Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 464 i Yours Magazine

For the love of animals As we head into October, keep an eye out for signs the UK’s wildlife is preparing to hibernate. You may notice hedgehogs gathering food and building nests of leaves and grass in your garden. If so, don’t disturb them! They’ll be busy eating as much as they can to gain strength to stay warm through winter. To help hedgehogs prepare for hibernation, you can create piles of loose wood or buy purpose-built hedgehog huts. ■ Help protect hedgehogs by logging your hog-friendly actions on the interactive map at wildlifetrusts.org/saving-hedgehogs Pets of the fortnight ◆ This is my two-year-old Cavechon, Maisie, who is a bundle of joy and loves everything and everyone – it takes ages to go for a walk as her mission in life is…

your health With cough and cold season just around the corner, you’ll want to make sure your immune system is in good shape. It’s also important that we keep ourselves as healthy as possible to avoid more serious illnesses. The good news is that improving your immunity is cheap and simple once you know how. Read on for our sciencebacked tips to keep yourself in tip-top shape. Meet the expert ■ Dr Jenna Macciochi is an immunologist and author of Immunity: The Science of Staying Well and Your Blueprint for Strong Immunity. Visit drjennamacciochi.com STAY ACTIVE It may be sofa season, but your immune system will thank you for a bit of movement. Immunologist Dr Jenna Macciochi explains, ‘Exercise is crucial for a healthy immune system, primarily by enhancing immune…

You’ll often find low-cost baskets in charity shops Wicker baskets make pretty planters, and they are inexpensive, too. We’ve chosen winter heather for this project, because it gives a lovely splash of colour, it’s easy to care for and it copes with the cold. The shallow roots make it ideally suited to fun planting projects like this. And chrysanthemums give a wonderful pop of late-season colour. We’d recommend ‘Carmine Blush,’ which is vigorous and hardy. If your basket isn’t already lined, start by covering the inside with thick plastic – a strong bin bag will do, or a compost bag. Let the plastic overhang the side of your basket at first – you’ll find it easier to trim it down to size once you’ve added some soil. Use a knife…

good to know As the old saying goes, tidy home, tidy mind. And no-one believes that more than professional organiser Dilly Carter, who is on a mission to free us from the clutter in our homes, encouraging us to only hold on to those things that are either useful, or bring us joy. But often letting go can be hard, particularly when our possessions are tied up with memories. This makes the casual clear-out so much more challenging, especially if you’re coming to terms with an empty nest or mourning the loss of a loved one. Here, Dilly shares her advice on how to overcome these obstacles and achieve clarity, both in your mind and your home. Do an area audit This is one of the most valuable things you…

your gadgets Filtered shower heads help to remove impurities from water, such as chlorine, heavy metals and bacteria, providing you with softer, cleaner water for your hair and skin. What’s even better is that they are some of the most affordable and easy-to-install shower accessories you can buy – simply unscrew your existing shower head, attach the filtered one, and you’re good to go! More affordable shower heads generally offer basic filtration, focusing on removing chlorine and sediment. However, pricier options come with advanced filtration systems that tackle a wider range of contaminants, including heavy metals, bacteria and even fluoride. Most filtered shower heads come with replaceable cartridges that need to be changed every few months, depending on the water quality in your area and how frequently you shower. Some…

Glorious gardens There are orange and lemon trees around every corner, but to fully appreciate the island’s greenery, take a trip to one of the beautiful botanical gardens. Giardini Ravino (ravino.it) is home to an impressive cacti collection and whitewashed, curved buildings, providing a fragrant Mediterranean sanctuary. Tour the grounds, explore the sensory garden and then kick back on the terrace with a delicious cactus cocktail. Elsewhere, Giardini La Mortella is a spectacular garden that’s home to rare and exotic plants. Escape the summer sun in the lower Valley section, take in the tranquillity of the Thai Pavilion and admire the view of the bay below. Orchestras play on certain dates and you couldn’t imagine a more spectacular setting to enjoy a performance. Step back in time Ischia is steeped…

In the spring of 1943, at a library in Tyron, North Carolina, 200 townsfolk gathered to hear a piano recital of local girl Eunice Kathleen Waymon, age 11. But there was a delay. Eunice’s parents, John and Mary Kate, had been sitting in the front row to watch their child prodigy perform but were told to give up their seats for white audience members. ‘I remember standing up, quite bravely, and saying, “Oh no, my mum and dad will sit on the front row.”’ The future Nina Simone had spoken. It wouldn’t be the last time she made a stand, but it did have an impact. ‘It was my first feeling of being discriminated against. I recoiled in horror at feeling such a thing,’ she later recalled. ‘The skin grew…

Sheila Thorns from Northfield, Birmingham gave birth to the first recorded case of live sextuplets in the UK, making headlines around the world. A Caesarean section was performed to deliver four girls and two boys two months before their due date, coincidentally on Mrs Thorns’ 30th birthday. A team of 28 medical staff at Birmingham Maternity Hospital, led by Consultant Obstetrician Margaret Shotton, were involved in the delivery and the babies were rushed to incubators to be cared for by a specialist team. However, one baby girl died an hour later while she was being given a blood transfusion. In the weeks that followed, two other babies, named Ian and Lynne, also passed away. ‘For years she has hoped and prayed for a miracle, now it has come. I am…

Wordsearch Get comfortable, grab some popcorn and see if you can find all of these British film directors in the grid. ANSWERS ON PAGE 103 ALFRED HITCHCOCK ANDREA ARNOLD ANTHONY MINGHELLA CAROL REED CHRISTOPHER NOLAN DANNY BOYLE DAVID LEAN EDGAR WRIGHT EMERALD FENNELL EMERIC PRESSBURGER GURINDER CHADHA GUY RITCHIE IDA LUPINO JONATHAN GLAZER KEN LOACH KEN RUSSELL LYNNE RAMSAY MARTIN MCDONAGH MICHAEL POWELL MIKE HODGES MIKE LEIGH MURIEL BOX RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH RIDLEY SCOTT ROSE GLASS SALLY POTTER SAM MENDES STEVE MCQUEEN TERENCE DAVIES TOM HOOPER WIN £100 WHERE IS SAMMY SQUIRREL? Find where he’s hiding in this issue of Yours and you could win £100. To enter, fill in the Competitions answers coupon on page 103. Closing date for entries is 21 October 2024. More prizes to win at yours.co.uk WIN £50!…

Work hard I would love to say I’ve taken risks in life, but I haven’t. I left school at 16 and worked damn hard when an opportunity came my way. I travelled to Australia when I was 19 and was going to move there until I was offered a job here. It was a sliding doors moment. Had I gone, how different my life might have been. Know what you want My memoir, So Tell Me What You Want, talks about my time working in the music industry. One of our top managers, Simon Fuller, asked me what the industry needed, and I said a strong, feisty girl group. He rang me six weeks later saying he’d found them. They were the Spice Girls. My memoir is a play on…

real life As I made a fresh pot of tea, my husband Adrian and I started discussing our adventure with our friends Ruth and Rob. The four of us were planning to travel around Australia together. Adrian and Rob had been best friends since they were young and, over the years, Ruth and I had become thick as thieves too. But soon after we all met up, Adrian was diagnosed with lung cancer. ‘I’m so sorry,’ the doctor told us. ‘It’s terminal.’ Our world shattered. Adrian went through chemotherapy and radiotherapy because our daughter Larine was pregnant and he wanted to hold on to meet his grandson. He did, but eight months after his diagnosis, he was in palliative care in hospital, unable to communicate any more as the cancer…

You know that burst of happiness when something good happens? Your brain is producing a feel-good chemical, also known as dopamine. This is a chemical messenger often known as the happy hormone that carries signals controlling mental and emotional responses in the brain. We know that dopamine levels reduce as we age, but the good news is there are ways we can raise them. ‘When we exercise, the brain releases dopamine,’ says Rowan Cooke, sport and exercise science specialist at nutrition company bulk.com. ‘When dopamine is released, it reacts in areas of the brain to give you feelings of pleasure, satisfaction and motivation. We also release endorphins when we exercise, which work nicely alongside dopamine, helping with pain control and mood stabilisation.’ Need some ideas to get your dopamine levels…

YOU WILL NEED □ Cotton DK yarn (100% cotton) □ 1 orange □ 1 brown □ 1 green □ Pair of 5-6mm safety eyes □ Perlé Cotton No.8 in black and white □ Toy stuffing □ Floristry or craft wire (optional) □ 3.25mm crochet hook □ Locking or ring stitch marker □ Yarn needle ABBREVIATIONS dc = double crochet PM = place marker inv inc = invisible increase inv dec = invisible decrease beg = beginning cont = continue st (s) = stitch (es) ch = chain sl st = slip stitch htr = half treble tr = treble crochet opp = opposite cm = centimetres mm = millimetres ■ Can’t get this yarn? Find a suitable alternative at yarnsub.com Pumpkin Using orange, make a magic ring. Round 1: 6dc into ring. (6 sts) PM at start of round. Round 2:…

When you lose a loved one, you can be left reeling. Trying to make sense of a loss can feel all-consuming, and simple things, such as making a cup of tea or taking a shower, take up huge energy reserves. So it feels like an added cruelty that it’s also an extremely complicated time in terms of tasks to be done, with masses of paperwork to process, and painful phone calls to make. That’s why Marie Curie is calling for the admin work following a bereavement to be made simpler for those who are suffering. The weight of 'sadmin' From closing bank accounts to notifying phone companies of a death, it’s an emotionally draining time, so it’s no wonder that more than 680,000 people in the UK struggle with this…

your money Our money advice expert Faith Archer is an award-winning money journalist and blogger at Much More With Less, Faith was deputy personal finance editor at The Daily Telegraph and is a regular on BBC radio. She aims to make money matters such as family budgeting, pensions and tax easier to understand Loads of shops, restaurants and websites are keen to celebrate your birthday with everything from free food and clothing discounts, to complimentary Prosecco and gift vouchers. Often, all you need to do is sign up for a newsletter or mailing list, join a loyalty scheme or download an app. Just remember that, while some birthday offers are genuinely free, others require you to buy something else. ‘Watch out for any deals that make you spend money you…

We all want to have more control -especially when it comes to our finances. In terms of spending, knowledge is power. That’s why Angela Rippon has teamed up with Smart Energy GB to help customers get to grips with their energy use, and how to manage it better. If you’re curious about your energy use and ways to reduce it, a smart meter could be the answer. What can a smart meter do? There are several reasons why a smart meter might appeal -for one thing, it means no more having to send off meter readings. Research from Smart Energy GB has also found that more than half of consumers aged 70+ with an analogue meter want more help with staying on top of their energy use, and this is…

short story I glanced at my watch as the sun began to set reflecting on the large, leaded windows of Nelland Hall. It was my favourite time of the day. The house always looked particularly stunning in the golden hour before sunset. The man from the development company would be here soon, stomping around with other interested parties, discussing their plans to ‘rejuvenate’ the place as a hotel, spa and conference centre. I sighed, adjusting my ‘Official Guide’ name tag. Hearing a car, I felt a thrill of excitement – the same thrill I’d had for years showing coach parties around, sharing my love of history with them. This lot didn’t care about any of that, though. I shuddered at the thought of what they wanted to do to this…

New hope for dementia patients Anna Richardson: Love, Loss & Dementia, Channel 4, Wednesday 2 October, 10pm Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed with dementia, yet people who are affected can often feel alone. Presenter Anna Richardson is trying to change that with her documentary Love, Loss & Dementia, in which she shares her own experiences of dealing with her father’s illness. As well as talking about her family’s story and the challenges involved in caring for a loved one, she learns how new drugs are providing hope for the future. JOAN THE JEWEL THIEF Joan, Sundays, ITV1, 9pm. Begins Sunday & Monday, 29 & 30 September, catch up on ITVX In 1985, Joan O’Connell was a young mother trying to make a fresh start after fleeing a disastrous relationship.…

in the picture As children, the distinctive hoot of the owl is probably the first bird sound that we learn to recognise. Whether from Brownie days or bedtime stories, we often learn about the ‘too-whit too-whoo’ noise before we’ve ever seen or heard one of the feathery creatures. The fact that the sound is generally only heard at night only adds to the magic. Although the call is often referred to as being the song of the generic owl, it is in fact that of the tawny owl, the biggest common owl found in Britain’s woodlands, parks and some gardens. And it isn’t the call of the single bird but is male and female owls communicating with each other. The female makes the shrill ‘too-whit’ sound and the male answers…

As I scrolled through Facebook, an ad caught my attention for a new social group for women aged 50 and over. I’d just moved to a new city to be with my fiancé, Don, and it seemed ideal. Don was going to be my fourth husband, but I knew I’d finally found the man of my dreams. Just two days before our wedding, I popped along to a lunch organised by the group. ‘If you need a hand organising things, I would love to help out,’ I told Glenda, who greeted me. ‘I’ve joined a group called BAGs,’ I told Don that evening. ‘It stands for Beautifully Aging Girlfriends. You’re classed as my BAGGAGE – that’s what we call the partners, and our kids are BAGUETTES!’ Don couldn’t stop laughing.…

your health We know the benefits of exercising our body to stay toned and fit – but the same goes for our face. Working facial muscles for just a couple of minutes a day can help to lift and sculpt your features with minimal effort and cost. Known as facial yoga, this skin-sculpting technique can not only improve appearance but also help to reduce stress and tension in the face. Skincare expert Rosi Chapman says the key to reaping the benefits of facial yoga is to remain consistent, ‘You can create a routine to target specific areas. It’s a great way of ensuring youthful, rejuvenated skin with long-term benefits.’ PREP AND CLEANSE ‘Face yoga isn’t an exact science – there are many steps and exercises you can try depending on…

your space A TRIO OF ASTERS MRS ST WRIGHT For a late buffet to feed bees and seedheads that garden birds can snack on, plant this Symphyotrichum novae-angliae among ornamental grasses. ■ Height 1.5m Spread 60cm. £6.00/9cm pot. oldcourtnurseries.co.uk SNOW FLURRY This pretty Symphyotrichum ericoides has arching stems blanketed in a snowstorm of small daisies. ■ Height 25cm Spread 50cm. £12.99/9cm pot. jparkers.co.uk JAMES RITCHIE With cerise daisies that will bloom until the end of autumn, this variety of Symphyotrichum novae-angliae makes a long-lasting cut flower too. ■ Height 1.2m Spread 90cm. £7.00 9cm pot. hoohouse.co.uk SUPER TROOPERS As the nights draw in, violas are the perfect antidote to any garden gloom! They’ll flower through from autumn to spring in a rainbow of bright colours and, while they look dainty,…

your tried & tested Yours WHAT’S BEST test BEST MULTIPURPOSE Loop Switch These earplugs allow you to swap between three different sound settings – quiet, engage and experience – depending on how much noise you want to block out. The settings are easily changed with a sliding switch on the side of each plug. The quiet mode is perfect for focusing in the office, experience mode is great if you’re travelling and the engage setting works effectively to drown out background noise when talking to someone in a loud environment. It takes a little while to get used to the controls as they require you to adjust how loudly you speak depending on which setting you’re on. We were frequently told we were speaking quietly when we had the ear…

your memories First hitting our TV screens 45 years ago, on 29 October 1979, Minder was originally commissioned as a vehicle for former Sweeney star, Dennis Waterman. The series centred around the misadventures of Terry McCann (Waterman), a former boxer and ex-jailbird who now worked for ‘businessman’ Arthur Daley as a bodyguard-cum-general dogsbody. Creator Leon Griffiths based the concept on real-life wheelers and dealers he had encountered, explaining, ‘They’re duckers and divers, Arthur and Terry. People who don’t work in an ordinary way. They sell a car one day, three fridges the next. London is full of people who get by like that, taking advantage of the loopholes in society.’ He added, ‘Arthur’s a very selfish man… He’s a survivor. To me, Arthur’s the unacceptable face of private enterprise… Terry,…

Silver Cross, which become known as the Rolls-Royce of the pram world, has been linked with royalty for more than a century. In 1913 it became the royal pram and a special edition was later sent to George VI for Princess Elizabeth, who became Queen. All the Queen’s children and many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren have been seen in these traditional carriage prams. The Sixties was a tricky time for Silver Cross with modern parents rejecting the iconic coach style, but the company pivoted to develop lightweight and adaptable pushchairs. An export success story, Silver Cross are now sold in more than 70 countries worldwide and more than 10 million parents have transported their babies with their help. CHECK OUT! For more nostalgia pick up a copy of Yours…

short story Sally’s heart was pounding as she knocked on the door of James’s office. ‘I wondered if you’ve heard the news about Karen?’ ‘No,’ he replied, looking concerned. ‘What is it? Is she OK?’ ‘I just heard from a friend… Apparently, she’s been offered a job in America.’ James looked crestfallen. ‘You really need to tell her how you feel before she leaves or you’ll regret it.’ ‘Thanks, Sally. Right! I’ll speak to her tonight,’ he stood up decisively, taking a deep breath. ‘Better late than never,’ he added with a sheepish smile. As she walked away, Sally struggled to hold back the tears. For three years, she’d worked alongside James. She hadn’t liked him at first – mainly because he’d taken the promotion she’d felt was meant for…

For over 20 years, Charlotte Bellamy has been bringing Emmerdale’s Laurel Thomas to life and has certainly been put through her paces with plenty of twisting and turning storylines. Now Charlotte, 51, opens up about Laurel’s unexpected fling with vicar Charles Anderson that has left fans shocked. Did you expect Charles and Laurel’s storyline? I think after Laurel’s messy break‑up with Jai, this is a distraction. It comes out the blue really, but it’s all a bit of fun. You never know where your character is going to go in soaps. I had no idea this was on the cards, as much as I don’t think Kevin [Mathurin] who plays Charles did either. Sometimes you open a script and go, ‘Oh my God, okay!’ What is it about Charles that…