Woman & Home

If there’s one thing we have all got used to this year, it is change. But what we’ve all learned from the numerous lockdowns of 2020 is that we are all stronger and more resilient than we could have ever imagined. I have never spent so much time at h

Editor-in-chief Catherine Westwood Executive editor Miranda McMinn Group lifestyle director Geoffrey Palmer Group creative director Phil Attaway Group chief sub editor Emma Badger Lifestyle director Jayne Marsden Group fashion director Paula Moore Fa

FIONA VALPY is a bestselling author, whose new novel is The Skylark’s Secret, a compelling story of mothers, daughters and family secrets set during WW2. Read her latest short story, The Selkie Moon, on p168. Your ideal grown-up gap year? After this

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It’s not all about the grand, expensive gestures. ‘Even small things can cheer someone up and make you feel good,’ says Dr Short. ✣ Volunteering ✣ Fundraising ✣ Carrying out small acts such as making someone an unexpected cup of tea, or writing a l

ANNA NEWTON is the author of An Edited Life (£16.99, Quadrille). She runs a blog and YouTube channel, The Anna Edit. CAROL STEWART is an executive and career coach and three times LinkedIn Top Voice UK. She is the author of Quietly Visible:  Leadin

My young granddaughter was drawing a picture of her ideal kitchen and it had three taps at the sink. When I asked her why, she replied, ‘This one is for hot water, this one is for cold water, and that one is for hand sanitiser.’ The future is going t

@mothershoppers, 37, Bertie mixes a palette of pink and rust hues for a cool 70s vibe @thatsnotmyage, 56, adds a tailored blazer to side-stripe trousers for a winning combination @lovestyle40, 44, teams a military-style coat over ditsy florals an

The distinction between good and evil in fairy stories is always very clear, and though good doesn’t always win, evil is, if not vanquished, then at least exposed for what it is. However, the fairy stories I grew up with were very different to the ‘s

To do a decent job as an actor, you need the hide of a rhinoceros. If you don’t get a job, you need to be tough and not take it personally. I think I was born with a little bit of that hide but once you’ve had a child [her daughter Alice is also an a

What is your earliest theatrical memory? My mum took me to see Jesus Christ Superstar in Australia in the early 70s. There was a black actress called Marcia Hines playing Mary Magdalene, and it was so forward-thinking, so modern – and I just love th

Marilyn Monroe famously implied Chanel No.5 was her favourite scent when she revealed it was all she wore in bed. Yet, a preserved receipt shows that she took delivery of Rose Geranium by Floris when she was filming Some Like it Hot , so perhaps she

Thanks for that information Shh I’m so sorry I’m late I almost didn’t come I’d love to do that Please don’t make me I’ve just eaten I’m on a diet I think he’s interesting Your new boyfriend is awful No, no, it looks good Don’t wear it again Are you g

To be British in America is to be the subject of a mix of amusement and adoration, usually having something to do with the accent and air of civility. To be American in London is to be the object of a mix of scorn, wariness and, at times, reluctant a

CECILE WILLIAMS*, 46, is a civil servant, and her partner David*, 50, is a construction worker. Together for eight years, they live in Essex with Cecile’s nine-year-old daughter Jess*, and have worked through Cecile’s alcoholism. The other night Dav

It can take time to make dreams a reality. But if you’re passionate about it, you won’t mind how much effort it takes. Mind your own business… put all your energy into doing your brand, your way. Don’t follow anyone else! Every experience is usef

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With tax returns due at the end of January, here’s how to trim your tax bill if you’ve started working from home since lockdown. It can be a pain totting up the actual extra costs, based on your electricity, gas, council tax, home insurance and mor

Graafland reveals how to banish black from your wardrobe One surprising phenomenon to emerge out of lockdown is that many of us have turned our backs on black. Maybe it’s the pressure of looking good on a Zoom call, the desire to cheer ourselves up,

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Don’t think because your hair is in a bob or shorter, that it’s not versatile. There’s plenty you can do to ring the changes for a special occasion. If you’re stuck in a style rut and need some inspiration, follow Johanne’s tips: ✢ If you always jus

What a year. It’s safe to say that among all the finger-wagging I’ve done in this column over the past nine months about moving your body, not eating too much of this, eating lots of that, taking your vitamin D, beating yourself with the broccoli sti

✢ Physical exercise is known to stimulate the sex hormones. One study** revealed that intense bursts of competitive sport may trigger the instant release of testosterone. ✢ Research shows that testosterone production occurs during the deep restorativ

DISTANCE This is about covering more ground with each walk. INTERVAL Here, you’re trying to maintain a lower heart rate with each walk. Before you start, check your beats per minutes (BPM) – this is your resting heart rate (RHR). INCLINE Plan a 30-

✢ Halve the risk of Alzheimer’s ✢ Increase alertness ✢ Alleviate depression and fatigue ✢ Lower the risk of heart disease ✢ Improve blood pressure by five points ✢ Tone your arms and shoulders ✢ Reduce the risk of bowel cancer by up to 50% ✢ Strength

1 Lengthen your body from head to toe, keep your shoulders back, core engaged, chin parallel to the ground and tuck your bum in. 2 Bend your arms at 90 degrees and pump them to propel you forwards. 3 Hit the ground heel to toe while using your gl

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I’ve struggled to hear for years, but was mostly unaware what I was missing. It became more obvious during my early 40s and there has been a further decline in my hearing over the past 10 years. I have moderate hearing loss in both ears, which mean

✢ One in six people in the UK are living with hearing loss*. ✢ Possible causes can include ageing, exposure to excessive noise, chronic ear infections, or infectious diseases such as meningitis, measles and mumps. ✢ Gradual hearing loss may be perman

Q I’m having a couple of friends over for a meal, and one of them is apparently allergic to nuts. I’m aware that this can be very serious, so should I cook her meal completely separately, and check every ingredient carefully? A Nut allergy can vary

SHOULD YOU PUT BUTTER ON A BURN? Using butter to treat burns is an old folk remedy that has been around for centuries, and has even been mentioned in old handbooks of battlefield medicine, with the idea that it seals the burn from the air, helps k

Overindulgence in large meals of rich food means that it’s easy to assume that pain behind the breastbone is due to heartburn and indigestion. But chest pain can also be a sign that the heart muscle is short of oxygen, either from a narrowed artery r

Kids love adventure stories, and what an adventure this is! As a young boy is caught up in an investigation on a train to Scotland, will the thief be caught before they reach the end of the line? Based on a true story from his childhood, Michael Morp

Based on the children’s book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, this animated tale sees friendly dragon Zog (Hugh Skinner) and friends form a ‘flying doctors’ team. Sir Lenny Henry narrates. BBC1 It’s Christmas 1965, and a circus has arrived in P

It has been a challenging year, so take time to enjoy a podcast dedicated to mental wellbeing. Hypnotherapist and coach Chloe Brotheridge chats to experts who give advice on overcoming perfectionism and ways to feel hopeful. Apple Podcasts, Spotify,

A woman (Christine Baranski) plans to sell her father’s land to a mall developer in Dolly Parton’s holiday musical. But after an encounter with an angel (Dolly), she has a change of heart. Netflix The sequel sees Kurt Russell return as Santa Claus, p

2021 starts splendidly, as lucky Jupiter and hard-work Saturn enter. It marks the beginning of an exciting new era. After the 20th you’re on fire. Call 0905 789 4160* and choose weekly, monthly and yearly updates It’s time to trust yourself and tak

New opportunities bring good luck. Meanwhile, romantic Venus arrives on the 9th, so you’re loved-up for the rest of January. Make a wish on the 13th.  This year is easier than last. Caps born mid-Jan may have the odd moment, but overall everyone’s m

Once Christmas and New Year festivities are behind us, every woman I know will be dieting. I’ve already eaten so much salmon I’m getting an irresistible urge to swim upstream and spawn. As my female friends jog by in skintight Lycra, I’ll be able to

It is the late 1980s in this picture, and here I am, hoping to ‘find’ myself at university. Oxford was a pressure cooker anyway, and having always been swotty, not sporty, it wasn’t until my final year that I finally confronted the need to take care