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Daily Mirror
15 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Advertising feature from Pride of Britain winner sets sail for ‘magical' reward After years as an NHS campaigner, Michelle Tolley couldn't believe she had been gifted a P&O Cruises holiday NHS campaigner Michelle Tolley fought for answers for the more than 30,000 people affected as part of the Infected Blood Scandal (Image: P&O Cruises)
When Michelle Tolley won an award at the Daily Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards for her campaign work, she was on top of the world. But there was another surprise in store for her. The 60-year-old (or as she likes to say, '59 plus one') has been a tireless campaigner, fighting for answers for the more than 30,000 people infected with HIV and Hepatitis C as part of the Infected Blood Scandal. Last year, she won a Pride of Britain Special Recognition Award alongside fellow campaigners Andrew Evans and Jason Evans, and was surprised with a P&O Cruises holiday from awards sponsor P&O Cruises. 'We were backstage and at first I thought they were telling us that fellow winner, midwife Agnes Nisbett, who was on stage, had been given a cruise,' says Michelle. 'And I was so happy for her. Then they said, 'No, all of you have won a cruise!'' It was the culmination of decades of ill health and hard work supporting fellow victims and holding the government to account. Michelle was infected with Hepatitis C when she received a blood transfusion following the birth of her first child in 1987. She endured 28 years of fatigue and illness, her symptoms dismissed by a doctor, before she was eventually diagnosed. And it was another year until she began treatment. 'I was so angry. I said to my husband Dean, I have to channel this into something good, or I don't know what I will do.' Michelle went on to manage a support group for fellow sufferers, worked alongside the fantastic Hepatitis C Trust, and presented at the official government enquiry. Michelle and Dean hadn't been abroad since they were married in 1984. 'I said to Dean, either I'm going on my own or you'll have to come with me,' laughs Michelle. 'We booked a Canary Islands cruise for May. It was the week before our 40th wedding anniversary, and I told P&O Cruises that if I had realised, we could have renewed our wedding vows. 'They called me back and said, 'you mentioned renewing your vows, we've organised that for you'. 'They did everything. They gave me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers, did our photographs, gave us a beautiful framed photo, and even treated us to two lovely meals.' The couple travelled aboard Ventura. Michelle's only cruise reference was a journey she took when she was nine years old in 1976, and she couldn't believe the difference. 'The enormity of seeing the ship was just mind-blowing,' she says. 'It felt like Christmas day and seeing all your presents. I had a childish urge to squeal. 'I just couldn't believe it; it was just amazing. I felt like welling up with emotion.' As well as their special vow renewal, Michelle and Dean made the most of all the facilities on board, enjoying the incredible food, the cinema and theatre, and exploring Madeira and the Canary Islands. 'At our first port of call in Madeira, I've never seen so many banana trees in all my life. I thought we'd just have a wander, but then I saw a taxi and asked him, 'how much for an hour?'. His name was Manuel, and he gave us a great price and took us on a tour of the island.' By the end of the cruise, Michelle and Dean were such converts that they booked another one right away. Now, they're getting ready for a Mediterranean cruise, escaping to the Caribbean in winter, and in 2027, they have a true adventure planned - a 108-day round-the-world cruise with P&O Cruises. After years of campaigning, Michelle is enjoying a new chapter of life. 'If you've never been on a cruise, I'd say do it,' she says. 'The facilities are fantastic, everyone is so nice, and it is great value for everything you get.'
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Lionesses hero hopes history repeats itself three years on from last Euros win
Lauren Hemp left England's base on Monday holding a Lego castle (Image: Andrew Stenning/Daily Mirror) Lauren Hemp hopes the Lionesses' Euro 2025 win can have the same impact as their triumph three years ago. Sarina Wiegman 's team did what no senior England men's or women's team has done before, winning a major tournament on foreign soil. Hemp and her team-mates flew home on Monday ahead of Tuesday's parade, and the Manchester City star is excited to see how the latest success is received. 'I know as a group we all realise the difference it made to England and to football all around when we won the Euros in 2022, obviously, to now,' Hemp said. 'We hope for that same to happen again. I've had so many messages that my phone just keeps pinging. Thank you to everyone. I'll get back to you at some point.' Euro 2025 broke attendance records, with countless sell-out matches from start to finish. More than 34,000 fans crammed into St Jakob-Park in Basel to watch England beat Spain on penalties after a 1-1 draw. READ MORE: Lionesses celebrations LIVE: England return DELAYED after players partied until 4am READ MORE: Lionesses hero Hannah Hampton was suffering hidden family heartbreak before final 'It was incredible,' Hemp said. 'Every time we went forward, you could hear the crowd and it was such a good atmosphere. I couldn't even hear my teammates next to me, so it was unbelievable. 'So, we hope we made so many more fans proud of us and back home as well. We know the support's been incredible.' For the second Euros in a row, Chloe Kelly scored England's winner in the final. She netted in extra-time against Germany in 2022, and this time put away the winning penalty in the shoot-out after goalkeeper Hannah Hampton had kept out two Spanish spot-kicks. Sarina Wiegman's legends have made history and brought football home once more after defending their title and winning Euro 2025 in Switzerland. We have produced this special souvenir edition of the Women's Football News. It is crammed with interviews with the Lionesses, special features, their match-by-match road to glory as well as dozens of amazing images. Click here to buy 'She's an incredible player and there's nothing short of what she deserves as well,' Hemp said of Kelly, who made several crucial contributions from the bench. 'She's incredible and she's a great friend as well. Definitely when players are starting, she's always so inspiring, motivational to all of us. Lauren Hemp is now a back-to-back European champion (Image: UEFA via Getty Images) 'For her to come on and get the moments, it's so special for her. I hope she gets many more special moments in the future. But she's someone we can count on. It's amazing to have that in your team.' Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
'Lightweight and easy to use' grass trimmer has £50 discount
The cordless Thompson & Morgan 20v Grass Trimmer can tackle weeds, brambles, grass and features a 90 degree adjustable head If you're in the market for a handy tool to keep your garden looking trim, a grass trimmer might be just the ticket. Yimbly, the shopping marketplace owned by Daily Mirror's parent company Reach Plc, has a discount on the 'easy to use' Thompson & Morgan 20v Grass Trimmer. Originally retailing at £99.99, this means you can snap up this gardening essential for £49.50. The cordless trimmer is capable of tackling weeds, brambles and grass, and features a 90-degree adjustable head. Combined with its extendable length from 95cm to 115cm, this gadget can easily reach most areas. The Thompson & Morgan 20v Grass Trimmer comes equipped with an edge guide, a safety guard and a stabilising handle for 'comfortable and safe usage'. It includes a charger, charging base and a battery, providing 30 minutes of runtime from a three to five-hour charge, reports the Express. Amazon is currently offering a similar Flymo Contour 500E Electric Grass Trimmer and Edger with a 10 per cent discount. Now priced at £45.49, this alternative features an adjustable, steady handle with a soft grip for enhanced control and comfortable use. Bargain hunters looking for a wallet-friendly option might be interested in the Bosch EasyGrassCut 23 Grass Strimmer, currently discounted at Robert Dyas. This handy tool has been slashed from £39.99 down to £31.99. It's important to mention that both this and other similar alternatives are not cordless models. The Thompson & Morgan 20v Grass Trimmer hasn't garnered any reviews on the Yimbly website as of yet. However, it's receiving accolades on the Thompson & Morgan official site, with every reviewer giving it at least four stars. A particularly pleased customer gave it a full five-star rating, saying: "Great little strimmer. Lightweight and easy to use." Another happy user remarked: "Does the job brilliantly," adding: "Easy to use. Wonderful that it's cordless." A third chimed in with praise, noting: "Does exactly as it says. Very good operation and light to carry." An additional review highlighted the trimmer's convenience: "This trimmer is a Godsend. It is light and easy to use. The batteries which power it take only about 30 minutes to recharge, but buying an extra one to use while the other is recharging would be well worth it." They also recommended: "It is also worth buying some spare blades. The trimmer is good for cutting grass, including trimming lawn edges, and will soon pay for itself in saved gardener's bills in keeping the garden tidy." Yet, they did point out a limitation: "One has to be aware of its limitations, though. Trying to use it where a heavier petrol strimmer is needed to cut thick brambles or tough weeds will dislodge or break its little plastic blade."
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Munroe Bergdorf says if you want to be a good trans ally 'do more than posturing'
Munroe Bergdorf has claimed allies aren't doing enough and said they are 'directionless' with the approach to helping the trans community - but here's what you can do After the Supreme Court ruling excluding trans women from the definition of a woman - it's more important than ever to be an ally, but according to one activist, not enough is being done. An ally is someone who stands up and supports equal rights for everyone, doing all they can to call out discrimination and make the world a better place for those who identify as LGBTQIA+. But according to trans model and activist Munroe Bergdorf, more needs to be done. Munroe was the UK's first transgender model in history. She has since used her platform to advocate for the queer community, especially in advocating for trans people and their rights. 'People want to say the right thing but it's directionless. Not meaningless, but I think it's important that people know where you stand," she told Daily Mirror. The 37-year-old, who has walked the catwalk for London and New York fashion weeks, continued: "Let's get a plan of action together. Directing traffic and money and support and awareness to services that support us is paramount, because it's not only us being impacted. Organisations are under constant attack. "[The Trans Charity] Mermaids were under attack so severe they couldn't have corporate funding, they had to survive on donations alone for a very long time. If people are going to be allies you need to make it worth it, they need to do more than posturing their image or how they want other people to see them or how they want to be remembered. It has to be directing traffic and support and awareness." For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. A study by Zoah found that 49 per cent of trans and non-binary people felt their lives had been negatively affected and issues raised ranged from healthcare to finding work. The study showed that 72 per cent of transgender and non-binary people do not feel safe because of their gender identity. Trans lives are at risk now more than ever and a consortium of LGBTQIA+ organisations, which includes the trans charity Mermaids and Gendered Intelligence, released a statement saying that they, as a group, are "deeply concerned at the widespread, harmful implications of the Supreme Court ruling." Reach Out, a mentoring and support collective for young people state the importance of being a visible ally, whether that be attending rallies and events, "calling out homophobia, transphobia or queerphobia wherever you see it, and supporting businesses, charities or other initiatives owned or operated by LGBTQIA+ people". The group also recommend the following tips to ensure meaningful allyship: Listening to learn and being respectful: Take the initiative to educate yourself on LGBTQIA+ history, listening actively and not downplaying or invalidating people's experience. Being open to, and engaging with, these conversations helps ensure you and others treat those around you with respect. Using inclusive language and accepting gender diversity: We can do this by respecting names and pronouns chosen by members of the community, and opting for words that don't assume genders and relationship roles. For example, terms such as "partner" is inclusive. Uplifting diverse voices: Often, the queer community's experience is also effected by other factors such as religion, ability, culture and race. Seek these diverse stories out for a more well-rounded understanding of the complexities being LGBTQIA+. Seeing the whole person: It is easy to label someone by one characteristic or factor. Its important to acknowledge people are layered and complex, with many interests, passions and skills that and should be celebrated. Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you!
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN: US dad moves kids to Russia to escape LGBTQ+ and is sent to front line
In pyrrhic victory news this week, an American dad who moved to Russia to escape wokeness has landed himself on the front lines of the Ukraine conflict, writes Chris Bucktin Christopher Bucktin is an award-winning journalist with more than 25 years of experience, the majority of which he has spent at the Daily Mirror. A former Press Gazette Reporter of the Year, he has held senior roles including Head of Features, Head of Showbusiness, and Head of Content, before relocating to the United States in 2013 to become US Editor. Renowned for breaking agenda-setting exclusives, he has reported from the front lines of America's biggest news stories, led investigations into the Trump administration, and exposed key details in the Jeffrey Epstein case. His career highlights include securing the first interview with the Peru Two inside prison, becoming the first journalist to descend into drug lord El Chapo's escape tunnel, and spearheading coverage of Prince Andrew's ties to Epstein. He holds weekly columns in the Daily Mirror, Daily Star and Reach's regional titles. An American dad who moved his family to Russia to escape what he called LGBTQ+ 'indoctrination' is now getting a very different kind of education - on the front lines of Ukraine. Derek Huffman, 46, was reportedly promised a non-combat role as a correspondent or welder to move to Russia. Instead, he's being 'thrown to the wolves,' according to his wife, DeAnna, who posted a tearful plea on YouTube asking for prayers. With no military experience and only crash-course training, delivered entirely in Russia, Huffman may soon find out that dodging pronouns was the least of his problems. Donald Trump toadie Mike Johnson abruptly sent Congress home early, avoiding a vote on releasing Jeffrey Epstein's long-secret files. The House Speaker accused Democrats of playing 'political games' with the paedophile's case, dismissing their push for transparency as a 'battering ram' against Republicans. But some in Trump's own party aren't quite ready to let the Epstein mess slip quietly away, claiming the files could blow open old Donnie's friendship with Epstein. Rather than letting the files speak for themselves, Johnson pulled the plug, putting a lid on any effort to expose the truth and keep the president's name out of the headlines. So while Congress heads off on an extended holiday, the Epstein scandal quietly simmers on, proving once again that when it comes to facts or fake news, Trump's crew knows exactly how to call time. *** In the latest chapter of 'Only in Florida,' a Tampa man was arrested for allegedly driving while under the influence. Troopers found 38-year-old Christopher Spain parked on the shoulder of the Suncoast Parkway following reports of someone driving down the road like it was his front grass. Given that his mode of transport was a sit-down lawnmower, I was surprised. Sadly for Spain, DUI laws apply even when your ride tops out at five mph. *** A Louisiana man who asked police to help remove an unwanted houseguest got way more law enforcement than he bargained for after cops found three child-sized sex dolls in his bedroom instead. Marcus Guillory, 60, told officers he wasn't sure if the woman he knew as 'Aretha' was still hiding in his home, so he asked them to sweep the place. They didn't find Aretha, but they did find enough disturbing dolls to trigger a full search warrant. Police say they recovered one anatomically correct infant doll and two others resembling children under 13. *** One enterprising mum is raking in up to £750 a day by selling her breast milk - not just to babies, but to biceps. While some of her liquid gold goes to new mums in need, a surprising number of buyers are muscle heads guzzling the stuff as a protein-packed pre-workout. The demand is so strong, she's been able to fund dream holidays and even a lavish wedding, all thanks to her high-value, all-natural milkshake bringing the bodybuilders to the yard.
