Lifestyle
Thrifty mum feeds family of five and dogs for £38 a week
A thrifty mum-of-three has garnered a legion of online followers after wowing friends with her healthy budget meals. Feeding a family of five and her dogs for just £38 a week, Danielle Ross has clocked up 22,000 followers on Facebook. The self-described "budget queen" is now saving hundreds of pounds a month. Mrs Ross, 30, is a spa host at a local spa and has three young sons and a 35-year-old husband, David. She said: "If I wasn't sticking to...
Lifelites, the charity fighting disability with technology
By Simone Enefer-Doy - Chief Executive of Lifelites Technology is an essential part of our daily lives. For many of us, the idea of going a day without our phones or computers, or not being able to use any technology for work or at home would probably fill us with dread. Well, imagine being locked inside a body which prevented you from being able to walk, talk or perhaps even move your arms and legs. This is the everyday reality...
Third of 11 to 16-year-olds isolate themselves because of low body confidence, says study
An academy in east London is waging war against the damaging impact body image anxiety can have on young people by taking on a new body confidence toolkit from the Be Real Campaign. Teachers at the Chobham Academy, which opened in September 2013 on the site of the London Olympic Village, will be teaching pupils how to feel comfortable with their bodies using the Body Confidence Campaign Toolkit for Schools. The toolkit was officially launched today by the Be Real...
‘When I went blind I thought my life was over but now I help other veterans to rebuild theirs’
By Simon Brown I joined the Army when I was just 18 back in 1997. I trained as a mechanic and my role was to fix broken down vehicles. I served all over the world with the Army but it was during my second tour of Iraq that my life changed forever. In December 2006, I led a successful mission to rescue six soldiers who were stranded in a broken vehicle. We were about to leave the area but with...
Paralympians to inspire others with adventure sports charity
In 2015, two former Paralympians launched Access Adventures - a charity created to improve the quality of life for people with physical disabilities by introducing them to adventure sports. The charity has grown considerably since launch and continues to improve their service provision. Jane Sowerby and Tim Farr, both on the British Disabled Ski Team representing Great Britain at the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver 2010, know what a positive effect sport can have on people with disabilities. Teaming up with...
Seven ways to save money on your divorce
The average couple spends a whopping £44,000 on their separation, but many could spend more if they're not aware of how to mitigate costs. New analysis of the true cost of divorce has found that on top of essential costs, such as legal fees and housing, separating couples regularly spend up to £13,000 on the hidden extras they feel they need to launch their new single lives. That means Brits are collectively spending tens of millions of pounds a year on the less...
Britain’s worst habits revealed: How many are you culpable of?
Finishing other people's sentences, cracking your knuckles and biting your toenails all feature in a chart of Brits' worst habits. More than 90 per cent admit to having at least one bad habit, with one in ten admitting to ten or more weaknesses. Swearing was the most common trait, followed by nose-picking, not listening when others are speaking and biting your nails. Over-using social media, hoarding and not washing your hands after going to the toilet also feature in the...
London gift voucher swap shop launched
A gift voucher swap shop has been launched in Westfield Stratford which allows members of the public to exchange their unwanted gift cards for cash or a charity donation. Brits are parting with a massive £300 million a year in unused gift card and voucher credit, new research has found, with 47 per cent admitting to have been on the receiving end of unwanted gift credit this Christmas. Former EastEnders star Rita Simons swapped her market stall in Albert Square to launch the pop-up...
This is why you get a cold in the cold
The reason why cold weather can cause a flu epidemic has finally been revealed. Each year, a national flu epidemic always follows a chilly dry week with average temperatures below 0C. Now, new research suggests that cold dry weather makes for the perfect conditions as it helps the virus stay airborne for longer. Scientists studied 20,000 virus samples taken from nasal swabs. They then compared the incidence of respiratory viruses with weather data from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute...