If you think about camping you probably picture wrestling with poles, shivering as you wait for a shower and eating dodgy-looking sausages from the BBQ.
Bog-standard camping is not the most exciting of prospects. But this is not your average campsite. For one thing, the tents aren’t on the ground.
These stunning teardrop-shaped hanging tents are affixed to the trees in a forest in Borgloon, Belgium. And we can’t think of a cosier place to spend a night.
If you’re after a night under the stars, these novel tents are much closer to the sky, and you have to climb up to the little doorway using a ladder.
Rotterdam-based architect Dré Wapenaar created the unique structures that combine tree houses with tents.
Bit tricky getting your bags up (Picture: REUTERS)
Dutch artist Dre Wapenaar created the beautiful tents (Picture: REUTERS)
They are surprisingly roomy (Picture: REUTERS)
They were originally built as part of the Pit Landscape art festival in Belgium, which brings artwork to natural spaces in the region.
Inside the tents you will find a flat floor, a bench for sitting and a matress for sleeping on. There’s also a clear window so you can look out at the forest, and small ledges to store belongings for the night.
They’re in a pretty stunning setting too (Picture: REUTERS)
They really do add a new dimension to camping, and offer a unique perspective to see the world around you as you get comfortable in nature.
Speaking of comfort, if one of your pet hates about camping is feeling the hard ground underneath you while you’re sleeping – that certainly won’t be a problem here.
Do you have a story to share? We want to hear from you.
What will returning to the workplace look like post-coronavirus? (Picture: Getty Images)
Whether you’ve been furloughed or working from home these past few months in lockdown, you’re likely now facing the looming presence of calls to return to your old workplace.
It’s normal to feel apprehensive. One study has found that 47% of Brits are nervous about returning to the office and what this might mean for their personal safety, with concerns that adequate guidelines may not be in place to keep employees protected.
Alongside fears around hygiene and the actual spread of coronavirus sit nerves about returning to the old way of doing things.
For many of us, lockdown will be the first time we’ve been able to work from home for a prolonged period of time, able to spend time with our pets and pals in comfortable environments free of the daily commute, the awkward silence of a music-free office, and clashing etiquette regarding microwave use.
We’ve had a taste of more flexible working and, for some, an improved workplace balance. Are we ready to give that up?
Don’t panic too much – or quit your job out of abject horror at the prospect of returning to normal.
To soothe concerns, reduce anxiety, and feel comfortable when the time comes to head back into the office, it’s worth asking your managers these questions:
1. Have you carried out a Covid-19 risk assessment?
Employers absolutely should not be opening workplaces back up with not even a brief consideration of coronavirus and how it could spread in your office.
Ensure a risk assessment took place and feel free to ask your boss what exactly that entailed. What risks did they find? How are they planning to tackle that?
2. What changes are in place to protect our health and safety amid coronavirus?
Based on that risk assessment, your workplace should have implemented changes to work with guidelines and ensure your safety.
That might mean reorganisation of the office layout to allow more space between work stations, the installation of screens between desks, or changing up working patterns to reduce how many people are in the office at once.
If you’re concerned your workplace isn’t doing enough, it’s worth sending them those government guidelines, too. Your employer is obligated to keep you safe at work – you’re not being annoying or difficult by ensuring they’re doing what they’re legally required to do.
3. What are the new hygiene procedures for workers to follow?
As well as building managers making changes to the actual, physical office, your employers should be sending around guidelines to every worker returning to the office to ensure everyone is doing their best to reduce the spread of illness.
It’s worth getting these all clarified in writing before you head back, so you know if you need to bring your own hand sanitiser and masks or if these will be provided.
It might feel a bit weird, but ask your managers about using the toilet, kitchen, and other shared areas. What guidelines are in place to make sure these don’t become germ-ridden cesspits where you collide with your coworkers? What do you need to know about these basic needs before you go back in? Do you need to bring your own mug and take it home?
Many of us have become used to working from home (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
4. What’s your view on working from home going forward?
For many of us, our employers may have had a blanket rule barring working from home before lockdown made this a necessity.
If you’ve now shown that working from home works, it’s completely reasonable to ask your employers if their attitudes have changed.
If you’ve discovered that you work far better from home, it’s worth using this time of adjustment and change to encourage your workplace to consider more flexible working. Perhaps you could suggest that employees are able to continue to work from home one day a week – but make sure you iron that out with your manager before making any assumptions either way.
5. What support is there for working parents?
With lockdown forcing schools to close and shutting down childcare options, lots of parents have had to suddenly adjust to working from home while balancing looking after their children during the daytime.
If your employer is asking you to rush back to the office, it’s vital to ask what adjustments can be made for parents who need to continue to care for children during working hours. It’s likely managers will allow you to continue to work from home – but get clarification on this.
6. What measures are you taking to ensure social distancing is in place?
Government advice states that where working from home is not possible, workplaces should still make every effort to comply with social distancing guidelines set out by the government – so how is your workplace doing that?
Answers might include floor markings and signs to ensure workers maintain distance, as well as reorganising desks and ditching in-person meetings.
7. What if I’m in the high risk category?
Your employer absolutely should not expect someone in the high risk category, someone who is shielding, or someone who lives with someone in the high risk category, to return to the office right now.
It’s important to note that your employer might not realise you fit into one of those categories – so do make sure to flag that up if that’s the case.
A spokesperson for CE Safety says: ‘Brits should not return to work if they have been advised by the Government to shield. This will apply only to those in receipt of a letter, who are in the extremely vulnerable category.’
Discuss with your manager what plans are in place for people who continue to shield, whether that’s continuing to work from home or being put on furlough, and ask if there’s a date that high risk people are expected to return to work.
You are within your rights to refuse to return to work if you are high risk, as that could in theory fall under sections of the Employment Rights Act that say you can refuse to go to work if it would expose you – or someone you live with – to serious danger.
8. What if my commute doesn’t feel safe?
Okay, so your workplace has all sorts of precautions in place to soothe your worries about catching and spreading coronavirus, but if you have to get on a crowded train or bus to get there…
This is something you should absolutely address with your employer, for whom driving into work might be the default.
If you’re relying on public transport to get into work and are concerned about how that might put you at risk, clearly explain the issue to your manager and ask how they might be able to work around it.
It may be the case that working from home remains the best option for those who live further away from the office or aren’t able to drive, or that working hours change to prevent you getting on the bus at its most packed time.
Consider your commute as well as your safety in the workplace (Picture: Getty Images/fStop)
9. What happens if someone in the office has Covid-19?
Your workplace should have a plan in place for what happens if someone falls ill with coronavirus, whether that’s sending everyone back home or arranging mass testing.
Ask what that plan is.
10. What happens if our procedures aren’t keeping people safe or workers still aren’t comfortable?
Similarly, there needs to be a procedure in place for employee concerns about coronavirus and safety, and a plan for what happens if, for example, you have a coworker who doesn’t respect social distancing measures and is constantly in your space.
Who do you talk to in that scenario? How flexible will managers be if their plans to get everyone back to work don’t go so smoothly?
11. Do I have to come back to work even if I feel unsafe?
If all the answers to the above questions aren’t soothing your worries, ask point blank if you absolutely need to come back into the office right now.
If you are completely overwhelmed with fear and anxiety and simply don’t feel comfortable returning to the office for now, explain this and put in a request for flexible working – a request you are always entitled to make.
Work out the best option for you, which may be working from home full-time or part-time, or continuing to work from home for a little longer than other employees, then put that in writing to make a formal request.
12. What care do you have in place to look after workers’ mental health post-lockdown?
Stress levels are high, anxiety is up, and it’s to be expected that many returning to work won’t be in the best shape, mental health wise.
Ask what provisions are in place to help with this, whether that’s an employee assistance programme or the addition of mental health first aiders.
Experts at Nuffield Health urge employers to consider the mental health impact of returning to a workplace that may be very different to the one we’re used to, pointing to issues of loneliness due to social distancing and asking managers to be trained to provide emotional wellbeing support.
‘As employees come to terms with the ‘new normal’ it’s important businesses put in place the right emotional wellbeing support for those who find themselves struggling to cope with changes,’ says Nuffield Health’s report.
‘If possible, invite a mental health specialist to deliver a socially distanced seminar in the office, providing actionable tips for those struggling with feelings of stress or isolation. This also helps to naturalise conversations around emotional wellbeing in the workplace and encourage employees to seek support.
‘Businesses must track COVID-19’s impact on staff mental health. This data should include evaluations from mental health professionals as well as reports from employees sharing their daily experiences with line managers and HR support.
‘Findings should be shared across disciplines, so UK businesses are alert to the concerns most affecting employees.
‘At Nuffield Health, we’ve found pointing individuals towards employee assistance programmes (EAPs) and telephone CBT sessions gives them remote access to speak to a specialist and are some of the most effective signposts for emotional wellbeing support in the workplace.’
The inside of Ellie and Charlotte’s caravan after its amazing DIY makeover (Picture: Ellie Sharkey / SWNS.COM)
When Ellie Sharkey, 22, and Charlotte Tasker, 24, had their holiday to Canada cancelled due to coronavirus, they came up with a way to put the money to good use.
The couple decided on a whim to buy a caravan on Gumtree for just £800 – complete with a canoe, a collapsible bike, and awning.
Then, in the space of just one week, they transformed the drab caravan into a pretty pink dream, costing them just £500.
Ellie and Charlotte now plan to take their new caravan on a two-week trip on the North Coast 500, a scenic road trip in the north of Scotland.
Ellie, from Arbroath, Scotland, said: ‘We knew when we bought it that it was obviously really dated, but we planned to paint it anyway.
‘It was a dead spontaneous decision.
The £800 caravan before the renovation (Picture: Ellie Sharkey / SWNS.COM)
The couple bought the caravan (pictured here before the makeover) for just £800 (Picture: Ellie Sharkey / SWNS.COM)
The kitchen before the makeover (Picture: Ellie Sharkey / SWNS.COM)
‘We bought it on Friday, and Saturday morning at 8am it was at our doorstep!’
The couple spent a week decorating the caravan together, changing it inside and out without any previous DIY experience.
The £500 makeover included plenty of pink chalk paint, dalmatian spots, sparkly silver chairs, fairy lights, and vinyl flooring.
‘All in all the renovations cost around £500,’ said Ellie. ‘We painted all the cupboards with chalk paint and my mum made us new pink curtains.
The exterior of the caravan after the one-week makeover (Picture: Ellie Sharkey / SWNS.COM)
‘We spray painted all inside metal features rose gold, covered the seats with sparkly silver fabric and replaced the old carpet with vinyl flooring.
‘After that we then painted the body of the caravan pink and grey, and dalmatian spots on the roof.
‘Finally, we added pillows, fairy lights, pom poms and accessories to make it a more comfortable living space.’
And just look at the kitchen afterwards (Picture: Ellie Sharkey / SWNS.COM)
The seating area after the £500 DIY job (Picture: Ellie Sharkey / SWNS.COM)
Charlotte, who works as an army medic, added: ‘The caravan isn’t perfect but we have made it our own, and we are thrilled with the outcome.
‘It has all the personal touches we planned to include and more, so we couldn’t be happier.
‘We don’t want people thinking that we are professionals at this.
‘We are genuinely just two normal people who have tried to make a caravan a bit more funky.’
Of course, hair salons look a little different in the current coronavirus climate.
Most hairdressers are operating with PPE and visors, and small talk has to be kept to a minimum – in order to speed up appointments and limit the amount of social contact.
Visitors are urged to wear face masks. This is currently not a requirement, but is strongly encouraged by a whole host of salons.
One woman has shared an easy trick for fixing overwatered plants – using tampons (Picture: Empress Eyrie)
If you’re a fan of packing your flat with as many houseplants you can manage, you’ll know the struggle of trying to keep all your bits of greenery alive and thriving.
Sadly, we often kill our plants with kindness, worrying so much about looking after our plant pals that we drown them with constant watering.
One woman has shared a genius way to prevent this oh-so-common occurence.
The plant owner from Canberra, who goes by Empress Eyrie, revealed that she uses tampons to prevent her plants from being overwatered, sticking the period product into the soil to absorb excess water.
‘I overwatered a few of my hoyas of late and I was worried about these new ones having the same issue.
‘I saw this tip in the comments of another group and decided to try it myself.
I don’t use tampons but had them in the back of the cupboard and half the packets were damaged and were rubbish anyway so thought I would give it a go and it bloody worked. So much moisture drawn out of the soil in only a few hours
When she overwatered her plants, she stuck a tampon into the soil to absorb excess water (Picture: Empress Eyrie)
‘So if you accidentally over water your water sensitve plants plug a tampon in it. They have doubled in size.’
The post has received plenty of comments from other plant parents thanking Empress Eyrie for sharing the hack.
One person shared another use for tampons (beside using them as actual period products), explaining that how to use them as a ‘self-watering’ plant system.
‘I saw someone use this in a kind of opposite way,’ they commented. ‘They were going away, so they stuck the tampon in through the bottom and let the string dangle in a bowl of water. Self watering system.’
The tampon trick is an easy way to avoid allowing your plants to sit in excess water, which is often the cause of their demise.
The trick has been hailed as ‘genius’ (Picture: Empress Eyrie)
When a houseplant is overwatered, its roots will rot, meaning it can no longer absorb water and transport nutrients around the rest of the plant.
It’s easy to check if your plant has fallen victim to root rot – just pop it out of its pot and take a look at the roots. If they’re brown and mushy, that’s root rot. Tackle it by carefully snipping away the damaged bits and repotting your plant.
Once you’ve sorted out root rot, it’s vital you don’t bring the issue back by drowning your plants.
The key is drainage. Make sure your plant’s pot has a hole for water to escape, then pop it on a tray or decorative pot. You can also add a layer of stones between your plant’s soil and the bottom of the pot to allow water to drain right through.
Then, be cautious with how often you give your plant a drink. Do some research into your individual plant’s needs – some can get by with very little water at all – then create a watering schedule.
If you’re uncertain, try sticking your finger into your plant’s soil. If your finger comes out dry, your houseplant could use some water. But if you immediately hit moist soil, give it a day or so.
Kelly Rogers was left with severe bruising after having lip fillers injected at home (Picture: Kelly Rogers / Media Wales)
When Kelly Rogers, 40, decided she wanted lip fillers in lockdown, she was immediately tempted by offers of cheap treatments.
She found a company called Infinite Beauty Aesthetics Academy, who injected filler into her lips for £85.
But the bargain backfired when Kelly was left so bruised she looked like she had ‘been in a car accident’.
‘I’ve had lip fillers done before and it usually costs around £180 for 1.1ml of filler,’ said Kelly, from Cardiff, Wales, ‘but this was £85.
‘It was so cheap and I saw the name and saw it was an academy so I just thought it would be fine as they train people.’
When Kelly reached out to the company, she was told the aesthetician was ‘fully qualified and insured’ and that she had completed extra Covid-19 training to keep the procedure safe, even when performed at home.
Kelly says she’s ’embarrassed’ she didn’t look into the procedure and the company as much as she usually would (Picture: Kelly Rogers / Media Wales)
Kelly admits she was confused about the rules and thought that beauty treatments were safe to resume in lockdown.
She agreed to get the fillers done on Saturday, but claims that the treatment she received ended up rupturing an artery – although the salon says the swelling and bruising Kelly saw following treatment was due to an allergic reaction, despite Kelly saying she has had fillers four or five times before.
‘The following morning I woke up and my face looked like I had been in a car accident,’ said Kelly.
‘All the right side of my face looks like I have been drawn on by a Sharpie.
‘I feel really foolish now, I feel so embarrassed.’
Following the treatment Kelly woke up with severe bruising on her face (Picture: Kelly Rogers / Media Wales)
Kelly was told by the company that the bruising was a result of a dissolvent used.
She has since sought advice from a cosmetic nurse pracitioner, Jane Laferla, who is a board member on the Welsh Aesthetic and Cosmetic Society.
Jane claims there are signs the filler had been injected into an artery by mistake, and that the dissolvent Kelly was told was used to remove the filler, hyaluronidase, should only be prescribed by doctors.
She added that the filler named in messages, Revolax Deep, is no longer licensed in the UK.
‘We have been challenging the government on this for years and years about putting regulations in place,’ saif Jane. ‘I am so fed up of mothers calling me crying that their daughter has had lip fillers and they have gone completely wrong.’
In response to the claims made by Kelly, Infinite Beauty Aesthetics told WalesOnline: ‘That information is incorrect. We have contacted a solicitor and it is now a legal matter.’
Kelly’s experience is a reminder of just how important it is to do your research before having fillers injected or undergoing any cosmetic treatments.
Only go to accredited professionals for any cosmetic treatments and make sure you have them done in sterile, medical environments rather than in your home.
But the event became so popular, it was watched by 10,000 people.
The ceremony was still able to take place (Picture: Liz Crowter/Athena Pictures)
Heidi in her dress (Picture: Liz Crowter/Athena Pictures)
The couple have said they are now planning a ‘big party’ for next year, after they were forced to swap their wedding reception for a meal at a pub.
Before the wedding, the pair had not seen each other since March, as James was in lockdown at his family home in Weymouth while Heidi was in Coventry.
The happy couple (Picture: Liz Crowter/Athena Pictures)
Heidi was so worried that her wedding wouldn’t take place, she wrote Boris Johnson a card stating she hoped lockdown would be eased in time for her big day.
Her mother, Liz Crowter, commented: ‘Boris played his part by allowing weddings to go ahead just in the nick of time.
‘It was a lovely day – we were all in tears.’
Lockdown meant the pair were separated in the weeks running up to the wedding (Picture: Liz Crowter/Athena Pictures)
The pair are staying in the UK for their honeymoon (Picture: Liz Crowter/Athena Pictures)
The couple’s honeymoon plans have also changed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. A holiday to the Italian lakes has now been swapped for a staycation in Coventry.
According to the Office for National Statistics, about 73,600 weddings and same-sex civil partnership ceremonies were postponed during the first three months of lockdown.
Last Saturday marked the first day weddings could take place again in England.
Lesbian frog TikTok is a communion of two TikTok niches – lesbians and frogs.
There are a number of subcultures to be found on the social media site, from alt TikTok to beans TikTok to the oft-maligned straight TikTok.
Because the platform alters your For You page depending on what you tend to like and interact with, groups formed based on what different people saw and found funny or engaging.
In this case, it’s being a woman who loves women… and cute frogs.
Videos feature illustrations and crafts with frogs on them, funny frogs wearing funny outfits, and basically every manner of frog creativity.
The genre ‘frog lesbian’ has fully sprouted, with the hashtag lesbianslovefrogs now boasting over 710,000 views, and a search for frog lesbian showing thousands of results.
There are a number of reasons why lesbians may gravitate to frogs (and not just because they’re cute and hilarious).
The ‘frogs are gay’ meme came to prominence around two years ago when shock-jock Alex Jones claimed on the show InfoWars that water was being poisoned and was ‘making the friggin’ frogs gay.’
His channel then uploaded a video titled ‘Proof! Gay Frogs Are Real’, cementing frogs’ status as gay icons forevermore.
Frogs have also been top meme-fodder for many years. Dat Boi, Kermit sipping tea, graphic design is my passion, froggy chair, and it’s Wednesday my dudes all had their moment in the sun (as well as Pepe, but the less we say about him the better).
In that sense, it’s understandable that TikTok (the social media site best suited to more surreal and younger comedy) would become the home of frog content.
Nearly half of those who use TikTok are under 24, and under 24s are the age group most likely to be queer. Ergo, frog lovers and LGBT+ people were bound to merge and become part of the TikTok canon at some point.
Although frogs are gay (incontrovertible fact, please don’t argue), the links between frogs and lesbians particularly might derive from an aesthetic movement titled cottagecore.
TikTok defines this as ‘flower prints, knitting, plants and mushrooms’. Basically nice, comforting, nature-based images and sounds to soothe us and be aesthetically pleasing.
Another stated, ‘It especially makes me feel like the things I loved in childhood, like having farm animals and picking blackberries in the fields and getting lost in the woods, are cis- and hetero-coded. So for me, cottagecore is an ideal where I can be visibly queer in rural spaces.’
In a world where we need to own a house to have a dog or cultivate our own gardens, frogs are one of the easiest ways to get closer to nature.
And if that desire (frog)spawns a new subculture where WLW and animals are celebrated – and we get to see cute frogs on our feeds – then that works for us.
Justin Stewart, 19, has been signed by We Speak Model Management, (Picture: Justin Stewart/Metro.co.uk)
A teenager who suffered horrendous abuse at the hands of bullies over his disfigured nose has become a signed fashion model. Justin Stewart, 19, is celebrating landing his dream job thanks to the unique facial feature that previously saw him taunted over his appearance.
Justin, from Elizabeth in New Jersey, was signed by New York-based agency We Speak Model Management last month after being scouted on Instagram. He is now being lined up to work for prestigious brands including Tommy Hilfiger, Wrangler, and British shoe store Office. The teen was born without a fully formed nose due to a form of cleft, frontonasal dysplasia, a condition so rare only an estimated 100 people are thought to have had it.
Justin, who will study communications at college from fall, said: ‘I was contacted for a test shoot by an agency on Instagram and to be honest, I felt so uncomfortable in front of the camera and it just didn’t feel natural at all.
Justin was signed by We Speak Model Management in June 2020. (Picture: Justin Stewart/Metro.co.uk)
‘Then I was approached by We Speak earlier this year and they asked me to go New York for a test shoot with them before signing, it was so surreal.
‘I never thought I’d ever find myself in this position, it’s beyond my wildest dreams. I don’t have any set goals and am just going to take every chance I am given.
‘This just shows that people can not dictate your future, words hurt but anything is possible if you want it enough. I want to be the best I can be and am going to give this 110%.’
The teenager added: ”After I signed for We Speak my mom told me it was my nose that made me unique and helped me stand out from the crowd. Some friends have said it’s part of the reason why I got signed.’
Justin, who is set to study communications at Jacksonville College, Alabama in the fall, is a facial differences advocate and has proactively raised awareness of frontonasal dysplasia on Instagram. It was this advocacy that led to him being approached by a modeling agency last year, and invited to a test shoot.
It was organized in part by America’s Next Top Model’s former contestant,Khrystyana Kazakova, who finished 3rd in the 2018 series of the reality TV show.
Justin said: ‘Khrystyana coached me through the shoots and made me feel very comfortable, she gave me a lot of encouragement and it felt good.
‘It was a crazy experience for me and I did have fun.’
Whilst Justin was given a taste of modeling at the start of 2019, his big break didn’t come until a year later, in January this year, when he was contacted by We Speak Model Management. The New York based agency provide models to some of the biggest brands in the world, including Adidas and Target.
Last month, Justin signed his first ever modeling contract and visited Union, in New Jersey for his debut photo shoot.
Justin said: ‘To be where I am now, as a signed model in New York City, it feel crazy man. It’s kind of ironic how I was called all these crazy names about my face, but here I am standing in front of a camera.
‘It’s the biggest achievement in my life so far.’
Justin was thrilled to be signed as a model after suffering at the hands of school bullies over his appearance. He was born prematurely with frontonasal dysplasia, a condition characterized by the abnormal development of the head and face before birth. It is caused by mutated genes passed onto children by both parents and in Justin’s case, that meant being born with a disfigured nose.
Justin, left, pictured with his twin brother, Jordan, as toddlers. (Picture: Justin Stewart/Metro.co.uk)
Justin was bullied by classmates in school because of the way he looks. (Picture: Justin Stewart/Metro.co.uk)
He said: ‘When I was born my nose wasn’t really a nose, it was just a lump of skin with nostrils. I have always been content with the way I look but school was rough for me.
‘I was treated as an equal by my family and when I left that space and entered the real world at school, it was a massive shock. I was called some crazy stuff by other kids, they said I looked like Lord Voldemort out of Harry Potter, and that just killed me.
‘It took a massive toll on me and I started to believe that what the kids were telling me was true. It made me feel real bad about myself.’
Justin, who has a twin brother, Jordan, as well as an older brother and younger sister, is healthy aside from differences in his physical appearance caused by the condition and it does not effect Justin in any other way or stop him from leading a normal life.
Justin has had two reconstructive surgeries on his nose. (Picture: Justin Stewart/Metro.co.uk)
The youngster has undergone two major reconstructive operations on his face to improve the appearance of his nose and open up his airways to minimize the risk of health complications or infections as he grows older.
Justin explained: ‘I have only ever gone ahead with surgery to change how I look if it’s the right thing to do based on the medical advice. I like who I am and if I’m to change then it has to be on my terms.
‘I was brought up to be very comfortable with how I look and was never treated differently. School was a completely different world to what I was used to, and it’s only now I realize how much damage it did to me.
‘It was a constant mental battle and it became normal for me, which isn’t right.’
Justin Stewart, 19, was born with frontonasal dysplasia. (Picture: Justin Stewart/Metro.co.uk)
Justin is due to travel to New York again in July for further modeling work. He has credited his positive attitude to the way his family brought him and taught him to practice ‘self love’.
He said: ‘Over the years I have grown to love myself and I’m content with who I am.
‘People called me some bad stuff but I haven’t let it effect who I have become. I’ve never let anyone stop me chasing what I want or being who I want to be.’
Do you have a feel-good news story to share?
If you have overcome adversity to achieve something great or perhaps experienced something amazing, then we’d love to hear from you.
We are so ready for a long weekend at one of these locations (Pictures: Various.Metro.co.uk)
Staycations are going to be big this summer, with everyone shaking off their lockdown blues by escaping to beaches, forests and countryside in the UK.
But another thing that’s high on the list of holiday requirements is a small carbon footprint. More people than ever want their mini-breaks to be as eco-friendly as possible.
The good news is that there are plenty of luxury destinations that make sustainability and the environment a priority. So you can whisk yourself away for a weekend of fun without worrying about the damage you might be causing.
Save on Energy UK compiled a list of retreats which use green measures to reduce their impact on the environment and or embrace nature and the outdoors as part of its experience.
They then analysed Instagram hashtags for 100 different popular staycation getaways, to see which have garnered the most online attention. So prepare to get booking.
Soho Farmhouse, Oxfordshire
Pricey… but incredible (Picture: Soho Farm House)
With A-list guests including Eddie Redmayne, Cara Delevingne and even Harry and Megan, Soho Farmhouse claims first place for the most Instagrammed staycation in the UK, with almost 50,000 hashtags.
Boasting a beautiful mix of nature and luxury, guests can expect pampering spas, pools, bars and more.
Be prepared to spend a pretty penny for membership plus accommodation, but you might think it’s worth it if you’re in desperate need of a proper post-lockdown treat.
Port Lympne, Kent
Immerse yourself in nature (Picture: Port Lympne Hotel)
The beauty of Port Lympne is that it’s a wildlife park and a hotel, all in one.
Experience nature in their treetop hotel or spend the night with animals in their immersive lodges, which place you right in the centre of the animals’ habitats.
With 39,021 hashtags and counting, it’s a staycation that is clearly very Instagrammable. So you’re probably in for an unforgettable experience.
The Hoxton, London
Urban chic (Picture: The Hoxton)
The Hoxton in London comes in at third place, clocking up 35,121 hashtags on Instagram.
While being smack bang in the middle of London doesn’t seem green-friendly, these cosy hotel rooms aim to provide everything you need – and nothing you don’t – with minimalist décor that cuts unnecessary energy usage and waste.
Other eco-friendly staycations in the UK
In fourth, fifth and sixth place are Babington House in Somerset, Chewton Glen in the New Forest National Park, and The Pig Hotels, found in several locations across the country.
The grounds are epic (Picture: Chewtonglen)
Very stately (Picture: Babington House)
We love the piggy mascots (Picture: The Pig Hotel)
These destinations define green and sustainable in their own unique ways, amassing interest from eco-conscious millennials in the UK.
Most of the green entries reside in the South of England, so it’s important to give a special mention to Jesmond Dene House,the luxury and eco-conscious hotel in Newcastle, which takesninth place.
So dreamy (Picture: Jesmond Dene House)
Surrounded by extravagant gardens, and with an extensive environmental policy, this hotel is a great staycation to discover this summer, gathering a total of 6,605 hashtags on Instagram.
Take a look at some of the other luxury staycation destinations:
Dormy House
Wrapped up like a present (Picture: Dormy House)
Lime Wood
So unique (Picture: Lime Wood)
Heckfield Place
Rainbow not guaranteed (Picture: Heckfield Place)
Retreat East
Solar panels and wooden fixtures (Picture: Retreat East)
Do you have a story to share? We want to hear from you.
Holidays to Turkey are back on after the country was announced as part of the UK’s air bridge scheme.
With no need to quarantine at either end once the bridge opens up from 10 July, Turkey is one of the many beautiful destinations set to be a travel hot spot for summer 2020.
The country has so far been commended for the way it tackled the virus, with successful measures were put in place to contain the pandemic early on.
And the tourism industry – which generates nearly £30 billion a year for the country – has put more measures in place – masks, social distancing, track and trace – to ensure that visitors will remain safe.
And with some of the world’s best hotels, cleanest beaches, greatest food and nearly year-round sunshine, it’s certainly an attractive proposition.
Here are 9 of the best reasons to head there this year:
Bodrum Edition – Aegean Chic
(Picture: The Bodrum EDITION)
Set in Turkey’s southwest, at the exact spot where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean and the colour of the sea shifts unpredictably from blue to green, Bodrum is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world.
And, as warm temperatures continue until well into late October, it is ideal for some much needed post-summer sunshine.
Check in at Yalikavak’s newest and most stylish resort, the Bodrum Edition, perched atop a picturesque, quiet bay, decked out in Ian Schrager’s trademark all-white minimalism.
‘Chic and sleek’ pretty much sums it up at this stylish boutique hotel that feels special from the moment you step through the doors.
With Insta-worthy moments at every turn – from the white sanded beach to the infinity pool, lantern-lit restaurant and breathtaking views – this one has wow factor written all over. it.
(Picture: The Bodrum EDITION)
Guests will want to dine at The Edition’s very cool but unpretentious Brava restaurant decked out in fairy lights overlooking the sloping hills and white sanded beach – featuring Latin-Aegean inspired dishes, like fried calamari with fish and lime emulsion and red onion salsa.
Perfect for: Style lovers and romance seekers – this place oozes cool.
A small resort town called Göcek is home to an extraordinary hotel. Fronting an archipelago of beautiful islands and a luxurious, yacht-dotted marina, D Resort Göcek is a truly luxe destination.
An elegant boutique hotel set across ten design-led buildings, it feels incredibly stylish. Rooms are dressed in crisp whites and navy blue with white marble and whitewashed wood – the interiors style is comfortable but chic.
This secluded resort is beautifully natural, with a backdrop of dramatic forest-clad mountains and a white stretch of sand. And you are virtually guaranteed sunshine – Göcek experiences an average of 300 days of sunshine per year.
(Picture: Q Lounge at D-Resort Gocek)
Dining here is a standout and the resort’s Q Lounge is the star of the show. Built into the rock face of the hill overlooking the beach, this beautifully designed and stylish night spot has incredible sea and island views, Japanese-influenced cocktails and a menu of sushi, sashimi and robatayaki served in tapas style in a relaxed, music-filled lounge environment.
The food here is incredible, the atmosphere electric – but the view is something else. Perhaps one of the finest spots to eat in the world. Truly the Mediterranean at its very best.
Perfect for: Those looking for a chic getaway far from the madding crowds
Set high up on a pine-clad hillside on the Datça Peninsula, looking out at the bay where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Aegean, D Maris Bay is one of those places that must be seen to be believed.
With breathtaking views of deep blue water, along with towering mountain ranges and lush forests, you are surrounded by wide swathes of white-sanded beaches, a scenic cove and an archipelago of islands.
Restorative and serene, the inside feels like a modernist retreat – it is flooded with sunlight up against pale granite and marble interiors. Even the bathrooms are amazing – floor-to-ceiling windows offer sea views from their deep and sunken marble baths.
(Picture: La Guérite at D Maris Bay)
This sun-kissed spot also offers five fabulous sandy beaches including the pretty Bay Beach, set directly below the hotel, and a silence beach for those looking for quiet. There is a Zuma outpost and several other standout dining options – but the La Guerite restaurant and beach club (inspired by Cannes and St Barts) is the one you won’t want to miss.
Perfect for: Those seeking the absolute ultimate in luxury and relaxation.
This all-inclusive resort lies in Kemer, a pretty part of the coastline in the Antalya province, known for its natural beauty, up against the backdrop of the Taurus Mountains and the National Park’s pine forests. This large and stylish resort is part of the DoubleTree by Hilton family.
One absolute highlight is the charming food trucks scattered throughout the property, offering a trendy ‘eat mobile’ concept with a range of everything from tacos and Tex Mex to spicy Asian noodles and chocolate banana crepe.
(Picture: DoubleTree by Hilton Antalya-Kemer)
The private beach cabanas on the dock are a must do – and the resort also boasts a beach club, disco and numerous bars, a pretty private beach, cinema and spa.. There are also four swimming pools, including an indoor seawater pool and Jacuzzi.
Perfect for: Stylish Foodies – A Great Girls’ Getaway
Set just at the edge of the ancient village of Uçhisar, argos in Cappadocia is a place that everyone should see at least once in their lifetime. With panoramic views of the hot air balloons that drift across the sky each morning at sunrise, this 2,000-year-old network of ancient ruins, caves and underground tunnels is home to an unforgettable heritage-style hotel retreat. The hotel feels authentically Anatolian, with rustic, cosy interiors, and fireplaces in every room.
From here you can begin your day with a hot air balloon ride, overlooking plains and valleys scattered with archetypal pigeon houses and over the region’s prettiest vineyards.
During the day, guests interested in history can explore the famed underground city, a network of ancient tunnels and caves, as well jumping on an ATV to speed through valleys, rev up dunes and glide through ancient monastery ruins.
(Picture: Argos in Cappadocia)
There are wine tastings in the evening, sampling wines from the hotel’s own in-house wine cellar, (the largest in Turkey) which holds more than 20,000 bottles of the world’s finest wines. Wines are expertly paired with delicious local and regional cheeses.
Perfect for: A once-in-a-lifetime experience you will remember forever.
Cornelia Diamond Resort in Antalya is a dream hotel for luxury-seeking families.
Set in Belek, about an hour from the Antalya airport, the facilities here are seemingly endless. Set on its own 27-hole golf course, the resort has seven outdoor swimming pools and waterslides all within a short distance of the sea – you are literally surrounded on all sides by beautiful blue water.
This year resort has opened a new kids club – the new ‘Cornie Kids World’ (which helpfully runs until midnight) and includes a large waterpark, extensive playgrounds (both outdoors and indoors) and three movie theatres allowing films to play in multiple languages at the same time.
A Lego room will delight aficionados and there is also a mini disco, pirate day, PlayStation, table football and large, shaded pools.
An all-inclusive hotel, there is 24-hour room service (perfect if the baby is fussy, or for a late-night adult feed) and nine à la carte restaurants, plenty to keep you full for the entirety of your stay.
(Picture: Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort & Spa)
An inviting pool meanders around the whole property and is scattered with whirlpools, and a white sandy beach beautifully fringes the property. For those seeking shade, the indoor pool is expansive and warm and sits nearby the spa’s 12 aromatherapy saunas and steam rooms.
Perfect for: Families that don’t want to sacrifice luxury and facilities just because they have kids.
Five star all-inclusive Hillside Beach Club, near Fethiye in south-west Turkey, is a family friendly destination built into the hillsides of a breath-taking natural arena that circles a private and gorgeous bay.
There is no time to be bored here – you can do everything from water-skiing, volleyball, basketball and tennis to cocktail-making classes, star-gazing and Turkish lessons.
The kids club is a hive of activity and there is a musical show every night in the hotel’s amphitheatre. There is even a floating cinema where you can lie on beach loungers and watch films on a screen resting on pontoons in the bay.
The hotel also arranges regular workshops run by the British Film Institute where children make their own films that are screened at the beach cinema at the end of the week.
(Picture: Hillside Beach Club)
There are thoughtful touches too, like the glass bookcase on the path to the property’s ‘Silent Beach’ (one of several beaches) that is full of summer novels you are free to take, or the “beach order” app that lets you request drinks on your phone without getting up from your sun lounge.
Perfect for: A fun-loving family, in particular one with hard-to-please teenagers
One of the lovely pools at the Hilton Dalaman-Sarigerme (Picture: Deborah Arthurs)
This well-appointed, well-designed, all-inclusive hotel is set right on the seafront just 10 minutes from Dalaman airport, making the trip from the UK an absolute breeze.
Less than 20 minutes from collecting our luggage we were being welcomed by just some of the unanimously warm and friendly staff and handed a cold cocktail in the lobby of the hotel while our bags were whisked up to our comfortable, stylish room.
The hotel, flanked on one side by the Dalaman River and the other by the sparkling Med, is minutes from Sarigerme town centre and close to Dalaman – but there is so much to do on this resort you will likely not set foot outside the property.
Book a luxury cabana on the private beach and enjoy butler service – champagne, fresh fruit and pastries for breakfast is a must-do – while you relax on double loungers, white curtains fluttering gently in the breeze.
Gazeboland, the private cabanas by the shore with butler service where you can spend a serene day having wonderful food and drink brought to your luxe loungers (Picture: Deborah Arthurs)
Try to squeeze in as many of the 23 restaurants and bars as you can – including the lively roof-top cocktail bar where the dancing really gets going around 11pm, the perfect entertainment to accompany your perfect passion fruit martini – and Vela, the idyllic, relaxed riverside restaurant with outdoor terrace that feels like a hidden gem, despite being part of the main hotel resort.
Don’t miss the gozleme hut down by the beach – traditional Turkish pancake/flatbreads served hot with cheese, spinach or sweetened with sugar. We went every day – despite the restaurants serving sensational buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner.
There is a very good Asian restaurant for the evenings when you might fancy a change from local food – but the main restaurant is so good it will be hard to tear yourselves away. Fresh local fish, grilled meat and kebabs, traditional stews and incredible salads every night.
Water sports, paragliding, archery, multiple extensive pools, more than enough loungers to go around, aqua park with slides, tennis, spa, Turkish and Roman baths, amphitheatre with shows every evening – there’s always something to do, if you wish.
This resort has it all – entertainment and fun for kids if you want it, escapism for couples without. It manages to be both adult-friendly and family-friendly.
We went as a couple and before arriving, wondered if we would feel like this was better suited for families. Actually, it ticks both boxes beautifully. We would go back with or without children.
Just be sure to steer clear of the very tempting in-house jewellery shop when you’ve had too many glasses of the delicious local white…
Perfect for: Couples looking for complete relaxation, families with children who prize stylish convenience.
Likya Pavilion Kalkan – Peaceful Retreat on the Turquoise Coast
Likya Pavilion at Kalkan
Set up on a quiet road away from the lively harbour town of Kalkan, Likya Pavilion is a peaceful retreat at the heart of Turkey’s beautiful Dalaman coast. Likya Pavilion offers private villas, each with their pool, dotted across the slopes of the leafy property, each one with a panoramic view of the ocean.
Likya Pavilion’s duplex villas, spacious and elegantly decorated, have their bedrooms on the top floor, with full-width picture windows and balcony offering a window to the Med without ever having to leave your bed.
Guests have a private beach club a short walk down to the water’s edge, as well as access by speedboat to Hotel Villa Mahal, a boutique hotel across the bay with exquisite infinity pool and sunbathing platforms.
Even if you don’t go there by day, book for dinner, when the terraced descent to the water’s edge becomes the restaurant – voted the most romantic dining spot in the Med by Conde Nast Traveller.
Every room at Likya Pavilion has its own private pool
Likya Pavilion’s restaurant, with wraparound sunset views over Kalkan bay, has its own great menu created by the head chef in partnership with the hotel manager Korhan, inspired by the Turkish dishes of their childhood with a modern twist. Mezze is a house speciality – all freshly made and flavoursome – and the entire menu can be delivered to your private villa for lunch or dinner poolside dining.
No need to deal with tiny mini bar wines either – the WhatsApp room service system is so slick, one message to the team and an ice-cold bottle of Anatolian white will be delivered to your door, along with a bowl of sensational olives.
Airport transfers can be arranged, as can sailing trips in a gulet, a traditional Turkish boat, exploring the magnificent coastline, with swimming stops, lunch and tea on board. The hotel can organise water sport equipment, mountain biking and a personal assistant to have on hand day and night.
Incredibly friendly staff, nothing is too much trouble. There’s a reason why people come back to this hotel again and again.
Perfect for: Romantic retreat for couples craving peace in a beautiful setting – but within reach of a lively town.
Turkey is a great place to hire a luxury car for less. According to rentalcars.com, luxury models are available in Turkey for the cost of something much more basic in other parts of the world. For example, a week’s car hire for the Volvo S60 (or similar) costs £401 from Bodrum airport – roughly the cost of renting a Ford Focus in Dublin or a Toyota Auris in Crete for the same time period. rentalcars.com
Sunshine on the Turkish coast means humidity and swimming. Edward James London salons in Balham, Clapham and Putney do a brilliant hair treatment called the British Blow Out. It’s his version of the Brazilian blow dry but far better suited to those of us with finer hair than our South American friends. It costs around £100 and will give you a glossy, smoothed look throughout your holiday, during when you will almost certainly never, ever find time to blow dry your hair.
Most everything is cheaper in Turkey, but European brand cosmetics and baby formula are pricey. If you’re nervous about getting through the airport with the vast quantities of liquids – baby formula, sun cream, hair masks, needed for your summer trip, order everything you require online at Boots and have it delivered airside at the airport Boots. That way you can go through check in and security minus all my heavy bottles and instead, collect them just before you board. Just order a week in advance of flying to make sure it’s there waiting.
The uninhabited 103-acre island, Inchconnachan, is on sale for offers over £500,000 (Picture: Knight Frank / SWNS.COM)
Desperately saving your money in the distant hopes of one day being able to afford a home?
Considering the measly size of the flats you can find in London for the massive amounts of money you put away for a deposit, perhaps this private island is a better investment.
Yep, you can get an entire island in the middle of Loch Lomond for £500,000.
The uninhabited island of Inchconnachan has gone on sale, offering someone the chance of owning their very own island and building a home among the gorgeous greenery and wildlife.
The island is only accessible by boat and no one has lived there for 20 years, making it the perfect secluded spot for anyone who wants to get away from it all.
The island has private bays, incredible views, and rich wildlife (Picture: Knight Frank / SWNS.COM)
It was once the holiday home of Fiona Gore, the Countess of Arran who was once the fastest woman on the water, setting record speeds of 102mph in a powerboat back in 1980.
Now, the 103-acre island is home to nesting ospreys, otters and deer.
There’s a timber bungalow on the island, but as it was built in the 1920s, this is pretty rundown. Rather than trying to make do with that, planning consent has been obtained to replace the ruins with a new four-bedroom lodge and a one-bedroom warden’s house, along with a boat house and a pier.
The buyer has permission to knock down this 1920s bungalow (Picture: Knight Frank / SWNS.COM)
As well as looking dreamy, Inchconnachan is an Area of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation thanks to its rich wildlife, and is part of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
If you fancy packing your things and moving to the island, you have a chance of buying it if you can make an offer over £500,000.
No one has lived on the island for 20 years (Picture: Knight Frank / SWNS.COM)
Cameron Ewer for Savills said: ‘This is an extraordinary opportunity to acquire a beautiful and completely private, yet accessible, retreat and create a wonderful new residence there.
‘For those seeking peace and seclusion, yet wanting all that this part of Scotland has to offer in the way of nature and water-based sport and activities, this is surely the ultimate prize.’
Research from Jury’s Inn and Leonardo Hotels found that 63% of us are planning to holiday in the UK, with 38% plan to visit famous parts of the country we haven’t seen before.
So which landmarks make our must-see list?
A lot of green and blue spaces, in short.
The Lake District comes in second place (Picture: Getty Images)
The top UK landmarks people plan to visit this summer post-lockdown:
Padstow, Cornwall
The Lake District
Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh
The Yorkshire Dales
The Rock (Cornwall)
Snowdonia
Jersey
Stonehenge, Wiltshire
Port Isaac, Cornwall
Hadrian’s Wall
Loch Ness, Scotland
London Eye
Durdle Door
Peak District
Ben Nevis
Blackpool Tower
Tower of London
Brighton Beach
The Scottish Highlands
Brighton Pier
The Eden Project, Cornwall
Land’s End, Cornwall
Guernsey
Edinburgh Castle
The Jurassic Coast, Devon to Dorset
The Roman Baths, Bath
Cheddar Gorge and Caves, Somerset
Salcombe
Dawlish Beach, Exeter
The Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
Staycations around the UK were given the green light back in June, with Boris saying people would be free ‘to stay overnight in self-contained accommodation’, including hotels, bed and breakfasts and camp sites, from July 4.
There are some caveats to be aware of before you go ahead and book your getaway, though.
Shared facilities must be kept clean, it must be possible to maintain social distancing while you’re away, and more than two households shouldn’t go away together.
Chill on you nice, dry boat while watching swimmers on film (Picture: Le cinema sur l’eau)
Cinemas in the UK are now open, so you can grab your popcorn and see the latest blockbusters somewhere other than your couch.
For some, though, safety concerns might put them off visiting indoor spaces, which is why there’s been something of a resurgence in unique cinematic experiences such as drive-ins.
One of the more unique of these is Cinema Sur l’Eau, a new cinema concept being installed in Paris to allow people to socially distance while they watch a film.
Movie-goers will sit on their own little electric boat on the Bassin de la Villett between the Loire and the Seine, watching a large projector on the bank.
It’ll take place on 18 July, and marks the start of Paris Plages, a festival where mini beaches are set up along the river.
Cinema-goers will watch Le Grand Bain (Picture: StudioCanal)
Hundreds of people will get the chance to be part of Cinema on the Water – created by Haagen Dazs and MK2 – and will be watching Le Grand Bain (English title, Sink or Swim); a film about a group of men who start their own synchronised swimming team.
There are 38 boats due to set sail, and 150 chairs set up so more punters can get a chance to enjoy the evening.
No details as yet on how they get popcorn and massive drinks over to the boats, but as long as the weather is fine it’ll certainly be a night to remember – especially after being stuck inside for so long.
Travelling while maintaining a steady income might be the dream but doing both can be precarious in reality.
Obtaining visas and work permits can make the process harder, particularly if your employer is in your home country.
However, Barbados is temporarily doing away with such sanctions.
The Caribbean country is opening up to tourists for long stays in an attempt to boost the economy.
Bajan Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley announced a 12-month Barbados Welcome Stamp in a speech addressed at the reopening of bars in Christ Church.
The new incentive will allow visitors to stay for up to a year while continuing their employment online.
The move comes after the pandemic saw many companies successfully operate virtually.
Barbados is banking on people wanting to swap their sedentary home office life to one where they can work in front of a beach.
Where’s your laptop, love? (Picture: Getty Images)
While short-term stays are currently difficult to arrange, the Bajan government hopes people will be enticed by longer stays that will make their trip worthwhile.
The government is still working out the details as the country plans to open to tourism again on 12 July.
He also added: ‘We will continue to take a risk-based approach to the protection of our country, our people and our visitors.’
Wish you were here? (Picture: Getty Images)
According to the John Hopkins website, Barbados has had 98 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and as the country open up to air travel on 12 July, it hopes to keep the number low.
Within 72 hours prior to departure for Barbados, all travellers from high-risk countries (places with more than 10,000 new cases) are strongly encouraged to take Covid-19 tests.
Residents from low-risk countries (those with less than 100 new cases in seven days) will have up to one week prior to departure for Barbados to take their tests.
If you arrive in Barbados without being tested for Covid-19, you’ll be subjected to a mandatory test on arrival. You will need to isolate until the test results are provided. This can take a maximum of 48 hours.
Anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 will be placed in isolation until they’ve recovered.
14-year-old cat Lolly has a habit of pretending to be dead, often in the middle of the road (Picture: Triangle News)
Meet Lolly, a highly relatable cat who loves attention so much she keeps faking her own death.
The moggy has developed a habit of lying down in the road with her eyes shut and her tongue hanging out, to make her owner’s neighbours think she’s dead.
Mum-of-two Lesley Southam, 47, says Lolly is just trying to get attention – and has had to send out a flyer to residents in their street in Banbury, Oxon, to explain that their cat isn’t actually dead.
Owner Lesley says: ‘He just loves attention and people. He can lay so still people will stop to check he is alive.
‘He’s literally famous at this end of town. Everybody knows Lolly.’
The flyer, which has been posted around the neighbourhood, has a photo of Lolly and the message: ‘Hi, my name is Lolly. My favourite thing is people and pretending I am dead at the side of the road.
‘I am also quite old and ignorant.
Lolly’s other pranks include sneaking into people’s cars and hitching a ride (Picture: Triangle News)
‘Please don’t worry about me. All the local businesses and vets know my owners. If you’re really worried call my mum.
‘I have also been known to get into vehicles.’
Playing dead isn’t the only trick Lolly, 14, likes to pull.
The cat also likes to sneak into strangers’ cars and make himself at home in offices.
‘Local school children on the way to school sing him songs and give him cuddles,’ Lesley adds.
‘He is known to catch a lift in pharmaceuticals vehicles if they are not watching and spent two days in the offices of the Finnes Centre being treated like a king.’
Dave, 35, has £1,400 put away (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
In our weekly series How I Save, we’re taking an honest look at how people spend and save their money – and the real challenges people face when it comes to putting away money for the future.
Each week we ask a different person to track their spending and share their approach to saving money, then give them some expert advice to up their personal finance skills.
This time around we’re talking to Dave*, 35, an ambulance controller living in Glasgow, Scotland who also does a lot of volunteer work.
Like many of us, Dave wasn’t raised with financially healthy habits and finds it difficult to save money.
How Dave saves:
I earn £22,500 a year and in my savings account right now I have £1,400.
I struggle with saving because my mother was poor. I say mother, it was my gran who was my mum and brought me up. She had very little but gave what she had to me.
That’s probably why I struggle to save. I also struggle because I believe my income doesn’t let me have much disposable income. When I get a little bit of money I tend to spend it on others and not me or don’t put it away.
I’ve saved what I have by putting little bits away every month. Often it ends up approx £50 a month.
I save by not buying things for myself that I would like. I often put off buying things such as clothes because I come from a household where I didn’t get that luxury.
Following the death of my mother I had little bits of cash that I got from winding up her affairs, but it was minimal.
I sold her home nearly two years after she died – due to my mental health issues it took a LOT of time to get to the point where I was ready to sell her house. Couple that with the suicide of my brother, my own physical ill health (I have a cyst on my brain) and other family and health issues, it meant I just wasn’t ready.
I could probably have got more if I waited or worked harder on selling but mentally and physically I just wasn’t there. I would argue that I probably still am not.
I have a small amount of money left every month that I try to put away but it often ends up going back into my bank account.
I’m saving for a holiday. I like going away with my family and the more I can contribute to make life better for my wife and now my little boy (who is 7 months old) the more it helps my mental health.
I would also like a hot tub because of the undeniable mental health benefits to it. After a long day at work I’d like to be able to have a soak and unwind. I think it would be good for after a busy day with my little boy, and also I think my wife would enjoy it too.
Realistically, I don’t want much. I just want a comfortable life for my wife and my little boy, because frankly, I’ve had a fairly rubbish life in terms of physical sickness and mental wellbeing.
I also couldn’t move in with my wife until my mother passed away as I had to be a carer for her (while working full-time). This was a massive challenge following my wedding.
Because of all the struggles I find it hard to prioritise things for me. Everything I do I do for other people. Even when I want to save for a PS5, I find it hard to prioritise that over looking out for other people.
Like many of us, Dave struggles to spend money as he was never taught healthy financial habits (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
How Dave spends:
Monthly expenses:
£199 on car payments
£155.17 to pay off a bank loan for old debts
£40 mobile phone contract
£400 contribution to household expenses and mortgage
£15 repaying overpayment to my previous employer (which I’m fighting as I was told it was my entitlement)
£9.99 WWE network
£40 to £60 on fuel and commuting
£12 on lotteries
£21 on contact lenses
A week of spending:
Monday: £7.99 for takeaway food as the team I was working with were ordering out for lunch. I’ve not been buying as much stuff for lunch as the whole social distancing and waiting to get in thing just annoys me to the point I don’t have time to do it.
£30.73 – Groceries shopping, including quantities of baby food. Baby food is the biggest expense in shopping at the moment
Total spent on Monday: £38.72
Tuesday: £4.99 – McDonald’s. Again my team ordered food in and I took part in this.
Total spent on Tuesday: £4.99
Wednesday: Day off today. I needed to top up fuel – £25.
£20 went to a family member as a loan, as they were struggling.
£7.87 went on more groceries.
Total spent on Wednesday: £52.87
Thursday: £10 on takeaway food for the same reason as before. I got £12 of groceries and picked up some things for lunch the next day too.
Total spent on Thursday: £22
Friday: £3 on a fancy coffee.
I bought a toy for my little boy for £25.99. I saw it and couldn’t help myself. I knew he would love it and I got it for him. Incidentally, he does really like it. That gives me such a boost in my mental health.
Total spent on Friday: £28.99
Saturday: £35.67 on takeaway food – the in laws were visiting so we ordered in for dinner.
Total spent on Saturday: £35.67
Sunday: £20 on fuel for the week ahead, £11 on grocery shopping, and £30 on some clothes for me and for my little boy.
Total spent on Sunday: £61
Total spent this week: £244.24
How Dave could save
We spoke to the experts over at Plum, the smart app for managing your money to find out how Dave can save better (and what we can learn from his spending).
Here’s what they said:
Hi Dave, thanks for sharing your week with us. With everything you’ve been through over the last few years, it’s no wonder that saving’s been a struggle.
Let’s take a look at your money diary and see if we can help you out a bit.
Spending:
We’re glad to hear that your little boy liked his toy! Your generosity when it comes to spending on others is lovely, and considering everything you do for other people, we hope you make room to treat yourself now and again.
With that in mind, we definitely understand the strong lure of convenience food – when the rest of the team are chipping in for food it’s hard to resist, and meal prep can be a time consuming task when you’re already juggling full-time work and a new baby.
That being said, you spent £58.65 on takeaways this week. That’s almost a third of your total spending. Assuming you spend that much every week, that amounts to over £3,000 a year just on takeaway meals!
Consider if these purchases are really worth it in the long run. Bringing lunch from home more often, or even switching to a cheaper supermarket lunch, could help cut down your spending significantly. This would leave you more money for your savings, helping you to crush your financial goals even quicker, and trade in Maccies for a trip abroad.
Equally, you might benefit from creating a budget for your spending. Lots of people assume that budgets are restrictive, but in fact the opposite is true!
Budgets give you more financial freedom by allowing you to keep on top of where your money is going and what you can afford when. Coming up with a monthly budget would help organise your finances and let you know how much money you have spare for non-essentials – so you can treat your son (and yourself) to more nice things with zero guilt.
Saving:
Having £1,400 tucked away in your savings is a good start, but it would be nice to get a bit more in there.
You’ve identified some savings goals, saying you’re saving for a family holiday, and a hot tub. It sounds like you’ve gone a rough time these last few years, and with the mental health benefits these purchases would bring you, we really want to get you closer to achieving these goals.
You say you save whatever is left in your account at the end of the month, which ends up not being much. Instead, you might want to try saving a small amount each week. Studies show that saving little and often is more effective than saving larger amounts over time, because it gets you into the habit of building up your savings regularly, without overcommitting too much money in one go.
Plum could do this for you automatically, using AI to calculate how much you can afford to save, and setting aside the money from your bank account every few days. Because it adapts to your spending, you won’t be left suddenly short of cash and you could end up saving more over time without even noticing it.
Lastly, outlining your saving goals more clearly will give you strong motivation to reach them. To make your holiday and hot tub dream a reality, try working out how much money you need for these purchases, how much you can afford to put away each week, and how long it will take to hit your targets. Having an end-goal in sight is a great help when saving, and it’s easier to cut down on spending when you know it’s going towards something worthwhile in the future.
Plum’s different Pockets would be helpful here. You can create Pockets for different goals, and Plum will automatically split your savings across them. You’ll be enjoying that hot tub in no time!
*Name has been changed.
How I Save is a weekly series about how people spend and save, out every Thursday. If you’d like to anonymously share how you spend and save – and get some expert advice on how to sort out your finances – get in touch by emailing ellen.scott@metro.co.uk.
If you want more tips and tricks on saving money, as well as chat about cash and alerts on deals and discounts, join our Facebook Group, Money Pot.
It was a miracle she survived the collision (Picture: Jam Press)
Moaca, an 18-month-old street dog from Romania was only a few months old when she was struck by a train and left for dead.
The extreme force from the train took her snout clean off, and she also lost a toe in the collision.
Her saving grace was an animal charity who scooped her up from the incident and got her the medical care she needed.
The German shepherd and husky mix mutt was found in the nick of time and rushed to surgery by the Nomad Vet Association.
The vets managed to save her life during a five-hour touch and go operation, but despite their best efforts, she has been left permanently without a snout.
Staff at the charity were worried when thinking about how Moaca would survive the harsh Romanian winter, so decided to share her story on their social media pages in hopes of finding her somewhere to stay.
Almost immediately, Moaca’s sad story drew in a kind-hearted soul who wanted to give her a loving home.
Joel hopes to get Moaca a prosthetic nose in future (Picture: Jam Press)
Joel Wareman, 21-year-old, from Zoetermeer in the Netherlands told Jam Press: ‘I found Moaca on an online Marketplace.
‘To be very honest when I first saw her pictures I had to laugh and I thought what kind of a pug is this.
‘Then I read her story and I burst into tears because I had ridiculed her.
Moaca now lives a happy life in Holland with Joel (Picture: Jam Press)
‘Her story was so sad and I immediately messaged the site telling them that I had to have her.’
Joel spoke with a Dutch spokesperson who helped arrange Moaca’s transport to Holland, and within two weeks the pup and new owner met.
They also got a chance to spend Christmas and New Year together.
Moaca means ‘little face’ in Romanian (Picture: Jam Press)
Despite her horrific start in life, Moaca, meaning ‘little face’ in Romanian, is not in pain although her injuries make certain tasks more difficult.
‘She makes a lot of mess when she eats and drinks and she can’t pick up little things but she can do everything else,’ Joel says.
Joel has been fundraising on her own website Moacalife.com in the hopes of getting a prosthetic snout for Moaca and to raise money for the charity that ultimately saved her life.
‘I have a lot of contact with her rescuers and I always send them pictures and videos and sometimes they come to visit her,’ says Joel.
‘I want to collect money for them to be able to help more dogs in the way they have helped mine.
Malone is a second-year medical student who’s written a handbook on clinical signs in Black and brown people(Picture: St George’s University)
A medical student who was trained to identify how conditions appear on white patients, such as lips turning blue, has written a handbook to highlight how symptoms can look on darker skin.
Malone Mukwende, a second-year student at St George’s, University of London, wrote Mind the Gap as guidance for other healthcare professionals to show how conditions manifest on Black and brown people.
Mind the Gap features side-by-side images of illnesses and how they appear on pale skin and dark skin.
Using the example of Kawasaki disease, a rare condition that mainly affects children under the age of five, the petitioners pointed out that on white skin, this appears as a red blotchy rash but is less easy to spot on Black skin.
Lead petitioners say delays in diagnosis in dark-skinned people can lead to fatal consequences.
A petition has begun to make medical schools more inclusive towards understanding BAME patients (Picture: Change.Org)
Speaking to the British Medical Journal, Malone said white normativity is teaching students to identify risks and conditions in white people that can be missed in people of colour.
He said: ‘Mind the Gap is a handbook of clinical signs in black and brown skin. Its aim is to teach medical students and other health professionals about the importance of recognising how some conditions can present differently in darker skins.
‘On arrival at medical school, I noticed a lack of teaching about darker skin. We were often taught to look for symptoms, such as rashes, in a way that I knew wouldn’t appear on my own skin.’
In a statement, he added: ‘The booklet addresses many issues that have been further exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as families being asked if potential Covid patients are “pale” or if their lips “turned blue”.
‘These are not useful descriptors for a Black patient and, as a result, their care is compromised from the first point of contact.
‘It is essential we begin to educate others so they are aware of such differences and the power of the clinical language we currently use.’
Want your bed linen to take you to infinity and beyond?
Primark has added some new additions to its Toy Story range, which will no doubt go down a treat with Pixar fans.
The department store has released a Toy Story-inspired duvet and pillowcase set, alongside a blanket and a plastic-free water bottle.
Each item features some of the film franchise’s best-loved characters, including Woody, Buzz, Slinky, Little Bo Peep and more – alongside a few other familiar Pixar faces.
The throw is just £6 (Picture: Primark)
Some familiar faces (Picture: Primark)
The sets are available in single, double and king sizes – coming in at £15, £18 and £20, respectively. The blanket is priced at £6 and the water bottle costs £7.
Primark Home announced the new items over on its Instagram page, with the caption:‘Pixar fans! This one’s for you.’
The 16 magical designs – which have been brought to life by Allure Bridal – are inspired by Disney princesses Aurora, Jasmine, Cinderella, Pocahontas, Rapunzel, Princess Tiana, Ariel and Belle.
