thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--Here's What It's Really Like To Work In A Funeral Home

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“You look so normal,” Sara says, sitting across from me, her hair in long, blond dreads. She’s the owner of a small funeral home in Venice, California, and she needs a new assistant – her last one quit yesterday because of nightmares. I need a job that pays at least $20 an hour, cash, and that doesn’t make me feel like I’m selling my soul.
“I get that a lot,” I say, because I do. Any mortician that doesn’t look like Jack Black in Bernie (no offence, Jack) tends to get a bit of a second take.
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Before this, I worked as a freelance funeral arranger at a family mortuary. I got the job off Craigslist. I had no experience whatsoever and my interview went like this:
“Can you sew?”
“Um, a little! My grandma taught me.”
“Cool. So could you like... sew a skull?”
My ‘I could give it a try’ attitude led to a seven-year stint as a funeral arranger until my boss went to prison. The story involved financial abuse and a fight with lawyers that I never fully understood. (I was out of town when it happened.)
Anyway, I would get that a lot. “Wow, you’re so young,” or “But... you’re pretty.” Still, I can’t be too offended. During my years as a funeral arranger, whenever I would leave to travel or take another freelance job, my replacement was always at least two of the following things: 1) unreliable; 2) living in a Jack in the Box parking lot; 3) wanting to get fast cash and then get out.
It’s hard to find someone who is comfortable talking to grieving families and also making small talk as the crematory operator pokes a burning skull.
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“My 'I could give it a try' attitude led to a seven-year stint as a funeral arranger until my boss went to prison.”
Most of my duties at my last job involved driving. Our office was in Santa Monica, and our crematory (where the bodies are actually stored and cremated) was in the Valley, so I would do a lot of driving back and forth to pick up ashes, meeting people for witness cremations (where they actually ‘witness’ the body going into the machine), and checking to make sure someone is okay to be viewed without being embalmed. (We did very little embalming. Most people don’t need it.)
I delivered ashes and met with families all over Los Angeles. We did services for everyone from celebrities to the homeless. My favourite part about the job was the spectrum of humanity. I never had the same day twice.
My least favourite part about the job was the stress. (The smell of the coolers at times being a close second). It’s a job where the stakes are high, and the way people grieve can profoundly affect the path their emotional life takes for years.
It’s part of why I never wanted to go full time, and definitely why I sometimes needed a break to work at a bookstore, where my responsibilities – previously along the lines of “Can you find a way to make the baby less cold before the mother holds it one last time?” – were more like “Can you organise these by colour?”
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It may not be particularly surprising that the job is hard on the psyche, but it can be hard in unexpected ways. I’m very careful driving because if something happens to me, I know exactly where I’ll end up. When I see someone asleep, it’s hard not to imagine them dead.
I empathise, but it’s rare that the grief gets to me. It doesn’t feel right to be traumatised by somebody else’s tragedy.
Still, after my boss went to prison, I felt done with the death industry. I shadowed human rights activists in the Middle East. I went to France for a few months. I went back to the bookstore.
But not every job is flexible. And part of me was drawn to feeling I was doing something that I, specifically, was useful at.
I had gotten Sara the funeral home owner’s card from the crematory machine operator as my previous funeral home was going under.
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I told her how, while I wasn’t always inherently passionate about being in the death industry, I did appreciate the fact that I had a skill. I knew the ins and outs, I knew most people who had worked in the crematory, EDRS (the online death registry system), and other funeral homes. I had cultivated an awareness of the value of offering ceremony, genuine connection, and not forcing people into the box (sometimes literally) of the more traditional, corporate burial options.
We aligned. So I was hired.
Working as a funeral arranger for Sara, my job would be nearly identical to what it had been. Delivering ashes, walking clients through paperwork. I’d be the one at the service handing out water bottles, trying to find a book to use for leverage under the projector that won’t offend someone (not the Bible or the Torah).
My second day on the job, I got up at 6:45am to get to our crematory in the Valley for a morning witness cremation. They’d stand before the cremation oven and push the button to start the process.
Sara took her time making the space with rose petals and blue silk. She’s not afraid of touching the deceased with her hands. Candlelit lanterns lit the floor so we could turn off the harsh fluorescent lights.
The family loved their deceased. This may seem like a given, but it’s not. I once worked a case where I was instructed to make sure not to let the father in the viewing room until I had the cash in hand – if he showed up at all. He did show up, asking, “If I don’t need the full hour, can I just pay you for 10 minutes?”
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I prefer tears.
Sara encouraged them to tell stories, which they did, of their spitfire mother growing up on a farm in Kansas, jumping off hay bales. Sara approached the two young boys and asked them if they wanted to touch the body. “Americans in our culture are so afraid of death, it’s unhealthy. It’s not natural that it be that way.”
One of the boys volunteered to push the button to start the machine (it used to be a big red button – now it’s an iPad-like computer contraption on the side of the oven) and we held hands and sang You Are My Sunshine.
I reflect on my own parents’ plans to direct-cremate my grandparents. Direct cremation means no service, no viewing. I’ve said, please, it’s an incredibly different energy when you send them off with just a little ceremony and love. Even if you plan on spreading their ashes in Hawaii – please do some kind of goodbye beforehand if you can. It makes a difference.
Sara said to the family, “It’s nice that you are here. That she doesn’t have to go in alone.”
“I delivered some ashes to someone who reminded me of a friend. The way he held the box and asked simply, 'This is my brother?' got to me. You never know what will make you need a second to cry in your car.”
There are reasons not every person feels called to work in this industry.
The hours are sporadic and long. Sara is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There’s no one to replace you if you go on vacation. If you miss a call at three in the morning, you lose out on a significant source of income. And if you get a reputation from clients or hospices as a place that doesn’t pick up the phone, eventually it stops ringing.
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Clients usually expect things to be fast. But about 65,000 people a year die in Los Angeles, and no one likes to hear that cremation will take about a week. (They think that’s slow – that’s actually fairly standard, bordering on quick.) You have to juggle names, dates, relationships, deadlines, locations and prices. Between services, ship outs (shipping a body on an airplane) and intakes, Sara usually has to be in three places at the same time.
It’s the customer service aspect that’s hardest, and it’s usually the small things that get to me. I delivered some ashes to someone who reminded me of a friend. The way he held the box and asked simply, “This is my brother?” got to me. You never know what will make you need a second to cry in your car.
What makes it worth it is when you’re able to guide people through a meaningful experience. When you hear, “Thank you for your kindness, this would have been a lot harder without you.”
It’s important work. And I can do it without taking it on or having nightmares about the deceased. I am honest, I show up on time, I don’t steal $500 just because it’s lying around. I’m sensitive, I’m proactive, I’m willing to give cutting out pacemakers a go. (Really not that bad; very light incision, pretty much pops out.)
And yet I don’t know if I’ll ever feel the connection to the work that Sara feels. She stands by the bereaved with an arm around them. I stand in the corner, overanalysing whether to offer Kleenex.
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Where are the people who are called to do this? They are so valuable. Would they appear more if the industry were configured differently? If it were easier to have health insurance?
I don’t know. But the bottom line is, spitfire from Kansas, you did not know me. And it feels strange that I got paid $60 to attend your funeral.
This article first appeared on HuffPost US Personal.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--Kicking Extremists Off Social Media Helps Fight Hate, Report Finds

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Banning extremists such as ‘Tommy Robinson’ from social media works and firms should do more to stop them organising, raising money and spreading and directing hate, a report seen by HuffPost UK has said.
Debate has raged about whether extremists should be deplatformed if they are not breaking the law and figures including Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, have sought to exploit the situation by presenting themselves as defenders of free speech.
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But Hope Not Hate said deplatforming Yaxley-Lennon had worked by “severely” reducing the number of his followers, making it harder for him to organise demonstrations and direct his supporters against minorities.
In one such incident, the former English Defence League leader claimed a Syrian boy who was bullied at school had attacked a white girl from the same school and posted accusatory videos on Facebook.
But in the last two years Yaxley-Lennon has been kicked off Twitter and Facebook, as well as having restrictions placed on his YouTube channel, “which resulted in his views collapsing”.
He has been forced to communicate with supporters through the more marginal encrypted messaging app Telegram, where he has just 42,000 followers compared to more than a million before his bans, Hope Not Hate’s State Of Hate 2020 report found.
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Yaxley-Lennon attracted more than 10,000 supporters to “Free Tommy” demonstrations against his incarceration for contempt of court in London in 2018, one of the largest far-right protests in the UK in recent years.
But similar demonstrations after his bans attracted little more than a few hundred last year.
A supporter holds a banner during a rally outside the BBC in August 2019 to demand the freedom of Stephen Yaxley-Lennon SIPA USA/PA Images
“The reasons for this are by no means monocausal, but he and his associates’ inability to spread the word about events and animate the masses beyond core supporters has clearly played a role,” the report said.
“The last decade has seen far-right extremists attract audiences unthinkable for most of the postwar period, and the damage has been seen on our streets, in the polls, and in the rising death toll from far-right terrorists.
“Deplatforming is not straightforward, but it limits the reach of online hate, and social media companies have to do more and do more now.”
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Patrik Hermansson, who researches the far-right for Hope Not Hate, said the Yaxley-Lennon case showed why it was important to make the case for deplatforming, which is opposed by some on both the left and right.
Social media is an “essential tool” for the far-right to “change public opinion and get people on their side”, to organise demonstrations and to raise funding, he told HuffPost UK.
“Also it’s a tool for them to use in their actions - they use social media to spread hate and target journalists and minorities and their political opponents.
“The abuse that happens on social media is quite significant.”
Hermansson added: “(Yaxley-Lennon) was very efficient at organising his social media following, he profited from it quite extensively, and he also used it in extremely negative ways by directing his followers against minority communities.”
The charity also pointed to research which showed that the removal of Britain First from Facebook, where it had 1.8m followers and two million likes, had successfully disrupted the group.
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The extremist group has turned to the small and marginal Gab platform, where it has just 11,000 followers and Telegram, where it has 8,000.
“This has undoubtedly been a key factor in the decline of Britain First as a dangerous force in the UK,” the report said.
But it noted that while deplatforming has been “highly effective in inhibiting the power and growth of the far right, there has to remain a balance with freedom of speech to prevent a negative reaction from the British public”.
The report also warned that deplatformed groups and individuals often recongregate on platforms “with a more laissez faire attitude towards extremism”
It called on Telegram in particular to take urgent action to take down extreme far-right channels dubbed “Terrorgram”, where illegal content is shared on an “almost hourly basis”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--5 Signs Your Partner's Porn Habits (Or Your Own) Have Become Problematic

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Porn isn’t inherently bad. If you look at it as a form of entertainment rather than a reflection of real sex, your porn consumption isn’t necessarily going to be detrimental to your sex life, either. (And as many feminists have argued, some porn can even be a tool of empowerment for women.)
It’s how you personally engage with porn that determines its effect on you: how much you watch and how you compare and contrast what you’ve seen to your actual sex life, said Janet Brito, a psychologist and sex therapist at the Center for Sexual and Reproductive Health in Hawaii.
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“A healthy relationship to porn is defined by the individual ― only you can decide if porn is ‘good or bad’ for you,” she said. “But I’d say it’s a problem if you’re using porn to hide or escape from forming intimate and deeper relationships with others, if that’s your desire.”
A healthy relationship with porn means “you’re not hiding your sexual behaviour (i.e., porn use) from others or feeling guilty or shame around it,” she added.
What are some other signs you ― or your partner ― have developed an unhealthy relationship with porn? Below, Brito and other sex therapists who’ve worked with couples in this position offer five signs. (Keep in mind that a problematic relationship with porn isn’t the same as a porn addiction. And diagnosing porn addiction is a very slippery slope: In the mental health community, there’s been some debate about whether compulsive porn use should actually be considered an addiction, and also, how it should be treated.)
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1. You’re actively avoiding sex
If you can get off without a laptop or smartphone screen in front of you, you’re probably fine. But if you’re avoiding sex with your partner ― or prefer a quick visit to PornHub (or the cam girl experience) to actually having sex ― it might be a problem, said Sari Cooper, a sex therapist and director of Center for Love and Sex.
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“Your partner’s porn is likely interfering with your sex life if they’re having sexual experiences with live chat people and withdrawing or avoiding sexual experiences with you when you send signals that you want to be intimate,” she said.
2. You think rough sex, threesomes and anal are the norm
It should shock no one that porn is crazy unrealistic ― from the super-loud, histrionic orgasms, to the way adult film actors default to rough sex play (think: choking) and spontaneous anal sex. Even porn stars we’ve interviewed have told us they hope people don’t view it as a sexual education. (For one thing, it takes hours to prep for those seamless transitions to anal sex. Unless you want an anal fissure, you don’t just slide into anal sex sans lube.)
“Porn is a horrible sex educator,” said Megan Fleming, a New York City-based psychologist and sex therapist. “Sometimes men think all or most women love anal and threesomes because it’s so normative in porn.”
Fleming pointed to a recent New York Times article where a reporter spoke with a teen boy who said he wouldn’t ask for anal if he were having sex with a girl, he’d “just do it.”
“As the mother of a 16-year-old daughter, that’s terrifying,” she said. “We need to educate our kids and young adults in relationships about pleasure and exploring on their own and not according to what they see.”
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Andrew Brookes via Getty Images You can bring up your concerns about your partner's porn consumption in a nonjudgmental way, sex therapists say.
3. Your porn use is hurting your partner
If your partner is feeling uncomfortable, hurt, lonely or disconnected from you due to your porn use ― or is resorting to invading your privacy by looking at your browser history ― it’s worth discussing their insecurities and your views around porn.
If you’re the person bothered by your partner’s porn consumption, bring it up in a nonjudgmental way, Brito said.
“Try to create space to discuss your concerns with your partner where you focus on identifying your deeper needs versus attacking them for using porn,” she explained.
4. You feel like you’re underperforming or don’t look good enough to have sex
Porn warps both men’s and women’s aesthetic expectations when it comes to sex: The average penis size is about 6 inches, but in porn, it’s often over 8 or 9. Vulvas come in all shapes and sizes but in porn, they’re virtually pore-less, often labiaplastied and almost always hairless. If your own body image is starting to take a hit from over-watching porn, you may want to reevaluate your viewing habits.
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“Self-image issues can come up for both men and women because most people aren’t these ideal and often surgically enhanced men and women they’re seeing online,” Fleming said. “There’s been a significant increase in labiaplasty in many cases because women don’t like the way their vulvas look and may not be as trimmed as they see in porn.”
Men can also feel inadequate in their penis size and not having the ejaculatory control of porn stars, Fleming added.
This apprehension around sex is even more pointed with those who experience anxiety disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder or suffer from perfectionism, Cooper said.
“Porn habits can trigger a sense of not being good enough, sexy enough or well-endowed enough to compare to porn actors who’ve been hired specifically for their looks and what they can do in bed,” she said.
5. You feel your partner isn’t good enough — or hot enough — to have sex with you
It cuts both ways: If you’re hyperjudgmental of how your partner looks or behaves in bed, porn is probably negatively affecting your sex life and relationship, Fleming said.
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“I hear men expressing concern with their own porn use because they say they get bored with their partner and real-life sex,” she said. “In my 20 years, though, I’ve never had a man or woman complain about their female partner’s porn use.”
With porn, Fleming said, viewers “can get what they want, when they want it and generally, they’re flipping through multiple images or videos of their ideal sexual turn-ons.”
Sometimes guys struggle to ejaculate because their partner just can’t replicate the sensation of using their hand when they masturbate, with or without porn.
“It’s not uncommon for men to have what we sex therapists refer to as an ‘idiosyncratic masturbation style,’ meaning on his own, he might be using too much force or pressure, going too fast and focusing on the frenulum, the most sensitive part of the penis,” she said. “A woman’s hand, mouth or vagina can’t replicate that level of stimulation.”
The good news about all these issues? It’s possible to get a handle on your porn consumption and solo sex habits and channel your sexual energy back into your relationship.
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“A healthy relationship means you feel that you can relay any concerns you have about these issues to your partner,” Fleming said. “If you’re the one concerned with your S.O.’s porn consumption, let them know that it seems like they’re withdrawing more and more from sex. Let them know that you miss them.”
If you’re concerned about your own porn habits, Brito said to “consider how your porn use impacts the wants and needs of those most important to you.”
If it’s hurting your partner, your porn consumption habits may be worth reexamining, either on your own or with the help of a therapist.
Sex Ed for Grown-Ups is a series tackling everything you didn’t learn about sex in school — beyond the birds and the bees. Keep checking back for more expert-based articles and personal stories.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--Being In Prison Helped Me Become The Mum I Am Today

Courtesy of Channel4 HuffPost UK
Before I went into jail, things were good.
I have two little boys, eight and six, and while there were a few ups and downs – I struggled with my mental health due to a traumatic childhood – we had a nice life. My boys were doing well in school, were never late, and we did loads of fun, creative stuff together as a family.
And then it all spiralled.
When I was sentenced to five years imprisonment at HMP Foston Hall in Derbyshire, knowing I would be apart from my kids was the most heart-wrenching thing I have ever been through. The only way I’ve ever been able to describe is that in my chest, where there’s supposed to be a heart, it’s hollow like the inside of a tennis ball. Being separated from my kids was more traumatic than anything I’ve ever had to do, or anything I’ve ever been through.
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For the first sixteen months of my sentence at Foston Hall, I wasn’t allowed contact with my sons. Knowing they were out there without me, knowing they would need their mum, was too much. Feeling like I wasn’t worth anything, I began self-harming.
Then, an officer in the prison took the time out of her day to talk to me, calm me down, tell me things can get better. To process those sixteen months, I dedicated my time to art. I made little storybooks for my sons, glued them together each week I used to send them one of those big C4 envelopes filled with sweets and poems and drawings – it was the only thing that kept me focused.
“If it wasn’t for that cause and the kindness of the staff, I don’t think I’d have made it. They changed my life completely.”
When I first went in, I was all over the place. I hadn’t processed any emotions and was literally just a big ball of anger determined not to let anyone take me for a fool. But I soon made friends with the other girls and started different courses, including CAMEO, an intense psychotherapy programme for women with complex mental health needs and personality disorders.
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If it wasn’t for that cause and the kindness of the staff, I don’t think I’d have made it. They changed my life completely. I had never ever had anyone sit there and talk to me, and it touched me that these people who I had never met before could sit, listen to me, and ask me why I am way the way that I am. I had experienced a lot of trauma in my life, but I came to realise, like a lot of women there, prison at times felt a lot safer than being in the outside world.
I’ve suffered with terrible anger issues and emotional and mental pain throughout my life – but prison really helped me get through that. We did DBT, dialectical behavioural therapy, which helps process our emotions and so on. One of my goals at the beginning was to feel something other than feeling numbness, and that therapy was like an epiphany. Suddenly I got all these feelings and emotions, and I realised it was okay to feel sad, it was okay to feel angry, it was okay for me to feel happy.
Toward the end of my sentence, my behaviour started declining – because they told me when I would be released I was going to be placed not near my sons, but hours away to a hostel in Bedford. I can’t do that… as soon as I get out, I’ll be going straight to Birmingham to see my kids, I remember thinking. I had sat through all these courses, jumped through all their hoops, and this is what I got in return?
But thanks to an incredible support officer, Sue, moving me to Bedford was cancelled. When I realised I was going to be able to see my kids when I left, it was the most amazing feeling I’ve ever felt. I had done everything I was supposed to have done but, for once in my life, this time I was rewarded for it. I realised that had never happened to me before.
“I had done everything I was supposed to have done but, for once in my life, this time I was rewarded for it”
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Since I left prison in June last year having served two-and-a-half years, I’ve been doing loads of courses through probation and social services. I’ve been job-hunting like mad, and I’m thinking of doing some volunteer work. I wanted to work with older people or kids but, because of my record, it’s probably not going to happen. So I’m thinking now just cleaning or retail, or really anything that means I can provide for my children. I want them to have big birthday parties, everything they deserve – everything I never got.
In some ways my record has held me back. I expected everyone to be a bit ‘ooh she’s been to prison, don’t trust her’, but so many people are treating me like I haven’t been to jail, like I’m a ‘normal’ mum. I applied for a job not long ago where they genuinely didn’t mind that I had a criminal record… it was my gypsy traveller ethnicity. ‘We can’t have her kind here,’ he told a friend of mine. It wasn’t even the crime that put him off, it was my ethnicity!
But with everything I have been through, I know I’ll get past this. Seeing my kids every second Saturday is getting me through. Shortly, I should even be able to have them overnight.
From the officers to the therapists, who went above and beyond for me and the other girls, I truly don’t think I would be where I am if I didn’t go to jail. I’ve always seen my life as a series of ‘episodes’. And that episode of my life that’s just finished? Sure, it had it’s up and down to start with, but it’s what made me who I am today.
As told to Charlie Lindlar. Kelly features in Prison, a Channel 4 documentary series. Catch the final episode on Monday 2 March at 9pm.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--Stylish Bedside Tables To Store All Your Stuff While Looking Chic

HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Prices and availability subject to change.
I’m calling it. Bedside tables are the most essential item in your bedroom essential, after a bed of course. A place to store your stuff, keep your diary out of reach and ensure your floor isn’t covered in detritus.
There’s no need to compromise on style when it comes to shopping for one. Instead invest in brightly coloured, jewel-toned mixes of metal and wood to jazz up your four walls.
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To give you a helping hand, we’ve handpicked our eight favourite styles for the minimalist, the maximalist and every style in between.
HuffPost UK Masa Bedside Table, Marble & Brass, Made
Known for its chic, contemporary furniture, Made should be your first port of call for standout pieces like this marble and brass table. It’s great if you like to read before bed as the gold tray will hold magazines and books galore, while the green and black top conceals a drawer for things you’d prefer to keep out of sight.
HuffPost UK Iro Distressed Orange Tall Bedside Table, Oliver Bonas
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Iro Distressed Orange Tall Bedside Table, Oliver Bonas, £155 This colourful two drawer table will add a burst of colour to your bedroom and can easily be used to match with soft furnishings, such as a scatter cushion or a rug if you’re looking for a uniform finish. Buy it now.
HuffPost UK Bumble Cobalt Blue Side Table With Storage Shelf, Habitat
Playful yet functional, we love this blue number. It’s sure to brighten up a room, while giving you ample space to store your stuff. It’s especially good if you don’t want to wake a sleeping partner by opening and closing a drawer.
HuffPost UK Bone Inlay Bedside Table Floral Green, Etsy
This mosaic inspired table is an extravagant accent to add into the bedroom, and one you won’t find very much elsewhere. Forget Ikea, Etsy is where it’s at for bespoke homewares.
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HuffPost UK John Lewis & Partners Show Wood Bedside Table, John Lewis
John Lewis & Partners Show Wood Bedside Table, John Lewis, £199 Rich jewel tones like this plum shade wooden drawer paired with gold legs add an understated elegance to your home. *adds to basket* Buy it now.
HuffPost UK John Lewis & Partners Calia Sofa Side Table, John Lewis
John Lewis & Partners Calia Sofa Side Table, John Lewis, £129 If you’re a minimalist at heart, then you’ll love this structurally simply design that will sit tidily by your bed, with just an alarm clock and phone charger atop. It can also be slid over the bed to act as a makeshift table for watching Netflix or a hungover breakfast in bed. Buy it now.
HuffPost UK Jimi Floating Bedside Table, Left-Hand Side, Laredoute
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Jimi Floating Bedside Table, Left-Hand Side, Laredoute, £75 If you’re short on floor space, or simply want a bedside table that’s easy to clean, try a floating one like this, that means you don’t have to comprise on storage space. Buy it now.
HuffPost UK Nyjo Bedside Table with 2 Reversible Drawers, Laredoute


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--Plantar Fasciitis: A Common Foot Issue That's A Real Pain In The Heel

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You stir from a great night’s sleep and slide out of bed, only to feel a stabbing pain in your heel as your foot touches the floor. You haven’t stepped on anything sharp, so what’s happened?
Plantar fasciitis is the rather unusual name given to a condition characterised by pain in the bottom of the foot, around the heel and arch. The area can be tender to touch or swollen, and it’s usually at its worst after getting up in the morning, sitting down for a while or walking a long distance.
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The pain may ease as you move about or exercise – and for most people, it will get better within two weeks. But for others it lasts longer and can require medical attention.
The condition is fairly common, but many don’t know what it is or how it’s treated. Here’s everything you need to know.
Malte Mueller via Getty Images
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What causes plantar fasciitis?
Podiatrist Emma McConnachie says the issue develops when the band of tissue that runs across the arch of the foot down to the heel area becomes inflamed.
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“It’s part of the foot’s shock absorption system and it can become damaged from repetitive use, trauma to the area, or something as simple as having walked on uneven ground,” McConnachie, a College of Podiatry member, tells HuffPost UK. “It can also be triggered by prolonged stress on the fascia [the ligament connecting your heel to the front of your foot], more commonly seen in morbid obesity.”
Podiatrist Steven Thomas, from Podogo clinic Wimpole Street, says plantar fasciitis is usually classed as an “overuse” injury. “Usually my patients develop it after suddenly increasing activity levels,” he says. This could be training for a marathon, joining a gym or simply walking more.
It’s also exacerbated in people with flat feet.
HuffPost UK Getty/Huffpost UK
How is it diagnosed?
If the pain doesn’t improve within two weeks, you should see your GP. You’ll be asked about the history of the problem, says McConnachie, and undergo a physical examination of your foot to rule out other causes of the pain. “Not all heel pain is plantar fasciitis and the treatment will be different for different causes,” she explains.
In some cases, the podiatrist might touch your heel to see if it hurts and ask you to pull your toes pack to tighten the fascia, which they then press. They may use ultrasound imaging to measure the thickness of the fascia – more than 4mm in thickness is usually indicative of plantar fasciitis, says Thomas.
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What’s the best way to ease the pain?
If you’re diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, there are things you can try at home to ease the pain. These include: wearing supportive shoes with good arch support, such as trainers; rolling your foot over a tennis ball to help stretch out the fascia; and using a heel cushion, available in pharmacies. Gentle foot exercises and swimming might also help.
The NHS recommends raising your foot on a stool when you can, putting an ice pack in a towel and applying to the painful area every two to three hours, and taking paracetamol (not ibuprofen) for the pain. Don’t walk or stand for long periods of time, it advises. You should also avoiding wearing high heels, tight pointy shoes, flip flops and backless slippers.
Treatment is all about managing both the mechanics of the foot and treating the area, says Thomas. In acute episodes, a steroid injection might be used to reduce inflammation.
“People usually make a full recovery but there is normally a mechanical reason why someone develops plantar fasciitis,” he adds. “It’s therefore important to see a podiatrist who can not only treat you, but figure out the root cause, to help prevent recurrence.”
To find a registered podiatrist visit www.cop.org.uk/find-a-podiatrist or check with your local NHS about access criteria for its podiatry service.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-01--Pete Buttigieg Quits US Presidential Race

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Pete Buttigieg has ended his race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The move shook up the contest to pick a candidate to take on Donald Trump in November’s election and came two days before the crunch 14-state ‘Super Tuesday’ contests.
It paves the way for fellow moderate Joe Biden, who won a big victory in South Carolina at the weekend, to usurp frontrunner Bernie Sanders.
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“Today is a moment of truth ... the truth is that the path has narrowed to a close for our candidacy if not for our cause,” Buttigieg told supporters on Sunday night. “Our goal has always been to unify Americans to help defeat Donald Trump and to win the era for our values.”
The then-mayor of South Bend, Indiana, formally announced his presidential bid in April last year, when he was virtually unknown on the national stage.
Despite nearly tying with Sanders to win the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, Buttigieg fell behind in the more diverse Nevada caucuses, finishing with 14.3% of the vote compared to Sanders’ 46.8%.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--What Priti Patel’s Case Tells Us About The Hypocrisy Of Westminster

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Bully beef
Priti Patel is a “robust minister” and a “strong woman”. Her critics are either sexist or snowflakes or both. Oh, and the civil service really needs a radical shake-up and should get on with doing what ministers and the public want. Civil servants are “unelected men”, after all.
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That, roughly, was the stance of a string of Tory MPs today as they defended the home secretary from the charge of bullying that has rocked Whitehall in the past few days. The show of support came notably from veteran fellow Brexiteers but also from several of the new intake of 2019.
While no doubt heartfelt in some cases, there was also a strong whiff of this being a government whipping operation, with Patel’s defenders making similar but slightly different points, racking up the lines of defence as they went. The fact that several simply read out their words from notes underlined the suspicion that this was indeed orchestrated.
But bullying, unlike beauty, is not in the eye of the beholder. When someone crosses the line from ‘forceful’ management to outright intimidation, credible evidence of a pattern of behaviour is what is most important. And in Patel’s case, the fear in government must be that the evidence is stacking up.
That’s why Michael Gove’s most telling line today was not his own lavish praise for his colleague but his answer to Hilary Benn. When asked if there were any previous complaints about Patel’s conduct at DfID and DWP and whether they would be investigated, Gove replied: “It is the case that the inquiry that is proceeding will look at all complaints that may have been made, I cannot say more than that.”
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He didn’t have to. Within a couple of hours, the BBC had published yet another highly damaging story and possibly the most shocking to date. A former aide to Patel (when she was employment minister) received a £25,000 payout from the government after claiming she was bullied. Legal correspondence alleges the woman took an overdose of prescription medicine following the alleged incident in 2015.
If Patel eventually does quit over this whole saga, several of those Tory MPs who defended her today may feel a little queasy at carrying out the whips’ bidding, and may be deterred from doing so next time a minister is in trouble.
Several of the Conservative backbenchers pointed to Labour’s sheer hypocrisy for daring to raise bullying, given the party’s own record on anti-semitism and other misconduct allegations against its staff and MPs. Tim Loughton also referred to Labour’s silence on the ‘industrial scale bullying’ by John Bercow.
In many cases, that charge really does stick too. Several Labour grandees hinted over the past year that the charges of bullying against Bercow (thoroughly researched and reported on by a superb team at Newsnight) were somehow part of a plot to get him because he was, er, standing up to the Tories on Brexit. It was not a pretty sight.
But hypocrisy cuts both ways here. Some Tories who rightly called out Bercow’s bullying were today blindly defending Patel because they agreed with her...on Brexit. Dave Penman, the head of the Whitehall union the First Division Association, put it well when he tweeted that bullying seemed to have become “a convenient political football to kick between the Govt and opposition benches”.
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Penman was also right to call for a swift, effective and independent complaints process to replace the current arrangements. The very nature of the ministerial code investigations system also looks woefully inadequate.
PA
Under the code, if an allegation of a breach is made “the prime minister, having consulted the cabinet secretary feels that it warrants further investigation, he may ask the Cabinet Office to investigate the facts of the case and/or refer the matter to the independent adviser on ministers’ interests.”
The Cabinet Office’s wonderfully titled ‘director general of propriety and ethics’ Helen Macnamra is expected to conduct the probe, overseen by the cabinet secretary Sir Mark Sedwill. Gove today said that the independent adviser on ministers’ interests, Sir Alex Allan, “is available to provide advice to the prime minister”, which seemed a curious phrase indeed.
Under the system set up by Gordon Brown, the PM is judge and jury over their ministers, even though the ‘court’ is run by the Cabinet Office. Ultimately it will be Boris Johnson who will decide Patel’s fate. Of course he has said he has full confidence in her, but government sources say that was only because he was asked the question and had to answer it. His answer does not prejudge the inquiry, we’re told.
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And the real danger for Johnson is of course a political one. As much as Johnson has long admired his home secretary, the drip-feed of allegations against Patel has turned into a torrent that may make it impossible for her to continue until they are resolved.
Some ministers are asked to step aside pending investigation into serious allegations (as Mark Field was), others are allowed to linger until the findings are published (Damian Green was famously caught by an extended web of misdeeds). Yet in the end, very few hang on. With Patel, it may just be a question not of whether but when she resigns her post.
Quote Of The Day
“The evidence we have is that we might expect up to 80% of the population to have coronavirus at some point.”
Catherine Calderwood, Scotland’s chief medical officer.
Cheat Sheet
Boris Johnson said there could be a “very significant expansion” of the number of cases of coronavirus in the UK. Asked if he would give the NHS any extra funds needed, he said “of course, we will do everything we can to address the problem to stop the spread of the disease”.
Labour unveiled its own five-point plan to deal with the disease, “including paid sick leave guarantees for all workers from day one and sick pay for self-isolation”.
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The government has estimated a post-Brexit trade deal with the United State would boost the UK economy by 0.16% over the next 15 years. That’s compared to a hit to the economy of between 5 and 7.5% from new ‘friction’ with the EU from ending the current trade and regulatory framework.
David Frost, the PM’s chief Europe adviser, met Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, at the formal start of EU-UK trade talks in Brussels. There was no handshake, because of the coronavirus risk.
The UK has abandoned its opposition to subsidising new onshore windfarms, four years after ministers scrapped support for new projects, the Guardian revealed. It felt like a quiet U-turn. The new auction scheme does not however remove protections for communities opposed to turbines in their areas.
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The Case For Joe Biden - New York Times
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--Home Working To Be Key Plank Of Johnson ‘Battleplan’ To Combat Coronavirus Spread

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Millions of workers are set to be advised to work from home as part of Boris Johnson’s ‘battleplan’ to tackle the spread of coronavirus.
The strategy of ‘social distancing’, aimed at delaying the peak of the outbreak until the summer months, will be part of a raft of measures spelled out for the first time by the prime minister in a press conference in Downing Street.
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Emergency legislation to ban public events like major sports matches and enforce ‘no-go zones’ in some areas will also be outlined.
Johnson will be accompanied by the UK’s leading officials dealing with the crisis, chief medical officer professor Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.
In a separate move, chancellor Rishi Sunak also signalled he is preparing to use the coming Budget to support businesses hit by the spread of the virus.
The fresh government moves came as the number of identified UK cases of the disease rose to 39. There were four new cases reported on Monday, all of whom had travelled from Italy, the site of Europe’s biggest outbreak.
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The new ‘battleplan’, also agreed by the Scottish and Welsh governments and the Northern Ireland executive, is expected to include emergency measures to draft in retired GPs and relaxation of rules around staff to pupil ratios in education and childcare settings.
Under the ‘social distancing’ approach, as the virus outbreak increases over the next couple of months, workers who can do their jobs from home will be advised to do so and others will be told to avoid all ‘unnecessary’ travel.
Volunteers are also to be urged to help out in NHS hospitals to cope with the increased workload.
New legislation - to possibly halt major public events and restrict movement of individuals - will only be introduced towards the end of the month, when advisers expect the Covid-19 outbreak to start to move into its next phase. The legislation will be ‘sunsetted’ to make clear it will expire once the crisis abates.
The PM, who on Monday chaired government’s emergency COBR committee on the coronavirus outbreak, will launch a major public information campaign later this week.
Boris Johnson meets with staff in a laboratory at the Public Health England National Infection Service in Colindale. HENRY NICHOLLS via Getty Images
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Other measures include every government department having a minister designated to deal with the crisis and a “war room” set up in the Cabinet Office, bringing together communications experts and scientists from across government and the NHS.
Johnson said: “It is highly likely coronavirus will spread more widely in the coming days and weeks, which is why we’re making every possible preparation.
“We have agreed a plan, which I will set out in detail today, so if the virus should spread, we are ready to take necessary steps to contain it and protect the most vulnerable.”
The Treasury and Bank of England are also ready to step in to help firms and markets amid warnings that coronavirus could inflict the biggest shock to the global economy since the 2008 financial crisis.
Sunak said: “The whole of government is working closely together to tackle the spread of COVID-19.
“We understand that people across the country are worried, but I assure you that we are taking firm action to support your families, your businesses and the public services on which you rely.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--Liar Series 2: The 8 Burning Questions The ITV Drama's Return Has Left Us Asking

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Having been over two years in the making, it’s fair to say expectations were high for the second series of Liar, the Harry and Jack Williams-penned drama starring Joanne Froggatt and Ioan Gruffudd.
Airing in 2017, series one told the story of school teacher Laura Nielson’s fight to prove she was raped by doctor Andrew Earlham.
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After she discovered video evidence of him attacking her and 19 other women, the series ended on a cliffhanger when it jumped forward three weeks to reveal that Andrew had been murdered.
The cast of Liar series two ITV
With his body found in the Kent marshes opening Monday night’s episode, the suspects were soon mounting as the new “who killed Andrew?” plot kicked off, and we quickly remembered why we found the first series so compelling.
The police are currently pointing the finger at Laura after she was discovered to be in possession of some damning evidence, but the case is far from over yet.
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These are the questions we’ve been left asking this week...
Where was Jennifer at the time of Andrew’s murder?
Given Andrew’s “overpriced” watch was smashed and stopped working at 6am, police presumed that was around the time Andrew was murdered.
In an unrelated conversation between DI Vanessa Harmon and her wife Jennifer, it was revealed Jennifer was unaccounted for at that time, with Vanessa having woken up just after 6am to find her not in bed.
Jennifer offered little by way of explanation as to her whereabouts, simply replying “You know, earlybird and all that”. Given Jennifer also had motive to want Andrew dead after his sexual assault on her wife, could she have killed him?
When did Laura really last see Andrew?
Laura Nielson and Andrew Earlham ITV
In the intervening three weeks between police issuing the warrant for Andrew’s arrest to his body being found, it seems as if Laura had another encounter with her attacker – she told DI Renton she last saw him at a loft in Sale, a couple of days after he first went missing.
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But what happened during this confrontation, and was it really the last time she saw him?
What is Ollie’s connection to Andrew?
After Andrew went on the run, he put a call in to a friend from his past called Ollie, asking him to retrieve items from a locker at work and things in his car.
It was suggested the pair hadn’t spoken in a long time but that Ollie owed Andrew for something, with the wanted doctor having helped him out of a sticky situation in the past – but what was it? And why had they lost contact?
Why did Ian put Alexander Slater in hospital?
Laura’s new boyfriend Ian came under suspicion from police when they discovered he had previously attacked a man called Alexander Slater, landing him in hospital.
It sounded like Alexander had done something to warrant Ian’s attack with police therefore hypothesising he could have taken similar rage out on Andrew. But what exactly had Alexander done? And is Ian really a likely suspect, given that he has only just started dating Laura?
Will Andrew’s son survive?
Luke Earlham attempted to take his own life ITV
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After police began the hunt for Andrew, his teenage son Luke was unable to cope with the revelations about his father and appeared to attempt suicide by throwing himself off the pier later that night.
Some viewers will no doubt be questioning if he survives, but those who remember the end of series one will remember a flash-forward that showed Luke watching TV coverage of the man hunt for his father, which proves he’ll pull through.
But with Ollie having seen Luke as he was rushed into hospital, is news of his son’s suicide attempt what brings Andrew out of hiding – and thus leading to his meeting with Laura in the loft?
How did Andrew’s car key end up in Laura’s bedside table?
Police found Laura in possession of Andrew's car key ITV
When the police obtained a warrant to search Laura’s house, they found Andrew’s car key in her bedside table – but she seemed to have no knowledge of how it got there.
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Flashbacks then revealed that Ollie dropped the the key in the hospital while retrieving Andrew’s belongings, and it was then picked up by Laura’s sister Katy, who is a nurse, in the hospital locker room.
But how did the key get from Katy’s pocket to Laura’s beside table? Is she being set up? If so, is it by the killer, or a conspirator?
Whose blood was on the hook in Carl’s boat?
New characters Carl and Winnie Peterson were introduced during this episode, with Winnie being one of Andrew’s former co-workers and victims.
It was revealed Carl had been struggling to cope with the fact he’d believed Winnie had a drunken one-night stand with Andrew prior to the evidence about his sinister acts being revealed.
We later saw him frantically wiping blood off a hook aboard his boat. Did he attack Andrew as revenge for raping his wife? If not, whose blood was it and why was he so keen to get rid of it?
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Is DI Renton going to chew gum all series?
That’s going to get quite annoying, if so.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--Priti Patel Staff Member Given £25,000 Payout After Bullying Claim - Report

On Thursday, HuffPost UK revealed that home secretary Priti Patel had wanted to move Andy Tighe, one of her most senior officials, out of the department on Christmas Eve and asked Rutman to deliver the news.
Rutnam refused to do so, believing it too cruel to effectively sack his colleague on Christmas Eve, HuffPost UK understands.
Rutnam’s refusal to carry out Patel’s orders is said to be one of the factors that has led to a breakdown in their relationship.
Relations between the pair were said to have deteriorated to such a level that Patel has blacklisted her permanent secretary’s staff and is cutting them out of regular day-to-day meetings.
Prior to Rutnam’s resignations there had been reports that Patel had demanded his removal.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--Amy Klobuchar Drops Out Of US Presidential Race

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Amy Klobuchar has ended her US presidential bid, an aide told HuffPost.
Klobuchar is set to endorse former Vice President Joe Biden at an event in Dallas on Monday night, The Associated Press reports.
Her decision comes after a poor showing in the South Carolina primary. She picked up just 3% of the vote, flailing in comparison to her fellow moderate Biden, who walked away with 48%.
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Though the Minnesota senator’s campaign picked up steam in the leadup to the first primaries and caucuses, Klobuchar’s late-stage momentum wasn’t enough to eclipse her most formidable opponents in the crowded Democratic field.
She joins former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and billionaire hedge fund manager Tom Steyer in dropping out just ahead of Super Tuesday. More than 1,500 delegates will be up for grabs as Democrats across 14 states and one overseas territory head to the polls.
Amy Klobuchar speaks at the California Democratic Party 2019 Convention. CHRIS CARLSON via Getty Images
Klobuchar ran as a moderate, betting that focusing on issues that could attract bipartisan support ― combating drug and alcohol addiction, preserving voting rights, antitrust enforcement ― would earn her votes. She touched on those ideas in June when she became the first 2020 contender to lay out a comprehensive plan for her first 100 days in office.
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Her more moderate proposals on climate change and health care stood in contrast to the bold, progressive ones from senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
Klobuchar, one of six female candidates to seek the 2020 Democratic nomination, made some headlines for calling out sexism in politics. Days ahead of the November 20 Democratic debate, she argued that Buttigieg would not have qualified for the debate if he were a woman, given his lack of experience in Washington.
Klobuchar picked up a key endorsement from The New York Times editorial board on January 19, when the publication broke from the tradition of endorsing just one candidate to show support for her and Warren.
Throughout their campaigns, both candidates have found themselves defending their electability ― a concern their male counterparts have rarely been saddled with. Klobuchar often pointed to herself as the best evidence that such talk was unwarranted.
“When you look at what I have done, I have won every race, every place, every time,” she said during the January debate.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--The Secret To Happy Office Life? Houseplants For All, Apparently

Thomas Barwick via Getty Images
If you’ve successfully embraced the houseplant trend, it could be time to put those green fingers to work at work. Employees in one Yorkshire office have been given an annual “plant budget” of £10 each to turn their working environment into an indoor jungle.
Staff at RotaCloud – a staff management platform (coincidence, we think not) – have upped their plant count to 70 since the policy was introduced six months ago. New starters are invited to add a plant or two each to their desk and there are regular rewards for people whose plants are thriving, in the shape of – you guessed it – more plants.
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This got us thinking about the potential of greenery in every workplace. Enter the HuffPost UK office and you’ll spot calathea and devil’s ivy (friendlier than it sounds) before you even get to our desks. One colleague has his own peace lily, and it’s become a de facto team pet – we’re all on high alert when it’s looking droopy and are irrationally invested in its health and prosperity.
Seeing these plants every day is a small but calming reminder of life outside the busy newsroom and beyond our daily deadlines. But that’s not to say a bit of greenery leaves workers too mellow to work – quite the opposite.
A joint study by Cardiff University, Exeter University and the University of Queensland found office plants could increase worker productivity by 15%.
As RotaCloud co-founder James Lintern told Stylist of the positive feedback he’s received: “The sheer joy the programme has sparked has contributed directly to the atmosphere of the office and the happiness of the team.”
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Westend61 via Getty Images
Researchers examined the impact of ‘green’ offices on staff perceptions of air quality, concentration and workplace satisfaction, and monitored productivity over several months in two large commercial offices in the UK and Netherlands.
They found plants in the office “significantly increased workplace satisfaction, self-reported levels of concentration, and perceived air quality”.
Gardening has long been associated with better health. A review in 2018 concluded that gardens and gardening are so beneficial, they should be incorporated into NHS England’s programmes for improving public health. The review was based on past papers that found caring for plants may reduce the risk of conditions including depression and dementia, while lowering blood pressure, improving dexterity and boosting people’s social interactions.
And there’s no denying plants in the workplace are a good nudge to maintain some semblance of work-life balance. As Gynelle Leon, founder of cactus shop Prick previously told HuffPost UK: “If you are having a bit of a hectic time in life your plants probably don’t look great. It’s like a reminder – if you’re thinking ‘I haven’t had time to water you’ then actually maybe you need to slow down.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--'Abandoned And Penniless': How Coronavirus Could Devastate Gig Economy Workers

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A courier firm banned a zero-hours delivery driver from working after she was exposed to a possible case of coronavirus – and refused to pay her sick leave.
It was only when the woman’s union, GMB, stepped in that the employer, Hermes, relented, HuffPost UK understands.
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The case is a reminder that, for gig economy workers, coronavirus doesn’t just pose a threat to their health – it has the potential to destroy their livelihoods.
Couriers, minicab drivers and people who deliver food come into contact with dozens of people each day, sitting in close proximity to potential cases, or handing them packages and taking cash.
On Monday ministers met to consolidate plans for containing Covid-19 in the now-likely scenario of its spread becoming “more significant” – meaning “population distancing” measures such as cancelling football matches, closing schools, and even locking down entire cities could become a reality.
For gig economy workers and those on zero-hour contracts in industries such as hospitality, a shutdown could prevent them from being paid at all as restaurants close, roads are blocked and events cancelled.
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A press briefing followed Monday’s meeting, during which a spokesperson for No.10 said on Monday “further action” will be taken “if needed” to protect workers, but stopped short of confirming widening statutory sick pay.
To qualify for sick pay in normal circumstances you have to first be classed as an employee, have been ill for four days in a row, and earn an average of at least £118 a week – after which you’ll be eligible for £94.25 a week, less than £20 a day.
Mick Rix, GMB’s national officer, said: “The threat of coronavirus is a huge problem for employers and worker across the UK.
“But workers in the so-called gig economy, or on zero-hours contracts, are left abandoned and penniless if they have to self-isolate.
“Once again the bogus self-employment model is screwing over the disadvantaged.
“GMB is calling on all employers – regardless of the contract – to do the right thing and pay their workers if they have to take time off due to the global health crisis.”
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The Prospect Union has also warned that the response to Covid-19 is putting the security of some self-employed people’s livelihoods at risk, as some insurance policies aimed at freelancers only cover illness, and not self-isolation without illness. The lack of cover may also affect some workers in small or struggling businesses, the union said.
Prospect says it has already been in contact with workers who have been left unpaid by their insurance companies after self isolating, and said it could hit both employees and employers who could be left unable to operate.
Mike Clancy, Prospect’s general secretary, said: “The government is well behind the curve on addressing the potential economic and individual financial impact of its response to Covid-19.
“If people are losing their livelihoods because they are following the government’s advice then they must be compensated. That’s why we are writing to ministers to ensure they do what is necessary to support all workers.
“The prospect of losing out financially cannot be allowed to become a factor in containing the spread of this disease. Through nobody’s fault this could become a public health emergency. There is no reason for it to also become an economic one.”
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On Friday the Trades Union Congress (TUC) urged bosses to pay workers sick pay, and to allow workers time off to seek medical advice if they believe they have symptoms of the virus.
A Deliveroo driver. Workers in the gig economy could be left out of pocket if forced to self-isolate nrqemi via Getty Images
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Employers have a duty of care to support workers affected by coronavirus.
“No one should have to worry about making ends meet if they have to self-isolate or if they fall ill. They should be able to focus on getting better.
“The threat of coronavirus shows why sick pay should be a day one right for everybody. It’s not right that millions of UK workers miss out on this protection. The government must ensure everyone gets statutory sick pay, however much they earn.”
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IWGB Union, which represents workers such as Deliveroo riders and Uber drivers, said the precarious workers they supported would be “most impacted”.
IWGB general secretary Jason Moyer-Lee said: “We are concerned that in any situation where workers are sick or when they are required to self-isolate, it is disproportionately the precarious workers we represent – Uber drivers, cleaners and couriers – that are most impacted.
“Uber drivers are denied basic rights such as sick pay, while outsourced cleaners are often on contracts where they get paid nothing the first three days they are off sick and then only £94.25 per week.
“This most recent situation simply highlights one of the many challenges precarious workers face on a daily basis that are happily ignored by their employers and the government.”
HuffPost UK has contacted Deliveroo and Uber, who did not comment.
The government’s Department of Work and Pensions has also now issued advice to Jobcentres, informing them that appointments remain “business as usual”.
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Indeed, I’ve obtained a copy of the crib sheet prepared by the DWP and sent out to job centres to advise work coaches on how to deal with questions from claimants about COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/qAF5TxoVdL — Tom Rayner (@RaynerSkyNews) March 2, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--British Airways Cancels Hundreds Of Flights Over Coronavirus Outbreak

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British Airways has cancelled hundreds more flights because of the coronavirus.
This includes flights between Heathrow and New York’s JFK airport, Italy, France, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland and Switzerland.
It has also cancelled flights between Gatwick and Italy, France and Albania, as well as London City flights to and from Germany and Italy.
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A British Airways spokesperson said: “To match reduced demand due to the continuing coronavirus issue, we are merging a number of flights between March 16 and March 28.
“We will be contacting customers on cancelled flights so we can discuss their travel options, including re-booking onto other carriers where possible, full refunds or booking with BA for a later date of travel.
“Customers can also find the latest information and options on BA.com.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--Jennifer Lopez Finally Addresses That Oscars Snub: 'I Don’t Need This Award To Tell Me I’m Enough'

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If you haven’t caught on by now, or by chance seen her severely underrated 2002 thriller, Jennifer Lopez is ... Enough.
And while many fans might still feel personally slighted over her Oscars snub, rest assured that J-Lo herself is doing just fine and actually might be all the better for it.
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The multi-talented star turned in the performance of her career in Lorene Scafaria’s fact-based drama Hustlers last year, but failed to score an Academy Award nomination, leaving her out in the cold without the now-iconic fur coat she wore in the film.
Jennifer Lopez attending the Hustlers premiere last year Amy Sussman/SHJ2019 via Getty Images
But the hustle isn’t all about the reward for Jennifer, who’s finally speaking out about how she felt about the snub as other stars like Kathy Bates, Laura Dern, Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh and Margot Robbie competed for Oscars glory.
“I was a little sad because there was a lot of buildup to it. There were so many articles,” she told Oprah Winfrey on stage Saturday in Los Angeles during the media mogul’s 2020 Vision Tour, according to Variety.
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“I got so many good notices — more than ever in my career — and there was a lot of ‘She’s going to get nominated for an Oscar. It’s going to happen; if she doesn’t, you’re crazy.’”
Jennifer played stripper Ramona Vega in Hustlers BarbaraNitke/Annapurna/STX/Kobal/Shutterstock
Jennifer said she “felt like I let everyone down a little bit,” given how hard the Hustlers team had worked, despite securing nominations at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards and Indie Spirit Awards.
“I’m reading all the articles going, ‘Oh my god, could this happen?’ And then it didn’t and I was like, ‘Ouch.’ It was a little bit of a letdown,” she added.
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The silver lining for J-Lo, however, was that she came to terms with the idea that she ever needed anyone else’s approval in the first place. She is Jennifer Lopez, after all.
“You realise you want people’s validation. You want people to say you did a good job, and I realised, ‘No, you don’t need that. You do this because you love it,’” she said. “I don’t need this award to tell me I’m enough.”
Enough, in case you missed it, was the Hollywood adaptation of a bestseller about an abused wife who learns to fight back. It earned generally negative reviews, even though Jennifer’s starring performance won praise.
And it doesn’t look like she’s rid of the acting bug just yet, as she’s readying a return to her rom-com roots.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--Judge Judy Announces End Of Her Court Show And Start Of New One

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Judge Judy has a court date for cancellation.
Judy Sheindlin has told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview to air on Monday that her popular series Judge Judy is to end after 25 years.
The TV jurist said distributor CBS “wanted to optimally utilise the repeats of my programme, because now they have 25 years of reruns”.
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She added: “So what they decided to do was to sell a couple of years’ worth of reruns, but I’m not tired.”
Judge Judy has aired for 25 years CBS
After the show finishes next year, Judy plans to wield her gavel on a new series.
She told Ellen that Judy Justice will begin a year later, but gave no other details about her new show.
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According to The Hollywood Reporter, a dispute between Rebel Entertainment Partners, Judy and CBS Television Distribution over profits of Judge Judy profits was settled recently by a mediator.
Judge Judy is the highest-rated daytime syndicated show in the US since The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Judy’s last contract reportedly earned her $47 million (approx £36m) a year, according to Deadline.
In the UK, Judge Judy currently airs on digital channel CBS Reality, having previously aired on ITV2.
A British equivalent, Judge Rinder, began in 2014 on ITV.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-02--Priti Patel Facing Government Investigation Amid Bullying Claims

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Priti Patel is facing a government investigation into whether she breached ministerial rules following allegations that she bullied staff and briefed against her most senior civil servant.
Boris Johnson has asked the Cabinet Office to “establish the facts” following allegations that the home secretary breached the ministerial code.
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Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove confirmed the action being taken following an urgent question from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
“Allegations have been made that the home secretary has breached the ministerial code. The home secretary absolutely rejects these allegations,” Gove said.
“The prime minister has expressed his full confidence in her and having worked closely with the home secretary over a number of years, I have the highest regard for her - she is a superb minister doing a great job.
“This government always takes any complaints relating to the ministerial code seriously, and in line with the process set out in the ministerial code the prime minister has asked the Cabinet Office to establish the facts.”
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Under questioning from senior Labour MP Hilary Benn, Gove admitted the inquiry could look into any past complaints about Patel from her time as employment minister or international development secretary.
It comes after reports that a formal complaint was made about Patel when she was employment minister between May 2015 and July 2016.
Benn asked Gove: “Could you tell the House whether any complaints were received by Downing Street in respect of the conduct of the current home secretary when she was the secretary of state for international development and a minister at the department of work and pensions?
“And if so, were they investigated?”
Gove replied: “It is the case that the inquiry that is proceeding will look at all complaints that may have been made, I cannot say more than that.”
On Sunday, Johnson declared his “confidence” in Patel and said she was doing a “fantastic” job.
But Corbyn suggested the PM had spoken prematurely and called for an external lawyer to lead the investigation into the home secretary.
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“Why, without a proper investigation, has the prime minister defended the home secretary, calling her fantastic and saying he absolutely has confidence in her?
“A minister in breach of the ministerial code cannot remain in office and should be dismissed.”
The Labour leader added: “Isn’t the truth that this is a government led by bullies, presided over by a part-time prime minister who not only can’t be bothered to turn up but simply won’t take the vital action required when the very integrity and credibility of the government is on the line.”
In a statement on Saturday, Rutnam said “tension” developed in his relationship with Patel after he challenged her over her behaviour.
He said staff had told him that Patel had been “shouting and swearing, belittling people (and) making unreasonable demands”.
Sir Philip Rutnam’s statement in full: pic.twitter.com/aKQXicFeqp — FDA union (@FDA_union) February 29, 2020
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Quitting the civil service after 33 years, he accused Patel of lying about her part in a “vicious and orchestrated briefing campaign” against him, and denied counter-briefing against the home secretary.
On Thursday, HuffPost UK revealed that home secretary Priti Patel had wanted to move Andy Tighe, one of her most senior officials, out of the department on Christmas Eve and asked Rutman to deliver the news.
Rutnam refused to do so, believing it too cruel to effectively sack his colleague on Christmas Eve, HuffPost UK understands.
Rutnam’s refusal to carry out Patel’s orders is said to be one of the factors that has led to a breakdown in their relationship.
Relations between the pair were said to have deteriorated to such a level that Patel has blacklisted her permanent secretary’s staff and is cutting them out of regular day-to-day meetings.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-27--How VR Can Make Your Life A Whole Lot More Luxurious

For anyone not up to speed , virtual reality ( VR ) technology typically involves the use of a headset , which allows for the user to be immersed in a digital world .
Images , sounds and other physical sensations align to create the illusion of physical presence , often with the ability for the user to move around and interact with the scene .
Already a huge hit in the gaming and business worlds , luxury brands are now set on offering innovative virtual reality and augmented reality solutions for customers .
Top fashion houses like Christian Dior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their brands , designers are pushing the boundaries like never before as seen in this catwalk featuring invisible models , and of course , your front-row seat at all the latest fashion shows .
VR allows you to take a test drive in the latest Lexus , go on a virtual hike while trying on your outdoor gear at North Face , or enjoy next level in-flight VR entertainment , see how an IKEA kitchen or furniture might fit in your home , or investigate products from every angle through Amazon ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world is your stage , only on this stage , there are no Earthly limits to how far you can go .
Strap your headset on ; an out-of-this-world of luxury awaits you ... VR Luxury : Make-up company NARS has created a 360-degree video where customers are walked through the different steps in applying their make-up .
You can also virtually try out their range to see what shade suits you best .
VR luxury : Luxury travel services such as Kuoni and British Airways have embraced VR as the upmarket way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what to expect .
And you can see why .
Over five million people have viewed Qantas taking us on a virtual trip across Hamilton Island .
See also : The VR Hotel Tours that allow you a 360° view of the lavish surroundings , as seen in this breath-taking example created by the Atlantis Dubai , while others , such as the Jumeirah , allow clients to use the virtual bookings interface to make the process more interactive .
Whatever next : Many predict VR holidays to replace actual holidays .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks and feels like we ’ re actually there , what ’ s not to try out ?
VR Luxury : Imagine a gallery without physical boundaries , where artwork is without the constraints of real-world space and time .
VR-All-Art offers precisely that , enabling you to explore classics and modern artists from all around the world , any time , and from anywhere .
Whatever next ?
Put yourself in the picture and become a part of the art itself .
No more alarmed barriers between you and the exhibit – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touch the painting .
Get a glimpse of how artist and viewer will be able to see eye to third-eye in an augmented dimension here .
VR Luxury : Order a whisky-infused Origin cocktail at the Lobby Bar in One Aldwych , and you ’ ll be handed a VR headset that transports you to the Scottish Highlands .
You fly to the distillery where the whisky is aged , then over the fields of barley and the water source , then drift back into the Lobby Bar where you remove your goggles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for you .
Whatever next ?
Scientists have already invented the vocktail , which literally turns water to wine by digitally simulating multisensory flavour experiences using an app .
A string of Virtual Reality bars is also poised to pop up in the near future .
If you plan to visit the States any time soon , pop into the Revery VR Bar to see what they ’ re all about .

By Shihab S Joi
For anyone not up to speed, virtual reality (VR) technology typically involves the use of a headset, which allows for the user to be immersed in a digital world. Images, sounds and other physical sensations align to create the illusion of physical presence, often with the ability for the user to move around and interact with the scene.
Already a huge hit in the gaming and business worlds, luxury brands are now set on offering innovative virtual reality and augmented reality solutions for customers. Top fashion houses like Christian Dior and Tommy Hilfiger use VR to showcase their brands, designers are pushing the boundaries like never before as seen in this catwalk featuring invisible models, and of course, your front-row seat at all the latest fashion shows.
VR allows you to take a test drive in the latest Lexus, go on a virtual hike while trying on your outdoor gear at North Face, or enjoy next level in-flight VR entertainment, see how an IKEA kitchen or furniture might fit in your home, or investigate products from every angle through Amazon’s VR Kiosks.
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With VR, the world is your stage, only on this stage, there are no Earthly limits to how far you can go. Strap your headset on; an out-of-this-world of luxury awaits you...
Retail
Traditional way: Visit the High Street or log on to your online retailer.
VR Luxury: Make-up company NARS has created a 360-degree video where customers are walked through the different steps in applying their make-up. You can also virtually try out their range to see what shade suits you best.
See also: Facebook’s augmented reality ads that allow you to ‘try on’ Michael Kors sunglasses, or ‘sit on’ a piece of furniture from Pottery Barn.
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Whatever next? Artificial intelligence will act as your virtual personal shopper. You’ll already be familiar with chatbots, used by the likes of top brands like
Estée Lauder and H&M to answer queries, perform stock checks and advise according to needs. Here’s how VR will bring chatbots to life.
Travel
Traditional way: Try to find a good deal through an online travel agency.
VR luxury: Luxury travel services such as Kuoni and British Airways have embraced VR as the upmarket way to give potential customer a virtual feel of what to expect. And you can see why. Over five million people have viewed Qantas taking us on a virtual trip across Hamilton Island.
See also: The VR Hotel Tours that allow you a 360° view of the lavish surroundings, as seen in this breath-taking example created by the Atlantis Dubai, while others, such as the Jumeirah, allow clients to use the virtual bookings interface to make the process more interactive.
Whatever next: Many predict VR holidays to replace actual holidays. We doubt that, but if it looks and feels like we’re actually there, what’s not to try out?
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Art
Traditional way: Visit a gallery. See paintings.
VR Luxury: Imagine a gallery without physical boundaries, where artwork is without the constraints of real-world space and time. VR-All-Art offers precisely that, enabling you to explore classics and modern artists from all around the world, any time, and from anywhere.
See also: Auction house Southeby’s 360° virtual reality exhibit of surrealist paintings.
Whatever next? Put yourself in the picture and become a part of the art itself. No more alarmed barriers between you and the exhibit – here you’re actively encouraged to touch the painting. Get a glimpse of how artist and viewer will be able to see eye to third-eye in an augmented dimension here.
Cocktail
Traditional way: You order a drink. The bartender tells you what makes it great.
VR Luxury: Order a whisky-infused Origin cocktail at the Lobby Bar in One Aldwych, and you’ll be handed a VR headset that transports you to the Scottish Highlands. You fly to the distillery where the whisky is aged, then over the fields of barley and the water source, then drift back into the Lobby Bar where you remove your goggles to find your drink ready and waiting for you.
See also: Virgin Atlantic’s Immersive Digital 360 Drinks Experience, which takes you on a flying tour around the best cocktail bars in the world.
Whatever next? Scientists have already invented the vocktail, which literally turns water to wine by digitally simulating multisensory flavour experiences using an app. A string of Virtual Reality bars is also poised to pop up in the near future. If you plan to visit the States any time soon, pop into the Revery VR Bar to see what they’re all about.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-27--Iconic Restaurant Recipes To Try At Home

While nothing ever quite beats the taste of being handed an iconic restaurant ’ s signature dish , sat in the buzzy ambience of the hot spot , it ’ s actually possible to indulge in a little bit of this luxury at home - and without the expense of Uber Eats or Deliveroo .
With the foresight of a good shopping list and a bit of free time of an evening , there are quite a few drool-worthy recipes that can be all yours to enjoy chez vous .
And the best bit ?
You can eat them in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s going to ask you to vacate the premises .
Expertly grilled meat is never going to fall off the menu but with veganism on the rise , the amount of people eating a vegan diet has gone up 300 per cent in the past decade - the smart restaurants have been branching out to making exquisite eats from vegetables over an open fire .
Step forward Berber & Q , and their barbecued cauliflower .
A whole head of the veg is given a smokey , rich tang by basting it while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the tahini , pomegranate , garlic and lemon dressing makes it an Eastern dream .
Try out their recipe here - even when roasted in a home oven rather than an open barbecue , it ’ s still a total show stopper .
When you think of seafood , if you ’ re anything like us , the first name that pops up is always going to be J. Sheekey .
The restaurant has been a staple in London ’ s West End since the 1890 ’ s , and is perfectly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While you might miss out on earwigging some juicy gossip from some loose-lipped casting directors at the actual eaterie , you can still indulge in one of the other factors that make this place a perennial favourite : their fish pie .
This is the ultimate go-to comfort dish .
A silky-smooth cream sauce envelopes little chunks of cod , haddock and salmon , while the fluffy mash is soft enough to lay your head upon .
Cracking the Parmesan-encrusted top is like smashing open a savoury creme brulee , only with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to recreate this scene of joy here .
Once you ’ ve tried fried chicken The Clove Club ’ s way - pine salt and buttermilk fried - it ’ s just impossible to go back to Nandos .
This classic essentially hasn ’ t left the super-hip Club ’ s menu since they were just a Young Turks pop-up supperclub , and now the recipe is all yours .
Yes , you need to make the pine-infused salt five days in advance , but good things come to those who wait .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Get ready for an epic finger-licking session with this recipe , here If that urge for a steaming bowl of freshly-made pasta hits , good luck with getting into Padella .
Many dinner plans have been thwarted by their ever-present queue of people out of the door hoping to get their Italo-carb fix with a serving of Roman fave , Cacio e Pepe .
Cut out the middleman and make their simple yet oh-so-addictive salt and pepper noodle dish at home , using this recipe here .
The love for Dishoom has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with outposts of the popular Indian restaurant in Edinburgh and Manchester - and five venues in London .
The one dish everyone keeps coming back for ?
Their bacon and egg naan roll .
The dish that cured a thousand hangovers , the finest cuts of back bacon and a crispy fried egg are encased in a pillowy dough-cocoon , topped with a little cream cheese , spicy chilli jam and a sprinkling of fresh coriander .
Have a go at this taste-a-like recipe , here .
Of course , we can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re dining at home , doesn ’ t mean missing out on a sweet fix .
And while we look to The Great British Bake Off for the creme-de-la-crème-pâtissière of dishes , former contestant Johnny Shepherd has since opened up the drool-worthy bakery , The Pudding Stop , in St Albans .
While there ’ s all manner of stunning sweets here - Nutella doughnuts and wicked brownies - his raspberry Bakewell tart is such a classic , even Paul Hollywood would approve .
Shepherd has shared his recipe for the dessert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to eating restaurant luxe at home is the washing up - that ’ s why you should always invite someone over to join you in your fine dining .

By Laura Martin
While nothing ever quite beats the taste of being handed an iconic restaurant’s signature dish, sat in the buzzy ambience of the hot spot, it’s actually possible to indulge in a little bit of this luxury at home - and without the expense of Uber Eats or Deliveroo.
With the foresight of a good shopping list and a bit of free time of an evening, there are quite a few drool-worthy recipes that can be all yours to enjoy chez vous. And the best bit? You can eat them in your pyjamas with no fear anyone’s going to ask you to vacate the premises.
The Spoils Credit: Berber & Q
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Berber & Q, Barbecued Cauliflower
Expertly grilled meat is never going to fall off the menu but with veganism on the rise, the amount of people eating a vegan diet has gone up 300 per cent in the past decade - the smart restaurants have been branching out to making exquisite eats from vegetables over an open fire. Step forward Berber & Q, and their barbecued cauliflower. A whole head of the veg is given a smokey, rich tang by basting it while cooking with lashings of shawarma butter, and the tahini, pomegranate, garlic and lemon dressing makes it an Eastern dream. Try out their recipe here - even when roasted in a home oven rather than an open barbecue, it’s still a total show stopper.
The Spoils Credit: J. Sheekey
J. Sheekey, Fish Pie
When you think of seafood, if you’re anything like us, the first name that pops up is always going to be J. Sheekey. The restaurant has been a staple in London’s West End since the 1890’s, and is perfectly positioned in the heart of theatreland. While you might miss out on earwigging some juicy gossip from some loose-lipped casting directors at the actual eaterie, you can still indulge in one of the other factors that make this place a perennial favourite: their fish pie. This is the ultimate go-to comfort dish. A silky-smooth cream sauce envelopes little chunks of cod, haddock and salmon, while the fluffy mash is soft enough to lay your head upon. Cracking the Parmesan-encrusted top is like smashing open a savoury creme brulee, only with a seafood twist. Check out exactly how to recreate this scene of joy here.
Advertisement
The Clove Club, Fried Chicken
Once you’ve tried fried chicken The Clove Club’s way - pine salt and buttermilk fried - it’s just impossible to go back to Nandos. This classic essentially hasn’t left the super-hip Club’s menu since they were just a Young Turks pop-up supperclub, and now the recipe is all yours. Yes, you need to make the pine-infused salt five days in advance, but good things come to those who wait. Great things, in this case. Get ready for an epic finger-licking session with this recipe, here
Padella, Pici Cacio E Pepe Pasta
If that urge for a steaming bowl of freshly-made pasta hits, good luck with getting into Padella. Many dinner plans have been thwarted by their ever-present queue of people out of the door hoping to get their Italo-carb fix with a serving of Roman fave, Cacio e Pepe. Cut out the middleman and make their simple yet oh-so-addictive salt and pepper noodle dish at home, using this recipe here.
Advertisement
Dishoom, Bacon And Egg Naan Roll
The love for Dishoom has been spreading far and wide across the country with outposts of the popular Indian restaurant in Edinburgh and Manchester - and five venues in London. The one dish everyone keeps coming back for? Their bacon and egg naan roll. The dish that cured a thousand hangovers, the finest cuts of back bacon and a crispy fried egg are encased in a pillowy dough-cocoon, topped with a little cream cheese, spicy chilli jam and a sprinkling of fresh coriander. Have a go at this taste-a-like recipe, here.
The Spoils Credit: The Pudding Stop
The Pudding Stop, Raspberry Bakewell Tart
Of course, we can’t forget dessert. Just because you’re dining at home, doesn’t mean missing out on a sweet fix. And while we look to The Great British Bake Off for the creme-de-la-crème-pâtissière of dishes, former contestant Johnny Shepherd has since opened up the drool-worthy bakery, The Pudding Stop, in St Albans. While there’s all manner of stunning sweets here - Nutella doughnuts and wicked brownies - his raspberry Bakewell tart is such a classic, even Paul Hollywood would approve. Shepherd has shared his recipe for the dessert here.
Unfortunately, the only downside to eating restaurant luxe at home is the washing up - that’s why you should always invite someone over to join you in your fine dining.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-27--Embrace The Sustainable Beauty Trend Without Compromising On Luxury

The skincare industry is changing , fast .
Traditional cosmetic companies are being rivalled by smaller , independent brands who are making mindful and considered products .
We ’ re talking under-the-radar luxe skincare that you want in your next # shelfie : green , ethical , sustainable , natural , vegan – and thoughtful – products that make a difference to the planet and your skin .
That difference could mean less money spent on packaging and marketing so the brand can spend more on expensive and effective ingredients that really work .
Or it could be your choice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recyclable packaging .
Gone are the days that luxury in skincare meant loads of wasteful packaging and A-listers fronting up campaigns .
Some of our favourite brands for luxury natural and ethical skincare care Tata Harper , May Lindstrom , Oskia , 12 , Votary , Josh Rosebrook , de Mamiel , Hourglass , Welleco , Bamford and Prosody London .
Yes , they all still have gorgeous packaging , but most are recyclable , recycled or simply re-usable such as Welleco and Hourglass .
It ’ s worth noting ( because we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that animal testing on cosmetics is illegal in the EU and UK , so all these products are great for our furry friends too .
All of Tata Harper ’ s products are gorgeous , and this eye mask smells amazing and is all-natural .
For vitamin C to be effective , it must be sealed and kept away from water .
This vegan treatment delivers a powerful boost of natural antioxidants .
Balanced hydration means happy , functioning skin .
12 delivers this naturally , is handmade in Spain using artisan methods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , silicones , petrochemicals and glycols .
Organic and natural perfume is hard to come by , but this little set lets you experiment with scents that not everyone owns .
Some well-known brands are a by-word for luxury on the bathroom sink , and we love them , but Bamford is a new addition we want .

By Melanie Hick
The skincare industry is changing, fast. Traditional cosmetic companies are being rivalled by smaller, independent brands who are making mindful and considered products.
We’re talking under-the-radar luxe skincare that you want in your next #shelfie: green, ethical, sustainable, natural, vegan – and thoughtful – products that make a difference to the planet and your skin.
That difference could mean less money spent on packaging and marketing so the brand can spend more on expensive and effective ingredients that really work. Or it could be your choice of ethics – vegan, plastic-free, recyclable packaging.
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Gone are the days that luxury in skincare meant loads of wasteful packaging and A-listers fronting up campaigns.
Some of our favourite brands for luxury natural and ethical skincare care Tata Harper, May Lindstrom, Oskia, 12, Votary, Josh Rosebrook, de Mamiel, Hourglass, Welleco, Bamford and Prosody London. Yes, they all still have gorgeous packaging, but most are recyclable, recycled or simply re-usable such as Welleco and Hourglass.
It’s worth noting (because we love to learn, right?) that animal testing on cosmetics is illegal in the EU and UK, so all these products are great for our furry friends too.
Here’s our shoppable edit of luxury skincare that hit all the right notes.
The Spoils Spacenk.com
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It’s natural, smells divine, is vegan and made in the UK.
The Spoils spacenk.com
A beautiful second-step cleanser made from natural ingredients; vegan, gluten-free and organic.
The Spoils Oskia
A Sunday night must-have, it’s vegan, has prebiotics and is made in the UK in a solar-powered factory.
The Spoils cultbeauty.co.uk
All of Tata Harper’s products are gorgeous, and this eye mask smells amazing and is all-natural.
The Spoils ecco-verde.co.uk
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For vitamin C to be effective, it must be sealed and kept away from water. This vegan treatment delivers a powerful boost of natural antioxidants.
The Spoils twelvebeauty.com
Balanced hydration means happy, functioning skin. 12 delivers this naturally, is handmade in Spain using artisan methods and is free from parabens, sulphates, silicones, petrochemicals and glycols.
The Spoils cultbeauty.co.uk
A fresh spritz of natural moisture, with many organic ingredients for calm skin.
The Spoils libertylondon.com
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A natural shower product based on organic coconut oil that leaves skin smoother, moisturised and smelling of Moroccan roses.
The Spoils demamiel.com
A beautiful UK-made product for all seasons with “a heavenly scent of frankincense, bergamot, myrrh and jasmine”.
The Spoils net-a-porter.com
Vegan make-up brand Hourglass owns the highlighter category for a lit-from-within glow, and now has a high glam refillable lipstick for extra ethical chicness.
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The Spoils prosodylondon.com
Organic and natural perfume is hard to come by, but this little set lets you experiment with scents that not everyone owns.
The Spoils cultbeauty.co.uk
A beautiful refillable caddy holds your daily dose of super supplements.
The Spoils bamford.com
Some well-known brands are a by-word for luxury on the bathroom sink, and we love them, but Bamford is a new addition we want.
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