We’re nearing the end of Eating Disorders Awareness Week, a week to spread awareness of disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder.
The latter often goes unspoken of. Many put binge eating disorder down to being ‘too greedy’, when it is in fact recognised as a mental illness.
It’s incredibly common, too.
Tom Quinn, Director of External Affairs at eating disorder charity Beat, says binge eating disorder is a ‘serious mental illness’ in which people experience a loss of control and eat large quantities of food over a short period of time.
It can affect people of any age, though commonly develops later in life.
It’s not about choosing to eat extra-large portions, nor are people who suffer from it just ‘overindulging’. The disorder is not enjoyable. People who binge find it distressing, and often those who do it find themselves out of control, unable to stop even if they want to.
According to the NHS website, symptoms of binge eating disorder include eating very quickly during a binge, eating until you feel uncomfortable full, eating when you’re not hungry, eating alone or in secret, and feeling depressed, guilty, ashamed or disgusted after binge eating.
It is not a case of eating a little bit more than the average person.
(Picture: Mmuffin)
Tom tells Metro.co.uk: ‘Exact figures for the number of people suffering from binge eating disorder aren’t known, although studies suggest it is considerably more common than anorexia.
‘Many people who suffer from binge eating disorder experience stigma as a result of fat-shaming, on top of the feelings of guilt and low self-esteem that are associated with the illness.
‘This can make it more difficult to ask for help, and may mean some sufferers go undiagnosed for a long time.
‘Binge eating disorder is as serious as any other eating disorder, and it’s really important that those suffering get the support they need as soon as possible to have the best chance of recovery.
‘If you’re concerned about yourself, the best thing to do is to contact your GP, and you can also get in touch with Beat to talk about the best steps to take.’
If you think you may be suffering with binge eating disorder, contact your GP to talk about your symptoms and to seek help.
You can also phone Beat’s helpline on 0808 805 0677 – it is open from 12pm-8pm during weekdays and 4pm-8pm on weekends.
The question of sex and morality is a complex one.
Having a lot of sex isn’t always bad, and having very little sex isn’t always good. But a recent study has found that using the old fashioned metrics of sexual morality, attractive people have less stringent sexual boundaries.
But why do attractive people have more liberal views?
If you look like Ryan Reynolds or Blake Lively then there is a pretty much 100% chance that on a night out you could find someone who wants to bone you.
If you look like a foot then it’s going to be more difficult. So you can end up having less sex, but not because you’re a morally better person or less of a horndog, just simply because you lack the chances.
Being able to have sex whenever you want, Robert theories, makes you likely to be less judgemental of those who have casual sex.
According to the report’s author: ‘In the data from 2016, 51 percent of those whose looks were rated above average said a woman who wants an abortion for any reason should legally be allowed to have one.
‘Only 42 percent of those with below-average looks said the same. This nine-point difference increases to 15 points when accounting for factors like age, education, political ideology and religiosity.
‘This pattern repeated for almost all questions. The one exception was a question that asked when adultery was morally acceptable. Almost all respondents said “never” to that, washing out differences between the more and less attractive.’
So attractive people are more likely to be liberal in their views around reproductive rights, but not more likely to cheat on you. Sounds like a win win.
The ketogenic diet – or keto, for short – is the big wellness thing right now.
The diet is all about eating low carb, high-fat foods with moderate amounts of protein. Low levels of carbohydrates cause blood sugar to drop, pushing the body into a state of ketosis, which breaks down fat to use as energy.
Fans praise the ketogenic diet’s ability to help you drop pounds, fast.
Over on Reddit, followers of the keto diet are complaining of ‘a strange smell from down below’ and changes in discharge.
Nutritionist Lisa De Fazio told INSIDER that the keto diet could ‘change your vaginal pH, which alters your vaginal odour’, suggesting that the high levels of fat and low carbohydrates could disrupt your vagina’s delicate bacterial balance and make it smell.
This sounds reasonable, and ‘keto crotch’ is a catchy name, but some experts don’t think the diet could cause such issues.
Vagina expert Dr Jen Gunter tweeted in response to the article: ‘Food does not change vaginal odour and the doctor quoted here is incorrect. If your sweat or breath smells of ketones then everywhere else will too.’
Going into ketosis will make the body release ketones – chemicals made in the liver – throughout the body, which could affect how breath, poo, urine, and sweat could smell.
So yes, going on the ketogenic diet could affect body odour, including that emanating from your genital region. But what’s not the case is that it’s the cause of disrupted pH levels and bacteria balance in the internal bit of the genitals, the vagina.
In basic terms, the ketogenic diet may make you smell all over. It’s not accurate to say it targets your vagina and makes your discharge turn into swamp water.
Many people complain of ‘keto breath’, saying their breath smells of acetone when they are on the diet.
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
But those discussing ‘keto crotch’ don’t seem to be talking about a general change in body odour, which may in fact occur. Instead they’re suggesting that the diet may alter your vagina’s pH, which experts don’t think is the case.
A representative for sexual health charity FPA tells Metro.co.uk: ‘There is no research to suggest that following a low-carb, high-fat diet such as the keto diet could affect your vaginal health.
‘If you’re experiencing irritation, or an unusual smell or discharge, see your doctor or get a sexual health check-up as these could be symptoms of thrush, bacterial vaginosis or a sexually transmitted infection.’
What we do know is that high levels of sugar can increase your likelihood of developing thrush, but there’s no evidence to suggest issues could be caused by low carbohydrates and lots of fat.
What could also be causing an issue is exercise, and letting your vulva wallow in warm, sweaty environments.
Think about it – if you’ve gone on the keto diet to lose weight or get super toned, you likely also work out.
Workouts mean getting hot and sweaty, often in tight leggings or shorts. And that could cause issues.
Dr Shazia Malik previously told Metro.co.uk that the sweaty ‘vagina triangle’ is ‘an ideal environment for bugs to thrive and multiply – especially those that cause yeast infections (candida) and boils’.
If you notice a change in your vagina’s scent or discharge, don’t be too quick to dismiss it as the result of a trendy diet. Instead chat to your GP right away to check what’s going on, and consider how you’re caring for your vagina.
Tight underwear, lots of sweat, synthetic fabrics, irritation and infection are more likely to cause issues than what you’re eating.
A guide to discharge:
Healthy discharge…
doesn’t have a strong or unpleasant smell
is clear or white
is thick and sticky or slippery and wet
If your discharge experiences certain changes, this could indicate an infection:
a fishy smell is often bacterial vaginosis
discharge that is thick like cottage cheese is often caused by thrush
green, yellow, or frothy discharge is often caused by trichomoniasis
You should go to a GP or sexual health clinic if…
your discharge changes smell, colour, or texture
you produce more discharge than normal
you feel itchy or sore
you bleed between periods or after sex
you feel pain when urinating
you’re experiencing pelvic pain
How to keep the vagina and vulva clean:
Do not clean inside the vagina
Gently wash the external parts of the genitals, the vulva, with warm water or unperfumed soap
Avoid scented products as these can cause irritation and infection
Doctors should focus on finding the cause, not just treating the symptoms (Picture: Phébe Lou Morson Phebe)
I remember having my first panic attack when I was five years old. I sobbed uncontrollably until I exhausted myself, and my parents, to sleep.
I had not yet graduated past picture books, so didn’t have the vocabulary to communicate what was going on in my head. Now, 25 years later, I still struggle to describe it.
When it comes to mental health, our language is still in its infancy. It’s unsurprising, considering how recently we, as a society, have felt able to talk about it. We are constantly being encouraged to open up about how we are feeling, but what if we don’t have the words to explain?
Limited as our mental health vocabulary may be, the terminology we actually do have is steeped in stigma and more often than not, used incorrectly. Just think about terms like ‘psycho’, and ‘schizo’ that are thrown around so often their meaning has evolved to something far-removed from their origin.
Conditions such as multiple personality disorder and borderline personality disorder, despite being very different, are confused for one another simply because they sound similar. The mental health language barrier endures.
Words like ‘depression’ and ‘anxiety’ have only become palatable in the last few years, but they are umbrella terms for a whole spectrum of feelings, emotions and symptoms that singular words couldn’t possibly do justice.
I believe that the broad use of these terms is unhelpful, and categorises very different struggles into the same mental health melting pot, when in fact they need very specific treatment.
Imagine you go to the doctor with stomach ache and all she prescribes is painkillers without further investigation. Menstruation, IBS, appendicitis, a dodgy curry: there’s a whole host of different causes and possible remedies for conditions with confusingly similar symptoms. But if we only treat the symptoms we will never discover the cause.
My parents thought my panic attacks were a childhood phase that I’d grow out of. Then they thought it was a teenage phase I’d overcome. Like any illness, ignoring the symptoms only makes things worse.
My entire life I had doctors trying to make me fit a diagnosis, rather that finding a diagnosis that fit me. I’m glad to say I’m now lucky enough to have been treated as a person, not an illness.
Our limited mental health vocabulary means that describing our symptoms often gets lost in translation.
I discovered this the hard way.
For years I was treated for different diagnoses. I was prescribed a variety of medications, therapies and treatment for very different conditions, when in fact my symptoms remained pretty much the same. They just varied in degrees of severity.
I still had panic attacks, but now they ranged from minor heart palpitations to full-on hyperventilation. At the time I was being treated for depression, my panic attacks got so bad I would hit my head against a wall in a desperate attempt to make them stop.
I was embarrassed to admit this to a doctor. Shame and guilt washed over me. I didn’t want my friends or family to worry, I didn’t want to push them away. I didn’t want them to think I was attention-seeking, or doing it on purpose to manipulate them. Eventually I decided to be honest, I didn’t want it to have a hold on me anymore.
I told my doctor. But it didn’t fit the bill for a depressive, so it was dismissed.
When my symptoms worsened, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and hospitalised. Relieved to have a new diagnosis, I kept quiet about anything that didn’t match, terrified I would have the label taken from me.
I had symptoms I didn’t talk about. They didn’t fit into the predetermined list of ‘qualifications’ for bipolar. I wanted so desperately to fit in because I so desperately wanted to get better.
I spent two years being heavily medicated and treated for bipolar disorder, a condition I never had.
I’ll never get that time back. But I can try and make sure it wasn’t a complete waste.
In hindsight, there were very clear indicators that I wasn’t receiving the right treatment. Hindsight is useless for me but by talking about my experiences, I hope to make it useful for someone else.
My entire life I had doctors trying to make me fit a diagnosis, rather that finding a diagnosis that fit me. I’m glad to say I’m now lucky enough to have been treated as a person, not an illness.
To anyone reading this who is struggling with their diagnosis, stick in there. Be honest with yourself, be honest with your doctor and be honest with those closest to you. Never feel like you’re making a fuss.
Never feel like there is an issue to small to mention. You are not alone. You are not an imposter. You are worthy of health and happiness.
I wish I had been able to communicate what I was going through to my family and doctors. I wish there were more words to describe the sliding scale of depression because one word doesn’t do it justice.
I’m not suggesting our attitudes are an easy thing to fix but we have to start somewhere and educating ourselves beyond depression and anxiety will help that. At school, in the media and with each other. It’s a learning curve, but we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface.
‘Depression’, as we currently define it, can last for minutes, days or years. It can manifest itself physiologically and psychologically or both. It can lead people to cry, to lose their personalities or even their lives. Which is why one word, one definition, one singular diagnosis isn’t enough.
The way we approach mental health needs a serious shake up. A new system of identifying and categorising conditions is vital. We must also erase the stigma associated with certain symptoms so that people feel able to accurately describe that which cannot be seen.
If you’ve ever wanted to know whether you’re dating the right girl or not, one Twitter user has come up with a solution for you: His ‘book’ ‘Nails at First Sight’.
A man who goes by the name of Rocky has created a ‘survival guide’ for his ‘bros’ to help them decide whether to invest time in a woman or not, based on their choice of false nails.
Rocky created a video showing off his guide, alongside the caption: ‘Tired of chasing the wrong girl? Just found out your girl is psycho? Want to know the signs before making that investment? My book “Nails At First Sight” will help you.’
He says he did ‘countless hours of research’ into the nails, before letting us all know that apparently, if you have nude nails, you’re safe.
If someone’s nails are black or white, they could be dangerous, and if they’re yellow? Well, apparently, if they’re yellow you should stay the hell away.
He said: ‘If she has the courage to get yellow nails, she has the courage to chop off your balls’. Interesting.
(Picture: @ItsRockkky)
He also went on to talk about the various shapes.
While square and rounded nails seem to be safe, Rocky says you should stay away from pointed nails, such as the stiletto shape, saying that they are ‘meant to hurt you’.
And apparently, the size of the nail says a lot about a woman.
For instance, regular false nails usually say a woman is a pumpkin spice latte lover, while apparently women with medium nails like ‘vacations with old men’. Hmmm.
And it gets worse.
When it comes to long nails, these say the girl’s ex boyfriend is in jail and that they’re a ‘twerk master’.
Rocky’s video has been pretty successful so far, as it’s currently between retweeted by more than 88,000 people and liked by more than 240,000.
And since, women have been replying with pictures of their own nails:
We’d just like to say that ladies, you do you when it comes to your nails. Go for the long. Go for the yellow. Who cares what people assume – go for the colours and the lengths you like.
Welcome to Spill it… (Pictures: Shutterstock/Metro)
Spill it is a new series where we get people to anonymously tell us about their drinking habits.
We’re talking to men and women from all over the UK (unless anyone volunteers from abroad in which case we’re going international) about how much they really drink.
Not how much they tell their doctor they drink, or a rough guesstimate – but the unvarnished boozy truth.
This week we’ve got a 27 year old writer from London, who we’ve dubbed Claudia.
Friday
This week has been absolutely mad, so decide to have night in with husband. Am terrible at having a Friday night in because am convinced that everyone else is having amazing fun without me and I’m the only loser stuck in watching Graham Norton.
Wake up hungover from party the night before to celebrate a big work project. Spend the day ‘working’ from home, which means having rows on Twitter, drinking three diet cokes to try and ease the hangover and eventually having a long hot shower to try and rid myself of the hangover grime.
Husband comes home around six thirty and I open a bottle of my current favourite wine, Souverin. It’s a really buttery Chardonnay.
It’s £10.50 a bottle so try not to neck it. Husband and I share the bottle between us between 6.30 and bedtime around 11.30. I make meatballs and we watch a truly brilliant/s**t program about mermaids.
Saturday
After Thursday’s big party and Friday’s half bottle of wine I’m feeling a bit poisoned. I wake up, drink a load of San Pelligrino and then call an Uber to Fulham (a long way, but I feel grimy and hungover and can’t face the tube.)
Arrive at Fulham for childhood best friend’s birthday brunch. She has already poured me a glass of Prosecco. I don’t actually like Prosecco (too sweet) but it’s very cold and everyone else is drinking so I have a glass.
I order a diet coke with my food (croque madame) which is both flat and warm. Perfect.
Bill comes and best friend insists on paying for everyone. Call an UberXL to take us over to the pub where the next part of her birthday is happening.
Pub is absolutely rammed because of the rugby. Husband arrives wearing Welsh rugby regalia. Immediately start worrying that husband will be lynched if Wales win.
I order a Peroni from the bar for husband and a half for myself. Decide after a few sips that Peroni isn’t doing it for me so give it to husband and order a passion fruit martini. Bartender looks very sad when I say this, so change order to Blood Orange Cosmo which is on tap. It tastes like juice.
At half time husband is in foul mood as Wales are losing. Wales then pull it back in the end and husband is delighted, orders another beer to celebrate. Someone gives me a glass of Prosecco which I tip into my Cosmo to try and disguise the taste.
We leave the bar around six and go to the Everyman in Kings Cross to watch The Basis of Sex. I have a fizzy water and pee about fifteen times during the course of the film because of all the Cosmos.
Sunday
Sunday means Sunday Lunch. Today we’ve got my sister and two of our close friends coming over. I’m making roast lamb and dauphinoise. Husband and I have a slow start in the morning, after we’ve had sex, showered and eaten a hot cross bun each it’s almost midday. I spend the morning prepping lunch and listening to Radio 4 while my husband tidies the house.
Friends arrive with champagne. We drink three bottles between five while sitting on our balcony and smoking too much. We then move on to white wine. I have a glass and a half.
I serve lunch around five (it’s sort of lunch, sort of supper) and we open two more bottles of red wine. I have two glasses.
After lunch we go back out to the balcony for a cigarette, but we’re all so full of wine and food that we’re almost falling asleep. Everyone leaves around eight. Husband and I tidy up a bit and get into bed for a gloriously early night around half nine.
Monday
I work from the office on Monday and Friday, which means Monday is an early start. I get up a bit after six, look at my phone for a few minutes and then get ready for work. I’m a bit hungover from the night before, so I weaken and call an Uber.
When I’m still writing #viralcontent in my 80’s it’ll be because I spent my pension fun on Ubers.
After work I get home before my husband, prep supper (Fajitas) and watch Gossip Girl. He comes home, we stay off the booze.
Tuesday
There is only one Diet Coke in the house so I have to ration myself. I could probably drink three if I gave myself permission.
I’m working from home today. A quick radio discussion, send some invoices, some work on my next book proposal, and a bit of house tidying. Quite a few episodes of Gossip Girl, too.
Husband is home around seven. I make aubergine parmigiana and we don’t drink alcohol.
Wednesday
Working from home again, this time on the copyedit for my next novel. Get engrossed in it so don’t get dressed or put on a bra until after lunch. Eat Weetabix for lunch and indulge in long fantasy about someone making a film of my first novel.
Meet husband at the pub just before seven. I order a double gin and soda water because I hate tonic. Friend arrives and orders a glass of wine. Husband has a beer.
We have drinks outside, I smoke a couple of cigarettes and revel in how warm it is. Catch up with friend about what is going with her. Her new(ish) boyfriend arrives and to my relief he is absolutely lovely.
We order a bottle of wine to share between two during the quiz, while our other halves drink beer (what a cliche). We win a quiz question which means we get free shots. I don’t really want tequila on a Wednesday night but when in Rome.
We don’t usually drink on Wednesday or Thursday, but this week seems to be a boozy one.
We come second in the quiz, much to my surprise, and win a £14 bar tab, which we spend on a large glass of wine each. I am very drunk by now.
Thursday
I get some disappointing news in the morning to do with my mortgage application. Spend most of the day feeling sorry for myself.
Husband bumps into my sister and her best mate on the way home from work so they all go to the pub. I’ve made quite a labour intensive curry ahead of husband coming home, so am not best pleased. After a brief row on Whatsapp I call an Uber to go and join them. We drink two bottles of wine between four, and eat three packets of Mini Cheddars.
Stumble home from pub when the beer garden closes and eat reheated curry while watching Alan Partridge. Curry is bloody good, though I say so myself.
Friday
Surprisingly not hungover, must have drunk a lot of water last night. Call Uber to go to work because I’ve spent about seven million quid this week and I’m never going to get a mortgage so shouldn’t bother about saving money.
It’s currently only mid afternoon so unsurprisingly I haven’t had a drink yet. Will have a glass of wine, possibly two, this evening when I get back to my parents’ house in the country. And will then resolve to do better next week.
Units drunk: 29
Units advised by doctors: 14
Next week we’ll be speaking to another drinker about their units.
A couple have a pet raccoon, and they say he’s just like their child.
Two-year-old Tema is a playful raccoon who has a hobby of destroying the house he shared with his owners Elena and Oleg Troskina, who live in the city of Kemerovo, Russia.
The animal isn’t very well behaved – as he eats the furniture – but his owners love him anyway.
A recent video even shows Tema digging a hole into the sofa and then sliding into it to hide.
(Picture: Elena Troskina/Caters News)
But Elena said Tema is as clever as a three-year-old child and can open doors, switch on the oven and run water himself.
The blogger and former model, 35, said: ‘Raccoons are pretty difficult animals to have at home.
‘They need constant communication and attention, you need to spend at least a couple of hours a day playing with them.
‘When you have one, you need to forget about normal furniture and all your doors must be locked.
(Picture: Elena Troskina/Caters News)
‘You can’t have a holiday and ask your neighbour to come and feed your pet, as within two weeks a raccoon will be wild again.
‘All my evenings are busy giving him attention, if you don’t give it in the afternoon and evening he will demand it in the night.
‘I still love him very much though, I don’t remember my life before him.’
Elena and Oleg, 27, got Tema when he was eight weeks old after buying him from a zoo.
But when he was sent to the couple from Moscow by train, he was so small he could fit in their hands and had to be fed every two hours.
She added: He is very social, but I am his favourite family member.
(Picture: Elena Troskina/Caters News)
‘We have no conflicts with him, he understands everything but of course can be as much of a nuisance as any other kid.
‘Raccoons are a pretty clever animals, they are as clever as a three-year-old child.
‘Tema can open any door himself, run the water or switch the oven on.’
Elena said true to his breed’s stereotype, Tema eats everything – with cookies, fresh quail eggs, fresh fish and grapes some of his favourite foods.
(Picture: Elena Troskina/Caters News)
And she admitted the he has full run of their flat, which they also share with a dog and a cat, despite having his own house on their balcony.
Elena added: ‘Sometimes Tema sleeps next to my head, sometimes on the sofa.
‘I can say one thing – if I knew everything about raccoons I do now before I adopted him, I would never have done it.
(Picture: Elena Troskina/Caters News)
‘Everyone thinks they are cute but no one thinks about how hard they are to keep at home.
‘He made our life change suddenly – now we need to think ‘raccoon’ when we plan anything.
‘But already, I am scared to think there will be a time when he will pass away.
‘I love him and will never give him to anyone, he is like a child to me.’
Writer James Felton is the evil being who decided to inflict this monstrosity upon us, tweeting: ‘Milk coke is a real thing. Brummies love it. We can all move on from this discussion now, I will be taking no further questions.’
Of course, we cannot simply ‘move on from this discussion’.
We are repulsed, horrified, and disturbed. And intrigued.
Is ‘milk coke’ really a common thing sipped by those from Birmingham? I tried to ask the Birmingham local who usually sits by my desk, but he was off ill. I’d also seen murmerings that milk coke is enjoyed by the Scottish. And the two Scottish people near me are also off sick. Is this some kind of conspiracy?
We took to Twitter and Instagram to search #milkcoke, certain that someone most have posted a photo of their favourite beverage on social media. On Twitter, the only results were from those responding to James Felton. But on Instagram, we found the truth.
Milk coke is indeed a thing, but it appears to be popular in Thailand and China, not Birmingham.
Traditional milk coke is made with condensed milk, rather than regular semi-skimmed, giving it a creamy consistency not unlike the dregs of a coke float. It actually looks rather good.
But this is not the milk coke we are interested in. No, we want the pure evil concoction of a can of coke swished around with some milk from the fridge.
We decided we must try milk coke for ourselves, and witness what toxic poison we shall bring into the world.
Will it curdle? Yes.
Will it form strange, chewy clumps? Absolutely, if you leave it for 20 minutes or so.
But does it taste good? This is the big question.
What we think of milk coke
Ellen: ‘This tastes like a melted ice cream coke float. I don’t mind it.’
Here is Rebecca Reid drinking milk coke. As you can see, she enjoys it greatly (Picture: Ellen Scott/Metro.co.uk)
Rebecca: ‘Milk is gross. Full fat coke is gross. Shockingly the combination of the two is even worse. I would have to be paid a significant sum of money to drink it again, though I admit that the concept is worse than the flavour.’
Aaron enjoyed the milk coke, but he also ate spaghetti topped with pink foam shrimp last night and thus we cannot take his opinion seriously.
A modern day ‘witch’ who ‘cosmically ordered’ her boyfriend, cementing their relationship with a ‘magic spell’, claims her occult powers ensured her new man was the equal of Tom Hiddleston.
Just two weeks after casting a spell to find her perfect man, Kate Goth, 30, from Devon, found Adam Taylor, 33, on Tinder.
He turned out to be the perfect match – especially as he’s a practicing Norse pagan.
A lifelong fan of witchcraft, she explained: ‘I had suffered a few heartbreaks and so wrote down in my journal that I was off men for good. I would only accept a man whose charm and wit were the equal of my imagined vision of actor Tom Hiddleston.
‘Then, a fortnight later, along came my very own Tom Hiddleston in the form of Adam, who worked in a furniture warehouse and was living 25 miles away in Tavistock.’
Not keen to leave the progress of her romance down to fate, Kate, who only ever dresses in black or white and has pagan tattoos across her body, used her magical abilities to bring them closer.
She said: ‘I went to this tree in the woods just outside Totnes, where I often go to perform magic rituals.
‘I began by casting a protection spell around me and then placed down on the ground some bread and herbs as an offering along with three coins. Each one represented a desire – for abundance in fortune, happiness for my friends and family and abundance in love.
‘Then a week later Adam was made redundant from his job in Tavistock and came over to live with me in Totnes.
‘I later told him what I had done and he was a little shocked – but that was back in May 2018 and we joke about it now!’
Kate spent her childhood moving around the world – living in Hong Kong, Holland and Scotland, because of her dad and then her step-dad’s jobs, as they both worked in the Royal Air Force.
But her interest in witchcraft was awoken at the age of eight, after her mum Karen Bailey told her they were related to the Pendle witches – 10 women and men from Lancashire who were executed in 1612 on a charge of murder by witchcraft.
‘That got me very interested in the idea of witchcraft, so I started researching it in books and on the internet,’ recalled Kate, who remembers herself being an ‘odd child’ who did not fit in with other children her age.
(Picture: PA Real Life/@thewitchwench)
‘Fairly soon after that I began practising myself, using crystals to keep negativity away and for protection, along with divination techniques such as tarot card reading, to help understand the present and the future better.’
Though her parents and her two brothers accepted her new interest, believing it to be ‘just a phase,’ her schoolmates were less understanding.
Kate said: ‘I wasn’t particularly in to the things that other kids my age were and I remember being teased and bullied at school for not knowing who the Spice Girls were.
‘Then, when I said to someone that I was a witch, they just laughed and asked if I was going to turn them into a frog.
‘They just didn’t believe or understand any of it.’
Despite resolving to keep her magical ways to herself after that, she felt ’empowered’ by the knowledge that she was part of a tradition of women who had been ridiculed by society for their beliefs.
And when, eventually, she moved to Totnes – a town once hailed by Time Magazine as the New Age capital of Britain – in 2011, she felt totally comfortable being open about her craft.
‘Everyone in Totnes is much more tolerant than in other places where I have lived,’ explained Kate, who moved to the market town for work at a nursery.
(Picture: PA Real Life/Emma Stoner)
‘I dress quite conspicuously and before living here, people used to shout at me in the street. Here, though, complete strangers say good morning to each other.’
Kate is now happy telling both friends and strangers about her witchy way of life, although she prefers to practise alone and not within a coven.
Emphasising the importance of the natural world in modern-day witchcraft, Kate spends much of her time gathering herbs and plants for use in remedies, which she brews at home and gives to her friends when they are unwell.
‘For common colds, I will quite often make a nettle and wild garlic soup, which is really good for soothing it,’ said Kate, who gets the recipes for her herbal infusions from books on witchcraft and folk medicine.
‘I recently had a urinary tract infection, too, so I made a special tea using cleavers, nettles, corn silk and dandelions.
‘Within a couple of days it had completely gone.’
She also uses the local plant life for what she calls ‘supernatural spring-cleaning’, explaining how she wraps bundles of dry herbs into ‘smudge sticks,’ setting fire to them and wafting the smoke around her home to clear it of any bad energy.
(Picture: PA Real Life/@thewitchwench)
‘If I’ve, say, had an argument with Adam, I use smudge sticks to clear the air, while saying a spell,’ she explained.
‘But sometimes these spells can be quite passionate and once my housemate was a little surprised to come home and hear me screaming, “you can all just f*** off!” at the bad spirits.’
While Kate feels more accepted than she has ever been and says her beliefs are now fully backed by her family, she still comes up against suspicion and fear.
‘I was at a funeral not long ago and met a woman there who asked if I was a Christian,’ she recalled.
‘When I replied that I was a pagan and a witch she immediately responded viciously saying, “You must be a devil worshipper then!”
‘I politely informed her that I do not worship the devil and left it at that.’
Kate wants people to know that there’s nothing evil about what she does – and she uses her spells for good.
She said: ‘There are good people and bad people in the world, so of course there are some bad witches.
‘But it is entirely down to the person using the magic to decide, and for me, personally, I think that it makes me a better person.
‘So I don’t feel the need to defend myself all the time about it – I am a very good witch and that’s all there is to say.’
Children will often wear what they want and take off whatever clothes they don’t.
One set of parents found that their three-year-old daughter loves running around the house naked.
While the mum found it adorable and funny to see the toddler zoom around the sitting room in the buff, the dad didn’t like it.
He decided to tell the youngster off for her ‘nasty’ habit. That riled up the mum, who accused the dad of body-shaming their young daughter.
The mum had felt practical advice, such as telling her to not hang out naked because of health and hygiene, would be much better than simply labeling it nasty.
Posting the interaction on a Reddit forum, the mum revealed how the couple ended up fighting over the incident. She recounted how she told her husband that ‘nasty’ was the wrong word to use to describe an innocent habit while the dad was angry about being corrected in front of their child.
The online community had thoughts on the matter. Some felt one remark would cause internalising body shame while others talked about the importance of a united front.
(Picture: Getty)
‘Last night when she got off the potty, our daughter ran around naked and my husband told her to put on her pants as it was approaching dinner time,’ wrote the mum.
‘After telling her to put on her pants she ignored him and kept running. Then he told her something like “that’s nasty; you need to wear pants”.
‘I said: “That’s not nasty. There’s not one nasty thing about our baby girl.” Then I told my daughter we are about to eat and we wear pants at the dinner table in case we spill hot food on ourselves and she put on her pants and helped set the table.
‘I explained that he should tell her it’s too cold to be without pants or it’s unhygienic at the dinner table, but not to use the word “nasty” as I don’t want her to feel shame about her body.
‘He explained that he is her father and when I contradict him in front of her that undercuts his role, and I said, “And I’m a mother and a woman. I protect her like you do too but I also know what it’s like to have a complex about your body and that’s not what I want her to even think about at three”. Then my husband said we shouldn’t discuss it in front of her so we changed the subject.’
Some people agreed with the dad that disagreements should be discussed away from the child.
One person advised phrasing it in a nicer way to advise the daughter but also not contradict the husband.
‘Say something like: “Daddy means that it’s not clean to eat without clothes, because we might have germs that get us sick”.
‘Do you want her scratching her bare butt at the dinner table, and then picking up her chicken nuggets right after?
‘Also if you knew she was ignoring him, why didn’t you back him up right away? Why only interject when he said something that rubbed you the wrong way rather than when your daughter is ignoring her father?’
Others felt that she was right to question it and that children should be exposed to disagreements.
‘Why is everyone saying you need a “united front” like you’re fighting a war between parents and kids. It’s actually really helpful for kids to see disagreements and how to resolve them.’
Others felt it was a body-shaming comment: ‘Girls don’t need any incentive in this world to feel bad/ashamed about their bodies, and reactions like his (especially from a parent) are the type of thing that shapes a child’s world view.’
While some said it depends on the type of bread i.e sourdough or a normal loaf, one woman wrote how different meals have different requirements: ‘I use three when making a chicken sandwich but four or five for butter or soft cheese, and six for grilled cheese sandwiches.’
The most popular answer seemed to be six, a light golden colour with white edges, enough to make it toasty but neither too soft nor burned.
Three was also a popular choice.
A very few questionable people voted nine, though they may be joking (we hope).
One thing seemed clear; people were absolutely unmoving in their opinions on toast.
Someone even suggested adding this diagram to dating profile settings: ‘This could be a dating site test. At least you would have that in common’.
Fair enough, it could be a good conversation starter.
Ultimately though, we might just have to accept that no one will quite get our toast just the way we like it (what to put on it or how much butter is a whole other conversation).
Whether you’re a two-er or six-er, we can all agree that toast is the best. Here is an appreciation gif:
While many joked about eating burnt toast, there may be some harmful side effects as over-consumption has been linked to cancer in the past.
The Food Standards Agency brought out guidelines that say we should avoid eating overcooked starchy foods – such as burnt toast or really crispy roast potatoes – in order to reduce our cancer risk.
The move came after a survey found the UK population is frequently eating many foods that contain acrylamide, a dark brown compound found in starchy items, linked to neurological damage.
So, you might want to avoid eating too many burnt toasts.
Famed for its fruity body butters and hemp body care range, The Body Shop has been a beauty store favourite on the British high street for years.
The affordable beauty brand have prided themselves on ethics and a cruelty-free beauty since 1976 and have gone from strength to strength, including their more recent move to Natura, who also owns Aesop.
They’re a 100% vegetarian beauty brand and last year took eight million signatures to the United Nations in a bid to ban animal testing in cosmetics globally. And over half of The Body Shop’s offering is vegan friendly.
What’s more, the products really do work, so it’s no wonder it’s a beauty brand we always come back to.
So today we’re letting the facts and figures do the talking and sharing with you The Body Shops best-selling products that sell in a matter of seconds.
Fight off your flakes and itchy scalp for good with The Body Shop’s best-seller Ginger Anti Dandruff Shampoo.
Blended with potent ginger from Sri Lanka, birch bark, white willow extracts and Community Trade honey, this shampoo treats, moisturises and even adds a shine.
Don’t just take our word for it, the shampoo has been rated five starts online with over 1,400 reviews expressing serious scalp satisfaction.
The Body Shop Ginger Anti Dandruff Shampoo, from £7.50, thebodyshop.com
Rumour has it that certain Duchess is a fan of The Body Shops Tea Tree Oil (yes, really) and it’s easy to see why.
Tea Tree is antibacterial, antiseptic, soothing and great at helping to battle blemishes, blackheads and oily skin.
And this green bottle is packed with 15,000 organic tea tree leaves, which are sustainably picked by The Body Shop’s Community Trade project in Kenya.
We like to use The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil as a targeted spot treatment by adding a splash to a cotton bud and applying directly to any blemishes to help keep them under control.
This year The Body Shop are celebrating 21 years of the iconic hemp body care range.
Funnily enough, when they first pioneered the cannabis-infused ingredient, one of their stores was raided in France and there was mass controversy.
But many years on, we’re wacky baccy and can’t get enough of the stuff, as it’s become a must-have for tackling dry, parched and inflamed skin, with one Hemp Hand Protector sold every nine seconds.
This 100% vegan face mask from The Body Shop is a firm favourite of many beauty bloggers and beauty editors alike.
Thanks to it’s bamboo charcoal, green tea leaves and organic tea tree oil enriched formula, it works wonders drawing out impurities and refining the skins texture.
The best-seller has been dubbed as ‘the best face mask ever’ among hundreds of reviews left by happy customers online.
And here at Metro, we love it’s ability to help decongest the skin without leaving it feeling tight and dry.
The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask, £17, thebodyshop.com
The Body Shops Drops of Youth Concentrate has risen in popularity with one now sold every 26 seconds.
The iconic formula is enriched with Community Trade organic babassu oil from Brazil and three plant stem cells known for their regenerative properties. And hydrates, minimises the appearance of fine lines and protects the skin against harsh environmental factors.
And it’s that good, that The Body Shop have released the new Drops of Youth Sheet Mask (£5), which infuses 70% of a 30ml bottle of the concentrate into your skin for immediate results. Plus, it’s compostable, so once you’re done you can pop it in your compost bin.
Attention, cat lovers: Urban Outfitters is now selling hats for your cat, and they’re adorable.
Yep, you can now have an actual cat in a hat, as the fashion brand has launched some very cute caps that will look lovely on your kitty.
The teeny caps come in yellow, brown and cream, and you can choose from a yellow duck or teddy bear hats.
The product description says: ‘Delight your kitty cat with this little Rilakkuma-inspired cap that fits right on their noggin as long as they can stand it, for maximised kitten cuteness.
(Picture: Urban Outftters)
What could be better than a cat in a hat? As a special surprise, we’ll pick out one of three assorted designs just for you!’
One customer wrote: ‘I bought this hat for my two cats and even though they find it slightly uncomfortable they look so cute in it! this also fits my dog who is a Jack Russell so if you want a hat for a small dog it should also fit.
(Picture: Urban Outftters)
‘Great quality, worth the £10! very soft material, velvety feel to it. You can’t choose what design arrives but I got the yellow ducky and I’ve got to say i’m very pleased.
‘Really cute for any pet lover for a cute and cosy gift xx VERY INSTA WORTHY!!!’
An online tutoring agency is launching a new service where children can be tutored while playing video games, such as Fortnite, Apex Legends and Call of Duty.
Tutors on Tutor House can earn £40 an hour teaching children through this method, after research showed that one hour of video gaming can actually increase the brain’s ability to focus.
Tutors will be expected to teach subjects such as maths, English and languages, while gaming with the child.
The service comes after recent research revealed that expert gamers had ‘more brain activity associated with attention than non-experts’, and that one hour of video gaming can increase the brain’s ability to focus through an improvement in visual selective attention.
Other research shows that 12 to 15-year-old’s consumption of video games has increased from 10.7 hours a week on average in 2013, to 12.2 hours a week in 2017.
(Picture: Getty)
After discovering this research, Tutor House decided to create a service that takes advantage of the time children spend playing action video games as well as its ability to increase their visual selective attention.
The service will involve a tutor discussing the learning material with their student whilst playing the action video game, in between taking regular breaks to complete the learning material.
And the best part? You can do it from home.
Gaming tutors can deliver this new service remotely through online gaming channels, or in person. In person gaming tuition will cost parents £50 an hour, and remote gaming tuition £40 an hour.
But there are a few things you’ll need to do to land a job: You must have your own console, and the desired game once hired by the parent.
You’ll also have to upload a CV stating your qualification, what subjects you teach and what games and consoles the kids wll have access too. You’ll also need to disclose your gaming ability on your CV – so don’t be saying you’re a professional at Call of Duty if you haven’t got past level one.
If you think this role is for you, you can apply here.
Alex Dyer, founder of Tutor House said: ‘There are loads of children who cannot concentrate in usual teaching environments, however that is normally the only option they’re given.
‘We should always be thinking of new ways to make learning more enjoyable for children and, as kids spend a lot of their free time on video games now, it seemed like a great idea to combine the two.
‘We’re hoping that by offering children a ‘gaming’ tutor, it’ll get them more excited for learning and help their brains function more efficiently, like what this new research suggests. I’m looking forward to seeing what the outcome is!’
If you were an avid traveller or enjoyed the odd holiday before the year 2001 you might remember the old carrier Trans World Airlines.
Sadly for the aircraft company, it ceased operation that year and the terminal dedicated to it at John F Kennedy had been abandoned for the last 18 years.
But it has recently rebranded as a swanky hotel themed around the swinging 60s.
The airport’s first hotel will pay homage to the former occupant as it has been named TWA.
The project is part of a large-scale renovation project worth $265 million (£199m).
Soon you can stay in one of their 512 guest rooms with views of Manhattan or for the aerophiles, rooms of JFK’s runways as well as TWA’s flight centre.
You can expect a 10,000 square-foot rooftop observation deck with pool, six restaurants and eight bars, and a massive red lounge transformed from check-in desks that’ll make all your Insta pics bang.
Futuristic architecture or navigation lovers will also like the flight theme as the hotel also comes with a museum devoted to the Jet Age, TWA and the modern design movement.
(Picture: David Mitchell/TWA Hotel/Cover Images)
Once one of the country’s largest airlines, TWA began operations in 1930 and shut its doors in 2001; the Flight Center at JFK closed that same year.
The expansive space has since been re-purposed to try and capture the glamour of air travel in the 1960s.
The TWA Flight Center was designed by renowned architect Eero Saarinen and built in 1962 – just as air travel was becoming commonplace for the general public.
(Picture: David Mitchell/TWA Hotel/Cover Images)
The lobby features some of the original waiting area seating, while the music of the era – such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and the Beatles – plays in the background.
If you want to know more about the Jet Age, the hotel museum has mid-century TWA on display. You can see the uniforms flight attendants wore, with the furniture and travel posters of the time is available for view.
To add to the retro-inspired aesthetic, you can even make local or international calls on a rewired rotary phone.
(Picture: Max Touhey/TWA Hotel/Cover Image)
And don’t worry, you won’t be deafened by the sound of jet planes as rooms have been fitted with a special glass called Fabrica.
You can book a room at the luxury boutique hotel from 15 May 2019 on their website.
The excitement that comes from knowing you have your own little human growing inside of you. The comfiness of the maternity clothes. The pregnancy glow that everyone constantly compliments you on.
However, there’s also the sleepless nights, trying to get comfy with your big bump, the not being able to see your toes in the shower and, of course, the impossibility of shaving your legs.
But one company on Amazon has come to the rescue with a new gadget to help pregnant women shave their legs – if that’s something you’re still bothered about doing.
The Giraffe Razor Extension Handle is a large handle that holds your razor and allows you to shave your legs without having to bend over or get into any uncomfortable positions.
The handle adds 15-20 inches in length to the razor handle, and means you don’t have to bend at the waist at all.
(Picture: Amazon)
The gadget accommodates both men’s and women’s razors, and also has a no slip grip with a rubber finish, meaning you don’t need to worry about slipping and having to bend over to pick it up. Amazing.
The pivoting head of the extended razor holder rotates to 30 inches, and a 45 or 90 degree angle, meaning it maximises flexibility when shaving.
So far, the product has received incredible reviews – from both pregnant women and from people with health problems.
One person wrote: ‘This product is AMAZING! Having suffered with a bad back for a few years now shaving in the shower always proved tricky. I find this product has made shaving a breeze, no more bending over in shower so no sore back after shaving. Highly recommend.’
Another person said: ‘It’s a little expensive, but this product has been a lifesaver. I’m only in my 30’s and had a hip replacement and can’t bend past 90 degrees.
(Picture: Amazon)
‘This product has allowed me to have nice smooth legs without asking anyone for help. After the first use I wasn’t sure if this was a good buy, but after a few uses I got the hang of it.
‘The handle bends in various positions which makes it easier to reach my calfs [sic] when sitting. I’ve also used several different disposable razors and have not had a problem with them fitting. I would definitely recommend this product.’
One woman who bought the gadget for her daughter wrote: ‘I gifted this to my pregnant daughter and she says it’s amazing! The length is adjustable as well as the tilt of the part that attaches to the razor.’
The razor extender is currently selling on Amazon for £39. Yes, it’s a little expensive but it will save you the tricky bump in the road of being able to shave.
You’re trying to get through each day; navigating sweaty armpits on the train, battling over the food you should have and what you actually want to eat, as you’re being mercilessly reminded every time you spend money by your banking app.
On top of that, deadlines and meetings are piling up, and then you’ve got to rush for the train, or battle in traffic, meet your friends (who appear to have time to still look glam) as you’re counting how many minutes before you have to try to get home for the bedtime story.
And that’s before you even start to tackle the washing or load the dishwasher. Did we forget to walk the dog?
Then life throws you a curveball; you get that burning sensation, and you are running to pee every five seconds.
Cystitis, a type of urinary tract infection (UTI), hits out of nowhere, what do you do next? Do you have to see a doctor? All you want to know is how to make it better.
Well, Boots have come up with a solution to help.
Cystitis is a really common condition that causes discomfort for a lot of women so you’re not alone, even though it feels like it when your pee is burning. Sorry, it turns out downing endless pints of cranberry juice doesn’t help much either. Science, eh? But fear not, it’s usually easy to treat and it just got easier. Which is fine for us to say when we’re not currently sitting crossed-legged in a cold sweat in fear of the next stinging wee. But bear with us.
In selected stores in London and Sheffield, Boots has launched a Cystitis Test & Treat Service, which means if you’re a woman between the ages of 16 to 64, you can get the advice and treatment you need without having to book to see your GP.*
In selected stores in London and Sheffield, Boots have a Cystitis Test & Treat Service for women aged 16-64 to help you in your time of need
Often it can be embarrassing to think about dealing with issues ‘down there’, but this is straightforward and discreet. You can pick up a Dip UTI urine test kit (£9.99) after a short conversation with one of our specially trained pharmacy advisors to check suitability. You will need to download the free accompanying app (compatible smart phone required), follow the instructions and use the test when and where it suits you and then bring the results – which will be shown in the app- back to the in-store Boots pharmacist.
They can then talk you through the next steps and advise on the treatment, which might include prescription medication which the Boots pharmacist can provide you with, if suitable* to help get you back on track. This part of the service costs £14.99 if prescription medicine is supplied**.
If your symptoms are severe or if you have signs of a possible kidney infection e.g. lower back pain, fever, flu-like symptoms, then you will be advised to see your GP.
Signs and symptoms of cystitis
The NHS website includes the following signs and symptoms of cystitis to help you spot the condition and get the help you need.
The main symptoms of cystitis include:
pain, burning or stinging when you pee
needing to pee more often and urgently than normal
urine that's dark, cloudy or strong smelling
pain low down in your tummy
feeling generally unwell, achy, sick and tired
Read more about the symptoms here, and find advice on when you should visit your GP.
*For women aged 16-64. Private service in selected Boots stores in Sheffield & London, subject to availability. Compatible smartphone required (download free app). Eligibility criteria & charges apply.
Men and children with symptoms of cystitis should always see a doctor.
**There is no charge for the pharmacist consultation if prescription medication is not supplied.
For more information about the Boots Cystitis Test & Treat Service and participating stores. Click here.
Victoria’s Secret announced its plans to close 53 stores this year as women ditch the celebrity model brand for startups and superstores.
The lingerie icon’s parent company, L Brands, announced a 7% drop in sales over their last quarter and 40% in the last year – although the company’s flagship brand, Bath and Body Works, continued to do well.
CNN Business cited the company’s failure to produce more custom-fitted bras, as well as its celebrity model advertising strategy, as reasons for the brand’s struggles.
Victoria’s Secret announced that it will be closing 53 stores this year because of decreased sales (Picture: AP)
Superstores like Walmart and Best Buy have been doing increased business recently, which points to a waning interest in whether millionaire models wear the brand.
Although a change in strategy appears necessary for the survival of Victoria’s Secret, which has stuck to the same marketing strategy for decades, it may not sit well with consumers.
‘People identify Victoria’s Secret with what it’s been for the last 20 years – very sexy and airbrushed models,’ said investment analyst Janine Stitcher.
‘If they were going to pivot now, I don’t think it would come off as authentic. They don’t have a great option.
Not only is the lingerie brand getting outpaced by superstores, but they are also starting to feel the heat from startups in the industry that feature everyday women as models.
Elsa Hosk walks the runway during the Fantasy Bra during 2018 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Pier 94 in New York. Consumers seem to be turned off by the celebrity model brand as of late (Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Victoria’s Secret)
Startups like Adore Me and Thirdlove have proved that consumers are more compelled to buy their intimate wear from a brand that does not boast unattainable beauty standards – they also sell a wider range of better-fitting bras.
Competative pricing has also played a part in Victoria’s Secret’s decline. Target launched a new underwear brand for women on Monday, which features bras that all cost under $22. Lululemon and Walmart have followed suit and alluded to plans to reduce pricing.
The brush looks and works an awful lot like one that GHD have brought out.
There is one very big difference between the two though, and it comes in the shape of the much smaller price tag.
Want to get your hands on one?
First of all, we don’t blame you. Second of all, stick around, because we’ve got what you need to know…
How much is Lidl’s new straightening brush?
Strap yourself in, because Lidl’s model of the brush is only £14.99 to GHD’s £125.
(Picture: Lidl)
That’s a whopping £110 cheaper than what GHD have to offer, even though a lot of the Lidl brush’s specs are the same.
The brush has a similar design to the GHD straightening brush, with added rose gold detailing.
It adds volume and body to the hair while, at the same time, the heated prongs straighten it.
Lidl’s version also features a ceramic heat pad, like the GHD brush, which is adjustable from 120 to 210 degrees – so you can keep your hair healthy by adjusting the heat to a setting that suits you best.
What Lidl stores stock the straightening brush?
Rejoice – all Lidl stores have the straightening brush, known as the Silvercrest Hair Straightening Brush, as long as their stocks last.
This isn’t the first Silvercrest brush to be released by Lidl either.
Last year, they offered a model of the brush for £9.99, and it got some stellar reviews.
Demonstrating it’s use for her viewers, YouTuber Bethany Mew said: ‘My hair looks smooth, and nice, and the only thing that I guess isn’t so good is that you can’t get super close to the curly bits.’
Bath Rugby is looking to pay someone to taste Thatchers Cider at their game with Bristol Bears at Twickenham this year.
They’re going to pay someone £200 for someone to sample the cider to ‘prove it’s perfect’.
Gallagher Premiership team, Bath Rugby has partnered with Thatchers to recruit a cider ‘taste’ officer for its annual event, The Clash, at Twickenham on 6 April.
The job will pay a flat rate of £200 for the day and will involve sampling the Thatchers that is used at The Clash, to confirm its quality is top notch.
To apply for the role, you have to be 18 years or older. Obviously.
You also have to be passionate about cider (we guess this just means it’s your go-to drink on a night out) and have a love for rugby.
No prior experience is required. Apparently. Though we’d suggest you get a good taste for cider, because you’ll be drinking it all day.
With the job, you’ll also get free entry to the event.
(Picture: Getty)
At the event, the new recruit will be sampling the Thatchers used on site before it’s sold to the public, to confirm the taste is to Thatchers’ high level of standard.
Bath Rugby and Thatchers endorses responsible drinking so the candidate will be required to take regular water breaks to re-hydrate, eat and watch parts of the game.
Of course, you won’t be able to drive home after the event, so you best beg your mum to give you a lift.
Game day gates open for pre-match entertainment at 11am, with the game kicking off at 2pm. The ‘taste’ officer will need to arrive at 10:30am and will be on shift for just a few hours, so they can still watch the game. After that they can head to the West Fan Village to enjoy the rest of their evening.
Ben Wells from Bath Rugby said: ‘I can’t think of a better way to come and cheer on the Blue, Black and Whites. To be honest, if I wasn’t working, I’d apply myself!
‘Tickets are selling out fast so fans who want to experience an action-packed day of professional rugby and family fun at the end of the season need to act soon.’
