VE Day commemorations began today, building towards the 8th May and the Yarnbombers have surprised, comforted and delighted us, as always. We have my lovely pal Jan commemorating the liberation of the Channel Islands, which is where she grew up.
Of course their VE Day was the 9th May as this is when they were liberated. I was so pleased to see it there, as I found the history of the Channel Islands in the war thought provoking (I researched it for Sisters at War by me as Milly Adams).
We have a farmer, nurses, poppies, servicemen, the whole gamut. Please enjoy and join me admiring the Thirsk Yarnbombers, and may we remember all who fought, in their way, and that there was no Victory in Japan until 15th August.
I had a boyfriend whose father was a prisoner of the Japanese. He was never the same again. My first novel had nurses travelling to Singapore, and then it fell. Their imprisonment was bestial and long.
Mum was on a convoy to Singapore to nurse when it fell. Instead she continued to India where she nursed the injured and ill of the Burma Campaign.
After the war I met one of her friends who had been imprisoned by the Japanese. Again, it never left her but one of her most poignant memories is of the Cathedral given over to the injured, where she nursed as the Japanese approached. She remembered the smell of Chrysanthemums but could never decide whether they were actually there, or it was a remembered scent of times before the horror.
My father was in the Battle of Britain, and could never watch or attend a Remembrance Service because he had to live with the fact that as well as fighting himself, he had to send up his young men, very young men. It was almost more than he could bear, as most did not survive. That generation was the best of the best.
Adrian Muller, Dame Mary Perkins, Donna Moore – Image courtesy of Adam Stratmann
The awards began 17 years ago when CrimeFest launched in 2008; they honour the best crime fiction and non-fiction books released in the UK in the last year. 2025 will be the final awards as organisers announced this year CrimeFest will come to an end. The awards feature the hotly-contended Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award, which offers a £1,000 cash prize.
Authors in contention for the £1k prize are Tom Baragwanath for his New Zealand small-town mystery Paper Cage, Cosmo’s Thriller of the Year Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell, and the cosy crime caper The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder, by C.L. Miller. Also making the Specsavers shortlist are Akira Otani with the gripping Japanese cult thriller The Night of Baba Yaga, Tracey Sierra’s Richard and Judy Book Club pick, Nightwatching, and Scotland’s Claire Wilson with her debut, Five by Five.
Adrian Muller, Co-host of CrimeFest, said: “The Specsavers Debut Novel Award has become one of the most highly anticipated awards of the genre over the years, and we’d like to thank Specsavers for their on-going support in celebrating new talent.”
The shortlist for the CrimeFest H.R.F. Keating Award for the best biographical or critical book features icon of the genre Lynda La Plante with her memoir, Getting Away with Murder.
The category also includes an exploration of Agatha Christie, with Mark Aldridge’s Agatha Christie’s Marple: Expert on Wickedness, Female Detectives in Early Crime Fiction 1841-1920 by Ashley Bowden, and Sara Lodge’s The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Detective. Jem Bloomfield is also in contention for Allusion in Detective Fiction, as are Dan Coxon and Richard V Hirst for Writing the Murder: Essays on Crafting Crime Fiction.
CrimeFest’s Last Laugh Award for best humorous crime novel sees returning favourites authors Mike Ripley, Orlando Murrin, and Antti Tuomainen. It also welcomes Cathy Ace with The Case of the Secretive Secretary, Bella Mackie for What a Way to Go, and DG Coutinho for The Light and Shade of Ellen Swithin.
DG Coutinho received the 2025 bursary for a crime fiction writer of colour to attend and feature on a panel at the final CrimeFest for their first novel, a darkly comic thriller set in a toxic office culture.
Bella Mackie is also nominated for the best crime fiction e-book published in 2024; What a Way to Go is shortlisted for the E-Dunnit Award. She’s up against stalwart of the genre Martin Edwards with Hemlock Bay, Laurie R. King for The Lantern’s Dance, the American novelist and playwright Jean Hanff Korelitz with The Sequel, Liz Moore’s The God of the Woods and Peter Swanson’s A Talent for Murder.
The nominees for the CrimeFest Best Crime Novel for Children (aged 8 – 12) include Sufiya Ahmed for her World War Two adventure set in Cairo, Rosie Raja: Undercover Codebreaker, M. G. Leonard for Feather (The Twitchers) from the bestselling birdwatching detective series, and the magical murder mystery, The Floating Witch Mystery by Nicki Thornton. They’re joined by fellow children’s authors Natasha Farrant, A.M. Howell, and Beth Lincoln.
Adrian Muller said: “We are proud to be one of the few genre awards that recognise and celebrate children, and young adult crime fiction. This category has really boomed in recent years. It’s a fitting legacy that over the years we’ve gifted thousands of free children’s and young adult books to inner city schools in Bristol as part of our outreach and charitable work. The genre is a fantastic gateway into reading, so the hope these books have inspired new generations of readers and writers.”
Leading British crime fiction reviewers and reviewers of fiction for children and young adults, alongside the members of the School Library Association (SLA), form the CrimeFest judging panels.
The Best Crime Fiction for Young Adults (aged 12-16) features H.F Askwith’s A Cruel Twist of Fate, Denise Brown’s It All Started with A Lie, and A.J Clack’s dark reality-TV based Young Adult thriller, Lie or Die. Also in contention are the razor-sharp romantasy All The Hidden Monsters by Annie Jordan, the sequel to the Waterstone’s prize winning Thieves’ Gambit, Heist Royale by Kayvion Lewis and Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus.
This year also features the Thalia Proctor Memorial Award for Best Adapted TV Crime Drama, which celebrate dramas based on a book screened in 2024 Eligible titles were collated from the Radio Times and CrimeFest readers established the shortlist and the winning title. The award is named in honour of Thalia, who worked with many crime writers in publishing and was a much-loved and valued member of the CrimeFest team.
Shortlisted shows include Apple TV’s Bad Monkey, based on the book by Carl Hiaasen, P.D. James Dalgliesh (Channel 5, series 3), Laura Lippman’s Lady in the Lake adapted by Apple TV, Moonflower Murders on the BBC based on the books by Anthony Horowitz, Apple TV’s Slow Horses (series 4) from Mick Herron’s Slough House books and the BBC’s The Turkish Detective based on the Inspector Ikmen books by Barbara Nadel.
The winners of the 2025 CrimeFest Awards will be announced at a gala dinner hosted during CrimeFest on Saturday 17 May at the Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel, compered by the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) chair and author, Vaseem Khan.
Hosted in Bristol, CrimeFest is the biggest crime fiction convention in the UK, and one of the most popular dates in the international crime fiction calendar, with circa 60 panel events and 150 authors attending over four days, from 15-18 May. 2025’s CrimeFest promises to be bigger than ever as long-standing friends of the event gather for a celebratory finale, including blockbuster author, Lee Child who will be attending with his brother and co-Reacher author, Andrew Child.
CrimeFest was created following the hugely successful one-off visit to Bristol in 2006 of the American Left Coast Crime convention. Established in 2008, it follows the egalitarian format of most US conventions, making it open to all commercially published authors and readers alike. All category winners will receive a Bristol Blue Glass commemorative award. Eligible titles were submitted by publishers, and a team of British crime fiction reviewers voted to establish the shortlist and the winning title.
Formula One World Championship Hungary-Williams-Racing
The thrill of speed at Beaulieu as Icons of Formula 1 take to the National Motor Museum stage: from the 24th May until 2nd November 2025 a new special display at the Museum will mark 75 years since the inaugural Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship in 1950. The temporary exhibition will bring together nine iconic Formula 1 racing cars, including cars from World Championship winning teams such as BRM, Lotus, Williams and Ferrari. Each vehicle represents a decade of technical and sporting development in Formula 1’s illustrious history – as well as some of its most legendary drivers.
The Museum’s celebration of this motorsport anniversary isn’t just offering visitors the rare chance to see all the cars together but also experience the thrill of driving the powerful machines with an immersive adrenaline-fuelled Formula 1 simulator experience. The state-of-the art simulator sessions will give the rush of sitting in the cockpit of an F1 car, just like a real racing drive. The sim racing experiences will be available as an addition to the Beaulieu attraction ticket, and visitors will get the opportunity to compete for a monthly Champagne prize for the best lap time around the realistic circuit.
Jon Murden, Chief Executive says, “We can’t wait to share this display of the Icons of Formula 1. The National Motor Museum is renowned for our collection of motoring history, so what better place to showcase the development of motorsport and mark 75 years of the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship. We’ve collaborated with some of the world’s leading teams and private collectors to bring this collection of iconic cars together and brought one of the best Formula 1 simulators to Beaulieu to offer the experience of the performance and thrill of real racing.”
The Icons of Formula 1 display headline sponsor is logistics company Indigo-Blue who work with the National Motor Museum to transport historic cars to events across Britain.
Entry to the display in the Museum is included in the Beaulieu ticket, and simulator experience add-on tickets can be booked and purchased on the day – the supplementary price starts at £15 for a 15 minutes sim experience.
About the Formula 1 simulator The Formula One simulator provides an immersive experience into the world of racing. Large screens and an advanced motion system with reactive belts heighten the experience. Developed in Italy by Wave Italy the simulator is aimed at racing enthusiasts and professional drivers. It uses a sophisticated vibrating system that faithfully reproduces the roughness of the track and curbs. The sim promises to give an ultra-realistic and unforgettable adrenaline rush driving experience.
Bookings can be made at the reception desk in the National Motor Museum. Timed slotsare allocated daily on a first-come, first-served basis, and are 15 minutes from 10:30am until 5pm. Height and weight limits apply and the simulators is designed for use by adults; it is a professional-grade racing simulator and a step-up from traditional console racing games. As such, young people and children may find the complexity of the simulator challenging.
According to leading influencer marketing platform Kolsquare, Gen X (born between 1966 and 1980) is reshaping the social media landscape as the 45+ age group embraces platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook with a growing number carving out second careers as mid-life influencers aka mid-fluencers.
On TikTok, the 45+ demographic is the platform’s fastest-growing audience segment, currently at 17.6% and growing (in the US they make up 27%). A third of all 45+ social media users follow influencers, and many are gaining huge audiences and attracting younger followers.
“We are seeing a growing number of 40 to 50-something influencers gaining huge traction,” says Katy Link, Head of Brand for Kolsquare. “There’s an army of mid-lifers who started their accounts as a side hustle and are seeing them burgeon and become profitable. There are also growing numbers of mid-lifers starting businesses and using social media to promote them.”
It’s not just women of a certain age who are conquering social media, male mid-lifers are talking about their passions too. Ben Hamilton Anderson (@the_gardenerben) has 40,400 followers on Instagram where he shares his passion for gardening. 78% of his audience are male and 31% are between 45 and 64.
Facebook loyalists
More than a third (33.4%) of Instagram’s global users are 45+ but Gen X are Facebook loyalists who want entertainment while seeking informative and creative content.
61% of Gen X have been on Facebook for more than 10 years, although their engagement is declining (as is the case for all age groups) and there is a shift from sharing photos and updates towards passive scrolling. 20% of the platform’s global users are 45+.
73% of 45+ Brits log into Facebook daily and only 5% say they’ve never had a Facebook account
34% of 45+ Facebook users participate in groups and communities
Engagement on Facebook is declining and midlifers are moving to other platforms, globally –
31% of YouTube users are 45+
17.6% of Instagram users are 45+
26% of Facebook users are 45+
17.6% of TikTok users are 45+
Reaching Gen X
Targeting Gen X with influencer marketing campaigns requires an understanding of who they are – a generation raised with print and traditional TV who want high-quality information, i.e. substance over style.
“As a group, they want more than novelty, they are after content that adds value, whether that’s how to navigate their menopause, fitness tips, cooking, etc,” says Kolsquare’s Katy Link.
Big names like John Lewis, Fantasie and The White Stuff have started to invest heavily in Gen X-focused campaigns.
Lingerie brand Fantasie is on a mission to change how brands portray Gen X women. They used Nina Ambrose (@rantsandbigpants – see case study below) whose March 2025 racked up an earned media value of £10,752. They also used Mega-influencer and feminist author Tova Leigh (@mythoughtsaboutstuff) who has 1.3m followers on Facebook. Most of her Fantasie posts earned more than 500 likes and one reel got 158,000 plays.
“Gen X has spending power,” says Katy. “Brands like Fantasie that are tapping into this and speaking authentically to mid-life women, are reaping the benefits.”
Social media habits
Gen X spends an hour less per day on social media than Millennials and Gen Z, although their time spent online is the same as other age groups. Their top three reasons for using social media are –
To connect with friends
Get up to speed on the news
Fill spare time
The only difference between them and 25 – 44-year-olds is that they rank filling spare time ahead of keeping up with the news.
Sensitive skin can be a huge issue. Redness. Tingling. Dry patches. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. According to Google Trends data, searches for “skin barrier repair” have increased by +230% over the past year in the UK and a recent study found that 71% of adults identify as having sensitive skin, which is a 55% increase in the last 2 decades.
“More people than ever are experiencing sensitised skin due to a perfect storm of modern skincare habits, environmental stressors, and lifestyle choices that compromise the skin barrier,” explains Bruce Green, Chartered Chemist and Founder of SOS Serum Skincare. “What we’re seeing is less about skin that is genetically sensitive, and more about skin that’s become sensitised, reactive, unpredictable, and inflamed because it’s under constant pressure.”
Bruce says the trend can largely be traced to the following contributing factors:
Modern Lifestyles – Work pressures and constant digital connectivity contribute to heightened stress levels. The World Health Organisation (WHO) labelled it ‘Occupational Burnout’ with global impact. Increased awareness and reduced stigma to mental health issues and reports of sensory issues. And let’s not forget stress, which Bruce believes is often underestimated in skin health. “There’s a real mind-skin connection. Stress hormones like cortisol can affect oil production, weaken the barrier, and make skin more reactive. In today’s always-on world, the skin is constantly on high alert.”
Generational Shifts – Gen Z & Millennials, report higher levels of anxiety and sensory sensitivity possibly due to digital immersion and economic instability.
Countries with the highest reports:
United States
United Kingdom
Japan & South Korea
Pollution, poor diet and lack of sleep affecting neurological and emotional resilience – Urban living isn’t helping, either. “Pollution particles are microscopic and can penetrate the skin, triggering inflammation and oxidative stress. Combine that with hard water, temperature swings, and central heating or air con, and it’s no wonder skin is struggling.”
Over Complicated Skincare Routines – “A lot of people are using too many actives – retinols, AHAs, BHAs, vitamin C – often in the same routine, without giving the skin time to recover. This strips away its natural defences and leaves it vulnerable,”says Bruce. “Think of your skin barrier like a protective roof. If it’s damaged or worn down, irritants get in and moisture gets out. That’s when the tingling, redness, and flaking begins.”
While sensitive skin was once considered a niche dermatological concern, it’s now mainstream and can strike anyone, at any time. “It’s a misconception that sensitive skin is something you’re born with. For many, it’s acquired through lifestyle,” says Bruce. “Skin sensitivity is essentially your body waving a white flag. It’s telling you it’s overwhelmed, dehydrated, or inflamed. What it needs is simplicity, support, and time to heal.”
So, what’s the solution?
Get more rest – Look at meditation
Improve your diet – plenty of water and fresh fruit & vegetables
Look at your skincare routines – Use formulations designed to reduce stress and boost the skin’s natural defence mechanisms
Bruce recommends a simplified, science-backed skincare approach that works with your skin, not against it. Enter our top picks to help calm and restore sensitive skin:
SOS Serum
SOS Serum works to cool, heal and repair problematic skin. The soothing effect of Wasabi & Burdock Leaf Extracts combined with the cooling sensation from the refined extract of Peppermint, deliver comfort, moisturisation and protection.
Harsh soaps and lotions should be avoided, whereas simple, pure & alcohol-free products will be less irritating. Our recommendation is SOS Cleanse; It is formulated to calm and instantly soothe and cool the skins outermost layer.
Formulated without fragrance, the Embryolisse Lait Sensitive Crème is gentle enough for even the most reactive skin types. Enriched with skin-loving vitamins and fatty acids, it soothes and hydrates without irritation, making it a go-to multitasker for sensitive skin.
Sun protection is non-negotiable, daily use of a broad-spectrum SPF 50 prevents UV damage and pigmentation. Strengthen the skin’s barrier with high activity emulsion formulations – creams and serums over lotions.
WONDERBALM is your go-to solution for a myriad of skin needs. It’s a versatile gem that slips into your skincare routine to banish dryness, provide deep hydration and restore damaged skin.
If your bedtime routine still involves a heavy night cream, it might be time to rethink. Night creams may be comforting, but they often sit on the skin’s surface, struggling to fully absorb which means they’re not working as hard as they could. I can find creams too heavy and feel like they are suffocating my skin. It helps to let skin breathe. Something lighter is also better in the summer months.
Why the switch? Concentrates sink deeper into the skin, targeting specific concerns more effectively than traditional creams. Whether you’re battling fine lines, blemishes, or visible pores, a serum-like formula delivers potent ingredients where they’re needed most.
Formulated with effective yet gentle ingredients for a clear, radiant and flawless looking skin. Best suited to normal, oily and combination skin types.
This treatment helps:
Reduce the look of large, open pores
Clean pores of dirt, sebum, oil, makeup and debris
Smooth out the look of fine liens and wrinkles
Target the look of blemishes and blackheads
Other fantastic buys from Elizabeth Grant. I love both of these.
The name says it all. This lightweight yet powerful treatment delivers deep hydration while helping to plump, tighten and strengthen the skin for visibly fuller, more resilient skin texture. It leaves skin looking plump and gorgeous.
Vitamin C Gold C Dark Spot Corrector | £55.
A dark spot corrector with Torricelumn™, and the Dark Spot Complex, our skin brightening treatment to help reduce the appearance of dark spots, discoloration and uneven skin tone.
Scent: Unscented
Really works to brighten up skin. I also love the face it has no scent.
When watching a world premiere performance, one is always filled with a heady mix of trepidation and excitement. The lights dim and out walks Principal Conductor Edward Gardner. The London Philharmonic Orchestra pauses then the beautiful music begins. You breathe a sigh of relief.
Along the front of the stage is a long black area and suddenly it’s filled with people, bizarrely wearing black lace. But the doubts about this soon disperse as they begin to move, to writhe, to climb and swing. They dance. And you get slightly tense again… in good way.
Maurice Ravel’s 1912 choreographic symphony Daphnis et Chloé is in effect a ballet, but is rarely performed with dancers because the rhythms do not flow organically that lead to natural formulaic dancing. The story recounts the romance between the goatherd Daphnis and the shepherdess Chloé. The piece roughly lasts an hour and stands out because, apart from the usual orchestra, there are also two harps, a wind machine and a wordless chorus. The BBC Singers provide the latter, in spine-tingling fashion.
But the performers… not much can upstage the LPO in full flow. But these people can! Circa provides 11 acrobats with such wonderful skills and athleticism that it genuinely causes the audience to gasp, hold its breath, stare wide-eyed in astonishment.
Daphnis et Chloé was followed by La Valse – a short 10-minute in length. Unlike the former’s storytelling and romance, this piece is hectic and raucous, at times vicious and crude. The standing ovation from the packed auditorium was certainly genuine. But the LPO and Circa then had less than an hour to prepare for a second performance. Amazing.
All this is part of the first Multitudes Festival, taking place at the Southbank Centre for the next week or so. It’s all about fusion, mixing art forms with full orchestras. And if this performance is anything to go by, the Festival will not only be a hit but is bound to be back next year!!
If you have read any of my previous reviews of the London Philharmonic Orchestra concerts, you will be aware that I am something of a fan, albeit one who would tell the truth if I hadn’t enjoyed the performances. Well, let me tell you that the last season was incredible, and each concert brought something special, including the triumphant performance of Mahler’s Symphony No 5, plus a veritable treat from the pianist, Francesco Piemontesi, playing Shuman’s Piano Concerto. (see above)
All the guest performers have been similarly spellbinding, and to be in the presence of such genius is both a privilege and a delight. So, it is no surprise that the upcoming programme has me salivating with anticipation.
Imagine sitting in a restaurant browsing the menu, each dish seemingly more delicious. Well, that was me as I browsed the 2025 – 26 programme:
Harmony in Nature is the title of new concert season for 2025/26. The season explores humanity’s bond with the natural world and issues a call to protect it – through the power of music that confronts, celebrates and inspires.
Season highlights include a performance from seven-time Grammy Award-winning composer and trumpeter Terence Blanchard, who, alongside his own jazz quintet, will perform the UK premiere of A Tale of God’s Will (A Requiem for Katrina) with the Orchestra. The LPO will perform 9 premieres across the season including Tan Dun’s Nine – an ‘ode to peace’ commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society as a companion piece to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in its 200th anniversary year.
Programming across the season explores the different elements of nature – water, forests, mountains, wildlife and more – reflected in music, including Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ Symphony andworks by Sibelius, Mendelssohn, Elgar and Dvořák; masterpieces of an era that saw nature as a mirror of human emotion.
More contemporary perhaps; voices as diverse as Duke Ellington, John Luther Adams and Anna Thorvaldsdottir have all found an unquenchable source of creative energy in the processes of nature.
If you are able to get to London, my advice would be to treat yourselves and buy tickets before they sell out.
