Just For Her Issue 6

ISSUE 6

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If you have something you have written, ideally with pictures too, then please send your articles into justforher@forcespublishing.co.uk.

JustHer for

ISSUE 6

Wives

Nights Out with a Difference…

Postnatal Depression H&M vou che r up

PARENTING

IN THE FORCES

for grab s!

Wives

KEEP THE HOME FIRES

BURNING Shop the

highstreet...

JustHer for

Directory for the Wives, Girlfrien

ds and Families of Military Personn

el

Directory for the Wives, Girlfriends and Families of Military Personnel

Nights Out wit h a Diffe ren ce…

Postnatal Depression H&M vouche r up fo r gr ab

PARENTING

IN THE FORCES

Check us out online…

KEEP THE HOME FIRES

BURNING

Like our Facebook page… www.facebook.com/ justforhermagazine

Follow us on Twitter… @justforhermag

Subscribe to Just for Her…

www.justforhermilitarymag.co.uk

Shop the

highstreet...

JustHer for

Directory for the Wives, Girlfriends and Families of Military Personnel

s!

SOUTH MILITARY CATCHMENT

MIDLANDS MILITARY CATCHMENT

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The Scentsy starter kit (contents may vary)

Are you looking for a new challenge this summer? Looking to earn some money for Christmas, pay some bills or save for that dream holiday. Whatever your reason I am looking for motivated people to join my team. Scentsy is growing here in the UK and elsewhere in the world and now is a great time to get started.

Join for just £85 (+£9 p&p) and receive a starter kit that contains all you need to get your business going.

Earn commissions of up to 30% (when you qualify for the monthly sales award) You can also earn generous bonuses and awards as well as earning All-expenses-paid trips.

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take Scentsy with me wherever I go, ideal for military families.

Claire Tilley • https://clairetilley.scentsy.co.uk Email: claire@scentofthesouth.co.uk • Tel: 07749 272496 It is illegal for a promoter or participant in a trading scheme to persuade anyone to make a payment by promising benefits from getting others to join a scheme. Do not be misled by claims that high earnings are easily achieved.

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JustHer for

Survive The Yomp

4

Sealife Centre Tickets To Give Away!

8

Neglected Cookbooks

10

Marrying Someone In The Military – Is It A Lifestyle Choice?

11

Blogging

14

Interview Wear

20

Sorry, You’re Over Qualified

22

Keep The Home Fires Burning

26

Mum Guilt

32

Izzy & Ollie

36

Parenting In The Forces

38

Military Wives Choir Fundraising Coffee Morning

42

Warrior Wives

44

Postnatal Depression

48

Salt Therapy

52

Win A H&M Voucher!

56

Still very much novices, we are getting to grips with Twitter and can now be found on Facebook. To be in with a chance of winning a £30 H&M voucher, all you have to do is like, follow or subscribe!

H&M Launches Beauty Range

57

Fall Fashion

58

Let’s Renovate!

66

In this issue we focus on some tough issues faced by military wives and girlfriends including postnatal depression and parenting in the forces. We’ve discovered that many of you have struggled to find a job, not because you lack the required qualifications but because you’re over qualified! Read our article on page 22 for tips on how to handle this situation and consider interview wear and ‘first impressions’ on page 20.

Shop The Highstreet

72

Nights Out With A Difference

80

Date For The Diary: The Festive Gift Fair

85

Cities A To Z – Cardiff

86

Get Thee To Ghent

92

Sadly, a huge part of being a military wife or girlfriend is spending time without your partner. We talked to military wife, Eugenie, on how she copes with deployment in ‘Keep The Home Fires Burning’.

Cotswold Wildlife

96

Handmade At Kew

98

Welcome to issue 6 of Just for Her… Firstly, hello and a massive thank you to the record number of new subscribers we have received since the last issue! This is due mainly to our new site which we’d love for you to visit at www.justforhermilitarymag.co.uk!

If you want to make sure that you receive your copy of Just for Her each issue, directly through your door, then be sure to visit our subscription page.

It’s been made very clear, from the comments we’ve received, that you all loved the ’10 things not to say to a military wife!’ and we welcome back Michelle as she talks about marrying someone in the military.

Don’t forget to keep in touch and keep sending in your contributions! We’d love to hear your thoughts on future features and what interests you the most.

The deadline for the next issue will be 17th August 2015.

Enjoy!

Articles and photographs reproduced by kind permission of the contributors

Forces & Corporate Publishing Ltd, Hamblin House, Hamblin Court, Rushden, Northants NN10 0RU. Tel: 01933 419994 www.forcespublishing.co.uk justforher@forcespublishing.co.uk @justforhermag Editorial: Joanna Barnes Design: Amy Leverton

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© No responsibility for the quality of goods or services advertised in this magazine can be accepted by the publishers or printers.

Advertisements are included in good faith.

The MOD or any Service Establishment is not responsible for the advertiser or its advertised product or service.

Many thanks to Kate Saines for her editorial contribution

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Not exactly a walk in the park, Survive The Yomp – one of the Commando Spirit Series of challenges - is the legendary 30-mile trek across tough terrain in the Scottish Highlands. It’s the test of stamina and mental strength that defines the Royal Marines Commandos. If you are looking for the ultimate test for yourself or your team you’ve found it…

EVENT: DATE & TIME: VENUE: TICKETS:

SURVIVE THE YOMP – PART OF THE COMMANDO SPIRIT SERIES 12TH SEP – 6AM TO 5PM ACHNACARRY NEAR SPEAN BRIDGE, SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS WWW.SURVIVE-THE-YOMP.EVENTBRITE.CO.UK

Helping to raise life -changing sums for the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Funds work supporting Royal Marines and their families in need, you’ll get to test your physical and psychological limitations and be supported by our Royal Marines as you face some of the most formidable and legendary aspects of Commando training. Could you show your courage for those who risk their all? Could you Survive The Yomp?

Founder and Director of Commando Spirit, Sally-Anne Hunter said “We could not have found a more iconic location than the ‘Commando Country’ surrounding the historic Commando Basic Training Centre in Achnacarry to play host to our annual Survive The Yomp. It is especially poignant that we are to be in “Commando Country” in this the 75th anniversary of the formation of the British Commandos.”

“Commando Spirit is about showing you have the courage, grit and determination to put yourself through true to life Commando

training whilst raising vital funds in the process.

We firmly believe people have more in them than they often appreciate and we encourage people to step up to Survive The Yomp and take on this unique and iconic challenge.”

Survive The Yomp is supported by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events at VisitScotland said: “Scotland is the perfect stage for events and Survive the Yomp will once again put participants through an incredible test of endurance in the stunning Scottish Highlands.

We are delighted to be supporting the event this year and look forward to seeing the action unfold in Achnacarry this September.”

For more information on the Commando Spirit Series, visit www.commandospirit. com. You can sign up individually or as a team. Check our website for our latest offers.

To see Commando Spirit events in action visit our YouTube channel CommandoSpiritTV.

We spoke to two RM Wags and Just for Her readers who will be taking part. Here’s what they had to say…

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All photos credit David Cheskin © Commando Spirit

Hi Ladies! Can you please introduce yourselves?

ANNA: Hi, I'm Anna Farrell, originally from Wigan but currently based in Plymouth. I'm a mum of two, Heidi 5 & Owen 4, there are 360 days between them so they keep me busy! I also run my own businesses as a mobile massage therapist; The Treatment Tree & Pamper Parties Plymouth.

I've been with my husband, Lee, for the best part of 8 years & married 7!

LISA: I’m Lisa Croudace, a pole fit instructor and a medical student in Stoke on Trent

Can you explain to our readers what it is you’re doing?

ANNA: I'm taking part in "Survive The Yomp" organised by Commando Spirit.

It's a 30 mile "yomp" through the Scottish Highlands around Achnacarry Castle and Spean Bridge, in old Commando Country.

It's called this as this is where the modern Royal Marines Commandos were trained during WW2.

LISA: The 30 mile yomp over Scottish Highland that is done during Marine training; all to raise money for RMCTF.

Do you have a husband or boyfriend who is a Royal Marine or another military connection?

ANNA: My husband is a Royal Marine.

His paternal grandfather trained in this location during WW2 to earn his green beret, so it holds a lot of meaning for the family.

LISA: Yes my partner is in the Marines.

When and where does the event take place?

ANNA: It takes place around Achnacarry continues over page >> 5

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01/07/2015 14:21

>> Castle & Spean Bridge on Saturday 12th September 2015.

LISA: September in Achnacarry.

What is your motivation for completing this legendary and challenging event?

ANNA: I turned 30 in April & thought what better way to celebrate it than 30 miles through the Scottish Highlands. Plus it's a weekend away from the kids, husband, dogs & housework!

I want to push myself & show Lee what I can do all whilst raising money for a great cause, which will be able to help friends in the future if I'm not in a position to do so.

LISA: To raise money but I chose this challenge in particular because I know it’s going to be hard and I want to prove to myself (and my partner) I can do it.

How much have you, or are you planning on, raising?

ANNA: I'm planning to raise £1000, I'm almost half way & still have some amazing fundraising events coming up, which include a craft & pamper fair & The Great Plymouth Bake Off!

LISA: I plan on raising £1000 to add to the other girls totals

What training have you done to prepare yourself?

ANNA: I'm regularly taking in the stunning views from the south west coastal path with the dogs. Using the gym at Stonehouse, the PTI has written a training programme to help, which I’ve just started.

Gulp! I'm also using the bouldering wall once a week at High Sports Plymouth, who've kindly sponsored me with free training until the event & given me a training schedule. It's not as easy as it looks!

LISA: My partner has taken this as an opportunity to beast me. He drags me out running and hiking with a weighted back pack whenever he gets the chance!

How many people will be taking part? How do you register?

ANNA: In our team we have 9 (so far) but overall there are about 150, there's still time to register! Details on the event can be found at www.commandospirit.com LISA: I registered by emailing and there are so many people taking part! Our team is still growing

What are you most and least looking forward to?!

ANNA: A weekend away from being a mum/dog walker/business owner/ housewife, I can't wait! The yomp itself - I can't wait to see the scenery and see the memorial at Spean Bridge, I think that'll be emotional. Also the hotel we've booked into has a sauna & jacuzzi which will be being used the day after!

Least looking forward to the state of my feet and when the DOMs kick in, ouchie!

LISA: I’m looking forward to making new friends along the way and I’m least looking forward to rain, keeping everything crossed that it wont!

What will you be carrying with you in your survival pack?!

ANNA: All sorts! Water, energy bars, spare shoelaces? Vaseline (in case of any chaffing ouchie!) Blister plasters, compass, phone for pictures, waterproofs (it is Scotland after all!)

LISA: Chocolate mostly, and wine... I mean water

Where does the money raised go?

ANNA: To the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund.

LISA: RMCTF

How can we follow your progress?

ANNA: You can follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/wags30miler Twitter @wags30miler Just giving page https://www.justgiving. com/AnnaFarrellSurviveTheYomp/ Or our team page https://www.justgiving. com/teams/BootneckettesSTY LISA: Keep looking at our just giving pages! https://www.justgiving.com/Lisa-Croudace

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01/07/2015 14:44

After a ten month closure due to a severe tidal surge/flood, the £3million refurbished Hunstanton SEA LIFE Sanctuary re-opened in October 2014.

There are many new exhibits including ALL NEW seal underwater viewing, new otter exhibit, an all new ‘high-tech’ ray tank, new family rockpool area, a completely re-built and improved seal hospital, and once you have finished looking at all of the amazing creatures, an all new coffee shop selling fresh local produce.

For your chance to WIN A FAMILY ticket for four people all you need to do is answer the following question: What month did the Hunstanton SEA LIFE Sanctuary re-open following its closure?

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01/07/2015 12:40

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In my opinion there’s nothing quite like coming home from a disappointing or stressful day to find a treat of some sort from your other half waiting for you. My treat of choice would always be a big bag of Cadburys Giant Buttons, because obviously any treat made from Dairy Milk chocolate that’s been turned into perfectly sized little mouthfuls is absolute heaven (duh), and also because they remind me of when I was 18. Over the weekend I would do some work in a shop, and occasionally during my lunch break The Boyfriend (who I’d known for a mere few months back then) would swing by the shop and deliver unto me a bag of Giant Buttons which I’d then pop in my pocket and nibble on throughout the afternoon to keep me energised and on my feet (this was before I’d discovered the joys of coffee). Whenever I have them now they remind me of those exciting early days of our relationship, and even though 11 years have passed since the days of Button deliveries, they’re still the chocolate he’ll grab for me when I’m in dire need of chocolate. Of course, our relationship is still exciting, although more in a ‘pajamas on by 7pm, Netflix on the telly and hot chocolate in hand’ kind of exciting, which is totally the best kind.

Last week then it was my turn to deliver the goods. He’d trekked down to Wembley only to watch his football team lose, and after keeping an eye on the score on Twitter I knew he’d need a pick me up on his return home. Cakes containing banana are his favourite, and after paying a lot of money to end up miserable and then being thoroughly rained on, I felt there was really only one kind of cake that might possibly lift his heavy heart. Banana and chocolate upside down cake sounded right up his street, and I certainly wouldn’t kick it out

Neglected Cookbook s

Upside Down

A ‘cookbook-aholic’ H ayley has amassed a small library of cookbooks which sit neglected and unloved on her bookcase! We join her on her blogging journey as she challenges herself to use them all, branching out of her comfort zone, to try recipes she either hasn’t got round to or has been too intimidated to try!

You’re Turning Me

of bed myself. I found this recipe while browsing through the Delicious magazine website – it’s a brilliant food magazine but I’ve so many cookbooks that I can’t really justify buying it anymore, so the website will have to suffice – and knew straight away that this was just the cake for my disappointed love. Once the baby was tucked up in bed I set to work, starting with making the sugary syrup that sits at the bottom of the cake tin caramelising the bananas. The syrup was simply sugar, butter and maple syrup melted down over a gentle heat and then poured into a springform cake tin. Halve some bananas, place in the syrup and then pour over the cake batter (which is made in one bowl, bonus, and contains mashed up banana and plenty of chocolate chips) then bake in the oven. The tricky bit is upturning the tin once the cake is cooked without getting cake all over your kitchen, but I managed to do it and I’m the least dextrous person there is, so you really have no excuse.

What’s revealed is a golden brown sugary topping with soft sweet bananas topping a delicious cake. The syrup is obviously sweet, with a strong taste of maple which is an absolute classic of a pairing with bananas.

Much as I would have liked to use the real stuff, proper Canadian maple syrup is crazily expensive for the small jar you get, so I used maple flavoured syrup by the same people who make golden syrup, and let’s be honest, when you’re cooking with it in a cake you really don’t notice the difference. I had some proper maple syrup which I brought back from New York a couple of years ago, and when served on top of pancakes you know you’re getting the real deal, but for baking it really isn’t worth the expense. I know from bitter experience after I made pear and maple syrup muffins that weren’t very good, and all I could think was “well that was one expensive batch of crappy muffins”. It still hurts to think of the waste of that amber gold – lesson well and truly learned.

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Marrying Someone in the Military Underneath all that syrupy banana goodness was a moist cake flecked with milk and dark chocolate chips and bursting with banana flavour. I served it warm with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream (Haagen Dazs – I really try not to be too big of a food snob but when it comes to vanilla ice cream I just can’t go cheap. The good stuff is just the best thing ever, once you’ve had it the soft scoop ice cream of your childhood is completely ruined. I’m an ice cream snob, and I am absolutely OK with that) which is the perfect pairing for this cake. Although a really thick Jersey cream would be ace too.

The Boyfriend isn’t normally much of a cake fan, but throw a banana into the mix and that changes everything. It might not have erased the memory of the game but it certainly eased the pain.

I’m pleased to report also that this cake is still very good for the next couple of days after being baked. It retains its moistness whilst the syrup at the edge of the cake gets a little bit chewy, and goes pretty darn well with a cup of coffee after you’ve finally got your baby down for a nap and you’ve got a good book to hand.

If you’d like to give this cake a go and know someone who needs cheering up, then here’s the recipe, although be warned, once you see some of Delicious’ other cake recipes you might have a hard time choosing what you’ll make: http://www. deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/chocolatebanana-upside-down-cake/ . Happy Baking!

– is it a lifestyle choice?

How many of us have heard this one before?: "Well, you knew what you were getting into when you married him!".

DOES. MY. HEAD. IN. I've been really quite humbled to have recently receieved lots of lovely emails from other women that are with military men, asking for advice on how to handle things, or just to tell me that a piece I have written has helped them. Part of me is so pleased to have helped and the other part always worries that maybe what I've written is a pile of rubbish! But one thing's for sure, it's clear to me that few military spouses enter into relationships with their partners without a) expecting to ever be in this position and b) knowing exactly what to expect in the future.

But, who does!? The reality is that whether you're in a relationship with a soldier, a builder, a lawyer or a sales man, NO ONE has any idea what is round the corner. So why do military spouses receive so many callous responses when they face difficulties? In any other walk of life, if you're husband/wife was to suddenly get sent away on work for 6 months, made redundant or be told they have to move their family to the other side of the country, spouses are given sympathy.Yet, as soon as 'military' enters the equation, people assume you're 'used to it'.You never get 'used to it'.

Sadly, I'm speaking from experiences I have faced myself and I'm constantly surprised at how insensitive people can be. Marrying someone in the military was never a lifestyle choice for me and

I'm sure that it wasn't for most military spouses (although I appreciate there are a rare few!). I am just an ordinary girl that grew up in an ordinary town and happened to fall in love with someone in the RAF. Ironically, I actually remember conciously thinking that I should really stop dating this guy (now my husband) before I got in too deep, as I knew he was due to go to Afghanistan and I didn't think I'd be able to cope! However, anyone that has fallen in love and met the person that they know they can't be without, knows that you really have no choice in the matter.You fall in love and you deal with whatever comes your way, as a couple. Just like everyone else does.

Anyone that doesn't get that probably isn't with the right person.

Military relationships are tough and stressful, but I wouldn't change mine for the world. Not because I would 'choose' this lifestyle, but because I consider myself lucky to be with someone that completes me. I would have married him whatever he did, he just happens to be in the RAF. But that doesn't mean the hard times are easy and it certainly doesn't mean that I need some half-wit to tell me that 'I knew what I was getting myself in to'.

Jeez.

Has anyone else experienced this? Do you think marrying someone in the military is a lifestyle choice? Let me know.

Thanks so much to everyone that has been in touch recently. It honestly makes my day. I started my blog thinking no one would be interested, so I love it when someone takes the time to contact me; it makes it all worthwhile xx

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The Stylist opportunity is currently available in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany & France although we can now ship to 12 more countries in Europe through our websites.

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Fashion Editors are loving our brand and if you open your favourite mag you’ll find us there!

I read about Stella & Dot when my husband, Paul was away in Afghan on tour. I had been looking for a job after getting married and moving to our posting in Edinburgh as I had always worked and run my own business.

Being an Independent Stylist sounded like fun, I loved the jewellery & fashion aspect and I really needed to get out more and have some ‘me’ time and earn at the same time.

Two years on, another posting, a couple of incentive luxury holidays, a massive accessories wardrobe, new friends, a great income, a team of 40+, a promotion to Associate Director and a lot of fun!! I am still loving it, I have found the perfect work/life balance. So much so that I can’t imagine doing anything else!

It’s the perfect job for military spouses (& serving soldiers too). You can earn a flexible income, you can take it with you to different postings, you’ll meet new people and you run your business your way!

I love that I can work this around my family life, I choose when I work and have managed

to keep things running while Paul is away again for another 6 months. It’s given me so much more than just an income, I have more confidence and I love that I’m teaching our son that everyone can be an entrepreneur!!!

Stella & Dot was started by two women, Jessica Herrin & Blythe Harris to give women the chance to ‘style their own life’ named after their grandmothers. The company is one of the fastest growing direct selling companies with state of the art technology to make the Stylist ‘job’ even easier and accessible to all!

The collections are designed in New York and are sold exclusively through your personal website or through home styling events called ‘Trunk Shows’ They are a lot of fun and guests are treated to styling tips and get to be hands on with the jewellery! You will be so much more than the ‘jewellery lady’! There’s no need for hard sell as guests fall in love with the accessories and can’t leave without it!

Hostesses are treated to Free accessories and discounts just for getting their friends round to share the fun!

The social selling concept has been growing in popularity in the UK, originally launched in the US. More & more consumers are looking for something different, and we offer a great shopping experience and customer service not found on the high st.

The Stylist ‘job’ has many roles-we have Stylists from all walks of life. You don’t need to have retail experience and you can choose to run a full or part time business, be a hobbyist or just be a Brand Ambassador if you love the jewellery! There are no targets or requirements, no minimum selling or regular investment requirements either.

You get a wealth of coaching & training online and through your team leader. There is a great community of women who help and support each-other. There are no territories and you get your own personal website to sell from (that is all done for you) We have regular Stylist Meet ups and Rallies you can attend to meet others and learn more!

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BLOGGING Blogging is big. It’s really big. In fact so big and relevant and red hot is the world of blogging that some bloggers are appearing on celebrity TV shows, being stalked by the paparazzi and buying million pound pads with swanky postcodes.

O

kay, fashion and beauty blogger Zoella aka Zoe Sugg – she of the millionaire mansion and celebrity status – is probably not indicative of the majority of the blogging population. But the story of how her blog developed into a YouTube channel and exploded into huge stardom for the former interior design company apprentice, illustrates just how big an impact blogging has made on the world.

For those uninitiated in blogging – a blog is a bit like an online diary onto which people can write about their lives, opinions or just muse on matters that interest them. They can include pictures and videos too. In fact, those posting videos are forming their own genre within blogging, known as vlogging.

Literally anyone can set up a blog, there are masses of websites out there which can host blogs, and provide the means for you create one.

Zoella started by writing about beauty and fashion, she moved on to YouTube and then began blogging about her experiences of anxiety, leading to her becoming a digital ambassador for mental health charity, Mind.

She reached out to young people in a way their parents, teachers and – even – peers could not. She was open, honest, vulnerable but also cool.

And this is the beauty of blogging. This is what makes it so appealing. The fact that whatever your interests, your state of mind, your personal circumstances or your career – it’s likely there is someone out there blogging about it. And, if they are not, well, there’s a gap for you to fill with your very own blog.

This was something armed forces wives, Michelle Smithson and Clare Macnaughton, exploited when they started up their very own blogs about their lives in the military.

Michelle, Just For Her columnist and writer of “Not Just A RAF Wife”, launched her blog because of the ‘severe lack of content and guidance’ for military wives online.

“I struggled even to find central support forums,” she explained.

“I realised that if I felt like that, then other spouses probably did too. I’ve always loved writing so I decided to set something up myself.”

"It was a bold move because in 2010 it was unprecedented that a wife would have the audacity to put

herself out into ide the ether, outs of the shackles of military influence and then have the gall to use the platform to comment on military life."

Michelle launched her blog in line with a Facebook page, which she uses as a forum for her, and other military wives, to ask questions and discuss issues that arise in their lives. She describes the response to her blog from the blogging community and other military wives and spouses as being ‘amazing’.

“When I first started my blog I was petrified people would, at best, not be interested in what I had to say or, at worst, totally disagree and take offence to my posts. Obviously, you can’t please all the people all the time, but I have had so much positive feedback that I’ve found it very humbling.”

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Clare Macnaughton, writer of A Modern Military Mother, started blogging for different reasons. As a communications consultant, she wanted to understand this emerging forum. But she also planned to use it as a way of testing and developing her writing as she pursued a professional writing career. Blogging under her name she found she ‘was just another voice in a sea of many’. So she revamped as a ‘mummy blogger’.

“The mummy blogosphere was a community that was finding its voice and it was recommended I position myself within this community and use the military connection to differentiate myself,” she explained.

“It was a bold move because in 2010 it was

Just 4 Her Iss 6-15.indd 15

unprecedented that a wife would have the audacity to put herself out into the ether, outside of the shackles of military influence and then have the gall to use the platform to comment on military life.”

Clare admits the military community was, at the time, concerned about operational security (OPSEC) and personal security (PERSEC) – the protection of military information. But, so positive has the experience of writing and reading blogs become, that attitudes within the military have changed since those days.

Clare said a lot of good can come from positive engagement via social media and blogging and it is now encouraged to share experiences. However, Clare issues a note of caution. “It is important when using social media to recognise that the internet

is a crazy place and it’s worth considering how much you divulge and how transparent you are with personal information and information regarding military activity,” she warned.

“Never blog or use social media when drunk or when feeling overly emotional.”

Her warnings are echoed by fellow blogger and military wife, Jules, who writes The Giggles Family Blog and Vlog. She advises budding bloggers with a military link to sit down with a coffee and notepad and think carefully about safety aspects before proceeding.

“For example,” she explained, “I never publish my home address and everything is registered to an office. I wouldn’t want any anti-military people knowing where our home is or those around us. continued over page >> 15

01/07/2015 12:41

BLOGGING “We don’t use our surname or my partner’s first name. I spoke in depth with my husband about what he was happy with too, and as it’s grown we’ve had further chats about it to adjust our personal ‘rules’.”

Jules’ vlog started out as a video diary for her husband who, through his work in the military, had to be away from home throughout the week, with only weekends to catch up with his family. Having left a professional job to stay at home and look after her newborn son, Joshua, Jules also felt she needed ‘a little online space just for me’.

However, the blog has progressed and is now shared on YouTube.

“There are thousands of parent vloggers out there,” said Jules, “but I struggled to find a military family one. It’s been great to break down a few stereotypes about military life whilst making sure my husband doesn’t miss any of the important moments in Joshua’s life.”

The videos reveal to her husband, and wider family, how her week has gone – the ups and downs. “I’ve been known to cry on camera. Cringe!” Jules admitted.

“It’s a fun community. I feel lucky to have made friends with other YouTubers. When we moved to a new base where I knew no one, they really helped me in the first few weeks.”

Considering starting a blog? Our bloggers have shared some of their best blogging advice.

Tip 1 - Just do it!

All three military wife bloggers were unanimous on this top tip.

Michelle adds a clause to this, however, which is to find your niche.

“Think how your blog is going to be different to anyone else’s and get writing,” she said.

Tip 2 - Be true to yourself Both Jules and Clare agree it’s important to be yourself and be honest.

Jules added: “I think the more honest and true to yourself you are in your writing and videos, the more others will be able to connect with you.”

Tip 3 - Don’t blog to achieve fame or freebies It can take up to a year, said Jules, to become established as a blogger and build up a following. It is most certainly not a route to instant fame.

And while some bloggers do manage to pick up the odd freebie through their blog, this should not be your main motivation for blogging.

Michelle said: “It’s not what blogging is about. It’s about being real and writing what you believe, not writing because you have been paid for it.”

Tip 4 - Do use your blog to boost your career/business Blogging is a great way to showcase your writing skills and also to complement and attract more traffic to your business website.

For Clare, blogging lead to her launching a career as a freelance journalist and writing several books, including a memoir about her experiences of armed forces called ‘A Modern Military Mother – Tales from the Domestic Frontline”. She is currently working on another book, a play and a film.

Tip 5 - Have fun!

“Get writing,” said Michelle, “it’s massively rewarding!”

SOUTH MILITARY CATCHMENT

And it is this sense of community that blogging can create, which makes it such an alluring pursuit, particularly for military spouses. Clare said: “Blogging is about community. It brings together like-minded individuals, who may not live near each other but have shared and common interests.”

Blogging Tips...

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Interviews can be stressful. You will probably have put a lot of effort into preparing, had to drive or get the train to somewhere you don’t know, and what you definitely don’t need is more stress about what to wear!

FIRST

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Impress 01/07/2015 12:42

T

he problem is, whatever we’d like to think, a first impression is still based on looks, and this means you need to dress right. Even if you are well qualified, scruffiness could cost you the job. The Lifeworks Families Team have some great tips on making sure you’re prepared…!

1. Too Smart Beats Not Smart Enough Always dress one level higher than the dress code at the job you’re going for. If you’ve been out of work for a while or your interview outfit is more than a year old, then it is probably worth investing in a new high quality outfit, especially if you are going for a management or executive role.

And remember, looking good will help you feel good too!

4. Research Their Dress Code

5. Be Neutral

Although smart is good, some organisations, especially new start-ups or companies where there are factories/outdoor work, have a more casual dress code. Or even if not you may need to take appropriate gear, for example, if going for a job on a farm, even if it is in the office, it will probably be necessary to take wellies so you are prepared for a walk around the estate. If you’re unsure ring the receptionist and ask before the day.

It’s always better to know beforehand, and it may act in your favour as you’ve taken the initiative.

This applies to everything! If you wear make-up, keep it subtle and natural. The same for hair – this is not the day to try out that new hair dye or that great ‘messy bob’ YouTube tutorial. Stick to a standard groomed and smart look. With suits, stick to navy, black or grey and add splashes of colour with accessories if you can’t resist.

Perfume should also be subtle, not strong.

Tattoos should be hidden until you know their policy. Distracting piercings should be removed, and nails should be clean and trimmed, especially if going for a job where hygiene is key e.g. in a kitchen.

2. Keep It Comfy Whilst you need to be smart, comfortable clothing will ensure you are comfortable.

As we said, interviews can be stressful, so manage that stress and don’t be worrying about whether your skirt is too short, your feet hurt or your jacket is just that bit too tight. Buy an outfit well in advance and wear it to get used to how it feels, and always make sure your heels aren’t too high!

3. Detail Is Key A nice outfit is all very well and good, but if you have a bit of baby food or some dog hairs on it somewhere, believe us, an employer will notice. Before you head out, always check your clothes and your makeup. Accessories are also key. A nice bag can add a finishing touch to a smart office outfit. But, make sure it’s organised inside so you can easily access a pen, your CV, business cards or whatever they ask for! You can even bin the bag altogether if you like, in exchange for a smart folio folder.

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ssions Just 4 Her Iss 6-15.indd 21

For more on preparing for interviews, or for advice on job searching, CVs and job applications, contact the Lifeworks Families Team on 0800 319 6844 or email lifeworks@rbli.co.uk

21

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SORRY, YOU’RE

OVER QUALIFIED!

For military spouses, getting a job should be a breeze. After all, you are resilient, resourceful, multi-tasking experts who can work alone (and often have no choice about the matter) or in a team, adapt well to change but are unwavering in your sense of duty.

Yet thousands of wives and partners in the armed forces are persistently faced with difficulties and challenges when it comes to finding work…

You may have been plucked from a highflying job in the city and parachuted down into rural obscurity without a trading floor in sight. Or, perhaps, the demands of military life and kids have squeezed out any hope of returning to your old career.

Whatever your story, it’s entirely likely that your military link has – at some point – created a hurdle to your job search. And if it’s not hindered you, it has probably created a brick wall for one of your friends.

While many women are turned down by employers who fear military applicants will be re-located, or will not be experienced enough after years bringing up children, it would appear there is another problem armed forces spouses are facing in their pursuit of a job. And that is being overqualified. Indeed, many women are being turned away from jobs because they

are too skilled, too experienced or have too many qualifications to their name.

It’s a problem Recruit For Spouses, an organisation which helps find employment for spouses of the British Forces, experiences all the time.

“Wives and partners tend to come into the military by getting married,” said Heledd Kendrick, founder of Recruit For Spouses. “They have had a career before they married their husbands, they could have worked in the city as a lawyer or a stockbroker or been nurses or midwives.

But the reality is life can be very isolating for them because they can be posted anywhere in the UK, away from friends, away from networks and away from their careers.”

Getting a job, therefore, can be a way of building links, socialising, keeping busy and saving sanity and not just a way of making money. For this reason, many women are happy to work at a job which might not require the qualifications they have, or which is not as demanding as their previous career. And this is where the problems come. Heledd explains: “the employers say ‘why work for me when you’ve been at a bank?’

She believes it is part of a bigger misconception that employers have of military spouses. “It’s a lack of understanding on the employer’s part,” she explained. “They often have an unconscious bias that military wives either bake or sing in a choir and they assume you will be posted.

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resilient.” said Heledd, “Some might have learned languages, or studied law during this time to keep themselves busy, so they have got some great stuff on their CV.” But when it comes to finding that all important job they face nothing but rejection.

as a receptionist a year after the birth of her second child.

Despite being fluent in four languages and having a raft of qualifications in accountancy, Niki was applying for jobs in local shops, supermarkets and care homes because she desperately needed a job close to home, which fitted in with her children.

So, what can be done about this? How can The 20-hours-a-week receptionist role was wives and partners overcome this hurdle and convince an employer they are right for within walking distance of her home and child’s nursery and despite it paying the the job? Heledd believes it is, in part, the minimum wage Niki saw it as responsibility of employers to “They said they ideal. At first she was turned re-examine their bias towards down on application, but two military wives. Recruit For loved my CV months later the employer Spouses is working hard to re-educate employers about the but this job was called her for interview because their previous candidate had not benefits of having a military for a school worked out. spouse on board.

leaver, it was

“They don’t get our lives. They fear we are moving on and we’ll have issues with childcare.”

Heledd told us the story of one of her clients, Anna, a Polish marketing and PR professional. She spoke three languages and had updated her skills via a Google Square Digital Marketing course yet she simply could not get a job. It emerged she was being turned down, revealed Heledd, because employers were frightened of her.

It is a scenario which is all too familiar to Recruit For Spouses. There are numerous stories similar to this, particularly from women (and also men) who have taken advantage of the isolation of a posting and used the time to study or start their own businesses.

“They will have become resourceful and

Just 4 Her Iss 6-15.indd 23

company owners were “We do a lot of work around very basic and “The really honest,” she explained, the employer,” she explained. “they said they loved my CV “We say that if you can support they couldn’t this job was for a school that wife, they will give a understand why but leaver, it was very basic and lot more back. Now we are they couldn’t understand why I changing perceptions. We have I would want would want this job. But I was spoken to employers who have this job…” honest too, I said my children agreed to take on a military were small, and even if I earned spouse as a trial and they have a good salary commuting into town, after found them resourceful and dynamic.” paying childcare and train fares I could end up making a loss. I said that although I was Of course, there are also things you, the an expert at finance, I had a lot to learn job seekers, can do to boost your chances in other areas – my phone skills could be including registering with Recruit For improved, for example, and this job would Spouses, whose work is dedicated to people give me the chance to enhance them.” in your exact situation. Upon application or interview for a job, think carefully about Niki got the job. In fact focusing on the what you, personally, can offer the business. positives is just what recruitment experts Not just your qualifications or skills but advise overqualified candidates to do in how your life experience could be relevant. these situations. Express how eager you Having children, for example, will have equipped you with a range of practical skills are to work for their particular company and how keen you are to take on all the which an employer could find invaluable. new responsibilities the job has to offer. If the employer thinks they can offer you “Don’t excuse the fact you have had something in the way of training or new children,” said Heledd. “Remember, you achievements, you might not seem so may have had two or three children while intimidating to them. your husband has been way – think about how you’ve coped in that situation, how So, what of Anna, our multi-lingual well you’ve adapted, what your husband has marketing spouse? Thanks to Recruit For come back to and how you’ve maintained Spouses she also landed a job as an admin the equilibrium of family life. These are assistant for a construction company. skills civilians find hard. It should not be After a short while her employer realised looked upon as negative. Military life makes Anna’s qualifications and experience had us modest, so be aware of your skills and huge potential for them and offered her what you can do.” the chance to contribute ideas on tender submissions. This led to her doing digital Once you have bagged that all-important marketing for the company and now she is interview and the thorny question of preparing marketing strategies. She said she being overqualified arises, it’s essential was now heading towards the job of her you are honest. Niki Veres, a 36-year-old dreams. accountant from Kent discovered honesty was beneficial when she applied for a job 23

01/07/2015 12:42

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PAGE NUMBER FOR The day of your partner’s deployment has arrived. All the practicalities are sorted, contact numbers are stored, friends are on standby, the kids have been emotionally prepared (as much as possible), you’ve spent quality time together as a family and you’ve survived – only just – the farewell…

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ow, all there is to do is to fill that seemingly endless void that your partner’s absence will create.

Because, let’s face it, the thought of managing alone, or as a single parent, for as much as a year is daunting to say the least. By keeping yourself busy and distracting yourself enough to keep those fearful thoughts and worries at bay, the time is far less likely to drag.

Eugenie Tomlin, a military wife from West Byfleet in Surrey, said: “Six to twelve months are an unmanageable length of time if your attitude is ‘I’ve just got to get through it’. “Religiously ticking off 182 days or 365 days in the calendar

every morning would send me round the bend!” Eugenie, like many military wives, has endured a number of deployments including one during the birth of her daughter, Lara.Yet, she believes, having a positive attitude, breaking the time down into manageable chunks and organising ‘occasions’ so you have exciting treats to look forward to can really help in making the time fly by.

While it’s important to ensure there are interesting breaks in the daily routine, Eugenie also believes you should embrace the everyday stuff. “It is important to love your daily routine too, or the days and weeks can drag and create negative feelings.

“My way is to embrace the status quo

rather than resent it. My husband chose to be in the army, and I chose to marry into it knowing there would be times of separation.

I try to take the highs, of which there are many, and the lows.”

Most importantly Eugenie said she made the decision not to wish away the time until he returns but to actually live it. She plans things that make her fulfilled and happy and looks for as many positives as she can. “I will regret it if I look back on deployment realising I’ve whiled it away waiting,” she adds.

Here are some ideas for filling the time, which will ensure you have lots of brilliant stories to tell your partner on his return and generally keep busy and distracted…

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OR BLOGGING!!

Catch up with friends and family

One of the downsides of life in the military is being so far away from friends and family.

So take the opportunity of having spare time to catch up with loved ones.

Arrange trips to stay with relatives and mates, re-kindle lapsed friendships or book holidays and trips with friends who are in the same situation.

And think, too, of your immediate family.

While your husband is away you will have more time to devote to your children, if you have them, so make the most of this.

Eugenie said: “I throw myself into my children and my friends. The children grow up too fast as it is without me wishing away

half a year of their lives each time!”

Keep fit

Start exercising, take up a sport and get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Even if exercise is not your thing, the benefits of it can be hugely beneficial to both your physical and mental health. To motivate yourself, set a goal or aim to have achieved something by the time your partner returns.

Eugenie said she heard of a woman who, while her fiancé was deployed, set herself the goal of losing four stone in time for her wedding, which was set shortly after her partner’s return. The groom-to-be didn’t recognise his bride at the airport!

Dorothy Perkins

Just 4 Her Iss 6-15.indd 27

The goal does not have to involve weight loss.You could train for a 5k or 10k run – or even a marathon. Perhaps you might want to learn a new sport, such as tennis or snowboarding. Or perhaps you might like to have horse riding lessons?

Learn a new skill

This is a very common deployment survival activity! In the same way as working toward a fitness goal can create a healthy diversion and be incredibly rewarding, so can pursing an academic or practical qualification.

Learning a language is popular amongst military spouses, as not only can it be done from home but it could come in incredibly useful if you are posted abroad. continued over page >>

01/07/2015 12:43

KEEP THE HOME FIRES

BURNING How about brushing up on a subject you enjoyed at school but did not have the chance to explore further? Or learn a new practical skill such as needlework, carpentry, cooking, coding, hairdressing, upholstery, photography… the list is endless.

Eugenie said that during one of her husband’s deployments she managed to learn to ride and to play the acoustic guitar.

Volunteering

Many spouses choose to throw themselves into supporting a cause or charity when their husbands are deployed. Whether you are raising money for an organisation that is close to your heart or volunteering for a charity, it can provide not only a diversion but a sense of purpose and fulfilment.

Start a blog

Bloggers blog for many reasons, but in the military it provides a superb way of keeping your husband or partner entertained and up to date with your life while he’s away.The process of starting your own blog, and developing it, will be a superb time filler and will provide a way of learning new skills.

“There will undoubtedly be other military wives at the clubs or groups available to you with similar emotions and feelings just waiting to open up. Don’t struggle alone.”

Charities, including military organisations such as SSAFA, The Royal British Legion, the RAF Benevolent Fund, Blesma and Help For Heroes are always looking for volunteers. But you can also support them by organising fund-raising bashes.

And there may be smaller organisations closer to home, even on your military base, which need help such as baby and toddler groups, support groups and youth clubs.You could even start your own.

Join a Choir

The benefits of joining a military wives’ choir (MWC) are varied and well documented because the lifeline they provide for women whose partners are in the armed forces are phenomenal. Eugenie sings in the South London MWC, although initially she was a member of the Defence Academy MWC. “It is something I feel passionate about,” she said. “They are more than just ‘choirs’ – they are places of mutual support and community, especially when you are at your most vulnerable with your husband away.

“There is a real sense of camaraderie, knowing and feeling that, as military wives, we’re all in the same boat and everyone particularly supports the members whose husbands are deployed.”

Women who join describe the singing 28

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as being uplifting. But with rehearsals, performances and socials there is always something happening, plenty to look forward to and lots of fun to be had as well.

You can write about the day-to-day events of your family’s life, or post videos to your partner to keep him ‘in touch’ while he’s away or you can just add pictures and brief descriptions of big occasions and events.

Whatever you do, you’ll have a lasting record of your life, and your children’s life to look back on in later years.

See our feature on blogging on page 14 for more information and ideas on starting your own blog.

Further your career

Many women use long periods of deployment to concentrate on and develop their careers. Some take the opportunity to return to their home towns and work while others remain on base and start up a business from home.

emotional support network available to military families, either through a doctor’s referral or via the welfare team.

“There will undoubtedly be other military wives at the clubs or groups available to you with similar emotions and feelings just waiting to open up. Don’t struggle alone.”

Eugenie said it is also important to share your feelings with your partner. She warned, however, that there may be dayto-day difficulties which might be hard for him to relate to because of the tough experiences he is facing on operations.

She added: “There will be ‘good calls’ and ‘bad calls’, times when you feel on totally different wavelengths. But don’t despair, it’s normal and what most wives experience at some point during the separation.”

When deployment coincides with huge life events, such as having a baby, it’s also imporant that you seek help from your support networks, albeit family, friends or the community. Eugenie, whose husband deployed while she was eight-and-half months pregnant with her first baby, survived by joining lots of baby groups and spending time with new mothers who were in similar situations.

“In tough times,” she said, “I was surrounded and comforted by my friends on the military patch and the advice and support of my family. The support is always there if you look for it.”

Perhaps you have always fancied the idea of working for yourself, or developing a hobby into a business? Your partner’s deployment could be the ideal time, as you can throw yourself into it without distractions.

Finally… talk and share

Even if you have planned a packed timetable of activities to fill the entire deployment, there will still be times that are hard and when you will miss your partner.

“If you feel flat or depressed or overwhelmed or stressed – share those feelings,” said Eugenie. “There is a huge

01/07/2015 12:43

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g in t it n k e im t r a w : e r a c d n a Duty requirements were warm socks, gloves, hats and scarves, and authorised patterns were issued by major companies, with details of approved yarn colours for each service. Children were taught to knit at school, socks for the services.

Some of the wartime patterns for the services

Knitting has long been a special way to handmake gifts to show love for our friends and families. During the 1939-45 war in Europe it was also a duty to use any spare minutes to make some of the items which were difficult to get because of rationing and other restrictions on supply of goods and materials. Knitting was ideal, easy to carry around and could be done in air raid shelters, on fire watching and by those looking after young children.

In WW2 the British government was much concerned about morale at home.

While the occupation of knitting was undoubtedly a way of relieving some of the stresses of the Home Front, the opportunity of being useful to those in the armed forces was emphasised. Everyone was expected to “do their bit to win the war” and this was one way to contribute. The factory work making munitions and equipment was important as a way of protecting loved ones but many jobs and duties had periods of waiting, during which knitting was encouraged. Public transport was irregular and often delayed, so knitting during journeys was common.

Knitting for the armed forces was more highly organized than it had been during the Great War. The supply of yarn was much more restricted and expensive, and it needed ration coupons. The main

Many of the WVS groups and Women’s Institutes organised yarn collection, purchase and distribution as well as sending the finished garments to their final destinations.

It has been estimated that 20 million items were provided by the WI alone. Diaries sent to Mass Observation for the war years record the re-use of wool from unravelled garments and the use of unusual yarns such as darning wool. Some groups and organisations awarded medals to prolific knitters.

Canada was one of the first Commonwealth countries to send troops and airmen to Europe, and knitters in Canada were soon busy. America, before it joined the allies, had already been knitting and preparing care packages of food and clothes to help bombed Londoners. More Americans picked up their needles to keep American soldiers warm. Knitting provided warmth and comfort for the soldier and therapeutic distraction for the knitter. “She feels she is not useless, although she can do nothing else

Dale’s work mittens pattern by Ledbury’s Bag Lady, inspired by wartime patterns

to help win the war” (The New York Times, Jan 22, 1942).

Duty apart, knitting to provide the family with warm woollies to keep them snug was a way of providing presents which were practical and comforting. Knitted accessories, pixie hoods, balaclavas and snoods had their time in fashion. Children’s clothes were constantly needed, soft toys were very popular to comfort young and bewildered victims of bombing, and in times of shortage of fuels, buildings were not warm, and jumpers and cardigans were cosy.

Nowadays knitting is more widespread and popular due to the internet. Learning how to knit is possible even without school lessons or elderly relatives to pass on the skills. www.ravelry.com is a social and skill-sharing site for knitters which has more than 4 million members; NOT a minority interest. As Margaret Holmes, I am proud to be carrying on a long family tradition to make things with love, using gorgeous new natural yarns and developing new techniques to take the skills forward.

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m u M

Guilt Ask any mum and I’m pretty sure they will agree that the dignity they lost during childbirth has been replaced by a constant feeling of guilt. You know the feeling I mean, the one that pops up when you stick the kids in front of the TV or leave them with a sitter. When you thrust them a packet of something extremely high in sugar to buy you 5 minutes or lose your patience after half an hour of attempting to dress them! So here are ten things we often feel guilty about and why we shouldn’t…

1 2

My child knows every theme tune on CBeebies... My guess is, before you had kids, you swore you’d never let them watch tv, let alone use it as free childcare. Well, we all say things we don’t mean and after hearing ‘mummy’ over 50 times in the space it’s taken you to decide what to do for dinner, let alone cook it, The Lingo Show provides a welcome distraction for your little angel!

Plus, have you seen the programmes? They’re pretty educational!

My baby (ok toddler) still has a dummy/bottle/ breast feeds...You’re round a friend’s house and your toddler is begging for their dummy whilst you act bemused as **cough** they only ever have it at bedtime. Show me a mum that hasn’t given in to their child’s demand for a dummy, milk or other form of comforter, to shut them up, and I’ll show you a fibber! Pick your battles. If you just can’t face this one right now, don’t feel guilty about it. How many teenagers do you see with a dummy, drinking from a bottle (that has milk in it!) or nipping

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home in their lunch hour for their breast milk?! That’s right, none.

So your child is a little older than you thought they would be when they stopped sucking, but does it really matter? They are babies for such a short amount of time, let them be and enjoy the peace!

3

I ‘accidently’ forgot to brush my child’s teeth this morning...Why do some children have such an aversion to brushing teeth? I would watch child number 1, happily brushing away, basking in my own smugness at her high standards of personal hygiene. And then came number 2.You’d think when I get the toothbrush out that I am actually brandishing a knife, such are the screams she omits. So on occasion, when we’re on our way out the door and I remember I haven’t brushed her teeth, I admit, I leave anyway. Whilst I am in no way suggesting you abandon all dental care, sometimes, it’s ok to ‘forget’! Do I feel guilty, yes. Are her teeth going to suddenly fall out, no? Should I stop feeling guilty, most definitely! continued over page >>

01/07/2015 12:43

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4

Mum

Guilt

I gave my child chicken nuggets and chips for dinner...We all had dreams of batch cooking healthy meals from our newly purchased ‘Ella’s Kitchen’ cookbook, feeding our children only healthy, organic produce and never letting them eat junk food. It’s up there with ‘never letting my child watch tv’ but fast forward a couple of years and the book is being used to prop up a wonky high chair and there are chicken nuggets in the oven. And not organic ones, gasp! Children need a balanced and varied diet and that includes a freezer meal every now and again (once, ok twice, a week!). There isn’t always time to cook that Mediterranean Vegetable Risotto that includes 10 of their 5 a day and you shouldn’t feel bad about it.

5 6

I’m a working mum…Whatever your reasons for working, whether you want to or have no choice, this one should never make you feel guilty.You’re a stay at home mum? Great! Working because you have to? Great! Working because you want a break from being mum? Great…you get the drift! Whilst it’s important to spend time with your child, it doesn’t have to be 24 hours a day. What’s not to love about being able to drink an entire cup of coffee that’s hot or saying no to a colleague without them throwing themselves on the floor and wailing!

WEST MILITARY CATCHMENT

My child just dropped the F bomb... Sh*t happens!

You can be as careful as you like around the little darlings but sometimes, we, or others, slip up.You can bet your bottom dollar that when you ask your toddler a thousand times to repeat a word, they wont do it and yet, just as you get to Granny’s, they’ll repeat the curse word you used three weeks ago when you

dropped a glass. It’s happened to the best of us and you can either worry and feel guilty about it, or laugh (secretly) and move on with your life. Whatever you do, do not let it provoke a huge reaction as you’ll ensure the word is ingrained into their memory, ready to drop at the most inappropriate times. If all else fails, in order to disguise your child’s faux pas, prepare to loudly exclaim ‘that’s right a duck’, ‘yes, a ship’ or ‘no, that’s not a tanker’!

7

It’s 9.30 and I’m yet to teach my child their ABC’s, French, current British politics...When your friend tells you they were up at 7 am teaching their child phonics, they’re probably lying. There was a time, when my first child was only a few months old, that I’d feel guilty if I hadn’t been to baby massage or sing and sign by 10 am. Whilst I could probably have been slightly more productive than watching Real Housewives of New York City in my pyjamas (till noon), there’s a lot to be said for just spending time with your little one, cuddling or playing games. Don’t feel guilty if you’ve spent the morning playing superheroes or watching toy story for the ten thousandth time.

Now I have two children, I mentally high five myself if I manage to shower and get dressed by 9.30, let alone teach them how to read.

And hey, there’s always the afternoon!

8

My Child is still in nappies...This is a biggie and one that I am so used to feeling guilty about, I almost forgot to include it. That is, until I went upstairs to put my 3.5 year old to bed. And yes, she still wears a nappy at night. Believe me when I say we’ve tried to get her dry, and although daytime was cracked about 18 months ago, it’s just not happening! Just like with

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everything else, children learn at different rates and just because they ‘should’ be doing something, doesn’t mean they will be. Give yourself, and them, a break. They will get there and surely it’s better to wait until they’re ready than clean up puddles of wee (or worse!) from your carpet?!

9 10

My children miss their daddy when he’s away... Now this one’s more specific to military mums and a harder one to take. The heart has a mind of its own and I’m sure there aren’t many military wives or girlfriends that specifically set out to marry a military man. Feel sad for your child, for the ‘missing’ they are doing but don’t feel guilty. Feel proud. Proud that their dad is a hero, proud at how they handle his absence and proud of yourself for being both mum and dad when you have to be!

I just lost it and yelled at my child… Unless you’re some kind of ‘supermum’, you’ve been there, done it, got the t-shirt! Sometimes there are not enough deep breaths in the world and before you know it, you’re red faced and screeching in such a high pitch that every dog in a 20 mile radius has its ears pricked up. Cue look of fear, similar to that of a rabbit in headlights and a huge rush of guilt and regret! Children test our patience, and sometimes, we’re not quite equipped to handle it. Whilst Supernanny will tell you that there are many, productive ways to deal with a misbehaving child, she wasn’t there, she didn’t know what a rubbish day you’d had/how many times you’d told them/insert own excuse here. We all shout on occasion, let’s not pretend like we won’t do it again or that they didn’t deserve it at the time and lets not feel guilty about it as mostly, we’re bloody fantastic mums!!

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Near tragedy, led to a clever little girl saving her mum’s life, and sparked the idea for a life saving project!

through illness - they would have only young children to assist them.

Isabelle (then 2 years old) called 999 whilst Jo was having a severe allergic reaction and nearly died.

Jo had taught Isabelle her name and address by composing a rhyme. All children that age can learn nursery rhymes, so why not this important information in case she ever found herself lost! She then inadvertently taught Isabelle how to make a 999 call and when not to! A role play game of Drs & Nurses proved to be more beneficial than ever imagined.

What Jo hadn’t anticipated was that Isabelle would use these new skills sooner rather than later to save her mum’s life. Jo was proud to see such amazing praise in the National news/papers but was determined to set the record straight. Isabelle was not a genius! Jo believes any child can replicate this, advocating all parents of young children should teach them this vital life saving skill.

It was also crucial to share with parents that it need not just apply to those with a pre-existing medical condition. Any carer continued over page >>could have an accident of young children 36 within the home or become incapacitated

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Jo (a Police Officer) recognises the dangers children are faced with, and the difficulties that parents have teaching children various safety issues so she started a campaign via social media to share her story and encourage all parents of young children to teach them this vital life skill.

One small voice was proving difficult to reach a nation of parents and subsequently, months later, Jo embarked on a mission to educate children through a story. She wrote her first story book teaching children how/ when and when not to call 999 in a medical emergency. This book was published by Small World and endorsed by a large early

years organisation, Bright Horizons. Jo even adapted the book for the US and Izzy presented it to a nursery in Florida!

It has helped many children learn the concept of 999 and give them the confidence to know what to do in an emergency. Clearly she is very passionate about saving lives on and off duty and never stops thinking how she can help keep people safe. She believes that we should never underestimate the capabilities of young children. As such she has co-written further safety books with Isabelle (now 8) who also thrives in the knowledge that she too can help save more lives! For further information or to get your own copy of the book please visit www.izzyandollie.com.

Competition Four lucky Just for Her readers could be in with a chance to win one of these fantastic books by Jo Keeling.

To enter, simply answer the following question....

How old was Isabelle when she called 999 and saved her mums life?

Please email us at competitions@forcespublishing.co.uk with your entry.

Closing date for competition is 20/08/15

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PARENTING

IN THE FORCES Tips on helping your child deal with the absence of a parent…

I

t is very natural to worry about the impact that one parent being away from the family will have on your child, in particular a parent that is deployed and away for long periods of time. Children are actually far more adaptable than they are usually given credit for and as long as the absence of a parent is handled in the correct way – your child will flourish and become a strong and independent mini you, with a good understanding of what it means for Mummy or Daddy to be away from home.

In child psychology, there have been many studies on the impact of a deployed parent on the child, however often these studies find that there are even advantages to this situation including the ability to understand and respond to changing family circumstances, increased independence and self-esteem of the child and increased social relationships with other members of the community. It is often the way in which the parent deals with the separation that will determine how well the child adapts.

they know what is ahead of them – often parents assume that by talking too much about an upsetting event, it will upset the child however a child who is kept in the dark is more likely to have a negative reaction to the event. Discuss what is ahead together as a family, make up or read stories about similar situations and use role play with toys to act out scenarios that your child might be anxious about. Role play using your child’s favourite toy is one of the most effective ways to get younger children to understand a situation and have confidence in how to act during that event when it arises.

• Keep a routine for your child that remains the same when the parent gets deployed.

This might be childcare, nursery, a nanny or just a daily routine that involves play and eating at various times. Children thrive

Children are like sponges for emotions and can detect anxieties and upset in their parents without the parent obviously showing signs of these feelings. It is therefore very important that the parent left behind remains strong and confident in their ability to parent alone. There are numerous things that you can do for your child in order for your child to function well during the deployment of one parent including; • Build up to the deployment of the parent by talking about what is happening in advance. Children function better and have higher self-esteem and confidence when 38

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“It is often the way in which the parent deals with the separation that will determine how well the child adapts…”

on having some sort of structure and a child who experiences change will cling to familiar things to make them feel safe and secure.

• Involve family and friends in your daily life – not only to give your child the chance to build up other meaningful relationships with other people but also to help support yourself practically and emotionally. Being a single parent for any number of days is tough, so gaining support from those around you will contribute not only to a happier and less stressed parent but also your child will feel happy and content with people who love him around.

• Allowing your child to communicate regularly with the parent that has been deployed will help them feel a sense of involvement in the deployment process.

Modern technology today means that keeping in touch and actually seeing a video of their parent is possible – so use this to your advantage.Your child can maintain a relationship with their parent by speaking regularly and also by writing letters or keeping diaries so that they can remember and reflect on things they have done when the other parent has been gone.Younger children may not be able to write but can certainly communicate by voice and even if your child is an infant an unable to talk, hearing the voice of their other parent that they are used to will help keep their memory fresh for their arrival home.

home, your child will flourish and you can cherish those special family times you do have when everyone is together.

For any questions on Parenting, Behaviour and Discipline or coping as a single parent, contact The Parent and Baby Coach 0330 6600 204 or email heidi@ theparentandbabycoach.com

Parenting in the forces can be one of the most challenging full time jobs you will ever have to do, but rest assured that as long as you are confident and calm about your partner’s deployments and maintain a happy 39

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On Saturday 24th April Benson M ilitary Wives Choir hosted our ‘meet and greet’ fundraising coffee morning in the Station church.

This annual event is to showcase our new songs for the year ahead to our friends and families, whilst showing off our baking skills and raising money for charity.

T

his year's chosen charity is CLIC Sargent, a charity providing support for children and young people affected by cancer and has particular significance for us as a choir as one of our members, Beth Holdcroft received some devasting news about her daughter, Isla in July 2014. At just 22 months of age, she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (A.L.L).

“We were told Isla would need an incredibly lengthy 2 years and 4 months of chemotherapy treatment. In order to survive watching your child endure chemotherapy for the length of time, you need an army of help. This is how CLIC Sargent support families.

Firstly we were given a social worker who helped and advise on the practicalities, then we were allocated a CLIC nurse who would deliver as much treatment at home as possible. This is a huge part of what CLIC do and has been an absolute life saver for us. Every time I have been worried or Isla has become sick they have been a phone call away. I can't speak highly enough about the support they have given us. I am honoured that MWC Benson have decided to help families like ours, so that they can have support in the darkest hours of cancer treatment” said Beth.

Hours of rehearsals went into learning new songs for the coffee morning performance, and not just by the members of the choir.

The audience was treated to an exclusive performance of the Military Wives hit “In My Dreams” with a special guest soloist in the form of Sgt Bryan Rundle, husband of Trish from the alto section. Bryan did a fantastic job and we are very grateful to him for singing with us.

The coffee morning was a team effort, and everyone chipped in providing raffle prizes, baking cakes, selling raffle tickets and making teas and coffees. We are thrilled to have raised over £275 for this worthwhile charity and thank every single person involved for their generosity.

If you would like to find out more about joining the choir then please email benson@militarywiveschoir.org or come along to the Station Church on Thursday evenings at 19:30.

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NORTH MILITARY CATCHMENT

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Wives

Gutsy Girlfriends, Courageous Children…

That’s what we all are…

“In the military family, we all serve” is awell known meme that is often found floating around facebook and twitter and it no doubt originated in the US with their envious pride in the military family. But what does it mean?

Elizabeth Eager sets out to show the world what it means with her first book, Warrior Wives.

In it she has collated twenty four different stories of military wives and girlfriends and sourced over sixty short quotes and thirteen illustrations from military children showing how they feel about military life.

“The book was important to me for so many reasons.” Elizabeth says “I always joked to my husband ‘one day I will write a book about this’.” When things would go wrong, like him almost not making it home for their wedding, due to an unplanned extension of his already six month deployment, or when she was pregnant with their first child during his

first tour of Afghanistan. “People, family and friends, were always very supportive when he was away – but they just didn’t get it!” She explains “I remember once, when my husband was in Afghanistan, a lad had been killed and my Mum called me to reassure me ‘it’s ok, it wasn’t in Helmand at all – somewhere else called Kajacki.’ I had to explain to her that it was all Helmand Province and that Kajacki was where my husband was. We both hung up the phone in tears. I don’t blame my Mum – she was trying to help. But it was a difficult time for all of us, and I found people would often avoid asking me about him – especially because I was pregnant. I think they thought the hormones would tip me over the edge and they would have to deal with an emotional, blubbering, pregnant wreck.

Thankfully that never happened. Not in public anyway.”

“That was why I wanted to do this book.

It isn’t just me that has been through these experiences and for better or worse they change us and shape us and make us who we are today. I wanted to give people a chance to share their story.”

So whilst the seed of an idea has been there for many years it was only after having her second child that Elizabeth found the incentive to start. “I got quite isolated after the birth of my second baby.

It was always such hard work to drag two children around that I stopped going out to baby groups or days out. The weekly shopping trip would exhaust me! But the opportunity came up to join a ‘Band of Wives’ group at the local family centre. It provided childcare places and was going to include complementary therapy taster sessions. I am a complementary therapist for my job so wanted to go, and the childcare made it appealing, so I signed up. It was still a struggle to get there, but after some encouragement from the group leader Adele, I made it.”

The course covered structured lessons over a six month period that made you think about the cycle of deployment and other times of difficulty in your life and was designed to make you recognise your own resilience and strength. It included lots of creative sessions too and culminated in the creation of a montage of all things

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“After the photo shoot I realised that the that were important to you, but with you stories I’d heard from the other calendar at the centre. “It had to be about you - not girls and from my Band of Wives group your children or your husband’s job, but were in some ways quite about you and that was similar but also very important.” Elizabeth “It isn’t just me that different. We had shared explains. “The Band of has been through experience but we had all Wives group gave me these experiences faced them and dealt with amazing friends and a them in our own unique strength I didn’t know and for better or way and overcome them.

I had. I am quite a shy worse they change I realised if I could get person but it gave me the courage to reach us and shape us and the girls to write down stories it could be out to join an online make us who we are their the beginning of my book. support network for today. I wanted to give So that is where it started.

Royal Marine Wives and On the advice of the Girlfriends. Through this people a chance to Naval Families Federation RMWAG’s group I got I approached the Royal the opportunity to feature share their story…”

Navy and Royal Marines as Miss January on their hugely successful calendar raising money for Children’s Fund, who were willing to support me and help me publish the book.” the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund and meet twelve more beauties during our The project grew and Elizabeth came to photo shoot, who became good friends. realise how important it was for the girls to share their story. “The lads often get asked about their tours and time away and are full of interesting stories – no one ever wants to ask how the kids got on with potty training or how you cope with six months on your own. All of the ladies who shared their story said it felt good to write it all down.

I think that because I was ‘one of them’ rather than a journalist, the ladies involved felt that they could really be honest with me because I got it; the resentment, the fear, the elation, the romance, the hard times and the happy memories were easier to share with someone that had also been there.” As a result the stories give a rare insight into a sometimes mis-understood world. They give a gritty, no holds barred and honest account of what it really feels like being married to the military, particularly in this case the Royal Navy or Royal Marines.

“

“

“I have been lucky enough to feature some incredible stories, from people who have faced injury, to a widow who lost her fiancé in a training exercise. The ladies all share one thing in common, they faced these difficulties with grace, dignity and compassion. Often raising much needed funds for charity in the process.” The book is also being used to fundraise for charity with proceeds going back into printing more copies, “It’s important to share these stories with as many people as possible,” and back to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Children’s fund.

and maybe inspire them to write their own; but I also hope it will be read by non – military people and give them an insight into how we, the wives and girlfriends do cope, how we feel, and reassure them that we won’t turn into jelly if they mention our husbands being away and that if we do, it’s ok.”

“I would love to hear of people giving this book to their mother in laws or sisters and starting their own book to share their strength.”

You can email Elizabeth at bex_liz@ hotmail.co.uk with any questions or comments.

The book was released on Armed Forces Day the 27th June 2015. It is available to buy from the Royal Marines shop http://royalmarinesshop.com/ for £5.99 as a print copy and £2.99 from amazon as a digital download. Money raisied is going back to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Children’s Fund.

Please show support for your fellow wives and girlfriends and show the world how ‘the one who waits also serves’.

“I hope the book can help people to realise they are not alone and help them get through the difficult times of deployments, 45

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NORTH MILITARY CATCHMENT

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NORTH MILITARY CATCHMENT

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Tel:07597583026 www.joeannemchughclairvoyance.co.uk 47

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Postnatal Depression I

t is funny how giving birth can make us so much more outspoken about our bodies. Having lost all our dignity giving birth, we suddenly become quite open to telling anyone who happens to cross our post-natal paths about our piles, and how painful it is to go to the loo.

We will quite happily discuss cracked nipples and have no qualms about sending our partners off to Asda to buy maternity pads, with a graphic account of why we need them.

Yet, despite being so candid about our physical ailments, few of us are keen to talk about the emotional and mental side effects of pregnancy, birth and the overwhelming responsibility of parenting.

Postnatal depression (PND) is not usually something we bring up when we meet our ante-natal group for coffee. We want to be seen to be in control, holding it together and being ‘a good mum’. Even so much as alluding to the fact we might be struggling to get through the day, finding something as simple as making a sandwich an insurmountable challenge, and not enjoying this gorgeous bundle of joy, would be akin to failure.

In fact so reluctant are women to discuss this quite common side-effect of having a baby that experts suspect statistics on the number of sufferers are huge underestimates.

NHS figures suggest around one in every ten new mums suffer postnatal depression.

Charity, PANDAS (pre and postnatal depression advice and support), said smaller studies show it could be as many as one in seven.

Sarah Beeson, a former nurse and health visitor, also agrees the figures are more likely to be higher than one in ten.

For, very sadly, there is a stigma attached to postnatal depression – like many other illnesses – which not only prevent women from coming forward to seek help but, often, inhibit them from even admitting to themselves there is a problem.

“Postnatal depression, generally, is much higher than we realise because women either don’t want to say they have it, or don’t get an opportunity to say,” said Sarah, who is also author of Happy Baby, Happy Family.

But there are other factors, which Sarah believes provide a barrier to women coming

forward. For one, there is a misconception that postnatal depression is suffered only by women with newborn babies.

In fact, Sarah believes the illness can occur in women whose babies are up to nine or ten months old and sometimes, even, in mums with toddlers.

“Often it’s seen in mothers with new babies,” she explained, “but usually it’s when the baby is three, four or five months old that postnatal depression can start.”

And it’s this misconception that discourages women from opening up to their health visitor, doctors or families – they believe they shouldn’t be feeling depressed at this stage.

Anyone, in any situation, from any background can get postnatal depression.

Sarah said some women, maybe those who have lots of family nearby and seem to have a strong support network in place, often think they don’t deserve to seek help. But, said Sarah, everyone who recognises the signs should be frank and seek help, because support is there for all.

But while anyone can suffer, there are certain groups of women who are more

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“25% of women whose husbands were deployed suffered from PND compared with 10% of women whose husbands were not…”

vulnerable to postnatal depression, and this includes those whose partners are in the armed forces.

In the United States, academic research has been undertaken to find out more about mental health amongst members of the armed forces and their families, including one particular study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine in November 2008.

It found women whose partners were deployed during their pregnancy scored higher on the Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale (EPDS) – the screening used by professionals to identify postnatal depression – than those whose husbands were at home.

Women whose husbands were deployed, the study found, were more likely to be screened positively for postnatal depression than those with partners by their side.

In fact 25 per cent of women whose husbands were deployed suffered from PND compared with ten per cent of women whose husbands were not.

continued over page

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Postnatal Depression But it’s not just the absence of the fatherto-be at such a crucial time that contributes to PND. Sarah, who has worked with military spouses, said women whose husbands or partners are deployed will naturally endure stress, worry and fear through their separation, without pregnancy or babies being in the equation.

Add to this, the huge responsibility of having a new baby, the isolation of being apart from family and friends and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.Yet the duty military spouses feel to stay strong and keep a home together for their absent husbands often means they are reluctant to admit to being depressed, or anxious.

SCOTLAND MILITARY CATCHMENT

“It all falls on the women.” said Sarah, “The childcare, housework, keeping things together. Plus there’s all the worry. It’s almost as if they are not allowed to express feelings of isolation, stress and anxiety.”

“Some women can’t say anything. They can’t say it because that makes it real.”

But Sarah believes that by actually admitting to these feelings, sharing them and discussing them you are helping yourself on to the road to recovery.

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The Signs of Postnatal Depression: So, what are the signs? Of course they may vary from woman to woman, and symptoms can range vastly from feeling a little bit down to severe anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

Women with PND often feel they are not getting any enjoyment from life, they may have stopped laughing at things they once found funny. Some women find it difficult to concentrate, but also might blame themselves for minor mishaps, saying “I am so stupid” and unnecessarily putting themselves down.

They might be feeling anxious, worried or stressed and may feel as if everything is getting on top of them. Simple tasks, like putting on a load of washing or getting dressed, might feel overwhelming. Some PND sufferers have problems sleeping, they may feel sad and find themselves crying frequently. There’s often a general feeling of unhappiness, low self-confidence, and loss of interest in the world around them.

Some women may feel they want to harm themselves.Whatever the symptoms, however, the message is to tell someone, talk about how you are feeling and get help.

How to get help…

Speak to friends, family, people you trust.

Make an appointment with your doctor

or health visitor and explain how you feel.

Sarah explained that health visitors can refer women to specialists such as community psychiatric nurses who, in some areas, can visit you at home to help get treatment underway.

Doctors, meanwhile, can prescribe antidepressants and refer patients for counselling or on a course of cognitive behavioural therapy. But there are lots of other ways actually speaking out can help you. Sarah explained that there may be support in your area from charity Homestart which provides volunteers – who are all parents themselves – to help look after the kids while you have a rest, do some housework or accompanying you on trips. In some areas there are PND support groups.

By speaking to friends, particularly those with babies the same age, you may find someone else who is the same situation.

Sarah said: “I have spoken to women who see other mums with babies and think ‘they know what they are doing’ but often those other women are looking at her and thinking exactly the same. “When you are in the same boat there is a bond and support and often women going through PND can help each

other and go on to have lasting friendships.”

Activities such as yoga can help with depression – some yoga teachers run classes where mums can bring their babies. Sarah also advises using relaxation CDs or DVDs and treating yourself to a spa day or back massage to provide some respite from the everyday strains.

Finally, if you happen to be reading this and think a friend or family member might be suffering from postnatal depression you may be wondering how to approach them about the subject. Sarah suggests opening a dialogue with them, rather than just asking “how are you?”

“As a health visitor, I would never just ask someone how they were because people generally always say they are well. Instead I would ask them what sort of week they had. This opens a dialogue and gives them permission to open up and not have to put on a front.”

PANDAS – 0843 28 98 402 (phone lines open 9am to 8pm Monday to Sunday) http://www.pandasfoundation.org.uk/

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SALT THERAPY

What is salt therapy?

Salt Therapy aka Halotherapy is a powerful, natural treatment in a controlled air medium that simulates the natural salt cave microclimate to treat respiratory and skin conditions.

This is no health fad – from the ancient Greeks to modern-day doctors, medical experts have championed its amazing effects. In fact, the NHS officially endorses Salt Therapy to treat COPD – but only via branches of the company which has led the way: The Salt Cave…

“Making salt castles…”

Jo at “Just for Her”

M

y colleague and I visited the Milton Keynes Salt Cave on a Saturday morning for a free, one hour, introductory session. Both mine and my colleague’s daughters (aged 2 and 11 months) suffer with eczema and asthma and I also took my 3 year old along for the ride.

On arrival we were greeted by a very polite and friendly gentleman who gave us the

paperwork to complete and explained the process. Whilst the children were barefoot, the adults were given shoe covers, and we were all given hairnets.

We were led to the children’s room where the walls and floor are covered with salt. This gave it an igloo type feel and I imagine it to be the same as visiting Pingu’s house! Inside were sofas and chairs, blankets, toys and a television.

The salt covered floor was similar to sand and the girls enjoyed making ‘salt castles’ and digging for treasure. The lights were dimmed and as the fans began to signal the start of the session you could almost immediately taste a slight

saltiness on your lips and notice a white dust on your clothes.

They thankfully supplied a large box of tissues as little noses soon began to run, their bodies clearing out unwanted mucus.

The hour passed quickly and even within that short time, you could feel a difference in your breathing. The girls were completely oblivious to the fact they were receiving ‘therapy’ and played happily for the duration. Once our time was up and we were back at reception, we were given further information on salt therapy and what we could expect as a result. We were particularly impressed that there was no ‘hardsell’ and we were not made

to feel that we must sign up for future sessions. That said, we have both agreed that we will definitely be returning in the next couple of weeks as we have seen a noticeable different in our children.

My colleague’s 11 month old daughter has struggled to sleep due to coughing and yet since the salt therapy, her sleeping has improved. My daughter has definitely been coughing less and I hope with a couple more sessions, her eczema will also improve. We would both highly recommend salt therapy and commend the Milton Keynes Salt Cave for their friendly and professional service and their clean and inviting premises.

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What is The Salt Cave?

The Salt Cave is a chain of clinics providing 100% natural, effective, risk-free Salt Therapy treatments.Visitors merely sit back in one of our treatment rooms, where the healing microclimate of a natural salt cave is reproduced by the most advanced device called Breeze Tronic Pro. This technology is used ONLY by The Salt Cave franchise in the United Kingdom.

How does it work?

Salt has the following properties: • Antibacterial • Anti-inflammatory • Mucolytic effects: loosens excessive mucus and speeds up mucociliary transport • Removes pathogen agents (airborne pollen)

• Reduces IgE level (immune system oversensitivity) While relaxing in one of our treatment rooms, customers inhale the dry, saltenriched air deep down into the lungs, where the healing benefits do their greatest healing. The salt loosens the mucus, which begins to clear quickly, and inflammation is reduced, which makes more room in the airways for you to breathe. Symptoms subside, sometimes for up to 12 months.

Salt therapy can significantly help to: • Reduce the need for inhalers and antibiotics • Make your breathing easier after just a few sessions • Improve lung function

• Reduce the number of hospital admissions • Alleviate sneezing, coughing, and shortness of breath • Clear mucus and sticky phlegm from the lungs • Increase the resistance to respiratory tract diseases • Strengthen your immune system • Prolong remission times • Improve general health and quality of life • The treatment’s efficacy is estimated at 7598% depending on conditions • Enhance sport performance for professionals

Contact details To find your nearest clinic please visit www.saltcave.co.uk

“Call it scheduled relaxation!”

Rosiaina B

I

to carry tissues everywhere.

I sneeze to anything and everything. I’m prone to getting colds and as a result seem to be run down all the time – so it’s a vicious circle. I even had an adenoids removal operation when I was a child but it was no help. All my friends and family know me for constantly being sick. That’s just the way it is.

I’ve always been interested in natural therapies anyway, but when I discovered salt therapy might help with breathing and allergies, I realised I had to give it a try. All my life I’ve had

Either it’s a fluke or there really is a correlation between salt therapy and feeling better.

Before I started at the Salt Cave last October, a cold for me would last 14 days, not the usual 3 or 4 days everyone else seems to get away with. I’ve been going now for a year on

go to the Salt Cave as I seem to be allergic to everything, and suffer from mild asthma and eczema too, which I think goes with the territory. I think I walked past it one day, and it caught my eye.

and off – with summer holidays, moving home, etc. I had a break for about 4 months. It was only when I stopped going in the summer that I realised I hadn’t had a cold all winter...

After a few weeks of not going to the Salt Cave I got tonsillitis and two colds – all in the space of 7 weeks. Call it coincidence, but since I’ve started going back again on a weekly basis, I’ve been well.

So, not only have I avoided the usual ‘change of season’ illness, but there’s the added benefit of the total relaxation you get from a visit to The Salt Cave. I’m not good at sitting down to relax at home – there’s always something else to do.

But at The Salt Cave, there’s no distraction. Call it scheduled relaxation! The room itself is so comfortable, with soft cosy blankets and the sound of the sea all around. It’s like a meditation – I get a chance to really focus on my breathing and I’m asleep in 5 minutes!

I raved about it after the first session, so much that when I went for my next session I didn’t expect it to be as good for some reason, but it was.

So I still rave about it, and would definitely recommend salt therapy to anyone for easy relaxation and a healthier winter!

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e g n ra y t u a e b s e h H&M launc this autumn…

H&M

is proud to announce the arrival of a new range of beauty products.

The launch will hit the stores this autumn with a full range of make-up as well as haircare, bodycare and beauty tools. Fashion is at the heart of the range with an ever-evolving make-up selection that focuses on seasonal looks, ideas and colours.

The products will be available in over 900 stores worldwide and online at hm.com.

The launch comes at a time when make-up is more important than ever for personal style, whether the look is natural, classic or fashion-forward. There will be new, dedicated beauty areas in the stores to help customers experiment with trends and develop a look that’s all their own.

“We are very excited to have ‘fashion for the face’ on offer at H&M. It’s an opportunity to be inventive, creative and to have fun with colours”, says Sara Wallander, concept designer at H&M Beauty.

There will be over 700 beautifully packaged make-up products in the range at launch time, with seasonal drops of new and limited edition colour collections. The range, which will replace existing beauty products at H&M, will also include two subsidiary collections: a premium beauty line and a conscious range of Ecocertapproved sustainable products.

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>> A15 LOOKBOOK Miss Selfridge - kimono, t-shirt £18, jeans £38, clogs, backpack £45

Styled by Susie...

Autumn fashion excites me the most, because it’s the time of year when it’s cool enough to wear thick black tights, but warm enough to wear just a light jacket. It’s the time of year that you can layer up stylishly, without having to worry about furry boots, puffa jackets or chunky jumpers!

FallFASH 58

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www.styledbysusie.co.uk

01/07/2015 12:46

Very - Fearne Cotton Print Kimono £35.00 F&F - Mized Piano Key Collar £12.00

Eastern

The biggest trend to hit the catwalk shows, appeared to be the Eastern trend, with dragon prints, embroidery and decadent gold. We have already seen celebs hit the red carpet at the Met Ball 2015, the theme of which was "Chinese Whispers". Sarah Jessica Parker rocked an amazing oriental headdress in the way that only she can! Once the Eastern theme filters onto the high street, I predict decadent kimonos (they look stunning with a pair of skinny jeans and heels) and statement gold bib necklaces.

Debenhams - Betty Jackson £25.00

Monsoon - Bonnita Embellished Print Kimono £59.00

Dorothy Perkins £30.00

Very - Rochelle Humes Fringed Skirt £39.00

Car Wash Skirt

Moving on from the Spring/Summer 2015 trend of fringing, this is a more polished look. Car Wash Skirts look amazing on ladies with narrow hips and slim legs. Particularly great for balancing out a fuller bust, and they are cut in a knee length, midi and maxi length.

Something for everyone! Pear shapes should avoid this trend, be warned....!

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Very - PU Fringe Hem Tunic £39.00

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>> A15 LOOKBOOK

Flares

Yes! They are still in for Autumn 2015! Flared trousers and jeans are fantastic for accentuating an hourglass body shape. Wear with a fitted top or blouse, and some chunky jewellery for a polished look. If it’s too chilly for wedges, then purchase a pair of chunky shoe boots, which will look fab with your flares. This style does not suit a dainty shoe.

Miss Selfridge - Lightwash denim flare jean £38.00

Dorothy Perkins £22.00

Monsoon - Flared Jeans £59, Tammi Jacquard Top £49, Cover Up £79

Accessorize - Mini Satchel Bag £19.00

Neons

White Stuff - Bella Flower Necklace £22.50

Show off the last of your summer tan with some neon brights. Don't worry about dressing head to toe in neons, but just add a splash of neon to a neutral black outfit. This could be with a neon satchel bag, or perhaps a pop of colour in a neon statement necklace.

Channel your inner 80's chick!

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Marks & Spencer - Limited Collection Polish in Neon Pink £4

New Look - Pink chandelier earrings £4.99

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Head to toe Black

Very - Sleeveless Duster Coat £49.00

I can hear you scream “yippee!” as you read this. The majority of ladies feel comfortable when they wear black, so this will be a great option for many of you.

Just be warned that black can be very draining to most skintones, so take my advice and add a pop of colour with a scarf, statement necklace or handbag.

New Look

Miss Selfridge - Black lattice front jumpsuit £45.00

Acid yellow wool coat £369 MaxMara Weekend Floral dress £205

Debenhams - Red Herring £22.00

Duster Coats

The Duster Coat is incredibly flattering to a curvy figure, but be warned, you will need the height to safely carry it off. This style is great for Apple body shapes who wish to conceal their tummy. The Duster Coat skims over the curves and elongates the body.

Very - Block Heel Patent Boot £45.00

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Very - Printed Collar Dress £39.00 Accessorize - Blurred Rose Beaded X Body £35.00

Accessorize - Mae Embroidered Envelope Clutch £39.00

Miss Selfridge - Black floral pussy bow blouse £35.00

Florals

Yes, in Autumn....! Florals are usually a massive trend for Springtime, but the Autumn 2015 florals will be darker in colour, featuring browns and reds. Team with suede or dark denim to keep them seasonal.

New Look - Floral Patterned Skirt £19.99

Freedom at Topshop Perspex Oval Drop Earrings

Accessorize - Jungle Jane Statement Earrings £15.00

Statement Earrings

New Look - Sleeveless high neck knit £14.99

Accessories make such a huge difference to an outfit. They create a polished look, and a statement pair of earrings is no exception to this rule. Statement earrings slim and elongate the face, and work well with a messy up-do.

Never wear statement earrings with a necklace - you need the earrings to do the talking here.

Marks & Spencer - Best Of British Poloneck £35.00

Polonecks

New Look - Earrings £4.99

This will be a major trend for Autumn 2015, but I feel I must warn all of you!

Polonecks (or turtlenecks as they are otherwise known), are lethal for ladies with a fuller bust. They broaden the shoulders and add volume to the bust. This is a trend best left to very slender ladies with longer necks.

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Let’s

By Susie Buchanan To buy or not to buy? A question many couples face at some point in their military career. A UK based tour with no immediate threat of deployment was the instigating factor which led us down the bumpy road to buying a house. We were the most settled we’d ever been in our forces life - two kids at a good school and enough job possibilities to keep us in the area. If we were going to jump on the property ladder, now was the time…

RENOVA M

aking the choice to move out of married quarters can be quite a leap. Living in a quarter where the responsibility of maintenance is not yours frees up valuable time and money to do other things. The ease of having a ready-made social life and the support of neighbours who experience similar situations, can make it a difficult decision to break away. Most people on a married ‘patch’ are far away from their families creating a strong sense of community which can be hard to replace. It was obvious that trying to find a property which offered us the lifestyle we wanted would be no easy feat.

As an avid watcher of property programmes, I knew what I was looking for. We wanted to be near enough school to walk or cycle, near the base so my husband didn’t have a long commute and we could still see our friends, we wanted a rural location and a garden big enough to kick a football around and grow vegetables. As for the house, we were happy to do some work but not along the lines of tumble-down with only fourwalls-left-standing kind of work - it had to have a roof.

It took us a year to find it. We spent most of our free time trawling the countryside viewing all sorts of properties but none of them ever had enough ticks in the right boxes. It seemed like we were never going to find the right house at a price we could afford. Eventually, one evening when my husband was away and I was scrolling through houses for sale on the internet, I finally found what we were

looking for. It had the location and garden we wanted although the house didn’t make me instantly whoop with joy. Far from it.

It was a 1960’s box with those infamous words in the description, ‘in need of some modernisation’. In fact, it was just like a quarter, except in a far worse state of repair.

We went to see it the following weekend.

Standing in the sunlit garden, with a breeze rustling in the leaves of the trees and the kids playing hide and seek in the overgrown Leylandii, was the moment I knew it was perfect. I could overlook the state of the house, which had been shut up for two years gathering dust and mould. The leaking concrete gutters, moss-covered roof, retrotiled kitchen and peach bathroom whose ‘better days’ long preceded my birthdate, still didn’t put me off. It just felt ‘right’ and even my husband agreed that this time it wasn’t just my misguided romanticism. We’d have to do some building and renovation but in doing so we’d end up with a far more saleable property, it was a sensible choice albeit a daunting one.

Excitement overtook reality. It would be our own little ‘Grand Designs’. Every choice would be ours. It would truly feel like our home. We put an offer in straight away and found an architect. When our offer was accepted we had plans drawn up – I wanted to live in the house for as little time as possible in the state it was in.

The weekend we moved, I cried. Those house renovation programmes never seemed this bad. It smelt of damp, we didn’t have heating and water came pouring through the ceilings. It made a quarter seem like the height of luxury. The shower didn’t

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VATE!

work and to have a bath we had to connect a hose from the sink to fill it up. We went swimming to have showers. The kids slept on mattresses on the floor and had just a few of their toys. We only unpacked the essentials; the television remained in its box.

For now the house was a building site and it would take a while to become a home.

I became project manager overnight. We were knocking down a single storey double garage and building a kitchen with a master and en-suite above it in its place. At the front of the house we were extending the hallway to house the stairs. We moved in in September and were aiming to complete by May. Building over the winter was going to be tough but at least we’d have the summer to recover when we’d finished.

Plans and lists studded the anaglypta papered walls. My one indulgence was one wall I made into a mood board, dedicated to fabric swatches, computer generated kitchen and bathroom layouts and paint colours. This wall kept me sane, offering me a tangible thread of how the house would look when it was finished. I spent my days making cups of tea for builders and organising everything from cavity wall insulation to oil tank removal and dealing with the mountain of decisions we had to make. Evenings were spent huddled by an electric heater in the one room we used for living in, planning the next steps and fretting over finances. Keeping myself busy was the way to get through, it meant I didn’t have time to dwell on the conditions we were living in.

Date nights were replaced with midnight painting sessions. Weekends were spent trying to convince the kids that shovelling soil or stripping wallpaper was fun.

Fortunately for them it was one huge adventure. Never before have they been allowed to draw what they liked all over the walls before ripping it off - legitimate destruction. They loved watching the diggers dig enormous holes and the bricks going up day by day, climbing ladders and cleaning moss off the roof with Daddy when Mummy wasn’t watching. ‘Show and Tell’ at school became a weekly update on how the house was progressing. Kitchen showrooms were their playground and a sanctuary away from our freezing cold house. But as the novelty wore off and boredom set in, keeping them entertained on wet Saturday afternoons was sometimes harder than the work itself.

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Let’s

RENOVATE!

Before

We moved out when the builders began the knocking through phase. The existing kitchen and bathroom were being ripped out and the only means of getting upstairs was by ladder. Living there would be impossible. We moved into an RAF welfare house for four weeks but when it became apparent it would be a lot longer before the house was habitable again, we rented a cottage. It felt like a holiday being warm and having a living room again with a sofa to sit on.

I can’t imagine how many times we’ve said, ‘It will be great when it’s finished’. Our friends have been incredibly supportive offering us much-needed cups of tea by open fires on Sunday afternoons. People got used to seeing me in paint-splattered clothes at the school gate and I quickly found out that make-up and wall-paper steamers don’t work well together. I never want to paint another metre of skirting board or inhale brick dust again (although it works great as a dry shampoo) and it may take a while for my hands and nails to look presentable again.

After

Renovating a property has been one of the hardest things we’ve done but is one of those life experiences everyone should try.

Like the couples on television who look exhausted but happy when they’ve finished, we’ve gained a few extra grey hairs and frown lines, but we’ll always have a place to call our own. Would I do it again? I guess it’s a bit like childbirth, if you ask me now, never, but in a few years’ time, maybe.

Our new kitchen/diner

Top Tips: * When searching for a property, view as many as you can, so when you find the right one you are ready to make an offer. * If you need to do building work, get quotes from at least five builders. * Allow for going over budget, there are always surprises along the way you hadn’t factored for. * Be organised with packing – have to hand essentials only and stick detailed labels on boxes so you can find things if you need them. * Have a white board with a column for each trade. Update it at the end of each day. * Consider moving out whilst the really messy work is being done. * Get the kids involved – painting can be just as fun as playing with an XBox!

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EAST MILITARY CATCHMENT

Tiare Tahiti EDT Fragrances Delicate and exotic Eau de Toilettes to lightly perfume your skin in a choice of Luxury handmade soaps and bath bombs High in Quality, Low in Price

www.saltfleetbysoaps.co.uk

Tiaré – Gardenia Vanille – Vanilla Coco – Coconut These fragrances are perfect for warmer weather, and have matching Monoi de Tahiti

Handmade fun Jewellery inspired by British Culture through time from Ancient Britain to the 20th Century

Coconut oil and Soap.

For further information visit our website

aim2bnatural.co.uk or catch us at Stamford Market, Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings and more...

Silver plated or sterling silver fittings available

Lincs, every Friday.

www.retrologygifts.co.uk | sales@retrologygifts.co.uk | 07919 341339

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MIDLANDS MILITARY CATCHMENT

A Touch Oriental Shiatsu • Reiki Sports Injuries • Tai Chi Energy Psychology (tapping therapies) jennymccarthy@atouchoriental.com

www.atouchoriental.com

Wayne Marrio Tarot & Clairvoyant Reader Private 1-2-1 Readings.

Events & Group Readings Demonstra ons.

Courses & Workshops.

Contact: 07706 928701 Email: info@theopencircle.co.uk Web: www.theopencircle.co.uk

Sue Breen

Clairvoyant Medium International

Working with her Spirit guides Sue connects to spirit and brings forward loved ones on the other side. She has the abilities to see hear and sense, combining Clairvoyance with Mediumship Sue’s work includes giving 1-2-1 readings, Psychic Parties, Including Skype Readings ,Telephone Readings, Demonstrations, Charity events, Corporate events and even Readings at Wedding Receptions.

Mobile: 07931 449687 Email: susan.breen57@gmail.com

Royston, Herts www.theclairvoyantmedium.com

Hart Natural Healing Shop 1, 9 Eastgate Street, Stafford ST16 2NQ

Reiki treatments • Aromatherapy full body massage Holistic back massage • Luxury aroma facial Courses available in: Tarot, Blending Essential Oils, Crystals & Aromatherapy A wide range of beautiful gifts also available including jewellery, crystals, organic beauty products and much more!

0782 5285688 maggie.jennings@ntlworld.com

www.hartmaggie.co.uk

Ann Wall

Independent STAMPIN’UP! Demonstrator.

Do you like to make cards and other paper cra ?

Love to party and share crea vity with friends?

Or are you looking to start a small business?

Be crea ve using fabulous coordina ng products.

Great for home decor, wedding sta onery, crea ng a beau ful party theme and much more.

Please contact me on

07712 139925

or annwall@shearwatercairnterriers.co.uk

Enabling ordinary people to live extraordinary lives Earn additional income by recommending services.

Work when you want.

No catalogues. No stock.

To find out more contact - Clare Adele Howe 07989 932871 hello@clareadele.com

www.clareadele.com

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Independent Partylite Consultant “On-line parties and webshop for Partylite candles and home accessories. Choose from 28 forms of wax in over 50 fragrances and colours, created with the help of some of the top Perfume Houses in the world.”

“Fantastic Home décor to suit everyone’s tastes and budget, and seasonal products to suit the time of year, with exclusive collections of hand-crafted items for your home and garden. Order on-line via my Webshop or call to book a personal home shopping experience with your friends and family.”

www.candlefairy.co.uk

MIDLANDS MILITARY CATCHMENT

Candlefairy

07402 193929 or 07402192929 www.facebook.com/candlefairyparties

Noahs Art HANDMADE BUTTON CRAFTS WITH LOVE Here at Noah’s Art, creating a unique and handmade gift for you is my passion. Whether it’s for a loved one or a treat for yourself and your home I am sure you will find the perfect gift here.

www.noahsartcrafts.co.uk www.facebook.com/noahsartsbuttons sarah@noahsartcrafts.co.uk www.twitter.com/noahs_art_gifts

A unique colourful large A1 size wall calendar with stickers to record all those special first time ‘milestone moments’. Can be started any month.

There are spaces for baby’s personal details, first photo and first birthday photo. The calendar also features a ‘must have’ working thermometer to ensure baby’s room is the correct temperature as well as safe sleep advice. Finally when baby’s first year is past it can be rolled up and placed back in its keepsake tube to be viewed over and over again. If buying as a gift a handwritten personal message can be included and sent anywhere within the UK post free.

Visit www.babysfirstcalendar.co.uk to view video.

Baby’s first year will be amazing Record It - Cherish It - Never Forget It.

s it n K t r a e H e Lov A sweet little world of hand-knitted loveliness for those very special bundles of joy in your life....all items have their own unique design and cannot be found in any shop.

Each and every item is lovingly hand-knitted by Jackie and created for that very special time in your life or just a great gift for someone expecting their very own bundle of joy – you can contact me via facebook: LoveHeartKnits or via email to jackie-daniels@hotmail.co.uk

MummaBubba Jewellery UK @MummaBubbaUK

Chewable Jewellery! n Fashio y sor Acces Baby sity!

Neces

Teething Solutions never looked so good.

Jewellery for mums to wear but safe for babies to chew No BPA, Phthalates, PVC, Lead, Cadmium or Mercury Odourless, tasteless, and bacteria free Clasps pull apart safely Can be washed in soapy water or dishwasher See our full range of accessories and teethers at:

www.mummabubba.co.uk 71

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M&S

Velvet Cushion £35

Bold & Dramatic Lotus Pendant Gold Mix £199

Chiltern Compact Sofa in Carmen Floral, Ruby £1299 Sunburst Mirror £199

Large Distressed Wall Clock £65

Madeline Chair in Lovari Floral, Midnight £899

Shop the 72

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Olivia Bedset Double £59

highstreet...

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Let There Be Light…

BHS Everly Wall Light £60.00

Large Shelves Wooden Floor Lamp £195.00

Kendra Pendant £60.00

Chrome Star £95.00

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Foxi Armchair £399 Christensen Console Table £329 Atelier Square Metallic Nest of 3 Tables £279 Brock Table Lamp (Copper Table with Blk Shade) £120 Jaxon Table Lamp (Mesh) £45 Ned Shaded Table Lamp (Brass & Blk) £70 Ned Floor Lamp (Brass & Blk) £95 3970363 Flint Dinner (Bronze Pendant) £50 Ned Task Lamp (Brass & Blk) £50 Flint Floor (Shower Head Bronze) £12 Cyril House £45 Isaac Task Lamp £80

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HOUSE OF FRASER Moroccan Inspired Metal Alhambra 3” x 3” Frame £20.00

Laser Cut Votives £15.00

Alhambra Throw £75.00

Large Metal Lantern £70.00

Highland Cow Wall Art 50x60 £8.00

Spiced Berry 20oz Candle £5.00

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Decorative Teal Ball £8.00

Mya Mirror £225.00

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Tesco Direct Lausanne Red Check Armchair £299.00

Tesco Reversible Stag Cushion £10.00

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Highland Retreat

Aldeborough Large Caramel Leather Sofa £899, Warwick Chenille Mink Armchair £399, Sophia Wingback Slate Check Occasional Chair £349, Portobello 3 drawer 2 Door Sideboard £299, Portobello 3 Drawer Coffee Table £249, Portobello Trestle Side Table £49, Tripod Table Lamp £39, Tartan Flat Red Weave Rug £70, Purple Check Cushion £12, Red Stripe Chenille Cushion £7, Top Hat Hound Cushion £10, Beautiful Basic Red Cushion £5, Tapered Wooden Lantern Large £15, Small £12. Framed Owl Print £8, Home Box Frame £10, Highland Cow Canvas £8, Jones & Co. Piccadilly Black Wall Clock £20, Basic Red 5x7 Frame £1.50, A4 £3, Recycled Glass Amber Tealight Holder £3, Copper Hammered Small Storage Canister £8, Orange Bottle Vase £6, Cheese Board & Dome £20, Sassy Squirrel Mug £2 75

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Zebras Glass Wall Art £59.00

Set of 2 Leopard Print Boxes

Luxury Faux Fur Throw £59.00 Zebra Wall Plaque £129.00

Set of 2 Antique Effect Storage Trunks £99.00

VERY

Urban Jungle

Leopard Cushion £12.00

Leopard Border Rug £19.00 76

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Snow Leopard 2 Seater Sofa £599.00

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WILKINSONS Butterflies & Flowers Floral Frame £5.00 Trinket Box £10.00 Watercolour Squirrel Cushion £8.00 Antler Tealight Holder £7.00

GEORGE

Round Hedgehog Cushion £8.00

Woodland

Fox Ornament £10.00

Butterfly Bell Jar £10.00

Coastal Meadow Flowers In Bottle £10.00

Owl Teapot £7.00

Rembrandt Floral Cushion 43x43cm £8.00

Stag Head £12.00

Rembrandt Butterfly Cushion 43x43cm £8.00

Wilko Floral Decor Bottle £3.00 Creative Hanging Sign £4.00

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Butterfly Love Word Black £6.00

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MIDLANDS MILITARY CATCHMENT

The Secret to Living a Miraculous Life Is your life exactly as you want it to be? Are you looking for more out of life?

As the law of attraction only responds to you and your thoughts, you can’t create something for another person. So make sure you really know what you want.

Reinforce your thoughts by writing them down in the present tense - in the positive!

No negatives. Not even a double negative!

Positive words only. For example, write ‘I have a new job’, not ‘I don’t want to work here anymore’. Positivity only!

If you had a fairy godmother or her wand, what would you wish for? How would you change your life?

Have you heard that you can have, do or be anything you want in life? It’s a message that has been flying around the internet for the last ten years, but the message has been around of centuries. The law of attraction can bring you all your heart desires: you just need to know how it works.

“Rose’s coaching - based on her wealth of knowledge, wisdom and experience - has been nothing short of life changing for me”.

James F. - Hertfordshire I always knew I could make things happen, but I had to believe whole-heartedly before they were to come true. The problem was, I had no idea how or what I was doing, so it was a hit and miss affair. What I needed were consistent results – just as you do too. So, I learnt how it all worked.

What would you change about your life if you could?

I’m sure you know that positive thinking works. Well, creating what you want in life is all done with your mind. Your mind is incredibly powerful and you can guide it. You can create everything you want - when you know how.

The secret is, it’s all about mind-set and attitude. Here are four simple keys to help you develop the mind-set that will open doors that you never knew were there.

4 keys to success Key 1. It’s the thought that counts Take a little time to decide what you really want. Not what you think you should have, or perhaps something that someone else wants.

Key 2. Feelings are everything.

Feelings are a very important part of creating what you want. We are emotional people and how we feel is everything. How do you feel when you imagine what you want? Unless it makes you feel excited, enthusiastic, happy, fabulous and confident, it’s not a good enough goal. So, go back to the drawing board.

Write down how you’ll feel when you’ll be living your dream. How will it feel to drive your new car? Can you feel the freedom and reliability that your new car will give you? How will you feel when you move into a bigger house? Can you feel the independence it will give to you and the family? Write out an affirmation: ‘I have a wonderful new job that I love. My new car is reliable and gives me amazing freedom’.

Key 3. Imagine Our imagination is very powerful. Athletes, business men, children taking exams, all use their imagination to visualize their success.

As you think – so you are. As you imagine – so you become.

than my daughter. I didn’t tell her because I knew she’d be upset. No daughter wants to leave her mother floating around Los Angeles airport alone! Remember, I create my own reality so I knew I could get on the same flight.

However, the flight was full – all 500 seats booked! And there were 38 passengers on standby. My daughter was very upset, but had to go through to immigration – but I waited!

I waited for an hour and a half, occasionally chatting to the assistant behind the check-in desk, just to remind her I was there.

Twenty minutes before departure, they started accepting the stand-by passengers. And I waited. I was the last. The woman behind the counter said to me, ‘So, what do you want?’

I replied, ‘I want to go on this flight – and (I threw in for good measure) I want an upgrade’.

I got both!

What would it feel like if you achieved your deepest desires?

So, if you have desires that are not yet fulfilled, you now have two choices… You can keep doing what you’re doing – and get the same results. Or you can decide to make a change and take steps to living a miraculous life. When I faced this choice, I went for the happier life.

Make a decision to take action now and start moving towards your dreams today.

Claim you FREE Positive Living Guide “Ten Tips for Military Wives” by clicking the link or visiting: www.rosetodd.com/Just4Her

Use the power of your imagination; think about your goal. Focus so that it conjures up feelings g that are so intense that your goal feels so real eal and you can believe you’re already living your our dream.

Key 4. Drop it!

You’ve now been through the creation process ess and the law of attraction will deliver – if you ou drop it! You must drop it - put it out of your our thoughts - otherwise the temptation to focus us on what you haven’t got or don’t want will negate all your hard work. Remember, the law aw of attraction is always going to bring you more ore of what you’re thinking and feeling.

Focusing on the end result is important. My daughter and I went to Los Angeles for a seminar. There had been a muddle with dates tes and flights, the result was that I was booked ed on a flight back to London, four hours later ter

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MIDLANDS MILITARY CATCHMENT

Law of Attraction Free – Especially for You 10 Top Tips for Military Wives Hello, my name is Jane. I created ‘MindMyMind’ because I believe that everyone should be offered the opportunity to empower themselves through complementary ways to health and wellness – “change your mind, change yourself” I may be able to help you with: Weight Management; Body Image; Hypnotic Gastric Band; Self-Esteem; Confidence; Stress; PTSD; Chronic Fatigue; Fears, Phobias and Anxieties; Panic Attacks; Exam Nerves and General Stress in Children; Behavioural Problems; Public Speaking; Stop Smoking; Addictions I am a qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Homeopath, and Psychotherapist, Master Practitioner of NLP, TFT Advanced Trainer and Health Coach. A specialist in Eating Disorders, Behavioural Change and Trauma Resolution (a member of the National Centre for Eating Disorders) In addition to individual consultations, I offer group training for self-help in some of the above therapies - to use for yourself or with your family.

www.rosetodd.com/Just4Her

Please contact me for an informal chat on 07970 687178 Email janemindmymind@aol.com

I am always able to do the school run - a real treat for my daughter - no more breakfast club! I am able to work part time hours with the prospects of a full time salary, my work life balance has never been so good.

Eve Whitmore – Franchisee. Shropshire

Develop your own business for less than £5,000!

Why you should choose Kiddleydivey • A choice of franchise – ‘Music for the Elderly’, ‘Pre-school and Young People’ or both! You decide!!!!

• Easy to use, professionally designed programmes!

• Customised, protected territory – chosen with you, for you, with more opportunities than you will need!

• No experience necessary. Full training given and, ‘start up’ equipment provided!

• Ongoing business support provided!

• Year round repeat business!

07740679054 Or visit our website:

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NIGHTS OUT with a

M u r d e r M y s t e r y Ni ght Fancy yourself as the next Poirot or Sherlock Holmes?! How about testing your detective skills at a murder mystery event?

With expert writers creating a huge selection of entertaining, captivating and intriguing plots with all manner of scenarios , no murder mystery event is the same!

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DANS LE NOIR ?

A UNIQUE DINING & TASTING EXPERIENCE “Dans Le Noir?”, or In The Dark as it translates to is said to be ‘a unique experience which will change your view of the world by reversing your perspective’. When one sense is removed, in this case sight, the others are heightened so prepare for a taste explosion!

Guided and served by blind waiters, diners can chose from 4 menu’s inspired by French cuisine including, if they’re brave enough, the surprise menu! A cross between a show and a dinner, couples and large groups come to Dans Le Noir to be entertained. Guests are advised to arrive 15 minutes before mealtime so they can enjoy a cocktail and understand the proposed dining concept with a full explanation of the ordering process. From there you will find yourself led into complete darkness, to begin your sensory experience and try to avoid the pitfalls of eating without being able to see what’s in front of you!

Where: 30-31 Clerkenwell Green, London, EC1R 0DU Website: www.london.danslenoir.com

Your role during the event is to act as an investigator - questioning the suspects, watching the incidents, and, perhaps, discovering bodies! Guests are not required to act nor to be put into teams, and fancy dress is completely optional! Actors will be amongst you at all times and the action is continuous. Bring a note pad and a pen with you to jot down everything you hear and then you can use it in evidence against the suspects!

Please visit www.murderexperts.com for more information, dates and times and prices.

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NIGHTS OUT with a

Outdoor cinema goes big in Summer 2015, as thousands of cinema-goers will pull up a blanket to watch films including Notting Hill at Kensington Palace, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves at Warwick Castle and Jaws at Brockwell Lido…

The Luna Cinema has released the dates and locations for its 2015 summer programme, running from May to October at some of the most iconic venues around the country, from Ascot Racecourse to Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Now in its seventh season, the company has expanded its reach to over 120 screenings (up from 70 last summer) and will for the first time put on a truly nationwide programme, reaching far beyond London to Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Wight, further anchoring The Luna Cinema’s position as the country’s largest producer of open air cinema events.

Their screenings follow one simple formula: a classic film on a big screen in a beautiful or prestigious setting. They use state of the art screens, digital projectors and bespoke sound equipment to provide a cinema quality visual and audio experience, but with the magic of being under the stars.

Please visit www.thelunacinema.com for more information, dates and times or to book tickets. Ticket prices range from £13.50-20 for adults and from £9 – £13.50 for children.

Proud Cabaret Brighton is brought to you by the team behind London’s Proud venues. Formerly the Hanbury Ballroom, Proud have re-opened this historic venue as a retro supper club with our luxury 3 course menu and an unrivalled burlesque, cabaret and music entertainment programme.

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Want to go out clubbing but have different music tastes to your friends? No problem! Why not head to The Shard’s Silent Disco. Grab a drink from the bar, pop on a set of headphones and dance the night away with sweeping London panoramas at your feet!

Three DJs will set up their decks in the viewing gallery on Level 69 to entertain guests with a varied musical mix including pop, RnB, dance, hip hop, and dub step.

With live performances before, during and after dinner bookings and a new host of diverse club nights, Proud Cabaret Brighton promises you an experience like no other.

Proud Cabaret Brighton offers an extensive cocktail and wine list, glamorous decor, a decadent bar, boothed seating and dancefloor to dance the night away.

As well as top-class entertainment and decadent supper club dining, we are also offering the venue for private hire events to suit all occasions. Please see attached for details of our exclusive wedding, hen night and corporate hire packages.

As London’s highest viewing platform at the top of Western Europe’s tallest building, The View From The Shard is the only place to take in over 1000 years of the capital’s history all at once.

Fridays & Saturdays 10pm – 2am. Tickets £37.50 Dates – 17 July, 25 July, 8 August, 3 September, 26 September, 10 October, 23 October, 31 October

www.theviewfromtheshard.com

Where: 83 Saint Georges Road, Brighton BN2 1EF www.proudcabaretbrighton.com 83

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MIDLANDS MILITARY CATCHMENT

AQUARAMICS HANDMADE CERAMICS

BY PAUL BURTON 23 Firs Parade, Matlock Derbyshire DE4 3AS

07875535896

Boodles dl Doodles dl

Small family run business specialising in bespoke fabric embroideries, cushions, mobile ceramics, hand-painted furniture & murals.

Business Recommendation Award Crafter of the Year 2014.

Mobile ceramics tailored to the venue of your choice.

GCSE, AS/A2 specialist tuition.

www.boodlesdoodles.co.uk

aquaramics@hotmail.co.uk

www.aquaramics.co.uk

The Mobile 3D Casting Company.

We offer a variety of 3D casting services from newborn hand and foot casts, sibling hands and/ or feet casts, family casts, engagement entwined hands and in the near future pregancy belly casts.

Contact us today for a quote or more info Based in Milton Keynes. Tel: 07889034066 info@castandpresentmemories.co.uk

www.castandpresentmemories.co.uk

DAVELEE ANTIQUES CENTRE NEWHAMPTON ARTS CENTRE, DUNKLEY ST WOLVERHAMPTON WV1 4AN Victoriana to Modern Day Collectables.

Jewellery, Ceramics, Glass, Clothing (We also buy).

Open Wednesday to Sunday 10am till 3pm Also Antique Fairs at 3 venues throughout the Midlands For details call Dave on 07830 335319

Helen Jenkins Designs Using fabric appliquĂŠ and free hand machine embroidery, I create framed pictures and cushions suitable for any occasion.

I have a range of work available on my website or I can custom make a unique commission, personal and specific to you or loved ones.

For more information contact me via email.

E-mail: hjenkins1@hotmail.co.uk Helen Jenkins Designs @hels_jenkins Blog: helenjenkinsdesigns.blogspot.co.uk www.helenjenkinsdesigns.com

honeybee natural beauty Beautiful, Handmade Spa And Skincare Products From The Heart Of Constable Country Honeybee products are lovingly made in small batches using natural plant oils, pure essential oils and natural additives. Honey and beeswax from our own hives are incorporated into many of the formulations.

www.honeybeenaturalbeauty.co.uk

The Spa Cabin Special offers every month Loyalty points system. Gi vouchers Dermalogica, O.P.I, Environ, Caci, and Jane Iredale products available

07958287312

Find us on www.thespacabin.com The Spa Cabin 84

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W

here else but at The Festive Gift Fair will you be able to buy hundreds of unique Christmas gifts, dramatic decorations, delicious food treats and trendy tipples you won't find on the High Street?

Christmas starts at the Festive Gift Fair, if it's choice you want, then this is the shopping fair for you! Browse around 325 stalls and you'll find plenty of inspiration and temptation.

With your Christmas list in hand, tick off the presents for family, friends and all your loved ones as you buy them… you won't be going home empty handed!

It’s a Busy, Buzzing Christmas Bonanza…

Festive Gift Fair is a four day frenzy for Christmas Crazies!

Don't we all love Christmas, the decorations, the presents, the feasting, AND particularly the shopping! A little forward planning is the secret to a successful Christmas!

GET AHEAD AND PUT THIS IN YOUR DIARY NOW! 4 days of fun filled Christmas shopping 12 - 15 November 85

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CITIES A TO Z

Cardiff Cardiff, Wales’ Capital city offers spectacular shopping, museums, dining and entertainment. Easy to explore on foot you can visit the free National Museum Cardiff, spectacular Cardiff Castle and see the impressive Millennium Stadium all within the city centre. Top class entertainment is on offer at Cardiff Bay with its restaurants, waterside views and Wales Millennium Centre.

TOP THINGS TO DO Wales Millennium Centre - You won’t need to ask for directions to the striking slate and steel structure of The Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay. It’s nicknamed The Armadillo due to its copper-coloured dome.

The centre hosts a huge range of concerts and performances in one main theatre and two smaller halls. It also features a number of cafes and restaurants, with regular free events creating a vibrant atmosphere.

The Millennium Stadium - Very few international sports arenas occupy a plot of land in a city centre, but this remarkable stadium really is a sight to behold both inside and out. International rugby and football is played here, as well as a variety of

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Philip Bird LRPS CPAGB / Shutterstock

Deymos.HR / Shutterstock the other sports events and major live music concerts.

Chapter Arts Centre - Established in 1971 through various fund-raising projects (including a concert by Pink Floyd), Chapter is a vibrant space hosting a large amount of events every year in three theatres, two cinemas and a gallery. Entrance is free and with two bars and a café, it creates a relaxed and sociable environment.

Cardiff Castle - The foundations of the castle date back to 50AD, and the imposing building walled with elaborate gargoyles is a 19th century gothic fantasy. It was created by renowned architect William Burges for the third Marquis of Bute, who was reputedly the richest man in the world at the time. It’s a monument to eccentricity

that should be on your must-see list.

St Fagan’s National Museum – Located in a pretty village on the outskirts of the city, the remarkable National History Museum is one of the city’s most popular attractions for visitors. Over 40 buildings, from an Iron Age Celtic village to a row of ironworkers’ houses have been painstakingly rebuilt in 60 acres of beautiful gardens, with many traditional crafts and activities taking place in front of your eyes. Don’t miss the opportunity to bag a loaf of bara brith, a delicious fruitcake from the Derwen Bake House.

The Doctor Who Experience -Join the Doctor Who Tour of Cardiff Locations and take an intergalactic fun packed bus tour of the locations in the Welsh capital

where much of it has been filmed since the show’s return in 2005. Runs every Saturday from April to October. The 4 hour Doctor Who Tour takes in over 20 locations in and around Cardiff such as where the rift cracked open, Amy Pond’s village, Rose Tyler’s workplace as well as sites from spin off shows – Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

FEELING PECKISH? Ed Gilbert of award-winning Cardiff foodie blog Gourmet Gorro (www. gourmetgorro.blogspot.co.uk) selects his favourite spots for lipsmacking victuals – try small roast coffee, super fresh Italian pasta and moist, fruity Welshcakes… continued over page >> 87

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Fish at 85 - They don’t just cook fish here at their nice little spot on Pontcanna Street, they also supply it to some of the UK’s top restaurants and the Royal household.

If you needed convincing further, picking your fish to be cooked from the ice filledcounter which runs the length of the place leaves you in no doubt about the freshness of what you’re about to eat. Possibly the best lemon sole I’ve ever tasted and the scallops and crab were similarly spectacular. www.fishat85.co.uk Fabulous Welshcakes - The shop’s called Fabulous Welshcakes – and there are no issues here with trading standards.

These little beauties are served warm off the bakestone at this friendly shop on Mermaid Quay down in the Bay. As well as the traditional ingredients of flour, butter, sultanas, caster sugar and mixed spice, special varieties introduce marzipan or dark chocolate and orange. www.fabulouswelshcakes.co.uk Purple Poppadom - Chef Anand George is a bit of a local celebrity and he elevates comforting Indian dishes to the levels of fine dining here at his funky eatery in Canton. Spicing is refined, dishes are delicately plated and all really beautifully presented. The service is genial yet slick too. www.purplepoppadom.com The Plan - Coffee is elevated to the status of king in this lovely indie café. Bean variety, growing region and tasting notes are always included and the shop is headed up by one of the UK’s top baristas. Smooth, carefully crafted cups of roasted richness – perfect for taking a breather from shopping in the Morgan Arcade. Breakfasts are pretty good too. www.theplancafe.co.uk Casanova - You won’t find old clichés like

spag bol at Casanova. How about slow roast pork belly with black pudding, lentils, baked apple and rosemary oil? All the veg, meat and fish are sourced locally whilst oils, wines and salamis are bought direct from suppliers in Italy. Casanova probably does just fine on word-of-mouth recommendations but they deserve a far higher profile. For the kind of food they really eat in Italy, head for Quay Street. www.casanovacardiff.co.uk Potted Pig - Pared back British cooking, an atmospheric bank vault setting and a dangerously broad selection of gins make this one of Cardiff ’s hottest tickets at the moment. Unctuous duck hash, succulent steaks paired with the finest chips I’ve ever eaten, top drawer slow roast Hereford pork belly with baked carrots and greens were just some of the dishes I loved here. www.thepottedpig.com

PLACES TO S TAY The St David’s Hotel & Spa - Global award winning and the only AA rated 5 star luxury hotel in Cardiff, The St. David’s Hotel & Spa is located on the stunning waterfront of Cardiff Bay and is one of the very finest hotels in Cardiff.

Havannah Street, Cardiff, CF10 5SD www.thestdavidshotel.com B&B at Llanerch Vineyard - Llanerch Vineyard is a unique and tranquil treasure nestling in 22 acres of beautiful countryside in the Vale of Glamorgan. Situated just minutes away from the M4, offers the perfect get away retreat just 15 minutes from the centre of Cardiff.

Hensol,Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, CF72 8GG www.llanerch-vineyard.co.uk The Angel Hotel Cardiff - One of the favourite historical hotels in Cardiff,

The Angel Hotel is a beautiful Victorian landmark in the capital of Wales. Ideally located near the centre of Cardiff, the hotel is perfect for holidays and short breaks in Cardiff and South Wales Castle Street, Cardiff, GF10 1SW www.thehotelcollection.co.uk Holiday Inn Cardiff City Centre Located in the heart of the city, overlooking the Millennium Stadium and Cardiff Castle.

Within walking distance of the beautiful arcades, National Museum or take the water taxi to Cardiff Bay. Castle Street, Cardiff, CF10 1XD www.ihg.com/holidayinn Mecure Holland House Hotel & Spa - Mercure Holland House Hotel & Spa is situated in a prime location within minutes of the shopping district and the Millennium stadium, blending urban sophistication and ultra modern styling with exceptional levels of luxury and service.

24-26 Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 0DD www.mercure.com Dexby Townhouse - This new boutique guest house is in the heart of cardiff offers luxury accommodation, Dexby town house is a lovely victorian building just outside the heart of Cardiff.

126 Cathedral Road, Cardiff, CF11 9LQQ www.dexbytownhouse.co.uk

SHOPPING Cardiff has worked hard to earn its reputation as one of the top ten shopping destinations in Britain. It’s a fresh, 21st century shopping experience featuring many of the high street’s most popular names across a spacious 1.4million square feet. Big brands include the Apple Store, as well as fashion retailers like Hollister, Warehouse, L.K. Bennett and Monsoon.

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St Davids Shopping Centre - John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams have major stores in the heart of the city at the St David’s Shopping Centre and there are eating places galore. Independent operators nearby, like Coffee Barker and the characterful Restaurant Minuet are also worth seeking out.

Bute Park

Grand Victoria Arcades - The new blends superbly with the old. Cardiff Market has traded in one guise or another since the 1700s and the striking glass-roofed Victorian structure it has inhabited for the past couple of centuries features some of the capital city’s most-loved butchers and fishmongers, as well as an array of traditional sweetshops and bakers.

There are six Victorian arcades in Cardiff, offering an intimate environment for shoppers who enjoy an alternative to the well-trodden path of the high street. The Castle Quarter is made up of High Street Arcade, Duke Street Arcade and Castle Arcade. These are historic structures full of vintage clothes stores, craft shops and coffee shops.

Just a short stroll away is The Royal Arcade, Wyndham Arcade and Morgan Arcade, full of clothes shops, jewellery stores and eating places. While there are just too many great places to list, it is worth noting that Morgan Arcade is home to a genuine Cardiff institution. Spillers Records first opened its doors in 1894, making it the oldest record shop in the world.

Capitol Shopping Centre - The pleasure of shopping in Cardiff city centre is that it is largely pedestrian, covering an area that is a comfortable stroll, rather than an exhausting marathon. Queen Street has an array of retail giants, flanked by the Queens

Fact - Cardiff doesn’t like to brag about its weather. But the truth is, it gets around 10 percent less rain than the average for Wales, and almost 10 percent more hours of sunshine. It all helps!

Arcade. Hobbs, Jaeger, MAC and Fat Face are among the stores occupying the Capitol Shopping Centre .

Cardiff Bay - Away from the city centre there are numerous independent clothes stores, restaurants and bars that are worth visiting. It’s also worth heading down to the

waterfront to Mermaid Quay, which has become a vibrant cultural centre, thanks to the nearby Millennium Centre. If you want to come and watch Cardiff at play after hard day’s retail therapy, settle yourself in one of the many eating and drinking places overlooking Cardiff Bay.

A GREEN CITY The city has over two thousand acres of parkland, making it widely recognised as the greenest capital city in Europe. Bute Park is a stunning stretch of public parkland featuring over two thousand trees, leading right into the heart of the city.You can even camp in the secluded Cardiff Caravan Park.

At the city end of Bute Park is Cardiff Castle, a dramatic centrepiece to the city that has to be seen to be believed. If it’s gargoyles you’re after you really have come to the right place. Although the origins of the castle stretch back as far as 50AD, much of it was rebuilt in the 19th century by eccentric architect William Burges. © Visit Wales 2015

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Linda’s Tailoring Low-cost clothing alterations & repairs.

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Andy’s

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Catering for events, large or small, including weddings and birthday parties.

I also cater for works board meetings and can provide a second unit if needed.

Buffets or a bar arranged on request.

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Hot foods include: breakfasts, steak burgers, sausages, steak rolls, kebab meat, chicken, chips and many others available on request.

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Get Thee to

By Rachel Carr of “This Is Carrt” www.thisiscarrt.co.uk Up until recently, Ghent was somewhere I simply saw as a landmark on the car journey from London back to my home in Germany.

After turning left at Calais, it’s an hour and a half drive away and, from there, just under a four hour schlep to my house in Paderborn.

However, after a passing conversation with a neighbour, Ghent came up and my neighbour asserted that it was not only similar to Brugge in style and substance, but far superior. Having fallen into chocolate induced love with Brugge before Christmas, I promised myself that I would test my neighbour’s theory as soon as possible…

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T

he Easter break afforded me such an opportunity.

My mother even signed up to my Belgian experiment. With a view to emulating Thelma and Louise, we decided to drive from her house just outside London and catch the Eurotunnel from Folkestone. As ever, the Eurotunnel was quick and efficient. Thelma and I turned up at 9ish, bought coffees and got on the 09.50 which left at an unusual tardy time of 09.54.

Two hours later we were in Ghent.

Unusually for a Carr’s car, there were no navigation or traffic issues. Thus, the journey took five hours door to door, with minimal stress and with the added bonus of Spring sunshine. The door we ended up at in Ghent, was the one of Hotel Harmony. Thelma’s organisational skills, always far superior to mine, found this little four star gem. The central location was stunning due to its canal frontage and the staff hospitable and friendly.

The concierge told us to make use of the midday sunshine and have lunch outside at one of the brasseries on the banks of the canal - either the road called Graslei or Korenlei on the other side. It was an excellent suggestion and we ended up at a place called De Mitte Leeuw. Mum chose best by playing safe and ordering a huge goats cheese salad, I lost by trying the local chicken stew called Waterzooi.

I could see that this could be a delicious dish, but my chicken was dry and the broth was otherwise bland. The scenery and strong beer more than made up for an edible, though over priced, dish.

From lunch, we ambled around a handful of the many churches and cathedrals that Ghent has to offer. Having studied art history at university, I have been to a lot of churches and read about even more.Yet I was still overwhelmed by the sheer amount of them in this Belgian city as well as their size. The three that we visited, Sint Michielsplein, Sint Niklaaskerk and Sint Baafskathedraal are all within 300 meters of each other

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and all worth a look at the very least. I found them all to be visually stunning. The cathedral has two extra pulls for an art loving tourist - the altar piece ‘the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’ and a Rubens that is ‘in situ’.

After totting up churches, the mothership and I meandered back to nearer our hotel through the very pretty streets. It is hard not to get a stiff neck walking around Ghent - my eyes were always pointed up looking at the intricate pointed rooftops. The shops within them were unfortunately closed as it was a Sunday. From outside, however, there seemed to be lots of interesting little design stores, chocolate shops and artisan retailers. I was disappointed not to be able to go inside, my wallet perhaps not.

However, given the sun, the streets were still busy with locals and tourists alike. The mothership and I found a place to take a load off outside Gravensteen, the Castle of the Counts, which was another impressive backdrop. We later went inside which was interesting, although perhaps not worth the €9 entry.

Slightly too dear prices seem to be the order of the day in Ghent. One does seem to pay for the beauty of the town, much like Brugge. A weekend to Ghent will certainly not be cheap, but that seems, to me, to be one of its only drawbacks.

The town is simply beautiful. The food and beer can be a gastronomic treat and the journey time short (a massive plus for me).

Importantly, in terms of my mother’s and my experiment, in comparison to Brugge, Ghent is lesser known so doesn’t suffer the crowds quite so badly. However, I must, in an effort to to make this a fair test, say that I visited both towns at incomparable times.

Seeing Brugge the weekend before Christmas was perhaps always going to make the streets busier than Ghent on a random Sunday afternoon in April. That being said, Ghent is a Flemish masterpiece that makes for a fantastic weekend away.

I could not recommend it enough.

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Would you like to see your article published?

Just for Her are looking for interesting and relevant articles about the Service community…

If you have something you have written, ideally with pictures too, then please send your articles into mail@forcespublishing.co.uk.

JustHer for

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or 07903 076223 94

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doortothehimalayas.co.uk Tibetan singing bowls Pure Pashmina Stoles Meditation Shawls Handloom Blankets Ethically sourced, individually hand-crafted items by rural artisans across the Himalayas

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Wolverine triplets finally emerge from their den…

M

eet Sunshine, Liv and Gutt - the Park’s new Wolverine cubs. After spending approximately nine weeks hidden away in their den, the rare cubs are beginning to venture out and explore their new woodland enclosure under the watchful eye of parents Sarka and Sharapova.

Cotswold Wildlife Park made history in 2012 as the first collection in the UK to successfully breed Wolverines (Gulo gulo) in captivity. These new arrivals are Sarka and Sharapova’s second litter and are testament to the Park’s excellent European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).

Only around eighty Wolverines are believed to exist in captivity worldwide and breeding is notoriously difficult with this species, so the new cubs are encouraging news for future generations.

Keepers were unsure exactly how many cubs had been born until mother Sharapova started bringing the youngsters out of the den. Jamie Craig, Curator of Cotswold Wildlife Park and member of the EEP committee for Wolverines, commented: “Once the female enters her den, we are pretty confident that the kits have arrived.

She is an excellent mother, only leaving the kits for very brief periods to eat and drink.

Once the kits are old enough, she will allow them out to investigate their surroundings but always under her vigilant eye. We were delighted to be the first UK collection to breed this species and in many ways, it is even more rewarding to repeat our success.”

The tiny kits are born blind and covered in white fur with a pungent waxy substance on their pelage. This acts as a great defence against predation while the kits are vulnerable*.

A Wolverine’s start in life is a unique one. Adult females have a fascinating reproductive strategy known as embryonic diapause or delayed implantation. The embryo does not immediately implant in the uterus, but is maintained in a state of dormancy which allows pregnant females to fine-tune births and wait for the best possible conditions. Reproduction is hugely energetically expensive for any animal. If the environmental conditions aren’t able to support a female through the intense

periods of pregnancy and nursing, it makes no sense to put energy into giving birth to young that may not survive. Diapause can last up to ten months in Wolverines.

FACT FILE * Wolverines possess one of the most powerful bites per square inch of any mammal. * During the 19th century, Wolverines completely disappeared from southern Europe, mainly due to persecution.

They were protected by law in 1969.

Fortunately, they managed to survive in the most remote upland areas of Finland, Norway and Sweden. * The Wolverine is the world’s largest terrestrial mustelid. * Their scientific name, Gulo gulo, comes from the Latin word gulo, which means “glutton”. * Wolverines are creatures steeped in folklore and myth. Indian mythology believes they are a link to the spirit world. In North Amer ica, they are also known as the “Indian Devil”. * John James Audubon, an Amer ican ornithologist and naturalist, described them as being “one of the greatest gormandizers among the brutes” (The Viviparous Quadrapeds of North Amer ica, 1846).

WWW.COTSWOLDWILDLIFEPARK.CO.UK @CotsWildTweets www.facebook.com/cotswoldwildlifepark

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Reader Offer

S Suzy & Dave from Paint Me Ceramics Hunstanton have been kind enough to offer all readers of Just for Her ‘Buy One Get One Half Price’* Whilst in Hunstanton pop in and visit. They have a huge selection of different items to paint, from tiles, to money boxes, plates to plant pots, the list is endless.

Decopatch and acrylics are also available as a take home on the day option. They offer plenty of seating and a separate ‘Party Room’ so ‘dropping in’ is usually fine. If you’re a large party we advise you call them on 01485 534340 and book as they do get very busy in the summer holidays.

Feel free to check them out on and follow them on

Buy one get one HALF PRICE

nettisham Park is a busy working farm consisting of 329 acres. One of its highlights is the unique and amazing tractor and covered trailer Deer Safari ride where you can get up close to the friendliest deer in the UK. This 45 minute round trip takes you into our deer park and enables you to hand feed a spectacular herd of over 60 hinds plus the awesome stags. You will receive live commentary throughout and enjoy the parks rich and amazing wildlife plus learn about the crops we grow as you go. If you are lucky you might see the deer swim across the lake.

During deer calving months of May, June and July you will be able to see beautiful spotted calves. During the summer the stags grow their new antlers ready for the rutting season towards the end of September.

Activities include bottle feeding our lambs, collecting and grading freshly laid eggs, pony grooming, friendly goats to feed, watching our young calves being fed, guinea pig and rabbit cuddling. There are also pony rides during the school holidays for children.

Younger visitors will be able to enjoy our Young Drivers activity - a chance for budding farmers to practise their tractor driving skills on our pedal tractor track. They can also burn off energy on our play area.

The Visitor Centre is the welcoming hub of your visit. Here you will find the tearoom - light airy space where you can treat yourselves to delicious home-baking, fresh coffee and much more... On sunny days you can sit our on the terrace and enjoy the splendid views across the Norfolk countryside.

Special Events include Sheep Dog Trials, Sheep Shearing and evening Deer Safaris and BBQ events. For more details on these events see website www.snettishampark.co.uk or telephone the visitor centre on 01485 542425.

Win a Family Ticket! *Cheapest item half price.

Only one item half price per booking.

Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Valid during 2015 season only.

To be in with a chance to win one of the 2 Family Tickets we have available please answer the following question:

How long does the Deer Safari Trip take?

Send your entries to: competitions@forcespublishing.co.uk and include your name, address and telephone number so you can be contacted.

Closing Date: 5th August 2015

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H

andmade in Britain are delighted to announce their collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew for the launch of Handmade at Kew, a new international consumer event for contemporary crafts which will take place from the 8 – 11 October 2015 at the prestigious UNESCO world heritage site, Kew Gardens, London.

THE EVENT The launch of Handmade at Kew offers an exciting and unique alternative to the high street in a luxury shopping experience with added value. The show is a special chance to buy directly from individual makers and galleries in an inspiring location and discover the stories behind the exquisite work of the world’s most talented craftspeople. Over 150 extraordinary designermakers will showcase work across all disciplines including: ceramics, jewellery, fashion & textiles, glass, paper, furniture, metalwork, sculpture and interior accessories. The show is an opportunity to shop for high quality, handcrafted products with provenance and covetable, original objects which reflect tradition, heritage and integrity.

THE LOCATION Perfectly located at the prestigious Kew Gardens in picturesque West London; the work exhibited will complement the surroundings of this iconic world heritage site. The unique outdoor format of the event will allow visitors to enjoy the gardens and show content to the full.

THE ORGANISERS This unique collaboration between Handmade in Britain and Kew Gardens is supported by Crafts Magazine and draws on a wealth of event experience within the sector and an extended network of supporters, advisors and partnerships to deliver an exciting new addition to the craft calendar.

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MIDLANDS MILITARY CATCHMENT

Scentsy is a safe alterna ve to flame candles. Our electric warmers are stylish, simple and safe and the specially formulated wax you warm in them smells amazing! Over 80 fragrances available. No soot, no flame and no worries! Want to find out more about the products then contact me today for more informa on or to host a party and earn free and half price products either in person or online, the choice is totally yours.

How The Scentsy System Works

The Scentsy starter kit (contents may vary)

Are you looking for a new challenge this summer? Looking to earn some money for Christmas, pay some bills or save for that dream holiday. Whatever your reason I am looking for motivated people to join my team. Scentsy is growing here in the UK and elsewhere in the world and now is a great time to get started.

Join for just £85 (+£9 p&p) and receive a starter kit that contains all you need to get your business going.

Earn commissions of up to 30% (when you qualify for the monthly sales award) You can also earn generous bonuses and awards as well as earning All-expenses-paid trips.

I would love to help you get started with your own home based business. The thing I love the most is I can

Plug in!

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take Scentsy with me wherever I go, ideal for military families.

Claire Tilley • https://clairetilley.scentsy.co.uk Email: claire@scentofthesouth.co.uk • Tel: 07749 272496 It is illegal for a promoter or participant in a trading scheme to persuade anyone to make a payment by promising benefits from getting others to join a scheme. Do not be misled by claims that high earnings are easily achieved.

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ISSUE 6

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