The annual celebration of the Scottish poet Robert Burns, whose most famous work includes Auld Lang Syne, will see festivities taking place across London to honour many of Scotland’s traditions.
Fancy getting in on the fun? We’ve rounded up five of the best food-focused events in the city.
Whisky? Check. Scottish cuisine? Of course. Haggis? Aye.
Classic cuisine with a side of Scottish culture
Eat and drink to the sound of bagpipes (Picture: Tate Britain)
Want to add a touch of culture to your evening?
For those who want more out of their evening than a glass of whiskey and haggis at the local pub (though we’re all for that, too), head to Tate Britain.
Back again for 2020, the museum will be hosting a night in celebration of the Bard of Ayrshire, with food, art and music on the menu.
Sip on a glass of Pol Roger champagne as you’re given a private tour of the country’s finest artworks, before settling in for a four-course meal at the Rex Whistler restaurant to the tune of bagpipes. The menu features everything from Cullen skink (smoked haddock soup) to ‘Haggis, Neeps & Tatties’ and three Scottish cheeses.
Other luxurious extras include a recital of Burns’ ‘An Ode to A Haggis’ poem, to be enjoyed with a glass of Glenfarclas 21-year-old Speyside Single Malt Whisky (probably the way Robert intended), as well as an optional wine pairing.
When and where: Saturday 25 January, Tate Britain Westminster
Price: From £79
Scottish sandwiches and single malt
For one night only, Hawksmoor will be treating its guests to a Scottish-inspired pop-ups that’s all about… sandwiches.
Sure, it’s not the conventional route to Burns Night celebrations, but we like an unusual take.
The steakhouse chain has teamed up with Visions Canteen and Craigellachie Single Malt Scotch to create a refined evening without the traditional fanfare – meaning no haggis, no kilts and no poetry.
Instead, you can dig into a range of sandwiches such as Fish Supper (fried cod, Sichuan potato noodles and XO mayo) and Mumbai Medley (Amchur potatoes, kachumber, tamarind chutney and raita).
There are also sides such as bacon fries (we like the sound of that), salt and vinegar chicharonnes – kind of like fried pork belly – served with pineapple ketchup, as well as mini Kilmarnock-style steak pies.
Guzzle it down with a glass of 13-year-old Craigellachie – because some traditions should not be messed with (or try the hipster-esque whisky cocktails, if you fancy – no judgement here).
Learn how to make haggis like the Scots (Picture: Mac & Wild)
Scottish street food company-turned-franchise, Mac & Wild, is celebrating its roots by hosting a two-day shindig at its Spitalfields site.
From Ceilidh dancing and live music, to bone marrow whisky and Scottish grub – get the kilt on and let’s pretend we’re in the Highlands (or on the set of Outlander, maybe?)
The restaurant has joined forces with Copper Dog to supply a special cocktail menu and there’s also a small cabin where you can hide away to have a natter with mates before heading over to the haggis-making station.
Munch on Haggis pops, Dirty Haggis chips, the vegan Bloody Roots Burger, the Sustainable Burger or the Venison burger – a mouthwatering dream featuring a wild venison patty, molten cheese, haggis hash, mayo and crispy onion.
As Mac & Wild says, it’s a time of ‘hoolies and shenanigans aplenty’. We like the sound of that.
When and where: Friday 24 January and Saturday 25 January, Mac & Wild Spitalfields
Price:Tickets cost £10 (includes a complimentary cocktail)
Tag along to a Scottish house party (that isn’t really a house party)
(Picture: The Little Blue Door)
Scots and Sassenachs looking for a low-key experience are in for a treat.
The Little Blue Door, essentially a bar in house party format, is hosting a Burns Night-themed bash with haggis pops (deep-fried) – supplied by Mac & Wild – and the Haggis Burger, a signature dish made by the housemates.
This dreamy concoctions is made with a haggis-filled patty, topped with smoked cheddar and whisky chilli sauce.
Like any good house party, there’ll also be a free house punch, as well as Balvenie and Glenfiddich whisky specials, lots of decorations, a bagpipe show and a DJ.
Throw on a pair of tartan trews or a kilt, and you’re golden. Slàinte Mhath!
Sip on a dram as you take in the views (Picture: Bateaux London)
Don’t fancy sipping an Irn Bru or a glass of whisky in a cramped pub?
All aboard, as the Bateaux London transforms from your average sea voyage vessel into a ‘highlander’s dream’.
The two hour and 45-minute journey includes a five-course meal with everything from seared salmon to baked haggis with neeps and tatties in a thyme jus, raspberry cranachan trifle and a wee amuse-bouche.
Sip on your dram of whisky as you take in the views, as a professional pianist and a violinist set the mood.
When and where: Saturday 25 January, all over the Thames via Bateaux London
55% of people now eat less meat than they did a year ago (Picture: LEON)
It seems like everyone and their next-door neighbour has gone vegan this month – and high street chains are cashing in.
LEON has reported that sales of its vegan burgers have actually overtaken meat burgers for the first time.
The ‘naturally fast food’ chain has reported an over increase of 15.5% in year-on-year sales, and the percentage of vegan burger sales has jumped from 41.3% to 56.8% in 2020.
Whether people are dabbling with Veganuary, or making a long-term change, it can’t be denied that the plant-based lifestyle is going to be big news this year.
LEON has been ahead of the curve in that respect, serving vegetarian and vegan dishes since 2004. And the chain has just launched a new vegan option – the Chipotle & Avocado Burger.
Made with a vegan patty, smoky chipotle mayo, freshly smashed guacamole, the new vegan burger is already outperforming the predicted forecast by 57%.
The new burger is the second in the restaurant’s vegan line-up following the success of the original LOVe burger.
Meat alternative products now make up almost 60% of total sales across LEON’s 75+ restaurants (Picture: LEON)
With such strong sales, vegan innovations are now replacing meat dishes, and it will be up to retailers and brands to keep up. Almost a quarter of all new food products launches last year were vegan in reflection of this shift.
Meat alternative products now make up almost 60% of total sales across LEON’s 75+ restaurants. In 2019, during Veganuary, vegan sales made up 44% of sales, while vegetarian options reached 10%.
Meat consumption as a whole is changing.
A LEON survey of 3,000 customers has revealed that 55% of people now eat less meat than they did a year ago, many stating that health and the environment were the main reasons for going meat-free.
‘Vegan and veggie dishes have always been on LEON’s menus, but we’re now starting to see the market catch up,’ says Erica Molyneaux, Head of Food at LEON.
‘Sales of our vegan burgers have really taken off, with more than half of our sales now in vegan and vegetarian dishes.
‘It’s always been important to offer food that tastes and does people good, and that includes our range of plant-based dishes – bold, full of flavour and that everyone can enjoy.’
Alongside the new vegan burger, LEON has also launched a new Chilli Con Carne made with British beef, black beans in a dark, rich tomato sauce, spices and brown rice.
Cheating is tricky business – because as the saying goes, the truth will out.
One man realised this while at a football match, as he stole a kiss from his date, not aware that the kiss cam was filming the precious moment between the pair.
But why is that awkward, you ask? Well, you see, the woman he kissed was not his girlfriend (and yes, he has one).
The hilarious clip was shared on Twitter, captioned: ‘When you kiss your side chick and realize your marriage is over cuz you’re on camera [sic]’.
It’s the nightmare scenario for any cheater; not only have you been caught, but the whole world is there to watch it.
And they are definitely watching – the clip has so far racked up more than 22.6million views, has over 284,000 likes and has been retweeted over 70,000 times.
But did he really cheat on someone? We did some digging to find out the truth.
When you kiss your side chick and realize your marriage is over cuz you're on camera 😂😂😂
The man in question, who has been identified as Deyvi Andrade, was at an event called Noche Amarilla 2020 in Ecuador, watching a football game between Barcelona SC and Delfin.
Since getting called out, he has taken to Facebook and Instagram to tell his story, but oddly appears to be blaming women (just, you know, in general) for the situation he’s gotten himself into.
The following messages have been translated from Spanish.
‘If it was a woman was in my place what would you do?,’ he writes.
‘Various videos have been circulating of unfaithful women but they haven’t been made fun of as much as me. I hope you never have to be in my position.’ (edited)
‘I’m going to defend my honour and my pride as a man until the end…
‘We all fail and we all repent, thank you to those who have invited me to church and if I go it is so I can heal my family.
‘No one is going to be able to damage my image, God is big and strong and these women who are criticising me, I know too have cheated but they still comment.’
He follows up with a confirmation of that the video has indeed wrecked his relationship.
‘You’ve already destroyed my relationship, what more do you want?,’ Deyvi adds.
‘I hope this doesn’t serve you in any way because you are only hurting a son of God.
‘You don’t know the psychological damage you have caused with your hatred directed at me. Everyone fails and we can forgive from our hearts. God give me strength!’
While the situation is undoubtedly sad for his partner (it’s unclear whether the pair are married or not), people just can’t get enough of the karma.
‘You can see the moment his heart drops out through his ring piece,’ tweeted one person.
Someone else commented: ‘He would have been wayyyyyy better off just rolling with it. 1. Less chance of wife seeing it since it wouldn’t go viral 2. Won’t piss off side chick. His reaction basically kills it for both women.’
‘There’s a good chance his wife isn’t interested in football and she won’t see it,’ offered another Twitter user (she did).
‘You can see the fear slowly overtaking him, that ice cold feeling through your veins,’ wrote someone else.
Even the rock band Nickelback joined in on the fun.
Some people claimed that the video was ‘played in reverse’, to make it appear as if Deyvi was cheating but that was not the case, as he has now admitted to his adulterous ways.
‘I want to go back to living these moments by your side my lovely, I am really sorry and this is why I’ve come out in public to comment on this nonsense, so I can ask you to forgive me here on Instagram,’ he writes.
‘I’m so confused but I want to get you back #forgiveme #Iloveyou #comeback.’
Although he seems to have seen the error of his ways, pleading with his partner to take him back, an additional post reveals that she wasn’t all that forgiving.
‘Regardless, my relationship is over and I just have to continue. I regret what I did but I can’t beg for more forgiveness,’ he adds.
‘I will not fail again and I know I’m going to find a person who loves and accepts me.’
Safe to say, he’ll probably keep his affairs behind closed doors from now on.
Well, here’s some good news: After two years at the shelter, Jubilee has found a loving home.
Four-year-old husky Jubilee got a load of attention last week after New Jersey shelter Husky House posted a moving Facebook status from the dog’s perspective.
The post read: ‘I came from a ‘breeder’ who couldn’t sell me because he said I was ‘weird’ looking.
‘Huskies are majestic looking dogs and I don’t know why I don’t look like them. I wish I was beautiful so someone would want me to be their dog.
Jubilee had been at the shelter for two years (Picture: PA)
‘I like other dogs, but I don’t like cats. I love people, but I’m a little shy because people mostly laugh at the way I look.
‘Doesn’t anyone want a funny looking husky? I wish I had a family of my own who could love me even though I’m not pretty.’
As well as making people weep, the post attracted a load of shares and comments from people desperate to find Jubilee the forever home she deserved.
And all that attention worked. Husky House says they received so much attention their servers crashed – they received 150 applications to adopt her.
She was given a proper groom and a health checkup before leaving with her new family (Picture: PA)
After going through all the applicants, shelter staff matched Jubilee with her new family, a couple who have previously adopted from Husky House.
Jubilee has been adopted by a couple who’ve previously taken in dogs from Husky House (Picture: PA)
‘Timing really is everything,’ said Marielle DiMartino, a volunteer at Husky House.
‘We’ve obviously posted about her before, as we do for all of our dogs, and she’s been on our website. But for some reason this last post we made really just blew up.
‘Jubilee has always been one of my favourites. She’s really such an awesome dog who was so deserving of her forever home.
‘She’s just so sweet despite having been abandoned by the breeder.’
Have you given an unusual animal a loving home? Get in touch to share their story by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
When Laura Skerritt suffered migraines and nausea, she was told this was due to anxiety and depression (Picture: Skerritt family / SWNS)
When Laura Skerritt, 22, began suffering migraines and nausea, she was told her symptoms were caused by anxiety and depression.
But a prescription of antidepressants didn’t put a stop to the deterioration of her health.
By November 2018, the swimming instructor, from Templecombe in Somerset, was struggling to walk and battling seizures.
A scan at Yeovil District Hospital revealed the true cause of her illness: she had a tennis ball-sized brain tumour.
The keen horserider needed emergency surgery to prevent a fatal stroke or seizure.
Laura is now sharing her story to raise awareness of her condition and encourage people to push for a diagnosis if their symptoms are dismissed.
After discovering she had a brain tumour the size of a tennis ball, Laura needed emergency surgery to prevent a fatal stroke (Picture: Skerritt family / SWNS)
Laura said: ‘It took over two years to get a brain tumour diagnosis so I’m keen to share my story to help raise awareness.
‘It was frustrating to be told by doctors that my symptoms were caused by mental illness.
‘I sensed that my health problems weren’t being caused by mental illness.
‘I’m quite an emotional person and flip between happy and sad moods, but this is just part of my quirky personality.’
In December 2018, Laura underwent a 13-hour operation at Southmead Hospital in Bristol to remove 80% of her low-grade tumour, a central neurocytoma – but parts of it were inoperable.
Recovery was difficult.
She’s sharing her story to raise awareness of the condition (Picture: Skerritt family / SWNS)
‘I lost two stone, had to re-learn how to talk and was in constant agony because my muscles had wasted away,’ said Laura.
‘I recently suffered a major seizure and now I need a second operation followed by eight weeks of intensive radiotherapy.
‘It’s going to be really hard going back into hospital but I’m hoping I make it through the treatment.’
Laura still experiences symptoms and says that being diagnosed with a brain tumour has significantly changed her life.
She added: ‘Up until my brain tumour diagnosis, I thought I was invincible.
‘I never worried about my health, and my own mortality was never something that crossed my mind.
Her condition makes it difficult to walk (Picture: Skerritt family / SWNS)
‘My diagnosis changed my outlook on life. I’m not sure whether or not I want kids, for fear of them inheriting the disease or seeing me suffer with symptoms.
‘My plans of moving out were put on hold. I had to give up my driving licence and, living in the middle of the Somerset countryside, with that I lost my independence.’
Laura is working with the charity Brain Tumour Research to raise awareness of the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under the age of 40.
Mel Tiley, community fundraising manager at Brain Tumour Research in the South West, said: ‘We are very grateful to Laura for opening up about her brain tumour diagnosis.
‘Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age.
‘What’s more, less than 20 per cent of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years, compared with an average of 50 per cent across all cancers.
‘We cannot allow this desperate situation to continue.’
Felicia lost her top lip after chewing a wire and getting electrocuted (Picture: Griffin Pond Animal Shelter)
Could you give sweet and affectionate cat Felicia the loving home she deserves?
Felicia is a ten-year-old kitty currently staying at Griffin Pond Animal Shelter, Pennsylvania.
She’s friendly, loving, and adores a nice snuggle on the sofa.
She also looks a little unusual, as she’s missing her top lip.
The cat’s injury occurred when Felicia was a spritely young kitten. She chewed through some wires and got electrocuted, leaving her missing a top lip and with a hole in her mouth.
Thankfully the injury doesn’t affect Felicia much – she can still eat, meow, and do all the other stuff a cat likes to do.
She’s ten years old (Picture: Griffin Pond Animal Shelter)
Oh, and she’s looking for a home where she’ll be given plenty of love and affection, having been with the shelter since the beginning of December. Could you help?
‘Felicia came in as an owner surrender,’ staff at the shelter told Metro.co.uk. ‘The owner stated that when Felicia was younger she chewed through some wires and got electrocuted and that’s why her top lip is missing. It does not affect her eating and she’s such an affectionate gal.
‘She’s a senior kitty, but you definitely couldn’t tell!
Look at that sweet face (Picture: Griffin Pond Animal Shelter)
‘If someone can appreciate all of the love she has to offer then she will be glad to be your new best friend.’
As an elderly cat, Felicia will need a fairly laidback environment. She gets on well with other cats, but can’t handle dogs or small children because she gets a bit nervous.
It’s important that Felicia gets adopted soon, as the arthritis in her hip means it’s not good for her to live in a cage.
Ashley lives with his partner, Niall, in a two-bedroom flat in Cheshire (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
It can be hard to make a rented property feel like a proper home.
How can you make a flat feel like it’s your own when you’re not allowed to drill anything into the walls or splash on some paint?
That’s a challenge Ashley, a 24-year-old hair stylist, and Niall, 28, have been lucky enough to avoid.
The couple, who have been together for nearly four years, rent a property in Kingsmead, Northwich, from Niall’s mum, who allows them to redecorate to their heart’s content.
With that power, the pair have designed their two-bedroom flat in shades of grey, sharing photos of their work over on Instagram under the handle @mrgreysapartment.
They only pay £500 a month to live here, as Niall’s mum owns the flat (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Hey, Ashley! How much do you and Niall pay to live here?
We get our rent discounted because Niall’s mum owns the apartment. So we pay £500 a month. Bills are around £300.
Considering the area we live in and the size of the apartment, we definitely have a good deal.
What do you get for what you pay?
We have a large open plan kitchen/living area which we love. And two bedrooms and one bathroom.
What do you like about where you live?
We’re right in the middle of everywhere Manchester, Liverpool, Knutsford, etc. So it’s a simple case of jumping on the motorway and in no time you’re there!
As for the apartment, it’s a nice quiet area overlooking the river. So if it’s a nice day there’s always the option to go for a walk.
The couple have lived here for over a year (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Do you feel like you have enough space?
For me and Niall there is more than enough space.
How did you find this place? What made you choose to live here?
Niall’s mum has owned the property for over 15 years. The apartment became empty and we thought what a brilliant opportunity to move in with each other for the first time.
How have you made the flat feel like home?
With Niall’s mum owning the place we have had the chance to do so much more than you normally would be able to. So everything from painting the walls different colours, wallpapering, adding light fittings and putting televisions on the walls.
Those are some neatly arranged Oreos (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Are there any issues with the flat you have to put up with?
The only issue was the awful magnolia walls when we moved in! A lick of white paint completely changed the whole vibe.
Is it ever strange to rent from Niall’s mum?
Not whatsoever! If anything, it works in our favour.
If something major were to happen, it’s just a simple call to her and it’s sorted. Also, the flexibility to do what we want to the place (within reason) is great too.
Do you have plans to move again?
I think in the next four years, yes. We’re using the discounted rent to our advantage and saving to buy a house of our own.
The apartment is great and it works so well for us, but we cannot wait to have a place of our own. We both love interior design and the thought of having a whole house that we can completely renovate is amazing.
It really is. Shall we have a look around?
The hallway (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
A cute little reading corner (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The living room (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Those cushions look comfy (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Very stylish coffee table books, there (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
And a whole tray of candles! (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The kitchen (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Yes, that is a massive jar full of bonbons (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Spot the minimal fridge decoration (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Hi, little pig (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
A very organised tea corner (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Or if you prefer something stronger… (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The second bedroom (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The couple share photos of their home on Instagram, under @mrgreysapartment (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Fancy (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The main bedroom (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
There’s a lot of grey (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
(Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
We do like the wallpaper (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Finally, the bathroom (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Nice tub (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Gotta have a sponge (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Aaand a toothbrush (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
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.
How to get involved in What I Rent
What I Rent is Metro.co.uk's weekly series that takes you inside the places people are renting, to give us all a better sense of what's normal and how much we should be paying.
You'll need to have pictures taken of your kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom, plus a few photos of you in your room. Make sure you get permission for your housemates!
You'll also need to be okay with sharing how much you're paying for rent, as that's pretty important.
If you want to make a dramatic change, the National Trust for Scotland might have the gig for you.
The NTS is looking for an archeologist and a seabird and marine ranger to work on the isolated archipelago of St Kilda, one of the most remote islands in Britain.
The role is a pretty cool one – former St Kilda archaeologist Craig Stanford previously described it as the ‘job of a lifetime’.
The archeologist role will last for 12 months while the seabird and marine ranger position runs from April to mid-November.
Candidates would be expected to ‘conserve the cultural heritage’ of the archipelago and help visitors discover the islands.
St Kilda is 40 miles northwest of North Uist, Outer Hebrides (Picture: SWNS)
Other duties for the archeologist would include undertaking artefact analysis and assisting with guided walks.
The ranger will monitor the population and breeding patterns of seabirds on St Kilda and record marine sightings in the surrounding waters.
So it is challenging work, but ideal for anyone tired of their office and in need of time in nature.
St Kilda attracts around 5,000 visitors a year, with conservationists making a temporary home on the island.
It’s the ideal gig for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in nature (Picture: Martin Zwick/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The last permanent resident was evacuated 90 years ago as living conditions became too tough. The temporary population usually sits at around 30 to 40 people.
NTS staff have typically stayed in the old manse on the island, which is fitted with phone lines and an internet connection with microwave links used as a last resort to communicate with the outside world.
Food is usually delivered by MOD helicopter from a shop at Benbecula with staff usually ordering three weeks of supplies at a time.
But while we can all agree that tinnies are a wonderful thing, how many of us are aware of how much sugar lurks within each can?
Experts from Action on Sugar are calling for pre-mixed boozy drinks in cans and bottles to be subject to the same sugar tax the Government has imposed on soft drinks.
They say that pre-mixed alcoholic drinks sold in supermarkets contain as much as ‘eight or nine teaspoons of sugar’.
Researchers analysed 154 ‘ready to drink’ alcoholic drinks and found most were high in ‘hidden sugar’ and calories.
They found that only 63 products had some form of nutritional information on the pack, while only 14 had sugar information on the packaging.
Some drinks had as much as 33g of sugar (that’s eight teaspoons) in a 250ml can, while a frozen boozy sorbet contained 36g (nine teaspoons) per a 250ml serving.
Archers Schnapps & Lemonade 250ml tin and Malibu Cola 250ml tin were each found to contain eight teaspoons of sugar, for example.
The pre-mixed cocktails with the highest amounts of sugar:
Each of these is based on their standard pack.
Gin & Mixers:
Classic Combinations Pink Gin and Tonic, seven teaspoons of sugar
Classic Combinations Rhubarb Gin and Ginger Ale, five teaspoons of sugar
Tanqueray Sevilla Gin and Tonic, five teaspoons of sugar
Pre-mixed cocktails:
TGI Friday’s Passion Fruit Martini, 12 teaspoons of sugar
TGI Friday’s Pink Punk Mojito, 12 teaspoons of sugar
Tesco Strawberry Daiquiri Alcoholic Frozen Sorbet, nine teaspoons of sugar
‘Soft’ mixed drinks:
WKD Blue, 15 teaspoons of sugar
VK Blue, 13 teaspoons of sugar
Hooch Alcoholic Lemon Brew, seven teaspoons of sugar
Spirit and mixer (not gin)
Archers Schnapps and Lemonade, eight teaspoons of sugar
Malibu Cola, eight teaspoons of sugar
Goslings Dark N Stormy, eight teaspoons of sugar
Katharine Jenner, campaign director at Action on Sugar, said: ‘Gin in a tin has become a cultural phenomenon with these types of drinks often consumed ‘on the go’ and without a moment’s consideration to how much sugar and alcohol goes into making them.
‘Even if you did want to know, you can’t make a healthy choice as only one in 10 of the products surveyed had enough information available.
‘If consumers knew how much sugar was really in these drinks, would they still happily choose to drink their way to tooth decay, obesity and Type 2 diabetes?’
Graham MacGregor, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary University of London and chairman of Action on Sugar, added: ‘Sugary alcoholic drinks are a double burden on our health: alcohol causes serious harm, and sugar in these drinks carries the same health risks as sugar in any other food or drink, which costs the NHS billions and shortens lives.
‘It is a national scandal that because these drinks contain alcohol, they are not subject to the sugar tax or any form of coherent nutrition labelling.
‘The new Government needs to act now by taking control of the alcohol industry and stop them from exploiting vulnerable young adults.’
There’s a lot to think about when you go vegan – it’s not simply a case of emptying your fridge of meat, milk and cheese.
As well as giving up certain food products, if you go the whole hog you’ll need to make sure your accessories, cleaning products and beauty products are also vegan. It’s surprising how many aren’t.
Aldi is making the transition a little easier with the release of its first entirely vegan skincare range from Lacura. And it’s seriously affordable – bonus.
There are nine products in the cruelty-free collection and prices start at just £1.99. Good news for the planet and your bank balance.
The products are made from 100% natural ingredients, and they’re suitable for all skin types. The range includes the Lacura 100% Naturally Derived Day Cream, Eye Cream, Face Wash, Face Scrub, Hand & Nail Cream and Fruit Sheet Masks.
The range will be on sale in Aldi stores from 23 January.
Day Cream, 50ML £5.99
Shea butter adds a touch of decadence (Picture: Aldi)
The Lacura 100% Naturally Derived Day Cream will support the natural balance of your skin with long-lasting moisture.
Enriched with moisturising ingredients including shea butter and coconut oil, it promises to lock in moisture and leave skin deeply hydrated.
Eye Cream, 25ML £3.99
A godsend for tired, puffy eyes (Picture: Aldi)
Containing both shea butter and coconut oil, this eye cream is perfect for refreshing the delicate skin around the eyes.
Face Wash, 100ML £2.99
The basics, but make them vegan (Picture: Aldi)
This face wash contains coconut oil and sacha inchi oil to nourish and gently cleanse your skin.
The natural ingredients will hydrate your skin daily.
Face Scrub, 100ML £2.99
Scrub away your sins (Picture: Aldi)
Enriched with sacha inchi oil and sweet almond oil, this scrub will gently exfoliate your skin and allow it to breathe – the apricot seeds will remove dead skin cells for a clean and nourished look.
Hand & Nail Cream, 50ML £2.99
Wave goodbye to cracked, painful hands (Picture: Aldi)
Protect your hands from the cold with this nourishing hand cream. Made with Shea Butter and Sweet Almond Oil, this cream will soothe and recover even the driest of winter hands.
Sheet Masks X2 (£1.99)
The height of luxury (Picture: Aldi)
Try the moisturizing avocado sheet mask, the softening watermelon mask, the soothing ginseng mask or the moisturising matcha masks.
Danielle says her dog Dave saved her life (Picture: Caters)
Danielle King couldn’t understand why her dog Dave kept sniffing and digging at her thigh.
But soon after, it started to swell up and the 34-year-old went to the GP.
Her doctor told her she needed an urgent scan, but while she was waiting, it got worse so she went to A&E, where tests revealed a huge tumour growing in the area that seven-year-old Dave had been sniffing at.
After an eight-and-a-half hour operation to fully remove the 20cm x 15cm x 10cm tumour and is now cancer-free.
Danielle from Basildon, Essex said: ‘I owe my life to Dave.
‘I will always tell him he saved my life because if I had left it a few weeks longer who knows what could have happened.
Danielle and Dave (Picture: Caters)
‘He kept on digging at my thigh and whining for about seven months before I finally went to the doctor.
‘He wouldn’t leave me alone and whenever I sat down on the sofa to have cuddles with him he would just start sniffing at my thigh and whining.
‘When my thigh started to swell up I thought maybe Dave was on to something so I decided to go and visit my GP.
‘As soon as I showed the doctor my thigh his face turned white and he told me to go for a scan.’
Shop assistant Danielle had some pain in her leg a few years before but it wasn’t until the summer of 2017 when Dave started pestering her that she thought about it again.
Staffordshire bull terrier Dave sniffed at her right thigh whenever she was sitting on the sofa with him.
But when Danielle embarked on a holiday to Marmaris, Turkey in May 2017 she says she noticed first a lump and some swelling on her thigh.
Danielle says she returned to work back in the UK but soon began to feel unwell.
She said: ‘I just thought I’d been overdoing it at work a bit. The lump didn’t hurt at all and I thought that perhaps I had just pulled a muscle and maybe it had calcified.
‘It began to get bigger though to the extent that I thought my trousers were going to burst.
‘Dave had been scratching away and whining even more than usual at my thigh and my boss told me I had to go to my GP.
‘I went in to see my GP and as soon as I said I had a lump and showed him my thigh he went pale and immediately referred me for a scan.’
The scan was booked for a fortnight later but when the swelling got worse, three days after her doctor’s appointment she went to A&E.
She said: ‘The nurses took one look at my leg and said it was probably a tumour and that’s when the nightmare began.’
Danielle’s leg after being operated on (Picture: Caters)
After an urgent x-ray, bone and CT scan, Danielle was told that she had a chondrosarcoma, a rare type of cancer that causes bone tumours.
The tumour was 20cm long – about the size of a rugby ball.
She had an eight-and-a-half hour operation to remove the tumour in August 2017, but the tumour split during surgery and some of the cells were left in her leg.
In January 2019, she had to have more surgery when the cancer returned but at the end of last year, she was told she was free of the disease.
She said: ‘I hated feeling like things were out of control.
Danielle had her tumour removed in 2017 (Picture: Caters)
‘It was great to finally have the all-clear in December but I’m always one scan away from things changing again.
‘I’m determined to raise awareness and to share my story with as many people as possible.
‘My dogs knew something was up and I acted like everything was fine.
‘I’m just glad I went to A&E when I did, things would have been so much worse if I hadn’t gone when I had.
Danielle is currently fundraising for gene testing on GoFundMe so she can access trials if the cancer returns again.
Would you do this to your books? (Picture: Alex Christofi)
A man is dividing the internet after revealing that he cuts long books in half to make them more portable.
Alex Christofi posted the picture of the carved up books on Twitter – and people feel really strongly about it.
‘Yesterday my colleague called me a “book murderer” because I cut long books in half to make them more portable. Does anyone else do this? Is it just me?’ tweeted Alex.
‘The book is just a mortal husk, it’s the story itself that is the soul’ (Picture: Alex Christofi)
In his defence, the books he has chosen to hack in half are pretty hefty.
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace has 1,079 pages. Dostoevsky: A Writer in His Time by Joseph Frank has a huge 2,500 pages.
So, if you’re reading on-the-go you can understand why carting all that weight around all day might not be too appealing.
‘It’s more about the unwieldiness,’ Alex tells Metro.co.uk. ‘When you are armpit-deep in another commuter at Oxford Circus, there is no part of you that wants to whip out your copy of Ducks, Newburyport.’
Which seems fair enough. But the book purists are not happy.
Yesterday my colleague called me a 'book murderer' because I cut long books in half to make them more portable. Does anyone else do this? Is it just me? pic.twitter.com/VQUUdJMpwT
But Alex, who is an author himself (his new novel is called Let Us Be True) says this system of book butchery ensures that he reads the books that otherwise would have been languishing on his shelf.
‘I used to find that I almost never read long books,’ Alex tells us. ‘I would buy them and they would sit on my shelf and I wouldn’t take them outside.
‘This way they actually get read, which is surely the best compliment I can pay an author.’
Alex says cutting his epic volumes into bitesize chunks simply makes them more readable, and more sharable. And he’s struggling to understand the outrage.
‘I just want an efficient mechanism for getting more good words into my skull,’ he adds.
But not everyone’s against it. Some people commented under the post saying it was a genius idea:
‘I really like this Alex, and am completely ok with it,’ said Rhiannon. ‘In fact, it undercuts their hubris in writing such a bloody long book in the first place.’
Yes! I have done it before and I will do it again. Just tape them back together afterwards.
But the overwhelming majority appear to be deeply unsettled by the segmented books, with lots of people asking why he doesn’t just invest in a Kindle and leave the poor books alone?
‘To the haters, I would say: the book is just a mortal husk, it’s the story itself that is the soul,’ says Alex.
So what do you think about this divisive reading hack? Genius or blasphemous?
What is this? A pair of trousers for ants? (Picture: Facebook)
Lots of things come out of the washing machine a bit smaller than when they went in, but this washing mishap was a step too far for one woman.
The woman, from Michigan in the US, posted a picture of her husband’s unforgivable laundry faux pas.
On a Facebook group, she showed her husband looking embarrassed after he’d shrunk her favourite trousers in the wash.
The knitted pants, which are from Australian brand Spell and the Gypsy Collective, are now fit for a toddler after a much-too-vigorous spin cycle.
The original poster then joked that she wanted to sell her husband to recoup some of the money she lost, since the trousers retail for $199 (£152) and are now sold out.
She might be able to get one arm in them? (Picture: Facebook)
She offered her man up for $111 (£85) to any woman who would take him, although appears to have not had any offers (it’s not a great advertisement to be fair).
What it did prompt, however, were a number of comments from people whose partners have betrayed them in similar ways.
What they should look like (Picture: Free People)
One commenter said: ”My husband is also banned from washing anything of mine after washing and throwing a very expensive and much treasured silk shirt in the dryer,’ while another chimed in: ‘I think you are going to have trouble selling him.’
There were also plenty more stories from other disgruntled people, with one person saying they still keep a previously-shrunken jumper in their wardrobe as a warning to their partner.
‘He did it to my favourite knit,’ they said. ‘It still hangs in my walk in robe for him to see as a reminder to never touch my clothes again.’
Nikita Berryman from Frome wants her lipoma removed before her wedding (Picture: Somerset Live/SWNS)
Like most brides-to-be, Nikita Berryman wants her big day to be perfect.
Unfortunately, the 29-year-old has been feeling down about her appearance due to a non-cancerous tumour that hangs down from her arm.
She was desperate to get rid of the lipoma, but the NHS has said they would not treat it as it’s harmless and ‘too large’.
Nikita, from Frome, Somerset, plans to marry her fiance James Lacey this summer at Midsomer Norton, but wants to get rid of the tumour before the wedding.
So, the bride-to-be is now desperately trying to raise £1,500 over the next 19 weeks, so that she can look and feel her best as she says her vows.
‘I’ve had the lump for a few years,’ she explains. ‘I got it looked at it to make sure it wasn’t cancerous and was pleased to hear it wasn’t.
‘Now I’m planning my wedding, I want to get it removed. I tried to get it off via the NHS, but I’ve been told they won’t do it because it’s too large.’
A lipoma is a benign tumour made of fat tissue. They are generally soft to the touch, movable, and painless.
They usually occur just under the skin, but occasionally may be deeper. They can range from the size of a pea to a few centimetres across.
The tumour is non-cancerous but it’s still uncomfortable for Nikita (Picture: Somerset Live/SWNS)
Because the lumps are harmless they’re not usually treated on the NHS.
This has left Nikita with no option but to go private and get it removed at the BMI Bath Clinic in Combe Down.
But she says that a consultation alone costs £180 – and that the cost of removing the lipoma will start anywhere from £395 to £450.
Nikita says she can’t afford this expense while planning her wedding and honeymoon.
She has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs of the operation, which has so far raised £450 out of the £1,500 target.
She said: ‘It was love at first sight with James, we met in 2015 through his sister and we’ve been planning the wedding for ages.
‘We’re planning on going to Italy for our honeymoon but haven’t booked it yet – we’re waiting for a cheaper time to book.
‘I catch sight of the lump in the mirror and it gets me down, it catches on clothing.’
She added that she has anxiety and said getting confirmation that the NHS won’t remove her lump has made her feel flat and deflated.
‘I’m not expecting much, but I would love to be able to feel confident on my special day and not have to hide under anything to avoid embarrassment.’
If you have a story to share about your wedding day, get in touch to tell us more by emailing metrolifestyleteam@metro.co.uk.
A mum has created an amazing fire station themed bedroom for her four-year-old son – and it all cost less than £100.
Clare Curtis’ son Elliott had loved the red vehicles since he was a baby and now four, she wanted to give him a room he really loved.
He already had a fire engine shaped bed but she wanted to make the rest of the room fit the theme.
She told Metro.co.uk: ‘He’s obsessed with fire engines so the theme was easy to decide.
‘I looked for some ideas online and found some similar things in America but I thought of most of it when the kids were in bed.’
The finished room (Picture: Clare Curtis)
She added accessories she got on eBay (Picture: Clare Curtis)
The whole project cost under £100 (Picture: Clare Curtis)
Clare, 30, from St Helens, Merseyside, bought some brick effect wallpaper from B&Q, painted some pieces of wood to create window frames and some more to create the doors.
She added photo frames which were painted black to the doors, to look like windows.
She also got a wooden ladder that was painted silver and then picked up an old fire extinguisher, taps, a fire blanket and signs from eBay.
Elliott in his new room (Picture: Clare Curtis)
Clare has just given birth to a new baby and she says that the budget had to be tight.
She managed the whole thing for under £100 and Elliott absolutely loves it.
She posted the idea on the DIY On A Budget Official Facebook page and other people were impressed by her work.
Clare and Elliott (Picture: Clare Curtis)
The post had over 11,000 likes and 1,500 comments.
One person said: ‘Wow!! My sons would absolutely love this… currently sitting binge-watching fireman Sam!!’
Another added: ‘Omg that is the best little boys room I’ve seen!! Very lucky kid! This is a gorgeous bedroom.’
Clare has been so inspired by the reaction, she’s decided to launch her own Instagram and Facebook account to show more of the things she makes for her kids.
She adds: ‘I had an amazing response. With newborn baby funds are tight so I want to try to turn my hobby into a business called Dream Designs and Occasions.’
This isn’t the first time Leanne has made polarising comments (Picture: Freelee the Banana Girl/Instagram)
‘Wake up and smell the carcass Australia! Your flesh-fetish is burning our country to a crisp.’
These are the shocking words of vegan blogger Freelee the Banana Girl (Leanne Ratcliffe), who has hit out at meat eaters in relation to the recent bushfires in Australia.
In a 12-minute video entitled ‘Australians, stop cooking our country with your sausage sizzle!’ the blogger said that ‘meat, dairy and eggs is the fuel’ that creates bushfires such as the ones we’ve seen in the last few months.
Freelee, 39, documents her own experiences growing up in Queensland and witnessing fires and floods, as well as saying how happy she is to see a number of people donating or helping animals this time around.
However, she then goes on to say ‘the hypocrisy is too real’, and ‘if you are Australian and eat animals and their secretions, then you are a big part of the problem’.
Saying that buying meat was equivalent to ‘throwing petrol on your back yard fires’, Freelee recommends different ways of eating that don’t include meat (and therefore have a lower environmental impact).
It’s been 13 years since Freelee went from an ‘animal eating hypocrite’ – as she calls herself in the video – to a vegan who eats only raw foods until 4pm each day.
She gained notoriety after promoting her own diet which consisted of 51 bananas a day, and has also hit the headlines for controversial comments about chemotherapy and obesity.
While some people who follow Freelee disagreed with her stance, many more supported the ‘frugivore’ activist.
Freelee mostly eats raw fruit as part of her frugivore diet (Picture: Freelee the Banana Girl/Instagram)
‘That’s really aggressive and unnecessary,’ one said.
‘Everyone needs to be kind to one another. There are nicer ways to say the same thing.’
Comments on the other side of the fence, however, included one that said: ‘This is genuinely the most inspirational video I’ve ever watched, my eyes literally filled with tears as I realised how much of an impact I’m really making by eating animal products.’
Another said: ‘People have the audacity to comment on these fires, deaths of these poor animals and climate change but literally the next post is them wearing fur and eating a chicken sandwich.’
Some of the drawings he did (Picture: Akron Children’s Hospital)
Dr Robert Parry wants to make surgery a little less frightening for kids.
To help, he put down his scalpel and picked up a pen.
After surgery, he draws amazing cartoons on their dressings so when kids wake up, they aren’t frightened by the scar.
Akron Children’s Hospital, in Ohio, where he is a pediatric surgeon, said: ‘Dr. Robert Parry always takes a moment to make sure a scar isn’t the only lasting memory of a child’s surgical procedure.
‘He surprises them with a hand-drawn dressing featuring a character or something that personally interests them.’
Olaf from Frozen (Picture: Akron Children’s Hospital)
A Snoopy dressing (Picture: Akron Children’s Hospital)
Batman (Picture: Akron Children’s Hospital)
Dr Parry has been with the hospital since 2011 and he has performed more than 10,000 surgeries.
He likes to draw everything from Disney characters to sports team logos and once he even made a French salad ‘dressing’ bottle for a great pun.
Every drawing takes him about five minutes but they make a huge difference to his patients.
Samantha Manning brought her then 11-month-old daughter in for an operation on her liver in 2014.
Dr Parry operated on her and he drew a rose garden on her dressing.
Although the pen may not be mightier than the scalpel, pediatric surgeon Robert Parry always takes a moment to make sure…
Speaking to CNN, Samantha said: ‘We had no idea ahead of time that this was Dr. Parry’s special trademark.
‘We were really moved by it. The rose garden was symbolic of our larger experience with Dr. Parry and the hospital overall, taking the extra step to do those small, little gestures. It shows how much they care and really lifted our spirits.’
Nine years ago, Christina Potts Whipkey’s daughter Kennedy had a Dr Parry drawing while she was in hospital.
She said: ‘The doctor told Kennedy and her siblings she would have a lovely butterfly after she was done.
‘When Kennedy came out, everyone was excited to see what the doctor meant. Kennedy was so proud of the pretty bandage and not concerned about any scars.’
The expression in the first picture says it all about Gethin’s feelings (Picture: Gethin Thomas)
Often, before and after pictures that we see advertising products to lose weight are staged and show unrealistic results.
The pictures of Gethin Thomas before and after he turned his life around, however, are very much real. And the happiness he radiates in his recent photographs show how far he’s come.
In September last year, he was drinking heavily every single night.
The 25-year-old from Blackwood in South Wales tells metro.co.uk: ‘My lifestyle before was extremely unhealthy, I never watched what I ate and I drank a lot of alcohol. After a while this took its toll on me.’
With his diet and lifestyle making him feel rubbish, Gethin decided to turn his life around in September last year.
The bank customer services advisor used photographs to document his journey from boozing and having no motivation to taking control.
People now say Gethin looks ten years younger (Picture: Gethin Thomas)
‘One day I woke up feeling awful from the night before and thought enough was enough,’ says Gethin.
‘I had a shave, went for a haircut and then joined my local gym. Its 24/7 so I went late at night so not many people are around.’
A new wardrobe has been one side effect of Gethin’s lifestyle change (Picture: Gethin Thomas)
Starting off slowly, Gethin began to work on his fitness, and has now gone from strength to strength. He’s even running 10k for charity in March.
Although he has lost 56lbs over the course of his journey, many of the changes have been in his mindset and confidence.
He first went into the gym at night when no one was around (Picture: Gethin Thomas)
Gethin tells us: ‘I was a bit down before I started, and I didn’t think I was going to get anywhere in life.
‘I looked awful and after recently becoming single, I didn’t feel confident at all.
It was the picture on the left that pushed Gethin to make a change (Picture: Gethin Thomas)
‘As well as this I’d seen a picture on Facebook of me (the one where I’m wearing the orange t-shirt), and I thought “ohh my goodness gracious me” I look absolutely terrible.
‘That’s what sort of gave me the kick up the backside I needed.’
Unlike the cliched before and after pics we may see online, Gethin’s not trying to peddle a get-fit-quick scheme, and admits that there’s no overnight fix.
Gethin’s confidence has skyrocketed (Picture: Gethin Thomas)
‘For me it’s simple diet and exercise,’ he says, but adds ‘I wouldnt say it’s simple, it has been hard work.’
Using his Fitbit, Gethin tracks calories and avoids snacks and drinking but says he still enjoys himself. It’s more about making sure he’s having three square meals a day and knowing what’s in them.
‘After a few months had passed I saw a progressive change in my lifestyle and I don’t view it as dieting anymore but a lifestyle change,’ says Gethin.
Apart from having to change his entire wardrobe due to the fact none of his clothes fit him anymore, he’s also found that people are complimenting him, saying he looks 10 years younger – something Gethin calls ‘a great bonus’.
He is planning on losing more weight and continuing his new healthy regime sans the heavy boozing throughout the coming year.
But the main thing to note is just how much his demeanour has changed.
‘I feel fantastic now!’ Gethin concludes.
‘I’ve gone from hating myself to loving myself in a matter of months. I feel a lot more confident now and I’m always smiling.’
MORE: Mum creates amazing fire station bedroom for four-year-old son with a budget of under £100
MORE: Bride is fundraising to remove huge non-cancerous tumour on her arm before the wedding