If you love the succulent crunch of fried chicken, you won’t want to miss this food festival.
Street food organiser Kerb is bringing their fried chicken battle back to London, after pitting popular chicken sellers against each other in May last year.
On Friday 20 July and Saturday 21 July, eight vendors will once again endeavor to win over the taste buds of attendees, in order to be voted London’s fried chicken champion and crowned the 2018 Kerb Colonel.
Last year, Venezuelan street food company Petare won the top prize with their Masa fried chicken strips with guava glazed sauce and habanero mayo.
The eight traders who will be competing this year are:
This summer’s event will be held under the West Handyside Canopy in King’s Cross and hopes to be bigger than ever.
Your ticket price includes a portion of fried chicken from every competing chicken vendor and gives you the opportunity to vote for your favourite once you’ve tried them all.
You can buy extra portion and extra sauces during the event if your fried chicken cravings have not been fully satiated.
Ok, we’re hungry. (Picture: KERB)
The event will include a Buffalo wing eating competition for only the most serious fried chicken lovers, beer pong, a peep board and cornhole games.
Everyone who buys a ticket for this summer’s chicken extravaganza will receive a free bottle of Frank’s RedHot Sauce.
Live music and DJ sets will accompany all the chowing down, and KERB have also curated a chicken-friendly cocktail and seasonal soda menu.
Beers will also be available from London craft brewery favourites Fourpure Brewing Co and Five Points Brewing Company. If you fancy wine, Chapel Down wines will quench your post-chicken thirst.
Blake Mitchell is a popular gay porn star enjoying fame in the adult world but struggling in other aspects of life.
He has spoken out on his YouTube channel about being lonely and his struggle juggling dating with his job.
Being an adult performer, he said, is a ‘unique kind of fame’ that has its downsides.
More often than not, potential partners are more interested (or even deterred) by Blake’s line of work than in who he is as a person.
(Picture: @mrblakemitchell)
‘The hardest part of it, when you have 100,000 followers, is finding someone who’s genuine,’ he told his subscribers.
Blake’s been in situations where a person he’s been interested in has played him just to get a shout-out or promotion on his media channels.
‘I’ve been out to the bars where people will say things to me that, because I am a sex worker, they think is acceptable to say to a total stranger for example complimenting my d*ck size, my body, making sexual remarks to me. Besides making me uncomfortable, if I am with someone who I am interested in, this can be a little embarrassing,’ he wrote on the video description.
(Picture: @mrblakemitchell)
‘My significant other has to sit at home while I make frequent trips across the country. While they are left home alone, I am having sex with other people, sometimes several other people.
‘And on top of all that, it is all being filmed and uploaded to the internet, where they are very likely to see it. This has made it very hard to find someone who will put up with me filming porn, let alone be happy and supportive about it.’
Despite all the difficulties that come with his job, Blake stressed he is still very passionate about what he does. He admitted it would be tough to compromise his career for a partner.
He ended the note saying he was still grateful for all his followers who make him feel less lonely as they follow his personal journey.
According to a new study recently published in the journal JAMA Network Open and conducted by researchers at the University of Bristol, the number of young women showing signs of anxiety and depression during pregnancy has risen by over half within just one generation.
The study shows that 25% of women who become pregnant under the age of 24 have ‘high depressive symptoms’, compared to just 17% in the 1900s. It also found that if a woman’s mother was depressed during their pregnancy, their daughters were more than three times as likely to suffer with depressive symptoms.
Discussing why this massive increase could have happened, Dr Rebecca Pearson, a lecturer in psychiatric epidemiology at the university’s medical school, said that ‘while there is a perception that mental health [issues are] rising, this may be due to greater awareness and less stigma. These new data give a more accurate picture of what our current population of young pregnant women are facing.’
She also said that mental health issues in young mothers are due to feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
Levels of mental illness in young people are rising generally, so it isn’t a surprise that this has ‘translated into the experience of young mothers’, Pearson says.
Some of the factors responsible for making pregnant women struggle with depressive symptoms are the fact that more of them have to work, combined with the pressure from social media.
Researchers believe that many women feel pressured financially to stay in work during their pregnancy, while a ‘compare and compete’ culture on social media will also fuel mental health issues as young parents stress about the content they’re sharing and who likes what.
Pearson also believes that young women are struggling with their mental health generally – that ‘chronic stress, sleep deprivation, eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, and the fast pace of modern life may be contributing to an increasing prevalence of depression among young people generally’.
I have 26 tattoos. And you know how many have meaning? One.
It’s a mental health quote on my arm, which is a reminder to never give up.
Apart from that, not a single tattoo on my body has a meaning. I just found a design I liked and got it inked on my skin. And I don’t regret any of them.
But for some reason, lots of people think that I will do in the future.
Not just because it’s a tattoo, inked on my skin forever – unless I go under the pain of a tattoo removal – but because it has no deeper meaning than just being nice to look at.
People genuinely think that I will regret a tattoo I’ve thought long and hard about simply because I didn’t have a ‘significant reason’ for getting it.
Which I think is ridiculous.
Not everyone is going to like tattoos – and you can’t expect people not to have an opinion on something – but it’s almost as if people think they have more right to a negative opinion when they find out there isn’t a meaningful reason behind the tattoo.
Maybe that’s because they’re less worried about causing offence.
When a tattoo doesn’t have a deeper meaning, too many people act like it must have been a spontaneous decision, and that because it doesn’t relate to something deeply emotional they have free reign to say whatever rude thing they like.
For years I actually pretended that my tattoos did have meaning, just to avoid rude comments.
I remember making up this elaborate story about a girl in a mirror on my arm, an image I’d simply made out of other images I’d been inspired by.
It’s a tattoo I got five years ago, one of my first, and I still absolutely love it.
But being told again and again that it wasn’t a good decision because it didn’t ‘mean anything’ made me feel ashamed.
And so instead I’d lie to make other people feel better. It seemed to work – the reactions when people were told my tattoos had meaning compared to the reaction when told there was none were so different.
(Picture: Ella Byworth fro metro.co.uk)
People were more appreciative of the artwork. They told me how lovely it was, and didn’t once make me feel like I’d regret something on my body in years to come.
Was that because being told a meaning changed the way they saw the tattoo? Or were they more cautious of being rude about the tattoo because they thought there was an emotional attachment involved?
Had I told them I’d simply liked the design, I might have been met with: ‘But why did you get it? What’s the reason for it?’ and ‘But how do you know you won’t change your mind about it?’
But after lying about my tattoos to make other people feel better, I’ve decided to just be honest. Why am I trying to make other people feel more comfortable about something that is on my body?
When you get a tattoo, you get it for you, and nobody else.
You get it because it’s something you want to be a part of you. To show off with pride. You’re the one walking around with it on your skin every day.
Obviously, there are going to be some people who regret their tattoos and I have met many who do – but the fact of the matter is, you can regret a tattoo for many reasons.
Perhaps the tattoo was badly done. Maybe it got infected. Maybe it was nothing like the design someone had originally asked for. Maybe the reason someone got a tattoo is now a reason they’d like to forget.
It’s possible to be entirely happy with a tattoo you got for entirely aesthetic reasons, and to regret a tattoo with a deeper meaning.
Please stop assuming that people who love their ‘meaningless tattoos’ don’t care enough about their bodies because they haven’t inked it with something that has a story behind it.
Not everything has to have a reason. You can have a tattoo just because you like it.
It’s a shame that many women have been made to feel ashamed to do it in public – which is why it’s so refreshing to see breastfeeding being represented (and celebrated) on the Sports Illustrated swimsuit runway.
Model and mum Mara Martin walked the catwalk while breastfeeding her five-month-old daughter, Aria.
Mara was one of the 16 finalists chosen by Sports Illustrated through an open casting call at Miami Swim Week.
She walked the runway in a gold bikini, pulled down on one side to accommodate feeding Aria, who wore soundproofing headphones to protect her ears from all the noise.
(Picture: UPI / Barcroft Media)
Mara smiled the entire time.
The runway show, which also featured amputee model and Paralympic gold medal snowboarder Brenna Huckaby, has been widely praised on social media – especially from mums excited to see breastfeeding being shown with no shame.
Following the show, Mara took to Instagram to share a message about what breastfeeding on the runway meant to her.
(Picture: UPI / Barcroft Media)
‘Anyone who knows me, knows it has been a life long dream of mine,’ she wrote.
‘I can’t believe I am waking up to headlines with me and my daughter in them for doing something I do every day.
‘It is truly so humbling and unreal to say the least. I’m so grateful to be able to share this message and hopefully normalize breastfeeding and also show others that women CAN DO IT ALL!
‘But to be honest, the real reason I can’t believe it is a headline is because it shouldn’t be a headline!!! My story of being a mother and feeding her while walking is just that.’
All parents will know the horror of accidentally letting a toddler loose in the bathroom.
Bottles of shampoo emptied on to the floor. Lipstick smeared across the mirror. And, of course, an entirely unraveled toilet paper roll heaped on the floor.
Thankfully one mum has shared a few simple tricks to avoid this travesty.
Kimberley Bosley has two young sons, Madden, who is two, and Hudson, who is one. Just like other toddlers, both kids love running into the bathroom and throwing stuff around – so it was crucial for Kimberley to take action if she didn’t want to have a shower in total wreckage.
She came up with two easy solutions: Locking the cupboards with plastic toys, and tying a hair tie around the toilet roll.
It’s the toilet roll trick that we’re most impressed with – no matter how much her son spins the loo roll, it won’t unravel as he can’t find the end.
(Picture: Instagram/ were.the.bosleys)
The trick could also work for cats who love yanking down your toilet paper – although you might still end up with a scratched roll.
Simply grab a hair tie or an elastic band, secure it over the roll, then remove it when you need to use the toilet. Just make sure your toddlers don’t spot you pulling it off – the hack will be entirely useless once the kids figure out how to remove the hair tie themselves.
‘Both my little boys love running into the bathroom and pulling out whatever they can, so I had to think of a way to let them keep exploring without ruining the house,’ Kimberley told Femail.
Kimberley also says she uses dog collars to secure cupboards, as they’re less faff than formal locks but still put off toddlers.
Holidays used to mean city breaks, staying in the fourth floor of a boutique hotel with no lift, trudging back up the stairs to go back to bed for a nap after breakfast (if you even bother getting up for breakfast), then spending the rest of the day trundling around a gorgeous European location, eating and drinking while inhaling the odd bit of culture.
It used to be a walk in the park. A really gorgeous park with a cafe serving massive Aperol spritzes.
And then something comes along that changes your holidaying life forever – offspring.
When you have a child on board, holidays get hard. No more lie-ins after breakfast, no more naps, no more swanning around, no more relaxing.
On a kids’ holiday, parents are meant to become kids themselves, ditching the swish city breaks and reverting back to their own childhoods.
Which means it may not be long before you’re taking your new addition to a campsite to relive your own holi-glory-days.
The Glade is beautiful seclusion at Landal Darwin Forest (Picture: Ross McGuinness)
And that’s how I find myself at Landal Darwin Forest, on the south east corner of the Peak District.
It’s been an over-long and tedious drive up a 150-mile stretch of roadworks that is also known as the M1, and the last thing I wanted to do was start pitching a tent.
Happily, I was in the right place.
Nestled in a particularly green square of Derbyshire, Landal Darwin Forest may look like a campsite on the outside, but you won’t find any tents here.
Instead, the resort is dotted with dozens of luxury lodges, which makes it right up my tree-lined alley. It would take less time to drive down the M1 to London and back again than it would for me to identify which tent pegs go where.
And when you have someone who is only a year and a half old in tow – someone who has been stuck in a car seat for the best part of four hours – you don’t want to be wasting time assembling your house for the weekend.
There’s no need for me to worry – Landal Darwin Forest is camping on steroids.
The kitchen area in one of the Glade lodges (Picture: Landal GreenParks)
Darwin Forest is one of the latest UK acquisitions of Landal GreenParks – a company based in the Netherlands that has holiday villages across Europe, but has only recently staked its claim here.
Calling it the Dutch version of Center Parcs is a bit simplistic (possibly because Center Parcs itself started out life as a Dutch company), but that’s Landal’s main competition in the UK.
One of the main differences is that Landal encourages its visitors to venture from the 47 acres of leafy Darwin Forest and go further afield.
But that was the last thing on my mind when I stepped inside our lodge. Who said cabins in the woods are scary?
There are various levels of accommodation at Darwin Forest, but we stayed in the Glade, a new development that has eight lodges and plenty of peace and quiet. A warning for pet owners: no animals are allowed in the Glade.
The Glade lodges come with a hot tub on a veranda, a sauna, a PS4, a sliding beer fridge and even a bath TV. The wi-fi cuts out every time you move your phone more than an inch, but you shouldn’t have it out in the first place – you’re here to relax.
Want to have a bath and watch Love Island at the same time? (Picture: Ross McGuinness)
If doing nothing is your thing, there is very little reason to leave the lodge. A word of warning, however – it pays to stock up on food and drink before you arrive at the park. While the on-site shop covers the basics, you will probably want some fridge fillers.
The park only has one eatery – the Forester Bar and Restaurant – and while it’s a good bet for a night when you just can’t be bothered to cook in your cabin, the food there is solid but not spectacular.
And now, on to the kids stuff.
It’s not easy keeping children entertained, but you will have no trouble at Darwin Forest.
For the really little ‘uns, there’s the Activity Den, which is basically a ball pit with a soft play slide. But what a slide.
For older and more adventurous children, and parents who are happy to quaff a few coffees while keeping an eye on their progeny, swing over to the Little Monkeys Play Centre, conveniently placed alongside the Explorers Cafe.
There’s plenty to explore for little ones at Landal Darwin Forest (Picture: Landal GreenParks)
The play centre is teeming with slides, mini football pitches and ball pits – don’t expect to hear too many cries of ‘I’m bored, Mummy!’ in here. It’s carnage, basically. And it’s a great way to ensure a long nap later in the day. Who knows, your child might have a nap too.
We visited the park on the one weekend in June when it was raining, which will make the indoor play centre even more raucous, but there is an outdoor adventure playground just next door if you and your kids need to grab some fresh air.
If that doesn’t tire you or your little ones out, then tennis, mini-golf, archery and bike hire are all available on-site.
The swimming pool at the Evolution Health & Fitness centre has three separate depth sections to suit children of all ages, and mum or dad can sneak off for a massage in the adjoining Beauty Rooms.
One of the great selling points of Landal Darwin Forest is that it’s little more than a 15-minute drive away from one of the jewels of the English countryside – Chatsworth House, home to the Cavendish family since the mid-1500s and the seat of the Duke of Devonshire, is even more stunning to the eye than it is on a big or small screen.
The wonderful grounds of Chatsworth House are a must-visit (Picture: Ross McGuinness)
Not only is it a significant part of British history, it is also part of British TV and film history. This is where Colin Firth got all shirty by a lake in the 90s adaptation of Pride & Prejudice.
It was also a location for the 2008 film The Duchess, in which Keira Knightley played Georgina Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire, who lived in the house.
There is a discount for Chatsworth if you purchase your tickets at Landal Darwin Forest reception, and you won’t regret it – the house itself is dripping with splendour and opulence (look out for those solid gold window frames) and the gardens are beautiful, perfect for a picnic or a good old-fashioned hill-rolling contest. Watch out for that £4 stinger for parking though – ouch.
About 20 miles drive south of Darwin Forest, you’ll find the village of Matlock Bath. Even though it’s located smack bang in the middle of England, Matlock Bath has the feel of a seaside resort. That smell in the air? It’s fish. And the other smell? Oh, that’s chips.
This tiny little village has more fish n’ chip shops than Scarborough and Bournemouth combined, yet it’s completely landlocked. However, Matlock Bath has a long and proud history of welcoming tourists.
Just before the 18th century kicked off, warm springs were discovered there and a bath house was built.
More than 100 years later, Princess Victoria of Kent made a royal visit, as did the poet Lord Byron, who compared Matlock Bath to a slightly better known alpine retreat, earning it the nickname, ‘Little Switzerland’.
A slab of cake at f’coffee in Matlock Bath (Picture: Ross McGuinness)
By the mid-1800s, the area was a thriving spa town and since then the tourists have just kept coming. And they keep eating fish and chips.
Without a sea breeze or sand in my shoes, I couldn’t possibly partake, but I did venture into the village’s real gem – f’coffee.
It’s quite hard to write and difficult – and dangerous – to say, but this coffee house is a dream, from its monstrous desserts (who came up with the brilliant idea to put doughnuts on a cake?!) to its acclaimed and frankly crazy Freakshakes.
Located in the beautiful surroundings of the Derwent Valley, Matlock Bath, the village has another star attraction – the Heights of Abraham.
A tourist attraction since the Victorian era, this hilltop park has two caves (they were mined for lead minerals as early as Roman times), a massive adventure playground and ice cream worth going to the top of a mountain for.
A waterfall trickles away at the Heights of Abraham (Picture: Ross McGuinness)
Accessed by a particularly rocky cable car journey – it does get windy up there – the view from the summit over the River Derwent is wonderful.
After negotiating our way back down, it’s time to get back to our luxury lodge. Who cares about the continuing forest drizzle – perhaps it’s time to fire up the hot tub?
Ahhhh… isn’t camping great?
Where to stay in the Lake District and how to get there:
A three-night stay there starts from just £400 in November 2018. Guests can enjoy all the home-from-home comforts including kitchen utensils, luxury toiletries by Rituals and an outdoor hot tub (selected accommodation only).
The easiest way to get there is to drive, and from London it takes around 4 hours.
Alex pays £680 a month for a room in Tooting. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
We’re fed up of getting shafted when it comes to renting a place in London.
We’re fed up of sky high rents for tiny living spaces, getting blamed for killing home-made meals when we can’t find a flat with a decent kitchen, and turning up to viewings to discover the photos you saw online weren’t a true representation of the flat you’re seeing in any way, shape, or form.
But before we can tackle the issue, we need to take an honest look at the problem.
That’s a big part of why we started What I Rent, a weekly series that takes you inside people’s rented property in London – to get a clearer idea of what Londoners are paying and what they’re getting in return.
This week we’re hanging out with Alex, who rents a room in a three-bedroom house in Tooting.
He shares the house with three junior doctors. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Hey Alex! How much rent are you paying?
£680 a month.
And what about bills?
£65 (so about £745 all in, then another £100 to commute every month)
What are you getting for that cost?
Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, then a pretty roomy kitchen and living room. We also have a decent outside space for storing bikes etc.
What do you think of the area?
I live in Tooting Broadway, just off Mitcham Road, very close to the tube station.
I am happy enough, and I really like the area. Tooting feels like it is on the edge of a wave of gentrification so you have pricey brunch spots and bars rubbing shoulders with authentic, cheap cuisine, as well as a fantastic local market.
The Northern Line commute isn’t ideal but at least it is comparatively quick.
Alex has been living in the house for around six months. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
How did you end up living here?
An old friend from my home town in Surrey suggested living together, so I moved into the house he had already been inhabiting for a year.
I live with three junior doctors, who work at St George’s Hospital so they always have some good stories to tell.
We get along really well but they all have a good sense of humour and we are all pretty good at respecting each other’s space so I think it works well.
How have you made the place your own?
Quite honestly, I have been here for nearly six months now and have done very little to make the place feel like home.
I have lived in six separate flats/houses in London over the last seven years and the feeling of transience which comes with rented housing has meant I have never really invested my time and energy into personalising any one living space.
Do you feel like you have enough space?
The house is pretty spacious in the common areas, so it doesn’t feel too claustrophobic. Having said that, my bedroom is a bit on the small side and there is no desk or room to sit down.
But he still doesn’t feel the house is a home. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Are there any major issues with the house you have to put up with?
The boiler kept breaking down and we were only offered quick fixes to remedy it initially. It was eventually sorted by the landlord but otherwise it has been pretty smooth sailing.
Any plans to move again?
I have no plans to move in the immediate future. I am pretty happy living with my roommates. If I did move, it would be to have a bigger bedroom or a shorter commute without an extortionate increase in rent (I may be waiting a while).
And what about buying a place?
I looked into the shared ownership scheme, but unfortunately I cannot even afford a quarter of a house in a part of London I’d consider living in, let alone a whole one!
Same, Alex. Same. Shall we have a look around his place, then?
A classic shared house hallway. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
The house is split level, so it feels a bit more spacious. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
But Alex’s room is on the small side. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
He could do with some bookshelves, right? (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
The living room. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
There is a dining room in the kitchen, which isn’t standard in London housing. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
All you could ever need: Doritos dip, four candles, and a bit of kitchen roll. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
An excellent drink range. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Anyone who has a utensil rest is a proper adult, we say. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Oh hey, toilet paper rolls. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
The house has some outdoor space, which is handy. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
What I Rent is a weekly series that’s out every Tuesday at 10am. Check back next week to have a nose around another rented property in London.
How to get involved in What I Rent
What I Rent is Metro.co.uk's weekly series that takes you inside the places in London people are renting, to give us all a better sense of what's normal and how much we should be paying.
You'll need to have pictures taken of your kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom, plus a few photos of you in your room. Make sure you get permission for your housemates!
You'll also need to be okay with sharing how much you're paying for rent, as that's pretty important.
A dad of a little girl who has cancer has shared an important message about jumping to judgement.
Brent Gehring was leaving dinner with his daughter, Emma, when a man yelled across the street.
‘When I crossed the street carrying her, […] a man yelled at me: “What the f***?”,’ wrote Brent on Facebook. ‘”Make her walk. That’s what is wrong with kids today.’
Brent could have shouted back. He could have ignored the man’s comment.
Instead, he decided to turn the incident into a teaching moment.
‘I had a choice to make at that time,’ wrote Brent. ‘Can I make myself feel better by screaming at him or can I teach him something about life?
(Picture: Facebook/EmmaStrongInc)
‘I won’t lie to you and tell you that it was an easy choice but I got inches from his face, with my daughter in my arms, and quietly asked him if he was referring to my daughter. “Hell yes” he said.
‘I responded with “My daughter has been carrying my faith and my strength for the past 5 years since she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She can’t walk but I am happy to carry her because of all the amazing things she has taught me through the years. So I would advise you not address my daughter in any way other than respectful”
‘I won’t tell you the rest of the story but it ended with two grown men with tears rolling down their faces.’
Brent shared the story on Facebook to remind people that it’s impossible to know the full story of someone else’s life – so it’s important to avoid judgement.
(Picture: Facebook/EmmaStrongInc)
‘You have the power to make people’s days better or worse,’ he wrote. ‘What did you do today?? What will you do tomorrow??
‘I promise you this through hell and high water Emma has made each and every day of my life a blessing. I praise God for bringing her into my life. Emma you are perfect just as you are and we will help carry you through chemo #7.
‘This post doesn’t come looking for pity for Emma or my family. What I am asking is for a change in today’s world … a change in the way we think.
‘The world is what we as people make it. We have the power to make days better or worse for others. I choose to attempt to make lives better.’
Brent’s Facebook post has clearly hit home, as it’s been shared more than 1,276 times.
We can all learn an important lesson from it. We might not be the type of people to yell a rude comment at someone we don’t know, but we might think it. We could all do with trying to have a bit more compassion and understanding before we rush to judgement.
Soft blonde locks, eyes resembling a swimming pool blue, porcelain skin; these might be just some of the descriptions you come across when reading literature for young adults.
Usually, they all mean one thing – that the characters you’re reading are white. So it’s no surprise that recent research shows only 1% of children’s tales feature main characters from BAME (Black, Asian, and minority ethnicity) backgrounds.
What they found was ‘stark and shocking’, they said.
Last year, there were 9,115 books published and only 4%, or 391 in total, had some sort of BAME character. And even dire than that, a mere 1% of that featured a protagonist from a minority background. A quarter of the books were found to be serving a token minority role, with BAME characters filling background casts.
(Picture: Getty)
The results showed a disconnect with the 32.1% of primary schoolchildren from ethnic minority origins, as reported by the Department of Education in 2017.
Of the BAME characters being written, the majority were stereotyped roles, prescribing to ‘contemporary realism,’ the research found, and 10% contained ‘social justice’ issues such as war and conflict.
‘Do those from minority backgrounds only have a platform when their suffering is being explored? And how does such disproportionate variation of representation skew perspectives of minority groups?’ the report asked.
(Picture: Getty)
Farrah Serroukh, who directed the project for the CLPE, said: ‘We must invest our energies into normalising and making mainstream the breadth and range of realities that exist within our classrooms and society and ensure that this translates to the pages of our books.’
‘Representation in children’s books is important for all children. A lack of diversity impacts on how young readers see themselves and the world around them, on their motivation to read, and on their aspirations to become the writers and illustrators of the future,’ added Jill Coleman, a director at BookTrust.
Earlier this year Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon launched her own children’s book featuring a black superhero, citing that the lack of representation fuelled her move.
Award-winning author Nikesh Shukla has also launched a publisher, The Good Agency, to kickstart careers of authors from BAME, disabled, working class, LGBTQ communities.
Though there is change afoot, we as consumers can do more to support those attempting to shift the imbalance while challenging the status quo of the publishing industry.
It’s day two of Amazon Prime Day and the deals just keep on coming.
Until midnight tonight (17 July), hundreds of products across Amazon.co.uk will be available at discounted prices exclusively for Prime members.
They’ve already dropped prices across on their own-label products, so if you’re in the market for an Echo dot, Fire Stick or a Kindle, now is definitely the time to buy.
But there are some great deals on beauty products, including huge savings on latest beauty tech including Clarisonic’s best-selling brushes, Braun epilators and 35% off ghd Styler, Tong and Hair Dryer.
So if you’re yet to snap up a beauty bargain, here are 22 beauty and skin care deals worth knowing about.
Forget the wine, Bordeaux is now a weekend break all about brunch and vodka (Picture: Getty, Rebecca Lewis)
Think of Bordeaux and one thing will instantly spring to mind: Wine.
Understandable, as the region has been producing wine for nearly ten centuries, but it turns out there is much more to Bordeaux than just ‘red or white?’
The city is undergoing a huge transformation and is now a hot spot for culture, food and shopping – and located in the south west of France, it’s less than a 90 minute flight from London, making it the perfect weekend getaway.
So what are you waiting for? Get booking… once you’ve read our handy guide.
Wine – or vodka?
Cocktails over wine any day (Picture: Rebecca Lewis)
Yes the wine in Bordeaux is delicious, but the city also has a growing bar scene that focuses on spirits, making it the perfect destination for those who aren’t so keen on the grapes.
Sauvelle Vodka – its name means ‘wild beauty’ – is one brand among many who are making their home there, distilling their vodka before selling it online and across the world including in Harvey Nichols and Selfridges, and to trendy bars including Groucho Club and the cool London city bar Madison.
(Picture: Rebecca Lewis)
Founded by two friends who sum up the vibe of Bordeaux – think east London beards and brunch meets the history of Europe – their distillery will open in the north of the city in October 2018 and tours will begin in 2019.
Where to drink (and eat) then?
Bordeaux isn’t that big which makes it the perfect city for a weekend getaway, but it also means that you want to make sure you’re hitting up the right bars and restaurants.
The courtyard of Instagram dreams (Picture: Rebecca Lewis)
For your first brunch, visit Frida in the heart of the city.
A tapas and wine bar, Frida is achingly chic but also warm and inviting, perfect for families and friends.
Their outdoor garden is an idyllic hideaway on a warm morning – or to sit wrapped up warm on a cool evening if that’s when you decide to visit – and their breakfast menu is to die for, with everything from eggs and smokey bacon to fresh fruit juice, yogurts, and pastries.
Darwin Ecosysteme (Picture: Rebecca Lewis)
Le Magasin Général at Darwin Ecosystéme, on the east bank of the river – or what the residents call the alternative bank – is a unique venue which is best described as part restaurant, part supermarket, and part bar where the decor is mainly recycled items – look up and you’ll even spot a few bicycles.
The market offers fresh, local and organic produce including bread, cheese and cold cuts offering you the chance to create a picnic and enjoy the sunshine in nearby Parc aux Angélique along the river, or the restaurant offers brunch, lunch and dinner meals.
Heads up, the falafel salad is delicious.
Lunch at La Magasin General (Picture: Rebecca Lewis)
For something very different though, try Symbiose.
Well known locally for the their expressively raw and innovative cuisine, the team behind this restaurant rely solely on traditional ingredients paired with exotic extras that they have grown themselves.
Their tasting menu is a good place to start, and it comes with a paired wine.
But definitely give their cocktails a go as well.
And for a drink to cap the night off, try one of the many little bars dotted around the city; Cancan is a ‘secret bar’ with blacked-out windows and staff who will happily create you any drink you want, even if it’s not on the menu.
How to shake off the hangover:
Large parts of Bordeaux are listed as World Heritage by UNESCO (Picture: Getty)
Bordeaux is full of history; the historic part of the city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as ‘an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble’ of the 18th century and, after Paris, Bordeaux has the highest number of preserved historical buildings of any city in France.
Impressive.
With that history comes a lot of churches and cathedrals..
The 11th century Gothic Cathedral of Saint Andrew of Bordeaux (Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux) is a stunning piece of architecture, and where in 1137 the 15-year-old Eleanor of Aquitaine married the future Louis VII, a few months before she became Queen.
View of St Michel church at night (Picture: Getty)
St Michel church, whose free-standing spire at 114 metres makes it the tallest building in the city, is a 20-minute walk away.
Mummies found in a nearby cemetery were exhibited there to the public in the late 18th century and remained until 1990 when the macabre exhibit ended, but for those who enjoy a bit of creepiness with their culture, an audio-visual tour explains the history behind the preserved bodies – and why they were given names.
Take a climb to the top of the spire to look out over the city, but remember that on Sunday mornings a huge flea market fills the surrounding square.
Up the road is Place de la Bourse, which may just be the recognisable sight in Bordeaux.
Home to a gorgeous city square with 18th-century architecture and a picturesque fountain, it’s also where you’ll find the ‘miroir d’eau’, a large shallow pool of water which is perfect for an afternoon dip of the toes to cool off.
Place de la Bourse (Picture: Getty)
Art lovers will also find a lot to enjoy in Bordeaux with the Musée des Beaux Arts which is home to numerous renaissance painting, or the CAPC Museum of Contemporary Art which features work from the likes of Robert Combas, Annette Messager, Mario Merz and Richard Long.
Art can also be found around the city in stunning graffiti and a wander with no destination in mind can often help you find some of the more interesting sights.
On the East side of the river you can also fund the Darwin Ecosysteme.
A half hour walk from the spire, the space is a former military barracks which has now been converted as a cultural hub filled with restaurants, second-hand shops, co-working spaces, a skatepark, and ‘free expression spaces’ for graffiti artists.
Bordeaux
Flights to Bordeaux begin from £22 one-way with Easyjet.
AirBNB have numerous accommodation options for travellers. We stayed at the Splendide Chai Bordeaux which sleeps 13 people, and prices start from £618.
Low calorie ice creams (Halo Top, Breyer’s Delight, and Oppo to name but a few) are the hottest thing to hit the frozen treat market.
For those of us who couldn’t possibly stop at a few spoonfuls – aka all of us – the fact that most are under 400 calories for a whole tub is a godsend.
Just to spoil us a little more Halo Top has launched three new flavours, and Londoners will be able to try before they buy next week.
The brand new flavours are red velvet, birthday cake, and oatmeal cookie, with all tubs coming in at under 360 calories.
They’re available from Tesco now, and will be in Ocado and Wholefoods later on this month.
(Picture: Giphy)
One day next week (starting from 23 July) those of you who work near Tower Bridge can get your hands on some for free at Halo Top’s celebratory pop-up.
From 12pm to 8pm on a surprise date that week Potters Field will play host to the creamery who will be giving out freebies of the new flavours.
You can find out when it’ll be by keeping an eye on Halo Top’s social channels for the announcement.
If you’re nearby, a dead giveaway will also be the massive 10-foot Birthday Cake tub raised in to the air by 2,700 colourful balloons ( a nice change from the orange-haired nappy wearer we’ve seen hovering over London of late).
With temperatures looking in the high twenties that day, it’ll certainly make a sweaty Monday afternoon that bit better.
If you’ve shopped for swimwear then you’ve most likely come across all the usual images; women with slender legs, flat tummies, and probably a thigh gap.
We all know not everyone looks like that (sometimes even the models themselves don’t look like that), but seeing that image again and again can convince us otherwise.
That’s why New York-based athletic and swimwear brand Chromat’s new campaign, Pool Rules, is worth celebrating.
The campaign features women of different ages, with disabilities, stretch marks and scars, cellulite, body hair, and people from the LGBTQ community.
Headlining the project are ‘Chromat Babes’: amputee and beauty blogger Mama Cax (28); queer activist Ericka Hart (32); transgender advocate and model Geena Rocero (34); and plus-size models Emme (55), and Denise Bidot (32).
(Picture: Chromat)
Mama Cax, who had her leg amputated after she was diagnosed with bone and lung cancer, looked stunning in the range of one-piece and two-piece swimsuits. ‘It felt liberating, to see every woman looking comfortable and happy and sexy,’ she said on the website when talking about the project.
Ericka also shared the sentiment, adding that Chromat was ‘unfortunately/fortunately unique’.
(Picture: Chromat)
‘I’m looking out for black queer and trans people, especially femmes,’ she said.
‘Going to a pool can be really hard for queer and trans folks as most bathing suits tend to not fit our various gender expressions.
‘Feminine presenting folks are often met with unwanted harassment, so I am always looking out for femmes to feel comfortable and safer in public spaces.’
(Picture: Chromat)
Denise said: ‘Brand’s like Chromat have created swim styles that make all women, from curvy to disabled, confident while they bask in the sun all summer long.
‘We have options now, and the transformation is so profound thanks to these brave brands who are stepping up and changing the rules of the game.’
(Picture: Chromat)
(Picture: Chromat)
While fellow plus-size model Emme said: ‘Being a Chromat Babe is saying “yes” to challenges, stepping out and being a badass even when all senses tell you not to, and owning exactly who you are in any given moment.’
Burger King has given a dog named Cody free burgers until he passes away, in order to make the rest of his life more enjoyable.
Cody the Boxer-Labrador cross has a form of bone cancer. He’s been given between one and three months to live.
His family have recently started taking him to local burger joints for plain cheeseburgers as a way of giving him treats and making him take his medicine easily.
Cody’s owner Alec Karcher, 22, said: ‘The vet told us to take him home until things worsened, and we decided we wanted to make the last stretch of his life as good as possible.
Thanks to @BurgerKing for showing so much love and kindness towards my family and our dog, Cody. It’s appreciated more than words can describe. pic.twitter.com/KsKnfXtv0S
‘For the last two months, we’ve been getting Cody daily cheeseburgers from either our own kitchen or some fast food restaurant [plain because the condiments aren’t very good for him].
‘It’s been a way for us to show our love and appreciation for him being such a good dog over the years, and it helps him take his medicine every night.’
On Sunday, family member Bill Campbell visited a Toledo, Ohio branch of Burger King to pick up Cody’s daily treat.
Alec explained: ‘The woman working at the time kindly joked about him ordering a plain cheeseburger, and he told her Cody’s story.
‘She immediately went to talk to her manager, and after a few minutes she came back and told him that the burgers for Cody would be free at their location until he passed.’
When Alec shared the story of Burger King’s offer to his terminally ill pet on Twitter, the burger chain replied with a thoughtful message, thanking Alec for allowing them to do something for Cody.
the world needs more kindness and empathy. thank you for giving us the chance to do this for Cody.
This story just goes to show that big corporations don’t have to be soulless monsters, because they are staffed on the ground level by people like the woman in the Toledo branch who wanted to give a terminally ill doggo a parting gift.
We hope that Cody enjoys those free cheeseburgers in his final days.
Stockholm in the summer is simply a force of beauty to be reckoned with so if you want more out of your Scandi adventure than just Danishes, visiting the old town and bloody fringed blankets, then read on.
Most people who visit the Swedish capital have this idyllic vision of picking up local produce at a sweet, independent grocery store and then heading home and cooking up a delicious Scandinavian storm in the kitchen.
The reality of this dream is often overpriced food items that – let’s be honest – don’t actually taste much different from the products you can pick up from your local Aldi back home.
These trusty places will give you the truly authentic experience you’re after.
Their produce is genuinely fresh, tastes beautiful and even just mooching about in these spots will leave you feeling like you’ve lived in Stockholm your whole life.
Eataly Stockholm is a luxe food market hall of cheese, bread, fish, wine, beer, and ice cream, while Urban Deli reeks of Scandi hipsters – you won’t mind so much, because their fruit and veg produce is that good and legit.
Ostermalms Saluhall meanwhile is more traditional, with a history that dates back to 1888.
Food market and restaurants inside Ostermalms Saluhall (Picture: Getty)
Yes, the old town is very cute, and yes, hiring a bicycle complete with a wicker basket is the easiest and most pleasant way to see the city. And yes, OK, maybe those wooden swing seat things outside cafés are rather fun and great for the gram.
But, if you actually want to live outside the walls of social media and do something that the locals love, take a trip to Tantolunden beach in Hornstull.
When the city gets too hot for the people of Stockholm, this is the secret place they head to.
And it’s magic.
It used to be rough and ready, and not the sort of place you’d want to be walking around in on your own after 7pm, but over the past couple of years, it’s been transformed into some kind of hipster heaven.
It’s refreshingly trendy, without being try-hard.
People enjoy the sunny weather in Tantolunden park (Picture: MAJA SUSLIN/AFP/Getty Images)
While you can expect to see a lot of creatives in the area, the place is wonderfully inclusive to families, kids and elderly people. There’s a real sense of community here among people of all ages and backgrounds, which should always be celebrated.
Also situated in the Tantolunden area is a huge, stunning park. In winter, it is used for sledding but in the summer people meet for swimming, sports and picnics.
There’s a playground, beach volleyball court, mini-golf, a frisbee golf course and an open-air theatre.
It is also home to more than 100 allotment plots, which have been cultivated since 1915.
Another ‘undiscovered’ spot is the eco-friendly cafe/garden centre, Rosendals Tradgard.
Known for its biodynamic farming practices, Rosendals believes in the true Scandi ‘farm to fork’ concept and the harvest of vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits are used in the garden café and woodfired bakery.
Rosendals Tradgard (Picture: Jeppe Wikstrom/Visit Stockholm)
Visitors can enjoy lunch in the artisanal bakery or greenhouse café and take in the beautiful surroundings.
They also have a farm shop on site as well as a plant shop, which is well worth checking out.
This place makes some of our more popular garden centres in London look laughably amateur.
As with travelling around any capital, it can be mind-boggling to pick a restaurant as you do your research on the go and frantically scan TripAdvisor in search of a place that’s worth investing your time and money in.
With so many options, you’ve got to choose wisely.
Ekstedt restaurant has no touristy gimmicks. It is an indulgence for any local in Stockholm, but one that will probably give you the best meal in Sweden.
Food being cooked at Ekstedt (Picture: Ekstedt)
In the restaurant’s toasty and inviting atmosphere, guests can watch the chefs work by the magnificent fire pit where orders are prepared.
Staples of the Nordic diet, such as lingonberries, wild herbs, pine and wild mushrooms, are transformed as ancient traditions meet modern Swedish cuisine.
The wine list is just as unique and organic to match the natural flavours of the food.
Restaurants inside boats are also a huge favourite for Stockholm locals in the summer – they’ve got the great weather and they’ve got the pretty river, so they make the most of it by going for a dinner on a boat.
The boats are beautiful and there are lots of culinary experiences to enjoy.
Whether it’s a fine dining, dress-up experience you want, or a more chilled, fun party affair, there are hundreds of boats on the harbour accommodating your needs.
I have to say, nothing felt quite as chic as drinking a sparkling white wine on the river with the backdrop of Stockholm’s stunning architecture.
(Picture: Henrik Trygg/Visit Stockholm)
Where to stay in Stockholm and how to get there:
The Strand Stockholm Hotel is within walking distance of lots of local gems and is situated on the river – a major local hang out.
You see groups of people enjoying picnics here, sunbathing and hitting up the many delis, restaurants and bars along the riverfront.
Everything is on your doorstep, making it a great base to have your Scandi adventure.
If you want to venture out even further, the hotel is just a six minute walk to the nearest Metro station. There’s also easy access to the tram, buses and ferries, which are no more than a few metres away.
Prices start from £163 per person per night.
Norwegian flies to Stockholm up to five times daily from London Gatwick and there’s free Wi-Fi on board.
Wedding venues can be a headache to find; the location, the size, cost, guest capacity just add difficult dimensions to the labyrinth that is wedding planning.
Thinking outside the box might help tackle a few of your problems though.
Rebecca Walker and Graeme Boothroyd did exactly that, tieing the knot in the chapel of Huddersfield Crematorium in West Yorkshire.
Yes, that’s right, you can get married in the place where a dead person’s body is burned to ashes. And why not?
(Picture: Rebecca and Graeme Boothroyd/MEN Media)
It’s the first wedding of its kind and isn’t just some cost-effective choice for Rebecca and Graeme, but has sentimental value; it’s where they first met.
Rebecca, an independent civil celebrant, and Graeme, who works as a technician for Kirklees Council’s Bereavement Services, felt it was an obvious choice after a chance first meeting at the crematorium.
The pair had met as part of their jobs in bereavement services, connecting over a broken coffee machine.
‘I had to ask Graeme to come and sort it out and one thing led to another,’ explained Rebecca.
‘He asked if I was with anyone and when I said “no” and he gave me his phone number – and I rang him before I even got home! I can’t believe it’s only 10 months that we have been together. We are like two peas in a pod.’
(Picture: Rebecca and Graeme Boothroyd/MEN Media)
‘It’s a building that’s filled with love and you can feel that when people are going into it. It has everything you could want, beautiful grounds and excellent facilities.
‘They had never heard of anyone doing that before. We didn’t want it to be a morbid occasion.’
The pair invited 90 guests and made arrangements to be respectful to others using the space for more sombre reasons and once the ceremony was over everything was returned to normal.
(Picture: Rebecca and Graeme Boothroyd/MEN Media)
If that’s sparked a desire for you to book out your local crematorium, you could speak to your local council.
Paul Kemp, service director at Kirklees Council said: ‘Whilst the crematorium is usually a place where we mark the passing of life, we feel there is no reason, why, in the right circumstances, it shouldn’t be used for other ceremonies and we would consider future requests on a case-by-case basis.’
You may not have heard of it, but vascular dementia affects around 150,000 people in the UK every year.
Vascular dementia is the second most common type of dementia, after Alzheimer’s disease, and it is caused by a reduction in the blood supply available to the brain.
All types of dementia involve problems with memory, thinking, speaking and reasoning. This kind of cognitive impairment is very rare in people under the age of 65.
Unlike Alzheimer’s, of which the true cause still isn’t known, vascular dementia occurs when the brain isn’t receiving enough of the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function.
Blood reaches the brain through a network called the vascular system. If the blood vessels in that system get blocked or start leaking, blood won’t reach the brain. When brain cells aren’t getting enough blood, they eventually die.
What are the main types of vascular dementia?
Vascular dementia comes in five major forms. These are stroke-related dementia, post-stroke dementia, single-infarct and multi-infarct dementia, subcortical dementia, and mixed dementia. These types share some of the same symptoms, but differ in others.
As the name suggests, stroke-related dementia occurs when someone has a stroke.
Strokes happen when the vital blood supply to a part of the brain is suddenly stopped. Usually, it means that a blood vessel has become narrowed and is blocked by a clot.
Strokes are very serious and can be life threatening. The damage done by strokes is dependent on how quickly a person receives medical intervention, so if you believe someone is having a stroke, call 999 immediately.
If someone is having a stroke, call 999 straight away. (Picture: stocknshares)
Post-stroke dementia usually develops after someone has had a major stroke.
A major stroke is where the blood flow to a large vessel in the brain is permanently and suddenly cut off. This abrupt interruption in blood supply can lead to the death of a large volume of the brain’s tissue. Around 20% of people who have a stroke develop post-stroke dementia. One stroke increases the likelihood of more strokes and heightens the risk of dementia.
Single-infarct and multi-infarct dementia are caused by smaller strokes, sometimes so small that the person having them don’t realise that they’re happening at all.
With small strokes, symptoms may only last for a couple of minutes before the blockage clears itself and blood supply to the brain is re-established.
However, if the bloody supply is blocked for more than a few minutes, a small area of brain tissue will die, known as an ‘infarct’. One infarct might affect a crucial area of the brain, leading to single-infarct dementia. Lots of small strokes can cause multi-infarct dementia.
Subcortical dementia is where very small blood vessels inside the brain become diseased. They might thicken or become twisted, impeding the flow of blood through them. This disease in small vessels can damage ‘white matter’, the bundles of nerves that carry signals around the brain, and it can also cause small infarcts near the base of the brain.
Although subcortical dementia is the most common form of vascular dementia, the damage caused in the brain is quite different to the neurological impact of strokes because it tends to occur so much deeper inside the brain.
Finally, mixed dementia refers to dementia caused by a mixture of Alzheimer’s and vascular disease. The symptoms can match either Alzheimer’s or vascular disease, and can also be a combination of the two. More than 10% of dementia cases are believed to be a mixture of the two most common forms of the disease.
What causes vascular dementia?
The biggest risk factor for vascular dementia is age. The risk of getting vascular dementia doubles every five years once you reach the age of 65.
Dementia usually develops in people over the age of 65. (Picture: John Stillwell)
Having a stroke, heart disease or diabetes also doubles your likelihood of developing vascular dementia. The condition has been linked to depression and sleep apnea, where someone stops breathing for a few seconds or minutes while they’re asleep.
High blood pressure, high cholesterol and being overweight are all linked to cardiovascular disease which also increases the risk of vascular dementia. To reduce your chances of developing high blood pressure or becoming overweight, it’s important to eat a balanced diet, take regular exercise and drink alcohol in moderation. Smoking increases your risk of strokes, coronary heart disease and sustaining damage to blood vessels and arteries that supply the brain.
Ethnicity plays a part, as people with Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and Pakistani heritage living in the UK have higher rates of stroke, heart disease and diabetes. People with Afro-Caribbean backgrounds are more likely to develop diabetes and have strokes. These differences are believed to be both inherited and caused by lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise and smoking.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, although genes do play a role in the development of vascular dementia, their impact is fairly small.
How is vascular dementia treated?
There is no cure for dementia, but the symptoms can be eased or slowed with various treatments.
If vascular dementia has been caused by a cardiovascular disease (this includes coronary heart disease, strokes, peripheral arterial disease and aortic disease), treating and controlling the cardiovascular condition can slow down the progression of dementia.
This means taking prescription medications to reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol and thin the blood so that it doesn’t clot. Diabetes and heart conditions also require medication and regular check-ups.
You don’t have to run marathons, but regular exercise is really important in reducing your risk of vascular dementia. (Picture: Isabel Infantes/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Someone with vascular dementia will be advised to exercise regularly (this could mean physiotherapy exercises for stroke patients), quit smoking and eat a low-fat, low-salt diet rich in oily fish, fruit and vegetables.
The drug therapies available to treat Alzheimer’s disease are not recommended for people with vascular dementia.
However, the majority of dementia patients can benefit from a calm environment, respectful, person-centred care from support staff, gentle talking therapies to help them come to terms with the condition, and the soothing influence of therapy animals. Breaking daily tasks down into small, manageable chunks can stop sufferers becoming overwhelmed and distressed. For patients with memory loss, sticking to a regular routine can be very helpful.
If you want to reduce your risk of developing any kind of dementia, it’s important to stay mentally fit and active. Exercise your mind with puzzles, games, a course of study, challenging reading material, and discussions with family and friends. Look after your physical health with a balanced diet, regular exercise and drink to the recommended guidelines. It’s also a good idea to quit smoking.
You can learn more about different types of dementia, risk factors, current research and how to fundraise or volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Society here.
Every year, Amber Rose’s SlutWalk aims to unite, educate, and empower women in a safe space. One of the ways it does that is by encouraging women to reclaim the word ‘slut’, but naturally, many men disagree with Amber’s message.
At last year’s SlutWalk, American conservative talk show host, pastor, and personality Jesse Lee Peterson attended to ask women if they were sluts.
In the last couple of days his interview with model Samirah Raheem has resurfaced and has been shared thousands of times.
-"how old are you?" -"grown" 💁🏻♀️ … "A slut is what I made it. A boss. Getting money Taking the mic. Turning life around. Taking over Hollywood"
I need Samirah Raheem to front a talk show. I would follow her into battlehttps://t.co/CXsIGvy0qs
The video shows Jesse asking Samirah if she is a slut – and her response is legendary.
She speaks to Peterson for two minutes, saying ‘we are all sluts’ and ‘your camera man’s a slut, your PA’s a slut and your mic’s a slut’. She even tells Peterson that his mother and grandmother are sluts.
Samirah’s takedown went quickly viral, and saw people celebrating her smart clapbacks like ‘I own my body, my body is not a political playground, it’s not a place for legislation, it’s mine, and my future’ and ‘a slut is what I make it, a boss, getting money, taking the mic, turning life around, taking over Hollywood’, adding, ‘a slut is a word for anybody owning their sexuality, turning up, not letting Jesse twist their words’.
Samirah has since responded to being called an icon and legend for the speech, writing on Instagram: ‘Growing up it’s been a very interesting journey I’ve always been a walking contradiction.
‘I never thought I’d have a voice like this. I was often ashamed of being opinionated and louder than most.
‘I tried to make myself smaller to fit into social circles. I genuinely thank you guys for your overwhelming love & support. There’s no more hiding.
‘Thank y’all for forcing me to step into my unapologetic tongue.’
Which one would you like to put up yourself? (Picture: Metro)
Periods, eh?
The things we put up with just to (potentially) do our bit to keep the human race going.
Martyrs, we are. Absolute martyrs.
On top of the discomfort many of us feel every cycle, we’re also slapped with the expense – which is made even worse when you realise you’re charged 5% tax on sanitary products. Cool. Brilliant.
Plus, they can last up to 10 years after an initial one-off expense, so in the long run they can save you loads of money. Not to mention the fact they’re better for the environment.
What’s not to love?
With so many on the market, we put seven different cups to the test, including collapsible cups, cups you can empty while they’re inside you, and cups you can wear during sex (!).
‘I’ve been seeing this advertised on the back of motorway service station toilets since I was a kid, and used to make fun of them. Look at me now.
‘However, I made the initial mistake of buying the larger size Mooncup (size A) when I was confused and hungover, which is for those who have given birth vaginally, and those over the age of 30.
‘I was 28 at the time and thought, “Welllllll, close enough”, but my god. No. It wouldn’t unfold inside me and it was a pretty traumatic experience trying to get it out.
‘Luckily, when I got hold of the right size, it was a much smoother experience. You can tell when it’s “suctioned” inside you so you know it’s sealed.
‘When I first used it, I was really paranoid about leaks, and there were a few instances where it felt like it was leaking but wasn’t. It just takes a few cycles to get used to.
‘Now, I couldn’t live without it, and it’s so useful when travelling, as you don’t have to take a whole loads of tampons with you when visiting countries that don’t sell them.
‘Just don’t leave your cup to dry in an outside bathroom. I woke up one morning to find a rat had eaten half of mine.
‘My biggest fear was using this cup at a festival and having to empty it in those dreaded portaloos, but it wasn’t as bad as expected. I just took a bottle of water in there with me to give it a good rinse out. So much more convenient as it holds more blood than even the biggest tampon.’
‘I’ve used a menstrual cup previously that was quite similar. It’s very flexible so it’s easy to insert once I had squashed it in to a horse shoe shape.
‘Menstrual cups can take a lot of getting used to. I remember initially thinking holy moley this is weird but once it’s in you forget about it and forget you even have your period.
‘I went swimming, to the gym, out drinking with my pals and it was fine.
‘You need to be quite comfortable with yourself and need to relax to insert/remove. If you’re tensing up it makes it a lot harder to pull out.
‘I did notice on this period the initial day I had horrendous cramping however I don’t believe that was anything to do with the Diva Cup.
‘The difference between the Diva Cup and my previous menstrual cup was that the Diva Cup doesn’t have a little tab at the end of the handle. It’s easy enough to remove still as the bottom of the cup has little ridges for you to grip on to, you just need to reach up a little further to get a good grip.
‘I put in the Diva Cup as soon as I noticed a darker discharge and once it was in I didn’t experience any leaking.
‘I changed it twice a day and rinsed it out thoroughly when I was in the shower.’
3. Enna menstrual cup with applicator, Healthy2U, from £24.95
(Picture: Enna)
‘I’d never used a menstrual cup before this, so can’t compare it to other brands, but will say it’s been super life-changing
‘I have heavy and long periods so not having to change a tampon every four hours is amazing. It takes some time to get used to, particularly learning how to make sure it “pops” and creates a seal.
‘The unique thing about Enna cup is that it doesn’t have a traditional stem and instead has a silicon string that guides you to where it is.
‘I’d be wary of pulling this as it looks quite flimsy, so it’s probably not best for people who are squeamish and need to pull something external to get the cup out.
‘Using the applicator was way more complicated than just using it normally. It’s like a little clothes peg that you push it in with, but the cup keeps unpopping before you get it in, so I just did it the normal way.
‘Overall, I would buy this. The fact that there’s two cups as well as a sterilisation package makes it good value and it’s ideal for me.’
Enna cup costs £29.95 with applicator, and £24.95 without.
‘I’d never used a menstrual cup before so was a little afraid – I’m used to tampons. However, when I heard the Tulip cup could last 10 years, I worked out that it could save me loads of money.
‘I was a bit scared putting it in as you have to kind of fold it up and then shove it in, but after a few cycles, you get used to it.
‘The first few times emptying it is nerve-wracking, and I did get a lot of blood on the floor, I won’t lie. But now, after a few months, I’m a pro.
‘I didn’t realise how dry tampons were making my vagina until I tried this cup. It took a bit of getting used to, but I’m a convert.’
5. Tulip stem menstrual cup with valve, Tulip, £24.99
(Picture: Tulip)
‘I was super excited to try this as I’ve used a Mooncup before, but this has a valve which allows you to empty it while it’s still inside you.
‘Well…that’s the idea anyway. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. So, you’re supposed to squeeze the stem, which opens the valve, but…nothing came out.
‘This is because blood is thicker than water, and there was absolutely no way my blood was getting through there.
‘I was determined to make it work, so took the full cup out, and tested the valve over a sink. Nothing.
‘Then, I tried filling the cup with water, and lo and behold, tiny drip by tiny drip came out. It was so painfully slow that even if your period blood was as thin as water, it would still be a lot quicker to just take the cup out and empty it in the usual manner.
‘Despite the valve not working, I did find this cup really comfortable. I was initially worried as the Mooncup has loads of holes that form the seal, but this had two, and you couldn’t really tell if it had sealed properly.
‘However, after the initial fear, it turned out fine. It just doesn’t feel as ‘suction-y’ as the Mooncup, but I now use both this and the Mooncup, depending how I feel, they’re both great.
‘My period came on when I was away without my cup once, and I had to use tampons. It was so uncomfortable, I forgot how much moisture they sucked out of my vagina.’
6. Lily cup compact collapsible menstrual cup, Intimina, £24.95
(Picture: Intimina)
‘I was a bit nervous about using a menstual cup, just like I was the first time I used a tampon when I was 16, but the instructions were so clear and helpful, it was surprisingly easy.
‘I decided to sample it on a day when my flow was lighter and I was at home plus I doubled up with an organic pad just in case, but it wasn’t needed. While the cup is recommended for lighter days, it can hold a surprising amount and could definitely be used for heavier ones too.
‘I found it a bit more uncomfortable for the lighter days and also found it hard to go for a wee with it in, but I think it just takes time to get used to.
‘Overall, in just three days of using it I much prefer it to using tampons. It feels more hygienic, reliable and is ultimately a lot better for the environment. Oh and it’s a lot cheaper long term.
‘This is the only menstrual cup you can use during sex.
‘The Ziggy cup looks unlike the average cup, which suctions around the circumference of your vagina. It’s longer and thinner, and instead of collecting menstrual fluids as they make their way down the vaginal canal, the cup is positioned directly under the cervix, sitting on one side of your vaginal canal so it’s out of the way and a penis or dildo can easily make its way through the fun zone.
‘I’m pretty used to menstrual cup actions, so I assumed a slight change in design would be a piece of cake. I was wrong. The placement takes some time to get used to.
‘It was, however, extremely comfortable. It felt like there was no cup there, with no stem poking around and a flat design that feels like nothing. That’s pleasant.
‘I tried having sex with my boyfriend with it in, and he could feel it when he fingered me, but penetrative sex was amazing. The cup wasn’t noticeable at all. We could do whatever positions we fancied with nothing holding his penis back and no discomfort for me.
‘However, I went to the loo at work while wearing it, and as I sat on the toilet, it felt – and looked – like a puddle of blood had been unleashed.
‘Removing the cup was also a difficult and messy experience. I much prefer the experience of a regular cup, where the blood is neatly contained and can be poured into the toilet bowl, than fumbling around with a shallow dish slick with my own fluids.’
Read our tester’s full review of the Ziggy cup here.
