Binder1

Exclusive
save
up to
£35
Slim down for spring
Join Slimming World for free!
t&cs
Britain’s No.1 fortnightly
*uk only
apply
yours.co.uk
ISSUE 292
5 steps to wake refreshed every day
Guilt-free
comfort food
New Slimming
World recipes
Sleep
& feel
better
101 ways to be
a modern gran
Advicepacked
pages
✓ Homework help ✓ Top
toys ✓ Internet safety
well
BACK ON TV
Alan Titchmarsh
‘My secret to
staying healthy’
Step into
spring!
The comfy
shoes
review
from £6
WIN £500
cash!
Best
buys
for youngerlooking
hands
Free
feb 27-mar
12, 2018
£1.55
fruit trees
worth £24
*uk only. you
pay p&p

Inside
cover pic: CAMERA PRESS/Gemma Day
Real life
9 Animal Magic
12 Bus haven for
the homeless
16 ‘A housing revolution’
19 Pine martens
20 ‘My chocolate dream
came true!’
22 Mapping out a
new business
24 ‘Walter has helped us be
a family again’
Star chat
10 Cover Alan Titchmarsh
14 Sheila Hancock
138 Yours chats to Lee Mead
Your best life now!
28 Cover 15 minutes to
great health: sleep better
32 Love your gut
34 Cover Comfy shoe review
37 Ten steps to a stylish new you
40 Cover Younger-looking
hands can be yours!
Good to know
55 Cover 101 ways to be a
modern gran
61 Grans’ survey – win £100!
68 Cheaper fuel bills now
70 Yours Retirement
Services
71 Your questions answered
73 Watching the pennies
Nostalgia
46 Starting school…
49 Wartime life
Leisure time
81 Cover Slimming World
recipes and join today!
89 Brighten your
bathroom on a budget
95 Spring-flowering shrubs
98 Star-gazing breaks
101 Cumbrian marmalade festival
Your favourites
43 Meeting Place
53 Roy Hudd
77 Friends of Yours
105 Carers in touch
113 Cover FREE
blueberry plants
115 Puzzles & Cover prizes to win
129 Short story
137 Horoscopes
£5,739
of prizes
to win
this fortnight...
32
89
Soothe your
tummy with
our advice
Clever
bathroom
ideas
website
Find us at
yours.co.uk
61
Fill in our
survey –
you could
win £100!
We know from your letters that many of you are proud
grans and even great-grans. In the first of a four-part
series, 101 Ways to be a Modern Gran (p55) we’ve
collected together the best expert advice to help
you make the most of that very special relationship;
whether it’s helping little ones with homework or
bigger ones with their finances. But we want your
help too. We’re keen to find out what it means
to be a gran in 2018 and how your relationship
might be different to the one you had with your
grandparents. Turn to page 61 now and complete
our survey – there’s £100 up for grabs.
In our next issue we have even more advice on
everything from coping with toddler tantrums to
teen angst. Plus first aid that grans need
to know and great ideas for childfriendly
days out this Easter. Reserve
your copy at the newsagents now
– or better still, why not subscribe for
just £1 per issue?
(see p126).
Keep in touch...
We want to hear your news and views
Write to
Yours magazine,
Media House,
Peterborough Business Park,
Peterborough
PE2 6EA
Email
yours@bauermedia.co.uk
Welcome ...
Facebook
facebook.com/
Yoursmagazine
Sharon Reid,
Editor
24 113
The dog
changing
lives
newsletter
Sign up now at
yours.co.uk
Visit our website
yours.co.uk
Subscription query?
Call 01858 43 8884
or email bauer@subscription.co.uk
Advertising query?
Angela Whenman is here to help if you
have a query with an advert or offer in
Yours. Call 01733 468444 (Mon, Wed, Fri,
9-1pm, or leave a message at other times).
For other queries call 01733 468000.
YOURS DIGITAL EDITION
Find us at
greatmagazines.co.uk
Packed
with advice
for grans!
p55
Send for
your FREE
plants
40
Lovely soft
hands today
37
The perfect pieces
for your wardrobe
WIN £500!
Cut out three
Sammy Squirrels?
Turn to p123 and
stick them on the
coupon. You could
win £500!
– you’ll find full
details on p123.
You can still
win £100
by finding Sammy
in this issue only
– turn to p127
for how to enter!
Get Yours
for just £1
…only when
you subscribe
See page 126

£25.99, 3-9,
New Look
fashion staples
Step out in style
Comfy footwear
can be stylish. Fact.
Invest in a
stand-out coat
Yes, we’re creeping
towards warmer
weather but let’s
face it, it’s still a
way off. A midseason
coat that
you can wear now
until autumn is an
investment buy you
won’t regret.
£27.50,
6-24, M&S
£16, JD Williams
Go classic
A simple white
shirt or blouse
is a chic style
statement that
every wardrobe
should hold.
Pay attention
to detail
Polish your
style with standout
accessories.
The bolder the
better!
£60, 8-20, Wallis
£39.50,
M&S Collection
Michelle says
Balance your look. Whatever
your size, most frames will look
swamped wearing a baggy
top and loose-fitting trousers.
Instead, pair a looser
top with fitted trousers
10
steps
to a
stylish
new you
Boost your confidence
with these easy style
tips and tricks
By Fashion Editor,
Michelle Nightingale
Michelle says
Ditch anything that doesn’t fit.
We all have those items hidden away
in the depths of our wardrobes that
we wish we could squeeze
into. The rule is that if
you haven’t worn it for
a year, then you
probably never will
Stockists: JD Williams 0871 231 2000; M&Co 0333 202 0720; M&S 0333
014 8555; New Look 0344 499 6690; Wallis 0344 984 0266. Unfortunately,
we cannot guarantee availability and prices of items featured on this page
Say yes
to colour
Whether it’s a pretty
knit or bold accessories,
colour will instantly
brighten your look
and your mood
£18, 34A-40DD,
M&Co
£8, 10-20,
M&Co
Michelle says
Dress for comfort.
That doesn’t mean wearing
jogging bottoms 24/7. It
means making sure every
item you buy fits well. If
you feel uncomfortable
in whatever you’re
wearing, you’ll look it too
£35, 6-22,
M&S
Collection
Love your
underwear…
And not just those
essential t-shirt bras and
hold-everything-in
pants. Treat yourself
to a nice, flattering
(but comfortable)
underwear set
that makes you
feel good.
Show off your
best bits and
hide those bits
you dislike
Don’t like your
hips? Try a wrap
dress that skims
over your tummy,
hips and thighs,
but shows off
(or cheats) a
tiny waist.
£28, 8-22, M&Co
37

health advice
By Charlotte Haigh
If you only do one thing
for your health this year,
pay some attention to
your gut. You have a
community of bugs living in
it – called the microbiome.
Doctors used to think these
were just involved with
digestion but the latest
science shows they have an
impact on your wider health.
They play an important
role in immunity – without
good gut bugs, you’ll be
more susceptible to colds
and food poisoning. They
could also help you keep
your waistline in check
because, according to
researchers, having lots of
different healthy bacteria in
your gut makes you more
likely to be slim. Topping up
your microbiome could also
reduce your risk of heart
disease and type 2 diabetes.
How happy your gut is
also affects how happy you
are. Experts have known for
some time that the brain and
gut are connected, but the
link goes beyond anxiety
making your stomach churn.
Your gut is lined with more
than 100 million neurons
(cells that carry messages
around your body), these
pass on chemical messages
produced by your gut
bacteria all the way up to
your brain.
One study found that
eating yogurt with live
bacteria every day could
help to improve your brain
function, boost your mood
and lower anxiety. Some
scientists even predict that
‘psychobiotics’ – medicines
based on good bacteria –
could help beat depression.
So a good community
of friendly gut bacteria can
support your wellbeing –
including your digestive
system – in all sorts of ways.
Unfortunately, lots of us
lack those good bacteria
for various reasons such as
taking antibiotics, being too
clean, too much stress and
poor diet. The good news is
there are lots of steps you
can take to make your gut
– and the rest of your body –
happy and healthy.
Give your
GUT
some love!
Looking after your friendly bacteria is
about more than easing your digestion –
it could supercharge your health
Get cultured
Cultured foods, such as
sauerkraut, miso, skyr and
probiotic yogurt, contain lots of
friendly bacteria, which can help
boost your digestion as they
pass through your gut.
Try including more in your
diet. And you could look
out for a probiotic
supplement
(see panel, right).
Bulk up…
By this we mean eat more fibre, found in
fresh fruit and veg, oats, beans, pulses and
wholegrain foods. Studies have found fibre
can help feed good gut bacteria and reduce
your risk of obesity. One piece of research found
simply including 30g of fibre daily (the amount
we should all be aiming for) is the best way to
lose extra pounds.
Try adding extra fibre to meals by throwing beans or
lentils into stews and sauces, eat plenty of fresh fruit
and veg and choose brown over white when it comes to
bread, rice and pasta.
Stay regular
Keeping to a routine supports your microbiome, with
research showing irregular snacking could throw your gut
microbiome’s rhythms out – and this may also be linked to
weight gain.
Try to eat at a similar time each day and leave several
hours between each meal to give the bacteria in your
tummy a break.
Move it
Exercising helps your gut, partly
because it can ease stress. But
research suggests activity may
also have an effect on gut bacteria
– athletes have more of beneficial
gut bugs. But even moderate
exercise is digestion-friendly –
one study found women who
were active every day were less
likely to be constipated.
A daily walk can get
things moving!
Train your brain
to really relax
Stress is bad news for your
gut. But triggering
your body’s relaxation
response could help ease
both IBS and inflammatory
bowel disease (IBD)
symptoms and make your
bacteria happier according to
one study. Even if you don’t
have a specific digestive
condition, taking time to
relax is a bonus for your gut.
To relax, however you’re
feeling, sit still with your
eyes shut, breathing
down into your belly, and
repeat a soothing word in
your head, such as ‘peace’.
Mindful activities, such
as baking and gardening,
are also calming (if you
enjoy them).
Go with
your gut
Boost your levels of
good bacteria with
a supplement
Bio-Kult,
£9.25/30
capsules is
a probiotic
supplement
that’s been
shown to ease
symptoms of
IBS in studies.
Bimuno Powder,
£8.99/30
sachets is
a prebiotic
supplement that
helps to feed the
friendly bacteria
in your gut. Some
experts believe
prebiotics are even more
important than probiotics.
Biocare FOS,
£8.50/250g,
contains a
type of fibre
found in
fruit and
veg, which
feeds healthy
bacteria.
A Vogel
Molkosan,
£5.99/200ml
is a liquid
prebiotic
containing
lactic acid,
known to help
boost good gut
bugs.
All available from health
shops.
n If you take medication,
consult your doctor before
taking supplements
PICs: www.plainpicture.com, getty images, masterfile,
alamy stock photo, IStockphoto
32 YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT 33

Star
uk
struck
Look to the skies for a holiday
Welsh adventure
The Brecon Beacons is Wales’
first Dark Sky Reserve (an area
where darkness is protected).
The Stargazers Retreat – as
you might imagine – is home
to its own telescope and was
actually converted from a
stable, but is now fitted with
a kitchen, bathroom and all
the mod cons. It’s situated
three miles from Trecastle,
with views of Pen y Fan, and
nature lovers will feel right at
home thanks to its resident
bats, hedgehogs, deer and
red kites.
n Sleeps two. Short breaks from
£191, weeks from £254.
Call 01874 676446 or visit
www.breconcottages.com
that’s out of this world
While city living makes life tricky for
star-gazers, escape to the country and it’s a
whole different story. On a clear night, away
from streetlights, you can expect to see
around 4,000 stars twinkling above you
By Lizzy Dening
Top tips
Try to time your
trip to fall just
before the full
moon, when the
stars are easier
to spot
Wrap up warmly
and take
a flask of
hot drink
Take a compass
to help orientate
yourself,
and consider
downloading
an app to help
you identify
what you’re
seeing
London calling
You might be surprised at
the number of stars you can
spot above the bright lights
of London – especially when
you’re on a hotel rooftop
using a telescope! The awardwinning
Novotel London
Canary Wharf Hotel boasts
360 degree views from its
roof and both the top floor
and the rooftop are equipped
with telescopes so you can
explore the skies at your
leisure. The less starry-eyed
can opt for a dip in the pool
or have a meal or
drinks at restaurant/
bar Bokan.
n From £125 per night.
Call 0203 530 0500,
visit www.novotel.
com
Say (moon) cheese
Battlesteads Hotel and
Observatory, Northumberland,
offers an Introduction to
Astrophotography break,
including accommodation,
some meals and two nights
in the observatory learning to
photograph stars and planets.
n Packages available March
10-11 and April 14-15, from
£215pp. Call 01434 230209 or visit
www.battlesteads.com
What can you
expect to see
in the UK in
March?
Room with a view
Stay at The Farmhouse in
Goathland, North Yorkshire,
and you’re practically in the
heart of a designated Dark
Sky area. The charming
guesthouse offers a ‘gaze
and stay’ package where, in
the company of an expert
astronomer, you’ll spend
two hours looking to the
Lovely bubbly
Fancy star gazing from the
comfort of a hot tub? Try a
glamping retreat in a luxury
shepherd’s hut in Blackdown
Hills, Somerset – an Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty.
n Sleeps two. From £135 per
night including logs,
welcome tea tray and
breakfast ingredients.
Call 01460 477770 or
visit www.dimpsey.co.uk
l The constellation
of Leo the lion will
be easy to see, as
well as Virgo and
Hydra (the water
snake)
heavens, learning about the
constellations.
n Double rooms at The
Farmhouse from £115. Stay
and Gaze package for an
additional £105pp, including
private two-hour session
and two-course meal. Call
01947 896391 or visit www.
thefarmhouseyorkshire.co.uk
Stirling
Highland Hotel
observatory
Scottish escape
Not every hotel can boast its
own observatory strictly for
guests, but Stirling Highland
Hotel can! A former Victorian
school, it has its own health
club with pool, sauna and
steam room. It’s also just a
30-minute drive from Loch
Lomond and the Trossachs
National Park – ideal dark
spots for stellar displays.
n Prices from £85pp. Call
01786 272727 or visit www.
thecairncollection.co.uk/stirling
Festival of fun
This autumn’s Exmoor
National Park Dark Skies
Festival will include numerous
after-dark activities, including
plenty of observation nights
with experts.
n Dark Skies Festival,
October 20-November 4.
Visit www.visit-exmoor.co.uk
l Most people recognise
the Plough and, if you
follow the ark of its ‘handle’,
you should spot Arcturus –
one of the brightest stars
in the sky
Find your nearest Dark Sky location at www.darksky.org
abroad
take a trip
Trip of a lifetime
Namibia is renowned for its flawless night
skies – there’s no big city light pollution out in
the African wilderness, allowing you to gaze
unhindered at the Milky Way, the Southern Cross
and Saturn. Meanwhile, during the day you can
explore Etosha National Park, meet big cats at
the AfriCat Foundation and explore the Skeleton
Coast in search of dolphins.
n Namibia by Night and Day tour from Naturetrek,
from £5,545pp for 14 days including flights, transfers,
accommodation, meals and tour leaders. Departs June
8. For more information call 01962 733051 or visit
www.naturetrek.co.uk
Arizona adventure
Houston, in the United States, is well placed for
astronomy, but that’s not the end of the Stateside star
spots. One US alternative is Southern Arizona, home to
one of the world’s best observatories, the Mt Lemmon
SkyCenter, just north of Tucson. Here you can enjoy
a SkyNight observation session or have a go on the
Schulman telescope with an astronomy expert. The
region also boasts the world’s largest on-site collection
of telescopes in the Kitt Peak National Observatory,
n For more information about the SkyCenter visit http://
skycenter.arizona.edu or for more on Arizona visit
www.visitarizona.com
98 YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT 99
PICs: alamy stock photo, shutterstock

Happy family: Walter
the dog, mum Amanda
Fuller and son James,
who has severe autism
‘Walter has
helped us
be a family
again…’
We hear one mum’s touching story of
how a very special autism assistance
dog has transformed her family’s life
By Katharine Wootton
Watching
Walter the
dog play
ball with
young
James in the garden, it’s all
giggles, excited barks and
fun. Looking like any other
happy 12-year-old, you’d
never guess that James
suffers from quite a severe
form of autism that means
he often struggles to cope
with the world around him,
is non-verbal and regularly
bolts from situations he
finds scary.
But with Walter by his
side, mum Amanda Fuller
says James has become a
different boy and Walter
has helped the whole family
regain the confidence to lead
a normal life again.
Walter, who is an autism
assistance dog, trained and
provided by the national
charity Support Dogs, has
been with the Fuller family
for just over five years.
“We first heard about
autism assistance dogs in a
magazine when James was
a toddler and were intrigued
by the idea, so decided to
apply to Support Dogs,” says
Amanda. “While there was
a waiting list, eventually we
were interviewed and four
different assistance dogs in
training came to our home to
see if they would be suitable.
“Walter was originally
born a Guide Dog puppy and
later changed career. He was
the last dog to visit and as
soon as he arrived, he hit it
off with everyone.
“Even my daughter, who
is scared of dogs, was fine
with him and he and James
were soon playing in the
garden. He was just so calm;
I knew he was the right dog
for us.”
With Walter destined for a
home at the Fullers, Amanda
went to Support Dogs HQ
for a fortnight’s training in
which she learned all the
skills she needed to become
Walter’s main handler,
teaching him to get on buses
and stop at kerbs.
Walter and a Support
Dogs trainer then came
home with Amanda to help
teach Walter how to adapt to
James’ needs.
“I had to learn how to
‘Walter has
definitely been a
calming influence
on James and for
me, it gave me the
confidence to be
able to go out again’
allow this extra space at the
side of me wherever I went
as obviously when James is
at school, Walter is beside
me all the time. Then with
James I had to work out how
to manoeuvre down the
street when you’re threepeople
wide as Walter’s
jacket is attached to a lead
around James’ waist. But it’s
something we soon got used
to and Walter was brilliant at
his job from day one.
“After just a couple of
weeks I noticed a big change
in James. Previously, it had
got to a point where it was
easier for us not to go out
because James would have
a meltdown. He doesn’t like
holding hands and would
run off.
“He also has a lot of
sensory issues so would
walk with his thumbs over
his eyes and his fingers in
his ears to block as much of
the world out as possible.
But once he had Walter his
hands were off his face, he
was holding the lead and
coped with looking around.
If he did decide to run off,
Walter is also trained to stop
and brace himself so James
can’t run into the road.
Walter is attached
to James’ waist so
he’s always ready
to assist but there
are plenty of fun
times too!
“Walter has definitely
been a calming influence on
James and for me, it gave me
the confidence to be able to
go out again – even on my
own without my husband.
We’ve also been able to go
to restaurants with James
which we could never do
before.”
Amanda says having
Walter by her side in his
dapper blue assistance
jacket also helps people
understand James’
behaviour better.
real life
“Without Walter, James
looks like a normal child and
people think he’s naughty
and I’m a bad parent because
I can’t control him, which is
a judgement many families
with an autistic child face.
But when people see him
attached to Walter they’re
far more tolerant and change
their attitude.”
Even when he’s not
attached to James, Amanda
says Walter is a great source
of comfort to James who
loves the routine of always
having his four-legged
companion around.
“Walter sleeps at the foot
of James’ bed and in the
mornings, James always
checks he’s there. Walter
also lets me know if James
gets up in the night, which
is handy. Going to and from
school there’s always a
glance in the boot to check
Walter is with us, too.”
Now Walter is eight, he
has two more years until he
retires as an assistance dog,
at which point he’ll remain
with the Fullers to live out
his twilight years. By that
time, it’s hoped he will have
been such a stellar teacher,
he’ll have taught James the
safety skills he needs to go
into his teenage years more
independently.
“Walter has transformed
James and given us all so
much, allowing us to be a
proper family again and have
the confidence to do the
things we want to. He blows
me away every day.”
n As well as autism assistance
dogs, Support Dogs train seizure
alert dogs and dogs for people
with disabilities. If you’d like to
donate, send a cheque payable
to Support Dogs to: 21 Jessops
Riverside, Brightside Lane,
Sheffield, S92RX or visit
www.supportdogs.org.uk
24 YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT 25
PICs: patrick boyd PHOTOGRAPHY

Every issue, Yours writer
Marion Clarke will be reliving the
best bits of our lives.
This fortnight she
revisits the trauma of
that first day at school
Marion as a young girl
A
bumper postbag
reveals that I was
far from being
the only little girl
who found her
first day at school a terrifying
experience. An only child, I
was completely unprepared for
the shock of a huge classroom
full of strange children. I clung
tightly to my grandfather’s leg
and refused to let him leave.
Fortunately for me, the teacher
was a kind lady who let him
stay, perched awkwardly on
the small desk next to mine.
Ann Rowe was
accompanied to St Mildred’s
primary school in Broadstairs
by her father: “Lots of the
children were crying and
my dad said I was very brave
because I didn’t cry. It felt like
a great adventure. However, at
playtime they brought in little
bottles of milk for us.
“I tried to drink some, but it
was warm from being too near
the radiators. I didn’t know
how to tell them I hated
milk so I spilled it all
down my dress and then
it was my turn to cry!”
Instead of
bewailing her lot,
four-year-old Dr
Rhoda Pippen
simply voted
with her feet:
“My first day at
school lasted
just two hours. The girl sitting
behind me annoyed me by
tugging my pigtails and it hurt.
When we all went into the
playground at mid-morning,
I decided to go home. When
my mother returned from
shopping she was shocked to
‘Dad said I was
very brave because
I didn’t cry’
find me sitting on the doorstep
as I had walked nearly half a
mile and crossed a main road
to get there.”
Jane Jennings reflects:
“We went into full-time school
with no preparation and no
part-time attendance to
ease us in. I thought it was
a great adventure, but
one boy cried loudly
all morning until the
teacher sat him on
top of a cupboard in
exasperation. Can you
imagine a teacher getting
blast
from the
p a s t
Starting
school
away with that these days?”
Aged just five, Paddy
Sansum was taken by her
parents to be a boarder at
a Catholic convent: “The
uniform included terrible
grey woollen stockings that
were held up by suspenders
attached to buttons on my
Liberty bodice. The first thing
I said to the nuns who greeted
us was, ‘I have got Mummy’s
suspenders on’. I hated the
strict regime and always lived
in fear of breaking the rules.”
Sue Stevenson went to
a convent school, too: “I had
never seen a nun before so it
was a shock when one pulled
me away from my mum and
marched me, screaming, down
the corridor. When I settled in
and met my first teacher, Sister
Zena, I really enjoyed school.
“All the nuns appeared to be
so big to me then, but ten
years later when I left and
went to say goodbye, they
all seemed quite small!”
Mrs McPhee also
found her first teacher an
intimidating figure: “She
had grey hair in a bun,
piercing blue eyes and
no smile! She handed out
pencils, all freshly sharpened,
and I still remember the smell
of them. Then she wrote the
alphabet on the blackboard
and instructed us to copy the
letters. The good old days? I
think not.”
As recently as 1959 when
Sylvia Foster started school,
children were treated with
Victorian severity. “If you were
naughty, you were made to
stand in the corner with your
face to the wall and your hands
on your head.”
Pat Lowe was punished for
the heinous crime of talking in
class: “I was a bit of a chatterbox
so was given the ruler... hand
held out and whacked on the
palm by Miss Fairhurst. I’m
still a chatterbox!” But Pat has
some happier memories too:
“In winter the infants’
class had a roaring fire
around which bottles
of milk were placed
ready for our break.
After lunch we had
a sleep on coloured
mats on the floor.”
Jenny Carpenter
had her little
after-lunch nap
Catherine Spencer (on the right) was a
shy little girl: “On my first day at school a
girl called Margaret said to me, ‘Will you
be my bestest friend?’ I was so happy I
ran home and told my mother I had a
best friend. We are friends to this day.”
on a truckle bed that had a
blue blanket with a kitten
appliquéd on it. “Before
we settled down we had a
spoonful of orange juice
and a spoonful of cod liver
oil. As soon as I tasted the
cod liver oil, I was sick all
‘After lunch we had
a little sleep on
coloured mats’
over the teacher’s shoes.
I never had cod liver oil
after that!”
Soon after starting school,
Doreen Wyatt had an
embarrassing accident during
morning prayers. “I needed
the loo and put my hand up
to be excused. Frowning, the
teacher mouthed ‘Not now’.
When the teacher did come
over to see what I wanted, it
was too late and there was a
big puddle on the floor.
“She sent for my sister from
another classroom, handed
her a cloth and told her to
mop up
the mess!”
n More
memories of
your early
school days
next issue!
n More photos,
please! We’d love to see
your fashion photos and if we
publish them in Yours,
you’ll receive a £10
High Street voucher
fashion
we wore
n I love this snap of me
with my mum and dad.
I have lost both of my
parents now and I could
never part with this precious
photo. Don’t my curls look lovely?
I’m now 69 and my blonde locks
have vanished.
Mrs J Ward, South Yorkshire
n Here I am
stood outside
a church at my
sister’s wedding in
Liverpool with my
two sons, who are
both aged over 60
now! I very much
liked the outfit I
wore and wish I
still owned it.
Jean Yessen,
Cambridgeshire
remember when
1959
1946
1959
Readers share
their favourite
fashion memories
1948
n This photo was
taken on Hastings
promenade. My
husband is wearing his
very smart demob suit
which he received in
1947 after completing
his army service.
Mrs J Ward,
South Yorkshire
n This is me aged two,
wearing my ‘rainbow’ dress.
Unfortunately, my mother
had accessorised the outfit
with my Clarks sandals, which
I loathed. I only carried it off
because of my blonde locks,
which sadly turned dark brown
when I reached the age of four.
Mrs Carol Jeffels,
no address supplied
PICS: mirrorpix, alamy stock photo
46 YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT 47

Wonder
Women
Sammy (left) and
Joanne with the
transformed bus
Bus haven
How two ladies
with a passion
to help those
in need turned
an old doubledecker
bus into
a shelter for
the homeless
By Carole Richardson
for the
homeless
When Joanne
Vines sent
a text
message to
her friend,
saying: “Shall we get a bus?”
Sammy didn’t reply the
first time. Knowing Joanne
as she did, Sammy Barcroft
realised straight away that
she wasn’t talking about
them planning a day trip
together. A second text
prompted a more positive
response after Joanne’s
out-of-the-blue idea became
clearer. “Let’s give it a go!”
Sammy replied, signing up
to an ambitious plan to find
an old double-decker bus
and convert it into a shelter
complete with 12 beds, a
kitchen and toilet for the
homeless in Portsmouth.
At that time in January
last year, neither Joanne
(47), a full-time PA, or
Sammy (34), an outreach
worker with a domestic
abuse charity, both from
Hampshire, had a clue
how they’d actually
achieve their aim.
“Somebody – I can’t even
remember who – suggested
to me beforehand that I get
a bus for the homeless and
I started thinking about it
after Christmas. It wasn’t
a New Year resolution or
anything. It’s just boring in
January!” laughs Joanne.
Whoever suggested it
must’ve known she had a
soft spot for the plight of
homeless people after she
organised winter aid through
The Rucksack Project – and
that Joanne has a way of
getting things done. As she
readily admits: “I’m very
bossy and I like to organise.”
After learning about the
scheme on social media to
fill rucksacks with essentials
– from old sleeping bags to
tins of soup – she organised
a project locally and by
appealing for donations
on Facebook, she became
friends with Sammy,
who was then a complete
stranger living 12 miles away.
Although the two ladies
both say they are nonpolitical
and non-religious,
they shared the same
philosophy that, ‘it’s just
nice to be nice’ which soon
became their slogan.
But even they were
surprised by how many
people shared their view.
To date, the annual
Rucksack Project winter
appeal they’ve organised
has had 16,000 donations.
And within weeks of
launching their homeless
bus project, they had
three offers of buses after
putting out an appeal on
social media. One of those
was from bus company
Stagecoach, which donated a
20-year-old 72-seater Volvo
Olympian double-decker
bus, complete with MOT,
destined for the scrapyard.
“I got permission to park
it up in a supermarket car
park near me, and then put
a plea out for volunteers to
convert it via local media
and social media, like the
TV programme DIY SOS,”
adds Joanne.
It sparked an amazing
response from local
businesses and volunteers,
with a college in Portsmouth
offering to make bunk
beds as part of a woodwork
project, a local housing
association donating a
kitchen and other local
businesses offering help and
materials free of charge.
“An electrician donated
his time, as did a plumber,
carpenter, upholsterer
and other tradespeople.
We then did some online
crowdfunding and one
anonymous donor came
forward to give us £1,000.
Various people held raffles
for us. Eight months later
the bus was ready to go!”
she added. Joanne estimates
around 70-80 volunteers
have been involved in
transforming the bus. And
while they have spent
around £6,000, raised
through crowdfunding or
donations, the transformed
bus is now worth about
£25,000. “People could see
where their money and
‘The public response has been truly
inspirational. Jo and Sammy are fabulous
people who, when they get committed to
any kind of project, will move mountains’
effort was going and were
happy to help,” she says.
In November last year,
the double-decker was
moved to St Agatha’s
Church in Portsmouth
where it will form part of
the church’s Robert Dolling
Project, providing help for
the area’s homeless. The
project was named after
a local priest and social
reformer of the 1900s and
formed as a community
response to need. Steering
Committee member Paul
Hartley said that although
The bus is decked out with seating
and sleeping areas for people in need
real life
the bus was not in use
overnight yet, a caretaker
has recently been appointed
and it soon would be. “It’s
already a focal point where
homeless people can meet
to discuss their problems
during the day.”
He added: “The public
response has been truly
inspirational. Jo and Sammy
are fabulous people who,
when they get committed
to any kind of project, will
move mountains.”
Joanne adds: “They
had the expertise in
problems associated with
homelessness that we
didn’t have.”
Both women are still
stunned by the success of
their project which started
out in such a small way but
they admit that there was a
lot of hard work involved.
“I think I threw a tantrum
a month until it was done!”
jokes Jo whose interest in
the homeless was sparked
after seeing a moving picture
of a homeless person in a
newspaper. “It changed my
perception of homelessness
and really made me think.
We really are all just one pay
cheque away from being
there ourselves.”
But Joanne and Sammy
say they won’t be rushing to
take on another big project
just yet though. Joanne says:
“I’m delighted it’s finished but
I’m also happy to have a rest.
I’ve promised my husband
that I’ll take a year off.”
Sammy says: “I see a lot
of hardship in my job. It
really is ‘nice to be nice’ and
do a bit to help people. I’m
incredibly proud of what
we’ve achieved, but my next
project is a jigsaw!”
n To find out more about the
Robert Dolling Project, visit
https://robertdollingproject.org
12 YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT 13
PICs: paul jacobs/picture exclusive.com