Latest news with #Ryman
North Wales Live
13-07-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
Home workers turn to 'easy glide' office chairs with 'fantastic back support'
As remote work becomes more and more common, having a reliable and supportive chair is crucial for daily productivity - and comfort. However, finding a chair that strikes the right balance between comfort and support can be a time-consuming task. Fortunately, shoppers can now take advantage of various deals on Pago International chairs at Ryman. Since its UK launch in 2024, the Australian-founded Pago range has expanded to include 10 chairs, which are now available in Ryman stores nationwide. The range includes the Pago Vega Office Chair in Black, priced at £79.99, which blends style and functionality. This chair features multiple adjustments, a high-quality seat, and a professional design that can enhance any home or office space. Jay from Pago commented: "We're thrilled to be bringing Pago's commitment to exceptional value, comfort and ergonomic support to the UK market through our partnership with Ryman. Both our companies share core values of quality, customer satisfaction, and delivering products that genuinely improve people's daily lives." The chair boasts an array of features, including a high-quality swivel tilt mechanism with tension control, a moulded foam seat with a waterfall front edge, a breathable air-flow mesh back, and fixed armrests to promote good posture - making it an ideal choice for those seeking a comfortable and supportive chair for day-to-day work. For those seeking specific heights and ranges, the Pago Matrix Mesh High Back Ergonomic Office Chair is available for £129.99, boasting a heavy-duty build suitable for over eight hours of sitting, a three-lever ratchet back mechanism, a thick moulded foam seat, and a high back profile, reports the Mirror. Alternatively, the Pago Matrix Mesh Medium Back Ergonomic Chair can be purchased for £109.99, featuring a mesh medium back, supreme support, and a three-lever mechanism. Understandably, this chair may not be for everyone and so we've found a few alternatives that might give the brand a run for its money. The Barker High Back Fabric Operator Chair with Adjustable Arms from Furniture Work is priced at £105. It comes in grey, has an ergonomic high back operator chair design, a contoured backrest, and a large posture-curved seat. Additionally, it includes height adjustment, back rake, and the option of fixed arms. Another choice is the Argos Home Read Mesh Office Chair for £50, which is black, has a metal frame with mesh seat pad and backrest, a swivel feature, and is lightweight at 6.7kg. However, the Pago chairs have received high praise from customers on their website. One shopper commented, "Great chair. I have only had it a couple of weeks, and it is great. Back support, especially lower, is fantastic." Another remarked: "Comfortable. Easy to assemble. Easy glide on carpet. "I bought the chair a few weeks ago and have found the hair very comfortable and it meets my needs working at my desk and on my computer," another customer shared. However, some shoppers did offer suggestions of improvement, including one who said: "One improvement if I may suggest is the back of the chair, if using it on the tallest extension for us who are on the taller side, does tend to pop and slot back down."
Daily Mirror
12-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Office chair with 'fantastic back support' perfect for home working
As working from home is on the rise, customers are prioritising high quality chairs for back support With working from home on the rise, it is important that workers have a sturdy, supportive chair on standby to aid them on a daily basis. Finding a chair that is comfortable and offers decent support can often take more time than needed. Shoppers may now be in luck however as they can grab a range of deals from Ryman as it has several Pago International chairs on offer. After launching in the UK in 2024, the Pago range which was founded in Australia has grown to 10 chairs rolling into Ryman stores across the country. In the range, shoppers can grab several chairs including the Pago Vega Office Chair in Black for £79.99 which is said to combine style and function to form a useful addition to any home or office. Vega boasts several adjustments, a high quality seat and comes in professional styling designed to fit in with and enhance any space. Jay, of Pago, said: "We're thrilled to be bringing Pago's commitment to exceptional value, comfort and ergonomic support to the UK market through our partnership with Ryman. Both our companies share core values of quality, customer satisfaction, and delivering products that genuinely improve people's daily lives." Features of the chair include a high-quality swivel tilt mechanism with tension control, a moulded foam seat with waterfall front edge, a breathable air-flow mesh back and fixed armrests to support posture - everything one could want in a chair. For specific heights and ranges, there is also the Pago Matrix Mesh High Back Ergonomic Office Chair for £129.99 which has a heavy duty build - suitable for eight plus hours of sitting, a three lever ratchet back mechanism, a thick moulded foam seat and a features a high back profile. There is also the Pago Matrix Mesh Medium Back Ergonomic Chair for £109.99 which has a mesh medium back, offers supreme support and a three lever mechanism. If this isn't the chair for everyone, there are a number of alternatives for shoppers, including the Barker High Back Fabric Operator Chair with Adjustable Arms, priced at £105 from Furniture Work. It comes in the shade grey, has an ergonomic high back operator chair, a contoured backrest and a large posture-curved seat. It also features a gas height adjustment, back rake and is available with or without fixed arms. Another option is the Argos Home Read Mesh Office Chair for £50 from Argos, which comes in the shade Black, has a metal frame with mesh seatpad, backrest, a swivel feature and weighs a light 6.7kg. However, shoppers have rated the Pago chairs highly on their website. One shopper said, "Great chair. I have only had it a couple of weeks, and it is great. Back support, especially lower, is fantastic." Another said: "Comfortable. Easy to assemble. Easy glide on carpet." "I bought the chair a few weeks ago and have found the hair very comfortable and it meets my needs working at my desk and on my computer," said another. Some other shoppers did leave some suggestions however as one person said: "One improvement if I may suggest is the back of the chair, if using it on the tallest extension for us who are on the taller side, does tend to pop and slot back down." The Pago range is available from Ryman.
Otago Daily Times
29-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Christchurch woman not the first dementia patient to go missing in NZ this year
By Anna Sargent of RNZ A man whose wife went missing from a rest home while in respite care for dementia last month was horrified to learn of Christchurch woman Elisabeth Nicholls' death. Miles Vercoe said his wife Amy Vercoe disappeared from the Edmund Hillary Retirement Village in Auckland on May 10 after wandering out of a fire escape door and walking for hours, before being found safe by police. Nicholls, 79, had dementia and vanished from Ryman's Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village in Christchurch on June 4, hours after being admitted for respite care. She was found dead at an abandoned property on Gracefield Avenue in the central city last Sunday - just 250m from her home. Ryman said it was "terribly saddened" by the news and would work with Health NZ to look into what happened. Vercoe, speaking out after hearing about Nicholls' death, said his wife could have suffered the same fate had she not been found. "That was an entirely possible outcome of her running away because she has Alzheimer's, she wouldn't know how to get home, how to get back to where she was, and it was late and cold. It was the consequence I was so scared of that night." Vercoe said his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's three-and-a-half-years ago. On May 5 she was admitted for respite care at the Edmund Hillary Retirement Village for what was supposed to be a week, to give him a break as her sole caregiver at their home. On her fifth night there he said he got a call from staff about 6pm saying they could not find her. "I told them to call the police. The village is in Stonefields, we live in Ōrākei, she was found in Parnell like three to four hours later, she'd walked. She's still pretty strong and fit. "She must've been walking that whole time, the distance she got and the time. She was just on a pair of sandals, she hurt her feet, she was sore for a few days, but other than that no lasting damage, compared to poor Mrs Nicholls." His wife left the rest home via a fire escape door across the hall from her room, he said. He brought her back home that night. "By the time I got her out of there I just thought, 'Oh, that's me done with them,'" he said. Vercoe said the situation was unacceptable and he lodged a complaint with the Health and Disability Commissioner. A letter the Edmund Hillary Retirement Village sent Vercoe on June 25, following an investigation, said the village had been given incorrect information by the local Health NZ Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) team about the level of care Amy Vercoe required . NASC confirmed she needed rest home-level care on April 16, the letter said - not dementia-level. "On 16 June, as part of this investigation, our team contacted the NASC team to reconfirm the assessment information regarding Mrs Vercoe's required level of care, which we had received before admission in April. The NASC team confirmed Mrs Vercoe's assessment for rest home-level of care," the letter said. "Later that day, a second email from NASC indicated that Mental Health Services assessed Mrs Vercoe for Older People in March this year, and this assessment recommended that she receive dementia-level of care. I note that this information was not provided to our team before this date." The rest home said having no knowledge of Amy Vercoe's dementia assessment, it was not aware of any need for her to be cared for in its special care unit. "Had we been aware of this, we could have completed the necessary paperwork and admitted Mrs Vercoe, with your agreement, into our Secure Dementia Unit, which would have prevented her from leaving the unit and then the village," the letter said. "As a rest home resident, we respect residents' rights to maintain their independence, and we cannot guarantee that a resident in a rest home unit won't choose to leave via any exit should they wish to. Our review found that the fire escape operated as required. Furthermore, we implemented the proper care strategies for Mrs Vercoe as a rest home resident." Vercoe was under the impression the rest home knew his wife had dementia. "[The rest home] did know that she had dementia because I told them. I had a phone conversation with a nurse and then I had about a half hour pre-admission interview, and then I probably had another 20 minutes with her then on the day of admission. Different people every time I think but I was clear to them verbally, we discussed her condition. "This was after Health NZ had assessed her as having dementia and then a suitable candidate for this type of rest home care. She clearly wasn't suitable to be in that place but I didn't know that, I don't know the ins and outs of what facilities they have, but she was assessed as having stage 5 dementia, not being able to cope and also being eligible for the subsidy for respite care because I'm her sole caregiver." The letter to Vercoe said on April 15 during his initial walk-through of the village a unit coordinator discussed his wife's requirements with him, and Vercoe confirmed she did not wander away from home. "The question they didn't ask me is what would the consequences of her running away be, and the answer would be it could be potentially quite severe if she wasn't caught quickly," Vercoe said. "Maybe there was a communication breakdown between them and the health department, but that's not enough of an excuse in my opinion for them to not know she had dementia, because I told them." Ryman did not comment on Vercoe's specific case, but said if the company received a referral for dementia-level care, the patient would always be placed in secure, specialist dementia care. "Outside of independent retirement living, Ryman offers three levels of care: rest home, hospital, and specialist dementia care. These three levels are offered at Edmund Hillary village," a Ryman spokesperson said. "While our rest homes are supported by 24-hour staffing, rest home level care is not a secure level of care and residents have the independence and freedom to come and go from the unit. "The initial referral for a new respite resident comes from the local division of Health New Zealand who assess their needs, and our contracts with them sets out the level of care to be provided." Ryman did not answer RNZ's question of how many cases there had been in the last year of dementia patients in respite care wandering out of the premises and needing to be searched for. Ryman previously said the Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village, where Elisabeth Nicholls was referred, was not a dementia care facility. Nicholls arrived at the village on the morning of June 4 and was last seen at 6.01pm. "At 6.20pm, team members at the village became aware that Elisabeth may have chosen to leave, on what was her first night at the village, and immediately commenced a search of the premise," Ryman said. "A village search was undertaken including a search of each room, shared space and the rest home grounds, followed by contacting next of kin. As is standard protocol, if a resident is still unable to be located following this process, we then contact police." Following her disappearance, police and Land Search and Rescue volunteers scoured areas of the city to find Nicholls. Pleas were made for the public to check their backyards and anywhere she might have taken refuge. 'Adored' wife In a statement, Nicholls' family said they were very saddened and relieved she had been found. Nicholls' husband of nearly 60 years Gary Nicholls had described her as an adored wife, mother, grandmother, friend and colleague, who had always put other people first. Health New Zealand Te Waipounamu regional commissioner Chiquita Hansen said the agency acknowledged the past few weeks had been a distressing time for Nicholls' loved ones. "We will work with Ryman to look into what happened, which is standard practice, but for now our priority is working with Police and family at this difficult time," she said. The death will be referred to the coroner. RNZ has approached Health NZ for comment on Vercoe's case.
Otago Daily Times
29-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Elisabeth Nicholls not the first dementia patient rest homes have lost this year
By Anna Sargent of RNZ A man whose wife went missing from a rest home while in respite care for dementia last month was horrified to learn of Christchurch woman Elisabeth Nicholls' death. Miles Vercoe said his wife Amy Vercoe disappeared from the Edmund Hillary Retirement Village in Auckland on 10 May after wandering out of a fire escape door and walking for hours, before being found safe by police. Nicholls, 79, had dementia and vanished from Ryman's Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village in Christchurch on 4 June, hours after being admitted for respite care. She was found dead at an abandoned property on Gracefield Avenue in the central city last Sunday - just 250m from her home. Ryman said it was "terribly saddened" by the news and would work with Health NZ to look into what happened. Vercoe, speaking out after hearing about Nicholls' death, said his wife could have suffered the same fate had she not been found. "That was an entirely possible outcome of her running away because she has Alzheimer's, she wouldn't know how to get home, how to get back to where she was, and it was late and cold. It was the consequence I was so scared of that night." Vercoe said his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's three-and-a-half-years ago. On 5 May she was admitted for respite care at the Edmund Hillary Retirement Village for what was supposed to be a week, to give him a break as her sole caregiver at their home. On her fifth night there he said he got a call from staff about 6pm saying they could not find her. "I told them to call the police. The village is in Stonefields, we live in Ōrākei, she was found in Parnell like three to four hours later, she'd walked. She's still pretty strong and fit. "She must've been walking that whole time, the distance she got and the time. She was just on a pair of sandals, she hurt her feet, she was sore for a few days, but other than that no lasting damage, compared to poor Mrs Nicholls." His wife left the rest home via a fire escape door across the hall from her room, he said. He brought her back home that night. "By the time I got her out of there I just thought, 'Oh, that's me done with them,'" he said. Vercoe said the situation was unacceptable and he lodged a complaint with the Health and Disability Commissioner. A letter the Edmund Hillary Retirement Village sent Vercoe on 25 June, following an investigation, said the village had been given incorrect information by the local Health NZ Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) team about the level of care Amy Vercoe required . NASC confirmed she needed rest home-level care on 16 April, the letter said - not dementia-level. "On 16 June, as part of this investigation, our team contacted the NASC team to reconfirm the assessment information regarding Mrs Vercoe's required level of care, which we had received before admission in April. The NASC team confirmed Mrs Vercoe's assessment for rest home-level of care," the letter said. "Later that day, a second email from NASC indicated that Mental Health Services assessed Mrs Vercoe for Older People in March this year, and this assessment recommended that she receive dementia-level of care. I note that this information was not provided to our team before this date." The rest home said having no knowledge of Amy Vercoe's dementia assessment, it was not aware of any need for her to be cared for in its special care unit. "Had we been aware of this, we could have completed the necessary paperwork and admitted Mrs Vercoe, with your agreement, into our Secure Dementia Unit, which would have prevented her from leaving the unit and then the village," the letter said. "As a rest home resident, we respect residents' rights to maintain their independence, and we cannot guarantee that a resident in a rest home unit won't choose to leave via any exit should they wish to. Our review found that the fire escape operated as required. Furthermore, we implemented the proper care strategies for Mrs Vercoe as a rest home resident." Vercoe was under the impression the rest home knew his wife had dementia. "[The rest home] did know that she had dementia because I told them. I had a phone conversation with a nurse and then I had about a half hour pre-admission interview, and then I probably had another 20 minutes with her then on the day of admission. Different people every time I think but I was clear to them verbally, we discussed her condition. "This was after Health NZ had assessed her as having dementia and then a suitable candidate for this type of rest home care. She clearly wasn't suitable to be in that place but I didn't know that, I don't know the ins and outs of what facilities they have, but she was assessed as having stage 5 dementia, not being able to cope and also being eligible for the subsidy for respite care because I'm her sole caregiver." The letter to Vercoe said on 15 April during his initial walk-through of the village a unit coordinator discussed his wife's requirements with him, and Vercoe confirmed she did not wander away from home. "The question they didn't ask me is what would the consequences of her running away be, and the answer would be it could be potentially quite severe if she wasn't caught quickly," Vercoe said. "Maybe there was a communication breakdown between them and the health department, but that's not enough of an excuse in my opinion for them to not know she had dementia, because I told them." Ryman did not comment on Vercoe's specific case, but said if the company received a referral for dementia-level care, the patient would always be placed in secure, specialist dementia care. "Outside of independent retirement living, Ryman offers three levels of care: rest home, hospital, and specialist dementia care. These three levels are offered at Edmund Hillary village," a Ryman spokesperson said. "While our rest homes are supported by 24-hour staffing, rest home level care is not a secure level of care and residents have the independence and freedom to come and go from the unit. "The initial referral for a new respite resident comes from the local division of Health New Zealand who assess their needs, and our contracts with them sets out the level of care to be provided." Ryman did not answer RNZ's question of how many cases there had been in the last year of dementia patients in respite care wandering out of the premises and needing to be searched for. Ryman previously said the Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village, where Elisabeth Nicholls was referred, was not a dementia care facility. Nicholls arrived at the village on the morning of 4 June and was last seen at 6.01pm. "At 6.20pm, team members at the village became aware that Elisabeth may have chosen to leave, on what was her first night at the village, and immediately commenced a search of the premise," Ryman said. "A village search was undertaken including a search of each room, shared space and the rest home grounds, followed by contacting next of kin. As is standard protocol, if a resident is still unable to be located following this process, we then contact police." Following her disappearance, police and Land Search and Rescue volunteers scoured areas of the city to find Nicholls. Pleas were made for the public to check their backyards and anywhere she might have taken refuge. 'Adored' wife In a statement, Nicholls' family said they were very saddened and relieved she had been found. Nicholls' husband of nearly 60 years Gary Nicholls had described her as an adored wife, mother, grandmother, friend and colleague, who had always put other people first. Health New Zealand Te Waipounamu regional commissioner Chiquita Hansen said the agency acknowledged the past few weeks had been a distressing time for Nicholls' loved ones. "We will work with Ryman to look into what happened, which is standard practice, but for now our priority is working with Police and family at this difficult time," she said. The death will be referred to the coroner. RNZ has approached Health NZ for comment on Vercoe's case.
The Guardian
19-06-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Beat the heat: 14 expert tips for keeping cool in hot weather
Heatwaves used to be marked by years, recalled misty-eyed by those who remembered them with fondness, like the heatwave of '76. Now, in the era of global heating, heatwaves are a warning sign, not a pleasure – and as we enter a UK summer, it's a case of when, not if, the temperature will become unbearable. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Always take care when it heats up – the NHS recommends staying in the shade, especially between 11am and 3pm, wearing sunscreen and hats, and avoiding exercise. It also advises taking showers, eating cold food and drinks, and avoiding alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks. And there are other things that can help. As temperatures soar, we've asked experts in hotspots around the world – from Australia to Dubai – about how to cope with the heat. Here's their advice for everything from waking and dressing to sleeping (yes, it is possible in this heat, we promise). Recycled stainless steel water bottle £35 at Ryman£35 at Ocean Bottle Insulated leak-proof water bottle From £30 at John Lewis£32 at Chilly's Glass coffee cup and straw £27 at Anthropologie£26.95 at Amazon The NHS recommends drinking six to eight glasses of water a day – the aim being that your pee remains a light straw colour. In a heatwave, you'll likely need more water, and ideally it'll be cold to help cool you down. Ocean Bottles are double-wall insulated, made from 65% recycled materials, and the brand collects 11.4kg of plastic from oceans with the sale of each bottle. Chilly's water bottles claim to keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours – and everyone in your co-working space will thank you for the rubber base that doesn't 'CLANG' every time you take a sip. The NHS technically advises against caffeine in extreme heat, but if it does feel necessary, you can at least go iced with this clear Keep Cup. Lékué ice cube tray £15.75 at John Lewis£19.99 at Lakeland Monster ice lolly mould £12.99 at John Lewis£12.99 at Lakeland What better way to keep cool than with frozen water? A dedicated ice box lets you build up a stockpile for hot days – no more wasteful plastic bags of ice from the supermarket. Get the kids involved too with this ice lolly mould, letting them create some inventive flavours and reap the rewards after a few hours in the freezer. Wind-up tilt parasol £53.99 at Robert Dyas£84.99 at John Lewis Recycled polyester cream carousel parasol £70 at Dunelm Portable beach tent £95.20 at Holloways of Ludlow£119 at Amazon Whether you've got an unforgiving, shadeless south-facing patio or are planning a day in the park or at the beach, you'll need shade in a heatwave. From a cheerful, adjustable yellow parasol and an all-singing, tilting garden shade to a portable beach canopy, this lot has you covered. Reiss linen midi dress £198 at John Lewis£198 at Reiss Airism dress £24.90 at Uniqlo Men's pure linen shirt £45 at M&S Men's Airism white T-shirt £14.90 at Uniqlo Round mini shoulder bag £14.90 at Uniqlo Plan International Denmark tote bag £5.24 at Søstrene Grene As recommended in our Mother's Day gift guide. A percentage of the sale of this floral tote goes to Plan International, which helps support girls' and young women's rights. Working in an office in the heat and looking even remotely professional can feel impossible – something Elle Australia editor Jessica Bailey knows all too well. Opt for linen, she says. A sleeveless linen dress or a loose-fitting shirt will be your saviour: the lightweight material is known for its breathable properties – the baggier the better for circulation and non-clinginess. Darker colours will help disguise sweat marks – if you're particularly worried about this, go for polyester or nylon over cotton. Or try a sweat-wicking fabric, such as Uniqlo's Airism. If you carry a heavy leather handbag, it's worth swapping for a lightweight cross-body bag or cotton tote. These have longer handles, allowing air to circulate rather than being stickily clamped to your side. Lace trim cami top £20 at Next Mini slip dress £78 at Free People Seersucker stripe boxers £28 for three at John Lewis 'The Australian summer can be humid and unforgiving – as such, we learn how to dress for the heat from a young age,' says Elle Australia's fashion editor, Jordan Boorman. 'I lean into vintage-style lingerie silhouettes, wispy camisoles, lace slip dresses and skirts.' Men: feeling brave? Make like Paul Mescal and wear boxers as shorts, as recommended by Peter Bevan in his men's summer wardrobe updates. Just don't forget to wear your underwear beneath to avoid any embarrassing mishaps. Women's ONA Streetworks go-to flat £63 at SorelFrom £53.60 at Amazon As recommended in our roundup of stylish summer sandals Women's cut-out strap sandals £28 at River Island Jess Cartner-Morley calls these the perfect holiday dinner sandals in her June style essentials Men's Summit leather sandals £31.99 at Schuh£45 at Next As recommended by menswear expert Peter Bevan in his men's summer wardrobe updates Men's Fracap leather sandals £175 at Toast First up: you need a pair of sandals that you can walk in comfortably. Hot, sweaty feet equals rubbing and blisters and, as Chloe Mac Donnell wrote in her guide to sandals, no one wants carry a pair of trainers to swap into when they need to walk anywhere farther than the office tea point. This year, as last, sandals are fusing function and comfort with fashion. And for men, slip-on gladiator-style designs with thicker leather straps are everywhere. Vichy spa water £9.50 at Look Fantastic£9.50 at Amazon Vichy SPF spray £16.13 at Look Fantastic£13.70 at Amazon A face mist can give instant relief in the heat. Dr Raj Arora is a GP and founder of aesthetics clinic The Face Bible, and she recommends Vichy face mist. 'I have used this myself when on holiday or during a heatwave,' she says. 'Not only does it cool the skin down but it's also infused with minerals and antioxidants to soothe the skin and protect the skin's barrier during hot weather.' Of course, the main thing you need on your skin in a heatwave is a good SPF – Sali Hughes's roundup of the best sunscreens has something for everyone. For lightness in the heat, consider Vichy's Capital Soleil SPF 50 spray with hyaluronic acid from her list. Dreo Cruiser tower fan £109.99 with wifi voice control at B&Q£89.99 at Amazon Morphy Richards portable USB fan £39.99 at B&Q£39.99 at Morphy Richards As recommended in our roundup of the best fans to keep you cool Jisulife handheld mini fan£18.99 at Amazon Scalloped-edge fan£6.99 at H&M An electric fan – either for your desk or room – can help with hot and bothered home working and sweaty, sleepless nights. There are even electric/battery hybrids for when you're on the go, all put to the test in our guide to the best fans. And while heatwaves may hit once or twice a year, but women dealing with menopause can be left battling hot flushes for years. After trying many handheld fans, Tracey McAlpine, founder of Fighting Fifty, recommends the Jisulife mini fan above. And if you fancy a flutter, try H&M's elegant scalloped-edged fan. Women's anti-chafing shorts £18 for two at M&S Women's black high-waisted shorts £25 at End£48 at Skims Men's green shorts with built-in cycling shorts £75 at Vuori As recommended in our roundup of the best shorts for summer Megababe anti-chafe stick£9.60 at Boots£8 at Cult Beauty Baby powder£1.75 at Boots£1.75 at Superdrug Heatwaves are uncomfortable enough before you add chafing into the mix. Not only is it painful, but the irritation makes the skin hot too – not what you need. There are several ways to combat this, and many women fall back on wearing shorts under skirts and dresses: try these M&S slimming shorts, which stay up all day and are so thin and cool that you forget they're there. For other parts of the body, or if shorts don't work for you, body image speaker and writer Laura Adlington recommends Megababe Thigh Rescue. 'It glides on like a balm and keeps your thighs happy all day. Otherwise, try good old-fashioned baby powder – it's cheap as chips and does the trick.' Women's zebra-print bucket hat£19.99 at Mango Women's wide-brim sun hat £45 at John Lewis Women's oversized summer hat £37 at Asos£37 at & Other Stories Men's broad-brim hat £25 at M&S Unisex Original Pirate Material cap£45 at Scrt This pop culture cap gets Peter Bevan's seal of approval in his men's summer wardrobe updates A good hat is your ally in keeping a cool head. We asked the team at the oldest hat shop in the world, London's Lock & Co Hatters, for their advice. Look for breathable materials such as straw, they said, and wide brims that protect your face and neck from the sun. This M&S packable broad-rim hat is another great option for men looking for something to take on holiday (or not brave enough to wear it on the commute), as it folds down easily. And don't forget caps. Wide brims are everywhere on the high street this year – the John Lewis hat above has a simple silhouette that will pair with anything, and the black canvas offering from & Other Stories is a much chicer take on last year's bucket hat trend. Unisex hydration bag with 1L pouch£24.99 at Decathlon The North Face Summit Run 5L vest £134.99 at SportsShoes£135 at the North Face As recommended by Kieran Alger in his guide to trail running essentials If a heatwave persists unbroken but you want to continue your exercise streak, Esther Newman, editor of Women's Running magazine and co-host of the Women's Running Podcast, says it is possible, with some adjustment. 'If you're running for longer than 30 minutes, carry water with you – usually twice as much as you would do in the winter,' she says. 'Decathlon's hydration packs do the job for a good price, and enable you to run hands-free.' Lululemon Wundermost Nulu high-waist thong £25 at Lululemon Uniqlo Airism boxer briefs£12.90 at Uniqlo When you're hot and sweaty, moisture-wicking base layers can really help. Fitness trainer Rosie Stockley recommended this high-waist thong in our guide to the best moisture-wicking underwear, socks and base layers; while personal trainer Michael Baah picked these briefs, which are made from moisture-wicking polyester. Body Glide anti-chafe balm £11.99 at Runners Need£13.99 at Amazon Silicone lubricant £14.99 at Love Honey£8.99 at Amazon Make sure you lube yourself up, says Newman: common annoying areas are underneath your the band of your running bra, between thighs and toes, around the neck, under your arms and between your butt cheeks. 'Experiment with Body Glide, which works like a stick deodorant, or try the less expensive secret weapon: silicone lube – with the latter, always go for silicone rather than water-based, which you'll just sweat off.' Moisture bomb sheet mask£3.49 at Superdrug£3.49 at Boots Stainless steel face roller£11.99 at Look Fantastic£11.87 at Amazon Sometimes you need a moment of reset to try to take your body temperature down when you return home. Aimee Jakes is digital editor at Time Out Dubai and is coping with the heat thanks to one hack: 'I swear by a fridge-chilled sheet mask. Garnier's Moisture Bomb sheet masks are juicy, cooling and add glugs of hydration into my sun-weathered pores. Pro tip: after the sheet mask 'juice' has been absorbed into the skin, finish off with some icy face roller action.' Mattress cooling system£390 at Sleepa Find your perfect mattress with our expert's pick of the best mattresses Bamboo bedding set From £110 at Panda For more breathable bedding, check out our guide to buying bedding Women's modal short pyjama set£85 at Stripe & Stare£85 at The Dressing Room Men's modal short pyjama set£100 at David Gandy Wellwear It's one thing to cope with the heat in the day, but when the mercury doesn't drop at night-time, it can feel unbearable and cause sleepless nights. Sleep expert James Wilson (AKA The Sleep Geek) says there are things that can help. 'I have clients who swear by the Chilipad topper – it allows you to set the temperature on your side of the bed,' he says. When it comes to fabrics, he says bamboo bedding will help; and for pyjamas, try modal. 'Steer clear of all foams – it's an insulator so will make you feel hotter, even if it claims to keep you cool all night – as well as down and feather, as they'll make you really hot.' Digital room thermometer£21.99 at John Lewis£25 at Argos Organic cotton sleeping bag£34.50 at Natural Baby Shower£24.99 at Amazon Portable blackout blinds£22.45 at John LewisFrom £24.99 at Tommee Tippee If the baby's not sleeping, then no one else is. Hot babies struggle to sleep, but high temperatures are also a health hazard for young children. 'Keeping babies cool during a heatwave can feel like an uphill battle, especially when their sleep environment heats up,' says Rosey Davidson, sleep consultant and founder and CEO of Just Chill Baby Sleep. 'My top tips are to keep blinds or curtains closed during the day to block out direct sunlight, and dress babies in just a nappy or a super-light layer. The NHS recommends your child's room be between 16 and 20C – and offers lots of tips on keeping children cool throughout the day. 'The GroEgg room thermometer glows different colours to show temperature ranges – ideal for making quick, safe sleepwear decisions at bedtime. A cool muslin sleeping bag is lightweight and breathable, helping babies to sleep safely without the risk of overheating – Aden + Anais does a 1 tog range. And blackout blinds with suction cups, like this Tommee Tippee version, keep nurseries dark and cool by blocking out sunlight – they're especially helpful for early bedtime routines.' Rhiannon Evans is a journalist and editor who's covered everything from news and entertainment to lifestyle and parenting for some of the UK's best titles (and some others too). She's rarely out of leopard print, and can usually be found attempting to wrangle her kids, garden or copy into some kind of order
