Latest news with #brits
Daily Mirror
11-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Woman visits TK Maxx for shopping trip and is blown away by what she found
A woman couldn't believe her eyes while she was shopping in a TK Maxx and suddenly came across a discontinued item that retails for £300 - and people are now rushing to see if they can find it Shoppers are rushing to TK Maxx after one woman spotted a discontinued but well-loved perfume hiding in plain sight on a shelf. TK Maxx is known for selling bargain items at a discounted rate. Known as TJ Maxx in the US, the chain opened its first store in the UK in 1994, but with the name TK Maxx. The name change was done to avoid confusion with the unrelated British retail chain T.J. Hughes. Since then, it's continued to be a popular store among brits wanting to bargain hunt, as over 450 TK Maxx and Homesense stores have opened across the UK. The store is just as popular in the US. One of its many fans is Crys, who often takes to her TikTok account to share the fun and unique things she finds in the store. However, as she was doing her rounds one day, she quickly stopped in her tracks and started filming as she couldn't believe the items she found. Taking to TikTok, she shared how happy she was to find the discontinued Taylor Swift perfume, Wonderstruck, available on the shelf. "Just browsing the perfume section at TJ Maxx when I come across..." she wrote on the video as the camera moved to show the different perfumes available. She then stopped on the purple patterned box that contained the perfume, which was initially released in October 2011. However, it was later discontinued for an unknown reason. It's currently being resold on eBay for over £25-£350, with fans still being nostalgic of the smell. "Immediately added to the cart," Crys wrote on the video as she was seen placing it in her shopping cart. She went on to write in the caption of the video: "When you find THE Taylor Swift perfume at @TJMaxx! never smelled it before so I can't wait to try." The perfume in question is described online to smell sweet and fruity, with raspberry, blackberry, tea, apple blossom and freesia being the top notes, mixed in with middle notes of vanilla, honeysuckle, and hibiscus, as well as base notes of peach, sandalwood, amber, and musk. In a follow-up video posted on the same day, she went on to reveal the TJ Maxx sticker, which showed she bought it for £5.99 ($7.99). The video soon racked up over 213,500 views, with many people taking to the comments to share their thoughts. "That's £2,000 in your hand right now," one person commented. Meanwhile, a second person said: "I miss this smell!!!" "Wait not even kidding this exact thing happened to me like 5 years ago and I got it," a third person shared. "Omg I loved that perfume," another person said. However, another questioned: "Okay so either they're selling incredibly expired products which is illegal OR wonderstruck is still being made?? Which is it."
Daily Mirror
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Windrush Film Festival returns to reclaim stories lost in Britain
With Windrush Day last Sunday, The Mirror spoke to a Film Festival that honours the Caribbean people who helped rebuild Britain. As Britain recently celebrated Windrush Day - a moment to honour the Caribbean pioneers who helped rebuild post-war Britain. One festival is using film to ensure their stories aren't forgotten. Speaking to The Mirror, co-founder Patricia Hamzahee OBE reflected on how the Windrush Caribbean Film Festival, launched in 2020, was born out of pain - but rooted in pride. It came two years after the Windrush scandal exposed how Black brits were wrongly detained, deported or denied basic rights, despite being asked to come to the country and calling the UK home for decades. Instead of focusing solely on trauma, the team behind the festival - a seasoned social impact investor, Patricia Hamzahee OBE, award-winning filmmaker, Frances-Anne Solomon, and cultural curator Garry Stewart - wanted to flip the narrative. Later director Ansel Wong CBE, a key figure in the UK's Black cultural space joined the team. They set out to celebrate the strength, joy and legacy of Windrush descendants across Britain through powerful, untold stories. 'Too often, with Black history in this country, you have to look hard to find these amazing stories; it's always about drugs, crime or trauma - but hardly much about the positive,' Patricia told The Mirror. 'Windrush is about a journey. But it's also about building something that lasts - not just arriving, but shaping" she added 'It's not just a film festival, it's a celebration of culture, of truth, and of our contribution to Britain.' She added: 'We're trying to reclaim that story - to say we are more than just what the headlines said about us.' The idea from the festival began with the nationwide screening of Hero: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Ulric Cross, a film that tells the story of Ulric Cross, one of the Caribbean's most decorated WWII airmen. Born in Trinidad, Cross trained as a lawyer but was unable to find work in Britain due to systemic racism - eventually landing a role at the BBC Caribbean Service. But it was his extraordinary post-war journey that cemented his legacy: Cross became a key figure in Africa's independence movements, playing a pivotal legal and diplomatic role in countries including Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast) and Congo. Yet despite his contributions to Britain and Africa, his story remains largely unknown - when he should be a household name. 'The people who saw it kept asking, why don't we know these stories? We want more,' Patricia said. That overwhelming response sparked something bigger and by 2020, the Windrush Caribbean Film Festival was born. To reflect on the untold legacy that the festival was created to spotlight - the contributions that shaped nations but were never celebrated.' Now in its fifth year, the festival has grown into a national platform, showcasing everything from historical documentaries to bold new shorts by rising Black British filmmakers. Screenings have taken place across the UK, including London, Birmingham, and most recently, Liverpool. Each year the festival carries a new theme. This year , it's Belonging, Being, Becoming exploring how Caribbean identity continues to evolve across generations and borders. This year's programme includes talkbacks, panel discussions and workshops, all designed to amplify unheard stories and create space for cultural pride. The goal is to build a space where legacy and imagination walk side by side. The festival also honours both grassroots campaigners and new creative voices. The Paulette Wilson Windrush Justice Award, named after the late Windrush campaigner, has gone to changemakers like Amelia Gentleman, Jacqueline McKenzie, Patrick Vernon and Wendy Williams. Meanwhile, the Menelik Shabazz Legacy Award is given each year to a standout emerging filmmaker. Rather than being stuck in the past, the Windrush Caribbean Film Festival is about building something new - rooted in truth, shaped by creativity, and deeply human. It's about doing something that honours the past, while also giving the future something to stand on. 'We deserve to see ourselves reflected back - fully, joyfully, truthfully.' Patricia said 'People come up to us crying, saying, 'I didn't know this existed,i feel seen for the first time.'' More than anything, the team hopes the festival inspires a sense of connection and continuation. 'These stories built Britain. We're just making sure they're finally heard.' 'There's just so much common ground in these stories - people coming, settling, overcoming and celebrating,' Patricia said. 'That sort of solidarity is really important especially for young people who want to make change and feel empowered to do it.'
Daily Mirror
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Bridgerton star urges Brits to break from routine for good reason
Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey has joined forces with drinks brand MARTINI to encourage brits to break from their regular routine. Recent findings revealed that British adults are stuck in a rut, especially when it comes to food, fashion, and holidays. A survey of 8,000 adults from across Europe showed a third of people feel compelled to conform to popular trends. Four in ten believe their peers and the people they follow on social media are also pressured to follow trends, whether that's regarding travel or other lifestyle choices. In an era where platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok shape our choices, over half confess to being swayed by social media buzz when making personal decisions, impacting everything from fashion choices to what they drink. Cultivating the call for spontaneity, MARTINI has brought in Jonathan Bailey, known for his role on Bridgerton, to encourage the public to be more spontaneous. The Laurence Olivier Award winner said: "Going off script is the ultimate way to allow space for fun, and new experiences. Unplanned moments end up being the most unforgettable." The majority of people wish they didn't feel the need to follow trends and could 'go off script, claiming being intentionally spontaneous is a positive trait. Two thirds of people reckon that making personal choices which deviate from the norm is a crucial form of self-expression. As such a third fancy doing something unique, having a laugh or being more playful, and steering clear of monotony in their lives. Most also believe that not following trends helps them feel more in control of their lives as they're deciding what to do rather than being influenced by others. Other top reasons for shunning trends include curiosity, a yearning for new experiences, and to discover something new about themselves. According to the research, those in the UK and Spain felt that their daily choices have become more predictable than any other country. While folks from Poland felt the pressure to conform more than any others surveyed. Jonathan Bailey, who is also this summer's 'MARTINI Man', chimed in: "This summer, I invite everyone to take a breath, dive in, swerve off-piste and be playful. 'Live a little differently.' TOP 10 MOTIVATIONS FOR GOING 'OFF-SCRIPT' IN LIFE: Out of curiosity A desire for new experiences and adventure To learn something new about oneself To discover something truly unique To have fun or be playful To avoid repetition To challenge oneself To feel in control To express individuality or authenticity To have interesting stories to tell
