Struggling to think ahead?

Whether it’s work ambitions, travel plans or personal progression, the coronavirus pandemic has thrown a spanner in the works when it comes to setting goals and planning for the future.

It can be difficult to stay motivated when so much is uncertain.

But while it might feel impossible to set tangible targets or personal milestones, they can still be created, even in this uncertain coronavirus climate.

Although life may feel a little overwhelming at the moment, it’s important not to overthink things, explains life coach Carole Ann Rice.

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‘There will come a time, where a degree of normality will come back,’ she says.

‘Don’t take how you feel now as a template about how you will feel because it won’t always be this way.’

Here’s how you can help yourself along.

Set realistic goals 

Don’t set goals that are beyond reach, as this is likely to cause discouragement and demotivation. 

Basically, you’re setting yourself up for failure from the beginning.

Ideally, you want to choose goals which are testing and require commitment, but are reachable in practice.

Carole says: ‘You may have to delay things or be patient, but the main thing is it is still entirely possible to reach those goals.  

‘You need to get in touch with what you wanted in the first place, reconnect with the goals. Sit down and revisit, remember what and why you wanted the goal. 

‘Think about the emotion behind the goal and what will it give you.’

And don’t forget to enjoy the present.

‘Think about how you want to feel when you get that goal,’ Carol Ann adds.

‘We spend a lot of time focusing on the goal instead of living in the now, you can’t waste your life by living in the future – find happiness in the now.

‘Make sure the journey towards them is as magical as it possibly be on the way to your dream.’

Break big goals down into smaller targets

If your goal is a little ambitious, turn it into smaller, more achievable stepping stones.

Dr Martina Paglia from The International Psychology Clinic says: ‘Maybe you have this idea in mind about a complete change of career or wanting to make healthier choices and are not too sure where to start. 

‘It’s quite simple actually. Just break down those large-scale targets that you want to achieve into step by step smaller targets that you must hit to reach your big goals.’

This will help make things feel considerably less daunting – especially when so much of it (like job security and travel restrictions) is likely to be out of your control right now.

Release the pressure

Life and business coach Roo Davies stresses that ‘goal setting’ in itself can feel overwhelming – let alone doing this during a pandemic.

‘The pressure to create the “right” goals and then be able to achieve them can be enough to stop people in their tracks,’ she says.

‘This pressure is amplified during the COVID climate where uncertainty is high and we’re needing to adapt our plans.’

Roo says a useful way to deal with this feeling is to reframe goals as intentions. 

She adds: ‘Focus on how you want to feel, what would you like to aim for and achieve?

‘For some, aligning and committing to new intentions can feel less scary than setting goals.’

Involve a loved one

The pandemic has made us appreciate our loved ones more than ever – so why not include them in future plans?

‘It can be much easier to work on this journey when we have someone we can share things with,’ says Dr Martina.

‘Maybe you have a common goal so you can work on that together and offer each other some peer-support as required, or they can simply have that supportive and encouraging role to help you boost your motivation.’

Slow things down

Lockdown gave people a taste for a simpler way of living – and it seems most prefer it that way, too.

A recent YouGov/RSA survey showed that 91% of Brits do not want things to go back to normal – with 85% saying the hoped to see some of the personal or social changes they have experienced over recent months continue afterwards.

Lockdown took away our bustling social calendars and, as a result, lots of people are taking things slower.

With this in mind, there’s no rush to achieve new goals quickly.

Obviously, timelines are required to achieve targets, but it’s important to be flexible and take into account that things might be slow-moving for a while, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Be consistent over time

While it might feel like everything is a little chaotic at present, many people have been able to maintain consistent routines – particularly working from home in lockdown.

The discipline behind these newly-formed habits can used to hit personal and professional targets.

Dr Martina says: ‘Recent psychological research has shown that it takes on average 90 days before a new behaviour becomes automatic.

‘This is why it is essential to constantly work towards achieving your goals, especially at those times when you feel less motivated and are at higher risk of dropping out your path towards positive change.

‘Keep in mind that to break bad habits and set yourself up for success you need to be consistent over the rest of the year.’

If we set aside time every day/week to achieving our goals, this will become part of our everyday routines and progress is more likely.

Be broad

Finally, keep targets and plans broad.

This helps us process them psychologically but also means they can be made more specific in future.

Chartered psychologist Portia Hickey explains: ‘Uncertainty is very difficult for most people to cope with psychologically.

‘The more that you can accept that you don’t know what the future holds but get curious about what it could hold, the better able you are to approach the uncertainty and goal-setting with a positive mindset.

‘By being curious you engage the reward circuitry of your brain, rather than the natural response which is to feel fearful of the uncertainty.

‘This helps you build your ability to tolerate uncertainty and respond flexibly and positively to it.’

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PG Tips has vowed to go plastic-free by next year.

The tea giant, which has already ditched the plastic wrap from its 160-pack boxes, now says all plastic will be removed from products by the first half of 2021.

If it follows through on its promise, PG Tips will be the first major tea brand to completely cut out plastic.

The company has been hard at work making eco-friendly bags, too.

Last year, the Unilever brand debuted its new plant-based bags made from corn starch.

This was big news in the world of tea – as PG Tips was the first brand to have fully-biodegradable bags.

These bags were first introduced on a limited range of products in 2018, but it seems – to meet the plastic-free pledge – they will be rolled out across the entire range by next summer.

Research from a Harvard Business Review survey found consumers are five times more likely to buy sustainable products.

As a result, brands have been switching up their products to make them more eco-friendly.

Unilever says the new plant-based switch will provide retailers with a product that ‘shoppers are actively looking for’.

‘We’ve been working towards making the switch to a fully plant-based product for several years,’ Fiachra Moloney, tea director at Unilever, said.

‘This journey has not been without its challenges, and we’ve had to adapt along the way to ensure we weren’t compromising on the great taste we are known for.

‘Being the first major tea brand to have biodegradable tea bags across our entire range as well as moving to plant-based packaging on our 160s packs is something we’re incredibly proud of.’

In other environmental news, cult beauty brand Sephora has confirmed it will ditch its eyelashes made of real mink fur.

Following a long campaign from PETA, the beauty retailer announced last week that it will phase out its remaining stock of mink eyelashes and will only purchase synthetic or faux-fur lashes going forward. 

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As I saw the mother and her cub pass above my head less than three metres away, I was left speechless.

Gracefully, they swam by in synchronicity and I felt touched by what a tender moment it was, with the female polar bear wrapping her leg around her baby as they calmly swam by my side.

As well as being filled with awe, I was extremely excited that I had achieved my outrageous dream of diving and photographing these powerful, curious and confident creatures.

I first explored this idea in the spring of 2000 – but the expedition didn’t work out quite as planned.

Firstly, I could only find three other people who were willing to join me on my crazy and challenging trip. After all, polar bears have a reputation for being very dangerous, being the largest meat-eaters to live on land.

After I got a small group together, we ventured to a location in the Canadian Arctic but then the person who was scheduled to join me in the water had a last-minute equipment failure.

I didn’t realise that he wasn’t by my side as I came face to face with a large male polar bear. 

I whipped my head around to discover I was all alone, staring directly into the black eyes of this predator. 

The beast was only fifteen metres away and slowly coming towards me.

I knew I had to escape but swimming back to the boat was too much work. I decided to dive down as quickly as possible because polar bears find it hard to go deep with a lot of fat reserves. Their thick fur also creates a lot of resistance.

I deflated the air in the buoyancy control device, tilted downward, and started kicking as hard as possible, looking upward every time I had to equalise and the bear was still with me, his paws directed towards my body. I had to go deeper.

After I reached 25 metres, the bear was hovering and I could see he was moving in the opposite direction.

It suddenly hit me that I was scared and breathing heavily. Looking at my pressure gauge I was alarmed that I may not have enough air to get to the surface. 

I slowly started ascending and at about 12 metres I ran out of air. Luckily, I managed to surface on my last breath and I popped up, desperate for air.

That swim was the longest fifteen minutes of my life and I was shivering with fear – both due to the extreme cold and the bear.

I didn’t get any photos on that expedition because the encounter happened so fast and it simply took everything out of me just to survive. I am glad I did.

The experience left its mark deep in my mind and heart and I made it my mission to return with two requirements; to study polar bear behaviour and find a better team.

It was difficult to find someone to join me again simply because of the cost and the qualifications needed for diving in polar conditions.

But one of my students Yonatan Nir, an Israeli filmmaker, on his graduation decided to make a movie about my life as a wildlife photographer called Picture Of His Life, which has recently been released.

After all, he said, twelve people have landed on the moon, but only four have ever dived with a polar bear and brought back images to prove it.

After pitching to many TV stations Yoni and his production team managed to raise more than $1 million needed for the expedition and we set off in the summer of 2015.

We were joined by Adam Ravetch, a leading high Arctic filmmaker who had had his own underwater encounter with a polar bear, and another director called Dani Menkin.

To help us locate the bears, we hired an Inuit family: Joe Kaludjack, his brother Patrick, two of his sons, Bill and Junior and his ten-year-old grandson, Leo.

We flew to Ellesmere Island with all our gear, including a generator, compressor, air tanks, 2,000 litres of fuel, food supplies and also toilet paper, and we set up a small camp on a secluded island surrounded by ice.

Our ultimate goal was to find a mother with her young ones as this would give a different dynamic to just diving with one bear. 

After two days of rain, we were finally able to get out on the water. Hours later, we found what we were looking for.

Adam and I slipped into the water in the path of a mother and her large 24-month-old cub. 

When they were a few metres in front of us, we let the air out of our buoyancy control devices and plunged below the surface.

The pair passed by and I saw that the mother was holding her young one by her side with her rear leg.

I was extremely excited and out of the water, Adam and I embraced – our brotherhood forever cemented by the joy, happiness, and the intense event we had just faced. 

But on checking our imagery we didn’t get as much on film as we had liked and we set about trying to get more footage.

Following days of high winds and rain showers, by day six there was a clear window. We were able to get out on the water again and after hours of searching, we hit jackpot.

We got a call on the radio that a mother and two cubs, around 18-months-old, had been spotted and we slipped into the water as they made their way to another island.

The sun was out and the visibility was great underwater.

We slipped into the water 100 metres in front of a mother and her two young ones. 

Adam and I were there in the water looking at the family and all three bears were looking at us. 

We did not move, that was our plan, we stayed passive and let the leading female decide what to do. 

Amazingly, one cub came within a metre of me out of curiosity and then it pulled back up to its family. I was able to capture the three of them swimming away in formation. 

At the surface, we raised our fists once again and screamed with joy and gratitude to the Inuit family that guided us safely and to Yoni and Dani for trusting us on the project.

Diving with polar bears was never an obsession but more of a passion for me.

My motivation for capturing animals in their natural habitat has always been to educate and inspire people to appreciate nature.

It is my belief that there is no dangerous wildlife but unfortunate incidents occur because of a lack of experience or irresponsible actions by people. 

I have documented the behaviour of many predators, from great white sharks to Nile crocodiles and orcas. I have learned to respect my fear and ask myself what I am afraid of.

At the end of the day, fear makes me more alert and awakens all of my senses. My eyes, ears and sense of smell are connected with the surroundings when I am in these situations. 

Like the moment I swam with polar bears, I can tune in and enjoy the moment I am in, motionless with the utmost respect for the wonderful wildlife inhabiting our world.

As told to Sadie Whitelocks

To join Amos on one of his unique wildlife photography trips visit www.biganimals.com

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Over the past few weeks, there has been a rise in heated arguments around face masks, – or rather people refusing to wear them.

Some of these debates have even led to bust-ups, as well as arrests and hefty fines.

Interestingly, a study from Vision Direct has found that six out of 10 adults won’t wear a face mask when in a pub or restaurant (which as of last weekend have now reopened).

Additionally, less than 50% of people are up for wearing one when out shopping and only 16% would consider popping on a mask during a date.

With a wide range of products now available, and research showing that face masks along with intermittent lockdowns could ‘curb a second wave’, why are some people so reluctant to don one?

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Is this simply down to lockdown fatigue or is there another reason? We find out.

Why are some people so reluctant to wear face masks?

Just because there’s a pandemic, it doesn’t mean that you’ve suddenly had a personality transplant.

So, if you’re used to breaking the rules or view these as a grey zone that can fluctuate depending on your needs, this could affect your choice to wear a mask.

‘If you’re someone who tends to conform to rules, then you’re likely to be very readily prepared to wear a face mask in order to be rule-abiding,’ Dr Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic, tells us.

‘It also depends on how much you perceive Covid-19 to be a threat – to yourself or to others.

‘Many people choose to wear a face mask to protect other people, for example.

‘However, if you’re someone who doesn’t perceive Covid-19 to be particularly threatening, and you are also more rebellious and non-conformist by nature, then you may consider wearing a face mask to be oppressive – an impingement of your freedom.

‘A combination of these factors is likely to make someone resist the idea.’

The aforementioned study does support this to some degree, as a third of people don’t believe that masks protect them and 13% say they are ‘pointless’.

Meanwhile a third of the study participants also claimed to feel embarrassed by it.

Unfortunately, it appears toxic masculinity is somewhat at play, with men less likely to wear a mask.

‘There’s a worrying strain of people equating the order to mask up with a violation of their freedoms/rights,’ says, Alex Quicho, associate director of cultural intelligence at Canvas8, a trend analysis agency.

‘There have been some disconcerting memes/WhatsApp chains going around, which say such orders are preparing people for a lifetime of submission to government orders.

‘Interestingly, a separate study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that men were less likely to believe they’d be seriously affected by Covid-19, and that wearing masks are a “sign of weakness” – so some gendered behaviours are at play here as well.’

There has been wide discussion among medical professionals around how effective masks are to wearers.

And these mixed messages have undoubtedly influenced people’s minds too.

Andrew Bridgewater, a chartered psychologist and author, explains: ‘There has been contradictory advice on the use of masks and people may just be confused.

‘Wearing a mask seems to be more about reducing the risk of spreading the virus to others than reducing our personal risk of contracting the the virus. 

‘If so, wearing a mask is really an act of altruism (to protect others) and yet it hasn’t necessarily been presented as such.’

Humans are sociable beings, and having half of our faces covered for months on end – and being surrounded by people who are doing the same – can be exhausting on the psyche.

The study also showed that more than half of all participants would prefer others to be able to see them smile, 17% were concerned about communication and 14% said it was too hard for people to read their facial expressions.

This can be particularly difficult for someone who has a friend or family member who is deaf or hard of hearing, too.

Andrew adds: ‘When wearing a mask, people lose a significant part of their facial identity and we become relatively anonymous.

‘People may now be feeling weary of being told what to do and may want to recover their sense of self and identity.’

Confirmation bias could also be at play, according to Alex.

He says:’ I think it has a lot to do with what was communicated early on in the pandemic – officials in both the US and UK urged people not to wear face coverings in order to preserve supplies of PPE for hospital workers, which were running low.

‘That message seems to have been absorbed, but not necessarily revised, by big chunks of the population, in spite of follow-up studies saying otherwise.

‘This plays into confirmation bias; interpreting things through a lens of existing beliefs, i.e once you’ve decided your stance on wearing a mask or not, you’re more likely to seek out and believe information that supports your established view.

‘It also (strangely) plays into a sense of belonging on both sides of the political spectrum – while those who wear masks see it as an altruistic act, those who don’t wear masks may see it as form of anti-authoritarian solidarity.’

Whatever your reason for wearing or not wearing a mask, just remember to be respectful of others who might be scared and who are following the rules.

Times are dark enough right now, so make kindness and consideration a priority.

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The coronavirus pandemic and the resulting restrictions on travel has had one silver lining: we’ve gained a newfound appreciation for the humble staycation.

Weeks spent within our homes has only made a trip to the countryside more appealing, with even a short jaunt out of the city feeling as exciting as jetting to farflung destinations.

But where are we planning to head around the UK?

As you might expect, loads of Brits are yearning for green spaces – perhaps as so many of us have been cooped up in flats without gardens or easy access to parks.

Airbnb has shared the top trending UK destinations for Brits booking and planning their trips around the country, noting that the top trending properties on the site for 2020 are all in the UK (pointing towards that trend for staycations going strong).

Warton in Lancashire tops the list, followed by Duns in Scotland and Snettisham, Norfolk.

Glastonbury in Somerset comes in at number four, possibly due to festivalgoers missing out on the music event of the year.

At the end of June, over 70% of trips booked by Brits on Airbnb were domestic, and 60% were for travel within the next month.

The most searched-for amenity in lockdown? A pool.

An Airbnb spokesperson said: ‘The easing of government restrictions is good news not only for those keen to explore and stay beyond their own four walls again, but also for the hospitality industry and Airbnb hosts who depend on the income from hosting on our platform.

‘In the last week we’ve seen a significant spike in demand as travel becomes a reality again, with our trending destinations showing people are keen to explore the many interesting towns and rural areas the nation has to offer, providing a welcome boost to local businesses.

‘The safety of guests and hosts is our key priority and we have introduced comprehensive guidelines for cleaning and home sanitization to do our bit to help people travel with peace of mind.’

Martin Swarfield, host of an Airbnb in Glastonbury, added: ‘The reopening of the UK holiday sector is great news and a welcome relief to us here in Somerset and we’re looking forward to a vintage British summer.

‘Last week’s announcement has led to us seeing a significant increase in both enquiries and bookings for July and August – something that is very welcome and we hope replicated throughout the Airbnb community and that UK staycations will be a welcome boost to local economies.’

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If you’re on OkCupid, you’ll now have the option to list your pronouns on your profile – regardless of your gender or sexual orientation.

Back in 2018, OkCupid introduced a pronouns-listing feature for users who identified as any gender other than a man or a woman.

Now, the dating app is allowing that feature to be used by everyone, regardless of their gender identity.

So from now on, cisgender women and men are able to list their pronouns as she/her or he/him.

The site is doing this to normalise listing pronouns in profiles and thus try to make this safer for trans and nonbinary people on dating apps.

This is important as it works to disrupt people’s assumptions of gender identity based on appearance, and makes stating your pronouns feel normal and free-of-awkwardness – by making this something everyone does, not only trans and nonbinary people.

Michael Kaye, global communications manager at OkCupid, said: ‘For many people, especially non-binary and transgender daters, there’s nothing more personal than our names and pronouns.

‘At OkCupid we’ve spent years helping LGBTQ+ daters express themselves more accurately on our platform, by adding questions focused on dating as a queer person to expanding gender and orientation options, and introducing the pronouns feature for our LGBTQ+ users.

‘By encouraging all our users to share their pronouns, we’re hoping to create an even more inclusive space for everyone who lives outside of traditional expectations of gender expression and identity.’

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There are certain tricks that people use to get buyers interested when they’re selling their house.

From brewing coffee, to baking fresh bread or repainting tired walls – the aim is to make the property look and feel irresistible during viewings. And outdoor plants could be the answer.

According to a new survey, having the right kind of outdoor plants can significantly improve a buyer’s interest in a property. According to OnBuy’s garden furniture sector, 67% of people are more inclined to view a house if the garden is up to scratch, as it means less work and better views.

The survey of 3,400 people went on to reveal the specific plants that would make them more likely to view a house, and to make the property more desirable.

Hydrangeas rank first, with 78% choosing them as most desirable. The bold flowers have ever-changing blooms that can bring a sense of character to a front garden. Although they can seem high maintenance, with the correct care they are pretty easy to grow.

In second place are lilies; which attracted 71% of potential buyers, who think they makes a home’s exterior more attractive. The flowers return every year and require minimal care.

Lavender is the third most desired choice, with 64% of the vote. The Mediterranean evergreen shrub repels bugs due to its fragrance and it’s easy to grow, as long as it is kept away from moist, wet areas.

Another popular choice was shrub roses as they bring a country feel to a home. They ranked as the fourth most desirable front garden plant.

Following them were mimosa/acacia dealbata in fifth (51%), petunia in sixth (42%) and lilac dwarf flowerfest in seventh (35%).

Interestingly, six out of the top 10 front garden plants are recommended by feng shui experts due to their positive effects on the home and body.

So, if you have viewings coming up and want to secure a sale, make sure you put those green fingers to work and get the front garden in pristine shape.

Do you have a story to share? We want to hear from you.

Get in touch: metrolifestyleteam@metro.co.uk.

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If you’ve ever dealt with a foldable sofa bed you’ll know what a nuisance they can be.

We’re not talking about the pull-out couches where you might be able to get a decent night’s kip, but its flimsier counterpart that folds upwards.

One woman attempting to make her sofa bed was hilariously caught inside it when the bed folded and ‘swallowed’ her.

Dani Garland, 25, was ‘eaten’ by the sofa bed while making her friend Shay Stock’s bed at the holiday park where they work.

Shay was staying on-site at Challaborough Bay Holiday Park, in Kingsbridge, Devon, when Dani offered to help make up his bed.

A funny clip shows Dani clambering on top of the mattress to sort out the sheets – before the bed folds up with her inside it.

Shay and Dani erupted in laughter as Dani disappeared into the sheets.

As Shay made the bed, Dani watched from afar, commenting: ‘She’s a good egg making me make my bed, isn’t she?’.

But the kind friend made the mistake of stepping onto the edge of the flimsy frame, which catapulted the bed into the air, sandwiching her inside the fold.

In the video, nobody rushes to Dani’s aid, and she is seen struggling to free herself from its clutches.

Shay, who works on the entertainment team at the site, confirmed that park supervisor Dani was not badly scarred by the incident.

He added: ‘She only hurt her foot a little bit.’

Foldable beds – what are they like?

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After a brief coronavirus-induced hiatus, What I Rent is back.

For those who aren’t familiar, What I Rent is our weekly series exploring the reality of renting.

Each week we have a nose around someone’s rented property and ask them about their experiences – the great, the bad, and the truly awful.

This time around we’re in Brighton with finance assistant Chloe, 22, and her boyfriend Ross, 23, an asbestos surveyor.

After graduating from university, Chloe and Ross decided to move in together and have rented this one-bedroom flat since September.

As well as chatting with us, the couple are sharing their experience of renting – and photos of their interiors – over on a dedicated Instagram.

We chatted with Chloe about she and Ross have made their rented flat feel like home.

How much do you pay to live here?

Our rent is £875 per month with roughly an additional £200 including council tax for bills.

And what do you get for that price?

There’s four rooms in total, a kitchen, a living room, one bedroom and one bathroom. 

Do you think you have a good deal?

I think for this area we have a really good deal. When we were looking for a place round here to live, it was very difficult to find a home of this quality for this price, a lot of them started at the £950 mark. 

How did you find the flat?

We found it on Rightmove after frantically searching – a lot of apartments here go almost as quickly as they are put up on Rightmove.

We would book with an estate agent at the start of the week to view several properties at the weekend and by the middle of the week many would already have gone.

How have you made this place feel like home?

When we arrived the property was unfurnished so it provided us with a blank canvas to reflect our own personalities.

We went for neutral larger furnishings such as a grey sofa and then brightened the rooms by adding pops of colour, for example through cushions, vases and plant pots.

We also love houseplants and feel as though they make a house homely and lived in so we try to have them in every room. We failed as plant parents at first – our tropical plants didn’t last very long so we went for a mix of artificial plants and hard-to-kill real plants.

Art is also really important to us and a lot of the art that we have in the house is meaningful to us, for example, in the lounge we have prints that Ross was given for his 21st birthday and prints that I have collected while on holiday.

It can be difficult to decorate whilst renting. The only major change that we have made is painting the bathroom wall from blue to white. Our landlord was really quick to respond to our request to do this and was happy to let us go ahead.

Even so, we avoid doing anything which would cause any damage to the apartment. Command hanging strips have become our best friend and we use them to hang up our prints and mirrors.

When you rent, you are always aware that there are limits to what you can do. I would love to have different tiles around the fireplace or different kitchen worktops however I feel like our landlord might not be as willing for us to go ahead with much larger changes like this.

Do you feel like you have enough space?

Definitely! For the two of us there is more than enough space here. Our apartment is one floor of a converted Victorian house so we have high ceilings and windows, which work well to let in a lot of light and make the rooms feel large. We also use a few tricks ourselves to make the rooms feel larger, for example, by adding mirrors. 

Are there any problems with the home you have to deal with?

When we first moved in, our first neighbour wasn’t too great (very loud and would wake us up in the night). Luckily, since they moved out, new neighbours have come in and they are really nice. 

Do you have plans to move again?

Yes, although we love it here, we hope to move to London in the future. 

Do you want to own a place some day or are you happy to rent?

The end goal is definitely to buy our own place.

Renting is great because it gives you a lot of flexibility and with it being the first time we had lived together, this flexibility was important as we didn’t want the commitment of a mortgage.

However, we would like to have the stability of owning our own home and the ability to make changes to our home without having to ask for permission. 

Shall we take a look around?

What I Rent is a weekly series that’s out every Tuesday at 10am.

Check back next week to have another nose around a rented property.

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Fashion retailer Shein was criticised last week for selling Islamic prayer mats as home decor.

The online store had labelled the Islamic staple as ‘frilled Greek carpets’, which caused a backlash online.

Many of the mats had pictures of mosques and the Ka’aba – a black cube located in Mecca which is the holiest site for Muslims.

The designs were first noticed by journalism student Khadija Rizvi, who posted screenshots that went viral on Instagram.

Since others also complained to Shein and said they’d be boycotting the brand, Shein has issued a public apology.

Posting on its Instagram, the brand said: ‘We’re sorry. As a global brand, we vow to do a much better job in educating ourselves on different cultures, religions, and traditions to ensure our diverse community is respected and honoured.

‘We offer our sincerest apology to all whom we have hurt and offended and hope we can earn your forgiveness.’

The statement comes after several calls for Shein to remove the items from their site.

Beauty vlogger Nabela Noor also called on the brand to do something and personally got in touch with them.

This is unacceptable. @SHEIN_official is selling Islamic prayer mats & calling them “floral trim carpets.”

I’ve reached out to the brand directly asking them to remove + to have a dialogue on why this is wildly offensive.

Will update with their response. pic.twitter.com/zktW90VnBQ

— Nabela Noor (@Nabela) July 3, 2020

In her original viral post, Khadija wrote: ‘I am disgusted. I am livid. Shein is profiting off Muslim prayer mats (janemaz/sajadah) by selling them as “fringe trim carpets” for people to use casually around the house.

‘A few have the Ka’aba printed on them. THIS IS HIGHLY OFFENSIVE, not only is it disrespectful but they once again renamed and stole credit from a whole faith this time, by failing to label it as a Muslim prayer mat which allows people to use it casually as a decorative mat.’

Khadija pointed out that prayer mats are sacred in Muslim households and you would only use them for worship, not decoration, and would not step on them with shoes.

She added: ‘A prayer mat is an important piece of fabric, used by Muslims, placed between the ground and the worshipper during their five daily prayers. It is NOT a carpet and must be treated with respect and you don’t ever wear shoes on it.

‘It’s important for us to acknowledge the disrespect that is committed here.’

We’ve contacted Shein for further comments and will update the article if they reply.

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‘It’s been a total godsend to me during this time, I actually don’t think I could have coped without it,’ says Marina*.

Lockdown has seen many of us turn to crutches – alcohol, cigarettes or junk food – but for this 31-year-old event manager from Walthamstow, it’s been mushrooms. The psychedelic kind.

Every three days, Marina puts one pipette drop from a small brown bottle of mushroom tincture – that she bought for £200 from ‘a friend of a friend’ – on to her tongue.

‘It’s not like taking a big trip,’ she says. ‘Like, I’ve taken acid at festivals before, and it’s not as intense as that, but I’ve found that it’s helped to calm down the chatter in my head.

‘I think it’s definitely given me moments of calm when it’s all got a bit too much, and when I’ve needed to work, it’s actually given me a bit more focus.

‘It never really crossed my mind to try microdosing before, but then this isn’t exactly how I’d pictured 2020 going down.’

Marina isn’t the only one experimenting with psychedelics in lockdown. Behind closed doors in our three-months-and-counting pandemic quarantine, there’s been a resurgence of people who have been experimenting with the fungi. Despite the ubiquitous silver-bullet canisters of laughing gas found all over streets and parks across the UK, it’s magic mushrooms that appear to have become the drug of choice.

While some people – including Marina – have been inspired by American psychologist James Fadiman’s 2011 book, The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide, which explains the process of microdosing (taking miniscule amounts of a drug every few days to enhance cognitive function), other people are using the drug more recreationally.

‘There’s been loads of times, especially around the beginning of the lockdown, where I felt like I just wanted to take something that would lift me out of it all,’ Corinna*, 28, says. She has been taking powdered mushrooms mixed with chocolate when she meets up with friends in Battersea Park.

‘My anxiety has been through the roof recently, I had been using CBD products, but it felt like they weren’t really doing anything for me anymore. The shrooms have been great – everything gets a bit wavy and it’s the only time I can remember laughing in months. It feels like such a release, just for a few hours.’

Mushrooms – at least those containing the psychoactive substance, psilocybin – have been illegal in the UK since 2005, but have been prevalent in civilisations for thousands of years. Ingesting them can cause giddiness, euphoria and hallucinations, and were used by the indigeneous people of Mesoamerica to rituals of the Aztecs, who called it ‘the divine mushroom’.

In 1958, Swiss scientist Albert Hoffman discovered that it was the psilocybin that made these mushrooms so magic. Similarly to when he first took the acid LSD, he noted ‘in a dreamlike state, with eyes closed, I perceived an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopic play of colours’. He was transported to another place; what we’ve all dreamed of while under Corona quarantine.

In the ‘60s, these psychedelic drugs became central to the US counterculture and as part of the ‘turn on, tune in, drop out’ hippie generation. It was in fledgling studies at this time that first began to link psychedelic drugs’ beneficial effect on people suffering from anxiety, PTSD, depression, addiction, and other mental health issues.

However, in 1971, President Nixon declared his war on drugs, leading all acid and psilocybin-based products to also be banned and classified as Class As, alongside heroin and crack cocaine, as being dangerously harmful and of no medical benefit. The UK followed suit in the same year.

50 years on, the science and health industries have picked up again on this important research. This includes studies on psychedelics at London’s Imperial College and in 2006, a report from Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins research centre found that taking a fraction of a regular dose of psilocybin can lead to feelings of ‘substantial personal meaning and spiritual significance’.

Since then, Silicone Valley leaders have become switched on to the idea of psychedelics and microdosing for ‘optimising their health, and even Gwyneth Paltrow’s The Goop Lab series included a trip to a mushroom therapy retreat in Jamaica.

People are confidently dabbling in these mind-altering substances once again – 14.8% of 2019’s Global Drug Survey said they had taken mushrooms in the last 12 months, a figure that experts think looks set to rise dramatically as people begin to process this year’s traumatic world events.

‘It’s not surprising to me that people are turning to mushrooms during the pandemic,’ says David Badcock from Drug Science, the leading independent scientific body on drugs in the UK. ‘One reason is that people are locked indoors with nothing to do and want something to amuse themselves, so they might be taking them recreationally.

‘Also, the increased anxiety related to the pandemic and the uncertainty of everything in the future also means that many people might be using psychedelics to relieve their symptoms.

‘It’s largely anecdotal evidence at the moment, as there hasn’t been a huge amount of research done yet, but it shows that microdosing has a positive impact on people’s anxiety, stress levels and general mental health wellbeing. Even if it’s a placebo, if it’s having a positive effect, you could argue it’s working.’

At the beginning of the UK’s lockdown, the ONS found that 49.6% of those polled were experiencing high levels of anxiety. Another study showed that 80% of people working from home felt that the quarantine had caused a negative impact on their mental health. As face-to-face therapy sessions turned to online chats instead, the relentless news cycle became emotionally exhausting. People felt increasingly isolated and began to explore alternatives to their usual self-care methods.

Jess*, 33, says: ‘I live on my own and felt myself sliding into a dark place when we weren’t allowed to see anybody else. I couldn’t work out if my weekly Zoom chats with my friends were actually making me feel worse afterwards, as it’s just not the same as seeing everyone in person.

‘My weed dealer started selling mushrooms as well, so I bought some and made them into a herbal tea and had it one night when we were doing an online birthday party for one of my friends.

‘It’s hard to describe, but I just felt this real rush of empathy for everyone, I felt like I was really connected with them again. I didn’t feel so lonely or empty. Things seemed a bit more optimistic for me again.’

Hattie Wells, director of Breaking Convention, a biennial global conference on the research into psychedelic substances, explains how the drugs can work: ‘I believe that psychedelics offer a completely different way of looking at, and trying to treat, mental health conditions.

‘They seem to have the ability to reset certain entrenched responses and patterns of rumination, while also allowing the patient an insight into how these patterns and negative ways of responding to circumstances became bedded in. Understanding one’s condition allows for greater longer-term healing.’

Although mushrooms can sometimes have side effects such as paranoia or flashbacks for some people, Badcock says: ‘Psychedelics are far safer than alcohol. There are many harms associated with alcohol use, from a health, societal and dependence point of view. You don’t take psychedelics then go out and have a fight and end up in A&E.’

Badcock, Drug Science and others are calling for mushrooms and other psychedelics to be declassified and decriminalised to allow for future therapeutic use. However, he adds: ‘You don’t just take the drug and it sorts out all your problems, it needs to be part of a therapeutic package. We don’t advocate doing mushrooms recreationally, but advise it as part of a therapeutic session with psychosocial support. Once the scientific evidence is confirmed, we would love to see the NHS use it as part of the way they treat certain health issues.’

Wells believes that with more trials underway, ‘we’re not more than five years away from away from licensed psilocybin therapy in the UK’. She adds: “Magic mushrooms are being decriminalised in a couple of American cities, which is how cannabis decriminalisation started over there. However, the UK has been dragging their heels severely. It will be slow, unfortunately, but change is coming.’

Marina can’t wait that long, and says she plans to continue with the microdosing, even after lockdown ends: ‘I’m worried my anxieties might flare up again, but since taking them, I’ve noticed a really positive effect on my mood and outlook. Why would I stop when I’ve found something that works for my own health?

‘It doesn’t really bother me that they’re illegal. I think everyone’s got bigger concerns than people taking some magic mushrooms at the moment.’

*Names have been changed

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I didn’t make a big deal of coming out as bisexual to my friends.

By the time I officially, and very casually, said the words ‘I’m bi’ in our WhatsApp group chat, I had already been frequenting women-only events, changed my settings on Hinge and been calling myself ‘bicurious’ for the last couple of years.

So when I came out, they were ecstatic – but obviously not surprised. My sister was equally as happy for me.

My parents were another story. I still haven’t told my Togolese father and Jamaican mother and doubt I ever will.

They don’t understand bisexuality and that was made extremely clear to me when my family and I recently watched a dating show, featuring a bisexual man and a heterosexual woman.

The man told his date he was bisexual and both of my parents were shocked. 

‘What?’ they both exclaimed. ‘So why is he going out with her? What if he wakes up one day and decides he wants to be with men?’ my mum asked.

It took a while for me to explain that he wasn’t a gay man, but instead attracted to both men and women. They claimed to understand but their reaction was the moment I knew coming out would be a bit of a nightmare for me.

I have always been open with my parents about my dating history, so being unable to share this aspect of my identity is upsetting – but I’d rather feel this way than risk a potential moment of disappointment or confusion, or have them act strangely around me.

Luckily, I know I’m privileged enough to have very loving, caring parents who would never disown me, so I do know acceptance would eventually come, but I don’t know how long it would take to arrive.

Through going to women-only club nights and seeing rooms full of predominantly Black women, I finally felt comfortable

My parents’ reactions and thoughts on same-sex relationships aren’t uncommon for their countries of origin.

In Togo, where my father is originally from, same-sex sexual activity is illegal and there are no laws to protect individuals from discrimination based on their sexuality. 

In Jamaica, where my mother comes from, LGBTQ+ rights are a bit more complex. Same-sex sexual activity is legal for women, but illegal for men. In 2006, Time magazine labelled Jamaica as ‘the most homophobic place on Earth’, although things have somewhat changed.

I don’t live in either of those countries but they’re my places of origin and I resonate with both cultures fully, so it’s no wonder that I’ve hesitated to vocalise my sexuality. 

Sexuality just isn’t a topic of conversation in Black communities across the diaspora.

For one, the majority of African countries have not legalised same-sex relationships. Additionally, many Black communities are deeply religious, citing the Bible as a reason for their intolerance.

This outlook has made it harder for me to admit to my sexuality – thankfully not because of any internalised biphobia – but because of acceptance. I already tackle not being accepted in certain spaces due to both my gender and race, I don’t particularly want to navigate around my sexuality too.

It took me about four years to get to the stage I’m at now. Through going to women-only club nights and seeing rooms full of predominantly Black women, I finally felt comfortable.

I made my first move with a woman – although unsuccessful – on these nights out, had my first kiss and even dressed up as a dominatrix twice.

Since then, I began making a conscious effort to only connect with women on dating apps and develop my confidence fully. Once I began doing that, I found it easier to vocally refer to myself as bisexual to my wider friendship group.

If I do meet and fall in love with a woman one day, I know I’ll have no choice but to come out to my parents. Hiding a partner – such a serious part of my life – would require far too much energy and deceit and that isn’t something I could comfortably do to them.

So while I am still finding myself and casually exploring, I’m happy to maintain privacy.

Addressing this challenge takes more than just an accepting circle of friends and spaces for queer women. It requires years of unlearning with people who are genuinely willing to cast their ignorance aside.

However, normalising bisexuality through increased visibility and representation within the media is a start.

Perhaps if I had a Black bisexual girl to look up to whenever I turned on my TV or opened a book, it wouldn’t have taken so long for me to finally say the words: ‘I am bisexual.’

Do you have a story that you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing james.besanvalle@metro.co.uk.

Share your views in the comments below.

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Following Waitrose’s announcement that they will not sell chlorinated chicken post-Brexit, Aldi’s CEO has jumped in to promise the same.

Aldi UK has vowed that the supermarket will only ever sell fresh chicken and beef from British farmers, and has ruled out selling chlorinated chicken or hormone-treated beef – regardless of any future trade deals.

Aldi UK CEO Giles Hurley has vowed that the supermarket will only ever sell fresh chicken and beef from British farmers.

This isn’t a change, to be clear. Aldi’s fresh chicken and beef range is already 100% British, but this is a statement to clarify that there are no plans for this to change.

Giles Hurley, CEO of Aldi, said: ‘Aldi is one of the biggest supporters of British suppliers and we want to make it clear that will always be the case.

‘We are a signatory to the NFU Back British Farming Charter and our entire core range of fresh meat and milk is from Red Tractor-approved farms in the UK.

‘We will never compromise on the standards or specifications of our products, and that includes a commitment to never selling chlorinated chicken or hormone injected beef.

‘Britain has some of the highest food quality standards in the world, and our commitment to only source chicken and beef from this country means our customers know they are always buying high quality Aldi products at unbeatable value.’

There are worries that food products such as chicken and meat produced under lower hygiene standards could come to the UK now Britain has left the EU.

Hormone-injected beef and chlorinated chicken are banned under EU regulations, but once the Brexit is in action campaigners fear these items could end up in restaurants and shops.

Aldi joins Waitrose in now vowing to never sell chlorinated chicken and hormone-injected meats, no matter what.

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BAME, POC, BIPOC – the acronyms are designed to make it easier, neater and simpler to talk about people from ethnic minority backgrounds.

But conversations about race, racism and racial injustice are rarely easy, neat or simple, which is why the chosen terminology for these discussions is so often contentious – and so important to get right.

With the recent mainstream focus on racism and the injustice faced by Black people specifically – sparked by the death of George Floyd and the global Black Lives Matter movement – writers, journalists, commentators and critics have had to grapple with racial terminology on a regular basis, and there has been significant backlash about the use of certain terms.

BAME – which is an acronym for Black, Asian, minority ethnic – has been popular in the UK since the 1970s and its use is widely accepted by the media and the corporate world. But, while BAME was born out of a desire to create solidarity between minorities against racism, it is now more readily used by white people to lump everyone who is not white into a singular category.

The same can be said for POC – People Of Colour, WOC – Women Of Colour, and BIPOC – Black and Indigenous People Of Colour, which are all even more vague in who they are referring to.

Many of these acronyms and unifying terms were originally created by minority groups who used them to signal a unity against discrimination, violence and inequality. But, over time they have been co-opted and their political meanings have been sanitised and flattened.

For many critics, these terms no longer signal unity. Instead, they signal a lazy homogenisation of all non-white groups, and the erasure of individual struggles.

And it is the laziness that really grates. Specifically when ‘BAME’ is used where ‘Black’ could have been used in its place. And using the acronym to refer to specifically Black issues smacks of anti-Blackness.

When Matt Hancock was asked recently on Sky News how many Black people are in the current cabinet, he responded by saying, ‘Well, there’s a whole series of people from a black and ethnic minority background.’ Hancock must have been referring to the two South Asian members of the cabinet, Priti Patel and Rishi Sunak, because there are zero Black cabinet members.

Labour MP David Lammy criticised the health secretary for lumping ethnic minority communities together and effectively erasing the fact that there are no Black cabinet members. Lammy said: ‘It’s offensive to say it’s OK because they’ve got “diversity of thought”. Especially at time of real pain for the black community. Do better.’

BAME can also be used to hide the realities of systemic inequalities, and fudge diversity stats for certain institutions. Oxford University, for example, will frequently cite their admissions figures for BAME students (which was 22% in 2019), but it can be harder to find the admissions figures for Black students, which are consistently minuscule in comparison (3.1% in 2019).

Hiding behind BAME can mask the true inequalities that Black people face, and present a falsely optimistic picture of progress.

Scholar-Activist and CEO of Ladders4Action, Dr Addy Adelaine, says understanding the history of BAME will help us to understand why the term is problematic.

‘The term BAME is rarely used outside of the UK, as it reflects the UK’s contentious and unique conceptual struggle with human identity,’ Dr Addy tells Metro.co.uk.

‘Throughout British history, how we identify individuals has evolved. The term BAME reflects the UK’s social and legal history, it is a strange conceptual mix of race, ethnicity and nationality.’

Dr Addy explains that in the late 18th Century, colonialism enabled white people to present themselves as inherently superior to others. She says racial hierarchies were created to specifically enable slavery and to ‘other’ the people they wished to claim power over.

‘Nuance of identity was removed because it is easier to mistreat and abuse those we do not see with nuance,’ she explains.

‘Nuance of identity helps us to see individuals, with individual stories, individual families and histories. Individuals who are deserving of equal treatment and a respected part of a collective humanity.

‘While white people maintained individuality and nuance of identity, history tells us that nuance of identity is a privilege that not everyone is afforded.’

Dr Addy says nuance of identity for those under colonial rule was ‘purposely destroyed’ in order to control and dehumanise.

‘Enslaved people were prohibited from learning or teaching the languages, history or culture of their home,’ she says. ‘Those living in Africa under European colonial rule were forced to deny centuries-long ethnic and cultural groupings and to instead adopt national identities that had been arbitrarily imposed upon them.’

She believes that the term BAME is an extension of this behaviour. That it is a way to silence and control people outside of the dominant group by stripping them of individuality and identity.

‘BAME has emerged from the legacy of un-examined colonial rule,’ Dr Addy explains. ‘Each letter of the acronym needs examination and explanation, each letter emerged out of a specific sociopolitical and historic reason.

‘But, rather than spending a long time breaking down the acronym, I would rather that we decolonise our language by allowing nuance of identity and affording everyone the right to be viewed as a complex individual with the right to define themselves in the manner they chose.’

Talking in specifics should be the bare minimum. If you mean Black, say Black. Using BAME or POC when you have the option to be specific contributes to the silencing of struggles that individual communities face.

But Dr Addy says we need to need to go further than this. She says we should address why it is that some people prefer to speak in acronyms and group non-white individuals together.

She is suggesting that the use of BAME is deeper than simply for conciseness or ease of writing, that it is instead a marker of a deep-rooted white superiority complex.

Having a category that is for everyone who is not white, positions whiteness as the default – the ‘norm’ – and everybody else as ‘other’. Understanding the complicated history of this kind of homogenisation is the only way to dismantle these archaic hierarchies.

There is a tendency for people to roll their eyes when we talk about terminology, an assumption that the words we use are superficial and unimportant compared to what we mean, and the intention behind those words.

A common argument is that it’s hard to ‘keep up’ with the changing terminology around race. Our grandparents might have been taught to say ‘coloured’, our parents might think it’s impolite to say the word ‘Black’, and it can be easy to dismiss new terms as unnecessary political correctness.

But the words we use do matter, they affect the people who hear them – regardless of the intention. And it is important to be open to hearing criticism and learning about context as language inevitably evolves.

‘Language matters because the production of language and meanings is always linked to unequal power relations, domination, and resistance to domination,’ explains Michael Mumisa, a Cambridge Special Livingstone Scholar.

‘Dominant groups, and the beneficiaries of the status quo, often exercise their power to enforce their definitions of “reality” on others. For centuries, those subjected to the “othering” process have always resisted and rebelled against the dominant group’s definitions and meanings of “reality”.’

Michael says BAME is a ‘dangerous anti-Black’ term, as it silences and erases Black people, he adds that it ‘can be used by governing powers to hide their failure to eradicate anti-Black hatred and racial inequalities.’

So, where do we go next? The key thing is to be specific, and to allow terminology and definitions to be led by those who it defines – Black people and minority communities.

‘The terminology will continue to evolve as it is resisted and challenged by those on the margins it is designed to silence and erase,’ adds Michael.

‘They will continue to push their own languages and meanings of self-identification from the margins to the centre of debates and discussions on race and racial discrimination in the UK.’

The way we talk about race impacts how we feel about race, racism and minority groups.

We simply can’t afford for insidious negative messaging and inequalities to be perpetuated through a laziness of language. It’s not hard to be specific when we speak.

Do you have a story to share? We want to hear from you.

Get in touch: metrolifestyleteam@metro.co.uk.

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Some people keep their sex toys hidden away at the bottom of their sock drawer and others proudly show their collection off.

One woman with an impressive collection of vibrators, dildos, and butt plugs likes to store all of hers in a shoe hanger.

The woman stunned many Facebook users by posting her storage hack on tip-sharing page DIY on a Budget Official.

She showed off how she keeps her sex toys in a Primark hanging shoe rack that has 24 compartments.

She wrote on the group: ‘I bought this today from Primark to store my toys. Not to everyone’s taste, but I love it.’

Facebook users were impressed by the extensive collection, saying they were jealous of her range.

Some wrote ‘genius’, ‘brilliant’, and one person said she was a ‘hero’.

Some people were taken back by the woman’s honesty on the page where people usually share bargains, DIY tips, and life hacks.

Others said they were envious.

One person wrote: ‘Wish I had your toys!’ while another wrote: ‘All I could think was lucky cow’.

A third commented: ‘Best storage I’ve seen on here’.

While the woman’s storage idea has gone down well on the Facebook page, you might be wondering where the best place to store sex toys actually is – because no, it’s not on your door.

Your best bet is a clean, tidy drawer or box so dust particles and fluff won’t be flying in and settling on the toys.

Stu Nugent, a sex toy expert at LELO told Metro.co.uk: ‘There are plenty of sex toy storage devices out there, like dust-protective satin pouches, as well as travel locks so they don’t switch on when you’re going through customs.

‘I’ve even seen one that will direct UV light at your products while they’re not in use to neutralise bacteria.

‘The accumulation of dust and fluff is inevitable over time when they’re stored away, so it’s essential to clean them before and after use. Use a cleaning spray because it’s body safe and won’t harm the silicone we use in our products.

‘The very least you can do is use soapy hot water, or certain baby wipes.’

Enjoy responsibly.

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Yet another reason to ditch the city and move to the seaside: another study has shown that spending time in blue spaces is beneficial for our mental wellbeing.

Like green spaces, blue spaces are natural areas that pose benefits for our physical and mental health.

While green spaces are parks, forests, and anywhere with lots of greenery, blue spaces are those spots by beaches, lakes, rivers, or even fountains. If there’s a decently sized body of water, that’s a blue space.

Previous studies have suggested that living by the sea could make you happier, and now new research backs up that claim.

Researchers at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health have found that even just a short walk on the beach can boost mental health and help to tackle depression.

The research team surveyed around 60 people before, during and after spending 20 minutes a day in different urban environments over the course of three weeks.

During the first week, volunteers were asked to spend 20 minutes a day walking along Barcelona’s beach front.

During the second week, they were asked to do the same, but this time walk along the city’s streets away from the water.

During the final week, participants were asked to spend 20 minutes a day resting indoors.

The researchers measured participants’ blood pressure and heart rate alongside a questionnaire to determine their level of wellbeing and mood.

While the water-walks did not yield any heart-health benefits, people reported being in better mood, having more vitality and stronger mental health.

Lead author doctoral student Cristina Vert ISGlobal said: ‘We assessed the immediate effects of taking a short walk along a blue space.

‘Continuous, long-lasting exposure to these spaces might have positive effects on cardiovascular health that we were not able to observe in this study.

‘Our results show that the psychological benefits of physical activity vary according to the type of environment where it is carried out, and that blue spaces are better than urban spaces in this regard.’

Research Coordinator Dr Mark Nieuwenhuijsen added: ‘We saw a significant improvement in the participants’ well-being and mood immediately after they went for a walk in the blue space, compared with walking in an urban environment or resting.

‘Specifically, after taking a short walk on the beach in Barcelona, participants reported improvements in their mood, vitality and mental health.

‘According to the United Nations, 55% of the global population now lives in cities.

‘It is crucial to identify and enhance elements that improve our health–such as blue spaces–so that we can create healthier, more sustainable and more liveable cities.’

Do you have a story to share?

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If you’re into vegan, dairy-free alternative products, then there’s a new one to add to your must-try list.

Oatly, best known for its oat milk alternative, is now launching Oatgurt, an oat-based yogurt alternative, that is of course dairy-free.

The brand new product range has launched in four flavours – Plain, Strawberry, Blueberry and Greek Style, and is available in Tesco now.

Creators say it tastes just like normal yogurt, with a similarly creamy consistency. Oh, and in the Plain and Greek Style there’s no added sugar, only the natural
sugar that is found in oats.

If that’s not virtuous enough, Oatgurt also comes in a sustainable pot that is
made from up to 70% renewable sources. This is part of Oatly’s goal to make their full packaging portfolio as close to 100% renewable material as possible.

Oatgurt is made with oats and has no milk, which means in contains unsaturated fat – which is better for you than what you get with dairy products.

The fat in Oatgurt comes from rapeseed oil which is high in unsaturated fat, and replacing saturated fat in the diet with unsaturated fat helps maintain normal blood cholesterol levels.

Ishen Paran, General Manager at Oatly UK adds: ‘After being so popular across Europe, we’re now introducing our line-up of four Oatgurt flavours to the UK.

‘Branching out our product range even further and launching such a food staple with Oatgurt shows our continued commitment to making it easier for people to switch from dairy to oat.

‘We hope our Oatly fans will echo the same level of buzz as us around Oatgurt and we can’t wait to see their reaction. We’re looking forward to people finding their favourite flavour and continuing to develop new ways for people to easily switch to a more plant-based diet, whilst helping the planet at the same time.’

Oatgurt Plain, Strawberry, and Blueberry have an RRP of £1.99. Oatgurt Greek Style is available at an RRP of £2.20.

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Lockdown has been a time of creativity. We’ve seen DIY kitchens, gardens, boats, and of course, pubs and bars.

While pubs and bars have been closed, many have set up their own impressive boozers.

And Aldi wants to find the best one.

The budget supermarket has launched a nationwide search on its Facebook page to find Britain’s best DIY at-home bar.

Aldi will reward the lucky builder with vouchers worth £1,000.

The contest will be judged by two garden pub landlords from Cheshire who built their very own at-home bar named The Stagger Inn.

Estate agent Sadie Jones and interior designer Nick Threadgold will be looking for something quirky and homely that has a real stamp of individuality.

If you’ve done the work of creating your own bar, all you need to do now is like Aldi’s Facebook post and reply with an image of your makeshift bar, using the hashtag #AldisBarHunt.

Sadie Jones, landlady at The Stagger Inn, said: ‘We’re very excited to be partnering with Aldi on this search for the UK’s best at-home bar.

‘We were missing our favourite pubs, but since we decided to build our own, we’ve not looked back. It was such a fun and creative project and it’s an affordable way to enjoy our favourite drinks at home – we’re thrilled with the result.’

Entries open from today 7 July and will be open for 14 days only, until 21 July.

Good luck!

Do you have a story?

Email metrolifestyleteam@metro.co.uk to tell us more.

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The cottagecore aesthetic has been around for years, but lockdown is giving it new life.

Part nature porn and part escapism fantacy, cottagecore is the natural antidote to the coronavirus lockdown, which has seen many people all over the world confined to cities where nature is scarce.

There is more to the aesthetic than just the combating lockdown however, as it also has ties to the LGBTQ+ community, the desire for sustainable living, and the fantasy of a quiet, simple life.

What is cottagecore?

Cottagecore visuals focus on idyllic country life, with the hashtags dominated by pictures of lush, cosy interiors, rolling fields, baby cows, floaty dresses, home-made baked goods and flowers. Lots of flowers.

With its emphasis on self-sustainability, it should come as little surprise that the trend is picking up speed during lockdown when people started backing so much that there was a shortage of flour.

The celebration of nature is also likely part of the appeal, especially these days.

As fashion historian Andrew Luecke told The Guardian: ‘For those who felt trapped in their apartments in the grimy, crowded city, it made sense to start daydreaming about pastoral settings, where one could be cosy and feel free from disease.’

Some of David Beckham’s latest Instagram posts are prime examples of cottagecore starting to bleed into the mainstream during lockdown.

The comfy granddad chic he’s been modelling for his followers, standing with his wooden cane in rolling flower fields, aptly represents the fantasy of returning to secluded nature when the outside world is in dire straits.

The idea of sustainability is also a major appeal for many cottagecore fans, because it represents both a friendliness towards the environment and because part of the fantasy is that it involves eshewing the trappings of modern society.

The movement has a particular draw among the WLW (women who love women) community and many of the people who find themselves drawn to cottagecore also express their distaste for capitalism and hetero-normative society.

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When Lucky was rescued, the cat was severely overweight and covered in thick, matted fur.

Concerned neighbours had alerted the RSPCA after spotting a huge lump on Lucky’s back when they went to feed him at his owner’s house.

When RSPCA staff went into the property in Brownhills in Walsall on 25 June, they were shocked to discover that the growth was actually a large mass of matted fur.

A vet checkup revealed that as well as being covered in tangled fur, Lucky also weighed in at 7kg – more than twice the weight of an average adult cat.

Lucky is now being cared for at Hillfield Animal Home, where he has been put on a strict diet so he can lose some weight before he is rehomed.

RSPCA inspector Kate Levesley said: ‘Neighbours were concerned about Lucky after popping in to take care of him while his owner was away from home and unable to care for him.

‘It seems as though he was being fed but not getting enough exercise and unfortunately has become very overweight.

‘Lucky had a massive matt on his back probably because he couldn’t groom properly and was unable to wash due to his weight.’

Cyan Hulland, from the animal home, said: ‘He is very shy and doesn’t move around a lot but he is a very sweet boy.

‘Hopefully, when he trusts us better and loses a bit of that weight, he will be more active and show his personality.’

It may be a while before Lucky is ready to go to a new home, but if you’ve fallen in love you can keep up to date on how he’s getting on through the Hillfield Animal Home website.

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Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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