Latest news with #JohnLewis
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
I'm obsessed with the £3.99 Lidl middle aisle holiday buy that is taking over hotel pools this summer
DIP IN I'm obsessed with the £3.99 Lidl middle aisle holiday buy that is taking over hotel pools this summer Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THERE'S a trend sweeping family hotel pools this summer - and no, I'm not talking about sun lounger hogging. At my TUI Village hotel in Turkey last week, I spotted more than a hundred 'water hammocks' that were identical to the one I bought from the Lidl middle aisle in June. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Lidl's £3.99 middle aisle buy is the holiday accessory of the summer Credit: Lidl The pool accessory works like a lilo, with inflatable tubes at each end and a mesh in the middle where your body lies. On a trip to Spain last month, the story was the same - the water hammock reigned supreme at the hotel pool. A straw poll of parents lounging by the pool in Turkey showed that the majority of them also picked theirs up for £3.99 from Lidl - the Blue Crivit Water Hammock. However, a decent proportion also bought theirs from Amazon, where a two-pack in pink and blue will set you back £15.99, or alternatively, John Lewis is selling a chic palm print version for £9.60. I only bought one in the Lidl flash sale, but I'll be stocking up on more next year because they make the perfect foreign holiday lilo. Why? Because the fact that most of it's mesh - not bulky plastic - means that it's super lightweight and packs into a tiny space in the suitcase. Gone are the days when I reluctantly shell out a fortune abroad, because I didn't have the space or kg allowance to take an inflatable on the plane with me. I could easily take three in a suitcase and barely notice them in the bag. The minimal inflatable space also means a: far less time to blow up, b: it takes up a lot less space in the hotel room and is easy to transport to and from the pool or beach, and c: there is less surface space for punctures. Speaking of travel hacks, 2025 was also the year that I finally tried out packing cubes, and I can't believe it took me so long. On a 14-day multi-stop trip to South Africa in April, there was no way I could do my usual unpack-the-moment-I-check-in routine, given that we were staying in eight different places. So I bought a few sets of 12 for £9 from Amazon, and everything was painstakingly divided up into different cubes - one for my son's T-shirts, one for shorts, one for my sweaters... and so on. 2 The water hammock is great for family holidays, because it's much smaller and lighter than your average pool lilo Credit: Getty It made the experience so much simpler, because everything was easy to find within 3 seconds of opening up the suitcase - with no rifling around. Since then, I've reverted to emptying the bag as soon as I arrive if it's a one-stop holiday, but anything with more than two locations or less than three nights will have me reaching for the packing cubes from now on.
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
I'm obsessed with the £3.99 Lidl middle aisle holiday buy that is taking over hotel pools this summer
THERE'S a trend sweeping family hotel pools this summer - and no, I'm not talking about sun lounger hogging. At my TUI Village hotel in Turkey last week, I spotted more than a hundred 'water hammocks' that were identical to the one I bought from the Lidl middle aisle in June. The pool accessory works like a lilo, with inflatable tubes at each end and a mesh in the middle where your body lies. On a trip to Spain last month, the story was the same - the water hammock reigned supreme at the hotel pool. A straw poll of parents lounging by the pool in Turkey showed that the majority of them also picked theirs up for £3.99 from Lidl - the Blue Crivit Water Hammock. However, a decent proportion also bought theirs from Amazon, where a two-pack in pink and blue will set you back £15.99, or alternatively, John Lewis is selling a chic palm print version for £9.60. I only bought one in the Lidl flash sale, but I'll be stocking up on more next year because they make the perfect foreign holiday lilo. Why? Because the fact that most of it's mesh - not bulky plastic - means that it's super lightweight and packs into a tiny space in the suitcase. Gone are the days when I reluctantly shell out a fortune abroad, because I didn't have the space or kg allowance to take an inflatable on the plane with me. I could easily take three in a suitcase and barely notice them in the bag. The minimal inflatable space also means a: far less time to blow up, b: it takes up a lot less space in the hotel room and is easy to transport to and from the pool or beach, and c: there is less surface space for punctures. Speaking of travel hacks, 2025 was also the year that I finally tried out packing cubes, and I can't believe it took me so long. On a 14-day multi-stop trip to South Africa in April, there was no way I could do my usual unpack-the-moment-I-check-in routine, given that we were staying in eight different places. So I bought a few sets of 12 for £9 from Amazon, and everything was painstakingly divided up into different cubes - one for my son's T-shirts, one for shorts, one for my sweaters... and so on. 2 It made the experience so much simpler, because everything was easy to find within 3 seconds of opening up the suitcase - with no rifling around. Since then, I've reverted to emptying the bag as soon as I arrive if it's a one-stop holiday, but anything with more than two locations or less than three nights will have me reaching for the packing cubes from now on.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Hating your boss is 'not a mental health condition', says ex-high street chief amid fears workplace problems are being 'overmedicalised'
Hating your boss is 'not a mental health condition', employees have been warned. The former chairman of John Lewis has raised concerns amid the 'overmedicalisation' of workplace problems. It comes as one in five people of working age have a health condition that affects their job and there are 2.8million people inactive due to ill health. This is up from 2.1million since before the Covid pandemic - though the numbers have been steadily rising over the years. The ex-high street chief, Sir Charlie Mayfield, has now been appointed by Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, to come up with plans to stop workers leaving their jobs because of poor health. Mr Mayfield's report is due this autumn. He told The Sunday Times: 'The last thing I wish to do is trivialise [mental health conditions] but I agree that things do get over-medicalised. 'That's not to say there aren't medical issues that need to be dealt with through proper clinical medical interventions, but there's a lot more that can be done through the workplace and through encouraging discussion and relationships and processes that encourage that. 'It might be better to say: "What's making you anxious?" Because then we can do something about that. And how do you deal with it if you've got [an employee with a] "I hate my boss syndrome"? Well, we can do something about that. We can say "Is it the case that your boss is hateful?", in which case, that's probably an issue that we should figure out how we deal with.' Mr Mayfield added there were also the possibility the boss was 'quite legitimately doing what they should be doing' meaning it is 'not hateful behaviour' and in fact might be 'what bosses are meant to do'. He went on to say bosses should be routinely in contact with employees when they are signed off to help support their return to work. Sick notes also create an 'impregnable barrier' between employer and employee, according to the former high street mogul, with those in charge often too scared of contacting staff for fear of 'causing offence'. The 58-year-old believes lessons can be learnt from the Netherlands where there is a mandatory six-week intervention meeting requiring employee, employer and occupational health to agree a return-to-work plan with two-week monitoring cycles. He pointed out that statistically the longer someone is away from work, the harder it is to get back and the less likely that person is to do so. Mr Mayfield said it should become normal that people are contacted when they're off sick and that while some organisations are ready to do this, most are not. The former John Lewis chief pointed to a fear of individuals disclosing health conditions and also line managers not wanting to offend people about something obviously personal to them. He also offered 'keeping in touch days' like those used by women on maternity leave as a solution - to help solve the disconnection between employer and employee, improving return-to-work outcomes. Flexibility is also key - particularly among the over 50s - as a way to boost participation, according to Mr Mayfield.
UPI
3 days ago
- Politics
- UPI
On This Day, July 27: Rep. Lewis lies in state in U.S. Capitol
1 of 5 | On July 27, 2020, Rep. John Lewis became the first Black lawmaker to lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda 10 days after his death from cancer. File Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI | License Photo July 27 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1794, Maximilien Robespierre, architect of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror, was overthrown and arrested by the National Convention. Robespierre, who encouraged the execution, mostly by guillotine, of more than 17,000 enemies of the revolution, was himself guillotined the following day. In 1909, Orville Wright set a record by staying aloft in a plane for 1 hour, 12 minutes, 40 seconds. In 1921, at the University of Toronto, Canadian scientists Frederick Banting and Charles Best successfully isolated insulin -- a hormone they believed could prevent diabetes -- for the first time. In 1953, a truce officially ended the Korean War, which had begun June 25, 1950. File Photo courtesy of the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum In 1974, the House judiciary committee voted to recommend impeachment of President Richard Nixon in the Watergate scandal. The 37th president resigned less than two weeks later. In 1986, Greg LeMond, 25, of Sacramento, became the first American to win cycling's most famous contest, the Tour de France. In 1989, a Korean Air DC-10 crashed in heavy fog while attempting to land at Tripoli airport in Libya, killing 82 people, four of them on the ground. In 1996, a bomb exploded at Olympic Park in Atlanta during the Summer Games, killing two people and injuring more than 100 other people. In 2012, the Summer Olympics opened in London, with 10,820 athletes representing 204 countries. In 2020, Rep. John Lewis became the first Black lawmaker to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda 10 days after his death from cancer. In 2021, Carissa Moore of the United States and Italo Ferreira of Brazil took home the inaugural gold medals in surfing at the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games. In 2024, Team USA won its first gold medal of the Paris Summer Olympics with a first-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay. Swimmers Jack Alexy, Hunter Armstrong, Caeleb Dressel and Chris Guiliano pushed the relay team to victory. File Photo by Richard Ellis/UPI
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
Four savvy tips to keep the scent of lavender in your home all year round
THE scent of lavender is filling the air . . . but there are plenty of ways to enjoy it all year round. This is the perfect time to snip the stems and dry the flowers. Advertisement 8 There are plenty of ways to enjoy the scent of lavender all year round Credit: Getty Then, let the budding crafter in you can get to work to get the most out of the scent long after summer has gone. CUT AND DRIED: Cut around 10cm down the stem, then gather a handful together and secure them with an elastic band. Hang them upside down to dry for two to four weeks. This will stop the flower heads from dropping while the stems are drying. Advertisement When they feel completely dry, you can rub off the flowers and keep them in a box with a tight lid until you want to use them. SCENTED BAGS: Stick with tradition and make some scented lavender bags to keep or give as gifts. You only need basic skills with a needle and thread, and it's a great way to use up scraps of material. You could fill with two parts lavender to one part rice to give your bags a little weight. Advertisement Use under pillows to help your sleep or put into clothes drawers for a lovely scent. Moths hate the smell of lavender so put the bags in your drawers or wardrobe to keep the flying nibblers away. Explore the Most Beautiful Flower Fields in the UK AND RELAX: Create your own lavender oil, to soothe stress, help sleep and keep bugs at bay. Place the dried lavender in the jar, fill it with olive oil, and let it infuse for two to four weeks, shaking occasionally. Advertisement Finally, strain the mixture and store the oil in a dark glass bottle. Add a few drops to bath water or use as a pillow spray. HOME SPA: Once fully dried out, hang your lavender bundle upside down in the bathroom, along with a few sprigs of dried eucalyptus if you can find them at a florist. The steam from the shower will release the scent, giving you a special spa experience. Advertisement 8 We have four savvy tips to keep the scent of lavender in your home all year round Credit: Getty All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability Deal of the day 8 The Etta 12-piece dinner set from John Lewis is now £32.50 Credit: supplied PLATE up on the Etta 12-piece blue stoneware dinner set from John Lewis, originally £65, now £32.50. SAVE: £32.50 Advertisement Cheap treat 8 A box of six mini packs of Jaffa Cakes is £1.75 at Sainsbury's with a Nectar card Credit: supplied LIVEN up lunches for days out with McVitie's Jaffa Cake snack packs. A box of six mini packs is down from £2.50 to £1.75 at Sainsbury's with a Nectar card. SAVE: 75p Advertisement What's new? LISTEN to your favourite stories this summer with a free 60-day trial of audio book site BookBeat. Cancel before the end of the trial to stop it renewing at £6.99 a month. Top swap 8 A pair of Classic crocs in blue bolt will set you back £39.99 Credit: supplied 8 These Hot Tuna children's clogs are just £7 from Sports Direct Credit: supplied KIDS can paddle in a pair of Classic crocs in blue bolt, £39.99, or they can splash around in the Hot Tuna children's clogs from Sports Direct, £7. SAVE: £32.99 Advertisement Little helper KIDS eat free from Monday to Thursday at Bella Italia this summer. They can tuck into a no-cost Italian meal when you buy an adult's main course. Shop & save 8 Young's gastro signature breaded 2 lemon & pepper fish fillets are just £1.98 at Asda Credit: supplied COOK up something tasty with Young's gastro signature breaded 2 lemon & pepper fish fillets down from £4.98 to £1.98 at Asda. SAVE: £3 Hot right now GET three-for-two on Barbie or Polly Pocket ranges until August 11 at The Entertainer. Advertisement See PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 8 Join thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we're giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers - whether you're saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Advertisement Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket. The more codes you enter, the more tickets you'll earn and the more chance you will have of winning!
