Table of contents for 29 August 2024 in Chat

Welcome to this week's Chat… Are you a sucker for a love story like me? If so, turn to p24 and get lost in Guy and Karyna's romance. Single mum Karyna arrived in Guy's home town of Chepstow with her little boy, having fled the war in her native Ukraine. Reading about her terror as bombs started dropping, and her ongoing fear for her family back home, is heartbreaking. Neither she nor Guy were looking for love in such difficult circumstances, but it definitely found them. Have a great week,…

TRUE-LIFE Clinking our two fruity ciders, me and my friend grinned. ‘Finally, a Friday night off together,’ Charlie said. ‘Cheers,’ I smiled. It was March 2023 and we were catching up in our favourite bar in Leicester. Aged 19, I lived alone in the city centre and worked at another bar nearby. Charlie, also 19, did the same at a local pub. While I wasn't close to my family, I had a tight-knit group of friends. All in our late teens, we loved to party, especially after long shifts. As we'd often lose each other on nights out, we all had the same tracking app, Life360. It showed people's live locations on a digital map. Tonight, though, it was just Charlie and me. We had a giggle, hitting a few…

The term ‘ghetto’ derives ultimately from an area of which city, established as a segregated neighbourhood for Jewish residents in the 16th century? Make three nine-letter words using all of these three-letter sections and enter them in the grid as the starter letters indicate. Then make an anagram of the letters in the shaded squares to form the answer to this question. NIS AGE TIO VAR OUR FIC HES NAL ENT Your answer: WIN 5x £20 Puzzle 3 TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Come on, you know you want to,’ my sister Hayley smiled. ‘Girls’ holiday to Tenerife,’ my other sister Evie beamed. ‘Us four, Mum too. It'll be brilliant!’ It was January 2023 and I hadn't been away since 2018, so the thought of a week in the sun with Hayley, then 34, Evie, 30, our other sister Joanna, 31, and mum Angela, 63, sounded like bliss. I nodded in response but later, as I scanned my wardrobe, I panicked. It was all right for my slim sisters, they'd look great in their bikinis and slinky summer dresses. But all I had to cover my size-18 frame were frumpy dresses and T-shirts and leggings. The thought of squeezing my flab into a bikini brought me out in a cold sweat. I'd always…

3 ways to… shop safely online Don't fall foul of fraudsters, here's what you can do to help protect yourself. 1 Check it's legit Before buying from a retailer you haven't used before, always check if the website URL is legitimate. Even if you're buying from a retailer you've regularly used before, make sure you're on the correct site. Criminals use cloned websites that are designed to look like they're official sites, but with very slight changes to the URL. 2 Protect payments Use a credit card when shopping online if you have one, recommends Action Fraud. If you use one to buy something costing between £100 and £30,000, you'll get protection under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act in England, Scotland and Wales. If the items you've bought aren't covered…

Sherwood BBC1 ● The hit drama set in the former coal mining community in Nottinghamshire is back for a second series. Among the returning cast are David Morrissey as former detective Ian St Clair, Lesley Manville as widow Julie Jackson and Lorraine Ashbourne as crime family matriarch Daphne Sparrow. The six-parter begins with disillusioned drug dealer Ryan Bottomley (Oliver Huntingdon) committing an act of violence, which leads to his stepmum Pam (Sharlene Whyte) and her brother Denis (David Harewood) being targeted by another local crime family, headed by Ann (Monica Dolan) and Roy Branson (Stephen Dillane). DON'T MISS DON'T MISS Paralympic Games C4 ● A spectacular opening ceremony in the heart of Paris kicks off the Paralympic Games on Wednesday 28 August. Look out for ParalympicsGB athletes including javelin world…

TRUE-LIFE Walking into the kitchen, I noticed a steaming mug on the side, next to a little note. You're amazing. I love you. I smiled. My boyfriend Jonathan, then 41, spoilt me. It was April 2022 and we'd been together a year. Friends at first, as a single mum of three I hadn't been looking for a relationship. But Jonathan was thoughtful and great with my kids. So things turned romantic and, within weeks, he'd moved in. He'd cook, clean, do the school runs. And he left me love notes most days. ‘Just let me look after you,’ he'd insist. There was just one niggle. Jonathan could be jealous. He didn't like me having male friends or going out without him. Everything else was so perfect, I told myself he…

Paul Pryde, Edinburgh Hazel Bryan, Liverpool Katie Tulip, Durham Robert Godfrey, Liverpool We pay £25 for any photos that we use on Chat To Us! Pam Ramage, Kilmarnock Nicola Willcox, Worcester Get in touch! EMAIL chat_magazine@futurenet.com POST Chat, 121-141 Westbourne Terrace, London W2 6JR Find us online at facebook.com/ChatMagazine…

WIN £1,001 Puzzle 4 If actor Jack Black could be any animal, which one would he be? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the threeword prize answer. ACROSS 11 Royal residence (6) 12 Very funny (9) 13 Closing word of prayer (4) 14 Green vegetable (8) 15 Desert haven (5) 16 _ Hitchcock, film director (6) 17 Tooth doctor (7) 18 TV chef (5,6) 20 Snow _, fairy tale character (5) 22 Large church (9) 24 Sir Francis _, explorer (5) 28 Lead an orchestra (7) 29 Voted into office (7) 32 Damon _, Blur singer (6) 34 Put off, discouraged (8) 36 Catastrophe (8) 37 _ Blackadder, sitcom character (6) 39 Portable lamp (7) 40 Half-man, half-horse (7) 45 Furious (5) 47 Very tasty (9) 48 Started (5) 51 Place to buy food (11) 53 Argument (7) 55 Eldest son of the Prince and Princess…

Why won't he go to school? Q My 8-year-old son had strep throat and then got distressing mental health symptoms, such as anxiety and refusing to go to school. What's wrong with him? Miranda, St Ives A It's possible your child's symptoms could be related to something called paediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS). It's a condition where infections, like strep throat, can trigger obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or tic disorders, accompanied by anxiety, mood swings and other behavioural changes. Symptoms can be severe and distressing. If your GP isn't familiar with PANDAS, ask to see a specialist, such as a paediatric neurologist or psychiatrist with experience. Document your son's symptoms, their severity, and any patterns or changes over time to help the specialist make an accurate diagnosis…

Pulling up outside the pub, I waited as a young woman and her son came out of the house next door. ‘Hello,’ beamed Karyna, then 32, strapping her son Serafim, then 5, into the booster seat I'd borrowed. ‘Nice to meet you,’ I smiled nervously as she sat in the front. She had brown eyes and gorgeous dark hair. Despite her welcoming smile, I could feel sweat under my hands as I gripped the steering wheel. It was January 2023 and, aged 47, I'd never found love. Had always been nervous around girls. Never interacted with them much growing up at my all-boys’ school. And later, avoided them. Now, I'd given up on the idea of finding ‘the one’. Even my parents, Deirdre, then 72, and Christopher, 78, had stopped…

She's boozing too much Q I've been with my girlfriend for 13 years. During a recent holiday she got so drunk every night that she could barely stand. I've noticed that she often needs a drink after work to ‘relax’ too. It's exhausting. A friend from work has started flirting with me and I don't know if I should pursue it. Help! Mike, 38 A Whoa there, fella! Yes, you have problems at home but throwing an affair into the mess won't help. Dealing with a partner who's struggling with alcoholism is tough but you need to show empathy and care. When she's sober, let her know you're worried about her drinking. Encourage her to seek proper professional help, love. How she reacts will help you decide on whether you…

TRUE-LIFE My hands on my small bump, I walked across the hospital car park till I reached the car where my husband Rhydian was waiting. ‘Well?’ he asked beaming, as I opened the passenger door. ‘It's a girl,’ I said. ‘But they don't know if she'll make it.’ With that, I broke down. It was June 2020, and I'd arrived at Bronglais General Hospital in Aberystwyth for my 20-week pregnancy scan so full of excitement to see our baby on the screen and find out the sex. Rhydian, then 41, had to wait in the car due to COVID-19 restrictions but I'd promised to rush out and tell him the news. Instead, after the sonographer told me I was having a girl, I was taken to see a consultant. There,…

WIN £500 Puzzle 18 The answers to all but one of these quiz questions can be found hidden in this wordsearch grid, reading forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally. To help you, we'll tell you that the answers are in alphabetical order in each section. However, one answer can't be found in the grid. This is your prize answer. PAR 1 Par contract and par score are terms from the contract version of which card game, which developed from whist? (6) 2 Par, Pool and Polperro are all places in which English county? (8) 3 Thought to derive from the stock exchange, the golf term ‘par’ comes from the word for ‘equal’ in which ancient language? (5) BOGEY 4 Henry Hall's 1932 recording of Hush, Hush, Hush, Here Comes the…

Ffor Pre:Curl Conditioner, £9.50, fforhair.com Designed for wavy locks, this luxurious conditioner uses argan, jojoba and avocado oils to deeply cleanse and reduces flyaways, to make sure your kinks stay soft and defined. Starface Hydro-Star Clear, £10.99, starfaceworld.co.uk When placed directly over a zit, pimple patches work amazingly well to absorb fluid, ease swelling and lessen redness. These new clear spot stickers also banish blemishes and are a more discreet option than coloured versions. Osmo Day Two Styler, £7.99, sallybeauty.co.uk Mop up grease from around your hair parting, or revive a limp fringe, with this dry shampoo. Just a quick blast will leave locks feeling clean and full of bounce on days in between hair washes. E.l.f. Brow Laminating Gel, £8, Boots Keep your arches looking full and strong with…

In a well-kept apartment in Albuquerque, New Mexico, one of the walls was decorated with a photo collage of smiling children. Victoria Martens lived there with her mum Michelle, 35, and her younger brother. The ‘sweet’ child adored her grandparents, who she called Papa and Nana. Well-behaved and excelling in school, little Victoria had a happy family home. Only, in July 2016, someone new came into her life. Her mum's boyfriend Fabian Gonzales, 31. Soon after hooking up on Plenty of Fish, Michelle let her new man move in. But Gonzales wasn't stepdad material. Far from it. A drug addict, he also invited his cousin Jessica Kelley, 31, to stay. Another addict, with a history of violence and a conviction for conspiracy to rape, Kelley was fresh out of prison.…

What did you want to be when you grew up? I always wanted to be a ballet dancer. I went to lessons, took exams and my bedroom was filled with pictures of ballet dancers on my walls, and books about ballet. I gave it up as a teenager but still love to watch any dancing on TV or in musical theatre. What's your worst habit? Writing things on bits of paper which I need to remember, then losing them! I should use a notebook. Have you a favourite season? Yes, winter, because I enjoy eating Christmas dinner with my family. I also love receiving cards and updates from my friends who live far away and that I only hear from once a year. WE PAY £50 to everyone we feature…

What wood was used for the main structure and propellers of the Wright Flyer, the first aircraft to achieve powered flight? The answer to each clue (apart from the first) begins with the last letter of the preceding answer. The shaded squares will spell out the prize answer. Your answer: WIN £100 Puzzle 2 1 Small marsupial (7) 2 Over there (6) 3 Einstein's Theory of _ (10) 4 24-hour period preceding this one (9) 5 Raising ingredient for bread (5) 6 Springy gymnastic item (10) 7 Dwight D. _, former US president (10) 8 Deference, esteem (7) 9 Protective sewing item (7) 10 Jealous (7) 11 Public road (6) 12 Accompaniment to gin (5) 13 Capital of Australia (8) 14 Daring (9) 15 Hessian bag (4) 16 Shrimp-like whale food (5)…

TRUE-LIFE Charging through the waves clutching bodyboards, in matching wetsuits, my sons were mirror images of one another. ‘Go on, boys,’ I grinned, as Jack and Harry, both 11, enjoyed our annual holiday in Abersoch, Gwynedd. It was July 2008 and my identical twins were an inseparable, unstoppable whirlwind. Best friends. A single mum after splitting from their dad years earlier, my daughter Leanne, then 22, and my partner Phil, then 51, were a great support. Although alike in looks, my boys were polar opposites in personality. The oldest by 10 minutes, Harry was outspoken and obsessed with Liverpool FC. ‘Love you, Mumsy!’ he'd bellow, wrapping his arms around me. Jack was more level-headed, studious and good with words. ‘Geek!’ Harry would tease affectionately as Jack cracked on with his…

TRUE-LIFE Carol Clay hummed as she packed her flowery holdall for her camping trip. The divorcee couldn't wait to spend time with her lover Russell Hill. Carol, 73, had been having an affair with married man Russell, 74, for some 15 years. The pair had been childhood sweethearts. Now they were making up for lost years. And the Wonnangatta Valley was the perfect place for an illicit relationship. Hours from the nearest city, Melbourne, and only accessible with a four-wheel drive, it was a remote place where they were unlikely to be seen by anyone they knew. With its dense bushland, dirt roads and mountain range, it was where you hid your secrets – or yourself. Several souls had been swallowed up by the Valley, never to be seen again.…

Q I recently had a smear test and the nurse told me I had a ‘strawberry cervix’. She took swabs, but I'm really confused about what's going on. Lydia, Durham A A ‘strawberry cervix’ refers to a cervix that appears red and inflamed with small red spots. This condition is often associated with an infection, most commonly trichomonas vaginalis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The nurse took swabs to test for infections including trichomonas, bacterial vaginosis and other STIs. Treatment will depend on the results of these tests. It's important to follow up with your nurse or GP to find out the diagnosis and if there's any recommended treatment. Using protection during sex and ensuring regular check-ups can help prevent infections.…

St Mary in Castro, a thousand-year-old Saxon church incorporating an even older Roman lighthouse, stands in the grounds of which other UK Scheduled Monument? To find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Ties tightly = BINS + D = BINDS Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize answer. WIN 2x £25 Puzzle 9 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

My fiancé Matthew handed me my hot-water bottle and I welcomed the warm relief as I pressed it to my tummy. It was night-time in May 2023, and I was in bed, feeling sorry for myself. My stomach had been aching all day. My trusty hot-water bottle in its woollen fluffy cover was my go-to remedy for tummy aches and period pain. As soon as I felt its heat spread across my skin, I felt better. For a few seconds, anyway. Because suddenly there was a searing pain down my back. So agonising, I couldn't even scream out. The bottle had split! The scorching water spilt out on to my back. I threw it off me, jumped out of bed. The pain was too intense to tell Matthew, then 35,…

Greek salad nachos Using reduced-fat cheeses means you can keep on nibbling! SERVES 6 PREP 15 MINS COOK 40 MINS ● 3 red onions, cut into thin wedges ● ½tsp chilli flakes ● 1tbsp olive oil ● 350g cherry tomatoes, halved ● 2tsp dried oregano ● 250g plain tortilla chips ● 200g light feta cheese, crumbled ● 125g ball light mozzarella, coarsely grated or finely chopped ● 10cm chunk cucumber, deseeded and finely diced ● 50g black olives, sliced ● Juice ½ lemon 1 Heat the oven to 170C Fan/Gas 5. Toss the onion, chilli flakes and oil together in a large ovenproof baking dish and roast for 20 mins until soft. 2 Add the cherry tomatoes and oregano to the baking dish and cook for a further 15 mins,…

Aries 21 March-20 April The North Node in Aries guides you towards a new start in your working life as August draws to a close. Do what you love and love what you do! ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Life's quieter for you now than it has been in previous months. It's time to enjoy the lull and indulge in some much-needed self-care to fully rest and rejuvenate. ● Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Mars and Jupiter have been travelling together in your sign for the whole of the month, so make the most of this potent energy to make some radical changes. ● Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July The Moon in Cancer at…

Q How can I stretch out the time between my salon pedicures so they stay looking fresh for longer? Sharon Davies, Bolton Not only is a professional pedicure a lovely excuse to pamper yourself, but it will help keep your heels and toes looking and feeling their best. While freshly polished toenails will usually last one to two weeks, you can add an extra few days to your perfectly painted tips by applying a long-lasting clear topcoat at home. Try swiping one coat of Sally Hansen Double Duty Base & Top Coat, £7.99, Boots, over each toenail to boost shine and prevent any chips on your colour. Healthy cuticles make for healthy nails, too, so try dotting a couple of drops of Essie Apricot Nail & Cuticle Oil, £8.99, Superdrug,…

Chat winners issue 22 (30 May 2024) £1,001 CASH J Shea, Eastleigh £500 CASH J Hyde, Bideford H Cunnington, Knighton £250 CASH A Grainger, Wrexham F Monson, Haywards Heath £200 CASH J Boyle, Glasgow £100 CASH A Osterwald, Swansea M Halstead, Preston A Loades, Bishop Auckland £50 CASH J Hamling, Horley J Piper, Fareham D Wadsworth, Warrington J Witter, Shrewsbury T Swarbrick, Doncaster A Coral, Glasgow £40 CASH R Rowley, Halesowen £30 CASH M Smith, Mansfield R Algor, Rotherham £25 CASH S Cooke, Watford J Luke, Lichfield £20 CASH V Haddock, Bolton C Jamieson, Mauchline L Duff, Reading P Jones, Accrington A Johnston, Prenton A Wilson, Clacton-on-Sea E Maitland, Aberdeen J Stephens, Amersham V Goodman, Leeds S Ford, St Helens C Price, Huddersfield S Merriman, Torquay S Woodbridge, Brighton C Sunshine, Glasgow J Moffatt, Newquay A Longhurst, Sherborne L Haworth,…

Dear Christian, Long before I'd ever heard of you, I had one dream. To travel. See the world. Yet that big dream felt like an impossible one… I was born with reflux of the kidneys, and by the time I was 10, the organs were failing and I needed regular dialysis. I spent every night hooked up to a huge machine that did the job of my kidneys, cleaning my blood of waste. My dad Anthony donated one of his kidneys to me, but it didn't take. Doctors said my chances of finding a new donor were unlikely. Devastating. Back on the dialysis, I had a strict diet, couldn't eat potatoes or have fizzy drinks, and missed out on sleepovers with friends. Holidays were impossible, so my hopes of travelling…