-of-three. And as a family, we were used to helping others in desperate times – for at Christmas we used our spare time to create present boxes…

WE’RE LOVING Take glamping to the next level this summer in the gorgeous North Wales. GreenWood Family Park is welcoming guests to their retreat – GreenWood Tipi Glamping. Whether you’re looking for a getaway with friends and family over a weekend or a longer stay, these six luxury Tipis are the ultimate nature getaway. Each individual Tipi is home to real beds, a log burner and snuggly duvets, blankets and cushions – you just need to bring the snacks, stories and songs! After a night under the stars, you can explore the countryside as well as the breathtaking views of Snowdonia. • £95 per night, greenwoodfamilypark.co.uk FUN DAYS OUT Steady your hand and be prepared to soar a kite high in the sky this summer! The Good Chance Theatre have…

My mum Nina is just as bad as the kids! I’ve got to laugh I guess, I can’t do anything about it! Rebecca Key, Norwich. Here is my son Jayden, who always has a huge smile on his face!  Elaine Serrechia, Billingham. Me and my wife Margaret have lived in Mallorca for more than a year – in an apartment in the shadow of Palma Cathedral! David Anderson, Mallorca. My wife Fiona and I decided to go to Castle Semple to see plenty of wildlife. But instead of feeding them with food, my wife decided to feed the birds words. I now refer to her as the Bird Whisperer! Mike Lunn, Beith. This is Mouse, my three-year-old cat. Not very aptly named as he’s actually scared stiff of mice, running a…

Packing my shopping into bags, I picked them up and headed outside with my mum Amanda. As we walked out of Iceland and started to head down the road, someone called Mum’s name. We both turned around. ‘Oh, hi!’ Mum said, as her friend Sue* came over. There was a bloke with her, and he looked shy. I noticed him giving me the eye though. ‘This is my cousin, Alan,’ Sue said. We stood chatting for a few minutes, then said our goodbyes – I didn’t think much more of it. But a few days later, I had a friend request on Facebook. It was from Alan Barney. Hi, I’m the bloke from Iceland, he wrote. Sue told me your name. I was a bit taken aback, but intrigued by…

Soon Alan started drinking heavily, too, which only made things worse. It didn’t take a lot for him to lose his temper. One time, he threw a China bowl at me. It flew past my head and shattered against the wall. It was terrifying. One night in July 2020, after a relaxing bath, I got into bed for an early night. Alan was still downstairs, playing video games, but then he came into the bedroom. Getting into bed next to me, he rolled me over and started kissing me. We started having normal sex. But then, suddenly, Alan span me around and forced himself on me, as he started having anal sex with me. ‘Please get off me,’ I begged, tears streaming down my cheeks as he pushed hard. ‘I…

Sitting in front of the TV, we had a tough decision in front of us. ‘Iron Man, Spider-Man or Hulk?’ I asked my son Jacob. ‘Spider-Man!’ he beamed. And that was that. Jacob is obsessed with all things Marvel, but Spider-Man is definitely his favourite. At home, his step-dad Jamie, 44, step-siblings and I are forced to watch superhero movies on a regular basis. But we don’t mind. To us, Jacob is a superhero all in himself. You see, when Jacob was born, he was missing his lower left arm and hand. I’d had a perfect pregnancy, but I was told that sometimes these things just happen. ‘It just didn’t develop in the womb,’ doctors told me at my 20-week scan. Of course I was initially concerned that there might…