Binder1

good to know
editor Sarah Jagger
Loyalty
does pay!
Christmas shopping is the ideal time
to get the most from loyalty cards and
make your points go further, says money
Tesco Clubcard
Earn one Clubcard point per £1 spent
either in-store or online, or one point
per £2 spent on Tesco fuel. Each point
is worth 1p if spent in-store and up to
4p if redeemed using Tesco Clubcard
reward vouchers, depending on which
product you choose. For example,
£10 worth of points can be turned
into a £40 Café Rouge voucher. You
need a minimum of 150 points to
receive vouchers.
Loyalty boost: Increase your
earning power with either a Tesco
credit card (0.25 points for every £1) or
mobile phone (£1 per point).
n Sign up in-store or find out more at
https://secure.tesco.com/clubcard
Points make presents
What to buy with your loyalty points
Boots Advantage Card
Earn points every time you buy
in-store or online. The standard rate
is four points for every £1 (equal to
4p). However, if you’re aged 60 or
over, joining More Treats for Over
60s (www.boots.com/over60s)
gives you a whopping ten points
for every £1 you spend on Boots’
own-brand items, plus perks such
as 25 per cent off a first pair of
prescription glasses. You can only
use your points if the amount
you’ve collected covers the cost of a
complete item.
Loyalty boost: You can’t boost
the value of points, but register your
card to take advantage of events
such as triple points’ promotions.
n For more info visit www.boots.com/
advantagecard
Nectar
Earn points with more than 500 brands
including Sainsbury’s, BP, British Gas,
eBay and www.ao.com. The amount of
points varies, but at Sainsbury’s you get
one point for every £1 spent. One point
is worth 0.5p – so 500 points is worth
£2.50 off your shopping. Boost value
with ‘double-up’ promotions where you
exchange points for vouchers worth
twice their usual value for spending
on days out, meals and magazine
subscriptions. Get a free Café Nero
coffee with 350 points. Nectar holders
can also enjoy 20-50 per cent off
concerts and train tickets.
Loyalty boost: Get more points by
paying with Sainsbury’s Nectar Credit
Card to earn 2 points per £1 spent instore
and on fuel.
n Visit https://www.nectar.com/login
The Eden Project adult entry is £8
worth of Tesco Clubcard vouchers,
compared to £27.50 cash entry
Treat a loved one to a No7 Perfect Lift
gift for £30 (3,000 Boots Advantage
points) – and claim
120 points for
yourself
Buy an English Heritage annual
membership for 7,500 Nectar points
(£37.50) – usually £54 (£46 for a senior)
pics: alamy stock photo, shutterstock. information
correct at time of writing
Source: MoneyComms.co.uk
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
67

in
We meet the
courageous fire
investigation pooches
who, kitted out in their
protective booties, are
lending an invaluable
helping paw to the
fire service
By Katharine Wootton
When the phone call
comes in to retired
firefighter Mike
Shooter from the
police or fire brigade
that there’s been a fire that needs to be
investigated for potential arson, his first
port of call is to look for his dog.
Etta has been taught Once he’s found Etta the black
to sniff out liquids
which are known to Labrador – who’s usually busy
be used to start fires eating – it’s time for Mike to don
his hard boots and firefighting
gear while Etta quietly lets him
put on her protective rubber
Velcro booties. Then off they trot
to get down to some life-changing
work, investigating some of the
most devastating fire scenes,
These boots are made
for walking: Etta, Sox and
Aston, ready for action
Hero dogs
boots!
sometimes just hours after the blaze
has cooled down.
Mike and Etta are part of K9FI, a
not-for-profit community interest
company set up by Mike and fellow
firefighter Jon Willingham in 2014
after hearing about the benefits of fire
investigation dogs elsewhere in the
country. Now, Mike and Etta, along
with Mike’s younger dog Sox and Jon’s
spaniel Aston, assist dozens of fire
scenes around the country to rule in or
out the possibility of arson, murder or
insurance fraud.
While these pooches are just
ordinary pets, their natural personality
matched with six weeks’ training
makes them valuable assets in
identifying deliberate fire-starting,
resulting in prosecutions.
“The dogs have to be stubborn and
bold because you want them to be able
to use their own mind and not keep
looking to you for reassurance. They
also need to be totally toy-obsessed,”
laughs Mike.
This is because the training of these
dogs revolves around a dog’s best
friend – a tennis ball.
“When training, we use 12 little flour
shakers, one of which will contain
a tennis ball. When the dog’s nose
touches the shaker with the tennis
ball we use a clicker and throw them
another ball. Then when they get the
idea of the game, we add a bit of petrol
to the ball so they realise when they
smell this smell, they need to freeze
and put their nose on it and they get a
reward. As far as they’re concerned, it’s
all a big game.”
As training steps up, the dogs are
taught to react to 12 common liquid
accelerants which could be used to
start a fire, although often they’ll be
able to pick up many more.
Once training is done and the dogs
are qualified, it’s time for them to start
the job for real as they hunt down the
smell of liquid accelerants.
“Fires are pretty devastating
things and the blackness of a burnout
absorbs light, making it a totally new
experience for the dogs, with lots of
different smells. But like an athlete, the
more the dogs train, the better they get
and the more confident they become in
different situations.”
While Mike and Jon never ask
their dogs to go into somewhere they
wouldn’t consider safe enough to go
themselves, sometimes these pooches
find themselves in situations many
ordinary dogs would run a mile from.
“The bigger dogs who can’t be
carried up a ladder with us sometimes
have to go into high buildings in a
special harness and pulley, so it’s
important to have dogs that are not
easily stressed.”
‘Over half of all UK fires
are started deliberately. If
we can use our dogs to get
more arson prosecutions
hopefully that may change’
The dogs must also venture into
buildings that, as is the case with most
fire scenes, are strewn with upturned
nails and broken glass, hence why they
wear their cute protective booties to
protect the pads of their feet.
The boots come in all different sizes
and are made to the measurements
of each specific dog. They cost an
eye-watering £70 a set and every
dog gets several sets to avoid crosscontaminating
scenes as they go from
one job to another. However, Mike
real life
reveals he’s yet to win his dogs over on
their fashionable footwear.
“The dogs really don’t like wearing
them and sometimes they’ll go out in
the garden and try to pull them off. I
often have to tease them with a tennis
ball to make them forget about what
they’ve got on their paws, but it is for
their safety.”
Since it’s been established,
K9FI has helped solve a number of big
cases, including a recent prosecution
of double murder where his dogs
seized upon the incriminating scent
that proved a fire had been started
deliberately.
But when they’re not raking through
burnt buildings, the dogs also play
a role educating youngsters in the
community.
“We work with children who are
obsessed with fires and use the dogs
as a way of communicating with them.
We tell them how dangerous fires are
and that if a fire is caused deliberately,
I would have to send my dog into that
dangerous situation. So far, we’ve had
lots of success in getting through to
youngsters with this.
“Over half of UK fires are started
deliberately so it’s a massive problem
that costs the economy more than
£1bn as well as blighting lives. Yet the
prosecution rate is very low for arson.
So if we can use our dogs to get more
arson prosecutions – as
well as educating children
– hopefully we might start
dissuading more people
from starting fires.”
n To find out more about
K9FI visit www.k9fi.co.uk
Jon, Mike and the dogs
have solved a number
of fire-related cases
20 YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT 21
PICs: patrick boyd

looking good
toolkit
Keep skin in tip-top condition with
our advice and beauty buys, says
Beauty Editor, Michelle Nightingale
36
Your
winter
skin
We all switch
to our winter
clothes without
thinking when it
gets cold but do you adjust your
skincare, too. “Colder weather can
often be a shock to the skin and
maintaining its protective barrier
function can be more of a challenge,”
explains Nivea skincare expert
Dr Sven Untiedt.
“As we constantly drift between
hot and cold temperatures,
skin loses essential water,
resulting in skin that feels
tight and dry.
“Consuming plenty of water
is just as important in the
winter as it is in summer,”
says Dr Sven. “Eight glasses
of water a day is a good
guide, but try eating
foods with a high water
content such as cucumber,
watermelon and tomatoes.”
These simple lifestyle
changes can help, but
adjusting your skincare routine
is really important too.
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
Cleanse kindly
If your cleansing routine is
a little hasty, then now’s the
time to switch to a gentler
cleansing routine.
“During the colder months
choose a cream or milk
cleanser as they effectively
clean the skin without causing
drying or irritation,” explains
Dr Sven.
“This doesn’t mean you
need to avoid wash-off types,
but do make sure you opt for
formulas that are gentle and
hydrating. Key ingredients to
look out for include Vitamin
E and almond oil, which can
help soothe and moisturise
the skin.”
STAR
INGREDIENT
Almond oil is packed
full of antioxidants
and skin-perfecting
vitamins and
nutrients, including
Vitamins E, A, B
and D – all essential
for youthful
skin.
Try…
n Weleda Almond
Soothing Cleansing
Lotion, £10.50/75ml.
A nourishing fragrancefree
formula to gently
remove make-up.
Add an oil
It’s easy to come to the
conclusion that face oils
should be used in place
of your usual moisturiser,
but actually oils work
best applied alongside
your moisturiser, not
instead of. Oils tend to
stay near the surface of
the skin, which means
they’re great at helping
the skin’s natural barrier
function, but won’t
give the same deep
down and long-lasting
hydration of richer face
creams. That isn’t to say
they’re not worth using.
In fact, they’ll help skin
feel softer, smoother and
when used before your
night cream they’ll help
seal in hydration, too.
Try…
Try…
n Botanics Nourishing
Facial Oil, £11.49/25ml.
A blend of rosehip
oil, which is rich
in omegas and
essential fatty acids
to help regenerate
the skin.
Moisturise wisely
Skin that’s prone to dryness will particularly need extra hydration in cold weather. “Look for
day creams that promise 24-hour hydration, as these tend to be richer and give lasting results,”
says Dr Sven. If you find your oily skin type becomes too greasy with a rich day cream, stick to
your usual moisturiser and add a serum to your morning routine to give skin an extra boost.
n Nivea Daily
Essentials Rich
Moisturising Day
Cream, £4.09/50ml.
Perfect for dry and
sensitive skin types,
this pocket-friendly
day cream contains
anti-ageing Q10 and
almond oil.
Gently exfoliate
Exfoliating is important all year
round, but even more at this
time of year, when skin can
easily look dull. However, if
your skin is prone to sensitivity
you’ll need to use a gentle
formula and stick to just once
or twice a week.
Try…
n Urban Veda
Soothing
Exfoliating
Facial Polish,
£13.99/125ml.
Formulated
for sensitive
skin types, not
only does it
exfoliate, it also
works to nourish
and de-stress
aggravated skin.
n Super Facialist Rose Peaceful Skin
Night Cream, £14.99/50ml.
Richly nourishing with hyaluronic
acid,
rosehip
as well as
calming
cucumber
and
willow.
Top tip
Hot showers and baths can
strip the skin of essential
protective oils, causing it to
dry out quicker, so turn down
the heat and minimise
your tub time
n Botanics Long
Handled Body
Brush, £10
n Nivea Rich
Nourishing
Body Lotion,
£5.99/400ml
n No7 Protect &
Perfect Intense
Advanced
Serum,
£26/30ml.
Repairs and
protects the skin
with a proven
anti-ageing
formula.
Be body beautiful
Top tip
Dry, flaky skin can be
itchy and irritating but
Body brushing is also
most of us don’t
great for improving
apply body cream
blood circulation,
regularly. “The skin on the
and ridding the
legs is often quite dry and
body of toxins
skin dryness can often be
seen here first,” explains
Dr Sven. Banish flakes by using a body
brush daily before showering, brushing
towards your heart using long,
gentle strokes and after showering,
apply a rich body cream.
Try…
Stockists: Boots
No7, Botanics,
Eucerin, Nivea and
Super Facialist all
available from Boots 0845
070 8090; Urban Veda and
Weleda available from Waitrose
0800 188 884
Lips SOS
Licking your lips causes
them to dry and crack,
so it’s important to break
the habit. Lips don’t have
oil glands and easily dry out
so apply a hydrating lip balm
regularly. We like Eucerin’s
Dry Skin Intensive Lip Balm
(£6) with soothing liquorice
extract and Evening
Primrose Oil. It’s
brilliant!
PICs: BACKUP IMAGES, SHUTTERSTOCK, MASTERFILE

Heart attack
warning
signs
& how to cut your risk
The
pain
of a heart
attack is not
always severe
– it can just feel
uncomfortable
Women
can also
experience a
spreading pain
in the jaw, back,
neck, arms or
stomach...
The classic heart
attack sign is pain
in the centre of your
chest, between your
breasts or behind
your breastbone
...feeling sick, sweaty,
breathless, dizzy
or anxious and
lethargic (with
chest pain) can
be cause for
concern
The signs of a heart attack can
be less obvious in women.
Karen Evennett explains what to
look for and how to protect yourself
It may seem
impossible that
you could have a
heart attack and not
know it. Yet a recent
study found that the early
warning signs of a heart
attack are missed in one
in six people, and being a
woman means that you’re
less likely to notice the
tell-tale hints that
something is wrong.
“That’s usually because
we associate a heart attack
with that classic image of a
stressed-out businessman
clutching his arm,” explains
Dr Mike Knapton, Associate
Indigestion,
cold sweats, lightheadedness
and
collapse are also signs
that are often mistaken
for being something
less serious
Medical Director of the
British Heart Foundation.
Often the signs are more
subtle and if you know
what to look for, you can get
yourself treatment faster and
you’ll have a better chance of
saving your heart.
Did you know?
On average your
heart beats 100,000
times a day
It’s particularly important
that you pay attention to
your heart post-menopause.
“Before the menopause the
hormone oestrogen offers
some protection,” says Dr
Knapton. “Post menopause
your risk of a heart attack is
higher. Be extra vigilant if
you’re a smoker or have risk
factors such as high blood
pressure, high cholesterol,
obesity and diabetes.”
“The classic sign of a
heart attack is a pain in the
If in doubt, check it ouT!
If you’re getting unusual, grumbling indigestion-like
symptoms often and you’re concerned they could be to
do with your heart, your GP can refer you to a chest clinic
within two weeks to explore the underlying reason.
If you have a sudden and acute pain that you
suspect is a heart attack, or any or the symptoms
mentioned, call 999! “Taking an aspirin could help
to reduce a clot, but don’t search for aspirin. It’s more
important to make that emergency call and then rest
quietly until help arrives,” says Dr Knapton.
Did you know? Your
heart is about the same
size as two hands
clasped together
centre of your chest, between
your breasts or behind your
breastbone – but 37 per cent
of women have no chest
pain with their heart attacks,”
says Professor Sliwa,
President-Elect of the World
Heart Federation.
Spreading pain or
discomfort in other areas of
your upper body – such as
your arms, back, jaw, neck or
stomach – are also warning
signs, and one in four women
whose heart attacks have
gone unrecognised have had
these less obvious symptoms.
Shortness of breath,
unexplained weakness or
fatigue, anxiety or unusual
nervousness can also be
surprising signs. “Indigestion,
gas-like pain, cold sweats,
nausea, light-headedness and
collapse are also signs that
are often mistaken for being
something less serious,” says
Professor Sliwa.
Take note if you are feeling
sick, sweaty, breathless or
light-headed or generally
feel unwell or lethargic with
associated chest pain or
discomfort.
Women’s hearts
are different
“You have different risk
factors to men,” says Professor
Sliwa. “Women are more at
risk of developing high blood
pressure before the age of 45
than men, putting strain on
their hearts for longer, and
you’re more likely to become
obese. Women are also more
likely to take up smoking
than men. All these things are
major risk factors for heart
disease.”
Did you know?
A woman’s heartbeat is faster than a
man’s by almost eight beats a minute
stay healthy
6ways to lower
your risk
1
If you do one thing, GIVE UP SMOKING. As
a woman, even two or three cigarettes a day
double your risk of a heart attack (a man’s
risk is doubled with five or six cigarettes a day).
2Research suggests that HAPPINESS and
a strong sense of wellbeing can
have an impact on our heart health. Make a
point of doing things that will lift your mood – a
chat with a friend or watching a funny film could
boost your heart health.
3
“You should also TAKE MORE
EXERCISE. Try not to be put off if the
guidelines seem unachievable. The
recommended 150 minutes of exercise per
week can feel daunting, but do
whatever amount you can manage
– it may well spur you on to do
more. Don’t think, ‘it’s too
late for me’ – the earlier you
start improving your lifestyle
the more you will gain,” says Dr
Knapton. If you do less than one
hour’s exercise a week you have nearly a 50 per cent
higher chance of developing coronary heart disease
than a woman who does three hours a week.
4
Even if you take lots of exercise, you’ve
more than double the usual risk of a
suffering a heart attack if you’re also obese
(which means you have a BMI of 30 or more).
It’s essential to WATCH YOUR WEIGHT and a
traditional Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables,
oily fish and wholegrains, naturally includes most
of the key diet changes that will help to keep your
heart healthy.
5Women should stick to the
alcohol guidelines and drink no
more than 2 or 3 units a day (for men the
limit is 3 or 4 units). Over time, drinking too
much alcohol can put you at risk of heart attack
and stroke.
6
KNOW YOUR NUMBERS … Past the age
of 40 you’re entitled to a NHS Health
Check every five years at which your
blood pressure and cholesterol will be tested.
Speak to your GP or Practice nurse.
42 YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT 43
PICs: shutterstock

The say-it-like-it-is comedienne
and TV presenter is a real
pushover when it comes to cats
By Alison James
To her many fans, Jo
Brand is as funny as they
come yet she doesn’t
immediately spring to
mind when thinking of
a famous face to front a TV series
about our feline friends getting into
all kinds of moggy mischief.
However, it turns out that the top
cats at Channel Five have played
a blinder by casting the former
psychiatric nurse to present their
new seven-part series about just that
– called Jo Brand’s Cats and Kittens.
“I’ve always been a cat person
and, right from childhood, I’ve
always had them,” Jo tells us.
“At the moment, we have two.
A very old boy called Louis who
is 20, and Dotty, a much younger
boy. Dotty sounds like he’s genderconfused
but he’s not – it’s just that
we let our kids and our friends’ kids
name him!”
Did the programme makers
know she loved cats?
“Oh, I think so,” Jo replies.
fluffy
side!
“It would have been a bit weird if they
hadn’t – what if I turned out to dislike
them?
“What I especially like about this
show is that we focus on cats and
kittens that need rescuing and require
veterinary treatment, as well as those
that have been abandoned. In the first
episode, for instance, there’s a scared
young cat in Leeds called Lola who gets
stuck up the chimney in her owner’s
new house. She’s up there for four days,
refusing to come down and eventually,
the fire brigade is called. It’s real touchand-go
stuff.”
In addition to doing the voiceover
Jo Brand
reveals
her
for the
programme, Jo
also appears on
screen when
she witnesses
complex surgery on
a kitten at one of the
country’s busiest
animal hospitals.
“Saba the
little kitten, fell
four floors from
a balcony and
shattered her
front leg and her
pelvis,” Jo explains.
“Witnessing an operation on a badly
injured kitten certainly was never
on my to-do list. In fact, I’m rather
squeamish but I surprised myself
by coping OK and actually I found it
fascinating. But then the whole series
is so interesting – meeting all the cats,
kittens and their owners, the vets,
RSPCA officers and members of the
public who have taken rescue cats into
their homes. There’s some scientific
stuff, too – finding out just why cats are
such impressive animals.”
One of the reasons Jo is such a feline
fan is becuase of their often contrary
nature...
“It depends on the character,
obviously, but I’ve always loved
the curious mix of dependence and
independence cats have,” she says.
“You can kind of allow them to develop
their own lifestyle – you can’t do that
with dogs as they require more input.
Cats’ individual personalities are an
absorbing distraction from household
chores and answering emails. I admire
cats’ self-possession and self-assurance
‘What gets me more upset
than anything is probably
bullying. I abhor it in any
shape or form’
– from total indifference to suddenly
seeking my undivided attention – a bit
like my husband!”
On a more serious note, did Jo ever
find herself getting emotional about
the case histories featured in the series?
“Of course,” she says. “I hate it when
any animals are mistreated but not to
the point where I weep buckets. I have
a friend who gets more upset about
animal cruelty than anything else. I’m
more pragmatic and would say I get
appropriately upset.
“What gets me more upset than
anything is probably bullying. I abhor it
in any shape or form. Kids don’t stand
up to bullies often enough because
Jo with little Saba who fell
from a balcony and above,
kitties galore!
star chat
there’s this weird code
so many of them have
about not grassing
people up. “Grass-up
whoever,” I say, “Get it
out in the open.
“This applies to
adults, too. There is
bullying in so many
workplaces and I feel
it’s a real shame that
there’s a code where
you’re not supposed
to talk about it but
just get on and
manage it. We should
all be kinder to each
other – kindness is so
important.”
In addition to Jo
Brand’s Cats and
Kittens, in recent months mother-oftwo
Jo (60) has been busy presenting
Extra Slice, the Great British Bake Off
spin-off, on Channel Four. She loves
doing the show but we’re surprised to
learn that she’s not actually very fond
of cake.
“I prefer savoury stuff, although I do
have this reputation of being unable to
resist cake,” she smiles. “I think this is
because when I started out as a standup,
I’d talk about how bizarre it was
that the people advertising cake on TV
were always thin. It didn’t make sense.
I mean, if you eat lots and lots of cake,
you’ll put on weight. So, somehow,
I got this reputation of never being
able to get enough cake. Not strictly
true. That’s not to say I hate it. I have
to admit I am quite partial to a jam
doughnut and slice of Victoria Sponge.
“And don’t offer me any cake
with courgettes in it. Yuk! Why? Just
why? It’s plain wrong. Courgette is a
vegetable – it doesn’t belong in cake!”
n Jo Brand’s Cats and Kittens is on Tuesdays
on Channel 5
14 YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT 15
PICs: alamy stock photo