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cover PIC: Perou_Rex Shutterstock
How are your Christmas preparations
going? Are you the organised type
with cards written and everything
bought and wrapped already? Or are you the
last-minute-rush type? Every year I begin
with good intentions of being the former
and inevitably end up being the latter!
This year I’m scouring craft fairs and
charity shops – partly to find unique gifts
and forgotten treasures, but also because
I’d like to feel that my Christmas
spending will be helping independent traders and
charities. I do enjoy making gifts as well. For the past
few years I’ve crafted something individual for each
member of the Yours team – but they’ll have to wait
and see what I come up with this year!
Whatever your Christmas style, this bumper
double issue is packed with inspiration and advice
to make your festive preparations easier. From
gifts to buy (p40) and recipes to try (p107) to party
fashion (p33) and money-saving tips (p57) – we’ve
got it covered.
…only when
you subscribe
See page 30
Get in
touch
See you next issue…
Write to
Yours magazine, Media House,
Peterborough Business Park,
Peterborough PE2 6EA
Sharon Reid, Editor
editor’s choice
Why not share your love of Yours with a
Christmas gift that lasts all year?
The 2019 Yours
Yearbook is
packed with
stories, recipes
and inspiration for
the year ahead.
£5.99
Call 01733 840111
(or see p124 for details)
Email
yours@
bauermedia.
co.uk
Yours Retro
is packed with
memories of the
film stars, TV shows,
fashion and music
from our heyday.
£19.99 (6 issues)
Call 01858 438884
greatmagazines.co.uk
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pop round for
a visit every
fortnight.
Just £1 an issue!
Call 01858 438884
(or see p30 for details)
Join us online…
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Tell us what Sammy Squirrel would like for
Christmas… turn to p149 to find out more!
Inside this issue…
Real life
6 A royal Christmas 20
19 For the love of animals
20 Donkeys at Christmas
22 Groceries & goodwill
24 The festive season
around the world
28 ‘I’m so grateful for
Mum’s courage’
Star chat
12 Cover Dawn French
15 Holby City actress
16
Chizzy Akudolu
16 Alfie Boe
26 Stars’ festive memories
158 Look in special!
Your best life now!
33 Cover Festive fashion
40 Beauty gifts you’ll love to
buy… or receive!
42 Cover Why giving is
good for you
45 Cold comfort remedies
Good to know
50 Cover Stress-free festive planning
55 Kitchen gadgets to make life easier
57 Santa’s savings
60 Your questions answered
Nostalgia
120 Chocolate memories
122 First babies
125 Charades, sing-songs…
and measles!
Leisure time
101 Cover The great Christmas taste
test!
107 Cover Join Slimming World:
low-cal Christmas feasts
113 Made with Love: part 3
116 Indoor plants with a
survival instinct!
133 Visit Shrewsbury
136 Snowy getaways
40
120
113
Your favourites
8 Meeting Place WIN
65 Cover Free for a prize for
every reader offer pet lovers!
67 Cover Bumper
p149
puzzles special!
118 Short story: read our
NEW three-parter!
129 Friends of Yours
149 Prizes to win
162 Horoscopes and
what’s in our next issue!

Stay warm
and hydrated
with Belvoir Honey,
Lemon and Ginger
Cordial (£3.15/500ml)
delicious warm with
a splash of whisky.
n From Asda
To ease a
sore throat
try Grether’s
Pastilles (£5.99/
110g), a soothing
blend of natural
fruit essences and
glycerine – available
in four flavours.
n Call 01708 859
750 or visit www.
allcures.com
Stop a
cold in
its tracks
and keep
bacteria
and viruses
from taking hold with
Kaloba Cough & Cold Relief
(£9.99/30 tablets).
n From www.healthspan.co.uk
Cold
comfort
Rest is
vital if you
want to fight a
cold off fast. Snuggle
up under this Woven Tassel
Throw (£20).
n From Sainsbury’s
Hate swallowing pills?
A Vogel’s Echinaforce
Chewable Cold & Flu tablets
(£6/40 tablets) are packed
with echinacea to support
your immune
system this
winter.
n From health
stores
Feel better faster with these
remedies and restorative treats
Ease aching
muscles
and clear your
head in a warm
bath. Add Kneipp
Cold Season
Eucalyptus Herbal
Bath (£9.95/100ml)
from Holland
and Barrett
Clear your nose
and stop it getting sore
with essential oil-rich
No-Sor Nose Balm (£3.99).
n Call 01780 470 802 or visit
www.beautynaturals.com
Avoid catching
a cold and protect
yourself on the go with
Dr Bronner’s Organic
Lavender Hand
Sanitiser (£4.99/50ml).
it kills 99.9 per cent of
germs and doubles
up as a relaxing
pillow spray.
n Call 0203 823
6629 or buy online
at www.drbronner.
co.uk
Rev
up your
immunity
to help fight off the
bugs by dry brushing
your body with this body brush (£2.99)
– always brush towards your heart and
then jump in the shower and switch
between hot and cold water for an
added boost.
n From Homesense, call 01923
473561
Fight coughs
naturally with
Comvita Manuka
Honey Elixir
Extra Strength
(£13.99/100ml). It
combines manuka
honey with Vitamin C,
zinc and marshmallow
root to soothe sore
throats and dry
coughs and mullein leaf for chesty coughs.
n Available from Boots.
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
45
By Rebecca Speechley
pics: shutterstock

We take a look at how the Royal Family
celebrate Christmas, the gifts they give and
take a lighthearted guess at what might
be in their stockings this year!
A right royal
Christmas
Every family has
their own Christmas
quirks and our own
Royal Family are no
exception. Every year
they enjoy a Christmas routine
that’s remained unchanged
for generations.
Gathering together at the
Queen’s Sandringham House
in Norfolk, first there’s the
opening of presents together
on Christmas Eve, a tradition
brought over from Germany
by the Queen’s great-greatgrandfather,
Prince Albert.
Trestle tables are laid out for
each member of the family in
Sandringham’s Red Drawing
Room and during the afternoon
each family member sneaks
in and places their gifts on the
tables before Prince Philip then
declares the moment for gifts to
be unwrapped.
On Christmas Day the family
walk the short journey to the
nearby parish church for the
morning service, with the
Queen travelling by car.
But what about those
presents? Here we take
a fun look at some of the
gifts the Royals have
given in the past and
what might be in their
stockings this year.
What to buy a Queen?
Last year was Meghan’s first Christmas with
the Royal Family and hearing of the Queen’s
penchant for joke gifts, the more ridiculous
the better, she decided to buy her a
singing soft toy hamster. Apparently,
the Queen absolutely loved it!
Kate, however, went for a
different approach for her first
Christmas at Sandringham,
making the Queen her
grandmother’s recipe for chutney.
Kate clearly loves making things, so
we wonder what gifts she’ll cook up
for the family this Christmas.
Every year the Queen gives
her staff a book or gift token
up to the value of £35 and a
Christmas pudding. While
the puds used to come from
Fortnum & Mason, today she
apparently buys Tesco Finest!
For Louis’
christening, Harry
and Meghan
gave him a first
edition of Winnie
the Pooh so may
give something
equally bookrelated
and
special for his first
Christmas
6
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT

in the picture
n The Queen and Prince Philip are always first to arrive at Sandringham
(above), the week before Christmas, while the rest of the family turn up
throughout the day on Christmas Eve
Potty party games: Anne and Charles are notorious
for giving funny presents and Charles’ favourite ever
gift was apparently a leather toilet seat from his
sister, which he apparently still uses on his travels.
Given the lavatorial theme, we wonder if the popular
Christmas game, Toilet Trouble,
where you get sprayed by
a flush, might be in
their stockings!
Dad jokes: Before Harry met Meghan,
Kate gave him a grow-your-owngirlfriend
kit one Christmas so we
think the family might get
him something equally
jokey now he’s about to be
a dad – perhaps this New
Dad Survival Toolkit (right).
Brum brum: Like many little boys, Prince
George loves vehicles. Last year, during a visit to
Father Christmas in Helsinki, he asked for a toy
police car, so we suspect this year he’ll also be
hankering after a gift with four wheels.
Hair today! There are a lot
of jokes in the family about
William’s baldness and in the
past Meghan even bought
him a ginger Tam O’Shanter
wig for Christmas, so
there’s likely to be
something like this Bald
Man’s Hat (above) under
the tree for him.
On Christmas Day, after the morning walk to
church and a three-course festive lunch, the Royal
Family gather in front of the television to watch
the Queen’s speech at 3pm
PICs: rex/shutterstock, getty images, masterfile,
alamy stock photo, sandringham estate
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
7

Take a look around The
Flicka Foundation, the
sanctuary giving love and
comfort this Christmas and
beyond to donkeys who’ve
had a rough start in life
Little
donkey!
By Katharine Wootton
Take a peek at those
adorable little faces! A
motley crew looking
forward to one of the best
Christmases they’ve ever
had, surrounded by friends, with two
legs and four, lots of love and plenty of
treats! From naughty donkeys to knowit-all
donkeys, cheeky
ones to kind-hearted
ones, every single donkey
at The Flicka Foundation
has its own beautiful
personality but each,
sadly, also has a sorry
tale to tell of their past.
For friends Judy Giles
and Laurie Stephenson,
who run The Flicka
Judy’s mum Mary helped
to start the ball rolling by
taking in horses and ponies
Foundation in Cornwall, caring for
donkeys came about somewhat
accidentally.
It all started when Judy’s mum,
Mary Berryman, began a foundation
caring for horses and ponies in 1995
which life-long animal lovers Judy
and her friend Laurie soon started
helping out with. But it was in 2008
after the sad passing of Mary that Judy
received a phone
call that changed
everything.
“My mum had
always loved
donkeys and, as a
child, I used to buy
her little donkey
trinkets to put
around the house.
But, sadly, we never
got any donkeys
into the sanctuary.
“When mum died,
the heart of the charity
had left us and we were
ready to call it a day
and put the site of the
sanctuary up for sale
when we got a phone
call from an animal
welfare organisation
asking if we could
take in five donkeys.
Judy cuddles up
to one of her more
distinctive charges
It gave us goosebumps and without
even thinking we said yes and we
cancelled the sale of the sanctuary. I felt
like this was my mum’s way of saying
don’t stop what you’re doing. When
we took in these donkeys, I renamed
the sanctuary Mary Berryman’s Flicka
Foundation in Mum’s honour.”
Today, the Foundation cares for
around 75 donkeys with a further
30-odd placed in loving foster homes
nearby. The donkeys come from
Romania, Croatia, Bulgaria, Cyprus,
Spain, America, France, the UK and
Ireland and sadly all arrive as the result
of abandonment, neglect or cruelty.
20
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT

Harry enjoys the attention when he
visits a care home. Below, dedicated
helpers with two of their ‘guests’
Often they are saved on their way to
the meat market, or brought in from
the likes of rubbish tips.
Once at the Flicka Foundation
donkeys have a home for life, or if
they’re fit and well enough, they will
go to an approved foster home with a
bonded friend. Donkeys notoriously
bond for life. If a single donkey arrives
the Flicka team will help this process
along if necessary. “We had one
donkey called Florence who’d been
abandoned without company. We also
had another donkey
called Maisy who
was rescued from
going to the market
and was terrified
of other donkeys,
so we introduced
them and now
they’re best friends.”
Despite their
backgrounds, Judy
says all the donkeys
have hilarious
personalities, which
makes their job a
constant delight.
“Donkeys have an
incredible sense of
humour and are like
little four-year-olds.
They often make me
laugh, for example
pinching the farriers’
tools or pulling out
rubber mats from the
field shelters
and running off
with them.
“They’re also very
affectionate and rub
around you like cats.
I think that’s what
my mum loved about them
– that and the fact they’re so
stoic and brave.”
Thanks to this loving
nature, these donkeys have
brought a lot of comfort
to many visitors to the
sanctuary, including those
with special needs and
illness. A few of the donkeys
have even been out to
schools and nursing homes. “We’ve
got one donkey, Harry, who’s happy
going in a lift to the upstairs bedrooms
in a residential home to reach people
It’s feeding time and,
inexplicably, Laurie is
proving popular!
A word from patron Caroline Quentin
“I support Flicka not just because I love
a donkey – they are adorable and in need
of our help – but I also really admire
how Judy and Laurie, two incredible
women, achieve so much through sheer
graft, determination and dedication. It
may look cute and fluffy, but I know how
gruelling it can be for them both.”
our shared planet
who can’t get out. It lifts my heart
to see him help people and because
donkeys love people, he gets a lot out
of it, too.”
As for Judy and Laurie, they get so
much from caring for these donkeys,
they do it, alongside their staff and
volunteers, every day of the year.
‘Donkeys have an incredible
sense of humour and are like
little four-year-olds. They
often make us laugh’
“Christmas Day morning some of
our diehard volunteers come in to
help and then in the afternoon it’s
just myself and Laurie. Because it’s
Christmas the donkeys get special
treats, including carrots, apples and
ginger nuts. We put cards and tinsel
around their barns to make it special,
too. Earlier in the festive season we
also host a carol concert in the barn,
where we have a tree and lights.”
And if it ends up a white Christmas?
“Well, donkeys don’t really like
snow,” laughs Judy. “Sadly, they’re
not waterproof as they’re from Africa
originally so when it does snow they’ll
sometimes go out to see what’s going
on but then they very quickly ask to
come back in.”
As for the future, Judy and Laurie
want to continue Mary’s dream and
legacy of helping as many animals
as possible. “In an ideal world we
shouldn’t need sanctuaries like ours
but while we are needed, we just hope
we can save more donkeys as there are
so many that need our help.”
n If you’d like to support The Flicka
Foundation, please send a cheque payable
to The Flicka Foundation to: Penty Noweth
Farm, Trenoweth Lane, Mabe Burnthouse,
Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9JB or visit
www.flickafoundation.org.uk
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
21
PICS: patrick boyd photography

Why
good
giving is
for you
Give a little kindness
this Christmas and
you’ll receive all sorts
of surprising health
benefits in return
By Rebecca Speechley
PICs: shutterstock, getty images
The season of goodwill
is upon us, giving us all
the perfect excuse to
show others a bit of extra
kindness. When you do
something for someone else, you
get a lot more back than just a warm
feeling. In fact, research shows that a
little kindness and generosity could
give you a huge psychological boost,
making you happier and healthier
than folk who are less generous.
“When we’re kind, there is a
chemical ‘pay-off’ – we get bursts of
the anxiety-reducing neurochemical
oxytocin,” says stress transformation
coach Jane Evans (www.
thejaneevans.com). “This chemical
makes us feel good and relaxed. As
an added bonus we also get a dose
of dopamine, the pleasure-seeking
hormone which rewards us with a
sense of wellbeing.”
Christmas is the ideal time to be
kind, because so many of us feel
stressed and overwhelmed by the
extra pressure and commitments. “If
you’re feeling anxious, then an act
‘Just letting people know
you are thinking of them
can make all the difference’
of kindness, such as holding a door
open, helping someone get their
buggy off the train or just smiling,
can connect us to others,” says Jane.
“This takes us out of fight or flight
mode, so we feel safer and
more relaxed. Our heart
rate settles, we breathe
more easily, our muscles
relax and we get a sense
that life is good.”
Your kindness will help to ease
the stresses of the other person too,
giving them the same benefits. It’s
not just your mood and
mental health that will be
improved. “There has also
been research to show that
kindness can have a positive
effect on our physical health
as well,” says Jaime Thurston
author of Kindness: The
Little Thing that Matters
Most (£6.96, Harper
Thorsons). “Generosity of
spirit helps to slow the
ageing process and is
good for our hearts.”
Oxytocin helps reduce
blood pressure, so keeps
your heart healthy.”
42
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT

feeling great
‘Real-life acts of
kindness provide
a bigger emotional
response and,
therefore, a bigger
health boost...
it brings human
connection and
compassion’
The best way to give
There are lots of different
ways to be kind, from
donating money to a
favourite charity or
helping out a neighbour
to volunteering your
time. But which ones
have the biggest benefits?
“Donating money
to a good cause can
give you a temporary feeling
of benevolence,” says Jane.
“But real-life acts of kindness
provide a bigger emotional
response and, therefore, a
bigger health boost. It brings
human connection and
compassion, which is often
very lacking in our daily lives.”
Don’t let that put you off
charitable giving, though.
“Kindness of any sort has
a positive effect on our
minds and our bodies,” says
Jaime. “It’s so simple, but so
powerful. And, best of all,
kindness is contagious, so
one small thing can have such
a big impact.”
Goodwill
to all
Acts of kindness come
in all shapes and sizes
– try some of these
ways to give back this
festive season
n Make friends – The
Age UK befriending
service connects
lonely older
people with
someone in
their local area.
Give just half
an hour of your
time each week to
make a huge difference
to someone else’s
life. Find out more by
calling 0800 169 8787
or visit
www.ageuk.org.uk
n Buy a gift – ask your
friends and family to
give to charity instead
of buying a gift for
you. You can buy a gift
for someone in need
who won’t otherwise
receive anything at
all through charities
such as 52 Lives,
which buys gifts for
more than 1,000
people every year.
Visit www.52-lives.org
n Look out for a neighbour
– pay attention to your
neighbours and look in on the
people on your street who
are by themselves, have lost
a loved one or could just
benefit from your support.
Why not cook some extra
food and leave it for a busy
family, or perhaps put out
your neighbour’s bins?
Just letting people know
that you’re thinking of them
can make all the difference.
n Buy a suspended coffee – or
a suspended snack. When you
treat yourself to a cuppa and
a slice of cake, ask the person
serving you if you can pre-pay
for a hot drink or snack for
someone who can’t afford one.
Many of the big coffee shops
now offer this service.
n Give your time – volunteer
at a local charity shop, hospital,
homeless shelter or care home
to support people in your area.
n Donate food – food banks
help people who are struggling
to put food on the table. You
can find one in your area
by calling the Trussell Trust on
01722 580 180, or by checking
local listings. They often have a
list of food that they’re short of,
so it’s worth double checking
before donating.
n Smile and speak – don’t
forget that even little things
make a difference – smiling and
chatting to a shop assistant,
paying someone a compliment,
carrying someone’s shopping,
or paying for their parking
could all help to brighten the
other person’s day – and will
make you feel happier too!
food
bank
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
43

good to know
Editor’s
favourite
Keep ‘em fresh
More environmentally
friendly than clingfilm, these
food huggers act as little
‘hats’ for halved fruit
and vegetables,
keeping them fresh
and tasty. Just wash after
A helping hand
Ever struggled to pour
each use and reuse again
and again.
n Food Huggers,
£9.99, Lakeland
soup or gravy and wished
you had an extra pair of
hands? Meet
your new best
friend – the food
bag holder stand.
It’ll keep your bags steady
and open while you pour.
n Bag Master food bag
holder stand, £9.99,
Lakeland
Reuse and refresh
Make your ingredients go further with
these clever reusable food storage
bags. Popping fruit or
veg into one of these
bags as soon as you buy
them could extend their
freshness for up to
three more days.
n 20 Stay-fresh bags,
£6.99, Lakeland
No more mess
Never splatter cake mix all over
your kitchen again, with this anti-splatter
cover. Easy to wash and even easier to
fit on top of an electric whisk. The cover
is handy if you’re
baking with your
grandchildren
to stop mess
getting
everywhere!
n Anti-splatter
cover, £5.99,
Qwerkity
Easy peel
Cooking with garlic can
often leave an unpleasant smell lingering
on your hands. This simple gadget does
all the peeling for you, leaving it ready
to chop or add to food. Slip a garlic clove
into the silicone tube and roll and your
garlic will be peeled in seconds!
n Joseph Joseph Duo Red Garlic Peeler,
£6, Dunelm
Gadget
guru
Are you spending too
much time in the kitchen
at Christmas? We tested a
variety of kitchen gadgets
to find those that will
make your life easier – and
allow you more time to
enjoy the festivities
Spreadability
Butter can sometimes be really
difficult to spread when it’s
straight from the fridge, but
this heated butter knife
helps melt as it spreads!
n SpreadTHAT! Self-
Heated Butter Knife,
£19.99, Amazon
Stockists Amazon www.amazon.co.uk; Debenhams 0344 800 8877; Dunelm 0345 165 6565,
Ikea 0203 645 0000; Lakeland 01539 488100; Qwerkity 0344 846 9494
Safer slicing
This device holds food
in place and guides the
knife so your fingers
remain a safe distance
away from the blade.
Ideal if you struggle
with grip or are nervous when it
comes to using knives.
n Kitchen Slicing Helper, £5.34, Amazon
Chop, chop
Perfect if you don’t
like the fiddly job of
chopping garlic. Simply
pop a garlic clove in
with the blades and
roll backwards and forwards
for fast, freshly chopped garlic.
n Chef’n Garlic Zoom, £9, Dunelm
Rolled to perfection
Bake Off-style perfection just got
easier as this smart adjustable rolling pin
guarantees all your pastry, biscuits and
pasta will be exactly the same thickness.
n Joseph Joseph Multi-coloured
Adjustable Rolling Pin,
£20, Debenhams
Ideal for little helpers
Make chopping vegetables quick and easy
with this little gadget. There’s also little
risk of cutting yourself
so you could get the
grandchildren to help you
prepare dinner!
n OXO Good Grips
vegetable chopper,
£20, Lakeland
Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy
Fishing out the pips from citrus juice
can be a very fiddly task. This stainless
steel juicer not only squeezes all the
juice out easily but catches the pips as
you squeeze.
n Spritta citrus
squeezer, £4.50,
Great
value
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
IKEA
55
Words: Lorna White pics: shutterstock