Pick Me Up! 20-Oct-2022

Working my way through black bags of donated clothing, I hung the pre-loved items up. ‘Thank you for coming to help,’ my mum Sheila said. With my mum working at our local British Heart Foundation charity shop as an assistant manager, over 13 years ago, she needed me to volunteer, supporting customers who were searching for a bargain. Only, I didn’t realise that offering my time would become a personal affair. In mid-2020, notifications from my Fitbit would pop up constantly – low heart rate. Not thinking too much of it, as I felt completely fine in myself, I ignored the messages, thinking it was a mistake. Yet, months later, the same message would occur again. So, I went to see my GP. Having an ECG, I was then diagnosed…

DON’T MISS… For all you horror fans out there – the newest terrifying film in the Halloween franchise, Halloween Ends, is in cinemas on 14 October. Prepare as serial killer Michael Myers returns to the big screen – will Laurie finally be able to end the community’s suffering once and for all? We’re loving Aaaand…relax! As the nights draw in, there’s nothing better than lighting up a scented candle and chilling out. In a fun gummy bear shape, these bright and colourful melts are crafted from 100% natural soya wax and created with therapeutic-grade essential oils – the perfect way to combat the stresses and strains of day-to-day life when you get home at the end of the day. Smelling delicious, and looking like a sweet treat, it’s hard to…

I came across this mockup of a cell when visiting a museum in Inveraray. I almost fell off my bunk bed as I thought the mannequin was a spitting image of Jason Statham. I wouldn’t mind being locked up with him! Fiona Deans, North Ayrshire Look at my little man trying to crawl. He’s only six months and he’s already keeping me on my toes! Alexandra Low, Halesowen This is a picture of my cat Dizzy. I have just moved into a new place, so he’s got to stay in for a while. As you can see, he’s not happy about it! Samantha Shephard, Burton-on-Trent With all the lockdowns, our daughter Lisa recently put a couple of blank photos on social media showing absolutely nothing and called them Memories of 2020! Here she…

Music thumping in my ears, I finished my DJ set as the crowd jumped up and down, wildly. I’d always been into music, and DJ’ing was my passion. There was no better feeling than getting up in front of a crowd and doing what I loved. And the crowd clearly loved what I did, too. They were buzzing, and it gave me such a high. ‘You were great,’ my mate said afterwards. She’d come to watch, back in May 2019, and it was nice having a friendly face there. ‘Do you fancy grabbing a drink?’ I asked. ‘Go on, then,’ she smiled. We headed down the road from the venue in Bristol to a bar in St Pauls in the city. But then I started to feel funny, and a…

Giving my best hit, I watched as the golf ball rolled away. ‘So close,’ my date Joe, then 20, mocked as I missed the hole. Meeting in a bar just a few weeks before, in 2012, me and Joe spent the night talking. Being in the army, based an hour away from home, the thought of a man in uniform was a pleasant surprise, too. Working away Monday to Friday, Joe would come back at the weekend, which was the perfect time to book in dates. Not only that, but Joe was a real romantic. My mum Bernie, 64, and dad Dave, 69, thought the same. And at every opportunity Joe would gift me a bunch of flowers with four white roses scattered in between. White roses soon became a…

This week, our tip of the week will get a product from Addis. The Under Sink Storage Solution, adjusts to fit the space below your sink, perfectly. It includes 10 adjustable shelves to maximise your storage space. Coming complete with assembly instructions, it is simple and easy to construct and no tools are required. Visit: addis.co.uk Wipe clean! I use cheap oven liners to line my kitchen cupboards. Hard wearing and washable, it saves me having to keep on wiping the shelves. Lucy Travell, Gloucester Picture perfect Try adding a little blob of toothpaste to the back of the frame or picture you are hanging, where you want the nail to go, so when you press it against the wall you get left with a perfect indicator as to where…