SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw0:551 hour ago"I'm pastel obsessed - I'm doing an £190k renovation to eradicate all remaining black, grey or beige"SWNSA pastel-obsessed mum is set to spend another £190,000 on her pink-filled home - to "eradicate all elements that are black, grey or beige". Sophia Ferrari-Wills, 35, lives in a pastel pink paradise - a 1960s cottage she bought and began transforming in late 2019. After years of DIY, it has a mermaid bathroom, forest playroom, ice cream office and tree house, which cost around £10,000. Currently nearly all the rooms are pastel themed and mum-of-two loves it so much she's now changing EVERY bit of her home pastel coloured. The beige tiled kitchen floors are set to be pastel pink and their orangery - currently the only room which isn't pastel - will be converted and extended then painted a shade in line with their theme. Everything from their doors to the TAPS will match their colour scheme by the time the renovation is complete. She believes the project - set to cost £190,000 and start in August - will mean there isn't a single non-pastel coloured thing in her house in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, by the time she's done in December. Sophia, a content creator, and mum to Clemmie, four and Minnie, two, said: "The downstairs will be completely changed - we're doing everything I've always wanted to do. "I've always felt held back by the kitchen's current style so we're having an extension and walls knocked down. "We still want it to be in keeping with the cottage, but with a contemporary twist. "I'll be doing all the decorating myself after the building work - then it'll be my dream home." An orangery will be knocked down and turned into an open kitchen and living space, with utility room, pantry, snug and open kitchen and living space, which will cost £130,000 She wants it to feel like a pastel-coloured "open hug", and decoration will cost a further £60,000 - even though it will be a DIY project. She said: "There’s talk of pink aluminium windows and a unique style of kitchen island with pastel details and pretty pastel pink tiles - there are loads of details I am planning. "Of course, with the decoration, we're doing for maximum pastel impact." After buying their cottage in 2019, Sophia and husband Chris, 42, a sales manager, started their pastel-inspired project. Sophia began sharing their progress online over lockdown. She was able to leave her full-time job as a midwife in April 2021 to pursue interior influencing around her pastel pink paradise. Currently the kitchen is painted lilac, with scallop edges, pink tiles and pink appliances. In the hallway, the …
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw0:242 hours agoPair of giant yellow rubber ducks spotted in Hong Kong watersSWNSA pair of giant yellow rubber ducks have been spotted in Hong Kong waters. The 18-metre-tall bath toys are undergoing sea trials ahead of the exhibition Double Ducks by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman. Since 2007, Hofman has taken his monumental Rubber Duck on a world tour and visited Hong Kong in 2013 - curated by the creative brand AllRightsReserved (ARR). On the 10th anniversary of its first visit, ARR has invited the Rubber Duck to make its comeback to Hong Kong, accompanied by a new friend. The pair tested their swimming skills in Victoria Harbour near Tsing Yi island at the end of May, prior to the June 10th official exhibition opening. Organiser ARR say the Double Ducks are "happiness icons" and aim" to spread the healing power of art and bring joy to everyone via this large-scale public art exhibition." They add: "Hofman's freewheeling imagination of childlike wonder has gained notice from the public, inspiring people to take a break from their mundane daily life and connect with one another."
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw3:462 hours agoBereaved son blasts undertaker who 'lost' his dad's body - forcing funeral to be postponedSWNSA bereaved son has blasted an undertakers after they 'lost' his dad's body - forcing the funeral to be postponed. Leigh Blanning, 51, said his experience with L J Guyan has been "horrific". He enlisted the firm after dad John Blanning, 82, passed away in December 2022. But when it came to the day of the funeral Leigh was told the ceremony could not go ahead - because the hearse had broken down. Devastated Leigh, from Bristol, had to tell mourners to go straight to the wake - meaning they couldn't pay their proper respects. And, after L J Guyan launched a probe, it turned out it wasn't that the hearse hadn't broken down - but that the late Mr Blanning's body had been misplaced. A report said the body had been left in Bath and not taken to Keynsham, where the funeral director's office was. This meant it could not be transported to the funeral location in Bristol in time. L J Guyan apologised. But Leigh said: “It was the most horrific experience I’ve ever had. Even now, a couple of months, on I don’t feel any justice has been done. “I feel that I’ve let my dad down and it’s left me feeling so bitter and angry about it. "It was a day we should have been celebrating my dad’s life and it turned out to be day where we were talking about what happened instead. “People weren’t really giving that much thought to dad, I know it was something beyond our control but the effect that it had on me was unbearable. “It’s been completely upsetting." Leigh reconnected with his dad after 38 years apart just a decade ago. After he died, Leigh was told by a family member that they had previously worked with L J Guyan on other family funerals. The company, based in Keynsham, organised the ceremony for January 16, 2023 - a Monday. However, when on his way to the funeral, Leigh says he received a call from L J Guyan informing him that there had been an issue - and the funeral would be going ahead later than planned. Unable to celebrate his father’s life as planned, the attendees made their way to the wake and Leigh later called the funeral directors who he claims explained that the hearse had broken down. He says L J Guyan offered to rearrange the funeral for the following Friday – but many of the mourners couldn’t attend the new date, making for a much more subdued occasion. Dissatisfied with the experience, Leigh requested a full investigation and months later received a full report. This said that Mr Blanning's body was taken to Bath to be prepared for the funeral. But he was …
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw3:212 hours agoFarm offers alpaca WEDDINGS where the animals don bow ties while they mingle with guestsSWNSA farm is offering alpaca WEDDINGS - where the animals don bow ties and floral wreaths while they mingle with guests. The owners of Lower Bush Alpacas, Kent, had never even considered doing wedding ceremonies before getting a call asking if they could. So Jon and Jameela Savage began planning to offer the service at their alpaca farm, in Cuxton near Rochester - and it was a hit. The animals are 'dressed up' and the happy couple and their guests can feed them grass pellets and take selfies with them. Since first introducing the service last year, director Jon, 42, said they've been hired for nine weddings - with a string more in the books for this summer. Jon said: "When someone rang and asked I said yes and I quickly knocked something up and put it on the website and it went from there. "We offer a number of packages that are all different, but the most popular one is the 'mingling with alpacas' package which costs £500. "It's quite a nice package and is easy for a lot of venues – we turn up in the alpaca wagon with two or three alpacas on lead ropes and halters. "They've all got a nice wreath around their neck, or a bow tie." Guests are given bags with grass pellets in to feed the alpacas, and the bride and groom can take them walks to get some unique pictures. He added: "It really does make some of the pictures really magical, especially if you're an animal lover. "Everyone just loves them." The price for an alpaca package starts from £450 and goes up to £700. The couple got their first alpacas in July 2019, and added to the family over time - which is now 15-strong. Jon grew up at the farm, and now lives five minutes away with his wife and two children – Freddie, four, and Harry, seven. He said: "All the surrounding areas where we walk the alpacas through the fields was my play area as a child. "It's even more magical that I'm now walking alpacas and running a business from here, especially with my two young kids." They have attended nine weddings so far, and have always had great responses from guests - some of whom had no idea the alpacas would be there. They rotate which alpacas will attend each wedding to make sure they all have an opportunity to go out and enjoy the attention from guests. Guests also love to take selfies with the four-legged friends - and the bride and groom have the opportunity get memorable wedding pictures. Jon and wife Jameela, 38, are currently working towards offering a service where an alpaca can be the couple's ring-bearer …
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw3:192 hours agoWoman who prioritises her career over relationships says "no guy can make me as happy as my job"SWNSA woman who prioritises her career over relationships says "no guy can make me as happy as my job". Iryna Cheneko, 18, had always dreamed of being a stylist and jumped at the chance to kickstart her career when she had the opportunity to move to New York, US, in September 2022. Although she still dates, Iryna doesn’t let it distract her from her work and says she wants to meet someone like-minded who is ambitious and passionate about their career. Iryna said she would need someone who would be understanding if she needed to cancel a date to prioritise her work. In HBO's Succession finale, character Tom Wambsgans admitted he would do anything - including side lining his wife Shiv - for a job. Iryna, originally from Ukraine, said: “I’m always prioritising my career over a relationship - because no boy can ever make me as happy as my job. “I always dreamed of a career in fashion. “Since I was a kid I loved Devil Wears Prada. “It makes me the happiest – seeing the results of my work. “I’ll always prioritise it over anything.” Iryna moved to New York in September 2022 after securing a scholarship at Berkeley College to study fashion. In her first week, she attended New York Fashion Week and now works as a stylist alongside her studies. She often finds herself working unsociable hours but still makes time to go on dates and hang out with friends. Iryna said: “I’d never date a guy who says ‘don’t work be a stay at home mum’. “I want someone who respects my career. And who will also be interested in their career. “I just have to meet the right person. “It’s very important to find a passionate and ambitious person.” Iryna said she would 'side line' her relationship to put her work first and would expect a potential partner to be understanding of this. She said: “The perfect match for me will be someone who doesn’t work a 9-5. “Someone with understanding if I need to work in the evening or weekend.” Iryna is glad she is focusing on herself while she is still young and believes she’ll meet the right person to fit into her busy career life when she least expects it. She said: “People first need to realise that right person comes when they least expect it. “Focus on your carer and then find your person. “At my age it’s important to set base for future career. “I’ll always be able to find a relationship. “I’d never believe at 18 I’d be living in New York by myself. “I’m living dream life and dream career. “Anything is possible.”
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw3:292 hours agoBeer lover close to finishing £30k pub crawl - visiting all 875 Wetherspoons in British IslesSWNSA beer lover will complete his challenge to visit all 875 Wetherspoon pubs in the British Isles - which left him with a whopping £30,000 bar tab. David Bingham, 60, has spent four years enjoying the “longest pub crawl in history”, often travelling thousands of miles every month. He estimates his final tab for his epic mission is close to £30,000, including travel fares, drinks and overnight stays. He will celebrate the end of his 875-pub challenge when he sinks a pint at The Flying Horse on Wednesday (7/6). The boozer is after the security barrier at Gatwick, meaning David had to buy an airline ticket before being allowed inside. The retired forklift driver said: “The cheapest air ticket I could get was to Shannon in Ireland which doesn’t have any Wetherspoon pubs but that doesn’t matter because I’ll have completed the challenge before I get there. “It’s been a wonderful journey across Britain and I’ve visited so many places which I would never have gone to if I’d not been checking off the pubs. “I call myself a pub-spotter because I like to go down my directory of Spoons pubs and cross them off one by one. “I daresay it’ll be strange to finally finish the challenge but I’m keen to revisit some of the ones I went to in the early days.” David, from West Hallam, Derbys., came up with his Spoons challenge after his partner Una Cooper, 63, bought him a £3 Wetherspoon directory off eBay. The couple took it to their local branch, The Observatory, in nearby Ilkeston, and David decided to visit every single one on the list. His challenge has taken him to 875 Spoons, including more than 40 which have since closed. David is often accompanied by tee-total Una, with the couple taking public transport to tick off the pubs. As well as trains and buses, the couple took a hovercraft to reach the Man in the Moon pub on the Isle of Wight. Last month they knocked off nine more during a ten-day cruise up the West coast of Ireland. David, who has one daughter, a stepson and one grandson, said: “I love going in Wetherspoon pubs because they are all different buildings. “Many of them are old fire stations, post offices, churches and other beautiful sites. “I call them boxes of fun because you never know where they’ll be." David often ticks off dozens of pubs every day and only has a pint in his favourite ones. During a four-day trip to Scotland, he knocked off 46 boozers before celebrating with a pint of San Miguel and a bottle of Heineken. His favourite Spoons are the Royal …
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw0:551 hour ago"I'm pastel obsessed - I'm doing an £190k renovation to eradicate all remaining black, grey or beige"SWNSA pastel-obsessed mum is set to spend another £190,000 on her pink-filled home - to "eradicate all elements that are black, grey or beige". Sophia Ferrari-Wills, 35, lives in a pastel pink paradise - a 1960s cottage she bought and began transforming in late 2019. After years of DIY, it has a mermaid bathroom, forest playroom, ice cream office and tree house, which cost around £10,000. Currently nearly all the rooms are pastel themed and mum-of-two loves it so much she's now changing EVERY bit of her home pastel coloured. The beige tiled kitchen floors are set to be pastel pink and their orangery - currently the only room which isn't pastel - will be converted and extended then painted a shade in line with their theme. Everything from their doors to the TAPS will match their colour scheme by the time the renovation is complete. She believes the project - set to cost £190,000 and start in August - will mean there isn't a single non-pastel coloured thing in her house in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, by the time she's done in December. Sophia, a content creator, and mum to Clemmie, four and Minnie, two, said: "The downstairs will be completely changed - we're doing everything I've always wanted to do. "I've always felt held back by the kitchen's current style so we're having an extension and walls knocked down. "We still want it to be in keeping with the cottage, but with a contemporary twist. "I'll be doing all the decorating myself after the building work - then it'll be my dream home." An orangery will be knocked down and turned into an open kitchen and living space, with utility room, pantry, snug and open kitchen and living space, which will cost £130,000 She wants it to feel like a pastel-coloured "open hug", and decoration will cost a further £60,000 - even though it will be a DIY project. She said: "There’s talk of pink aluminium windows and a unique style of kitchen island with pastel details and pretty pastel pink tiles - there are loads of details I am planning. "Of course, with the decoration, we're doing for maximum pastel impact." After buying their cottage in 2019, Sophia and husband Chris, 42, a sales manager, started their pastel-inspired project. Sophia began sharing their progress online over lockdown. She was able to leave her full-time job as a midwife in April 2021 to pursue interior influencing around her pastel pink paradise. Currently the kitchen is painted lilac, with scallop edges, pink tiles and pink appliances. In the hallway, the …
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw0:242 hours agoPair of giant yellow rubber ducks spotted in Hong Kong watersSWNSA pair of giant yellow rubber ducks have been spotted in Hong Kong waters. The 18-metre-tall bath toys are undergoing sea trials ahead of the exhibition Double Ducks by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman. Since 2007, Hofman has taken his monumental Rubber Duck on a world tour and visited Hong Kong in 2013 - curated by the creative brand AllRightsReserved (ARR). On the 10th anniversary of its first visit, ARR has invited the Rubber Duck to make its comeback to Hong Kong, accompanied by a new friend. The pair tested their swimming skills in Victoria Harbour near Tsing Yi island at the end of May, prior to the June 10th official exhibition opening. Organiser ARR say the Double Ducks are "happiness icons" and aim" to spread the healing power of art and bring joy to everyone via this large-scale public art exhibition." They add: "Hofman's freewheeling imagination of childlike wonder has gained notice from the public, inspiring people to take a break from their mundane daily life and connect with one another."
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw3:462 hours agoBereaved son blasts undertaker who 'lost' his dad's body - forcing funeral to be postponedSWNSA bereaved son has blasted an undertakers after they 'lost' his dad's body - forcing the funeral to be postponed. Leigh Blanning, 51, said his experience with L J Guyan has been "horrific". He enlisted the firm after dad John Blanning, 82, passed away in December 2022. But when it came to the day of the funeral Leigh was told the ceremony could not go ahead - because the hearse had broken down. Devastated Leigh, from Bristol, had to tell mourners to go straight to the wake - meaning they couldn't pay their proper respects. And, after L J Guyan launched a probe, it turned out it wasn't that the hearse hadn't broken down - but that the late Mr Blanning's body had been misplaced. A report said the body had been left in Bath and not taken to Keynsham, where the funeral director's office was. This meant it could not be transported to the funeral location in Bristol in time. L J Guyan apologised. But Leigh said: “It was the most horrific experience I’ve ever had. Even now, a couple of months, on I don’t feel any justice has been done. “I feel that I’ve let my dad down and it’s left me feeling so bitter and angry about it. "It was a day we should have been celebrating my dad’s life and it turned out to be day where we were talking about what happened instead. “People weren’t really giving that much thought to dad, I know it was something beyond our control but the effect that it had on me was unbearable. “It’s been completely upsetting." Leigh reconnected with his dad after 38 years apart just a decade ago. After he died, Leigh was told by a family member that they had previously worked with L J Guyan on other family funerals. The company, based in Keynsham, organised the ceremony for January 16, 2023 - a Monday. However, when on his way to the funeral, Leigh says he received a call from L J Guyan informing him that there had been an issue - and the funeral would be going ahead later than planned. Unable to celebrate his father’s life as planned, the attendees made their way to the wake and Leigh later called the funeral directors who he claims explained that the hearse had broken down. He says L J Guyan offered to rearrange the funeral for the following Friday – but many of the mourners couldn’t attend the new date, making for a much more subdued occasion. Dissatisfied with the experience, Leigh requested a full investigation and months later received a full report. This said that Mr Blanning's body was taken to Bath to be prepared for the funeral. But he was …
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw3:212 hours agoFarm offers alpaca WEDDINGS where the animals don bow ties while they mingle with guestsSWNSA farm is offering alpaca WEDDINGS - where the animals don bow ties and floral wreaths while they mingle with guests. The owners of Lower Bush Alpacas, Kent, had never even considered doing wedding ceremonies before getting a call asking if they could. So Jon and Jameela Savage began planning to offer the service at their alpaca farm, in Cuxton near Rochester - and it was a hit. The animals are 'dressed up' and the happy couple and their guests can feed them grass pellets and take selfies with them. Since first introducing the service last year, director Jon, 42, said they've been hired for nine weddings - with a string more in the books for this summer. Jon said: "When someone rang and asked I said yes and I quickly knocked something up and put it on the website and it went from there. "We offer a number of packages that are all different, but the most popular one is the 'mingling with alpacas' package which costs £500. "It's quite a nice package and is easy for a lot of venues – we turn up in the alpaca wagon with two or three alpacas on lead ropes and halters. "They've all got a nice wreath around their neck, or a bow tie." Guests are given bags with grass pellets in to feed the alpacas, and the bride and groom can take them walks to get some unique pictures. He added: "It really does make some of the pictures really magical, especially if you're an animal lover. "Everyone just loves them." The price for an alpaca package starts from £450 and goes up to £700. The couple got their first alpacas in July 2019, and added to the family over time - which is now 15-strong. Jon grew up at the farm, and now lives five minutes away with his wife and two children – Freddie, four, and Harry, seven. He said: "All the surrounding areas where we walk the alpacas through the fields was my play area as a child. "It's even more magical that I'm now walking alpacas and running a business from here, especially with my two young kids." They have attended nine weddings so far, and have always had great responses from guests - some of whom had no idea the alpacas would be there. They rotate which alpacas will attend each wedding to make sure they all have an opportunity to go out and enjoy the attention from guests. Guests also love to take selfies with the four-legged friends - and the bride and groom have the opportunity get memorable wedding pictures. Jon and wife Jameela, 38, are currently working towards offering a service where an alpaca can be the couple's ring-bearer …
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw3:192 hours agoWoman who prioritises her career over relationships says "no guy can make me as happy as my job"SWNSA woman who prioritises her career over relationships says "no guy can make me as happy as my job". Iryna Cheneko, 18, had always dreamed of being a stylist and jumped at the chance to kickstart her career when she had the opportunity to move to New York, US, in September 2022. Although she still dates, Iryna doesn’t let it distract her from her work and says she wants to meet someone like-minded who is ambitious and passionate about their career. Iryna said she would need someone who would be understanding if she needed to cancel a date to prioritise her work. In HBO's Succession finale, character Tom Wambsgans admitted he would do anything - including side lining his wife Shiv - for a job. Iryna, originally from Ukraine, said: “I’m always prioritising my career over a relationship - because no boy can ever make me as happy as my job. “I always dreamed of a career in fashion. “Since I was a kid I loved Devil Wears Prada. “It makes me the happiest – seeing the results of my work. “I’ll always prioritise it over anything.” Iryna moved to New York in September 2022 after securing a scholarship at Berkeley College to study fashion. In her first week, she attended New York Fashion Week and now works as a stylist alongside her studies. She often finds herself working unsociable hours but still makes time to go on dates and hang out with friends. Iryna said: “I’d never date a guy who says ‘don’t work be a stay at home mum’. “I want someone who respects my career. And who will also be interested in their career. “I just have to meet the right person. “It’s very important to find a passionate and ambitious person.” Iryna said she would 'side line' her relationship to put her work first and would expect a potential partner to be understanding of this. She said: “The perfect match for me will be someone who doesn’t work a 9-5. “Someone with understanding if I need to work in the evening or weekend.” Iryna is glad she is focusing on herself while she is still young and believes she’ll meet the right person to fit into her busy career life when she least expects it. She said: “People first need to realise that right person comes when they least expect it. “Focus on your carer and then find your person. “At my age it’s important to set base for future career. “I’ll always be able to find a relationship. “I’d never believe at 18 I’d be living in New York by myself. “I’m living dream life and dream career. “Anything is possible.”
SWNSflipped into SWNS Raw3:292 hours agoBeer lover close to finishing £30k pub crawl - visiting all 875 Wetherspoons in British IslesSWNSA beer lover will complete his challenge to visit all 875 Wetherspoon pubs in the British Isles - which left him with a whopping £30,000 bar tab. David Bingham, 60, has spent four years enjoying the “longest pub crawl in history”, often travelling thousands of miles every month. He estimates his final tab for his epic mission is close to £30,000, including travel fares, drinks and overnight stays. He will celebrate the end of his 875-pub challenge when he sinks a pint at The Flying Horse on Wednesday (7/6). The boozer is after the security barrier at Gatwick, meaning David had to buy an airline ticket before being allowed inside. The retired forklift driver said: “The cheapest air ticket I could get was to Shannon in Ireland which doesn’t have any Wetherspoon pubs but that doesn’t matter because I’ll have completed the challenge before I get there. “It’s been a wonderful journey across Britain and I’ve visited so many places which I would never have gone to if I’d not been checking off the pubs. “I call myself a pub-spotter because I like to go down my directory of Spoons pubs and cross them off one by one. “I daresay it’ll be strange to finally finish the challenge but I’m keen to revisit some of the ones I went to in the early days.” David, from West Hallam, Derbys., came up with his Spoons challenge after his partner Una Cooper, 63, bought him a £3 Wetherspoon directory off eBay. The couple took it to their local branch, The Observatory, in nearby Ilkeston, and David decided to visit every single one on the list. His challenge has taken him to 875 Spoons, including more than 40 which have since closed. David is often accompanied by tee-total Una, with the couple taking public transport to tick off the pubs. As well as trains and buses, the couple took a hovercraft to reach the Man in the Moon pub on the Isle of Wight. Last month they knocked off nine more during a ten-day cruise up the West coast of Ireland. David, who has one daughter, a stepson and one grandson, said: “I love going in Wetherspoon pubs because they are all different buildings. “Many of them are old fire stations, post offices, churches and other beautiful sites. “I call them boxes of fun because you never know where they’ll be." David often ticks off dozens of pubs every day and only has a pint in his favourite ones. During a four-day trip to Scotland, he knocked off 46 boozers before celebrating with a pint of San Miguel and a bottle of Heineken. His favourite Spoons are the Royal …
