3 1 DECEMBER 2022 G O O D N E W S I N B R I E F This week’s uplifting stories fromAnna-Marie Julyan Cast reunited “The way to think about life is that every day has the potential just to be gorgeous,” says Richard Curtis, writer and director of hit Christmas lm Love Actually. He’s been interviewed by Diane Sawyer for a special 20th anniversary reunion of cast members – including Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson and Bill Nighy – on US network ABC. The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later is available to stream on Hulu. Festive food by the sea Angela Hartnett, Michael Caines, José Pizarro and other top chefs will cook on the north Cornish coast at the Padstow Christmas Festival, which runs until Sunday (4 December). Organised by local chefs Rick Stein, Paul Ainsworth and Nathan Outlaw, the event includes a Christmas market, Doom Bar silent bistro (where diners wear headphones to taste beer with food), carol singing, and a reworks display. padstowchristmasfestival.co.uk Charitymatters More than two-thirds of people said volunteering helped them nd friendship and combat feelings of loneliness, a survey by Oxfam reveals. It’s 75 years since the charity opened its rst shop in Oxford, and there are now 560 across the country, all sta ed by more than 23,000 volunteers. But Oxfam still needs more helpers – see oxfam.org.uk/shopvolunteering. Free fish& chips Sustainable seafood champion and Marine Stewardship Council ambassador Mitch Tonks is o ering children under 11 free sh and chips when adults buy a main meal at his Rock sh restaurants in Devon and Dorset from 31 December to March. Mitch hopes it will encourage people to dine out and support the shing industry: “Our aim is simple – to bring families together this winter to enjoy the amazing, local, sustainable seafood on our doorstep.” NO NEED TO SCRAMBLE FOR EGGS Listening to birdsong or watching them for just a few minutes will lift the spirits, a study by King’s College London found. Hearing or seeing birdlife brought about positive improvements in mood and happiness for those withmental health conditions. Healthy individuals experienced similar effects too, with results lasting for up to eight hours. Watch the birdie and feel chirpy Customers keen to buy eggs for their festive bakes or breakfast can rest assured that there’s a good supply of the kitchen staple atWaitrose. While the UK’s largest ever outbreak of avian flu has led to shortages, meaning some supermarkets are rationing sales, Waitrose has a strong availability of its 100%British free range eggs both in store and online. The supermarket has also pledged a £2.6million investment in its egg suppliers, as rising energy and feed prices continue to put pressure on farmers. “Paying our farmers fairly and o ering our customers free range British eggs are commitments that we simply won’t sacrifice, even when the going gets tough,” says James Bailey, Waitrose executive director. “With shortages elsewhere in themarket we have seen a slight rise in demand, but we’re working hard to ensure we continue to have quality, high welfare products on our shelves.” Waitrose was the first major supermarket to stop selling eggs from caged hens in 2001, and has held Compassion inWorld Farming’s Good Egg award since 2008. EmmaHigginbotham Nostalgic toys are the popular choice at John Lewis this Christmas – and it’s not just misty-eyed parents choosing them. A panel of children tested dozens of toys for the retailer, and evergreen classics such as Lego, Play-Doh, a styling head doll and HotWheels cars all found a place in the top 10. At number one is the Jiggly Pets Noodle Pup, a walking, barking, tail-wagging pink dog reminiscent of the rudimentary versions from the 80s. “It’s always such fun to see toys that brought somuch joy decades ago come back around,” says AlanWright, Partner and toy buyer at John Lewis. “They are toys that capture the imagination time and time again, and that usuallymeans adults will have just as much fun playing with them as kids do.” Lego first went on sale in the UK in 1960, a decade that also gave us the Etch A Sketch, retractable wings and, following a revival of the retro TV show, the Thunderbirds Tracy Island – the scarcity of which led tomany attempting tomake the Blue Peter version. The new century heralded toys including Bratz dolls, Ben 10 action figures, and a cuddly Iggle Piggle from In the Night Garden, while the 2010s saw a craze for merchandise from the animatedmovie Frozen, as well as Lol dolls, robotic FurReal Friends and the cream-splatting board game Pie Face. EmmaHigginbotham Rolling back the years for Christmas gift ideas James Bond AstonMartin toy cars, Twister and ActionMan. Bestselling toys of the 70s included StarWars figures, Shrinky Dinks, Stretch Armstrong, space hoppers, and board games including Hungry Hippos and Dungeons &Dragons. The 80s saw a craze for the Rubik’s Cube, Cabbage Patch Kids, My Little Pony, Transformers toys and cute, velvety Sylvanian Families. Meanwhile the 90s was all about Game Boys, Tamagotchi virtual pets, Furbies, Buzz Lightyear figures with TOY STORY Items popular in decades past are back on the Christmas lists for children this year Photograph: Eyecrave productions/ Getty Images, The Pantry Store, Andrew Howe/ Getty Images, Universal/Dna/Working Title/Kobal/Shutterstock
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