Latest news with #Stacey
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Stacey Solomon's go-to blender with ‘perfect results' is now £25 off at Amazon
Stacey Solomon has been creating some amazing home-grown meals lately, and her Smeg blender is a staple in her food prep routine – and it's now £25 off at Amazon Alongside her brilliant home organisation hacks, Stacey Solomon has been sharing another key part of life at Pickle Cottage – her cooking. The TV presenter is often seen showing off her vegetable haul that she's grown and picked from her very own garden, and in one of her latest Instagram stories, she showed how she makes her very own pesto for family dinners. To prep her food, Stacey used Smeg's Retro 50s Style Jug Blender, which she's been putting to good use lately when it comes to creating her homecooked meals. The blender is usually priced at £199.95, but you can currently save £25, as Amazon has slashed the price to £174.95. The discount currently only applied to the black version – which is the same one Stacey has. However if you're happy to pay a little more, you can also pick up in six other retro-inspired colourways including red, baby pink and sage green, with each one currently enjoying a different percentage off. If you want a little more discount or a different colour and don't need the full sized jug style that Stacey uses, Debenhams has also discounted the slightly smaller Smeg Retro Blender & Smoothie Maker from £149.99 to between £98.95 and £99.99 depending on which colour you get. Ninja's Detect Blender Pro is also on sale down from £139.99 to £99.99, whilst Lakeland's Tabletop Blender with Grinder Attachment has £20 off, taking it from £74.99 to £54.99. However Stacey's Smeg Retro 50s Style Jug Blender is ideal for making larger batches of things, as well as giving you a handy serving jug that you can take straight from the blend to your cup or bowl. The lid includes an adding measuring cup that lets you add ingredients safely and easily whilst blending, and it has stainless steel blades that allow precise chopping. There's four speed levels, a pulse function with three intensity levels, and an autoclean function that lets you quickly clean it between ingredients for times when you need to prep multiple ingredients. Not to mention it also has three pre-set programmes to use, with a smoothie, green smoothie and ice crush option for preparing iced drinks and cocktails. Amazon shoppers have also praised the Smeg Retro 50s Style Jug Blender, with one saying: 'Every Christmas for the last 10+ years, I've baked cakes to give to family and friends instead of giving them a card (more personal). One of the ingredients is crushed pineapple. For the last 2 - 3 years, it's been neigh-on impossible to get crushed pineapple, so this year I decided to make my own. "Using this machine I achieved the perfect results and exactly what I was after. The machine is very well made and without too many fancy settings that no one ever uses. I will be more than happy to buy the same one if ever this one faults.' Another agreed: 'Bought this as a gift. So glad I did, we now make healthy gorgeous smoothies with frozen fruit all year round. Using the smoothie setting it automatically changes speed and stops when it's done. With a matching kettle and toaster the kitchen looks so trendy.' One did offer a couple of warnings, saying: 'Nice looking (well, I think so..); sturdy base and useful cord tidy. Not the cheapest one the market and you wouldn't expect that. The jug/blade assembly is Tritan with stainless steel blades and the handbook states this is *not* dishwasher-safe. The lid and centre cap is dishwasher-safe. Unless you turn off at the wall (as recommended by Smeg) you will have a permanent red LED if the jug is in place, or a permanent flashing red LED if the jug is not positioned. Happy with actual performance so far, mainly smoothies…'
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
How to join the Armed Forces and quick march into a rewarding military career
From the Navy to the Army and the RAF, scroll down to find out more SUNEMPLOYMENT How to join the Armed Forces and quick march into a rewarding military career RECENT world events have highlighted the need for a strong military. But as well as doing your bit for the country, joining the Forces can turbocharge your career. Advertisement 3 A career in the army can be both rewarding and set you up for life Credit: Supplied Whether you decide on a long deployment in the Army, Navy or RAF, or simply stay for the minimum term, you will gain valuable qualifications and transferable skills valued by every type of employer. Tomorrow is Armed Forces Day, when we honour serving and past members of staff. It's also a chance to shine a light on what a military career offers. Each year the British Army is on manoeuvres to hire 9,400 new troops, while the RAF needs 3,700 and around 4,000 join the Navy. While a new Armed Forces Recruitment Service is planned for 2027, currently candidates apply directly to whichever service they want to join. Advertisement However, numbers for all three services are currently below their targeted full-time trained strength, with hundreds of positions open. Each of the three services is a top apprenticeship provider. The Army is the UK's biggest apprenticeship employer nationally. It offers 41 nationally recognised programmes ranging from engineering, logistics and IT to animal care, business administration and public services and health. Advertisement The training leads to more than 100 different job types. Trainees can join at three stages: a Level 2 Apprenticeship, equivalent to five good GCSE passes; Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, which is the same as two A-level passes and available for those joining more technical trades; or the Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship, equivalent to the first year of a degree. Stacey's Journey: From Council Flat to Thriving Beauty Entrepreneur An Army spokesman said: 'All soldiers gain qualifications and apprenticeships during their time in the Army. 'More than soldiers, they are also skilled tradespeople.' Advertisement Regular soldiers can join from the age of 16 to 36 while to apply as an officer, you must be between 18 and 29. If joining as a soldier, you don't need specific qualifications and the Army will support you to 'earn as you learn'. However, for some more technical roles, certain qualifications may be needed. All new starters are offered an apprenticeship with around 5,400 trainees beginning one each year. Advertisement A spokesman added: 'The Army offers you challenge and adventure that you simply can't find in any other job.' 'I've been to some amazing places' JOINING the Army was the best decision Harry Kirk ever made as it has taken him to places he never dreamed he would see. The 25-year-old Army communications infrastructure engineer, from Lincoln, said: 'Before I joined, I was a plasterer and dry liner. I enjoyed my job but I felt I could do more with my life. 'I always wanted to be a soldier, but seeing posts on social media give me the push to enquire at my recruitment centre. 'The best thing about my role is travel. Thanks to the Army I have managed to go places I never imagined possible. I have been deployed to Brunei and the UAE already and that is just in the last year. 'My role is unique in that we deploy in very small teams for only a few weeks, so we get to do and see a lot. 'Joining has been the best decision I have ever made. 'I have developed as a soldier and become more determined and focused in all aspects in my life. 'The Army and military service is full of opportunities, you just need to come in and take them.' Duties of care in times of war TENSIONS in the Middle East and conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine mean employers need to be mindful of staff who are from the countries affected or have relatives and friends in the danger zones. Kate Palmer, from HR providers Peninsula, shares her advice on how to offer support . . . 3 Kate Palmer, from HR providers Peninsula, shares her advice Credit: Supplied Advertisement 1. Identify those who may need support and speak to them individually about the kind you can offer. Consider adjusting start and finish times or extending break times to allow employees to maintain regular contact with family or friends in affected countries. Other amendments could include relaxing rules on mobile phone use, to avoid missing calls, or amending their duties. 2. Prepare managers and mental-health first-aiders to have conversations with employees about their concerns, and signpost access to expert help. 3. You could look at creating a focus group to arrange donations of money or clothes, to avoid feelings of helplessness. 4. Make sure that support measures are offered to all employees, including those not directly affected but who may be worried about the wider implications. Ensure everyone knows what support is available, by communicating via email, intranet sites and noticeboards or discussing it during daily team meetings. Advertisement 5. If you have employees located in countries involved in conflict, keep in regular contact with them and assess what support you can give – your duty of care extends to all of your employees, regardless of where they are located. 6. Those who are not directly affected may still experience greater than usual stress and anxiety. Offering of an employee assistance programme can provide professional support to employees' mental health and emotional wellbeing. JOB SPOT THE BARCLAYS Military Talent Scheme supports UK service leavers, who are in their resettlement period, with a work placement. See Feel energised LEAVING the Forces? Quick march into a new role with Centrica. The energy firm aims to hire at least 500 military leavers by 2026 and 800 by 2030. Advertisement Opportunities are available at all levels from apprenticeships to leadership positions. As well as job security, training and a wide range of benefits, anyone joining the company through the Armed Forces Pathway will also get a dedicated ex-Forces 'oppo' to help guide and mentor them. Ian Fortune, Head of Pathways, said: 'We're incredibly proud of the contribution our Armed Forces colleagues make right across the business. Their experience, resilience and leadership are real assets.' See Advertisement Jot spot JAGUAR LANDROVER has a dedicated Armed Forces employment programme with 180 service leavers hired last year. Search at Bin it to win it NAMED a Top 50 veterans employer by the Ex-Forces Business Awards and winner of an Armed Forces Covenant gold gong for its support, Veolia is a popular choice for service leavers. More than 300 staff at the waste management giant have military experience, 60 of whom joined in the last year. 3 Veolia is a popular choice for service leavers Credit: Veolia The company works with the Career Transition Partnership, Forces Families Jobs, and the Forces Employment Charity. Advertisement Chief HR officer Beth Whittaker said: 'The strong sense of purpose, disciplined approach and team-focused mindset that characterises military service aligns perfectly with our values and needs.' Find out more at
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Bromley private school parents fundraise to stop closure
Parents have launched a fundraiser in an attempt to save a private school in south-east London that is due to close at the end of the academic weeks ago, Bishop Challoner School's Board of Trustees confirmed that the Catholic independent school for children aged three to 18 would close this of students at the Bromley school said the announcement came as a shock, and have come together to launch a fundraiser with a target of £400,000 in a bid to keep the gates school cited the government's VAT hike and rising living costs as contributing factors for its closure, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Just over a third of the student body at Bishop Challoner are pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Stacey's five-year-old son Paddy is in his first year at the school. Stacey attended Bishop Challoner as a child, met his wife there, and his mother also worked there for a time and still does occasionally. "It's like a 35-year connection," he said his son was "distraught" and "heartbroken" after he found out his school was closing at the end of the said of the fundraiser: "It's difficult because people have a perception of what Bishop Challoner might be. It's so different from an independent fee-paying school."Parents are sacrificing other things to send their kids to the school. It's a small independent school that just offers so much more." At the school's 2024 inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, officers found that 94 of the school's 271 pupils had are concerns about how that many pupils will fit into alternative provision within the borough. One parent, who did not want to be named, said her autistic son fell into a form of depression following the closure said Bishop Challoner helped her son become more socially confident after he developed "incredibly debilitating anxiety" following the Covid lockdowns."They're so patient with him and nothing is too much trouble for these staff. It's a beautiful, beautiful school," she said. From 1 January, 2025, private school fees in the UK are subject to a 20% VAT charge. This change means that education and boarding services provided by private schools are no longer exempt from VAT, impacting both tuition fees and boarding costs. Bishop Challoner has offered no further public comment since it announced its closure on 12 June.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
'My sick killer boyfriend asked me for a kiss before stabbing my mum'
Damian Homer, 51, was convicted of murder and attempted murder in November 2024 after launching a brutal attack on his partner and her mum while their two young children were at home A quiet spring evening in a Worcester suburb erupted into chaos when police and paramedics swarmed a residential street, responding to a harrowing double stabbing on March 2, 2024. Inside the house, Damian Homer stood at the door, blood staining his t-shirt. His partner Stacey Hill and her mother Wendy Francis lay injured on the floor - both stabbed in a frenzied attack that left one dead. The horrifying details of the case have been revealed in full in the BBC Two docuseries Murder 24/7. Homer had launched a violent assault on Stacey and Wendy in a terrifying outburst, even pausing mid-attack to ask Stacey - bleeding and helpless - for a kiss. As she lay critically wounded, Stacey described hearing the 'noise the knife made in my mum'. Wendy, 61, had rushed to the home after her daughter called in fear, having seen the reflection of a knife in Homer's pocket in their mirrored wardrobe. When officers arrived, they restrained Homer against the wall. As he was arrested for attempted murder, he claimed: 'Stacey went to stab me, then Wendy came in and they both tried to stab me. I had to protect myself... it's a good job I did otherwise I'd be the one dead.' Paramedics found Stacey surrounded by blood, urgently asking them to check on her mother and her two children who had been inside the house at the time. Police carried the two young children to safety, telling them: 'Keep your eyes tight, tight, tight' as they were taken past the bodies. While Stacey, 38, was rushed to hospital, Wendy went into cardiac arrest. Despite efforts to save her, she was pronounced dead at 9:18pm on March 2, 2024. In police interviews the following morning, Homer claimed he loved Stacey and described a domestic argument escalating. He alleged Stacey tried to grab a knife first, which he took and placed in his pocket. Then he claimed Wendy stormed in and jumped on him, prompting him to draw the knife: 'We fell over and the knife went into her. Stacey was shouting, and she went to grab another knife... and came towards me. I launched at her. And she just froze on the spot.' But his version immediately raised suspicions. He referred to a 'second knife' Stacey had supposedly grabbed - yet when police searched the property, no second knife was found. With Stacey in critical condition and Wendy dead, investigators turned to other sources. The couple's children - now in the care of relatives - gave troubling accounts. A social worker noted they played with dolls, identifying one as 'Daddy... he's bad'. One child said: 'One of them got blood on Daddy's T-shirt, and they were screaming. Daddy was in the kitchen, Mummy was lying down on the kitchen floor, and Nanny's blood was dripping. Dad was throwing the knife he'd got in his hand, and it hit both of them.' Homer's violent past also began to emerge. His former boss Clair recalled his threatening outburst during a disciplinary meeting: 'How fing dare they... if I find out it's you I'm going to fing hurt you.' He also had a suspended sentence for assaulting Stacey in 2020. Detectives reviewed the couple's mobile phones, uncovering evidence of a deteriorating relationship. On the day of the attack, Stacey had texted her mother: 'I've had to come upstairs... believe me when I say I'm done.' In another message to Homer, she wrote: 'Find somewhere else to live… you're lucky I ain't called the police on you.' To which he replied: 'Lol. Only if you buy me out.' Concerned, Stacey's aunt phoned emergency services: 'She's just told me her chap's got a knife in his pocket. Please get there quick.' When Stacey was finally able to speak, she gave a harrowing account of that night. After a day out at a garden centre, Homer started drinking and grew increasingly aggressive. She went upstairs to get away, and spotted a knife in his pocket via their mirrored wardrobe: 'I said to my auntie, 'Call the police, he's got a knife.' I called my mum and said, 'Mum, Damo's got a knife and I think he's going to kill me.'' Stacey tried to leave, but Homer pulled her back and began assaulting her. 'He was swinging me around the kitchen and punching me in the head. I heard my mum come through the door and say, 'Get your hands off my f***ing babbi.' I breathed a sigh of relief - my hero had come to save me.' But Homer didn't stop. Instead, he pulled out the knife. 'We both ended up curled up on the floor... he pulled the knife out of his back pocket and stabbed my mum in the left side of her chest, for ages. All I could hear was the noise the knife made in my mum.' 'I tried to get on my mum to stop any more stab wounds being inflicted. He started panicking and as he did that, he came down to me and asked me for a kiss.' Stacey, stabbed in the chest with a collapsed lung, was losing consciousness. But her thoughts were still with her mother: 'I kept asking about my mum but I could tell by the look on their face that it was bad news.' Stacey's detailed testimony, along with the children's accounts, forensic evidence, and Ring doorbell footage capturing Wendy's final moments, left police confident Homer's story was false. He was charged with murder and attempted murder. Though he initially claimed self-defence, Homer later pleaded guilty and was sentenced in November 2024 to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 20 years. 'Everybody loved Damo,' Stacey reflected. 'But when you were living with him 24/7, the mask started to come away. The first time he hit me, he said sorry. But there was no point in ever being happy, because I knew it wouldn't last.' 'The biggest thing for me was losing my mum. But every time I think about giving up, I look at what my mum did for me. She saved my life and I know now what I have to do for my kids. I have to be the mum to them, that she was to me.' Murder 24/7 is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Loose Women panel fear axe from show in favour of younger co-stars
The Loose Women panellists are said to be fearing for their future amid the ITV schedule shakeup - as they believe they will be axed to make way for younger co-stars. Loose Women's panellists are said to be worried about their future on the show as younger stars "take over." There has been a constant panic backstage behind ITV's midday show, with several of its leading ladies being open about the major changes to this show, which will happen next year. Last month, ITV announced a major shift to their daytime schedules, which will affect both Loose Women and Lorraine Kelly's morning programme, Lorraine. Although the breakfast news programme, This Morning, will remain unaffected even with a large loss of viewers over the past few months. Lorraine and Loose Women will be cut to just 30 weeks of airtime throughout the year, the Mirror reports. Sources are now claiming that the older members of the Loose Women panel - Coleen Nolan, Kaye Adams, Nadia Sawalha, Denise Welch, Ruth Langsford and Linda Robson - feel as thought there are being left behind, with Kaye and Nadia being the only two original panellists from the shows launch in 1999. Reports suggest the oldest panellists believe they will be replaced by the younger members of the panel, GK Barry, Olivia Attwood, former singer Frankie Bridge and Stacey Solomon, who has not been on the show since 2023. The younger panellists have millions of social media followers, and use platforms like TikTok to build their following, with mum-of-five Stacey having over six million followers on Instagram alone. A source told Closer Magazine: "The other girls feel like they can't compete with Stacey's stats." The source goes on to claim that everyone on the panel is being encouraged to build their online following on platforms like TikTok, but this has been labeled as a "full-time job in itself." However, ITV bosses are reportedly telling panellists that any that is done and changed is not a personal move, but that has not gone down very well. The insider continued: "Nadia has been warning her co-stars it's not about who you are anymore, but how many followers you have." Although decisions are yet to be finalised, the source went on to state: "In the long term, it could mean a farewell to the golden oldies. Coleen has been on the show, on and off, since 2000, a quarter of a century. Viewing numbers are down, and financial cuts have been made to save the ship and there's a few that are expected to walk the plank." However, Nadia has openly spoken about the cut online. Taking to her YouTube channel, the broadcaster said: "Do you know what, at the moment, all of us on screen are at work and are proud of what we do. But behind the scenes there are people that are really suffering, and what you don't realise is when you attack the show you attack them, because you never see all the army of people behind the scenes and how hard they work." "So to all my friends and colleagues behind the scenes who have just got a huge shock out of the blue, I'm so sorry. Mark knows how upset I've been at home about it. I just can't bear it. So just be f*****g kind to people." She continued: "What people don't realise at Loose Women is that we're self-employed, I am self-employed. Every contract is a new contract. I could be let go tomorrow, in five years, you don't know because we're not employees." "So I can't tell you anything except I am on for my next contract. What has been brutal over the past week, and I am getting tearful about it, is that hundreds of people are going to be made redundant out of the blue." "A lot of my friends and colleagues have been there for decades and I cannot tell you how upsetting it was to see people walking around numb with shock and fear about what they are going to do. That has been so awful. It has been worse than whatever trolls have been saying about our show that we feel really protective of," she added. Speaking previously on the fears the panellists are having, a source close to the ITV show said: "We are not planning any radical changes to the panel. All of our Loose Women are hugely valued and we celebrate each and every one and the experience and opinions they bring to the show every day." "Many of our long standing panellists have appeared on the show for the majority of its 25 year run on screens and those stalwart Loose legends are at the core of the show's success and hugely popular with the audience." "The show remains a big priority within our daytime slate, having secured a BAFTA nomination, launched a podcast and celebrated a milestone anniversary in the last year alone," they concluded.
