302

Inside
77
this fortnight...
cover pic: ITV/Rex/Shutterstock
Real life
9 Animal Magic
12 ‘Every child deserves a chance’
16 Tuck-shop treats remembered
20 The ice-cream van bringing a
community together!
23 Act FAST to save lives
25 The plastic waste warriors
31 Try beekeeping!
Star chat
10 Cover Sue Johnston
14 Cover Yours chats to Colin Firth
and Pierce Brosnan
18 Where are they now?
Magpie’s Jenny Hanley
28 Nicola Walker on the new series
of Unforgotten
130 Life lessons with the
legendary Gyles Brandreth
Your best life now!
34 Cover Ditch the diet – stay slim!
36 Soak up the sun
40 Cover Fashion: summer tops
42 Superfood beauty
45 Supplements tried and tested
Good to know
60 Cover Take the worry test!
62 Yours Retirement Services
63 Caring for children and animals…
65 We answer your questions
67 Cover Reuse, recycle and cash in!
68 Switch banks the easy way
Nostalgia
52 In foreign climes…
54 Sewing with Mother!
Leisure time
77 Cover Heavenly herbs
83 Cook with the Hairy Bikers
85 Cover Summer holiday crafts
93 48 hours in Tunbridge Wells
94 The best breaks for foodies
97 The Ventnor Fringe arts festival
98 Yours Travel Club
Your favourites
49 Meeting Place
57 Roy Hudd
73 Friends of Yours
102 Carers in touch
109 Puzzles to test you
& prizes to win
118 Cover FREE tote bag
120 Short story part 2 –
what is Greta hiding?
129 Horoscopes
£4,800
of prizes
to win
16
Sweet
memories…
118
Send for your
FREE tote bag!
website
Find us at
yours.co.uk
The coolest
summer tops!
40
Like many of you I do try my best to be ‘green’. I
recently bought a reusable water bottle instead of
buying single-use plastic ones. Last week I went
on a family holiday to Rome for a few days and was
delighted to find that all over the city there are water
fountains where you can fill your bottle with clean,
cool water for free. Such a great idea (especially in the
32°C heat!) and what a difference it would make if we
could adopt something similar over here. Perhaps it’s
something the Friends of the Earth volunteers we
meet on page 25 could suggest as part of their battle
against plastic waste in their own communities.
Refusing single-use carrier bags is another way
we can all do our bit for the environment. And I for
one will be using my new Love Life,
Love Yours tote bag next time I go
shopping. We’re giving these handy
bags away to readers absolutely free –
find out how to get yours on page 118.
See you
next issue
Sharon Reid,
Editor
83
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The Hairy Bikers’
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Heavenly
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Cook & grow
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31
Conquering the
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25
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eal life
Serena Watts explains why managing hives is the
bee’s knees, giving her friendship, escapism and
something to pass on to the next generation
Try something new:
Beekeeping
By Katharine Wootton
Dressed in her
full beekeeper’s
smock, wellies
and gloves,
Serena Watts
carefully peels back the
tops of her eight hives. She’s
checking on the 50,000-
plus bees that live in each
one, making sure they have
everything they need and
extracting the sweet honey
so she can fill jars to sell in
the local shop.
Since 2002, Serena has
been a parent to several
million bees. She came to
the hobby after meeting
another beekeeper who
lived near the school where
she worked. From there,
she joined her local branch
of the British Beekeepers
Association (BBKA) who
introduced her to lots of
fellow beekeepers and
helped get her started with
beginners’ lessons and a
second-hand kit.
Serena says: “The
association let me see how
I would cope with a colony
of bees flying around –
not everyone knows how
they’ll react to that.”
As she got to know
other nature lovers and
learned from their
years of experience,
Serena started building up
her own colonies as well
as taking exams in basic
beekeeping and general
husbandry, which is
like an A-level in the
hive.
Today she
has eight hives
that she keeps in
various locations
from farmer’s fields to
the grounds of a National
Trust property.
“You can’t just set up a
hive anywhere – you have to
listen to the advice of other
people. The largest number
of hives I’ve ever managed
at one time is 16, but you
usually want at least two
or three so the hives can
support each other. If there’s
a disaster in one, you can do
a bit of jiggery pokery from
the other hive to sort it out.
“You have to visit
your bees when you have
enough time to sort them
out properly. You need to
dedicate at least an hour and
a half a week in the summer
months to them and about
an hour a month in winter.”
As well as keeping her
own bees, Serena is also
passionate about nurturing
the next generation of
young beekeepers to
support British nature for
the future and so helps
youngsters involved in the
International Meeting of
Young Beekeepers. As a
primary school teacher, she’s
also in the process of trying
to get beekeeping classes at
her school.
“What makes beekeeping
such fun is that all hives are
different! You have to work
with the individual bees in
your colony and sometimes
Did you know? In any hive there are
three types of honey bee: a queen, thousands of
female worker bees and, in the summer,
hundreds of male drones. The drones
do no work and in the autumn they
are evicted by the workers and die!
Serena gets a buzz from passing
on her skills to others and would
would love to run beekeeping
classes at her school
what you read in a book
won’t necessarily work for
your specific hive. You can
ask three beekeepers the
same question and get three
different answers but that’s
what makes it so exciting.
“I’ve made a network of
firm friends through this
and I find going into the hive
is wonderfully calming, it’s
escapism. You don’t find
yourself thinking about
what you’re having for tea or
anything else!”
n To find out more, contact the
British Beekeeping Association
on 0247 669 6679 or visit
www.bbka.org.uk to find your
nearest branch
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
31
pics: PATRICK BOYD PHOTOGRAPHY, MASTERFILE

As Walkers Crisps turns 70 this
year, it got us thinking about the
savouries and sweets we couldn’t
resist at the school tuck shop
Sugary sweets and
chocolates – the perfect
breaktime pick-me-up!
Sweet
mem
ries
By Katharine Wootton
As soon as
we heard the
sound of the
school bell
for playtime,
we knew exactly where
we would be heading. The
school tuck shop was an
institution of our childhoods
– the place we could stuff
our faces with rubbish out of
sight of our parents, giving
ourselves a massive sugar
rush just in time to sit down
for double maths.
And with Walkers Crisps
– a staple of any reputable
tuck shop fare – celebrating
its landmark 70th birthday
this year, we’ve got the
perfect excuse to go back,
change-purse in hand, for
one more visit to the school
tuck shop of yesteryear to
see what other favourites
we can remember from
those days.
The tuck shop was an
opportunity to encourage
enterprise in school as
pupils, either the goodytwo-shoes
or the naughty
children who’d been forced
to do it as a kind of penance,
ran the stall on a rota.
The idea, we think, was
that it would teach those
who ran it how to sell and
handle money, but in later
years we can’t help but
wonder if it was really just
an excuse for the teachers to
have a well-deserved cuppa
in peace and quiet.
With no grown-ups
around, many school
tuck shops witnessed
embezzlement of the
highest order, as few tuckshop
stallholders could
resist the temptation of a
mouthful of flying saucers
during a quiet moment…
Money, too,
sometimes
vanished as fast as the
sweet and savoury items,
while we’re quite sure
we were twizzled out of
a fair few shillings thanks
to a tuck-shop stallholder
who hadn’t quite got his
arithmetic right.
Nevertheless, the tuck
shop was a hub where we
made friends – and gobbled
down more additives than
we’ve probably ever done
since. While it’s good that
today’s school tuck shops
are far healthier, we do still
love reminiscing about
all those tasty treats on
which we wasted our
pocket money aged 11.
16
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT

news nostalgia
Did you know?
’Tuck shop’ is thought
to come from the phrase
“to tuck into a meal”
and is closely related to
the Australian English
word “tucker” meaning
food. The phrase first
appeared in 1857 in
the novel Tom Brown’s
School Days
Sweets for my sweet!
Depending on which school you went to, some tuck shops had a sweetie
section to rival Woollies’ pick ‘n’ mix counter; there was just so much
choice. If you wanted a back-of-your throat sugar wake-up, Sherbet
Fountains or dip dabs were the order of the day, while Opal Fruits could
keep us chewing away for hours. We may as well have booked the dentist’s
appointment right then and there when we handed over our pennies for
chewy Black Jack or Fruit Salad – both stalwarts of the much-loved mix-up
bag, as were cola cubes (below), gummy bears, Rowntree’s fruit gems and
Parma Violets (even if they did taste of washing-up liquid!).
Seventies children will of course remember the space
obsession that invaded everything of that decade,
including our school tuck shop, meaning we spent
many of our school days with a flying saucer
permanently stuck to our tongues.
And who could forget Spangles, that happy,
fruity, post-war creation that came in fun
stripy packaging and nearly shut down
school learning altogether when it launched
a mystery Spangles flavour, over which
we still have an ongoing bet that it
was actually
grapefruit!
Chocolate delights
If you reached break absolutely
starving, there was nothing for it
– you had to have a Mars bar, or a
Wagon Wheel the size of your head,
packed with pillowy marshmallow
and with enough calories to feed the
entire class. Marathon bars (which
later became Snickers in 1990)
were also bestsellers as were the
long-lived Rolo, KitKat and Fry’s
Chocolate Cream.
Savoury, salty
and scrummy!
Sometimes we just didn’t
fancy the sweet stuff at
which point a rummage
through the crisp and
savoury section seemed
a good substitute.
Crisps-wise there were all the
Walkers classics which of course led
to the argument of the playground
– ready salted or salt and vinegar? If
you liked the latter, Chipsticks were
another big favourite, especially
when you got to the end and gulped
back up all the sharp, salty dust left
at the bottom so it made your eyes
water. Others were more of a fan of
the likes of Salt ‘n’ Shake with the
excitement of adding your own salt!
All Stars, Piglets, Monster Munch
and Golden Wonder were the other
big-hitters if you went to school
in the Seventies. And if you didn’t
much like crisps, there were
always TUC biscuits or Jacob’s
Cheeselets, both of which were
terrifyingly addictive.
n What are your memories of your
school tuck shop? Let us know at
the address on page 3
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
17
PICs: ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, S&G AND BARRATTS/EMPICS ARCHIVE

take a trip
Best breaks for
food lovers
See the sights, soak up
the culture and tantalise
your tastebuds with a
gourmet getaway
By Gabrielle Albert
PICs: alamy stock photo, shutterstock. *SOURCE: BOOKING.COM
Peckish in Porto
Warm weather, sandy beaches and idyllic
scenery make Portugal a perfect holiday
destination. But if food is top of your
agenda, you’ll want to visit the northern
city of Porto. With fresh fish from the
Atlantic, meats and produce from nearby
farms and the Douro vineyards just a
few miles away, its restaurants
are guaranteed to serve the finest
local ingredients.
The city’s most famous dish is
Francesinha – a hearty open sandwich
with layers of smoked garlic sausage,
roast steak or pork, ham, melted cheese
and a spicy tomato sauce made with beer.
But if this all sounds a bit too rich for you,
Porto is also awash with superb seafood,
so you can try everything from simple
sardines and traditional Portuguese salt
cod to grilled octopus and lobster.
n Sample some of the finest regional
food and wine on a tasting tour in the
picturesque Douro Valley. From £86.
Call +351 224 041 536 or visit
www.meridian4people.pt
Picture perfect –
the Portuguese
city of Porto
Tempting tapas
If you’re a real foodie, then a visit to San
Sebastian in Spain’s Basque country is a
must. This city boasts more Michelin stars
per square metre than almost anywhere else
in the world. Its most iconic dishes include
cod fried in olive oil (bacalao pil pil), goose
barnacles (percebes) and hake and cod
cheeks (kokotxas).
Be sure to sample the famous pintxos –
delicious Basque-style tapas found in bars
throughout the city which is
made up of small pieces of
bread, topped with ham,
prawns, anchovies,
cheese, chorizo or
wild mushroom
croquettes.
94
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT

Bon appétit!
Not only is the French city of
Lyon strikingly picturesque,
it’s definitely the place to be if
you love fragrant cheeses and
delicious deli meats. And, in
true French style, it has enough
patisseries and chocolatiers to
satisfy any sweet tooth.
A trip here wouldn’t be
complete without a meal at one
of its many bouchons. These
simple family restaurants focus
on traditional dishes, such as
quenelle (creamed fish mixed
with breadcrumbs), Rosette de
Lyon (cured sausage), coq au
vin (a braised chicken dish)
and pistachio sausage (served
with mashed potatoes and a
cream sauce).
Walk it all off with a trip to
the market, Les
Halles de Lyon
Paul Bocuse,
which is a
food lovers’
paradise,
More than 61 per cent
of travellers choose a
holiday destination for
its great food or drink*
That’s amore…
The city of Bologna, capital of Italy’s Emilia-Romagna
region, will capture your heart, soul and tastebuds. The
Bolognese take their food tradition very seriously. In fact,
the city is known as ‘La Grassa’ meaning ‘The Fat One’,
and for good reason! Wherever you go, there’s always
an abundance of tortellini, the moreish mortadella
(a cooked cured pork sausage), Parmesan and real
ragu. You’ll also find a variety of cured meats, such as
prosciutto di Parma and culatello in surrounding markets.
You won’t find too many expensive restaurants here – the
culture is very much about eating local food together in
an informal setting.
n Get an authentic Bologna culinary experience
with a Food Valley Tour and prepare your own
four-course meal under the guidance of a chef.
Prices from £172. Call +39 0521798 515 or visit
www.foodvalleytravel.com
and make a beeline for the Mère
Richard stall, where you can
get your hands on the region’s
best Saint-Marcellin cheese
and have it vacuum-packed
to take home.
Find British food
at its best in
Ludlow
Dane-licious
take a trip
With 13 Michelin-star restaurants, it’s no wonder that
Copenhagen is famed as one of Europe’s gourmet
capitals. But you needn’t spend a fortune to enjoy a
delicious meal here. A huge part of the Danish diet
consists of the inexpensive and popular smørrebrød –
a delicious open-faced sandwich with buttered rye
bread and a choice of meat, fish or veggie toppings.
If you want a hearty meal, try the stegt flæsk. This
national dish of fried pork belly, potato and white
sauce has been around for centuries and can be
ordered in almost any restaurant.
Fancy something sweet? Denmark’s pastry scene is
at its most vibrant in Copenhagen and the city is home
to lots of bakeries serving up traditional treats.
n Learn how to make authentic Danish rye bread,
sourdough buns and pastries at a cooking class with
local bakers. Prices from £94. Call +45 3112 0639 or
visit www.cphcookingclass.com
Scrumptious Shropshire
You needn’t venture abroad – you can enjoy great
food in the UK. The ancient market town of Ludlow
offers something to suit all tastes and budgets. But
don’t let its quaint charm deceive you – it takes its
food very seriously. Walk down the High Street and
you’ll pass farm shops, traditional butchers and
artisan bakeries – each boasting quality, locally
sourced produce that rivals anywhere
else in the country. Visit one of its many
bistros and gastropubs and you’ll
find lots of takes on British classics.
The town likes to celebrate its
culinary prowess and holds a local
produce market on the second and
fourth Thursday of every month. In
September, crowds flock to the annual
Ludlow Food Festival, with plenty of
delicious food and drink to try!

There’s nothing
quite like a
good dose of
sunshine to
Soak up
lift your mood
and make you
Sun
feel better – and that feelgood
factor isn’t just in
The
your mind, the sun really
does have the power to
improve your health and
wellbeing. While it’s still
important to protect your
skin from UV rays, studies
show that a sensible
amount of sunshine every
day could help to boost
your immunity.
Uplifting light
Throw open your curtains
and let the morning sunlight
flood in for the ultimate mood
boost. “Sunlight increases your
serotonin levels which, in turn,
may make you happier,” says
Dr Ross Perry, sun expert and
medical director of Cosmedics
UK. “Serotonin is your body’s
natural happy hormone,
an important chemical and
neurotransmitter that is
believed to help regulate
your mood, behaviour,
appetite, digestion, sleep
and memory.”
An early-morning sunshine
hit could also give your energy
levels a boost by regulating
Did you
know?
The sun can help to
warm your muscles and
ease stiffness, reducing
the pain caused by
inflammatory conditions
such as arthritis.
another hormone in your body
called melatonin. “Melatonin
is produced in the pineal gland
of your brain. It’s responsible
for regulating your sleep
cycles,” says Dr Perry. “Studies
have suggested that without
daily exposure to sunlight,
we don’t produce optimal
levels of melatonin, which
could make us feel sluggish
and tired. During the summer
when you’re exposed to the
sun and see more daylight,
you probably notice that you
need less sleep but feel just as
lively. That’s all down to the
sun revving up your
melatonin levels.”
Am I deficient?
By Rebecca Speechley
Used sensibly, the sun can be
the ultimate health booster
– here’s how to get all the
benefits from those rays.
Did you
know?
Getting enough Vitamin
D circulating in your
bloodstream could help
to boost your memory
and reduce your risk
of dementia.
You’re more likely to have low Vitamin D levels in the winter when the
sun isn’t strong enough in the UK to top you up. The most common
symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency are general tiredness, aches and
pains and not feeling right. Your GP can give you a blood test to
check your Vitamin D levels. While a dose of sunshine can
help, if your levels are very low you will need to take a
supplement to redress the balance. Speak to your GP for advice.

keeping healthy
A stronger, healthier you
While you’re soaking up
extra energy and a brighter
outlook, your skin is also
using the sun’s UVB rays
to manufacture Vitamin D,
which brings with it all sorts
of health benefits.
Vitamin D deficiency is
actually quite common in
the UK, with one in five of us
not getting enough.
It’s essential for
absorbing calcium, keeping
your bones healthy, and
for protecting you against
health problems later in life,
such as osteoporosis, Type 2
diabetes, multiple sclerosis
and some common cancers
such as breast, prostate and
pancreatic cancer.
“Sun exposure is the
best way to maintain your
Vitamin D levels,” says Dr
Perry. “When the UVB rays
hit your skin, they cause
a chemical reaction that
turns certain cholesterols
in your body into a form of
Vitamin D that your body
can use.”
As well as protecting your
long-term health, topping
up your Vitamin D levels
could help you to keep your
waist trim. Scientists from
the Netherlands found that
people with low Vitamin
D levels are more likely to
be overweight and store
their extra fat around
their middle than people
who get enough of the
vitamin. The experts are
still investigating exactly
how the sunshine vitamin
is linked to weight gain, but
they think that low levels
could affect your insulin
receptors and your blood
sugar balance, which in turn
could bump you up a dress
size or two.
“You don’t need much
sun to get the benefits,” says
Dr Perry. “Just 20 minutes of
sun on your arms and legs
two to three times a week
could be enough to top up
your Vitamin D levels.”
In the winter, the sun in
the UK isn’t strong enough,
so Public Health England
recommends that everyone
should take a 10mcg
Vitamin D supplement.
Staying safe
You don’t need to get
sunburnt, or even have a
tan, to get a health boost
from the sun. In fact,
both are best avoided.
“There is no such thing
as a healthy sun tan,”
says Dr Perry. “A tan is a
response to DNA damage,
whether you get it on
the beach, on a sunbed,
or through incidental
exposure. Tans are caused
by harmful ultraviolet
(UV) radiation from the
sun, and if you have
one, you’ve sustained
skin cell damage. Such
damage is instrumental
in the development of
skin cancer, and it also
accelerates skin ageing
so you’ll have more lines,
wrinkles and age spots.”
Remember, you only
need to be in the sun for
20 minutes a few times
a week to make enough
Vitamin D, after that it’s
important to protect your
skin from UV rays. “Seek
a high SPF sunscreen
(with a SPF of at least 30)
and look for a 5-star UVA
rating, which indicates
maximum protection
against ageing UV rays.”
Make sure you
apply it regularly,
at least every
few hours, and
liberally – most
of us don’t use
enough sun
cream to protect
our skin.
PICs: shutterstock
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
37

Best for
1 wrinkles…
Care Collagen Beauty
Formula, £23.95/90 caps
Collagen gives structure and
strength to skin, bones and
muscles but its production
naturally slows as we age
and wrinkles form. This
supplement also contains
skin-healthy nutrients such
as Vitamin C, B2 and B3,
copper, zinc and biotin.
Our tester said...
“My skin feels a lot softer
and looks healthier
overall. The capsules are
large, so are easier to
swallow with a drink.”
3 Best pill-free
choice
LQ Liquid Health Skin, Hair
& Nails, £29.99/10 x 50ml
Beauty
Alongside a healthy, balanced diet,
a beauty supplement can help
target issues such as thinning hair,
fragile nails and even wrinkles.
Here’s our top five…
look good
Supplements
on test
By Beauty Editor, Michelle Nightingale
2 Best for
hair growth…
Hairburst Chewable Hair
Vitamins, £19.99/60
gummies (30-day supply)
If you’re seeking healthier
locks and faster hair growth
this supplement is for you.
It contains biotin, selenium,
zinc, Vitamin B12 and
pantothenic acid – all key
ingredients for boosting hair
health and reducing thinning.
Our tester said “These
chewable pastilles taste just
like sweets! After just a few
weeks my hair looks in better
condition and appears thicker.”
Best allrounder…
5
Perfectil Platinum,
£40.35/60 tabs
(30-day supply)
Containing high levels of
marine collagen, hyaluronic
acid, biotin and resveratrol,
this highly concentrated
supplement works on hair,
skin and nails. The liquid
formula is also ideal for those
who struggle to swallow pills.
Our tester said… “My skin
looks fresher and plumper.
A bit costly, but I still saw good
results when taking them every
other day. I liked
the taste too!”
Best
for budget…
Nurture Hair & Nail
Strengthener, £10.95/90 caps
(45-day supply)
Contains very high levels of biotin
(Vitamin B7) which can help improve nail
thickness and strength.
Our tester said... “After
just a few weeks, my nails are
smoother and glossier and
have a natural shine.”
Stockists:
Care Collagen
available from
Tesco 0800
323 4040;
Hairburst and
LQ Liquid Health
available from
Boots 0345 070
8090; Nurture
0800 072
9510; Perfectil
available from
Boots
Although costly, this
supplement has very high
levels of nutrients and is
a complete formula, so
there’s no need to take a
multivitamin, too.
Our tester said...
“I saw results pretty quickly –
particularly in the condition
of my nails and hair. My skin
looks clearer, brighter and I
look less tired! I like that it’s a
general multivitamin too, but
the tablets are huge.”
pics: backup, shutterstock
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
45