Charli and her new pets (Picture: Charli Lello/Facebook)
We’ve all taken up time-intensive hobbies during lockdown to keep ourselves entertained.
One woman has gone a bit further and given life to some duck eggs.
Charli Lello, from Hertfordshire, bought Clarence Court eggs from Waitrose to see if she could get them to hatch.
After being furloughed, the 29-year-old had some time on her hands and wanted to see if she could get new pet ducklings.
A month after putting them in the incubator, the Braddock White ducklings started emerging from their shells.
And now Charli has three new ducklings, Beep, Peep, and Meep, who she says will live ‘a very happy life’ with her pet chicken.
The eggs she bought to hatch (Picture: Waitrose)
A Waitrose spokesperson explained that fertilised eggs are safe to eat and are no different from the unfertilised eggs we eat.
Charli says she got the idea from Facebook where she’s seen supermarket quail eggs being hatched.
‘While I was in Waitrose, I saw the duck eggs and thought maybe they would work as well,’ Charli explained to BBC news.
‘I was so excited for them to hatch but I still had in the back of my mind that these are supermarket eggs.
‘They have been collected, bashed around on a delivery truck, then rattled around on a trolley onto a shelf, picked up and put down by who knows how many people, so they still might not go all the way.’
This is Beep, Peep and Meep (Picture: Charli Lello/Facebook)
Charli is excited to spend her lockdown time with Beep, Peep and Meep and says this is the perfect time to be at home as she can tend to them.
She added: ‘The only reason I could try was because I am currently furloughed and have the time to raise them to an age where they won’t need me all day. Under normal circumstances it wouldn’t have been possible or fair on them.’
A spokesperson for Clarence Court Farms noted how rare it is to hatch their supermarket eggs.
They said: ‘It is a feat of remarkably slim odds that a duckling has been hatched. But we acknowledge that it’s not impossible.’
The Domino’s vegan offering is finally here (Picture: Domino’s)
Vegan pizza lovers brace yourselves – Domino’s is finally bringing a plant-based option to stores.
With most other major chains now offering a vegan option, Domino’s has lagged behind.
But from today, two vegan pizzas will be available in 46 stores across the UK and Ireland.
They’ve spent a long time creating a vegan dough and cheese that match up to their non-vegan offerings.
The two new flavours are vegan Margherita and vegan vegi supreme, with a rainbow of delicious and fresh vegetables, including mushrooms, sweetcorn, onions, green and red peppers and tomatoes.
They did do a trial last year but decided the dough wasn’t up to scratch so they’ve been improving it since and the food innovation crew in Domino’s test kitchen think they’ve now cracked it.
Aman Prasher, Domino’s Chief Vegan Dough Developer said: ‘Our vegan offering has been a while coming because we’re determined to make sure it’s full of our iconic Domino’s flavour. We might not be first but we’re always the best – no compromises.
‘Our dedicated pizza chefs are incredibly excited for our fans to try this new and improved latest dough as we believe we’ve nailed it.
‘If they agree, and love it as much as we do, Domino’s will roll out nationwide. We’ve now busy working on some toppings and sides -so watch this space!’
The trial stores for the Domino's vegan pizza
Fleet
Farnborough – Central
Liverpool – Aintree
Formby
Ormskirk
Haslemere
Bordon
Cheshunt
Farnborough – Fernhill
Aldershot
Hindhead
Waltham Abbey
Market Weighton
Frimley
Chester Le Street
Scarborough
South Shields
Sunderland – North
Washington
Houghton-le-Spring
Sunderland – South
Bristol Filton
Ipswich – Kesgrave
London – Finchley Road
Maidstone – Loose
Corby
Wantage
Bromborough
Glasgow – Govan
London – Woolwich
Poole – Waterloo Road
Sherburn in Elmet
Glasgow- Renfrew
Reading – Tilehurst
Milton Keynes – Bletchley
Waterlooville
Waterlooville – Cowplain
Belfast – South
Dublin – Dundrum
London – Maida Vale
London – Hendon
London – Golders Green
Glasgow – Battlefield
Glasgow – Giffnock
Exmouth
Cork – Douglas Village
Although the pizzas will be made to avoid any contamination, the chain does warn that some of the ingredients come from factories where animal products are made and they cannot guarantee no contamination there.
Fans will also be able to customise their pizzas with any vegan friendly topping, choosing items such as onions, fresh tomatoes and jalapeno peppers.
The trial Vegan Friendly range will be available in a medium size and will be complimented by Domino’s BBQ dip (Vegan) and is priced the same as non-vegan equivalents.
All the hops goodness (Picture: Cartwright & Butler/The Cheese Geek)
If you’re looking for an excuse to have a cold pint on a Monday afternoon, you’re in luck: today is National Beer Day.
Though, let’s be honest, the sunshine is enough of a reason to treat yourself to a cold bev.
But what is a beer without a snack to pair it with?
To celebrate the occasion, we have put together a round-up of some of the best beers and snack hampers on the market right now, from craft beers to blondes and even a mini keg.
Cheers.
Cartwright & Butler
A hamper fit for a fancy beer drinker (Picture: Cartwright & Butler)
What do you get: If you’re more of a snacks than a beer person, this is the hamper for you. Not because the beers, which include a Yorkshire Blackout and a Yorkshire Golden aren’t excellent, but because the snacks are mouth-watering. Munch on Cartwright & Butler’s Wafers for Cheese and Cheddar Cheese Crumbles, Olive & Garlic Wheat Flatbreads and Godminster Vintage Organic Cheddar and Onion Chutney.
Now that’s our kind of hamper (Picture: The Cheese Geek)
What do you get: We hope you didn’t think cheese is just for wine pairings? Bite into the Ozzy box, which features 200g of Bath Blue, 200g of Pitchfork and 250g of Rollright cheese. As for the beer, you get three cans of Hunter Helles Lager, Hepcat Session IPA and Bandit GP Pale Ale. Plus, there’s also some Peter’s Yard crisp bread included.
Crack open a pint and munch on crackling (Picture: The Snaffling Pig Co)
What do you get: One of the cheaper options on our list, this little gem of a kit is perfect for a late night pint in the garden or the park. It includes two 500ml blonde beers and two bags of pork crackling, with multiple flavours to choose from. If you want, you can also make it ‘pigger’ – for two extra bags of crackling.
Your very own mini keg (Picture: Fourpure Brewing Company)
What do you get: Not into cans or bottles? Just get this mini keg of Monsoon Juicy Pale. The hamper comes with two pint glasses and two 2⁄3 glasses, as well as two bags of crisps and two bags of Franks Jerky, plus some other bits and bobs (like a sticker pack). No pubs? No problem.
There’s your weekend picnic sorted (Picture: Hampers.com)
What do you get: It’s the ultimate British picnic kit, with Snowdonia Beechwood cheese, three craft beers – including a Helles, Pils and Lager – Savoursmiths Crisps and black pepper crackers. Sadly, the grapes are not included.
What do you get: Although we’re not fans of putting gender labels on hampers, let’s ignore that for a second and focus on the positives. This kit contains goodies galore, including four types of cheese – charcoal cheddar, pizza cheddar, black pepper cheddar and Skegness blue cheese – savoury and sweet biscuits, crackers, picked onions and more.
Oh, let’s not forget the beer: a bottle of Numb Nuts Ruby Ale.
Plenty of snacks with your bev (Picture: The British Hamper Company)
What do you get: It’s a basic but brilliant hamper with everything you’d get from a posh pub: a bottle of bitter (Wold Top) and a bottle of gold (also Wold Top), along with snacks such as Yorkshire sauce-flavoured crisps, hickory smoked almonds and cashews, pork crackling and stilton biscuits. Yum.
It comes in a cute hamper too (Picture: Borough Box)
What do you get: Possibly the best beer selection on our list, especially if you want to try something new. Stuff your face full of salami, nuts, crisps, chips, dips, pale ale popcorn and crackling. Then wash it all down with one of six beers: Brewgooder Clean Water Lager, Five Points Pale, Hiver Honey, Crate Pale Ale, Peckham Pils or Crate Citra Sour.
What do you get: Last but not least, we’ve got this gem from Forman & Field – which is the only one on our list that contains a pork pie (and for that alone, it gets bonus points). It’s a Father’s Day special, and also features a mixed case of beers from Orbit, along with more snacks like jerky.
Roberta put the unit together and then painted it to match her kitchen (Picture: Roberta McMurray)
Roberta McMurray wanted to add an island to her small square kitchen to have some worktop space.
She had a search online but the only affordable option that would fit was one from Ikea.
The unit cost £199 – so instead Roberta decided to be creative.
She took her daughter’s old Ikea Kallax unit (which she already had but can be bought for £25 in store) and added some inserts with doors to create cupboards.
She left two sections empty to use as shelves, with the bottom one a perfect place to store pet bowls.
She took the unit and added the doors and chopping boards (Picture: Roberta McMurray)
To create the worktop, she took two Lamplig chopping boards which have a lip over the side. She used the 46x53cm size.
Roberta stuck the two boards to the top of the unit and then painted it and the doors in a grey colour she had recently used to transform her kitchen doors.
The whole thing cost £36 – £9 for each of the two door inserts and £9 for each of the chopping boards – saving her a total of £163.
She then painted it grey (Picture: Roberta McMurray)
Posting on the DIY On A Budget Official Facebook group, Roberta said: ‘I wanted an island for for my small square kitchen and I priced one small enough for £199 from IKEA but I’d still have to paint it to match my kitchen cupboards that I’d recently painted.
‘So I took my girls old IKEA kallax unit and made my own, not perfect but to say it was £163 cheaper than buying a new one I’m over the moon.’
Other people on the group loved the idea and said they would give it a go, with over 3,600 likes.
Some suggested making it even better by putting castors on it so it can be moved around, or legs to make it the same height at the counters.
Roberta said she wanted to keep it that height for her kids to help with dinner.
Isa turns pets into animated character (Picture:@pet_disneyfication/Instagram/@scoot.butt)
Ever wondered what your pet would look like as a Disney character?
Well, an illustrator from the Netherlands is making a living by showing people just that.
Isa Bredt turns pets into Disney-inspired animations and shares them on her Instagram account @ pet_disneyfication.
The Dutch artist started her ‘disneyfications’ back in 2014, when she was just 16.
Isa tells Metro.co.uk: ‘I was (and am) a huge Disney fan, especially of all their old animal movies.
Spot on (Picture:@pet_disneyfication/Instagram/@simonsits)
‘I watched the Lion King almost daily when I was a kid and I have always loved drawing and animals and we’ve always had a lot of pets. So I thought it would be fun to combine all those things.
‘I started doing free requests online (on Reddit) a few times a year and people really enjoyed it – though I wasn’t very good then.
‘After doing that a few times I got a little better, and people started asking me if they could pay me for my work. I was too busy with school so I kind of forgot about it for a while.’
Naturally, fans have gone wild for Isa’s animations, with many asking for commissions of their own pets. Due to a soar in demand, Isa is now booked up until September.
She says: ‘People have been so nice – way nicer than I ever expected.
‘Instagram is a very friendly place, I always thought having a following meant receiving hate, but so far it has been a positive experience.’
Isa also uses her platform to shine a light on animals living in shelters, in the hope that it will get them noticed.
Did you know the little flat bits were so important? (Picture:4jmjcbitxh/TikTok)
Over the summer months, ice cube trays are in demand more than ever.
From a refreshing G&T at a barbecue to a glass of chilled whisky in the garden – ice is a summer staple.
But a TikTok user has left people utterly stunned, after revealing the correct way to fill an ice cube tray.
When it comes to filling the pesky plastic containers, most people find themselves battling with the water as they try to collect it evenly into the cubes, whilst also avoiding splash-back from the tap.
Well, apparently this is a fool’s technique.
User @4jmjcbitxh explains that the little flat areas in-between the ice moulds are actually incredibly important.
The little flat bits help distribute the water evenly (Picture:4jmjcbitxh/TikTok)
In the video, she says: ‘Am I just dumb or did nobody else know this either?
‘These little flat spots on ice cube trays are where you’re meant to fill in the water.’
She holds the flat area directly under the water flowing from the tap and shows how it equally fills up sections of four.
Face masks are likely going to become a staple part of our new normal as lockdown restrictions continue to ease.
They are now compulsory on London transport, and recommended on all public transport and any spaces where it would be too difficult to maintain social distancing.
But forgetting your face mask isn’t like forgetting your lunch or your umbrella – if there’s no quick fix, and going without one could put you or others at risk.
Luckily, one company has now launched the first face mask vending machines in the capital – to help you out if you need a face mask while on the go.
MASKEY launched in May, just before the government started urging people to wear masks in public.
The vending machines are currently installed in 10 shopping centres across London, Essex and Surrey, and also by three underground stations Loughton, Chigwell and Woodford. This list is rapidly growing.
Designed and made in London, the masks cost £6-8 and are available in an array of playful prints and colours. MASKEY also offer a bespoke, embroidered service for corporate businesses.
The vending machines can be found in London shopping centres and outside certain stations (Picture: MASKEY)
‘All masks are made in London by a machinist wearing a face mask and gloves and within seconds of being completed, steamed at over 90 degrees and then instantly placed into a sealed plastic wallet,’ says founder Adam Freeman.
‘No one can enter the factory without a face mask and gloves and the entrance is protected by a double entry/exit system.’
Adam wanted the masks to be instantly available to anyone, at any time.
With many vending machines in decline over lockdown, he removed the refrigeration units and repurposed the machines for his masks. He also made all payment/keypads contactless for extra safety.
‘10% of the profit from each sale will be donated to the charity Lenderhand, which is currently supporting the NHS along with individuals and families in need during this crisis,’ adds Adam. ‘MASKEY have also been able to give jobs to seamstress’s, engineers and local people that were out of work due to lockdown.
‘I came up with the idea after seeing my friend’s London based suit manufacturing business struggling due to the pandemic.
‘At the time, it was difficult to get hold of a mask and I wasn’t confident other masks were made with strict safety measures in place. I asked if he could make masks and it went from there.
Once we came up with a solution of modifying the vending machines we were good to go.The vending machines give everyone instant accessibility to cover up in a variety of playful prints and keep safe whilst out and about.’
Do you have a story to share? We want to hear from you.
Teenagers and women on TikTok are sharing the reality of being a woman (Picture:@greatvalueamberrose/thebiggersthebette/emilyannbeidler/TikTok)
Many women around the world can attest to shared experiences of harassment, mockery and belittlement.
The latest medium where the experiences are being shared is on TikTok.
Female content creators have taken the ‘put a finger down’ trend on the app, which works on a similar premise to ‘never have I ever’, to account for every time something sinister has happened to them.
The trend was started by beauty company CEO and makeup artist Sarah Biggers-Stewart who encouraged others to ‘duet’ her video – where users can use her audio and add their own visuals.
And many other women duetted Sarah’s video, putting down a finger any time someone followed them or they had to put keys between their knuckles for fearing for their safety.
Sarah told her followers that she wanted to share her truth and the female reality which many can relate to.
Her video has since been replicated by 10,000 other users, many of whom are young teenagers.
Some of the sentences Sarah says include: ‘Put a finger down if you’ve been drugged, put a finger down if a friend has been drugged. If you’ve been sexually touched inappropriately if you freak out if you hear a man running behind you.’
Other lines include: ‘Put a finger down if you did something with a man you didn’t want to do because you were worried about your own safety.’
Sarah also added further comments to her video to make her message clearer.
She wrote: ‘This is not about hating men. My intention is to spread awareness of what reality looks like for so many of us.
‘It’s often glossed over as an outlier experience when in reality, most (but not all) women I know have dealt with these things and feel alone.’
She continued: ‘Here’s what I’m going to say and I’m only going to say this once. Men are absolutely victims too and not all men are perpetrators. I never have and never would say any different.
‘I will always support men who come forward with their stories, it’s still underrepresented by our media and still frowned upon within our society.
‘But taking videos for women-specific to women’s experiences and trying to co-opt them with your message of ‘not all men’ and ‘what about men?’ – it’s invalidating as hell.’
It’s a huge problem because besides the many health risks of staying up late, it’s just not conducive to productivity while in lockdown (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
I have always been a night owl, but working as a freelancer often pushed my bedtime to as late as 4am.
Then, when the coronavirus pandemic hit and lockdown became a global reality, I started falling asleep even later. I found myself finally dozing off at 6am, while my TV blared in the background.
Pre-Covid, office hours had always served as a reminder that the world was never made for night owls. Now, my current reminder comes in the form of my parents blasting the electric mixer at 8am.
Which is a huge problem because, besides the many health risks of staying up late, it’s just not conducive to productivity while in lockdown.
At the end of January, I came home to visit my parents in New Delhi after I had spent the last two years in the UK enrolled in a media fellowship.
I wasn’t expecting to stay longer than my intended ‘sabbatical’ since I was due to go back to the UK to start a postgraduate programme this summer. But with Covid-19, travel bans, increasing fatalities, as well as uncertainty about jobs, healthcare and pretty much everything, I’ve been forced to stay here longer than anticipated.
When I first got to India, I would stay up until sunrise to talk to my English friends and my Yorkshire-based boyfriend I was seeing at the time. I was happy to work around their work commitments during the day, so I could talk to them in their evenings (my early mornings in India). Sometimes they would even text me that they were going to bed before I did.
Then I stumbled across a tweet after the coronavirus lockdown that asked: ‘What’s y’alls new sleep schedule?’
whatâs yâalls new sleep schedule mine is 5 am to 2 pm :)
People replied that they were going to sleep at 7am, 8am or even later. If I continued the way I was going, I could end up being one of them.
I was already extremely exhausted physically due to lack of sleep and looking at their nighttime habits gave me anxiety.
I realised this cannot be passed off as my new normal. I had to take control.
It wasn’t the first time I felt the pressure to go to sleep earlier. In 2018, my gynaecologist recommended an earlier bedtime from my usual 3am bedtime after I developed cysts and hormonal imbalances.
She emphasised that the body’s organs are used to functioning according to the sleep schedule set in place as a child. Disrupting them as an adult causes various imbalances.
It felt scary. I was told that I may have more health problems in the future if I didn’t maintain a healthier sleep schedule. I tried going to bed earlier but often failed miserably after constantly trying to juggle work, friends and family.
I had all of those reasons back then but since being in lockdown, it felt like I had no excuse.
If that wasn’t enough, researchers at Northwestern and the University of Surrey published a study of more than 433,000 adults in the UK. It concluded night owls had a 10 per cent greater likelihood of dying earlier than those who went to bed early.
It’s not that I have never tried before. However, my past attempts have taught me that no apps, meditation podcasts, or bedtime alarms will prepone my sleep routine. Therefore, I went back to the age-old power of pen and paper.
I recalled how, as a child, I was able to keep New Year’s resolutions because my mother made me write them down. In high school, I participated in debates and plays because – as I confided in my pink Disney princess diary – I had to overcome stage-fright.
Writing something down requires more effort than an alarm that can be snoozed.
The rule was simple – each night I would note the time I switched off all lights and hit the pillow. If the time from the previous night was 3am, I was allowed to go to bed at 2:58am, but I could not stay up a minute past 3am.
Each morning, I would put a line through the last bedtime and a new one would be written below it the following night. Striking off the time in the morning helped me remember each day how many hours I had left to complete all my tasks, or binge watch a series.
Changing a lifetime worth of sleeping habits is a work in progress
Of course I slipped many times. When the UK’s coronavirus death count rose to over 300, I texted my British ex-boyfriend (we had broken up because a long distance relationship became too hard) after one too many glasses of wine, asking if he and his family were alright. We ended up chatting until 3:26am.
Waking up the next morning, I immediately regretted breaking my bedtime rule.
I decided to begin to introduce more stringent rules. Clearly it was necessary so I don’t keep breaking the cycle. Each time I broke protocol, I would have to start all over again instead of brushing it off as a one-time event and then saying, ‘Well that doesn’t count.’
It’s now three months since I implemented my bedtime strategy and I am still at home with my parents. With the world still so uncertain, it is impossible for me to predict how my sleep patterns will look post-pandemic.
Setting such a stringent schedule definitely adds night-time anxiety, but it also reminds me of the constant physical exhaustion that lies ahead for me during daytime if I don’t sleep early.
I can only hope I don’t go back to sleeping after sunrise.
I will likely never be one of those highly efficient people who go to bed before 10pm, gets a full eight hours and wakes up at 6am to jump into their daily exercise or yoga routine. But as of today, my most recent bedtime – below countless crossed off numbers – is 10:50pm.
It will probably take me another few weeks to bring the time down to my desired goal, considering the fact that I slip every now and then. But somehow, I now feel more peaceful and healthy compared to when I was going to bed just after sunrise.
I am not as mentally and physically exhausted throughout the day as I used to be and I don’t have dark circles around my eyes anymore. I’ve also lost four kilograms, which may or may not be linked to a healthier bedtime.
Because of a written vow, I am now able to control how much texting and scrolling I am allowed on social media, and how much time I have left for a book or movie before sleeping each night.
Changing a lifetime worth of sleeping habits is a work in progress. But using a pen and paper to keep myself accountable truly did for me what countless apps couldn’t do over the last few years.
I am hopeful that even after all of this is over, I am able to remember the benefits of slowing down and how much better I feel going to bed before dawn.
There was a time when we relied on a scroll of paper in our pockets, where the grocery list was scrawled in hasty handwriting. Lockdown life caused me to remember the little girl who didn’t depend on various apps to achieve a set target.
It showed me that life was once simple and still can be.
In celebration of National Beer Day, we are combining two of the nation’s favourite things: baking and – you guessed it – beer.
More specifically, we are going to teach you how to make beer bread.
It’s a super easy recipe that is almost impossible to mess up, and what’s better, most people will have the ingredients in their cupboard already – so it saves you a trip to the supermarket.
Just don’t forget to get an extra pint so that you’ve got something to wash the bread down with.
What you need
There are variations on beer bread, depending on what kind of flavour you’d like, but here are the basics of what you need for our recipe:
350g self-raising flour
Three tablespoons of sugar (or caster sugar, both work fine)
One small can or bottle of beer of your choice (330ml)
Optional add-ons:
Salt
Butter (50g)
How to make beer bread
Before we go on, bear in mind that the type of beer you choose will affect the final result. It can be a lager, ale or something else – but go with one that you like to drink, and you’re more likely to get a loaf that appeals to your palate.
However, you’re best off avoiding bitters and sours as the flavours in these beers get concentrated when baked and change the overall taste.
As for the instructions, they are as easy as we promised.
Preheat the oven to 180-190 degrees.
Mix your dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Once these have blended nicely, slowly pour in the beer while you blend the mixture with a wooden spoon. Don’t pour it in all at once, to avoid clumps.
After that, stick your hands in the bowl (don’t forget to wash them first!) and work the dough.
Next is an optional step: add a pinch of salt and 50g of melted butter.
Continue to work the dough – it’ll be sticky, so you might want to lightly flour your hands before you start.
Put into a greased loaf pan.
Bake for 45-60 minutes.
In more beer news, if baking feels like too much hassle, we have put together a list of the best beer and snacks hampers.
From ales to lagers, sours and bitters – it’s everything you need for a sunny day in the park.
Washing your hair with beer might seem like a waste of a good drink but apparently it can leave your hair feeling sleek and shiny.
To celebrate National Beer day today, and with your hair probably feeling a little lifeless at this point in lockdown, we bring you a guide to the beer rinse.
It does need a little bit of prep so don’t just throw the remains of your pint over yourself if you’ve had enough.
It’s also not something you want to do every day as the alcohol would dry your locks out but it’s a good way to remove product build-up and clarify your hair while adding volume. You could try using a non-alcoholic beer to avoid the drying effect.
The proteins, B vitamins and sugars in the beer help to add shine if you do it every now and again.
Fans of a beer rinse say it is good for curly hair as it improves elasticity and helps with heat damage, while others say it helps with hair growth.
First you need to pour your beer into a container and leave it overnight. It needs to be flat and lukewarm for the rinse.
Start by washing normally with shampoo, rinsing with water and then pouring beer over your hair, coating it. Massage it from root to tip.
Leave for 10 minutes before rinsing with warm water, followed by more cool water.
Some people don’t mind the smell so avoid using conditioner but if you struggle with that, add conditioner and rinse as normal.
It’s not our job to help you through this awakening (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
These past few weeks have been hard for everyone linked to the black community.
On top of the collective trauma that comes from the murder of yet another black man, it’s as if the whole world has suddenly woken up to the realities of racism.
This white awakening has had a real emotional impact on many ethnic minorities. After all, imagine having to deal with racism on a near-daily basis for generations only for you to be believed now. But the unexpected result of all this – for me at least – has been the almighty load put on me by my white friends.
Those of us who are black and white (and no doubt, other mixes too) seem to have become tools to enlighten, comfort and placate white angst.
As a light-skinned mixed race woman with a dad the colour of George Floyd, these deaths and violations have hit hard. I, like many others I’ve spoken to, see my dad when I see images of black men slowly having the life force sucked out of him. It physically hurts.
In the days and weeks following Floyd’s killing, I felt myself spiralling into a pretty dark mental health fug. The only way I could move forward was to share resources on social media, challenge people I knew in conversations and turn up to protests. I could call out white silence and question the way certain friends carried on.
What I didn’t realise, however, was that as a mixed race woman I’d become a free-for-all resource. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been asked how friends and colleagues can better educate themselves, what books they should read, which videos they should watch. I’ve had people work out their racial theories to me as a kind of testing ground before they posit those ideas to a wider public.
People think that it’s OK to ask me about race because I’m partly Black – I have leather in the game without being too different to them. I’m non-threatening.
An influencer ‘friend’ of mine said they’d only share something on their Instagram stories (not even the grid!) if I provided the link. So in order to even take part in performative allyship, I was expected to provide the goods. And I’m ashamed to say that I did send the link, in the hope that they might read it and learn something. Spoiler alert: they went back to posting exclusively about good vibes and trainers immediately after that #BLM blip. Ahh, order restored!
I live with huge amounts of privilege. Yes, I’ve experienced racism but it’s mainly been online. Microaggressions in the workplace and education have been few and far between (like the time I was being offered coloured hair shampoo by a beauty PR who said it was for people like me… with coloured hair. Reader, my hair hadn’t been dyed). I know I’m super lucky that such incidents are so rare that I can name them. For others, things happen on such a regular basis that it’d be hard to pick any one incident.
I’ve had people work out their racial theories to me as a kind of testing ground before they posit those ideas to a wider public.
It hurts slightly more when friends have made off-the-cuff remarks (does my dad understand English? Am I wearing a tribal dress… that’s from Topshop?) without any consideration as to how they might seem, and I’ve been complicit in letting them go unchallenged. I’ve become – or maybe always was – a comfortable space for people to say what they really think and feel without running the risk of being lambasted a racist.
I know for a fact that people wouldn’t say these seemingly innocent remarks to a black person. They’re far more acceptable and funny say to someone who looks more like you.
My own fatigue isn’t just down to being leaned on by other people, or the collective despair that bubbles up with each new atrocity. I carry the burden of having both the victim and the perpetrator of racism inside of me. I look in the mirror and see the white fragility that has been behind centuries of cruelty and malice… and I also see bits of me that are apparently so disgusting to many that they want to exterminate them.
It’s also really difficult to know how much pain it’s reasonable to feel when you are not in imminent danger yourself. How much right do I have to pontificate on matters of black lives when the mixed race experience is so different?
If you want to really learn what it’s like to navigate a systemically racist society, you’ve got to talk to black people. Your mixed race friends can’t shield you from the realities that black people live with, even if they’ve experienced racism themselves.
In my experience, many white people don’t have black friends but if they have a mixed race one, it’s enough. They’re close enough to blackness to be cosmopolitan and diverse without having to examine why they don’t know any black people.
Perhaps you’ve only got white friends because you grew up in an English countryside village – totally not your fault. Maybe you then went to a ‘good’ uni where the vast majority of students were like you. Again, it is what it is.
But have you ever stopped to consider the fact that the UK is a rare example of rural communities also being the wealthiest, while poorer areas of the country tend to be in cities? Even once people ‘make it’, the idea of being isolated in the countryside with no access to healthcare professionals who look like them, for example, can be a threatening one.
How about the fact only 10 per cent of university lecturers are from BAME backgrounds and that the three universities with the biggest black populations are all in London? It’s not just an odd coincidence that you don’t know many black people, it’s a symptom of living in a structurally racist country.
While it’s not your fault that you’ve not grown up with any diversity, the fact that parts of the UK are regarded as unattainable to people of colour is a problem for us all and one that many of us are complicit in. Now is your chance to actively work at undoing that damage.
It shouldn’t be the job of people like me to spoon-feed white friends and family very basic anti-racist material. It’s lazy. If you’re not even willing to put energy into education, what hope is there for you to make an active change in the way you go about your life?
With masks now mandatory in some public spaces in the UK, such as hospitals and on public transport, it’s high time to invest in a durable product that will last you throughout the pandemic.
If you don’t fancy making your own from a sock or a T-shirt, there’s a new eco-friendly option on the market: masks made from discarded fish nets.
The Thyra mask, as its known, was invented by Solveig Starovic, a mum based in Dorset, and is made from regenerated eco nylon – sourced from recycled plastics found in landfills and oceans, such as fish nets.
Thyra’s hyper-resistant and stretchable material also features a two-way filter of melt-blown, non-woven polypropylene that, according to the brand, blocks over 95% of particles of at least 0.3 microns in size.
It’s also very stretchy, made to fit as many face shapes as possible.
What’s more, the product is also machine-washable so you can keep it clean and it can be ironed on low heat.
Solveig created the prototype for Thyra at her kitchen table; it was inspired by her love of cycling and the environment, with the mask adapted from an original sports mask that she has also designed.
The recycled materials are sourced from landfills (Picture: Solveig Starovic)
‘I’m a keen cyclist but air pollution really concerns me, so I initially started looking into a mask design that could be worn with a focus on maximum protection through very high filtration, while maintaining comfort and breathability,’ Solveig tells Metro.co.uk.
‘ I did a lot of research into different materials.
‘My life has always been very connected to the sea but the amount of plastic in our oceans is shocking and I’m a firm believer that the future is only possible with sustainability, so when I discovered an eco-nylon that uses regenerated plastics including discarded fishing nets, it ticked every box in terms of its quality, performance and eco benefits.’
The mask, which costs £19.99, comes in two colours: latte and mocha, and each order includes one high-purity filter.
Replacement filter packs of three will cost an additional £11.99.
Part of the profits from each mask sold will also be donated to the NHS.
It’s been a long lockdown (Picture: Getty Images/Cultura RF)
With lockdown restrictions slowly easing across the UK and non-essential retailers opening their doors once again, people are still wondering just when they might be able to get that long-awaited first post-lockdown haircut.
The reopening of hairdressers has been the subject of much speculation since lockdown began, so no doubt many will be relieved to hear that ministers are said to be in discussions about opening them sooner rather than later in a bid to boost the economy.
If you’re buzzing to get a professional trim, here’s what you need to know about their anticipated reopening date and the protective measures being discussed to help keep staff and customers safe from coronavirus.
When might hairdressers reopen?
While hairdressers are unlikely to open properly before next month, salons have been told that they can open from today – Monday 15 June – to sell products such as shampoos and hair treatments.
However these can only be sold online, and collected outside the salon – with customers not allowed inside.
As far as opening for haircuts and other services go, it’s been established that salons won’t open until July 4 at the earliest – with hairdressers falling into phase three of the easing of lockdown restrictions.
When it comes to safety measures, it would be nigh-on impossible for there to be social distancing between someone having their hair cut and the person doing the cutting.
In lieu of a two-metre distance between those in the chairs and staff, the Department for Business (BEIS) has started drawing up guidance that will see hairdressers outfitted with ‘dentist-style’ PPE, including visors, face masks, and gloves.
Salon staff will also get advice on how to maintain social distancing.
Some of the other safety measures being discussed are thought to be similar to those observed in dental practices, such as Perspex barriers, staggered arrival and departure times, taking magazines out of waiting areas and keeping activity time as short as possible.
One source told The Telegraph: ‘Hairdressers were supposed to be the next thing. Boris has talked about unleashing the great British haircut again. It would be treated under similar rules to dentists.’
Number 10 did not rule out a June reopening, but maintained that no date has been finalised and Prime Minister Boris Johnson is ‘moving cautiously’ and ‘monitoring the situation extremely carefully’.
Last month, the Health Secretary said that the Government is doing ‘everything they can’ to get hairdressers open again.
Matt Hancock said: ‘We are working on what it would look like to have the protective equipment in place.
‘Hairdressing, like so many industries, we’re doing everything we can to support them through what is inevitably an incredibly difficult time.’
Did you know you could bathe with beer? (Picture: Getty Images/EyeEm)
Beer is a versatile drink.
Not only is the bevvy one of the most-consumed alcoholic drinks, it also serves lots of other useful purposes.
This National Beer Day, we’re bringing you all the things you can do with a beer besides drinking it (which you can do, of course, but save a bottle or two for other things).
The proteins, B vitamins and sugars in the beer help to add shine if you do it every now and again.
Fans of a beer rinse say it is good for curly hair as it improves elasticity and helps with heat damage, while others say it helps with hair growth.
But you’ll need to pour your beer into a container and leave it overnight. It needs to be flat and lukewarm for the rinse.
You can use beer to tenderise meat (Picture: Getty Images)
You can implement it in other beauty regimes like having a bath with it (this one is going to require a lot of beer, we know).
But the yeast in the beer will exfoliate and soften your skin.
We’re no medical experts but apparently beer can also help pass kidney stones.
That’s because beer is diuretic in nature meaning it makes you want to pee, allowing the stones to pass easily.
Beer is also a safe way to attract and kill slugs. The yeasty sweet smell lures them and the ethanol in the beer kills them, or they simply fall into the traps and drown.
If you’d rather consume the stuff (who could blame you?), there are also cooking options like a roast chicken.
You can use it to marinate and tenderise meat with its acidity which won’t leave a smell.
Alternatively, you can try adding half a cup when you boil rice or simply add to homemade barbecue sauces.
Carol hopes the portrait will make people reconsider their perspectives (Picture: Brian Cassey/ Magnus News)
A woman who suffered 85% burns has posed naked for a powerful portrait – to make a point about what’s really important in life.
Carol Mayer, had just a 50% chance of survival after a house fire caused devastating injuries 20 years ago.
But Carol survived, and then she survived years of subsequent mental and physical trauma. And the revealing photo shoot is a celebration of this incredible resilience.
The stunning portrait ‘The Skin I’m In’ by British-born photographer Brian Cassey, has been shortlisted for the Portrait of Humanity 2020.
The list selected by the publisher of the British Journal of Photography, will see photos from around the world exhibited in space via a screen launched into the stratosphere.
Carol, now 53, used to be a beauty queen in her hometown of Cairns, Queensland, Australia, before a house fire in 2000.
Carol and her son Zac both survived the horrific house fire (Picture: Brian Cassey/ Magnus News)
Both Carol and her son Zac survived the blaze, but Carol was left with life changing injuries.
‘With burns it is physically and mentally hard for any human to go through,’ says Carol.
‘But if you’ve got that real fighting spirit, which is what I have, that’s what has got me through, sheer grit and determination.
‘I just wasn’t going to let it beat me and when Brian approached me, I just thought this is a fantastic opportunity to show somebody the raw side of me.’
Carol was more terrified of being photographed without her headband than being nude (Picture: Brian Cassey/ Magnus News)
Even going through what she has been through Carol said she still knows some people have it harder – she tries to keep a sense of perspective.
‘The biggest thing with burns is you can only get better; you can’t get worse,’ she explains. ‘Say you have a person with cancer, if the cancer comes back, or it’s terminal, you might have a certain time to live.
‘With burns, you know that you will improve, you’ve got to be very patient, you learn to accept that this is just how it is, and you get this art of being patient.’
Carol said the scariest thing about the portrait was not posing naked, but having to remove her headband.
‘There is nothing of me to hide, what you see is what you get, I’m not hiding anything in this photo.’ (Picture: Brian Cassey/ Magnus News)
‘When Brian first approached me, the first thing I thought about was taking my headband off.
‘I normally wear a headband because it makes me feel secure and I feel naked without it.
‘And for me that was the “oh wow” moment because it was a big step for me. I’ve already lost a lot of my femininity, parts of my fingers, parts of my ears, without my headband I thought this is what you call a raw image.
‘I was like can I keep my undies on? And he said yeah but we’ll take the picture like you’re totally naked. It was all very tastefully done, it was a bit of a giggle.
‘At the end of the day it’s what’s in your soul that keeps you moving’ (Picture: Brian Cassey/ Magnus News)
‘I thought afterwards this is going to be big, there is nothing of me to hide, what you see is what you get, I’m not hiding anything in this photo.’
Carol said she hopes her image will make people stop and think about what is important in humanity – and the things that connect us, whatever our circumstances.
‘What you are as a human is what you are, these are just scars, they are a hell of a lot of scars, but at the end of the day it’s what’s in your soul that keeps you moving,’ she says.
‘It’s about accepting, moving forward and holding your head up high’ (Picture: Brian Cassey/ Magnus News)
‘The more people that know about these photographs the better, as far as I’m concerned, they are too powerful not to put out there.
‘I felt I was really putting myself out there, but I thought this is for a good cause, this is for people to realise; number one, your life can be gone in a heartbeat, number two, you need a fighting spirit, and number three, it’s about accepting, moving forward and holding your head up high.
‘I wanted to show people you don’t have to be afraid to show the true human that you really are.
‘Some people hide themselves away when they have so much to give, and by doing this people can see, well this woman, look at what she’s been through, but she’s still making the best of what she has.
‘There’s a message in this portrait.’
Do you have a story to share? We want to hear from you.
Staying at home has been good for people’s savings (Picture: Getty)
If there’s one perk to being home all the time, it’s the amount of money that can be saved from doing absolutely nothing.
The funds which usually go towards drinks with friends, monthly travel cards and Pret lunches can – for the first time in most of our adult lives – be pocketed.
As a result, people are saving more money than ever before.
Of course, COVID-related job losses have meant this sadly isn’t the case for everyone. But, on the whole, staying home has made day-to-day life significantly less expensive.
We asked people who have been fortunate enough to save during this difficult time, what they plan to spend their funds on.
Puja
‘I have saved so much during lockdown, the only things I have been spending my money on is the food shop every two weeks and my direct debits. I cannot believe how much I have saved in such a short amount of time, it has all been added to my wedding pot.
‘We want to get married abroad so this can be used for extra entertainment. We are only just getting started on wedding planning to be fair but it all helps.’
Thurka
‘After being sent home from university four months ago, I decided to save money to buy a much-awaited car. I’m planning to buy it through finance, but I almost have enough for a deposit.’
Lottie
‘Luckily, I have still been working and living with my parents so my savings have really escalated which helps for my plans to travel Asia and get my working visa for Australia.
‘I’m hoping I will be able to get there sooner than initially planned now – COVID-pemitting, of course.’
George
‘I’ve always wanted to be more creative and the money that I’ve saved is helping me to do so. I’ve bought a digital camera, and I’m looking at buying a Polaroid camera, too. I feel like during these uncertain times, capturing moments are more important than ever before.
‘Most importantly, the saved money has opened up options for me, which I didn’t feel were there for me before. I can now think about what I want to invest in to help take me forward and build new skills.’
Jenny
‘My bank statement used to be a who’s who of food outlets, from Pret to pizza places, but I’ve stopped eating out and getting my regular shop-bought lunches. This means I’ve been in credit for the longest since university and I would say I’ve saved close to £1000 by not spending on food and drink, as well as travel and those little purchases like the “treat” earrings in Accessorize or Oliver Bonas on a lunch break.
‘I’m going to use the money to buy a Whippet – my dream dog. It’ll be a bitch, who I already know I want to call Florence.
‘I’m hoping she’ll be with me by autumn, depending on litters and prices. Puppy prices are extortionate at the moment because of demand, so I’ll be waiting a little longer because of that as well.’
Jess
‘I’ve saved money on the kids’ cancelled swimming classes and after-school clubs, so we are now buying a big paddling pool for the garden so they can still enjoy some water play.’
Natalie
‘I’ve been surprised at how much I have managed to save in lockdown. I have – so far – been lucky enough to keep my job, so the complete lack of social plans has meant I suddenly have a lot more at the end of the month.
‘Every penny of that is going straight into my ISA, which is going towards a deposit for my first flat. I have been saving for a deposit for the last five years, but I’ve probably made the most significant progress in the last few months, which is a huge silver-lining of this rubbish situation.’
Clur
‘I have paid off significant amount of overdraft. I’ve also paid off half of an outstanding credit card bill and should have other half paid off this month so will be debt-free for first time in a long time.
‘Just shows what no travel, lunch and non-essential shopping costs can achieve.’
Faima
‘With the money that I’ve saved from not commuting and just daily little spends and going out money, I’m planning to take a big holiday once global travel restrictions ease.
‘I know that it’s possible to fly to some countries right now but I don’t want to travel just yet because I don’t want to spend loads on somewhere exotic only to find everything closed and super quiet.
‘So I’m definitely saving for a holiday (most likely for 2021) and/or a car because I’ve had my license for yonks and want to take myself to a drive-thru.’
Pippa
‘Hopefully buying a property. I’m incredibly fortunate to still have a job – so, as we’ve barely been out of the house, we’ve managed to put a nice little bit away each month to put towards our deposit.
‘Makes me realise how much I used to spend on crap.’
Free-from doesn’t mean taste-free (Picture: Brewdog/Nirvana/Timmermans/Altiplano)
You might be living for the day when you can have a decent meal in a restaurant or go to a club with a thousand strangers, but one thing many of us won’t be giving up once lockdown is finished with is home delivery.
We’ve got used to have everything delivered, and that includes our booze. While nothing beats a cold pint in a local beer garden, having a can of chilled ale delivered to your balcony is the next best thing. If the past few months have sent you on a health-kick or you’ve got allergies, however, then you may think that beer is off-limits until you can once again delve into microbrewery offerings.
Actually, there are loads of free-from beer options out there available for delivery and we’ve compiled a list of the best:
You can’t really get 100% sugar-free beer but you can get low carb lagers which have a lower sugar content.
This stuff contains 89 calories per bottle (35% fewer than other premium lagers) and contains 0.4 per cent sugar and 0.9 per cent carbs. Desperados, by comparison, contains 18.5g of carbs per 330ml bottle and 7% sugar.
This tastes exactly like your classic ‘hop-forward’ American pale ale but it’s gluten-free. It’s brewed with 100% malted barley and American hops, with citrus flavours melding together with a caramel malt base.
The thing about alcohol-free beer is that generally speaking, it doesn’t taste of much. It tastes like a less exciting version of the boozy stuff. But Nirvana is different. We’re talking tangy pale ales, crisp IPAs and wacky ‘buchabeer’ – a beer-kombucha hybrid.
Whether you don’t drink, you’re sober-curious or simply want a freshing soft drink, these babies are the real deal.
Sulphite-free beer is really hard to find but once country that’s got it down to a fine art is Germany. That’s because the Reinheitsgebot – AKA the Germany Purity Law – has prevented brewers from making beer with any additives. All they can use is hops, malt, water and yeast.
Sulphites are naturally found in some foods but are added to others to maintain food colour and shelf-life. For most people, they’re harmless but some people can be allergic to them.
Hops really form the bedrock of beer making. Hop-free beer is called gruit and it focusses on using herbs and fruit to form the basis of fermentation.
Mollys Gruit is made by a ‘small, wild, sour and herbal brewery’ that focuses on small batches of foraged and aged beers. It’s quite spenny and you’ll have to pay for shipping…unless you buy few bottles, that is.
Gluten-free doesn’t automatically mean wheat-free and this baby is made from quinoa. It’s made from quinoa grown on the high Andean plains in Bolivia and brewed in France. Expect notes of citrus, bread and honey. Yum.
Gluten-free? Vegan-friendly? Yep, pass us over a can. This Golden Promise malt has layers of tropical fruit and has been fermented with London Ale II yeast to add even more to its fruity body. Oh, and it’s brewed in Huddersfield.
Yeast allergies can leave people with all sorts of gastro issues, from gas and bloating to skin breakouts and pain. Once you know you can’t handle your yeast, you might think you’ve got to give up beer – but you don’t.
Lambicus is a type of beer that’s made without yeast. Lambic is the process used for brewing beers with malted wheat instead, using things like coriander and dried orange zest to give the beer a light, fruity flavour.
Many teenage girls have an issue with their body image – even more so if, like me, they have a ‘hunchback’ by the age of 13.
Whenever I looked in the mirror, all I could see was my skewed torso and uneven shoulders. I’d cover myself with baggy jumpers trying my best to blend in and be invisible.
There was no point though as I was bullied during my most important developmental years because of something entirely out of my control. I’d get people demanding that I stood up straight or calling me ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’, which all felt so humiliating.
Like many teenage girls I resented anything that could make me look even slightly different – I only wanted to be normal.
I was 12 years old when I first experienced severe back pain. During netball practice and PE, I struggled with sharp aches afterwards. I told my parents about the discomfort and they gave me painkillers – treating it like any other back pain.
As a typical pre-teen girl, I’d run from my bathroom in a towel to get dressed and wear clothes that swamped me. I was embarrassed about showing my body to people, so my parents weren’t really aware of my spinal curvature until it was too late.
It was in 2011, when I was 13, that I finally saw my GP because of my severe back pain – which I had experienced for almost a year. At first, doctors were adamant that it couldn’t be the spinal disorder scoliosis, which is when the spine twists and curves to the side, as it wouldn’t cause this much discomfort.
However, after x-rays and scans, they concluded that I had a severe 74 degree curve and told me I actually had severe scoliosis – a condition that often remains invisible and misunderstood as the symptoms go beyond a simple spinal curvature.
Patients also often suffer from chronic pain, fatigue, poor lung function, anxiety and depression.
Following my diagnosis I was placed on a waiting list for spinal fusion surgery, which is a procedure that corrects the curve using metal rods, screws and hooks. It is essentially a ‘welding’ process that fuses together vertebrae so that they heal into a single, solid bone.
Before my operation in 2012, some days were fine and I could complete daily activities. Other days, it was excruciating. Walking would hurt, so did sitting, and the only relief was lying down.
But the worst part of having scoliosis isn’t the physical effects, but the psychological impact of growing up with a deformity, affecting my self-esteem.
I’d been told that the operation to straighten my spine would leave a 45cm scar down my back – to me, that was much preferable than looking like Quasimodo. After all, most people wouldn’t even see the scar and all I cared was that it meant people wouldn’t make fun of me anymore.
I didn’t notice my spinal curve until it was too late and I needed surgery (Picture: Jessica Kay)
The reality of how extreme the operation would be and the length of recovery time didn’t feel real until I had my pre-op appointment and we talked through the risks, such as paralysis. This frightened me; I was anxious I might not wake up or wouldn’t be capable of moving my lower body. The consultants and my parents reassured me, explaining that the benefits would greatly outweigh the risks.
My surgery was scheduled for the summer but was delayed until October – some 18 months after diagnosis. Meanwhile, my spine had progressed to 81 degrees during this time. If I didn’t have surgery, it would have worsened. The rib angle would have increased, my lung function would have been affected, and I would have to compensate how I held my head up.
Thankfully, my surgery was a great success and I made a remarkably fast recovery compared to some young girls. After a seven-hour operation, rods and screws fixing my back in place, weeks of bed rest, physical therapy to help me learn how to walk again and years of limitations, I was better than I ever was before.
My chronic pain ceased and I visibly had a straight back. The mental relief outweighed any pain I had – and still sometimes experience. I’ve even ended up rowing a marathon!
There are some lasting effects: I will never be able to bend my back. I am not capable of doing sit-ups, flips, backbends or handstands (not that I could do them before).
I grew three inches in 24 hours after my operation, due to my spine being straightened (Picture: Jessica Kay)
But there are some long term effects which I didn’t even consider when I was 14 years old, such as what the impact would be on my sex life and having a family.
When the doctor asked me to write down some questions, my list certainly didn’t include practical ones. I just asked the surgeon if I could go on rollercoasters, or how much time I would get off school.
I suppose it would have been difficult to discuss these sensitive topics while a child was present. Now, I often wonder what impact my surgery would have on giving birth – whether I’ll be able to have an epidural or, even, a natural birth. I presume my parents asked the appropriate questions at the time, but sometimes I wish I was more informed of future issues.
When I first started having sex, I noticed there was an issue. I was spending the night with an ex-partner and my back couldn’t arch. It was uncomfortable and I asked him to stop. He had an issue with this, something I could not change. It was embarrassing and made me incredibly self-conscious.
Since then, I’ve learned to accept that I don’t have the flexibility and that it doesn’t matter. A partner who truly loves and cherishes me, won’t care. I’m not going let this insecurity impact my relationship.
Now at 22, there are days I struggle with the way people perceive me – having grown three inches in 24 hours, putting me over six foot. The mental strain of coping with something that others can’t see is really tough, and when the pain gets bad it can be hard to manage.
Having scoliosis has had a lasting impact on my wellbeing, I just wish there was more awareness of the condition. That being said, it isn’t all that bad. Regardless of the size of your curve, it isn’t a terminal condition: it can be treated and corrected.
While life with spinal fusion can be uncomfortable and hard, I will never regret the surgery. I’m proud of my scar and scoliosis will never prevent me from doing what I enjoy ever again.
MY LIFE THROUGH A LENS
My Life Through a Lens is an exciting series on Metro.co.uk that looks at one incredible photo, and shares the story that lies behind it. If you have an experience you would like to share, please email claie.wilson@metro.co.uk with MLTAL as the subject.
Aldi’s hanging egg chair was so popular a few weeks ago, their website crashed and it was sold out before most people even got a chance to have a look.
But the good news is that the store is brining out another version – and this time it’s even bigger.
Made popular by cleaning influencer Mrs Hinch and Stacey Soloman, the wicker chairs hanging from a stand don’t come cheap and the Aldi version was half the price of most other versions.
The bigger double version is more expensive because of the size but it’s still a great deal at £199.
It’s available from this Sunday (Picture: Aldi)
It will be an online exclusive so be prepared to wait in an online queue to get one again.
It will be available to pre-order from Sunday 21 June but won’t ship until a week later when it is officially on sale.
It will then be delivered straight to your door for you to set up in your garden.
The description on the website says: ‘Create a stunning statement in your garden with our large hanging egg chair. Its timeless design and oversized cushions make it big enough to lounge in or even share.
‘They won’t hang around for long so order yours online from Sunday 21st June.’
After it was shared on the Aldi Shoppers UK Facebook page, fans said they are already excited to get their hands on one.
One person said: ‘Wow, that will be massive. I was surprised just how much space the single one takes up. But it is lush.’
