National Donut Day: The surprising history behind the US tradition
Rather than being invented by Big Donut, the 2 June celebration traces its roots to World War One.
2023-06-02 23:21
Idris Elba and Halle Bailey push for gender equality with a new Gucci campaign
Ten years ago, luxury fashion house Gucci, alongside Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and Salma Hayek-Pinault, launched the
2023-06-02 21:46
Where is Jessa Duggar now? Reality TV star who compared abortion to Holocaust had an agonizing miscarriage
Jessa's absence from the clan's Christmas party has led to speculation about a possible rift within the Duggar family
2023-06-02 20:52
Experts advise on how to stay safe while swimming in open water
Each year, rising temperatures and longer days in summer encourage Britons to seek out bodies of water to cool off and have fun in. Swimming, paddleboarding and other water-based activities can provide a wholesome day for families and friends, whether that’s in lakes, rivers, or at the seaside. However, there are a number of safety measures individuals should remember when taking part in these. It comes after several people had drowned in rivers, lakes and in the sea in recent weeks, with four deaths occurring over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend alone. The incidents have prompted warnings from police reminding people to be “vigilant to the dangers of the coast and follow water safety advice”. The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has also issued a safety warning for people planning to be around open water, regardless of whether you consider yourself a strong swimmer. Lee Heard, charity director at RLSS UK, said: “Sadly we see an increase in young men drowning in the summer months and we have tragically seen a number in the past few weeks during the warmer weather we have had. We don’t want to see any more families experience the devastating and sudden loss from drowning.” He added: “We urge people to consider what could happen, understand that the water is colder than it looks, and not take risks if they are not experienced with being in cold, open water. “Whether you are heading to the coast for the bank holiday weekend or even just planning a walk along a river, please ensure that you take precautions to ensure the safety of yourself of those you are with. We want everyone to enjoy the bank holiday but to so with water safety in mind.” When swimming in open water, people should consider the risks involved before jumping in, particularly because bodies of water can be much colder than people realise. Getting straight into very cold water can lead to cold water shock. According to the National Water Safety Forum, this is the body’s short-term, involuntary response to being suddenly immersed in cold water, and is considered to be a principal underlying factor in drowning. When a person gets into cold water very suddenly, the blood vessels in the skin close, which results in increased resistance to blood flow. The heart has to work harder to pump blood around the body, which leads to increased blood pressure. At the same time, the body experienced a “gasp” response as well as a dramatic change in the breathing rate. The person will be unable to keep their breath steady for a while after they first get into the cold water. “The effect of these can lead to a sense of panic, inhalation of water, leading in some circumstance to a cardiac arrest,” the forum says. Cold water shock can be managed by wearing a well-fitting wetsuit and entering the water slowly. However, if a person has had an accidental fall into cold water without a wetsuit, the forum recommends using a technique called “float-first”, which involves tucking your legs and floating on your back, focusing on staying tucked and controlling your breathing until you feel you can self-rescue or be helped by others. When planning to go swimming in open water, people should check if the area is lifeguarded, has a safe-swim zone or is under any kind of supervision. A list of designated bathing waters in the UK, provided by the Environment Agency, also name many sites that are not supervised. In the instance that the water you are entering is not supervised, the forum recommends asking yourself if you have the right knowledge and experience to establish if conditions are suitable. It warns people to be particularly cautious in quarries and reservoirs, which can be “deceptively deep and cold throughout the year”, as well as in rivers with weirs and fast-flowing water, and potentially polluted locations. Heard adds: “If you or someone else finds themselves in difficulty in the water, it’s vital to remember the Water Safety Code: whenever you are around water you should stop and think to assess your surroundings and look for any dangers; stay together when around water and always go with family and friends; in an emergency call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue service when inland and the Coastguard if at the coast. “Finally, float to live, if you fall in or become tired, stay calm, float on your back and call for help, or if you see someone in the water, throw something that floats to them and resist temptation to go in.” Read More Mother’s warning after viral TikTok hack left skin peeling from her face How one hay fever medication helped my fight against the pollen bomb Dermatologist horrifies viewers by discussing mites that live in your skin How one hay fever medication helped my fight against the pollen bomb FDA warns against using off-brand versions of Ozempic, Wegovy for weight loss The £4 hay fever tablet that ‘cures all symptoms’
2023-06-02 20:51
Best family-friendly hotels in the UK for style, location and value for money
With more and more of us discovering the joys of holidays close to home – from England and Wales to Scotland and Northern Ireland – there’s intense demand for hotels that treat children as mini VIPs, not a huge hassle – meaning parents can relax properly. Whether you’re looking for a city break with plenty of museums and attractions to keep the kids entertained, a rural adventure in the countryside, or a seaside escape with scope for rockpooling and water sports, we’ve scoured the country to find the perfect place for you and your clan. You can even stay in a luxury treehouse – surely a dream come true for many kids (and those of us who are still young at heart). We’ve covered all kinds of locations, too, from Scotland to Cornwall and myriad places in between. Wherever you’ve set your sights, here are the UK’s best family-friendly hotels to make time away with your loved ones that little bit extra special. These are the best family-friendly hotels in the UK: Best hotel for lakeside living: Another Place Best hotel for seaside and spa: Fowey Hall Best boutique hotel: The Victoria Inn Best hotel for rockpooling: Cary Arms & Spa Best hotel in the capital: The Resident Kensington Best hotel for active thrills: Crieff Hydro Best hotel for water sports: Watergate Bay Hotel Best hotel for wildlife: Bovey Castle Best country house hotel: Woolley Grange Best hotel for luxury treehouses: Chewton Glen Hotel Best hotel for safari: The Bath Arms Best hotel for bike rides: The Ickworth Hotel Best hotel for lakeside living: Another Place Location: Cumbria The sight of Ullswater’s dramatic lakescape through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the swimming pool here got everyone’s attention when Another Place – a contemporary country hotel – opened in 2017. Joyously, it’s not just spa bunnies who will enjoy this shoreside retreat. The hotel piles on fun for families, and its relaxed, non-chintzy atmosphere makes it a firm favourite for modern-day Swallows and Amazons. Days can be spent wild swimming, paddleboarding or kayaking on Ullswater. The Ofsted-registered Kids Zone offers free childcare each day and there’s babysitting available too. Even the tiny but gorgeous shepherd huts, out in the grounds, have bunks for younger children. Price: Doubles from £225 Book now Best hotel for seaside and spa: Fowey Hall Location: Cornwall Situated above Fowey estuary, the lawn of this Victorian hotel looks across rooftops that spill down to the harbour. Fowey Hall has recently completed a multi-million-pound expansion and refurbishment, including new spa suites and an outdoor pool, providing panoramic views of the ocean. Children are allowed in the spa, which has an indoor pool and offers health treatments. Most of the spacious bedrooms take extra beds for little ones, too. While parents read or sip cocktails on the terrace, kids can burn off energy in the Wind in the Willows-themed play area. The Four Bears Den is a kids’ club for under-eights, with up to 90 minutes of free childcare provided daily. If you fancy going further afield, grab a picnic and discover the idyllic coves nearby – one of which is less than 10 minutes away. Best boutique hotel: The Victoria Inn Location: Norfolk Set between glorious parkland where kids can run freely and the undulating dunes of Holkham’s beach, “The Vic” has an appealing setting for families. The two period buildings (housing 20 bedrooms) are attractive, with creeper-clad brickwork and the air of a welcoming inn. The rooms are simply dressed, with some featuring wooden beams, and include large family suites. The fabulous restaurant is a boon, serving seasonal food made from quality produce, such as local seafood and vegetables from the Holkham Estate’s walled garden. Children can expect a dedicated menu for both lunch and dinner. Best hotel in the capital: The Resident Kensington Location: Kensington If what you want from a London hotel is good looks, a convenient location, a kitchenette – should you need one – and super value, The Resident in Kensington ticks all those boxes. Taking over a white Edwardian townhouse on a leafy mews, just four minutes’ walk from Earls Court tube, the handsome rooms are design-conscious, with Paul Smith Anglepoise lamps and furniture made locally in West London. In-room amenities include coffee machines and interactive TVs. Kids are sure to appreciate the Luxury Bunk rooms, which come with bunk beds, of course, and private bathrooms. The hotel’s just a 15-minute walk to the Natural History Museum, Science Museum and the V&A. Best hotel for rockpooling: Cary Arms & Spa Location: Devon This traditional seaside hotel caters for families in the old-fashioned way, by providing ample buckets, spades and fishing nets for guests to borrow, followed by dinner (with a kids’ menu) in a stone-walled inn afterwards. Over the years, The Cary Arms has renovated a range of family-friendly accommodation beside its original hotel, which has a small spa. Alongside the two-bedroom suites in the main property are seven seaside cottages of various sizes, with their own working fires, gardens, dining terraces and barbecues. Families can walk the South West Coast Path together or ride the clifftop railway. Kids will lose track of time pottering between rocks in Babbacombe’s bays. Best hotel for active thrills: Crieff Hydro Location: Scotland Wrapped in the Perthshire countryside, this grand Victorian hotel is perfect for adventurous families who want to let off steam. With on-site activities including alpaca trekking, archery tag, treetop ziplines, an adventure park, swimming pool, a three-storey soft play and a den of retro games, children won’t have time to be bored. You can even take them off-site to paddleboard on nearby Loch Earn. Stay either in the main house or in self-catering lodges amid trees in the grounds. Grown-ups can escape to the adults-only Victorian baths and spa. Best hotel for water sports: Watergate Bay Hotel Location: Cornwall While parents watch waves crash over Watergate Bay’s two-mile beach from a hot tub, older children can sample a range of water sports at the hotel’s popular surf school. Surfing lessons are offered from beginner level, or kids can try paddleboarding too. Expansive sea views and brightly stylish furniture combine to make the hotel’s luxurious Loft Suites particularly tempting for families. The Family Suites are more traditional, coming with a bunk room. A supervised games room and play space takes care of bad-weather days, plus there are four restaurants to choose from, satisfying even the pickiest of eaters (parents included). Price: Doubles from £345 Book now Best hotel for wildlife: Bovey Castle Location: Dartmoor Set within 275 acres of countryside in the Dartmoor National Park, Bovey is an imposing house with plenty for active families to get stuck into. Children will love exploring nature trails through ancient woodland, spotting deer in the grounds and the many organised activities, such as archery, bushcraft, falconry and meeting ferrets. For adults, there’s the Elan Spa to retreat to, with an Art Deco pool that has views across the hills. Alternatively, enjoy an afternoon tea or just the sound of silence when wild swimming in the lake. Family rooms are available or, for more space, luxurious granite lodges have kitchens and are a short walk away. Hot meals can be delivered if you want a night off from cooking. Best country house hotel: Woolley Grange Location: Wiltshire Part of the Luxury Family Hotels group, Woolley Grange is a shabby-chic manor house that’s a 10-minute train ride from Bath and half-an-hour’s drive from Longleat Safari Park. Set above the charming wool town of Bradford-on-Avon, the hotel has a creche with free childcare and a children’s den, plus gardens filled with games, a fairy garden and a heated outdoor pool. A luxurious tented camp is set up for glampers in the summer, when staff lay on all manner of activities – from football championships to scavenger hunts. Children eat early, so adults can enjoy their dinner alone, thanks to a sleep-monitoring service. The spa even offers mini-me treatments alongside those for parents. Best hotel for luxury treehouses: Chewton Glen Hotel Location: Hampshire For five-star family-fun, Chewton Glen in the New Forest is hard to beat. Children stay for free during the school holidays and budding chefs, aged eight and above, will rave about the hotel’s state-of-the-art cookery school. The children’s club is supervised, while outdoor activities include tennis, mountain biking, falconry, duck herding and wild swimming. For larger family groups – or for those wanting to seriously splash out – the treehouse suites sleep up to 14 people and have beautiful features, such as wrap-around wooden balconies between the branches and special hatches for food hampers to be delivered. Best for safari: The Bath Arms Location: Wiltshire This traditional, ivy-covered inn occupies a corner of the Longleat Estate, meaning 9,000 acres of towering forest and parkland are right on your doorstep (plus a less grand but handy sand pit in the garden), as is Longleat Safari Park. Use this pub-with-rooms as a base for visits to the nearby lions and hippos, and you’ll find a relaxed atmosphere that is ideal for families. The restaurant is inventive in its use of strictly local, seasonal produce, and offers a kids’ menu. Large, stylish rooms accommodate an extra child’s bed or cot (both are available on request). Price: Doubles from £130 Book now Best hotel for bike rides: The Ickworth Hotel Location: Suffolk Little ones are especially well catered for at this hotel, which takes over the wing of a National Trust-owned manor house in Suffolk. As with other hotels in the Luxury Family Hotels group, 90 minutes of free childcare per night is included in the stay. Children rule the pool (though parents can nip to the spa) and there is an Ofsted-registered creche. What stands out are the opportunities for walking and cycling through woodland, past roe deer, a magnificent Rotunda and the Italianate gardens. The National Trust has bikes for hire – including balance bikes for toddlers – and you can even borrow all-terrain pushchairs from the hotel. Children eat early, so parents can dine in peace, with a complimentary baby-monitoring device. Read more of our UK hotel reviews: Family-friendly hotels in Cornwall Where to stay in Devon The best Wiltshire hotels Read more about UK travel: The ultimate Lake District guide Best family-friendly hotels in London The UK’s best dog-friendly beaches Read More Best hotels in Pembrokeshire 2023: Where to stay for Welsh coastal charm Best family holiday destinations for 2023 that kids of all ages will love The best country hotels and manor houses in the UK for spas, romance and families Best hotels in the Peak District 2023: Where to stay for nature walks and contemporary cool Family-friendly Paris guide: From top attractions to the best hotels for a city break with children 12 places you won’t believe are in England
2023-06-02 20:49
Lululemon shares surge as consumers snap up pricier athletic wear
(Reuters) -Shares of Lululemon Athletica Inc soared 15% in premarket trading on Friday, after the premium apparel retailer defied investor
2023-06-02 20:48
This man found love and welcomed a baby during six-year, 8,700 mile hike
In August 2017, ex-soldier Christian Lewis set off to walk the entire UK coastline. Over the course of the epic hike, he met and fell in love with former teacher Kate Barron, who has joined him, and dog Jet. The couple have since had a son, Magnus.
2023-06-02 20:29
Pride Planners: How We’ll Celebrate Despite Anti-Drag, Anti-LGBTQ Laws
In state legislatures across the US, lawmakers have introduced a record number of anti-LGBTQ bills this year, including
2023-06-02 19:29
Amanda Holden’s most extravagant fashion from the BGT live shows
Amanda Holden has kicked off the first round of Britain’s Got Talent live shows in eye-catching style. The TV judge and radio host is known for her colourful and daring fashion choices – and she’s been pulling out all the stops for the semi-finals of the popular talent show. Holden, 52, wowed in a bright yellow latex ensemble for the first live show. The outfit – by Atsuko Kudo Couture Latex Design – was made up of a corset top and matching skirt with a long train. The Plain Paris Cup Bustier Corset retails at £654.17, and the skirt costs £329.17. For the second night’s look, Holden tapped into the ever-popular trend for ‘nearly naked’ dresses. The strapless, semi-sheer dress had delicate floral embroidery and a dramatic leg slit. It was by Vietnamese designer Tran Hung, a brand with a romantic take on eveningwear. Hung’s designs have previously been worn by Bridgerton actor Nicola Coughlan, Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri. Holden tends to prefer long gowns for her TV appearances, but she’ll occasionally experiment with a mini. This silver leopard print dress with a halterneck was by celebrity-favourite designer Miss Sohee – known for her dramatic gowns, one of her custom designs was recently worn by actor Halle Bailey at The Little Mermaid premiere in London. Holden accessorised the look with on-trend platform heels – D’Accori’s Satin Platform Pumps, retailing at £950 from Harrods. For the most recent live show, Holden chose an experimental white two-piece. The top was a bespoke moulded bustier with a rippling effect by Cameron Hancock, paired with a strappy white column skirt from Monot – a cult brand known for its ultra-sexy cut-out designs. Holden gave the look a Grecian vibe, with chunky gold jewellery and a slicked-back topknot. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Big Issue teams up with fashion designers to launch range of T-shirts How to do gel nails at home like a pro ‘Unsupportive backgrounds’ make LGBT+ youth twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts – report finds
2023-06-02 17:58
Global Food Costs at 2-Year Low But Grocery Bills Stay High
Global food costs fell to the lowest level in two years in May, reviving hopes that sticky inflation
2023-06-02 17:19
World food prices fall to two-year low in May - UN food agency
PARIS (Reuters) -The United Nations food agency's world price index fell in May to its lowest in two years, as
2023-06-02 16:59
Robert De Niro, 79, teases 'Godfather' co-star and pal Al Pacino, 83, about having baby 'playdates' soon
Robert De Niro said he wanted 'floor play' in a cheeky pun while discussing future baby playdates with soon-to-be-dad Al Pacino
2023-06-02 16:59