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Two Swedish artists want to pay you £1,754 a month to do whatever you want

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How being unable to decorate the places we live is affecting us Metro illustrations (Picture: Ella Byworth/ Metro.co.uk)
(Picture: Ella Byworth/ Metro.co.uk)

What would you do if you had the money you need to live and were free to do whatever you want?

Perhaps you’d finally get cracking on that novel. Maybe you’d get more stacked than The Rock.

This isn’t hypothetical pub chat – you really could get paid to do anything you fancy. Or nothing at all, if you prefer.

Two Swedish artists are advertising a job that has no actual requirement of work.

Whoever lands the gig will get around £1,754 a month to do, well, anything, whether that’s lazing around watching Netflix or doing something super worthy.

The role of an ‘eternal employee’ is part of a conceptual art project by Simon Goldin and Jakob Senneby, who want to challenge our culture of productivity and low wages for doing work we hate.

The job offers quite a bit of security – it’s yours for the rest of your life if you want it, and if you decide to resign another person will take your place.

And, as we mentioned, there’s no pressure to actually do anything.

Each day the employee will turn up at Korsvägen, a train station in Gothenburg, Sweden. They’ll need to turn on the lights in the morning to show that they’ve arrived, and then they’re free to spend their day as they choose. They can leave, snooze, whatever – they just have to return to the station to turn off the lights and clock out at the end of the day.

‘The position holds no duties or responsibilities, other than that it should be carried out at Korsvägen,’ reads the job description. ‘Whatever the employee chooses to do constitutes the work.

The role will be based in a train station in Gothenburg (Picture: LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP/Getty Images)

‘The employment contract is full time and of indefinite duration. Should the employee resign or retire, a new employee is recruited.

‘Employment conditions correspond to that of an average public sector employee; including working hours, holiday entitlement, pension provision, notice period, etc. Annual wage increases aim to follow collective bargaining agreements.

‘What Eternal Employment proposes for Korsvägen is an anti-performance of indefinite duration. A single person with no script, no climax, no crescendo. Forever.’

There’s just the one catch: Applications for the position don’t open until 2025, so you’ll have to wait a while before you can quit the daily grind and fill your days with whatever you deem meaningful.

Anyone in the world can apply, although if you’re successful you’d need to move to Gothenburg in Sweden, and the artists want someone who will create their own projects and adventures to battle ‘boreout’ – stress caused by having nothing to do.

‘Eternal Employment not only offers a different understanding of work and the worker, but questions the very notions of growth, productivity and progress which are at the core of modernity,’ say the artists.

‘In the face of mass automation and artificial intelligence, the impending threat/promise is that we will all become productively superfluous. We will all be employed at Korsvägen, as it were.’

You’ve got six years to prep your vision for how you’ll spend your time, learn some Swedish, and apply in time for the job to start in 2026. Race you there.

MORE: Photos capture the pure joy of life’s happiest moments

MORE: People really, really enjoy slapping bags of rice at the supermarket apparently


Marc Jacobs Beauty will do three LGBTQ+ couples’ makeup for their wedding day for free

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(Picture: Getty)

Marc Jacobs Beauty will do three LGBTQ+ couples’ makeup for their wedding day, as part of a documentary that will be shown at New York City Pride in June.

The beauty brand is running a competition to find three couples who fancy having their wedding makeup done for free by Marc Jacobs Beauty artists, and having their special day filmed.

Only three couples will be selected, and because the documentary is for Pride, the couples do need to fit the LGBTQ+ umbrella. They’ll also need to be getting married this year, be US residents, and must be 18 or older (which makes sense, as they’re getting married).

To apply, couples have to fill out a form answering questions about their relationship. Questions include ‘what does marriage mean to you?’ and ‘what has your journey to marriage been like?’.

We expect the brand will be after pretty moving tales, so do apply if your relationship path is the stuff romantic movie plots are made of.

It’s a pretty sweet deal when you think about it. Wedding makeup is pricey and stressful to organise. Not only will this cut out the expense and the hassle, but the winning couple will get glorious makeup done – not many people can say they’ve been done up by Marc Jacobs Beauty.

The deadline for applications is 31 March 2019, so if you’re keen but currently uncoupled, you’d better pop the question quick and come up with a cute origin story.

MORE: Every product used to create Lady Gaga’s winning makeup look for the Oscars 2019

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MORE: Cult Beauty launches a ‘wellness’ range that’s all about sexual pleasure and vulvas

Is this picture of a doctor and nurse ‘in training’ sexist?

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A medical Twitter account shared a photo of two toddlers – a boy and a girl – holding hands in a hospital corridor.

They are both wearing adorable mini scrubs, but the messages emblazoned on the back of their outfits has sparked criticism online.

The boy’s green scrubs read, ‘Doctor in Training,’ while the girl’s pink scrubs say, ‘Nurse in Training’.

The post, shared by @TheMedicalShots, immediately provoked criticism with people questioning why we are assuming that the boy will be a doctor, while the girl can only train to be a nurse.

Not that being a nurse is a lesser role – but surely children should be given equal opportunities when it comes to aspirations?

Critics certainly thought so.

The picture was captioned with; ‘This is cute, isn’t it?’.

One Twitter user shot back; ”No it’s not. Why isn’t she a Dr as well? Or why is the boy not a nurse?’

‘The children are cute. The sexism on their backs is NOT,’ tweeted another.

‘How did you tweet this from the year 1950?’ wrote someone else.

And Twitter user @NotGeauxGabby laid down some serious facts: ‘It’s actually sexist as f*** and an inaccurate representation since, as of 2017, there are more women in medical school than men.’

Plenty of medical professionals got involved in the debate, drawing on their direct experience of sexism in their profession.

‘I’m a hospital doctor and even with my badge on my chest saying I’m a Doctor patients are always like “oh, are you the nurse/ pharmacist/ ward clerk?” It happens ALL the time,’ wrote one.

‘At my job we REGULARLY will have a female doctor and male nurse in a room and the patient assumes he’s the doctor even though she’s the one with the white coat on,’ added another.

The post has received more than 15,000 likes so far, so it’s clear that some people think it’s super cute.

So where do you fall on the debate?

MORE: Two Swedish artists want to pay you £1,754 a month to do whatever you want

MORE: Photos capture the pure joy of life’s happiest moments

MORE: Auntie asks whether she’s in the wrong for feeding vegan nephew meat

Students surprise their bullied classmate with a random act of kindness

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School is tough and kids aren’t always nice to each other.

One boy who knows that too well is Azrael Robinson, 15, who goes to LaVergne High School, Tennessee, U.S..

He had been bullied at a previous school so life in the classroom was hard.

But when his current classmates at a new school noticed he hadn’t been his usual cheerful self, they decided to do something to help him.

Two of his classmates organised a collection to get him a new pair of trainers, some shoes and some money to thank him for everything he does for everyone.

When they give him the gifts to open, he immediately burst into tears.

Students surprise classmate with random act of kindness. Azrael Robinson, 15, goes to LaVergne High School in La Vergne, Tennessee.
(Picture: Stephanie V. Myers)

One of his classmate’s sister’s posted the video on Facebook.

She said: ‘Today, my little sister sent me a video of what they did for one of their classmates, that’s having a hard time. They all got together and bought him some shoes, and also donated clothes to this kid.

‘This video is so emotional & filled with love. You just never know what kids go through, but it’s kids like them, that gives us hope.’

His biology teacher, Sonji Newman, told TODAY he goes out of his way regularly to help others.

‘If they don’t understand something, he’s the first one to help. If anything is dropped in the classroom, he’s the first one to pick it up. If a student is down, he’s the first one to say everything is going to be okay.

‘They just wanted to give to him to make him feel better about himself. He was so grateful and so full of love. He just appreciated it so much.’

His mum Traci also told the TV channel that he had been bullied at a previous school so this meant a lot to him.

She said she was so touched, she cried the whole way home.

MORE: Is this picture of a doctor and nurse ‘in training’ sexist?

MORE: Marc Jacobs Beauty will do three LGBTQ+ couples’ makeup for their wedding day for free

Husband asks why wife hasn’t lost weight after giving birth just two months ago

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Needless to say, commenters were not happy (Picture: Mmuffin)

After giving birth, the absolute last thing on your mind should be your weight.

In general, women are pressured to shed their ‘baby weight’ once they’ve had a child, and seeing celebrity ‘success stories’ on the pages of glossy magazines likely doesn’t help.

It gives the idea that your body will automatically bounce back after pregnancy (slyly omitting the celebs’ nannies, personal trainers, and cleaners), or that it even matters whether it does.

One woman on forum Mumsnet posted about her extremely sad experience with this just this week.

The user – who goes by MissPixxy – made her post on the ‘Am I Being Unreasonable?’ part of the site, which is commonly used for venting problems and finding out whether people’s reactions are irrational or understandable.

She told of how she had been with her husband for around five years, and given birth to her baby two months ago. During pregnancy, she’d put on around 3 stone 6, but managed to drop 2 stone since.

Her partner had been known to go on the Instagrams of ‘skinny’ women, and was caught messaging a woman saying how nice her arms were. However, it was his comment to his wife that riled the internet most – and for good reason.

The poster said: He said ‘I have a question. You lost all the fat and weight in the past for your ex. Why don’t you love me enough to do it for me?’

‘I was in shock and could not believe what I heard. In the past I had lost a lot of weight before I dated him, but that was early twenties and I ate nothing and was miserable all the time…that’s not a fair comparison.

‘I was in tears and told him that’s not fair. And he said it again. Why don’t I love him enough to lose the weight I gained.

‘It been a terrible night. I’ve been crying and he doesn’t care. Said if we didn’t have a child he would be sleeping at a hotel.’

The post goes on to explain how she believed her husband’s love wouldn’t be conditional on a weight gain – particularly while carrying a whole human being – and how her confidence was completely knocked by the comments.

Thankfully, commenters stepped in to let her know she definitely was not being unreasonable.

One said: ‘I bet you could lose 80Kg of unwanted flesh by tossing him out the window’, while another quipped: ‘Seeing as he gets on so great with skinny women tell him to piss off with them.’

Many people suggested that the user not be so hard on herself and realise that looking after a baby is hard enough work, without worrying about how slim you are.

Perhaps it’ll take this woman’s husband creating a brand new person and sustaining its life to get his head around the fact that a few stretch marks or belly rolls really don’t mean a single thing.

MORE: Students surprise their bullied classmate with a random act of kindness

MORE: Marc Jacobs Beauty will do three LGBTQ+ couples’ makeup for their wedding day for free

What I Rent: Shannon, £520 a month to share a two-bedroom flat in Manor House

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Shannon, Green Lanes
Shannon shares a two-bedroom flat in Manor Housem North London (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Living in London is expensive, and not just because of the price of a pint.

In our weekly series What I Rent, we take you around a different person’s rented property in the city to take an honest look at how much they’re paying and what they’re getting in return.

The idea is to create a better picture of renting, so newbies won’t be duped into paying thousands for a studio with a shower in the kitchen and people can figure out whether they’re really getting a good deal.

This week we’re at Shannon’s place. Shannon, 21, works in the music industry and moved to London from Liverpool last year. She shares a two bedroom flat in Manor House, Haringey, with someone she met through SpareRoom.

Shannon, Green Lanes
she pays £520 a month to share the flat with someone she met on SpareRoom (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Hi, Shannon! First things first – how much are you paying for this place?

I pay £520 pcm, which is a bit of a rarity.

My rent includes most bills except for internet and gas. Internet is £20 a month split between two people, then gas is quarterly which is usually around £40 each.

And what do you get for what you pay?

We have two bedrooms, one shared living room and one bathroom.

How did you find the flat?

I’ve lived here for almost six months now.

I found it through SpareRoom – this is where I’ve found any house share, even outside of London.

Shannon, Green Lanes
If you can’t guess by all the records, Shannon works in the music industry. She has done for four years (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Who do you share with?

I live with another female of a similar age. We didn’t know each other until I viewed the place but she’s lovely. We get along so it’s all good.

How have you made the flat feel like home?

Decorating is a big dealio for me otherwise I feel quite out of place. Plants are a given. Lots of posters, prints and records. My room is basically a museum of myself.

Are you happy where you live?

Definitely, I love the area. North London is generally one of my favourite parts of this city.

My previous living situation wasn’t working for me (just down the road) so I was lucky to find this place as I wouldn’t want to leave here any time soon.

There’s loads to do – there’s lots of pubs, cafes and restaurants – especially with Finsbury Park and Crouch End on your doorstep.

Ally Pally is super close too which is lovely in the Summer. Plus, it’s really easy to get around via public transport to most areas which is a dream for gigs.

Shannon, Green Lanes
Decoration is an important part of making the flat feel like home (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Do you feel like you have enough space?

Yep. We live on a first floor flat which seems snug but there’s only two of us so it works.

Are there any issues with the flat you have to put up with?

Not really. It’s an old Victorian house so heating can be a bit of an issue as it’s expensive when it’s cold outside but we’re pretty lucky otherwise.

Do you have any plans to move again? What about buying a place?

Nope, no plans. I’d love to have my own place eventually but that won’t happen for years unless I win the lottery.

I would love to buy a place in years to come but the financial climate for people my age doesn’t really accommodate that. I see myself having to rent for the foreseeable future. Plus, I’m not ready to tie myself down to an area just yet.

Let’s have a nose around, then. 

Shannon, Green Lanes
The flat is on the first floor of a Victorian house (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
Here’s the living room, complete with a fireplace, drinks cabinet, and dining table (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
Nice, right? (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
If you can count all the plants in this place, you win a prize. The prize is pride at a job well done (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
A dining table is a bit of a rarity in rented properties (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
We approve of these fridge magnets (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
Here’s the kitchen, painted a sunny yellow (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
Look at that range of breakfast options (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
Down the hallway we go (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
And here’s Shannon in her bedroom (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
Shannon describes her room as a museum of herself (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
We’d agree – look at all those posters and bits and bobs (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
We’re big fans of turning a fireplace into wine storage (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
See what we mean about the posters? (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
And here’s the bathroom (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
Does anyone else get strangely excited to see someone uses the same products as you? (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)
Shannon, Green Lanes
Wooden toothbrushes are in right now, tell your friends (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.

If you fancy taking part, please email whatirent@metro.co.uk.

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.

MORE: What I Rent: Alex and Andy, £1,400 a month for a maisonette in Hither Green

MORE: What I Rent: Pippa and Michael, £850 each for a two-bedroom house in Walthamstow

MORE: What I Rent: Lauren, Sarah and Graham, £780 a month each for a three-bedroom house in Highbury

Vegans say NHS scheme to give free milk to new mums should include plant-based alternatives

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(Picture: Getty)

The NHS might have had good intentions with its Healthy Start scheme – which aims to give new mums vouchers to spend on milk and other essentials – but it has come under fire by vegans who say it’s discriminatory.

The scheme allows pregnant mums and those with children under four to purchase cow’s milk, fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, and infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins.

But The Vegan Society has criticised the move for not including plant-based alternatives for vegan mums.

Parents and expectant mums have a choice to buy whole, skimmed or semi-skimmed milk but no almond or soya milk options are available.

Vegan activists have said that this is inadvertently discriminatory as vegan parents have to purchase their own plant-based products when the whole scheme is for those from low-income backgrounds who can’t afford daily essentials.

They also complained that the only vitamin D supplements available in the scheme is made from animal fat, again becoming inaccessible for those who don’t consume animal-based products.

The Society wrote a letter to the NHS to urge for vegan-friendly options to become available for such parents.

(Picture: Getty)

‘It appears that the Healthy Start voucher scheme could be inadvertently discriminatory,’ the letter reads. ‘It unfairly disadvantages vegans and the restriction on the purchase of milk is unjustified.

‘It is important for everyone to eat calcium-rich foods daily and fortified plant-based milk plays an important role in vegan nutrition.

‘In fact, the UK’s Eatwell Guide recognises that fortified plant-based milk represents a valuable alternative to cows’ milk.

‘Calcium content is comparable and the soya variety is similar to cow’s milk in terms of protein quantity and quality.

‘Another issue that affects vegans is that Healthy Start supplements contain vitamin D from animal fat, which means that the only vegan-friendly nutritional benefit of this scheme is free fruit and vegetables.

‘In order to meet national recommendations about supplementation of vitamins A, C, and D in under-fives, vegan parents/guardians have to purchase vegan-friendly drops.’

The letter also reminded the NHS that ‘the convictions of vegans come within the protection of the law’ and that they are legally bound to make sure vegans don’t experience unlawful interference or discrimination.

You can learn more about the Healthy Start scheme here.

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Viral challenge #TrashTag encourages teens to pick up litter

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Plastic Waste washed up at Greta Beach, Christmas Island, Australia
(Picture: Getty Images/WaterFrame RM)

An online challenge is calling on bored teens to use their spare time to clean up parks, beaches and other outdoor spaces by picking up litter.

People are being encouraged to take photos of spaces before and after cleaning them up to emphasise the transformation, tagging their pics with the hashtag #TrashTag.

The challenge actually dates back to 2015, but it has gained popularity through a recent Facebook post by Byron Román.

‘Here is a new #challenge for all you bored teens,’ wrote Byron. ‘Take a photo of an area that needs some cleaning or maintenance, then take a photo after you have done something about it, and post it.’

The post was shared 314,000 times, and hundreds of people have got involved in the challenge – doing their bit to remove rubbish from the outdoor spaces where they live.

The challenge has now migrated to Twitter where plenty of people are singing the praises of this eco-friendly viral trend.

‘#TrashTag is my favorite internet challenge ever and I cant wait to go to my favorite spots and contribute,’ wrote one Twitter user.

‘Freaking love this #trashtag movement. Bout time we got a #challenge actually worth doing,’ added another.

In a time when viral challenges are so often vacuous, silly, or downright dangerous – we think it’s great news that a challenge that could actually do some good in the world is taking off.

We all know that plastic is a serious problem for the planet, so why not get involved in the #TrashTag challenge and head to your nearest beach to pick up the worst of it. The local wildlife will thank you for it.

MORE: What I Rent: Shannon, £520 a month to share a two-bedroom flat in Manor House

MORE: Is this picture of a doctor and nurse ‘in training’ sexist?

MORE: Two Swedish artists want to pay you £1,754 a month to do whatever you want


Barber offers free condoms with every haircut but accidentally staples holes through them all

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(Picture: Jake Gamez)

This barber really has confidence in his skills.

Jake Gamez, 23, posted a picture of some condoms attached to a business card, suggesting that everyone who had a haircut with him would need one because y’know, a nice haircut makes all men irresistible.

He said: ‘Gotta include one of these with every card! You’re going to need it after I cut your hair. Trust me.’

Whether that is the case or not, we wouldn’t suggest anyone accepts his offer.

In his attempts to personalise the condoms and promote his business Fadeaway Barbershop in Texas, U.S., he stapled a card to each one – putting the staple right through the condom.

Even if you manage to unpick the staple, you are left with a condom with holes in it – which defeats its whole purpose.

Barber offers free condoms with every haircut - but accidentally puts staples through them all
(Picture: Jake Gamez)

Condoms with holes aren’t going to protect you from any STI or prevent pregnancy.

People on Twitter pointed out that maybe it was an attempt to create future business.

One said: ‘Wonderful… now you can bring your son to get a fade too!’

Another added: ‘Stapled it so he could get generations of clients; not to actually help them have safe sex.’

‘This guy knows business Step one – cut hair Step two – client uses condom Step three – cut clients hair then cut child’s hair. Step four – rinse and repeat,’ another said.

But it seems like Jake just embraced the joke, retweeting everyone who implied it was actually part of his business plan.

Maybe try some sticky tape next time, Jake.

MORE: Students surprise their bullied classmate with a random act of kindness

MORE: Husband asks why wife hasn’t lost weight after giving birth just two months ago

I’m touring the UK, imploring doctors to treat people like me as more than our illnesses

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Far too often, we get into the habit of defining a person by a disability, illness or condition they have (Photo: Chandos Green)

The most honest, open and natural conversation I have ever had with a doctor came as a shock to us both.

It was on the day of my brain surgery in July 2014.

The consultant came into the room where I was getting ready for the operation and explained, very naturally, the process of operating on my head, like it was as simple as baking a cake.

He asked if I had any questions. So with a slight pause, my mind engaged without consulting my mouth and I asked, ‘Am I going to die?’

It took myself, the doctor and my friend, who was also in the room, by surprise.

His response was probably the most sincere of any I have ever had from a doctor.

I thought he’d promise that it would all be okay, but he didn’t. He completely acknowledged the huge risk that came with the surgery, but ensured me he would try his best to make the operation a success.

In that second, I knew that things might never be the same. But some of the fear I had felt lifted, because I felt sure he hadn’t made any false promises. I believed that he was going to give me my best chance at surviving, with no false illusions.

I’m currently travelling around the UK talking to trainee doctors, health care professionals and social work students about the importance of never forgetting the person behind the diagnosis.

Far too often, we get into the habit of defining a person by a disability, illness or condition they have.

It felt like there was a large amount of professionals who saw me as just another patient, but failed to see me as a person (Picture: Chandos Green)

We do this rather than seeing the other complex areas of their lives, which all also deserve to be valued and respected.

Growing up, I had to spend more time than I would have liked in and out of hospitals. It felt like there was a large amount of professionals who saw me as just another patient, but failed to see me as a person.

This made me feel like I was seen as nothing other than my illness and left me questioning who I really was. Did everyone see my disability before they saw me?

This in no way has been the rule, and I have had some fantastic doctors and healthcare professionals who have treated me, not just my illness.

But we need to change the conversation in the medical profession from simply treating the disease to thinking about how we can make that person’s life spectacular.

How can we make it so that a person can live well with their illness or disability?

We are moving towards this, but I believe that from a personal perspective this is still a long way away.

Claire Wineland, an American activist and author who lived with cystic fibrosis, once said, ‘From the moment I was born, I did not care that I was sick or that I was dying. I was going to be okay.’

I think that often those working in medicine forget this, and that people can be ill and still have a beautiful life.

Often, the problem is that professionals seek to find a ‘cure’, or some kind of solution to the problem that’s making someone unwell.

A cure alone should not be the sole factor in that person’s treatment.

It is vital that we act with empathy, not sympathy. We need holistic thinking in order to value care over cure, and value needs to be placed on a different social model of disability so that we don’t view a person’s impairments as something that completely disables them within society.

I would not be alive if it were not for advancements in medical technology and developments in better medications to treat my various symptoms. But these in no way define me as a person, they are just a small part of my life.

It can be exhausting, tiring and painful to live day in and day out with a disability. But if you treat the individual behind the illness, the impact you can have directly on their lives will be greater.

I have lived with the effects of a brain tumour diagnosis since the age of three, and there has never been a time where I have felt more like a human being treated by another than on that day back in 2014.

Over the past 20 years of my patient journey, the doctors who have valued me as a person have shown me, above all else, that there’s more to life than what my medical diagnosis means.

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MORE: British soaps are paving the way for disability representation

Enjoy this truly horrifying story of raw unseasoned chicken being cooked at an office lunch

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(Picture: Twitter/caveofbeauty)

If you have an office potluck, you might bring some homemade guacamole and crisps, some hard-boiled eggs, a pizza, or even cake – things that are easy to make and easy to eat.

If you’re planning on bringing meat, the logistics of keeping it fresh, tasty, and hygienic might be a bit of a headache.

That didn’t stop one man, who brought raw chicken wings to be cooked during the office lunch. Don’t worry though, he bought a fryer with him to get the job done.

He had no qualms touching the fresh meat, touching other bits and bobs, touching the meat again and, you know, not seasoning the food either.

The horror show was shared by Twitter user Lily from cosmetics brand Cave of Beauty who couldn’t believe what she was witnessing at her new workplace.

‘He brought a deep fryer too. There are no spices in sight. He’s putting bare chicken in the fryer and putting the sauces on them after. And yes, he said that’s the seasoning,’ she wrote, horrified.

He also mixed the sauce with his fingers, licked his hands to get them off, and continued touching the meat.

One of their co-workers complained of having a stomach ache after eating one of the wings. She wasn’t sure why she was getting stomach pains but it seems pretty likely it was salmonella.

Lily shared live updates of the whole thing, revealing how the man bit into the chicken to see whether it was cooked (it wasn’t) and also offered a wing to Lily, who gave it a hard pass.

‘This has gone entirely too far. First, he had salmonella brewing in the air with the open bag of raw chicken. Now he’s touching it with his bare hands. Someone call the police,’ wrote Lily.

‘I’m literally shaking right now. I need my inhaler. He’s just casually walking around the room touching things after touching raw chicken. This entire place is contaminated. Oh my god.

‘Update: He just bit into one to see if it’s cooked. It’s still raw.

‘Another coworker: “Wow I appreciate you going out of your way”, raw chicken guy: “Ohh, it’s what I love to do!” Please stop doing it!.

‘He keeps offering me the salmonella and I’m downing pizza slices just to say I’m full. I don’t even eat pizza anymore. I’ve had three slices in 20 minutes.

‘After today I’ve concluded that this is a toxic and hostile work environment. I have to go.’

Lily told everyone how she’d only been at the workplace for three weeks and normally enjoyed the culture, the people, and the benefits. But the raw chicken guy had her thinking otherwise, especially after one of their colleagues became sick upon eating the meal.

The raw chicken dude, however, was none the wiser and offered to make some more wings the next day.

Lily said not to. Probably a smart choice.

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Where to buy a red nose for Comic Relief 2019

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Shirley Ballas wearing a red nose for red nose day 2019
Ballroom dancer Shirley Ballas poses in her red nose (Picture: Chris Jackson/Comic Relief/Getty Images for Comic Relief)

Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day 2019 is fast approaching, which can only mean one thing – time to get your hands on a red nose, if you haven’t already.

National charity fundraising event Red Nose Day only happens once every other year, so if you don’t get a shift on, you’ll have to wait another two years before it’s socially acceptable to wear a big red circle on the tip of your nose in public again.

We’ve got everything you need to know about how to buy a red nose for this good cause, not to mention the other things on sale that you can get to support Comic Relief this year.

How to get a red nose for Red Nose Day 2019

Aside from donating, or organising your own fundraising event for Red Nose Day, shopping for Red Nose Day merch is a great way to support the cause.

You can purchase up to 39 red noses at a time from the official Red Nose Day online shop for £1.25 each.

You can also buy them from high street stores like Sainsbury’s, Oxfam and Argos.

There are eleven new Red Nose Day nose designs, including nine red noses, a rare green one, and an even more rare nose that you can turn upside down, to effectively enjoy two noses in one.

Susanna Reid, Joanna Lumley and more wear Disney aprons for Comic Relief
These cute Disney aprons are available too (Picture: Comic Relief/PA Wire)

Red Noses aren’t the only things you can buy this year to show your support for Comic Relief.

TK Maxx teamed up with Disney and Comic Relief to produce a whole bunch of products, including Fairtrade t-shirts, tea towels, pyjamas and tote bags.

TK Maxx promises that: ‘Money from every purchase will help children and vulnerable young people in the UK and around the world’.

On top of that, the Red Nose Day website is offering the likes of aprons, badges, glasses and wristbands.

Red Nose Day is on is Friday 15 March, with a live TV special airing on BBC One from 7pm.

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Those married in Humanist ceremonies are three times less likely to divorce

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(Picture: Getty)

In 2019, there are plenty of different ways to get married regardless of your religion or the vows you’d like to say.

In Scotland (and more recently Northern Ireland), one of those ways is a Humanist ceremony, which is slated on their site as a ‘meaningful ceremony that isn’t religious’ and ‘differs from a civil wedding in that it is entirely hand-crafted and reflective of the humanist beliefs and values of the couple, and conducted by a celebrant who shares their beliefs and values’.

A new study – compiled using information obtained through a Freedom of Information request – has found that Scottish couples who wed in this setting were three times less likely to divorce than others.

Looking at figures from the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, Humanists UK compared the number of divorces with the number of marriages that occurred each year, over 15 years.

Humanist weddings had consistently lower divorce rates whether it was one year on or fifteen years on. It wasn’t just a religious thing, either, as the figures were lower still when compared to standard civil ceremonies.

Overall, the study showed that 0.25% of couples who had a humanist marriage got divorced in 2017-18, compared to 0.84% of all other couples.

humanist marriage divorce rates
(Picture: Humanism UK)

Humanist ceremonies allow couples to recite their own vows, marry outdoors or in other non-traditional venues, and get to know their celebrant to plan out their day.

The Humanist Society Scotland provides more marriage ceremonies than the Church of Scotland or any other religion or belief group, but interestingly, however, they’re currently not recognised in England or Wales. You can still get one, you’ll just need to sign on the dotted line at a register office another time.

Zena Birch, a Humanists UK celebrant, said of this news: ‘I’ve conducted weddings for over 260 couples and I’m still in touch with almost all of them. In eight years, I have only learned of three divorces.

‘The low divorce rate for humanist marriages may well be because of the reflection and consideration that couples having these ceremonies put into preparing their wedding day. Humanist wedding ceremonies look at the reason behind choosing to get married and how to create a solid, thought-through foundation.’

There is growing support for Humanist weddings to be legally recognised in England and Wales, and YouGov poll recently found that there was 68% support for this to happen.

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Fitness influencer who has broken her bones 200 times won’t let her disability hold her back

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Need some fresh fitspiration? Give Jay Manuel a follow. She’s the most upbeat, motivational fitness influencer around.

Jay, 23, is a music producer from Georgia. She has osteogenesis imperfecta type three, a brittle bone disorder that affects her height and her ability to walk, meaning she uses a wheelchair to get around.

Like Sherise, a woman with brittle bone disease who risks her health to do aerial yoga, Jay is in danger of shattering her bones if she were to take a tumble.

Jay has broken her bones more than 200 times and undergone 22 surgeries. She experiences significant pain and restricted mobility.

But she won’t let that stop her.

Jay has a passion for fitness, so regularly works out, adapting traditional gym routines to work for her body.

She shares her workouts online to give motivation to anyone else who wants to get healthier, and to show that her disability won’t prevent Jay from living a happy, fulfilling life.

Jay tells Metro.co.uk: ‘A lot of times I’ve noticed that disability is seen as such a negative thing that people tend to tell me they feel bad for me or think my life is not as happy because of my disorder.

jay manuel of roll out fitness shows that she can overcome her disability
(Picture: Bennjiv Media)

‘Even though I may have to do certain things differently, I would say having osteogenesis imperfecta has taught me to adapt and contributed a lot to the type of person I am in a positive way.

‘I created the page @rolloutfitness because I didn’t see anyone that looked like me that was working out.

‘I wanted to keep myself motivated by making it public and holding myself accountable.

‘It’s important for me to be able to show other people that it’s possible.’

rollout fitness - Jay Manuel poses for a photo in the gym
Picture: rolloutfitness/metro.co.uk)

Jay started working out because she wants to stay as mobile as possible and be able to move around freely.

She’d always liked seeing transformation stories on Instagram, so set herself the target of getting and staying in shape. Then she started to hit the gym, combining weighted exercises for her arms and legs with push-ups, sit-ups, and dancing for cardio.

Her favourite workout is Insanity Max 30 with Shaun T, a program she’s been following for a while, while her most hated is anything to do with push-ups. We relate.

Jay started to share her workouts online and was overwhelmed by the response. She’s racked up over 1,500 followers who love her positive attitude and motivational captions.

‘Working out helps me physically because it allows me to stay in the shape I’d like to be in so that I can still be able to move around,’ she explains

‘The way that I keep motivation is reminding myself how it will affect my life overall.

(Picture: rolloutfitness/metro.co.uk)

‘Being in shape and working out is what allows me to be able to move around as easily as I do and without that there would be a lot more dependency on others.

‘When it comes to pushing limits, just thinking about what’s next for me and the possibilities are what make me want to do more.’

Jay’s progress has shaped her relationship with her body, too, which hasn’t always been so positive.

‘It’s been tough because there aren’t a lot of examples of people who look like me who are openly talking about loving the bodies they have,’ Jay tells us.

‘My relationship with body image is a process, I feel like I have made a lot of progress in how I see myself.

‘From a mental standpoint, when I look at myself, I’m becoming more happy with what I see in the mirror. It’s boosted my confidence and I get more pumped when I see new changes.’

You can follow Jay’s journey and get motivated by her workouts over on @rolloutfitness on Instagram.

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Nocturia could be the reason you keep waking up and needing to go to the toilet during the night

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metro illustrations
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

You’re in the middle of a great dream and suddenly you wake up, back in reality.

Once you get over the disappointment that you’re no longer relaxing by a pool, you realise the reason why you are wide awake – you are bursting for a pee.

After you summon the energy to get up and walk to the bathroom, you crawl back into bed – only to find the whole process happens again a few hours later.

If that all sounds familiar, you could have nocturia – a condition where you need to urinate at least twice times through the night.

According to new research by RAND, the condition costs the UK’s economy £4.5m a year as people with the condition are more likely to be absent from work due to sickness or with reduced performance while at work.

What is nocturia?

If you wake up every night at least twice and need to get up to pee, you could have nocturia.

It is more common in elderly people but can happen to younger people two.

If you wake up more that twice, it can indicated another problem and you should see the GP to get treated.

You might find that your sleep is disturbed and you end up feeling very tired.

sleep well
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

What causes nocturia?

There can be lots of different causes and it is best to chat to your GP but there are a few things to bear in mind.

Hormonal changes

As you get older, you produce less of the anti-diuretic hormone that helps you hold onto fluid at night. Usually, this hormone helps you make less urine at night but if your levels are lower, you produce more urine and need to go to the toilet more often.

Prostate problems

Again, this is related to age. Prostate glands often grow with age and as the gland surrounds the urethra, it can press of it and mean the bladder isn’t emptied properly. If this is the case, leftover urine means you might need to go more often.

Bladder infections

You could have a short-term bladder infection, caused by bacteria entering your bladder and it is usually treated with antibiotics. Symptoms include dark, cloudy and smelly urine; a burning feeling or pain when passing urine; and not being able to empty your bladder completely. Again, not fully emptying your bladder might mean you need to go more.

Heart problems

When your heart and circulation system aren’t as efficient, it can cause swelling particularly around your ankles, but when you lie down, the fluid goes back into your blood stream and this increases your need to urinated.

Diabetes

High blood sugar levels make you thirsty and you drink more than usual so you often need to get up during the night to go to the toilet. If you notice an increased thirst accompanied by the need to urinate more, speak to your doctor as soon as you can.

Sleep problems

If you are already awake because you struggle to sleep or are a light sleeper, you are more likely to feel the urge to pee.

Drinking fluids

If you drink a lot before bed, you will probably need to get up to go during the night. If you notice it is affecting you, cut down on liquids at nighttime.

How can you manage nocturia?

Try to reduce what you drink just before bed by having your last drink a few hours earlier. Don’t cut down what you are drinking throughout the day – it’s important to drink about two litres of fluid – but instead try to set a time where you’ve reached the recommended amount.

Cut down on caffeine and alcohol which can irritate your bladder and affect your sleep pattern.

Make sure that there isn’t anything else that is disturbing your sleep and waking you up. If your room is too light or too cold it might wake you up and then you feel the urge to go to the toilet.

Some medicines might make your body produce more urine. This doesn’t mean you should stop taking them but do speak to your doctor about the impact they could be having on your sleep.

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We tried the pineapple hack and it didn’t work

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We recently revealed that we’d been eating pineapples wrong after a new internet hack appeared making it look so, so easy.

But guess what? It wasn’t.

We put it to the test to see whether it really was possible to peel off parts of a pineapple as we would a banana and found that it was incredibly difficult.

In the viral video, a person could be seen effortlessly grabbing the spine on the outside of the pineapple and pulling it downwards, leaving a perfect juicy chunk for them to eat and the core in the middle.

Once applied to a real-life pineapple bought from the fresh aisles of Whole Foods, we found that the flesh of the fruit was far too hard to pull apart, even after choosing the ripest one we could find.

So we spoke to some chefs and food carving experts to see where we were going wrong and how we could also achieve mastery of fruit.

Chef Matin Miah from Caribean restaurant Rudie’s, who mastered the art, says it’s all about the ripeness.

‘As it happens I peeled and ate most of a whole pineapple yesterday, such a fresh experience,’ he says.

‘By the looks of it, not everyone who tried has been successful. I guess it would have to be a very ripe pineapple (possibly ripe when plucked rather than artificially ripened) for it to be possible to do this.

‘Perhaps even the variety of pineapple could play a part in this.’

Fruit carving expert Rujira Herd from the Krua Thai Cookery School is not a fan of the peeling method and says pineapples should be enjoyed in a way that’s most practical to you.

‘There is no right or wrong way to eat pineapple,’ she says.

‘How do you eat like that [the peeling method] especially those who have nail vanish? Each ovary of the pineapple is very hard, almost impossible to take out easily with a normal finger, it will be even worse for those who have long nails.’

She also explained that it depends on the type of fruit. The one seen in the viral video was most likely from Asia where pineapples tend to be softer, she says.

‘When I buy a pineapple, I choose a more yellow colour as it will be sweeter than a green one,’ explains Rujira. ‘Pineapple in the UK is not sweet like in Thailand or Asia. Asia has a much better taste than the UK.

‘For this reason, when I buy pineapple in the UK, I leave it in room temperature for at least three to four days till it ripens before I can eat it. Even then, it is still sour compared to Thai pineapple which is soft and juicy.’

So there you have it, next time you’re in Asia, see if the peeling method works for you.

In the meantime, we have a pineapple that needs cutting and eating. It’s the only way we know how.

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Man thinks women only need seven tampons per cycle and have nine periods a year – here’s why he’s very wrong

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(Picture: Getty)

Period poverty has been a major topic of conversation recently, with hospitals choosing to give free sanitary products to those who need them, following on from the likes of Milton Keynes Council and Celtic Football Club.

Despite the fact that Plan International found that one in ten girls have been unable to afford sanitary wear and a higher number still have had to improvise products due to affordability issues, there are still those that argue period poverty doesn’t exist.

Take, for example, this man (we assume the poster is a man because of the fact they address ‘ladies’ and don’t have periods or know how they work) who has gone viral for a now-deleted comment on a Facebook article.

The man suggested that people were simply overblowing the cost of periods, and that actually only seven tampons were needed per cycle – or ten for those of us with an ‘extra juicy uterine lining’.

He then makes a mathematical leap and suggests that we only have nine periods a year, so 90 tampons a year (at a cost of under £20 a year) would be more than sufficient.

Screenshots of this claim went far and wide across the internet, with period-havers aghast at the mental gymnastics required to come to that conclusion; not to mention the phrase ‘cut down on your Starbucks venti frapps and stop whining’.

The first thing to get straight is that even if he was correct about this, some people don’t have £20 to spare. That is real life, and isn’t just because they’ve got extra whipped cream and a double caramel shot.

Secondly, let’s address the numbers here. We spoke to Hayley Smith, founder of FlowAid, which provides free sanitary products to homeless women.

She told Metro.co.uk: ‘We were told at school that we lose just a couple of teaspoons each time we flow’.

However, the reality is that, ‘the average amount of blood we use is around 80ml per period. This is based on an average to heavier period’.

According to Hayley ‘there are several factors that can make this greater including how heavy someone’s periods are, the height or weight of a person, whether you have a health issue such as endometriosis or PCOS etc, also how regular periods are.

‘If you have irregular periods, some will be heavier than others and it also makes them harder to track so simply ensuring you have enough products available can be quite impossible’.

In Hayley’s personal experience with endometriosis, for example, she says she can ‘fill a cup with the amount of blood’ she loses each flow, and ‘can get through five to seven towels some days, and change at least once during the night’.

Manjit K. Gill (CEO and founder of Binti International, a period charity working in India, Kenya, Swaziland, the UK, and the US) told us that many of the women she’d worked with weren’t sure the exact amount of blood they lost each cycle, but that the typical amount from those who reported was ‘approximately between three to five tablespoons’.

She told Metro.co.uk that ‘other key factors to consider’ in terms of this issue are ‘what day of her period a female is on, length of cycle, the age of the person, what her normal bleed is, ability to access products, quantity & type of products, and the different absorption of products’.

Products themselves also weren’t factored into this man’s original argument, with him assuming that we simply pop a tampon in and take it out once it’s full.

If a regular tampon holds around 5ml of blood, even if your period is extremely light and only at 35ml a month, you’ll still need to change it every four to six hours as per the recommendations to avoid toxic shock syndrome.

Over four days – and going by the most conservative of numbers once again – that’s 24 tampons. With twelve (not the nine stated before) periods annually that’s a bare minimum of 288 tampons. Once you bear in mind that that’s only the very luckiest light-flowed person, you realise what a financial burden sanitary products can become.

Some people can’t use tampons or cups, and will use pads instead. These have differing levels of absorbency, but will also need to be changed every few hours for comfort and hygiene reasons, and will yield much the same result.

Add to all of that the fact that regardless of whether you’ve worked out how many products you’ll need and bought them in bulk to save cash, you can still get caught short and end up having to pay loads on corner shop products or something from a vending machine.

Period poverty affects everyone differently, but the suggestion that those going without sanitary products are simply doing so because they misjudged how their own bodily functions is laughable. Thankfully we’ve got an armful of facts and plenty of ruined pants to fight back with.

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Woman reunited with handbag containing love letters and prom photos 65 years later

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(Picture: Greater Clark County Schools)

Let’s go back to 1954 for a moment.

Most of us probably weren’t born.

But one 16-year-old girl, then called Martha Ina Ingham, had a purse filled with three letters from three boys – Paul, Carter and ‘Torchy’- who wanted to go with her to prom, as well as her lipstick, school dance photos, a compact, a comb, five tickets for an Italian spaghetti dinner at Everett’s Episcopal church, several bobby pins, her old Social Security card and driver’s license.

But one day it somehow ended up behind a cabinet in the science room at her school, Jeffersonville High, in Indiana, U.S. and she thought she would never see it again.

But 65 years later, a renovation programme at the school unearthed the bag and Public Information Officer Erin Bojorquez thought she would try to reunite it with Martha.

She posted a picture on Facebook with an email address and eventually someone found Martha.

Now Marty Ingham Everett, 81, and living in southwestern Florida has finally retrieved her belongings.

Martha Ina Ingham lost items (Picture: Greater Clark County Schools)
The handbag (Picture: Greater Clark County Schools)

Erin posted the bag to her and she described going through the contents as ‘like opening a time capsule.’

The Washington Post tracked her down and asked an important question – who did she end up going to the prom with?

She revealed she went with Carter and said: ‘He was my first boyfriend. I had an awful lot of things in my purse, but I know that the letter from Carter was special. That’s why I kept it.

‘The letters from the other two boys meant something to me, too. Why else would I have carried them with me everywhere.’

Martha Ina Ingham lost items (Picture: Greater Clark County Schools)
Martha and Carter (Picture: Greater Clark County Schools)
Martha Ina Ingham lost items (Picture: Greater Clark County Schools)
Martha and Carter on prom night (Picture: Greater Clark County Schools)

The black and white photos inside the bag show Marty and Carter on prom night.

Sadly, they lost touch after they graduated from high school but Carter spotted the story online and he and Marty have now been in touch for the first time since they were teenagers.

What a beautiful story.

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A tiny hobbit home in the earth is selling for £145,000

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ENJOY SHIRE bliss at this unique two-bed hobbit home that looks like something from The Shire in Lord of the Rings and could be yours for just ??145k. Incredible images show the exterior of the quirky house that is built into the earth as well as the surprisingly spacious interior. Other stunning pictures show light-filled rooms with windows and skylights providing plenty of natural light and the somewhat spare furnishings but with plenty of room to redecorate to your own tastes. The two-bed property is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, USA and is currently listed by Dale Antiel at Edina Realty Inc for around ??145k. Mediadrumimages / Dale Antiel, Edina Realty INC.
(Picture: Mediadrumimages / Dale Antiel, Edina Realty INC)

A two-bed hobbit home that looks like something from Lord of the Rings is on the market for just £145,000.

Photos show the exterior of the quirky house, which is built into the ground.

It features a spacious interior with light-filled rooms, complete with windows and skylights, and is located in River Falls, Wisconsin.

ENJOY SHIRE bliss at this unique two-bed hobbit home that looks like something from The Shire in Lord of the Rings and could be yours for just ??145k. Incredible images show the exterior of the quirky house that is built into the earth as well as the surprisingly spacious interior. Other stunning pictures show light-filled rooms with windows and skylights providing plenty of natural light and the somewhat spare furnishings but with plenty of room to redecorate to your own tastes. The two-bed property is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, USA and is currently listed by Dale Antiel at Edina Realty Inc for around ??145k. Mediadrumimages / Dale Antiel, Edina Realty INC.
(Picture: Mediadrumimages / Dale Antiel, Edina Realty INC)

The property is listed by Dale Antiel at Edina Realty Inc for around £145,000.

The listing states: ‘Rare opportunity for an adventurous and artistic home buyer.

ENJOY SHIRE bliss at this unique two-bed hobbit home that looks like something from The Shire in Lord of the Rings and could be yours for just ??145k. Incredible images show the exterior of the quirky house that is built into the earth as well as the surprisingly spacious interior. Other stunning pictures show light-filled rooms with windows and skylights providing plenty of natural light and the somewhat spare furnishings but with plenty of room to redecorate to your own tastes. The two-bed property is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, USA and is currently listed by Dale Antiel at Edina Realty Inc for around ??145k. Mediadrumimages / Dale Antiel, Edina Realty INC.
(Picture: Mediadrumimages / Dale Antiel, Edina Realty INC)

‘First time offering of the “Bermed-Earth-Sheltered home” designed by the Architect, Mike McGuire.

‘This private home is tucked away on a 3.47-acre lot on the edge of River Falls. This unique design is multi-levelled with 2236 square feet, three wood burning fireplaces and two newer furnaces.

ENJOY SHIRE bliss at this unique two-bed hobbit home that looks like something from The Shire in Lord of the Rings and could be yours for just ??145k. Incredible images show the exterior of the quirky house that is built into the earth as well as the surprisingly spacious interior. Other stunning pictures show light-filled rooms with windows and skylights providing plenty of natural light and the somewhat spare furnishings but with plenty of room to redecorate to your own tastes. The two-bed property is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, USA and is currently listed by Dale Antiel at Edina Realty Inc for around ??145k. Mediadrumimages / Dale Antiel, Edina Realty INC.
(Picture: Mediadrumimages / Dale Antiel, Edina Realty INC)

‘There are also five skylights, two large bedrooms, two baths, built-in’s and two car garages.’

The home is very similar to The Shire from Lord of the Rings, which is a region of J. R. R. Tolkien’s fictional Middle-earth, described in The Lord of the Rings and other works.

The Shire refers to an area settled exclusively by Hobbits and largely removed from the goings-on in the rest of Middle-earth.

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Gin made from leftover grapes launches at Tesco

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Hyke gin
(Picture: Hyke gin)

We love gin and now there’s a way to make drinking it more sustainable.

Hyke is a premium gin but it is made from leftover grapes that are destined to become food waste.

When grapes are cut and trimmed to fit a punnet there are lots of loose grapes and tiny bunches that otherwise get thrown away.

Each year, they hope to take 1.4 million punnets of grapes that are surplus to requirements and produce the spirit.

Gin is a clear spirit mixed with botanicals and this one has a great range including juniper, coriander, liquorice, aniseed, cumin, rooibos, myrrh, lemon zest, bay leaf, nigella seed and cardamom.

According to the makers, it has it is ‘rich, sweet citrus characters lead, followed by velvet-textured spice and complex aromatics.’

They add that it is ‘versatile and delicious for all drinking occasions’.

As well as cutting down on food waste, every element of the bottle is made from recyclable material.

Hyke gin
Caption: Hyke gin

Created by Foxhole Spirits and fruit importer Richard Hochfeld Ltd, Hyke will go onsale on 18 March – Global Recycling Day – exclusively at 300 Tesco stores.

A 50cl bottle will cost £24.

James Oag-Cooper, MD and co-founder of Foxhole Spirits comments: ‘We knew that there was something special that could and ‘should’ be done with this quality by-product, so we applied our expertise and craftsmanship to the challenge.

‘The result is a totally unique product which tastes exceptionally delicious, is beautifully presented, sustainably conscious and yet still affordable.’

Karen Cleave, Technical Director at Richard Hochfeld Ltd adds: ‘For packing, the grapes are cut and trimmed to fit the punnets, leaving loose grapes and tiny bunches that can’t be sold as fresh.

‘The size of the trade means that these lovely fresh grapes – equivalent to the weight of about 3.5 blue whales – end up as animal feed or in an anaerobic digester.

‘Now we’re taking them on a delicious journey which respects the provenance of the grapes and supports our commitment, as one of Tesco’s biggest suppliers, to cut waste.’

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