Sunday, May 29, 2011

Despite losing two babies, Amanda Holden's ready to try again

It has been less than four months since she suffered she lost her second baby in a year.
But Amanda Holden says she is ‘optimistic’ and wants to try for more children.
The 40-year-old Britain’s Got Talent judge, who is married to music producer Chris Hughes, said losing her unborn child seven months into pregnancy was ‘the worst time of our lives’.


Optimistic: Despite losing two babies, Amanda Holden and her husband Chris Hughes want to try for more children

But she added: ‘I am an optimist. I think, as bad as life sometimes gets, there is so much joy and so much good stuff, that there is a balance.
‘Although what happened is obviously horrifying, we can go on to have more children.’
Miss Holden, who has a five-year-old daughter, Lexi, also revealed that she developed a close friendship with a group of midwives who helped her through her ordeal in February.


More...
Read the full interview with Amanda Holden
The joy of Shreks: Fat suits, fake ears and Amanda Holden's embarrassing problem - behind the scenes at a monster musical

She told the Mail on Sunday’s You Magazine: ‘They have gone on to become personal friends and they got Chris and me through the worst time of our lives.
‘They went above and beyond the call of duty, both personally and professionally. I cannot thank them enough.’
Miss Holden revealed in January that she was expecting a baby son in March.


Amanda and Chris already have a five-year-old daughter Lexi

She had kept the pregnancy a secret for as long as possible after her miscarriage last year. But weeks later she was admitted to hospital after complaining that she had not felt the baby kick for 24 hours.
Doctors were unable to save him but were baffled as to what went wrong, describing him as ‘physically perfect’.
Miss Holden was forced to go under sedation while she came to terms with the shock and spent two days in hospital.
After her miscarriage in May 2010, she said: ‘It was without doubt the blackest period of my life.
‘You never think that it might happen to you. I was an absolute mess. Poor Chris was too but he was amazing.’

Be the Queen of the High Street... Britain’s newest royal loves High Street fashion, so what should Kate (and you) try next?

She has multi-millionaire parents and is now a member of royalty but the Duchess of Cambridge still can't get enough of the High Street.
Forgoing the designer labels that she could no doubt afford thanks to her moneyed background, Kate proves that she remains a decent, down-to-earth girl with an eye for a bargain.
Here we predict her future high street purchases...
Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton
Left: Polka dot dress, £45, marksandspencer. com. Clutch bag, £19.99, hm.com. Carvela shoes, £70, kurtgeiger.com.

Right: Red dress, £89.90, Massimo Dutti, 020 7361 1840. Belt, £49, reiss online.com. Sam Edelman platform shoes, £140, my-wardrobe.com.
Kate's recent wares have caused hysteria around the globe as consumers have trawled the high street to get her regal look.

More...
Royal reinvention No.2: Forty new outfits (but no ladies in waiting). How Kate's plotting to dazzle Hollywood
Now the Middletons get Bieber fever: Kate's family sign exclusive deal to sell teen pop sensation's merchandise

But her fashion influence became clear as far back as 2007 when a dress she wore for her 25th birthday (a £40 Topshop tunic) sold out within 24 hours.
Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton
Left: Polka dot dress, £49.99, zara.com. Black court shoes, £24.99, newlook.co.uk.
Right: Navy and cream dress, £235, whistles.co.uk. Bronze belt, £9.99, zara.com. Grey court shoes, £60, topshop.com
Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton
Left: Dress, £399, jaeger.co.uk. Clutch, £28, aldoshoes.com. Nude courts, £180, lkbennett.com.

How's the head, Healy? Saturdays star Una looks worse for wear on night out with JLS

It's not often you see The Saturdays' Una Healy looking anything less than impeccable.
However the singer looked decidedly worse for wear as she partied the night away with boy band JLS along with her Saturdays band mate Rochelle Wiseman.
The pop stars looked like they had enjoyed a good night with heartthrobs Marvin Humes, Aston Merrygold and Jonathan 'JB' Gill.


Pop idol: A normally impeccable Una needs support from a friend as she leaves the Mayfair Hotel


Steady on: Una looks weary as she leaves the Mayfair Hotel after a night out with the JLS boys

But 28-year-old Una looked like she might have enjoyed one drink too many judging by the peculiar expressions on her face - and the fact she needed help on more than one occasion to stay upright.
Dressed in a low-cut vest top, floral shorts and towering wedge heels, the singer first had to be helped getting out of a car by Marvin - the boyfriend of Rochelle.
Then, it would seem, Una emerged from the party barely able to stand upright as friend placed an arm around her and helped her to a waiting car.
Meanwhile, the JLS boys didn't seem to show any hint of inebriation as they took the evening in their stride.


Worse for wear: Una looks like she's concentrating hard on retaining her dignity as she negotiates the vehicle door


Support: Una and Rochelle lean on JLS hunk Marvin

Marvin walked hand-in-hand with girlfriend Rochelle while bandmate Jonathan 'JB' Gill stepped out with his long-term girlfriend Chloe Tangney.
Aston Merrygold flaunted his sculpted man cleavage in a low-cut vest and a barely-buttoned shirt.
Earlier this week the JLS boys were in serious danger of destroying their street cred as they showed off their flower arranging skills at the Chelsea Flower Show.


Out on the town: JLS singer Jonathan Gill took his long-term girlfriend Chloe Tangney along for the ride


Toned: Aston flaunts his man cleavage in a low-cut vest and a barely-buttoned shirt

Despite being wet-behind-the-ears, the trio managed to pull off some pretty bouquets under the tutorship of Royal Wedding florist Simon Lycett, who worked on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's big day last month.
The X Factor runners up were one of the surprise celebrity guests at the press day for the annual horticultural celebration.

I've got an ordinary body, insists Romola Garai after baring all on Crimson Petal


Raunchy: Romola Garai described her body as 'ordinary'

Her risque performance as the scheming Victorian prostitute Sugar in the hit costume drama The Crimson Petal And The White set viewers’ pulses racing.
But Romola Garai, who appeared topless and was depicted in several explicit love scenes in the BBC production, has described her body as ‘ordinary’ and says she doesn’t worry about how she looks.
In an interview for July’s edition of Tatler magazine, the 28-year-old actress said: ‘There are people who you see on screen and think, “Wow, that’s a slim person” and in the flesh they look nearly dead.
‘I want people to think I’m sexy, but to know also that I’ve got an ¬ordinary body and not feel intimidated. I’d rather enjoy food, sex and all the joyful things in life than worry about how I look.’
The Crimson Petal And The White has been described as the most erotic costume drama for years, but Garai justified its racy content, saying: ‘There’s a lot of sex in it because Sugar’s a lady of the night.’

More...
Denise Richards is fabulous at 40 in a white hot bikini
Four children and still bikini ready! Real Housewives of New Jersey's Teresa Giudice flaunts her body at the beach

But she admitted that filming some of the scenes was embarrassing.
She added: ‘Standing in pants and suspenders, waiting for someone to call “Action” is pretty cringey, but I’m insane so I keep doing it. By the end everyone on set was like, “Please, just put it away.” ’
In a photoshoot to accompany the Tatler interview, Garai looks far more glamorous. She is pictured aboard a double-decker bus dressed in a £7,000 Oscar de la Renta silk gown coupled with a bus driver’s cap.


Sexy: Garai appears as prostitute Sugar in the Crimson Petal, which has been described as one of the most erotic costume dramas in years

Hong Kong-born Garai, whose big-screen credits include Atonement,
Glorious 39 and Amazing Grace, now has a string of television and film appearances lined up.
Most notably she will star opposite Dominic West, of acclaimed American crime show The Wire, in a BBC drama called The Hour. The six-part series charts the heady days of television news in the Fifties.
Garai plays Bel Rowley, an ambitious producer whose life is thrown into turmoil when she finds herself drawn to married news anchorman Hector Madden, played by West.


Glamorous: Garai appears in Tatler magazine dressed in a £7,000 Oscar de la Renta silk gown

The Hour, which is already being dubbed Britain’s answer to Mad Men, also features established actors such as Juliet Stevenson, Tim Pigott-Smith, Anton Lesser and Anna Chancellor.
And Garai has landed a role alongside Anne Hathaway in the much anticipated big-screen adaptation of One Day, the bestselling romantic novel by David Nicholls.
Despite her burgeoning success, the young actress struggles to adjust to life on film sets.
She said: ‘If I have to spend prolonged periods of time in a trailer, I go mad. Stuck in a metal box doing nothing, I lie there paralysed with boredom
and frustration.’
To escape the pressures of showbusiness, Garai admits she likes nothing better than ‘dancing like an idiot to cheesy Eighties music’.

Scandal of midwife who 'ran off with a married man five months after she delivered his baby'


Foetal attraction: Midwife Rebecca Lewis became Facebook friends with the Malins after their child was born

A midwife who helped deliver a couple’s first baby had an affair with the father a few months later.
Rebecca Lewis, 34, began the affair with Ian Malin after the three became Facebook friends following the birth of his son Jacob.
And when the child was five months old, Mr Malin walked out on his wife, Sarah, 33, on Mother’s Day – after she confronted him over a suspicious text message on his phone.
Miss Lewis, a mother of three, is understood to have been given a dressing down by hospital managers after Mrs Malin made an official complaint.
She could now face an investigation by the nursing watchdog.
Yesterday Mrs Malin, a youth support worker from Pontardawe, South Wales, confirmed the split.
A friend said it was only a few weeks ago that Mrs Malin learned of the full extent of her husband’s betrayal, when she realised texts on her husband’s phone came from the same number she had stored for Miss Lewis in her phone.
She told the friend: ‘How could anyone help deliver another woman’s baby, then go off with her husband? Of all the women Ian could have fallen for, this has to be the sickest choice. It’s horrific – like something out of the movie Fatal Attraction.’

Midwife crisis: Miss Lewis, a 36-year-old mother-of-three, is a midwife at Swansea's Singleton Hospital

Miss Lewis is understood to have broken up with her long-term boyfriend around the time that Mr Malin left his wife.
The ex-partner, who works in IT, is thought to be father to at least two of the midwife’s children.
The Malins married in 2009 and met Miss Lewis last October when Mrs Malin went into labour and was admitted to Singleton Hospital, Swansea.
Within 48 hours of them leaving hospital with Jacob, Miss Lewis is said to have tracked the couple down on Facebook, sending each a request to be her friend on the social networking site.

More...
'Father' ordered to pay £100k for children he never knew he had after ex-wife tricked IVF clinic into using his frozen sperm
Hundreds of babies dying unnecessarily because hospital staff aren't trained to use equipment

Mrs Malin told her friend she considered the request a ‘nice gesture’ and was not suspicious.
But her husband, a nurse at another hospital, soon began staying out overnight with ‘friends’.
On Mother’s Day, Mrs Malin found a text message on her husband’s phone from ‘Orange Text Support’ which said: ‘Hi Party Boy, when can I phone you?’


Home wrecked: Ian and Sarah Malin split just five-months after the birth of their son

She confronted Mr Malin, who plays guitar in a local wedding and covers band.
He denied he was having an affair, but agreed to move out when he was unable to explain the message.
Mrs Malin then spent the next few weeks trying to work out who the message could have come from, until she realised the number was her midwife’s. Mrs Malin’s friend said the new mother confronted her husband again, and he admitted having sex with Miss Lewis in a car after one of his shows with his band, Silver.
Mrs Malin has now filed for divorce. She told the friend: ‘All my hopes have been taken from me by a woman who was in a trusted position.’
Miss Lewis has denied sleeping with Mr Malin in his car, but refused to comment when contacted at her converted barn on the Gower Peninsula, near Swansea.
Moments earlier, Mr Malin was seen hurrying inside.
A spokesman for Singleton Hospital refused to comment, other than to say that the board would be investigating.

What have you got to hide January? Ms Jones attempts to conceal her baby bump with her pet dog as they go for a hike

As the media storm continues with speculation on who the father of her unborn child is, January Jones found some solace in her loyal companion, today.
The 33-year-old actress spent some time with her adorable black dog as they went for a hike around Lake Hollywood in Los Angeles.
And at first it seemed that the shy X Men star was trying to use the shaggy-haired pooch to conceal her growing baby bump.



Something to hide? January Jones went on a hike around Lake Hollywood in Los Angeles with her adorable black dog, at times hiding her baby bump with the pup

Clutching onto her four-legged friend, she rested the pet on across her stomach as they made their way down the mountain.
But later, the actress revealed her burgeoning belly, clearly visible in a nude long-sleeve top and a loose-fitting pair of pants.
January also tried to disguise herself by tucking her blonde hair under her favourite page-boy hat and large sunglasses.
Earlier in the day, the actress showed that she was clearly eating for two, by stocking up on groceries at a local Albertsons supermarket.


Comfort: The actress later revealed her burgeoning belly in a nude long-sleeve top and a pair of loose fitting pants

And it appears that she is perhaps craving cereal, purchasing at least two boxes of the breakfast snack.
This week speculation somewhat hit fever pitch over who the father of January's child is.
Yesterday, the Hollywood star was faced with a media storm as she arrived back in LA from a promotional trip in New York.
The sighting came as Matthew Vaughn, the producer of her new movie X Men: First Class, categorically denied that he is was the father of her baby.


Loyal friend: Jones found some solace in her loyal companion, as the media storm continues with speculation on who the father of her unborn child is

Vaughn, the husband of supermodel Claudia Schiffer, was named among the potential dads-to-be after his no-show at a recent screening sent online commentators into a frenzy.
He claimed it was because of 'severe tonsillitis' - but internet gossip suggested he was keeping his distance from Jones.
Vaughn, 40, told a friend: 'These rumours are categorically not true. Everything is fine with my marriage but these allegations are deeply hurtful,' the Daily Mirror reported.
According to E! Online, Vaughn had a 'very close' relationship with the actress on set.


Eating for two: Earlier in the day, January showed that she was clearly eating for two, by stocking up on cereal at a local Albertsons supermarket

The article alleges Vaughn 'abruptly' left town at around the same time Jones made her surprise baby announcement in April even though he was scheduled to stay for another month.
The report was picked up by the New York Daily News and several other news outlets, although it is no longer visible on the website.
While the Mad Men actress has yet to reveal the identity of the baby's father, some have said it could be an ex, while others have speculated Jones is keeping the name of her baby's father a secret because he is not a single man.


Covered up: Most of the day she disguised herself by tucking her blonde hair under her favourite page-boy hat and large sunglasses

When former boyfriend, Saturday Night Live comic Jason Sudeikis was recently asked if he had any comment about Jones' recent baby news, he became tongue-tied, saying, ‘I'd rather – yes but no.’

Media storm: Yesterday, the actress was greeted by a media storm as she arrived back in LA from a promotional trip in New York

While her X-Men co-star Michael Fassbender is another name being touted.
On Thursday the pregnant actress spent the day promoting her new movie X Men: First Class in New York.
As the star of Mad Men she squeezed herself into corsets for every scene but that was out of the question this week as her baby bump was clearly visible.
She chose to dress in a stylish black shift dress with lace neckline.
The actress completed the effortless look by tying her hair up in a loose bun and hiding from the Manhattan sun behind over-sized cat’s eye sunglasses.
Jones had earlier joined cast mates James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Zoe Kravitz to chat with Today Show host Matt Lauer about the latest instalment of the mutant movie series, but the conversation inevitably turned to her impending motherhood.
'I feel really good, obviously I have the giggles all the time,' laughed the actress when Lauer asked how she was coping with her pregnancy. 'I feel really good.'
Most famous for her role as uptight 60s housewife Betty Draper, Jones plays Emma Frost in the X-Men prequel, who’s skill is the power to turn her body into diamonds, 'anytime she wants to be physically indestructible, just the coolest person ever – super sparkly,' revealed Jones. 'And she’s a telepath.'

We're learning the hard way! Six undergraduates reveal how they're funding their fees

Next year’s rise in tuition fees will be just the latest in a long line of financial burdens for students. But there are ways of making ends meet – even without parental support. Ruth Tierney meets six can-do undergraduates who are funding their education with part-time jobs
‘Promotional work pays for my PR course’


Claire Thomas, 21, relies on promotional work to fund herself through a degree in public relations at Leeds Metropolitan University.

I’m from a very working-class family in Middlesbrough who can’t spare anything towards my university costs, so if I didn’t work, I wouldn’t be here. My mum’s a kitchen assistant at a school and my dad works for a compensation firm, but he’s been made redundant from three jobs in the past six years. When I decided to go to uni, I assumed a student loan would pay for everything. But despite the fact I get a loan for tuition fees, a maintenance loan of £1,000 a term, and a full grant of £900 a term, that still doesn’t cover the cost of living in a city like Leeds. My £250 average monthly wage is essential for bills, shopping, bus fares and driving lessons.
In the three years I’ve been at uni, I’ve worked as a barmaid and shop assistant – both jobs I’ve had to quit because of going home over the summer holidays. Having contracted hours was stressful because no matter how many lectures I had, I still had to turn up for work. In my second year (I’m now in my third), I was diagnosed with stress after I broke down in hysterical tears one day. I left my job, but then found myself £1,500 overdrawn in the space of a term. So I started doing casual promotional work through an agency a year ago, and the hours are flexible, allowing me to choose when I work depending on how busy I am at uni. Some of the work has been embarrassing, such as walking up and down the street with a sign on my back advertising the opening of a new store. But other times I really enjoy the campaigns, such as talking about Revlon mascara to customers in Superdrug.
After graduating I’m going to carry on doing promo work while I decide whether to move to London, where most of the good consumer PR agencies are. I don’t know whether I’ll ever be able to afford to live in the capital, though. When I do start earning a proper wage, I’ll have to pay back around £15,000, which is a lot less than some because my uni has quite low tuition fees in comparison. There’s been talk that the fees for my course are going to go up to around £8,000 a year soon, so more students will have to find part-time work like me.
‘I’m funding my fashion degree by working in a call centre’

Jodie McTaggart, 22, is studying fashion writing and culture at Solent University, Southampton, and works in customer complaints for British Gas.

It would have been impossible for me to go to university without also earning a living to pay my way. My mum, a social worker, and my dad, a courier, would love to support me, but there’s no way they could afford to. Besides, I’m the one who made the choice to study for three years, so I should be the one who pays for it. It scares me when I think about the £22,000 of student loans I’ll have to pay back at the end of this.
I had a couple of years out after school, which was when I got a job in the customer complaints division of a British Gas call centre. I was working full time, supporting myself, and had moved into a shared house with friends by the time I went to uni. Because I’d been independent for less than three years, the maintenance loan I received (which is for accommodation and is part means-tested) was based on my parents’ earnings. This meant I got less than I’d imagined. Although my tuition fees of £3,500 a year are covered by the loan, there’s barely enough left for my rent and bills. Luckily, my boss said that I could go part time at British Gas, so I now do 17.5 hours a week. I show my boss my timetable at the start of each term, and I’m given hours that fit around lectures. I take home around £620 a month after tax, which covers the rest of my rent, bills, food, travel and books.
Although I only have six hours of lectures a week, I’m in my final year so I’m also trying to write a 10,000-word dissertation. I know I can handle it because I’m so organised. I work three days or evenings a week at British Gas. Because I’m dealing with angry customers shouting down the phone it can be very stressful. It’s giving me transferable skills though, such as assertiveness and the ability to work under pressure.
I’m exhausted on Sundays – my only day off – but it will be worth it in the long run. When I graduate I’m going full time at British Gas while I find a job as a fashion journalist. It’s such a competitive market that who knows how long
that will take?
‘Stripping off at hen nights is funding my law degree’

Alex Hemsley, 22, works as a Butler in the Buff to pay the bills while he studies law at the University of the West of England, Bristol.

Why would I work as a half-naked waiter at hen nights and parties full of raucous, tipsy women? Because the £25-an-hour rate, which can see me earn around £1,500 a month at busy times, means I can pay my way through uni. The maintenance loan I receive is only £2,000 a year, yet my rent alone is £500 a month. Although my parents can help (my mum’s a photographer and my dad’s in financial services), it doesn’t feel right for them to be supporting their 20-something son.
I’m in my second year now, but when I started uni I was a barman in a pub, getting minimum wage and doing 40-hour weeks to make ends meet. My grades suffered and I only just scraped a pass in my first-year exams. When a friend told me he’d got a job with Butlers in the Buff, which involves serving at functions with a bare chest and dickie bow, I thought, ‘Why not?’ My first booking was for a hen do, and I was pretty nervous – especially as they’d requested we just wear pinnies (and no trousers). But after five minutes, I’d almost forgotten about my lack of clothing.
Most people just laugh about my job. Even my parents find it hilarious. There are ten other Butlers who go to my uni, so it’s a common way to fund your studies. And because it’s nationwide, I get gigs when I go home to Cambridge.
The pay’s so good that I can work fewer hours (between ten and 20 a week) and dedicate myself to the 12 hours of lectures and 30 hours of reading a week required by my course. My grades have improved and I’m now on track to get a 2:1 or first. I’m then hoping to do a master’s in law before becoming a solicitor, and will continue doing this work to fund it. I’ll need all the help I can get as I’ll owe about £25,000 in student loans.
‘My job at Reiss complements my fashion degree’

Carys Thomas, 20, is studying art and design at the London College of Fashion (LCF), while working evenings and weekends as a concession manager for clothing company Reiss.

Living in London is so expensive that even my well-off student friends have difficulty getting by. So if you come from a middle-income family like my own, working is a necessity. My parents are separated, so money is even more of an issue. When they split up, my dad left the PR agency they owned to go freelance. My mum found another business partner, but that meant her income halved. Asking for handouts isn’t an option.
After school I had a year out, working full time as a shop assistant at Reiss’s flagship store in Barrett Street, London, taking on more responsibility with styling and visual merchandising. I got a flat with three other girls and paid the £500 a month rent myself, while putting away £200 a month for college. Before long, I was promoted to concession manager for the Reiss department in John Lewis, Oxford Street, as well as continuing to work as a sales assistant at the flagship branch. For this I get an extra £100 a month. I was working a minimum of 40 hours a week, taking home £1,500 a month after tax.
When I got on to an art foundation course last September at the LCF, my employers let me keep my managerial role because they knew that I was hardworking enough to fit it
in around college. My tutors are delighted I have a job because they can see what great experience I’m getting. I now do 20 hours a week at Reiss, working evenings and weekends, to fit around the 16 hours of lectures. Sometimes I don’t get home until 9pm and have to stay up until midnight doing coursework, which is tiring. Because I’m over 19, I had to pay £850 for the year’s tuition fees. I don’t get any kind of loan, so my mum pays half my rent each month (£250) and I pay the other half. I pay for everything else, from my Tube fares (£130 a month) to my mobile bill (£70 a month).
When I start my fashion degree in September, my mum will stop giving me money because I’ll qualify for a tuition loan and a maintenance loan. I’ll carry on working at Reiss – I couldn’t do this otherwise. I bring home £700 a month now after tax. It will be worth it when I graduate, because I’m hoping that Reiss will take me on as a buyer.
‘I'm a sports-centre supervisor and a management student’

Samantha Dane, 22, studies human resources (HR) management at Manchester Metropolitan University all week, and works as a sports-centre supervisor at weekends.

It’s hard enough now being a cash-strapped student, but I pity the ones who will face almost triple the tuition fees. Although I earn £300 a month as a part-time supervisor at a leisure centre, I still have trouble making ends meet.
A loan takes care of my degree fees, a maintenance loan (£2,000 a term) covers the rent of my city-centre flat-share, and I get a bursary of £1,000 a year. It sounds manageable, until you consider the high cost of living, and hidden extras such as the £400 deposit I needed to secure a flat last summer. This, my third and final year, is the most expensive yet because I have to fork out for more books, while it costs £50 to get my dissertation bound and £100 to hire a graduation cap and gown.
The majority of students I know need to work part time and have jobs in supermarkets and bars. In fact, my university supports it, letting any students with jobs take one less module a year in order to cope. I started at the leisure centre while resitting an A-level after school, and within a year I’d been promoted from lifeguard to supervisor, managing between two and five members of staff each shift. This meant my hourly rate went up by £2 an hour (it’s now £8), plus I’m gaining managerial experience that will hopefully help win me a job.
When I got into uni, my boss allowed me to go from full time to weekends. This means it doesn’t affect the six hours of lectures I have a week, or my coursework. I work full time during the holidays and save money to pay for the year ahead. My boss understands that uni is my priority, but knows I’m a hard worker, so he didn’t want to lose me.
Having a responsible job at an early age meant that I never expected my mum (a housewife) and dad (a mechanic) to support me. They help when I’m really stuck.
I’ve applied for graduate schemes in HR at Marks & Spencer and Rolls-Royce so hopefully I’ll have a job when I leave. Hanging over me is the £20,000-plus in loans that I’ll have to pay back as soon as I’m earning £15,000 a year – the only comfort is that everyone I know is in the same boat.
‘Being a student has boosted my business’

Lauren Moulsley, 19, is juggling an event management degree at Bournemouth University with selling Avon cosmetics.

On my first day at university, I came into campus with a stack of books under one arm and a pile of catalogues under the other. As everyone else introduced themselves,
I took the chance to promote my Avon business, signing up fellow students as new customers. There are about 110 people on my course, all of them women, and the majority now buy their beauty and skincare from me. While most students I know are deep into their overdraft, my business venture means I’ve always been in the black. This is more important now than ever because my mum was recently made redundant so my parents don’t need me asking for handouts.
I started my own Avon business on my 18th birthday, while still at school. The flexi hours appealed and I’m passionate about make-up. I was assigned the Reading street I lived in, and within a month orders were flooding in. While friends had to give up part-time jobs when they relocated for uni, I was able to continue mine, keeping my original customers (who I sell to when I’m home) and adding new ones. I live in a hall of residence with 500 other students, so I’m never short of doors to knock on.
I deliver catalogues, pick up orders and bag products in the evenings, for around three hours a week, which doesn’t interfere with the 13 hours of lectures I have. My tutors think it’s fantastic that I’m running my own business.
I make around £60 a week, which pays for food, bus fares and stationery. Although my tuition fees are covered by a government loan, the maintenance loan of £3,560 a year doesn’t cover my rent, which is £4,050. My mum and dad (who works in marketing) cover the deficit, but earning extra means I don’t have to ask them for additional money. I feel bad enough that they’re contributing to my rent, but they insist on helping as they know I’ll be in debt to the tune of £30,000 on leaving uni (I’m in my first year of a four-year degree).
There are always ways to earn extra, which I did recently to cover the cost of buying two printer cartridges. I ran a promotion giving customers a free perfume sample for every £5 they spent and sales doubled that week. When I graduate I want to organise charity functions, but will keep Avon on the side. It’s taught me so much about selling, promotion, accounts and deadlines. I used to be shy, but having to knock on strangers’ doors has boosted my confidence.

Did Rihanna get inked AGAIN? Singer who already has 14 tattoos visited New York parlour

Rihanna is known for her love of tattoos and so far has at least 14 etchings on her skin.
But the Bajan beauty has seemingly got addicted to inking and may be adding to her collection.
The 23-year-old visited a tattoo parlour in New York yesterday and seemed to be on a mission to get a new design.
Another one? Rihanna visited a New York tattoo parlour yesterday reportedly to add to the already 14 designs she has all over her body
Another one? Rihanna visited a New York tattoo parlour yesterday reportedly to add to the already 14 designs she has all over her body
Another one? Rihanna visited a New York tattoo parlour yesterday reportedly to add to the already 14 designs she has all over her body

Rihanna wore a short-sleeved long black dress with a thigh-high split.
She dressed down her ensemble with flat black sneakers and carried a large denim Prada bag.

More...

  • Flame haired Rihanna paints the town red on night out in New York City
  • Rihanna gets a major hair makeover before taking to the stage as a sexy sailor
Her long flame hair cascaded over her shoulders in wavy curls and she carried a red rose that a fan gave her just before she entered the store.
Revealing: The 23-year-old wore a dress that had a thigh-high split as she entered the tattoo parlour
Revealing: The 23-year-old wore a dress that had a thigh-high split as she entered the tattoo parlour

It's not yet known what the feisty star had done but it will only be a matter of time before she shows it off if she had a new one added.
Her much talked about long red tresses have apparently been inspired by The Little Mermaid.
Rihanna tweeted a picture of herself yesterday writing: 'Touch ups... Ariel style', referring to the long haired half-woman half-fish Disney creature.
Meet: Rihanna has been nominated for six BET Awards and will likely encounter her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown at the June 26 show who has also been nominated
Meet: Rihanna has been nominated for six BET Awards and will likely encounter her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown at the June 26 show who has also been nominated

The Umbrella songstress was in New York to kick off The Today Show's summer concert series.
It was announced last week that the star has received four BET Award nominations including a nod for Best R & B Artist.
If she attends the live awards show on June 26 in Los Angeles, she will no doubt bump into ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, who is up for a leading six BET Awards, including Best Male R&B Artist and Video of the Year.
Fiery red: Rihanna's new long tresses were inspired by Ariel from The Little Mermaid
Fiery red: Rihanna's new long tresses were inspired by Ariel from The Little Mermaid
Fiery red: Rihanna's new long tresses were inspired by Ariel from The Little Mermaid

As Mail Online reported two weeks ago, Rihanna and Chris Brown are now following each other on Twitter.
The on-line gesture came two years after the infamous assault that Rihanna suffered at the hands of Brown, her then boyfriend.
Now come new reports that the two may be hooking up in secret.
Rihanna split with Brown in 2009 after he attacked her, but had her restraining order against him lifted in February so that they could both attend the Grammy Awards.
A source tells The UK's Now magazine that the two have been seeing more of each other and are even thinking of getting back together.
'Ri-Ri's always loved Chris - that never changed,' said the insider.
'They've texted and Skyped each other a lot recently and met up at a mutual friend's house in Los Angeles after the restraining order expired.
'Ri-Ri wants to be with Chris but is worried about her career and fans.
'She's trying to find a way to take him back publicly without letting down her supporters, her management and her friends, or setting a bad example.
Neither Chris nor Rihanna has commented on the article, although this morning he tweeted: 'Music always drowns out the noise.'
Meanwhile, the With You singer performed in Miami, Florida last night where he cavorted on stage with one of his dancers.
The heavily tattoo'd singer straddled the girl and got up close and personal as he sang his hits at the 5th anniversary of the Best Of The Best Spring Fest concert at Bicentennial Park.
Wearing just a pair of white trousers, Brown went topless showing off his toned body to the delight of the crowd.
Topless: Chris Brown cavorted with one of his dancers on stage last night in Miami, Florida
Topless: Chris Brown cavorted with one of his dancers on stage last night in Miami, Florida

The cat who got the Cole: A relaxed Nicole Scherzinger leaves X Factor storm behind her to join the stars at Monaco Grand Prix

Last week, she found herself at the centre of a growing storm when it emerged she had replaced Cheryl Cole as a judge on the U.S. version of the X Factor.
But Pussycat Doll singer Nicole Scherzinger looked like she didn't have a care in the world in Monte Carlo earlier today, as she watched boyfriend Lewis Hamilton race in the Monaco Grand Prix.
Looking happy and relaxed in a grey and black patterned minidress, white sandals and a large oversize floppy hat, the 32-year-old singer smiled as she strolled through the race crowds.
All smiles: Nicole Scherzinger looks happy and relaxed as she strolls through the enclosure at the Monte Carlo Grand Prix earlier today
All smiles: Nicole Scherzinger looks happy and relaxed as she strolls through the enclosure at the Monte Carlo Grand Prix earlier today
All smiles: Nicole Scherzinger looks happy and relaxed as she strolls through the enclosure at the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo earlier today
In the shade: Nicole shelters racing driver boyfriend Lewis Hamilton before today's big race
In the shade: Nicole shelters racing driver boyfriend Lewis Hamilton before today's big race

She was also pictured holding an umbrella over her 26-year-old British boyfriend before the race to shade him from the Monaco sunshine.

More...

  • Geri Halliwell and boyfriend Henry Beckwith put on a playful show on holiday in the South of France
  • Tamara puts the va-va-VROOM into Ultimo! Racy Ecclestone strips down for lingerie deal

The star was clearly enjoying some relaxation time before she is due to return to the U.S. where she will take Cheryl's place alongside Simon Cowell, L.A.Reid and Paula Abdul.
Nicole had originally been co-hosting the show alongside Steve Jones, but will now replace Cheryl after she was fired from the show.
Piece of the action: Wearing a pair of headphones, Nicole looks focussed as she watches the race
Piece of the action: Wearing a pair of headphones, Nicole looks focussed as she watches the race
Piece of the action: Wearing a pair of headphones, Nicole looks focussed as she watches the race

At one point, she was seen sporting a pair of headphones and watching the action intently from a raised platform.
Nicole joined a slew of other celebrities at the Monte Carlo circuit for what has become known as Formula One's most glamorous Grand Prix.
Accordingly, the stars were pulling out all the stops in the glamour stakes.
Royal presence: Princess Beatrice arrives in an apricot dress and cream wedges with her boyfriend Dave Clark
Royal presence: Princess Beatrice arrives in an apricot dress and cream wedges with  boyfriend Dave Clark
Snap happy: Dressed in a green playsuit and pink heels, Geri Halliwell takes a few photographs of the action
Snap happy: Dressed in a green playsuit and pink heels, Geri Halliwell takes a few photographs of the action
Snap happy: Dressed in a green playsuit and pink heels, Geri Halliwell takes a few photographs of the action

Princess Beatrice arrived with her boyfriend Dave Clark looking chic in an apricot dress and wedge sandals while Geri Halliwell turned up with her boyfriend Henry Beckwith.
Looking striking in a bright green playsuit, the former Spice Girl larked around with a camera taking photographs of the action.
British racing driver Jenson Button's model girlfriend Jessica Michibata looked stunning in a white one shouldered minidress, while singer and actress Holly Valance went for a simple chic grey and black patterned dress teamed with Gladiator sandals.
Glamming it up: Holly Valance looked chic in a black and grey patterned dress and gladiator sandals, while racing driver Jenson Button's model girlfriend showed off her slim frame in a white minidress
Glamming it up: Holly Valance looked chic in a black and grey patterned dress and gladiator sandals, while racing driver Jenson Button's model girlfriend showed off her slim frame in a white minidress
Glamming it up: Holly Valance looked chic in a  patterned dress and gladiator sandals, while racing driver Jenson Button's model girlfriend Jessica Michibata showed off her slim frame in a white minidress
It's a family affair: Richard Branson poses with his daughter Holly and her boyfriend Fred Andrews besides the Monte Carlo track
It's a family affair: Richard Branson poses with his daughter Holly and her boyfriend Fred Andrews besides the Monte Carlo track
Millionaires playground: Bernie Ecclestone's daughters Petra andTamara Ecclestone show off their svelte legs in shorts while Monaco royal Charlotte Casiraghi wears an orange and white dress
Millionaires playground: Bernie Ecclestone's daughters Petra andTamara Ecclestone show off their svelte legs in shorts while Monaco royal Charlotte Casiraghi wears an orange and white dress
Charlotte Casiraghi wears an orange and white dress at the Grand Prix

Millionaires playground: Bernie Ecclestone's daughters Petra and Tamara show off their svelte legs in shorts while Monaco royal Charlotte Casiraghi wears an orange and white dress

Monte Carlo was enjoying its reputation as something of a millionaires playground with Richard Branson posing with his daughter Holly and fashion mogul Philip Green also being spotted trackside.
Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone's daughters Petra and Tamara showed off their svelte figures as they arrived at the event, Petra in white shorts and Tamara sporting a white and black patterned playsuit.
Monaco royal Charlotte Casiraghi looked chic in an orange and white dress with beige sandal as she watched defending Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel race to victory.
Picture perfect: The Formula One circus is in the principality of Monte Carlo for round six of the 2011 calendar
Picture perfect: The Formula One circus is in the principality of Monte Carlo for round six of the 2011 calendar
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...