Woman & Home

As you’ll know by now, woman&home is passionate about celebrating women. And in this issue, we’ve really dialled up our coverage of those who inspire and amaze us. First, we are celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale b

LYNDA LA PLANTE CBE trained for the stage before becoming a TV actress. She then turned to writing novels, screenwriting (Widows) and producing. On p65 she shares memories of meetings with criminals to make sure her thrillers were accurate. What’s y

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CATHERINE WESTWOOD EXECUTIVE EDITOR Miranda McMinn GROUP LIFESTYLE DIRECTOR Geoffrey Palmer GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR Phil Attaway GROUP CHIEF SUB EDITOR Emma Badger LIFESTYLE DIRECTOR Jayne Marsden GROUP FASHION DIRECTOR Paula Mo

Your article The Reason we put Animals First (February) made my heart ache. Yet it also cheered me up to know there is such inspirational kindness to animals in the world. These women deserve our support. More animal stories, please. Ruth Short, by

Created by dermatologists to de-flake, decongest and nourish, this scalp scrub is refreshing to use and smells great. Monpure Clarifying Scalp Scrub, £63 This contains aloe vera juice and strength-building amino acids to hydrate hair without heavine

Woodland walks, pottering in the garden, and being kissed by the sun’s rays all have the potential to improve our mood. Have you noticed that you tend to feel worse when cooped up inside? So, it’s no wonder that women head outdoors to heal everything

✣ WRITE A TO-DO LIST The satisfaction of getting organised and the sense of achievement when drawing a line through completed tasks is reward in itself. ✣ LIST THREE GOOD THINGS ABOUT YOUR DAY US research shows that being grateful can help you shift

FROM 19-23 MAY, Chelsea will be brimming with beautiful gardens, experts and enthusiasts. This year’s focus will be on the environment and sustainability. RHS Chelsea Flower Show manager Rose Gore Browne says, ‘Gardens and horticulture are key to hel

I enjoyed the immense happiness of reading from an early age and it has enriched my whole life, predominantly in an emotional sense, but in an intellectual one, too. I know that I am lucky – not all children grow up with books in the house, which is

Greta has become a role model for those with Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism that she was diagnosed with, aged 12. As a spectrum condition, it affects people differently, but can cause problems with communication and also lead to obsessions. In

When did you first appear on television? It was on The Big Breakfast in its heyday at Dublin Castle for St Patrick’s Day – a teenage me was in an Irish dancing costume. It was the first time I’d seen how TV was made, so it was madness, but I also th

The most valuable lesson that I learned from my sons when they were young was that they didn’t want to listen or be taught by me, but they did want to play with me. So I created fun games that did the teaching for me – that way, kids are learning thr

Building up the number of friendly faces you know will enhance your life, wherever you live. ✣ If you’re new to an area, go to a charity event, join a class or sign up for a common cause that interests you. Doing something practical, like weeding a

Hilary Devey, 63, £100 million When the Dragon’s Den star and founder of freight company Pall-Ex showed her business plan to a bank manager, he patted her on the head and told her she had no chance. ‘He was a misogynist, frankly,’ she says. JK Rowl

Hard to believe it but it’s time for the Amazing Women Awards 2020. This is our chance to celebrate the brilliant women aged 50 and above who make a difference to our lives – from high-profile businesswomen and celebrities to women giving their all t

Sarah Coles, personal finance analyst from Hargreaves Lansdown, says: If you want big growth it’s worth looking at small companies and emerging markets (think Brazil), but it’s not for the faint-hearted – with big growth can come big falls. But putti

Make the most of May bank holidays by visiting stately homes, nature reserves and historic locations for less in your 60s. English Heritage slashes the cost of membership for people aged 65 and over, down to £55 a year for one, or £84 for couples (

It happened suddenly one day – my love affair was over. My world came crashing down and my life was never going to be the same again. The very thought of wearing black and navy (pretty much my entire wardrobe) just didn’t make sense any more. It was

It couldn’t be easier. Simply follow the four steps below to get in touch and submit your photos. We look forward to hearing from you! STEP 1 Go online at womanandhome.com/real STEP 2 Fill in your name and contact information. STEP 3 Upload your pho

Here at woman&home we’ll often ask what you want to see in the magazine. Increasingly the answer is ‘More women like me, please!’ And as always, when you speak, we listen – so we’ve launched REAL, an exciting initiative to champion women. Our innova

Still feeling nervous about applying? Don’t take our word for why you should send in your photos – over to real women just like you… ✢ ‘The photography was fun, and it was very refreshing to chat to like-minded people.’ Katrina ✢ ‘I would just like

I always smile when I see this picture of me with the director and as-yet unknown cast of my new TV show, Widows. When I wrote the script back in the 80s, I was still an actress, and always up for parts that Felicity Kendal seemed to have turned down

Build muscle and burn fat without hardcore gym sessions. Muscle-toning treatment EMSculpt uses electromagnetic pulses to tone arms, tummy, bottom and legs. You’ll need around four sessions, each costing around £750; cavendish-clinic.co.uk Having bun

MZ Skin Hydra-Bright Golden Eye Treatment Mask, £17 These gold-infused patches blend collagen, hyaluronic acid and seaweed to brighten, hydrate and reduce puffiness.  Kiehl’s Accelerated Clarity Renewal Ampoules, £109 for a two-week course A blend o

Pureology Shine Beach Waves Sugar Spray, £23.50 Adds texture for easy styling. Hershesons Almost Everything Cream, £10.50 Keeps a blow-dry sleek. Amika High Tide Deep Waver, £90 No need for skill with this clever tool. L’Oréal Elnett Normal Str

✢ Ermanno Scervino, £52 for 30ml, EDP The first fragrance from the Italian fashion house, created by three female ‘noses’. Neroli, tuberose and cashmere wood make a classic, feminine blend. ✢ Lancôme La Vie est Belle Intensément, £60 for 30ml, EDP

✢ Gold harper hair clip, £10 aweatheredpenny.com ✢ Graduated pearl hair slides, £14 estellabartlett.com ✢ Olbia tortoiseshell slides, £15 Hush ✢ Pale pink large knot headband, £2 Primark ✢ Alya pearl cluster star hair slide, £12.50 Oliver Bon

There are two types of iron in our diets – non-heme, which comes from plant sources, and heme, which is animal-based. ✢ Heme iron is the most readily absorbed form in our diets, and can be found in meat, poultry, seafood and fish. ✢ Non-heme iron is

✢ A total of 850,000 people in the UK have some form of dementia. ✢ It is caused by diseases of the brain, resulting in a loss of nerve cells. The most common cause is Alzheimer’s disease. Other causes include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bo

This Fairtrade organic vanilla extract is the purest on the high street. Taylor & Colledge Vanilla Bean Paste, £4.50, Ocado Simply unparalleled for more than 100 years, this gloopy treat, with its rich, thick consistency, makes our bakes. Lyle’s Go

This is the yogurt our chefs use – high in protein, thick and creamy, but no fat. Fage Total 0% (100g), RRP £1.10, major supermarkets Natoora supplies fruit and vegetables to the Queen and is our go-to for unusual, regional fruits. Natoora seasonal

Enjoy a slice of cake in the renovated Midge Hall, an 18th-century gamekeeper’s cottage that stands atop the Falling Foss waterfall. Cast your mind back to the stories of your childhood and step inside the Helmsley Walled Garden, which features in th

Writing about relationships, bestselling novelist Sarah Morgan now has more than 80 contemporary romance novels to her name. Her latest, Family for Beginners (£7.99, HQ), focuses on second chances. Ideas often come to me at inconvenient moments. Fo

I first read this when I was nine and it terrified me. We’d just moved into a Victorian house, where my bedroom was in the attic. I was convinced Bertha Mason lived in the box room and would set fire to me each night. The ‘mad woman in the attic’ is

Comfort food for your ears, these 10-minute podcasts are easy culinary inspiration. Hosted by Jenni Murray and Jane Garvey, their guests are experts on the low-down on making tasty dishes. Yum! BBC Sounds, Apple Stitcher Enjoy cosy chats galore as

With the weather perking up, we’ve found festivals and family days out that all ages will enjoy over Easter and beyond. April is tulip time and Arundel Castle in West Sussex has one of the best displays in the country, with 60,000 in bloom for its An

Opera aficionados flock here, set in stunning gardens just outside Brighton. There will be six operas including the Dialogues des Carmélites by Poulenc, starring Danielle de Niese and directed by Barrie Kosky. There’s also the return of John Cox’s st

✢ Nine nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation at hotels in Cape Town (3 nights), Stellenbosch (1), Mossel Bay (2), Albertinia (2) and Hermanus (1), plus two nights on the aircraft ✢ Four lunches and three dinners ✢ A spectacular whale-watching cruis

The big full moon on the 7th brings something to light and from the 13th you’re reviewing finances or pondering value in another way. As those L’Oréal ads say, you’re worth it.  Relationships face a testing time, yet revolutionary Uranus helps you m

Ready for a major rethink? It concerns a relationship with a girlfriend or lover, your image or money. Between now and late June, Venus in Gemini instigates a review. It’ll be useful, so do your research. Call 0905 789 4152* and choose weekly, month

Once the hat comes off, rescue flat roots by nipping to the loo and tossing your head upside down. Get your hands right into the roots and shake your hair to release it a bit. A sprinkle of volumising powder on your fingers helps if you can squeeze i

Big occasions can be weekend-long affairs these days. If you’ve got weary skin and a morning-after brunch to attend, try a hard-working face mask by brilliant new British brand Faace. Tired Faace, £19.50, is a lovely and cooling gel formula, and the

1 Stand or walk around for at least 10 minutes every hour. Many fitness trackers will alert you when you haven’t moved in the past 60 minutes. 2 Keep a note of when you sit/stand and for how long (and where), to get an idea of your sitting time. 3

‘Tiredness that persists and causes anyone to fall asleep during the day, especially if they snore loudly, may be a sign of sleep apnoea,’ says Dr Norton. ‘It can cause an increased risk of high blood pressure and heart problems, so see your GP.’ ■

Before my life-changing diagnosis two years ago, I was ignorant about the impact of dementia. I presumed it was memory loss that only affected elderly people. Things unravelled after a routine visit to the GP. I’d gone about a sore ear, but I couldn

The answer is yes, if you’re very lucky. Overall, at least 20% of people in the UK suffer from hay fever, and the country ranks joint top with Sweden for having the most hay fever sufferers in the world. Hay fever typically starts in late childhood o

They have similar names, but they are actually very different. Normally, the muscles in the wall of the bowel work in a co-ordinated way, pushing food residue along smoothly towards the anus. In IBS this doesn’t happen; some muscles contract and othe

Q I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, and my chemo and radiotherapy was completed in December. I was really tired during my treatment, but my energy levels haven’t improved. I’m taking tamoxifen, so could that be why? I’m supposed to take i

✢ Choose furniture in natural and painted wood. ✢ Fill jugs, vases and jam jars with a mix of faux and fresh flowers. ✢ Layer up cushions on beds, sofas and armchairs for a cosy spot to relax. ✢ Go for direction task lighting such as anglepoise lamps

These eco utensils are made from 35% recycled wheat fibre, which is completely compostable. Organic kitchen utensils, £3 each, Viners These battery-powered ivory wax candles look just like the real thing. TruGlow LED Taper Candles, £38.99 for 8, L

The threat of global warming could wipe out vineyards. So look out for wineries that are stepping up to tackle the climate crisis. New Zealand winery Yealands is going for an 80% cut in carbon emissions by 2045 – we’ll drink to that. Its stockists ar

From the author of The Sober Diaries comes Clare Pooley’s first novel, which introduces us to a group of intriguing characters – and none of them are quite what they seem. Flamboyant artist Julian Jessop is stricken with guilt about his past. Wanting

Imagine a world where every child’s potential is determined by a standardised measurement – their Q quotient. In this shocking and powerful dystopian novel, children not reaching their full potential are pushed to the edges of society. When Dr Elena

Remember the ‘coughing major’ who tried to cheat his way to a million on a TV show? This drama tells how Charles Ingram (Matthew Macfadyen), wife Diana (Sian Clifford) plus an accomplice, tried to win Who Wants to Be A Millionaire? ITV Enjoying lots

Ricky Gervais returns as local newspaper reporter, Tony, who’s still grieving his wife’s death, but he’s now trying to be a better friend. Penelope Wilton and David Bradley are among the returning cast. Netflix The celebrated naturalist and broadcast

✢ Full of wit, Victoria Wood’s debut play, Talent, which was first performed in 1978, will be staged at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre. 26 Jun-18 Jul; sheffieldtheatres.co.uk ✢ Festival of Voice – Wales Millennium Centre’s flagship international arts f