Pick Me Up! 23-Jun-2022

Placing a cold pint on the beer mat, I sat opposite my friend How are you?’ he asked, taking a sip. And in that moment, I let everything out. Being a professional rugby player since leaving school at 16, the sports lifestyle was fun. But being ‘one of the lads’ meant that I felt as if I couldn’t share how I was actually feeling out loud. It’s true that men are notoriously bad at sharing their emotions. I was suffering in silence. Only, dragging myself to the pub did me a world of good. And finally admitting to how I was feeling, letting my struggles out in the open, made me realise I needed help. I had depression and anxiety, but at first, I didn’t know what I was dealing with. That moment, sitting over a pint, stuck with me. Liking…

HAVE YOU HEARD? As part of a show-stopping line-up, Warner Leisure Hotels have announced Sheridan Smith will perform at Thoresby Hall. The famous actress, singer and theatre star will perform songs from her career during the three night package. An upclose and personal performance for fans of the star, An Evening with Sheridan will allow guests the chance to unwind to her mesmerising voice. This adults only staycation also includes daily entertainment, activities and dinner, bed and breakfast to suit your schedule. This season will also see Lulu, Jane McDonald and Russell Watson perform at Warner Leisure Hotel’s star breaks. • Warner Leisure adult only breaks start from £139 per person for two nights. www.warnerleisurehotels.co.uk FUN DAYS OUT If you’re heading off to London this summer, make sure to stop off at the ultimate pop-up bar. Drake &…

Scrolling through MSN Messenger, a familiar name popped up. Daniel Shi. I’d met him two years earlier on a game called 8 Ball Pool, but I hadn’t spoken to him in ages. Hi you, he typed. I was just 16, and Daniel was quite a bit older than me. He was 27, but I pinged back a message almost instantly. Hey! I replied. Sending messages back and forth, I loved the thrill of speaking to an older guy. He was so kind and instantly made me feel like I was the only person in the world. No guy my age had ever done that before. It made me excited that someone so much older was even interested. We started speaking most days and I didn’t tell anyone. After my parents had split, I was a struggling teenager and Daniel was my escape. So,…

And so, I started putting a plan into place. I got a job as a nurse and I worked on stabilising my life. It took a year for me to build up my strength, but finally, I was ready. On 26 June 2020, the day before payday, I called up my bank and asked them to freeze my account. At bang on midnight, as always, Daniel went to transfer himself my wages. But he couldn’t. ‘Why is it not working?’ he screamed at me. It was now or never. With Henry in bed, I went to face Daniel. ‘I don’t want you taking my money,’ I told him. ‘I’m leaving you.’ Like a flick of a switch, I saw his eyes change. ‘Go downstairs,’ he demanded. Pushing me down, he landed me a hard blow and I fell to the floor. Usually, I’d…

Popping our food in the oven, I headed in to the living room to join the rest of my family. Chatting away and glued to the TV, I completely lost track of time. ‘What’s that smell?’ my husband Jason, 50, asked. ‘Oh God,’ I panicked, realising I’d forgotten all about our dinner. However, this wasn’t exactly a rare occurrence. Everyone joked that I was the forgetful one in the family. I’d forget my own head if it weren’t attached to me! As a nurse for South Central Ambulance Service and a mum of three – Luke, now 19, Emily, now 12, and Aimee, now 22 – I was so busy. Who could blame me for being a little forgetful? Only, at the beginning of 2019, things started to get a little worrying. I’d forget to pick Emily up from school…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! This storage shelf is ideal for use both in and out the house. With four levels the shelf storage unit is perfect for storing all manner of items from office equipment through to garden tools. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Fresh food I save the plastic bags from cereal boxes to keep meat products fresh in the fridge. They last ages! Gloria Wilding, Merseyside Easy peeler If you struggle opening bananas, stick the point of a sharp knife through the stalk and the skin will then peel off easily. David Anderson, Sunderland Push your pennies The money saving experts at Tesco Bank share their advice on how to budget easily and effectively. Round-up purchases Lots of banks and apps enable you to round up…