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Chessington World of Adventures has unveiled five brand new PAW Patrol-themed hotel rooms for the :a[perfect experience with toddlers.]{href='https://takeabreak.co.uk/holidays/take-a-break-holidays/peppa-pig-afternoon-tea-bus-tour-review-we-hopped-aboard-for-this-unique-experience-and-heres-what-we-thought/' }

The pup-tastic :a[family stays]{href='https://takeabreak.co.uk/holidays/take-a-break-holidays/legoland-family-break/' } are available to book now for stays from 24th October onwards, and promise to transport families straight to Adventure Bay.

The fun begins with designated PAW Patrol guest parking space on arrival. Little pups will be wagging their tails with excitement as they enter their room filled with :a[immersive theming]{href='https://takeabreak.co.uk/holidays/take-a-break-holidays/parc-asterix-review/' } - including a periscope with panoramic views and a control panel in the style of the iconic Lookout Tower. Bunk beds are styled as the famous Paw Patroller vehicle.

The new themed rooms are located in Chessington's Safari Hotel, and the decor also includes a large mural of the pups and brightly coloured bean bags to relax on. Each room sleeps up to two adults and three children.

PAW Patrol room guests receive a special 'Pup Pass', giving them fast track entry to the daily meet and greets with Chase, Skye and Rubble in the park. But, as a hotel exclusive, they can also see their favourite pups in the hotel.

This is ahead of the opening of the resort's PAW Patrol-themed land next Spring, which features four rides, including an entry-level 'my first rollercoaster', play areas, and character meet and greets, in an Adventure Bay setting.

:a[Chessington World of Adventures]{href='https://takeabreak.co.uk/holidays/take-a-break-holidays/find-the-best-christmas-family-days-out-across-the-uk/' } new PAW Patrol hotel stays start from £155 for a family of four including bed and breakfast. Hotel stays include early ride access, a ‘Pup Pass’ meet and greet fast track pass, and a Reserve & Ride one-shot pass.

Guests staying before the PAW Patrol-themed land opens will be in with the chance to be one of the first to ride the new rollercoaster in 2026.

In September this year, Marshall will join his pals to launch the Paw Patrol Autumn Adventure, which includes a trail, opportunity to meet the characters and access to the 20 :a[preschool friendly rides]{href='https://takeabreak.co.uk/holidays/take-a-break-holidays/alton-towers-theme-park-review-how-to-make-the-most-of-your-visit/' }  and attractions.

Find out more about the new themed rooms :a[here]{href='https://www.chessington.com/paw-patrol/' }

A popular theme park will open The UK’s first PAW Patrol Land next spring – and PAWsome themed hotel rooms are now available to book!

**_One minute my daughter was fine, the next we feared she wouldn't pull through..._**

Bleary-eyed, I reached over to try to settle my baby in her Moses basket.

Sienna-Rose was only three weeks old and had been distressed all night.  
As morning dawned, I checked on her again and noticed a toe on her right foot was turning purple.  
I felt her forehead, but she didn’t seem hot, so I wasn’t too worried at first.  
But within an hour, her big toe was also dark red.  
Her temperature skyrocketed to almost 40 degrees.  
I put her in the car immediately and drove to the nearest clinic with my sister-in-law Lauren.  
A doctor examined her, then quickly called for paramedics.  
One gave her an antibiotic injection, as another took me aside.  
‘Don’t be alarmed, but this is urgent,’ the paramedic said. ‘We’re going to blue-light her  to hospital.’  
Sienna-Rose was rushed into the resuscitation area where doctors took blood from her.  
‘Please tell me what’s wrong with my baby,’ I begged.  
‘We suspect meningococcal septicaemia with septic emboli of the foot,’ the doctor explained.  
‘Is she going to make it?’ I asked.  
‘Her blood poison markers are over 300 and grown men often don’t survive that,’ he replied. ‘There’s a high chance she’ll lose her toes, and maybe even her foot.’  
I was in shock.  
My dad and my partner arrived and I broke  down sobbing.  
Sienna-Rose was moved to the paediatric ward and given antibiotics orally and by a drip, plus drugs to thin her blood, and a foot patch to stimulate blood flow.  
Gradually, she started improving.  
Finally, after two weeks, doctors told me she was out of the woods and she was allowed to go home and join her brothers Logan-James, six, and three-year-old Cody-Leigh.  
Her toes were still dark until one morning, the blood-filled bumps popped and gradually healed.  
Sienna-Rose has now made a full recovery. She’s our little miracle.

**_From Roxanne Maiden, 28, of Kidderminster, Worcs_**

**_What is it?_** An obstruction of the blood vessel, usually by a blood clot which has travelled from elsewhere in the body.

**_What are the symptoms?_** Small, slightly raised purple spots which appear under the skin.  
What’s the treatment? Removing dead tissue from the wound, draining the abscess, or IV antibiotics.

**_Where can I find out more?_** Visit healthline.com and search ‘septic emboli’.

‘Her foot’s turned BLACK!’ My baby girl was left fighting for her life

**_Inside my chocolate-box cottage,  I let my imagination run wild.  By Mary Rose Young, 66_**

As I carefully painted my newest handmade pot, the tutor came over to speak to me.

‘So, what’s the inspiration for your work?’ she asked.   
‘Um… having fun?’ I told her. ‘I want to make everything fun!’  
I’d always been creative, and when I’d finished school, I went to art college where I’d discovered pottery. I loved the laid-back joy of making and decorating ceramics.  
When I graduated, I tried  to settle down to a more conventional job, teaching English as a foreign language.  
But it didn’t suit me, so I set up my own ceramics workshop.  
Before long, I was selling bits and pieces at craft markets and it turned out people loved my work.  
Many of my pieces were designed along an Alice in Wonderland theme, with whimsical flowers and crowns.  
Eventually I was earning enough that making pottery became my full-time job.  
And before long, my boyfriend and I began looking to buy our first home together.  
A friend had recently got her own home and I loved the way she’d decorated it. It had got my creative mind racing.  
Soon after, we went to look at a cottage in Lydney, Gloucestershire.  
‘There’s a lot of work to be done,’ my boyfriend said, looking around the dark, almost cave-like interior.  
‘It’s a blank canvas,’ I replied excitedly. ‘We can do whatever we want with it.’  
And since the price was just £30,000, we decided to go for it.  
I moved in my kiln and pottery equipment, then got to work on transforming our new home.

It was a daunting task, and though I loved an intuitive approach, I knew I’d need to do a bit of planning.  
Bringing character back into the house was going to be a real challenge.  
But because it was so dark inside, it meant I could get away with eye-popping colours!  
The cottage had no corridors, one room just led straight into the next, so I knew I had to think about how the colours of each room went together.  
But not all my decisions were so thought-out.  
There was nothing more freeing than looking around and deciding: ‘I’m going to put spots on that!’  
It filled me with a  childish joy.  
I added a checkerboard splashback to the kitchen, with yellow wallpaper and little pink flowers.  
A friend built us a custom spiral staircase that led up to what I called the Arabian tent room, where I’d laid down beautiful rugs and draped silk from the ceiling.  
‘It’s like a playhouse for adults,’ I told friends.  
A magazine from London even wanted to come and take pictures, which made me finish up my decoration pretty quickly!  
‘Do you think you’ll do anything colourful to the outside of the house?’ a friend asked when she visited.

‘If it was up to me, all buildings would be brightly coloured by law,’ I replied, laughing. ‘But I’m not sure that my neighbours would  be thrilled.’  
Also, I told her: ‘I don’t want everyone to think I’m a hippie lunatic, even if I am one in my soul!’  
So while the outside remained like a traditional chocolate-box cottage, the inside was another story.  
A few years into living there, we added a pottery studio space on to one end  of the house. Then I really went wild.

It took me three months to paint the ceiling with stripes of floral patterns before adding one of my signature ceramic chandeliers, and covering the floor in multi-coloured tiles.  
I operated my gallery from the house too, and visitors loved it.  
‘I want it to feel like a kid coming into a sweetshop,’ I’d tell them.  
Whenever I’d go into the village, I’d always get comments from the neighbours.  
‘You’re from the colourful house, aren’t you?’ they’d say.  
At first I was confused, because from the road I thought it looked just like all the others.  
But then someone said: ‘When I was driving by at night, all the lights were on, and it was like looking into a rainbow inside!’  
Just recently, we bought another little property nearby. We did it up in the same style, so we could rent it out as an Airbnb.  
‘You know. I wasn’t really sure if I was going to like it,’ said one guest. ‘But being here has just made me feel  so joyful!’  
Now I’ve spent almost  40 years transforming  the interior of my little cottage into a life-size dolls’ house — even though you wouldn’t always know it  from the outside!

The door to WOW! You won’t believe the wonderland hiding inside this traditional cottage…

**_A day at the seaside left me cringing, but  I ended up making a vow. By Leanne Hemming, 41_**

As my husband James handed me a carton,  I let out a sigh of happiness.

Within moments, I was tucking into my favourite Chinese meal of fried soft noodles, boiled rice, curry sauce and spring rolls.  
Our boys, Hugo and Elliott, born 17 months apart, loved having a nap when we were out and about in the car, so James and I would take advantage of the moment to scoff a takeaway.  
Having dinner in the car wasn’t exactly what you’d  call relaxing, but working irregular shifts in the hotel industry had played havoc with my eating habits.  
Often, I’d stop off at Asda on the way to work to choose a pizza that was laden with mozzarella cheese and vegetables, for my 3pm-10pm late shift.  
Although I was vegetarian, I knew I wasn’t eating a healthy diet.  
I was plagued by dizzy spells and aches, and I was too heavy for my 5ft 9in frame.  
We lived in Godolphin Cross, Cornwall, near the beach. But I couldn’t bear the idea of wriggling into a swimsuit. And, on days out with James and the boys, I would feel too embarrassed to join in with family games on the sand.  
‘I’ll just sit here and watch you,’ I’d say.  
On one occasion, we were invited to a big family gathering on the beach to celebrate a 60th birthday, but when the boys asked me to make sandcastles with them, I had to refuse.  
Truth was, I couldn’t manage to manoeuvre myself enough to bend down on to the sand with them. Instead, I shook my head and just sat on a blanket, overwhelmed with shame.  
Then, at the party, I got chatting to a cousin who told me she’d lost two stone at Slimming World.  
I’d never attempted a diet before, but now I knew I had to give it a try. So I signed up to a Slimming World group and went to my first meeting.  
As I stood on the scales, I wasn’t surprised when they hit 18st 2lb.  
At the group, I learnt about the benefits of cooking from scratch and, back at home,  I set about clearing out the fridge and kitchen cupboards of jars and sauces, chocolate yogurts and full-fat cheese.  
Then I filled the fridge with healthy fruit and vegetables.  
I started cooking Mediterranean-style pasta dishes, Quorn roasts as well as chickpea curries, and I really enjoyed them. I also found that I loved Linda McCartney’s red onion and rosemary sausages.  
In my first week, I lost seven pounds — and by the end of the first month, I had lost a stone.  
I discovered tofu and ditched fizzy drinks and alcohol, and by the time I had lost three stone, both the dizziness and aches had disappeared, which felt like such a relief.  
I started going on long walks and joined the gym and, every six weeks, I lost another stone until I hit  10st 2lb.  
I had lost eight stone in total and was able to slip into a size eight.  
I was thrilled!  
I’ve been crowned Slimming World’s Miss Slinky 2024, but more importantly, I’m the fun mum I’ve always wanted to be.  
There’s no more watching from the sidelines while everybody else has fun.  
Now, if there’s a party, I’m the first one up!

Height 5ft 9in  
Before 18st 2lb  
Size 24  
After 10st 2lb  
Size 8

**Breakfast:** four slices of thick white toast, spread with butter  
**Lunch:** cheese and onion sandwich on thick white bread, crisps  
**Dinner:** Chinese takeaway  or pizza  
Snacks: crisps, crumpets spread with butter

**Breakfast:** granola, fat-free yogurt and banana  
**Lunch:** home-made pasta salad, Slimming World Hifi bar  
**Dinner:** chickpea curry  
**Snacks:** fat-free yogurt,  fresh fruit

VEX on the BEACH! Sandcastle shame helped me shed EIGHT STONE

Closing date for issue 30 is midnight 11th August 2025. Only one entry per person


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Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace and former home of Henry VIII. It's managed by Historic Royal Palaces, a charity set up to preserve several unoccupied royal palaces. It's located in the beautiful London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, which is in London Travelcard Zone 6, meaning you can use an Oyster card or contactless bank card to tap in and out at the train station. I visited with my husband and two sons Odhran, 9, and Reuben 6, on a sunny Saturday at the end of May. It's so close and easily accessible from central London but it feels a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city. As we explored the historic site and stunning gardens, I had a relaxed feeling, reminiscent of visits to the Cotswolds. A trip to Hampton Court Palace is more than a day out. It feels like a mini-break - a chance to peacefully explore, while taking a rest from hectic London living.

## Why Hampton Court Palace is the perfect day out with kids...

There comes a school age when most kids will be intrigued by Henry VIII and the gruesome aspects of his life. 'Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived' is a well recited mnemonic referring to the fates of his six wives. Odhran is a fan of :a[Horrible Histories]{href='https://takeabreak.co.uk/holidays/take-a-break-holidays/horrible-histories-tour-2025-heres-why-you-should-book-the-kids-in-for-a-history-lesson-they-wont-forget/' } and intrigued by those Terrible Tudors, so a visit to Hampton Court Palace was a great way to connect his learning with the physical history of the times. Reuben listened wide-eyed to the audio guide tale of Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife, who is said to haunt gallery in the Palace. Legend has it that after being arrested for adultery and treason, she escaped her guards, and ran through the gallery, pleading for her life.

The boys enjoyed sitting like kings at the top table in the Great Hall, adorned with 500 year old tapestries. On special occasions, the Great Hall was used for plays and dances. As a fan of :a[Shakespeare]{href='https://takeabreak.co.uk/holidays/take-a-break-holidays/walk-in-the-footsteps-of-the-bard-at-one-of-the-most-unique-theatre-attractions/' }, Odhran was interested to hear how James I's court spent the Christmas of 1603 at Hampton Court to escape the outbreak of a plague in London, and during the festive celebrations, William Shakespeare and his company of players performed _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_ in the Great Hall.

There's also the stunningly ornate Chapel Royal, which has a rich musical history and has witnessed significant historical events. Productions such as Bridgerton and even Pirates of the Caribbean have been filmed at Hampton Court Palace. But as a fan of Wolf Hall, I loved sitting round the table in the Council Chamber - the room of power and politics where Henry and his Privy Council made some of the biggest decisions in English history. It was fascinating to sit and imagine the scheming and skulduggery of the times.

We also loved stepping back in time to see how the more lowly staff lived during these times, and wandering through the labyrinth of kitchen spaces. There were demonstrations taking place showing the old-fashioned methods of using natural products to remove all kinds of stains from clothing.

If you enjoying roaming around :a[beautiful gardens]{href='https://takeabreak.co.uk/holidays/take-a-break-holidays/we-visited-the-world-famous-gardens-where-you-can-take-a-walk-through-the-trees-59-feet-off-the-ground/' }, then that's reason alone to visit Hampton Court Palace. You can picnic in the Great Fountain Garden and we saw a family having a small birthday celebration for their child. It's a beautiful, relaxing, space to stroll around or sit in the sunshine. There's also the Privy Garden, Rose Garden, Royal Kitchen Garden, Pond Gardens, the Great Vine, and the Wilderness. It's not very big, but you will also want to visit Hampton Court's famous maze, which is the UK's oldest surviving hedge maze.

Let's be honest, this is the jewel in the crown for kids visiting Hampton Court Palace, and a place where their imaginations can run wild. There's a giant dragon, colourful towers to climb, and connecting bridges. There are water pumps, fountains to splash in, and sand. Alongside, Lilidorei at The Alnwick Garden, and :a[Blenheim Palace]{href='https://takeabreak.co.uk/holidays/take-a-break-holidays/blenheim-palace-review-everything-you-need-to-know-when-visiting-this-unesco-world-heritage-site-with-kids/' } Adventure Play, this is one of the best playgrounds we've visited. The boys loved it and didn't want to leave when their time was up. We arrived at 3.10pm and had a time slot until 4.30pm. We were given a coloured wristband and you must leave when your colour is called. What's also great about the Magic Garden is that it's been carefully designed with families in mind and has all the practical elements - there are toilets and baby changing facilities, a shop selling drinks and snacks, and a fountain to fill your water bottle.

Hampton Court Palace hosts many exciting events throughout the year. But for kids this summer, you can look forward to Henry VIII's Joust this weekend (19-20 July), and little ones can hop along on a magical garden trail as part of The Peter Rabbit Adventure from 25 July to 7 September.

## How much time will you spend at Hampton Court Palace?

Over the summer holidays Hampton Court Palace and Gardens is open every day from 10am to 5.30pm. The Magic Garden is open 10am to 6pm during the summer holidays but last entry is at 5.15pm. You'll need at least three hours at Hampton Court Palace, but we suggest making a full day of it.

At the Privy Kitchen Café my husband enjoyed a delicious frittata with slaw, potatoes and carrots, at a cost of £13. I wasn't so hungry and ate a blueberry muffin with a cup of tea, at a total cost of £6.50. The boys had the children's meal deal - this consists of a sandwich (ham or cheese), a snack, crisps, and a carton of juice for £7.50. There's also the Tiltyard Café with soup, sandwiches and hot meals. And when we visited there were food vans in the Great Foundation Garden selling

BBQ foods such as pulled pork burger for £12.50, with vegan options also available, and sweet and savoury crepes starting from £7. The boys were happy to see an ice-cream stall.

Hampton Court train station is a five-minute walk from the Palace. National Rail train services run from London Waterloo every 30 minutes , calling at Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Earlsfield, Wimbledon, Raynes Park, New Maldon, Berrylands, Surbiton, Thames Ditton and Hampton Court. Trains returning to London Waterloo depart Hampton Court at regular times - Monday to Saturday: 24 and 54 minutes past the hour - Sunday: 05 and 35 minutes past the hour.

If you're travelling by bus from Kingston, you can jump on the 111, 216, 411, 461, and 513. Or from Richmond, you can catch the R68.

There is a very limited amount of parking at Hampton Court Palace, at a price of £1.80 per hour. It's also possible to travel there by boat!

## Tips for visiting Hampton Court Palace with Kids

• **Grab a guide** \- You're given a map at the entrance, which is handy for planning your visit and finding your way around. Head straight to the gift shop where you can pick up your free audio guide. But don't do what I did and hit play without scrolling down to discover there's a special guided tour designed for kids with a young character talking them through everything in a more entertaining and age-appropriate manner.

• **Check timings** - Certain parts of the attraction may close earlier. For example, the maze closes as 4pm. And on our visit, the Magic Garden has a last entry time of 5.15pm

• **Don't forget swimwear** \- While I was aware of Hampton Court's fantastic Magic Garden playground, I didn't realise it had sand and water pumps and fountains for the kids to splash in. So the boys ended up playing in their pants and going commando for the rest of the day!

• **Stay sun safe** \- The Magic Garden is a bit of a sun trap. So, be sure to pack sun cream and maybe a sun hat for the kids. There's a drinking fountain to fill up your water bottle and make sure the kids stay well hydrated.

• **Pack a bucket and spade** \- When we visited, lots of kids were joining together to make a river through the sand. Some were pumping water, while others were digging a route for the water to make its way from one end to the other. Reuben wanted to join in by filling a section with water, but as we had no bucket I ended up giving him my water bottle.

• **Check out the horses** \- If you want to do something a bit different on your day out, you could take a shire horse carriage ride, which will take you on a 15 mile journey around the gardens. This doesn't need to be pre-booked, so you can decide to do it on the day. It costs £5 per person.

## How much does a visit to Hampton Court Palace cost?

You can book tickets in advance online of on the day at the ticket office. Prices vary depending on whether it's peak or off peak. Peak time is weekends and bank holidays. Your ticket includes access to the place, courtyards, gardens, maze, and the Magic Garden. Adult ticket costs £28.00 off-peak, £30.90 peak. A child's ticket and a young person's ticket (16-17 years) costs £14 off-peak, £15.50 peak, under 5s go free. A senior, disabled concession and student ticket costs £22.50 off-peak and £24.70 peak. Hampton Court Palace offers £1 tickets for those on benefits. Find out more on their website.

On select days you can visit Hampton Court Palace Gardens for free. This is part of Open Garden Days, which this year will take place on 13-14 September, 18-19 October, 22-23 November, and 26 December (The Wilderness Garden only). You'll be able to visit the Great Fountain Garden, the Privy Garden, the Kitchen Garden, the Pond Garden, and the Lower Orangery and Terrace, free of charge on these dates. Entrance to the Palace, the maze, and the Magic Garden still requires a ticket. Check the website closer to the dates for further info.

We discovered the perfect day trip from London with the kids this summer…

**_Shannon was excited to be a new mum. Until the intrusive thoughts set in…_**

Looking down at the little white stick,  two lines stared  back at me.

Having had anorexia in my teens, I’d been unsure about whether I could ever have a baby, but now I was pregnant.  
‘I’m so happy for you!’ my mum squealed.  
It was all I’d ever wanted, but six months in, I found myself constantly comparing my situation to the traditional families I saw on social media.  
I was going it alone with only my parents for support.  
‘Are you excited?’ my dad asked one night.  
‘Of course,’ I said.  
But I’d started to experience suicidal thoughts, thinking I wasn’t enough for my baby.  
I tried to think how I could end my life, while keeping the baby alive.  
Worried, my mum contacted my GP and I was put under the care of a mental health team.  
I was admitted to hospital when I went into slow labour, which lasted seven days.  
‘It’ll be worth it when baby’s here,’ people kept saying.  
But when my daughter, Orlagh, was born, the instant rush of love didn’t come.  
She was beautiful, but a dark fog had descended over me.  
Paranoid that someone would take my baby away if they found out, I didn’t tell anyone how I was feeling.  
Then, when Orlagh was three weeks old, I made the decision to end my life.  
I thought she would  be better off without me, and  I knew my parents would look after her.  
The following morning, I got ready to leave the house to do the unthinkable, when  I burst into tears.  
My mum found me on my bedroom floor and, after I told her everything, she called my mental health nurse.  
I was diagnosed with postnatal depression (PND)which had led to postnatal psychosis, and it was decided that I would benefit from inpatient care.  
On the way to the mother and baby unit, I felt relief wash over me.  
I wanted to live and be a mummy to Orlagh, I just didn’t know how.  
Over the next 14 days, I learnt how to care for her.  
At first, it was hard. My mental health was so poor, I felt like a robot completing tasks.  
But by the time we left the unit, I’d bonded with Orlagh and I was on medication for my depression.  
Now, Orlagh and I have a lovely life, and every time I look at her, I feel that rush of love.  
It’s a journey, but I’m learning to be the best mum  I can every day.  
I want to share my story, so other mums suffering with PND know they aren’t alone.

**_Shannon Finan, 30, Coventry, West Midlands_**

• To listen to Shannon’s podcast on PND, search ‘The Only Prams Podcast’  on Spotify.

Post Natal Depression left me suicidal

**_When these readers  were in trouble, they discovered help can come from unexpected places_**

It was cold as my little sister Lesley and I left our ballet class to walk home.

Although we were just seven and four, we didn’t have far to go and our parents trusted us to head straight back.  
As we walked past a big pond, I noticed that it had frozen over.  
‘I wonder if I can walk on it,’ I said to Lesley.  
But the moment I put my foot down, the ice cracked.  
As I was plunged into the freezing water, I just managed to grab hold of two tufts of grass to stop me being completely submerged.  
On the bank, Lesley burst into tears.  
There weren’t many cars around, but thankfully one passed by and spotted me clinging to the grass.  
Seconds later, I felt strong hands pulling me out of the water. I was wearing my best coat with its fur collar, and I must have been very heavy.

My saviour squatted down in front of me to check I was OK.  
‘I’d better drive you two home,’ he said.  
So we sat on his back seat, totally soaking the upholstery.  
When we arrived and he told Mum what had happened, she couldn’t stop thanking him.  
After that, we got a lecture every winter about not stepping on the ice.  
It gave me a healthy respect for water, and now, more than 60 years on, I’ll swim happily in a pool but I’m nervous about open water.     
Had that  man not been there to save me, I could easily have drowned.

**_From Adrienne Hinton, 68, of Burnley, Lancs_**

I looked at the clock at work, and quickly packed up my stuff so I could make it to the hospital for visiting time.

I’d recently lost my dad, and now my mum had been admitted to hospital with COPD.  
Every evening after work, I would go to keep her company.  
It meant getting two buses home, with a wait in the freezing cold in between them, but  I didn’t mind.  
It was so late, I was often the only passenger on the buses and I noticed it was always the same driver on the first one.  
One night, as I was climbing off to wait for the next bus, he called out to me.  
‘You might as well stay on,’ he said. ‘Save you waiting outside in the cold.’

‘Oh, that would be amazing,’ I replied.  
Every night after that, the driver, whose name was Ken, did the same and we’d chat until my next bus.  
‘You’re a good daughter for visiting,’ he said, kindly, when I told him about  my mum.  
Soon after, Mum was moved to a different hospital, and I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye and thanks to Ken.  
But his simple act of kindness made a huge difference to me at one of the hardest times of my life.

**_From Amy Christian, 39, of Sheffield_**

After meeting friends for coffee in town, I caught the bus home.

I’d made the journey in my wheelchair plenty of times, but today, as we bounced along, I felt myself slipping out of the seat.  
My new pressure cushion doesn’t fit properly! I thought.  
It was the wrong shape for the seat, and was pushing  me out.  
Seeing the panic on my face, a young man standing opposite asked if I was OK.  
‘I’m not actually,’ I replied.  
‘Can I do anything to help?’ he asked.  
‘You can try!’ I said.  
He wrapped his arms around me and helped me back into my seat, while another passenger shouted: ‘Stop the bus!’  
The driver pulled up and came to see what was happening.  
Together they got the cushion out from under me.  
‘Thanks so much!’ I said.  
I asked the young man his name, and he said it was Alex.  
‘It would’ve been awful if I’d fallen out,’ I said. ‘I could kiss you!’  
His look of alarm very clearly said: ‘Please don’t!’  
When we reached my stop  I thanked him again, before wheeling off and blowing him a kiss.

**_From Karen Dennis, 61, of Barnstaple, Devon_**

Standing outside the corner shop with my pals, we opened the packet of jawbreakers and took one each.

They were the new ice-cream flavoured ones everyone had gone mad for, and we couldn’t wait to try them.  
But minutes after popping one into my mouth, I laughed at something my friend said, and the sweet got lodged in my windpipe.  
I was only seven and the big round ball filled my entire throat.  
Struggling to breathe, I began to feel dizzy.  
My pals, who had no idea what to do, were just staring at me in shock.  
Then a passer-by spotted  what was happening, ran over and gave me a huge thump on the back.

The gobstopper flew out across the road and I gulped in some huge, welcome breaths.  
When I looked up, the man was gone, and I hadn’t had the chance to say thank you.  
Back at home, I told my parents, but they thought I was exaggerating.  
Looking back now, I was incredibly lucky that man came along.  
Sometimes I wonder if he was my guardian angel!

**_From Lisa Tomlinson-Cowie, 48, of Billingham, Co Durham_**

I packed up some ham sandwiches and a flask of tea, then climbed in the car with my hubby and daughter.

We were off to see High Force waterfall, in County Durham.  
I’d always loved waterfalls and rivers and now I was losing some mobility, I wanted to see as many as possible while I still could.  
It was just as spectacular as I’d imagined, and we walked to the top to admire the view.  
But just as we were about to head back down, I felt myself slipping on the wet rocks.  
I love water, but I don’t want to go in like this! I thought.  
I cried out and a young man grabbed my arm.  
He began slipping too, but managed to right himself and haul me back up.

‘Oh my God, my hero!’ I gasped. ‘Thanks so much!’  
My husband and daughter ran over and thanked the man too.  
‘I think I need to sit down and drink some tea,’ I told them.  
It was only back home later, that it really hit me how much worse it could’ve been.  
That brave stranger had saved me from a watery grave!

**_From Sue Just, 63, of  Kendal, Cumbria_**

Saved by a stranger! Five life-affirming stories of rescue and acts of kindness…

**Issue 01 2025**: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Fantasy

**Issue 02 2025**: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Appendix

**Issue 03 2025:** Page 15 Picture Pointer = Flattery

**Issue 04 2025**: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Mixture

**Issue 05 2025**: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Express

**Issue 06 2025**: Page 15 Picture Pointer = Crystal

I**ssue 01 2025**: G Balaggan, Workingham, Surrey

**Issue 02 2025**: D Kinnish, Carnforth, Lancashire.

**Issue 03 2025:** D Boddy, Chelmsford, Essex.

**Issue 05 2025**: L Stuart, Huntley, Aberdeenshire.

**_She was wearing her dream frock, the wedding guests were waiting… so where was Rebecca’s groom?_**

Scrolling through Pinterest, I added a few more pics to my wedding board.

I’d just been made redundant, and hours of job searching every day had got depressing.  
So, I cheered myself up by planning out my dream big day.  
The colour scheme was pistachio and peach, and I’d spent an age designing my perfect dress.  
I loved the idea of a short, swingy hemline.  
My partner Daniel and I had been together since I was 18, but whenever I mentioned marriage, he’d change the subject.  
Gradually, all our mutual friends tied the knot.  
They were always asking when we were planning on following suit, and 10 years into our relationship, I was losing patience.  
Though I’d never wanted children, I was desperate to become a wife.  
My sense of self-worth was closely tied to the idea of someone ‘choosing’ me.  
One New Year’s Eve, Daniel and I decided to throw a party.  
But while we were setting everything up, we got back into the old argument about marriage.  
‘Are you ever going to propose?’ I asked him.

‘It’s not even on my mind,’ he replied.  
‘Well then, it’s over,’ I said. ‘If you’re not sure about me after a decade together, you’ll never be.’  
I texted all our friends to cancel the party, and over the next year, our relationship broke down completely.  
Keen to get myself back out there,  I decided to join a few dating apps.  
No marriage-phobes! I specified on my profile.  
I wasn’t going through that again.

It wasn’t long before I started chatting with a guy named Tom, and things moved quickly between us.  
On our third date, we were lying on my sofa when he asked me about my profile.  
‘I feel the same way about marriage as you do,’ he told me. ‘It’s really important to me.’  
Tom seemed totally devoted and it wasn’t long before we moved in together.  
I felt sure I had finally found  my future husband.  
And the fact that my ex had just married his new girlfriend didn’t bother me in  the least.  
But after four years together, Tom began to change.  
He’d stay out all night, but not say where he was.  
Our relationship was on the rocks and I ended up moving out while we continued to work on it.  
During that time, I was at my office when I stumbled across an article that caught my attention.  
It was about an Italian woman who had married herself.  
The idea appealed to me, and  I made a Facebook event for my 40th birthday, still a few years away.  
Then I invited Tom.

‘If I’m not married by 40, then I’m going to marry myself,’ I told him. ‘You don’t have to be the groom, but I’m having a wedding!’  
But then, my whole world turned upside down.  
First of all, my beloved cat Gladys passed away.  
Then I discovered the true cause of Tom’s weird behaviour — he’d been having an affair for the past year.  
I blocked him on everything and sorted out more permanent accommodation.  
Not only was I under enormous emotional strain, but I was also strapped for cash.  
With vet bills for Gladys and a deposit for renting a new flat, I ended up £11k in debt. So over the next 10 months, I threw myself into paying everything off.  
I worked five jobs, adding cleaning, bar work and an Etsy shop to my day job as a customer consultant.  
My workload was so exhausting that I barely had time to think about my relationship.  
Meanwhile, I also completed a short therapy course provided by my job.  
‘What’s your goal with these sessions?’ asked the therapist.  
‘I want to stop caring about getting married,’ I told her.  
And a year later I was stronger, more independent, and totally debt-free.  
To my delight, I was able to move into a house on my own.  
Shutting my front door behind me, I felt liberated.  
After both of my previous break-ups, I’d ended up in flat-shares or tenancies with  no furniture.  
Now, I had something no one could take away from me.  
Gradually, I began to realise that, although we lived in a very couple-oriented society, I was actually happier by myself.  
That was when I received a Facebook reminder about my upcoming 40th.  
And suddenly it seemed like the perfect plan.  
No way was I letting all my wedding mood boards go to waste!  
‘I’m going to go through with it,’ I told my sister. ‘I’m marrying myself!’  
‘Don’t give up on meeting someone yet,’ she said.  
‘You don’t understand, I don’t want to meet someone,’ I replied. ‘Besides, I need to wear my dream dress while I’m still young enough to pull it off!’  
Scrolling through my old Pinterest boards and Excel spreadsheets, I found myself looking back at how far I had come.  
Now, I was so much more in control of my own life than I’d ever been before.

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