Pick Me Up! Special Summer Special 2017

Welcome to our Summer Special! We’ve packed our pages with plenty of real life stories to shock, inspire and make you smile this month. You can’t fail to be in awe of Carleen (pg24) who showed huge bravery when she finally sought justice for the abuse she suffered as a child. The odds were against best friends Robyn and Libby (pg36) , when they were both diagnosed with a rare cancer but they beat it together. Stacie (pg38) refused to let the heartbreak of losing her ‘Peter Pan’ baby overshadow his short life and found a way for his memory to travel around the world. That incredible level of courage was also shown by Toni’s young son (pg8) when his innocent words stopped a brutal attack on his mum. Love…

Heavenly treats for all My sister made this beautiful and delicious Ferrero Rocher cake for her son’s birthday party. It really was out of this world… Georgia, York That’s pure genius! My housemates and I won the pub quiz - it was time to celebrate! Hattie Bishop, Bristol Drinks with a view I enjoyed a tasty cool drink while sat by the river enjoying the view of this beautiful city. Perfect way to spend an afternoon in London. Karen, London As cool as a cucumber While enjoying dinner with a friend, I had to snap a picture of this delicious rose water and cucumber cocktail – healthy and delicious! Amy, Margate Greedy gulls go wild This mischievous seagull was eyeing out my fish and chips while I enjoyed walking around…

‘I'd always been a daddy's girl’ The front door opened. ‘Only me,’ called a familiar voice. My dad, Kelvin, 44, popped his head into the living room and I leapt up to him for a hug. Dad and my mum, Assia, 44, had been married for 20 years and separated for two. Still, he came to the house every day to see me and my sisters Emily, 23, and Lisa, 17. I had always been a daddy’s girl. While Mum and my sisters went shopping, I’d often go to rugby training with Dad or out horse riding on my pony, Prince. Dad was a builder and he’d go over to Emily and her boyfriend Matt’s and offer to do any odd jobs. He would also happily taxi Lisa around when…

‘The cracks had started to show’ Strolling through town with my best friend, we were suddenly interrupted by a man wolf-whistling at us from across the street. ‘Why did you do that?’ I called, rolling my eyes at him. ‘I wanted to get your attention,’ he grinned. Karl Hughes had a cheeky smile, a friendly laugh, and a wicked sense of humour. We swapped numbers and soon Karl won me over with his charm. I was 17 at the time and living with my parents, who weren’t keen on Karl at all. ‘You can do better, that’s all,’ Mum told me. They were even more disappointed when I fell pregnant a year later. But they were so supportive when Josh, nine, arrived, followed by Alexander, four, and Jessica, two. With…

‘It was an emotional visit’ As I shook her hand for the first time, she welcomed me with a warm smile. This was the first time my sister Frances, 60, and I had ever met her, but there was something truly special about Anne Whiteman. For almost 50 years, she has been living with our brother’s kidney. In 1968, at just 18-years-old, our brother Ellis was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident. In her state of grief, our mother agreed for his kidneys to be donated. Anne was 25 at the time, and suffering from renal failure when she accepted Ellis’ donation – making her the first person in Bristol to have the procedure. She had been warned that the new organ would only last 10 years at most. But…

‘We had a lucky escape’ As I carefully opened the cupboard door, my jaw dropped in shock. Inside lay a huge strange-looking hunk of steel. My mum Fiona, 55, and dad Gavin, 62, had come to see my new house, and I was excited to show them around the place. It was clear the house needed work, but it had potential. I had started the grand tour, leading my parents through the living room and then into the kitchen. ‘What a strange place for a cupboard!’ Mum said, pointing towards a white storage cabinet in the corner of the room. ‘Let’s see what’s inside,’ I said. But as we stared at the chunk of metal inside, I became a bit suspicious. I decided to give my friend Hugh – a…