Cheap 6p item from Home Bargains repel pests from your garden this summer – and it creates a ‘relaxing' atmosphere
Home Bargains shoppers can pick up a handy item that repels pests from their outdoor space.
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Nothing ruins a laid-back summer's day in your garden like having to keep swatting away insects.
Whether you're soaking up the sun or hosting a barbecue get together, this product can help to deter bugs from your backyard.
You can pick up a 24-pack of Citronella Tealights for just £1.49 from Home Bargains.
Breaking down to just 6p per candle, these tealights may prove to be well worth the investment.
According to manufacturers, these candles are "infused with natural citronella oil" to "keep pesky bugs at bay".
As well as deterring insects from your garden, this budget buy can also help to ensure a relaxing environment.
You can light up your outdoor gatherings while adding a sweet citrus scent to the air.
Designed to burn for approximately four hours, a little goes a long way with this buy.
"The soft flickering flame adds a touch of ambience to any setting, making these tealights ideal for patio parties or romantic evenings under the stars," the product description read.
Simply place these tealights in candle holders or lanterns around your outdoor space to create a "bug-free zone and enhance the atmosphere".
Top 3 Hacks to Get Rid of Moths
The company encouraged homeowners to "say goodbye to pesky bugs and hello to relaxation" with these buys.
According to pest control experts at Eco Shield, citronella proves useful at repelling insects due to its "distinctive odour, which may make it difficult for some pests to locate a host".
It masks the attractant odours that draw insects towards us, making it difficult for them to locate their targets.
Citronella also interferes with the sensory receptors of insects, particularly mosquitoes, disrupt their ability to detect carbon dioxide, heat, and other chemical signals that draw them to hosts.
This creates confusion, hindering their ability to find and bite humans or animals.
Plant companion plants such as peppermint to repel rats.
Place Garden Netting Pest Barrier, over your flowerbeds.
Fill open-top containers with beer and place in soil to repel slugs.
Spray plants with Neem Oil, to repel ants, flies, and spiders.
Dust your flowerbeds with Diatomaceous Earth.
Mix 1 tablespoon dish soap, 10 drops peppermint oil, and 4 cups water and spray on flowerbeds.
Place eggshells around your plants to protect from slugs and snails.
The specific compounds present in citronella oil can cause irritation to insects upon contact.
When insects come into contact with citronella, it may disrupt their feeding or landing behaviour, discouraging them from staying in the vicinity.
Shoppers can also pick up a £2.99 citronella torch candle from Home Bargains.
You can also use soap and tights to repel flies from your home this summer.
A budget-friendly hack can help to banish slugs and snails from your garden.
You can also use a £1.40 household item to deter ants from entering your home.
A 49p hack helps to keep wasps from your garden, but you'll want to act soon.
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The Guardian
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The fisherman aesthetic: anglercore is everywhere – but does it suit me?
It was, in the end, a fashion trend awaiting better weather. Now that summer is here, the 'fisherman aesthetic', long heralded as one of the key looks for 2025, has finally arrived. Or has it? Standing on the beach at Hastings, with a stiff wind blowing into my face, I am adding one layer of fishing gear on top of another while holding my fisherman's hat on my head, gently overheating under a hazy sky. I'm not sure this is what Vogue had in mind when it predicted that 'the menswear customer will take to water, embracing the 'fisherman aesthetic'' earlier this year. I can't see anyone else on the beach embracing it. Then again, I can't see anyone else on the beach. These early predictions have now hardened into a mantra. 'What started as a humble nod to weathered knit sweaters, sturdy boots and utilitarian outerwear has turned into a full-fledged movement,' declared lifestyle website The Velvet Runway. 'Practical gear like rainboots, work jackets and canvas totes abound,' said Cosmopolitan. 'Less yacht club, more fishing dock,' said InStyle. By the end of March, Veranda magazine felt able to confirm that 'the fisherman aesthetic now reigns supreme in both fashion and interior design'. However, when you investigate the origins of fisherman chic, it quickly becomes clear there are two main branches to the trend. The first is more of a general nautical vibe than a uniform: striped tops, baggy khakis, boat shoes, cable knits. The Daily Mail cited 'the naval-inspired looks on the recent runways of Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and Proenza Schouler' as sources for the trend, said to be an offshoot of the 'coastal grandma' look (no, me neither) from a few years ago, which was largely confined to women's fashion. It's beach-friendly, casual and understated (Diane Keaton in the film Something's Gotta Give is apparently an inspiration for it). People dedicated to showing you how to get the look on TikTok are at pains to point out that you may well own most of the stuff already. The second strand, what might be termed the male version of fisherman chic, comes at it from another direction, specifically fly-fishing. New York menswear boutiques such as Blue in Green have been selling out of the multi-pocketed fishing vests favoured by anglers. According to the Washington Post, outfitters catering to fly-fishermen have recently seen revenue boosted by sales to men who don't fish, but are keen to adopt a look the paper dubbed 'anglercore'. Where these traditional outfitters might once have been pleasantly bewildered by all the extra online traffic, the industry is catching on. Streetwear brands and angling companies have begun collaborating on outdoor clothing lines. Last autumn, the Canadian rapper Drake, through his Nike brand Nocta, produced an actual fly-fishing reel in collaboration with Abel Reels. Where the womenswear strand of fisherman chic seems to be more about inspiration – using a nautical theme as a jumping-off point – the menswear seems more like direct occupational appropriation – literally buying the stuff real fishermen use. As the stylist and fashion writer Peter Bevan sees it, the authenticity of the gear is the point of this angler aesthetic. 'If, say, Gucci did a fishing jacket, and they bought that one, it's almost like them faking it,' he says. 'When it comes to workwear, men just like to buy into the proper brands that do it and the real type of workwear, rather than anything that feels manufactured.' There is an inverted aesthetic at work: in most cases the clothing is purely functional; it has no style per se, only a kind of perceived integrity. The Japanese workwear brand Montbell uses the slogan 'Function is beauty', which is one way of saying: this stuff looks this way for a reason. 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The Guardian
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‘I met my best friend': two students on the many benefits of joining university clubs
There are few times in life better suited to trying new things than your student years. In fact, many people would say that's the whole point of going to university. Higher education is about more than just the subject you study – it's a time to meet new people, step outside of your comfort zone and discover new things about yourself. And one of the best ways to do that is by joining student clubs and societies. Now in the third year of his philosophy degree at the University of Lincoln, Thomas Woodcock is a member of no less than seven student societies – ranging from archery to animal sciences, the book club to bellringing, and Kin-Ball to philosophy. The 22-year-old's choice of societies perfectly illustrates the huge range of clubs on offer at universities – whether you're looking to keep fit, learn or maintain skills, dive deeper into your degree subject or simply socialise, there will almost definitely be something that ticks the box. While many of Woodcock's activities are new to him, the hobby that's proved most meaningful is one he's had since childhood, and has continued at university. 'I joined Lincoln University Guides and Scouts (Lugs) at the start of my first year, having been Scouting since I was six years old,' he says. 'Although it's a relatively small society, the community I have because of Lugs has really contributed to my enjoyment of uni. Many of the friends I have made are from Lugs, and I don't know what my experience would have been like if hadn't joined, but I do believe I would have been worse off – that's how important this society, the community, and the people within it have been to me and my student experience.' It's a sentiment that 19-year-old Maya Mathiou-Rose, now in the second year of her psychology degree at the University of York, can relate to. Unlike Woodcock, Mathiou-Rose has channelled her time and energy into just one passion – volleyball – but she has also found that the impact on her university experience has extended far beyond the court. 'Joining any society allows you to find like-minded people and form lifelong connections,' she says. 'I can personally attest to this – having met my best friend, Aurelie, during the team tryouts in first year, we've been inseparable ever since. I also met my three current housemates through the University of York volleyball club (UYVC) and the James College volleyball club. Playing volleyball has not only brought us together, but also strengthened the bond between us.' Woodcock and Mathiou-Rose are far from alone in feeling that their university experience has been enhanced by joining a club or society. A study released by British University and College Sports (BUCS) in May 2025, covering the previous year, found that almost 94% of students agreed that being involved in sport gave them a sense of belonging to their institution and its community. Another recent study, conducted by the University of Lincoln students' union, found that students who were members of a society (of 17,414 students, 4,351 were involved in an activity) were more likely to complete their studies. 'Of the 1,774 who have withdrawn this year, only 86 (5%) were activity members,' reads the report. 'This means that just 2% of activity members withdrew, compared to 10% of non-activity members, highlighting that students involved in sports or societies are five times more likely to continue their studies than those who are not activity members.' Joining a society (or seven) isn't just a great way to enrich your university experience, it can also positively affect your life post-graduation. Extracurricular activities don't only look great on your CV – adding depth and breadth to your life experience – they're also a great way to learn new skills and build your confidence. This is especially true if, like Woodcock and Mathiou-Rose, you go one step further and take on a leadership role. 'As the secretary of the UYVC I've developed key skills which are directly relevant to the career I want to pursue in human resources,' says Mathiou-Rose. 'It's given me real, tangible experiences to reflect on in interviews, like managing stakeholder relationships, handling logistics under pressure, and maintaining clear and professional communication.' As for their advice for the next generation of students about to embark on their own higher education journeys, Woodcock says: 'Go to the sports and societies fairs during freshers' week and talk to the committees and members. Register your interest in those that sound good, and go to the taster sessions. I promise you it will be worth it. The communities and support I have built have massively helped me over the last three years – I can't recommend joining a society more.' Mathiou-Rose recommends not just joining societies, but getting involved in their structure and management. 'It's through this deeper engagement that you gain experiences and lessons that you'll cherish for a lifetime.' For more guidance on the right course for you, check out the Guardian university league tables for 2025. The Guardian league tables for 2026 will be out on 13 September in print and online
