Pick me up TruePDF 28 march 2019

Her hubby was butchered for caring Issue 13 28 March 2019 PBIGLCUAS SH PRIZES DISABLED & DESPERATE Only but he BEGGED FOR A NEW FACE Forced into a life of CRIME L R I G Y M S A W Please help me get Georgina home How could I choose? My BABY or my LIFE TRAGIC TOT Killed over a footie match? You’re Contents On the cover SNEAKY PEEK PHOTOS: MERCURY PRESS AND MEDIA LTD, PRIME FEATURES WORDS: EMMA ROSSITER MIL ! This week we’re saying thanks to BillyandSueWalker, from Worksop Billy’ssisterJanet Tildesley,68,from Barnsley,wrote tosay… B eing a grandparent is great fun You get to enjoy looking after little ones again, but the bonus is you can give them back But my brother Billy, 62, and his wife Sue, 63, go above and beyond in their roles as grandpa and grandma They lost their son – my dear nephew Darren, 36, in November 2015 It was a total shock to all of us, and so heartbreaking for the whole family, least of all the four boys he left behind Even though Billy and Sue were grieving, they never let it show in front of the grandkids Instead, they rallied and made every day count Now they’re always taking the boys, and their two other More real life 14 Shrinking potion needed! 24 A bit of slap & tickle 31 Bingo winners 34 Foster care in crisis 50 One dach-ing couple! PMU value 12 Deals of the week! 23 Genius or totally bonkers? Billy and Sue go above and beyond granddaughters, to parties, swimming or even on holidayss And rather than tears they’ree always full of laughter I can’t praise them enough ‘I’m so proud of you for taking them under your wings like this,’ I say to them, tears in my eyes ‘Well it’s our job as grandparents, isn’t it,’ Billy laughs Maybe But as grandparentss g go, these two really are amazing IT’S YOUR TURN TO NOMINATE SOMEONE s Tell us who you think deserves to receive some lovely bloom ls and why See page for detai of how to get in touch with us and make someone’s day e With over 30 years’ experienc of helping celebrate life’s special moments, FREE delivery by post and a FREE pop-up vase, a gorgeous rs bouquet from Flying Flowe is a lovely way to say, I’m thinking of you See flyingflowers.co.uk Sneaky peek at this week! P6 A mother’s desperate plea p42 Giving Warren back his smile Was my girl stolen by sex traffickers? 10 My baby or my life 20 Her hubby was butchered for caring 28 Forced into a life of crime 42 Only but he begged for a new face 46 Tragic tot: Killed over a footie match? A quickword! £25! IN PUZZL E1 Unscramble our word of the week Clue: Billy and Sue’s fun treat (You’ll find the word somewhere on this page!) Enter on page 47 MIMWINGS From you 13 30 One in a million! Your wild week… Your brainwaves… Animal magic Feelgood 16 Your health: 40 ops… and a life! 18 Your health news 19 Your dilemmas… 26 Your style 36 Your telly 39 Look amazing! 40 Easy eats… 49 Your stars! Puzzles 23 37 41 45 47 48 A quick word! Win £500! Win £150! Win x £25! Win £25! Win x £25! Puzzles entry form Win £1,000! Your H S A C £ t e g d n a s ic p r u o y re a Having a good one? Sh This was our baby boy Jett’s first selfie I think he might be camera-shy, unlike me and my fiance Grant Stacy Gibson, Wordsley My baby boy Bailey, 2, says he thinks he can follow in Daddy’s footsteps – I say he will need to grow a little bit more, though Louise Brewer, Hyde It’s still cold out there so wrap up warm like our little Rosa, 18 months! I don’t think there’s anything cuter than a baby or toddler in a snowsuit! Nina Rees, Swansea GET IN TOUCH Sendusyour storiesandphotos, including all names and ages, a daytime phone number and full address GET CASH! £££ E-mailpickmeup@ti-media.com CALL 020 3148 6460 WRITE TO Pick Me Up!, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP FACEBOOK facebook.com/pickmeupmag SEE OUR WEBSITE lifedeathprizes.com TI Media Limited reserves the right to reuse any submission sent to PickMe Up! magazine, in any format or medium Unfortunately, we can’t return photos without a stamped sae Letters/photos must not be sent to any other publication My granddaughter Effie, 7, loves snuggling up with her new rescue pup Ellie Vanessa Tolson, Tadley It was nice to get away with my friend Kath for my brother’s wedding in Ibiza Natasha Douglas, Rainham I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cuter sight than baby Eden laughing with her daddy Matt Lisa Rule, Penzance Imagine how surprised I was when Hollywood actor Michael Fassbender just walked into my work Best day ever Lesley Phillips, Walton My nieces Sophie, 17, and Katie, 18, and I think my brother Hugh looks like one famous silent character, played by Rowan Atkinson – you see the resemblance? Charlotte Primrose, Manningtree I was having a swinging good time on holiday in Cuba, but most of all I was impressed I didn’t fall off this hammock Jo Greasby, Bradford My daughter Emily, 7, loves the ball pool at a local play centre, as proved by this colourful photo of her! Laura Ward, Torrington WORDS: TRACY GAYTON, FRANCES LEATE PHOTOS: SUSSEX POLICE, PRIME FEATURES, REX U nzipping her jacket, my daughter Georgina, then 9, flashed me a cheeky smile ‘Don’t tell Dad,’ she whispered, pulling out a tiny kitten ‘Not another stray,’ I groaned My cheeky, free-spirited girl was such a charmer, it was hard to say no So we kept the kitten, and named him Barney He was one of many! And it wasn’t just animals she’d take in Outgoing Georgina easily made friends with strangers, striking up a conversation on the train or bus ‘Don’t be so trusting,’ I’d say But you could never tell her what to After finishing school at 16, she went to catering college Like her older sister Sara, 20, and younger twins Arij and Sonya, 12, she loved to cook But a year on, Georgina quit to take a part-time admin job Lacking direction, she went a bit off the rails She’d sometimes disappear for days, staying at friends’ houses But she’d always text me what she was up to, and she still loved chilling at home with me and her sisters ‘I love you, Mum,’ she’d tell me before bed ‘Love you,too,George,’I’d say ‘Not as much as I love you!’ she’d grin Her little catchphrase, she’d been saying it since she was At 19, Georgina started Me with Sara and Georgina as kids U O H T I W E C A R T A Andrea Gharsallah, 56, from w o n k ’t n s e o d , x e ss u S t s e W , Worthing if she’lleversee her daughter again a serious relationship, and they moved in together just around the corner from me She went on to have two beautiful boys and was a devoted mum After being a bit lost, she’d found her purpose She really came into her own and I loved seeing her so happy ‘You’re such a good mum,’ I told her proudly, glad my once-rebellious girl had settled down She’d come over most afternoons for a cuppa, with a plastic box of cupcakes She talked about one day opening her own cakemaking business But for now, she was engrossed in family life Yet it wasn’t long before the cracks started to show in her relationship ‘I don’t want the boys growing up around arguments,’ she confided to me, one day in the summer of 2012 Weeks later, I helped her move out with the boys and come back to mine It was ruled that the boys would live with their dad and come to us at weekends Georgina was heartbroken While she was always a model mum when her sons came, during the week, she’d drink heavily In and out of work, she seemed lost all over again I was desperate for her to ditch the booze ‘Come on, George, think of the boys,’ I told her ‘Everyone drinks,’ she snapped I knew I couldn’t push it – she was an adult, after all In October 2016, she met someone new and they moved in together But the relationship was unsteady, they kept breaking up, then getting back together I love him, but I can’t live with him, she texted me in April 2017 Eventually, in February last year, she moved back home She seemed down, upset things hadn’t worked out Still, she put her worries behind her for the boys at weekends, taking them bowling or to the cinema Every Sunday, her sister, Sara, now 35, and the twins, 27, would come for dinner ‘I’m thinking of getting a place in Brighton,’ Georgina announced one day It wasn’t too far away, and she had friends there Perhaps she’d be happier On Wednesday March, I was getting ready for my shift as a carer Passing by Georgina’s room, I stuck my head round the door She seemed sad as she sat on the floor, smoothing straighteners through her hair ‘My phone’s on the blink,’ she groaned Her phone was her lifeline, so I dug out an old one of mine ‘You’ll need to get a SIM card,’ I said, handing it to her ‘Thanks, Mum,’ she smiled ‘I’ll walk into town later.’ ‘Love you,’ I told her ‘Love you more!’ she chanted back in her old familiar way When I returned, around 8pm, Georgina wasn’t home Exhausted, I went to bed When she didn’t show up the next day, I assumed she’d stayed with friends The next day, there was still She had two beautiful boys, was a devoted mum REAL LIFE My girl was seen on CCTV and then she just vanished THE E BIG READ no sign of her, so I sent her a text to an old number, hoping it might be working again Everything OK? I wrote No reply ‘Maybe she’s back with her ex,’ I said to Sonya The following day, the house phone rang It was her ex ‘Have you seen George?’ he asked me ‘I thought she was with you,’ I gulped I spent the rest of the day trying to call Georgina, but the line was dead Her sisters and I went online and, between us, we contacted all her Facebook friends No-one had seen her We were all so worried, but I tried to stay calm ‘The boys are coming next Friday, she won’t miss that,’ I said Georgina was a free spirit She’d gone for days before, then turned up all smiles I woke up that Friday, nine days on, expecting to see Georgina stroll in But when the boys arrived in the afternoon, there was still no sign of her ‘Where’s Mummy?’ asked her eldest Unable to answer, I had an anxious feeling growing in the pit of my stomach Has she been in an accident? Has someone hurt her? I shuddered The next morning, hands shaking, I called the police ‘It’s not unusual for adults to slip off radar occasionally,’ an officer reassured me He told me not to worry, but I was beside myself We put posts on social media appealing for information, made posters with Georgina’s photo on and distributed them in shops and pubs On 26 March, an officer told us the Major Crime Team would be taking over the investigation ‘Her bank account hasn’t been used since March,’ he said The last day I’d seen her ‘What’s she been living on, then?’ I asked, panicked The police said they were escalating the case from a missing person to a possible major crime I was told they’d need to search the house They took hair from Georgina’s hairbrush, papers they’d found in her room and an old scrap of paper with an address on Meanwhile, my life was on hold I spent most of the time at work in a daze, and weekends with the boys were hard ‘Mummy’s not well,’ I fibbed When Georgina had been missing for six weeks, the police showed me CCTV footage My heart thudded as I saw Georgina walk into a Worthing convenience store It was March With her hair up, smiling and clutching her handbag and a small carrier bag, she chatted to a member of staff, presenting the phone I’d given her Minutes later, she walked out, looked in both directions down the street as if deciding where to go next, then disappeared from view In broad daylight, just like that, she vanished Days later, in the April, police arrested two men on suspicion of murder But they were released without charge Hearing the word ‘murder’ chilled me to the bone But I refused to consider that Georgina might no longer be alive… I can’t give up on her ‘IS MUMMY MISSING ?’ REAL LIFE CONTINUED FROM P7 D ays blurred into each other as we waited for any scrap of news that would reassure us Georgina was OK ‘I just want her home,’ I wept to my girls Every few weeks, officers showed me new CCTV footage of young women they believed were Georgina But, within an instant, I’d know by the way they walked or held themselves Not my girl ‘You’re sure?’ they’d ask ‘I know my own child,’ I choked, devastated it wasn’t her The weeks, then months, went by without news I couldn’t sleep or eat, felt anxious all the time I uploaded video appeals on Facebook – one had over 10,000 views There were reported sightings of Georgina as far off as Leeds None came to anything ‘Is Mummy missing?’ her eldest asked me one day ‘Yes, darling,’ I told him sadly Later, I found him lying in her bed, crying Heartbreaking On Georgina’s 31st birthday, last October, seven months after she’d gone missing, we held a candlelit vigil at Worthing train station, near where she was last seen With family and friends, I set up a table with photos of Georgina, sprayed a little tree with glitter We asked people to write messages of hope on leafshaped cards to hang on it Reading them at home that night, I was devastated I wish I’d spent more time with you, an old school friend wrote Now, Georgina’s been missing for a year The house is so empty without her I’ve gone over Without Georgina, there’s a massive hole in our lives My lovely girl – missing for a year now every possible scenario a thousand times in my head Around the time she went missing, a female dog walker reported seeing a woman who looked like Georgina arguing with two men on a bridge Workmen were demolishing a car park nearby, and the site’s been completely flattened now In my darkest moments, I wonder… If something bad had happened to her, could they have hidden her body there? But thinking like this only drives me crazy I’m living every mum’s worst nightmare My grandsons still visit, fill my home with noise, the clutter of toys and games But they miss their mum desperately ‘Hello, Mummy,’ they say, looking at photos on the wall I cling to the one thing I know – Georgina was a devoted mother Even if she walked away from her family, she’d never have left her sons I’m convinced whatever’s Me with Arij – we all miss Georgina so much happened to her was against her will Georgina was a trusting soul who took everyone at face value She could be naive Another dark fear is that she was somehow introduced to drugs, then trafficked into the sex trade in the UK or abroad It sounds far fetched But she’s got to be somewhere Georgina, if you’re reading this, please get in touch Just let us know you’re safe Without you, there’s a massive hole in our lives Believe me, sweetheart, no-one loves you more Can you help? S ussex Police are offering £5,000 for information that could lead to finding Georgina She’s described as white, 5ft 4in tall, with dark hair and an upper lip piercing If you know anything, go to sussex.police uk/contact/af/ contact-us, or call 101 quoting Operation Pavo You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 WIN Followit! E L Z Z U P Solve the puzzle to spell out a term related to the picture The arrows show you where to put your answers The answer is spelled in the yellow squares Enter on page 47 £ 00! Beat the keeper (5,1,4) Stonework structure Adolescent Gambles Cargo box Small number Prepare to remove Bad smell Bottle top Yuletide Invisible emanation See photo Lacking guile Bring an action against Hired out Party dance S African currency Sound system (2-2) Condensing (of) Bolt fastener Part company List component Go head first Thick, shaggy (eyebrows) PHOTO: ALAMY Formerly surnamed Girl’s name or part of the eye Island south of Sicily Quagmire Obscure Place for exercise Covers with bitumen A Period of time Little devils S Common insect L F Become Espionage agent P Jewish state First name of singer Ms Goulding Idiots Slips up Murray, tennis player Musical play Fête O Settles Lyric poem Wash against Spill over Besides, otherwise Work of fiction Petty dispute Thirsty Garnett, TV loudmouth Weight of duty Famous UK cricket ground Animal’s bedding material Jogs along Puts off Develop a fondness for (4,2) Stage whisper Frozen princess Cut-throat, ruffian Desai, Indian writer Unwell Graveyard tree 366-day period (4,4) Female equivalent of Scout Eyelid ailment Crooked, askew Fewer Fled Got along, managed Daly, TV presenter Fox-like 5! 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Only £2 Essence Ultra Last Instant Colour Lipstick, £2.30, Wilko Nothing perks you up like a slick of beautiful lipstick Available in 10 flattering shades, this lipstick delivers intense colour in a single swipe, with a buttery texture that feels comfortable to wear No Lime, Basil and Mandarin glass candle, £3.99, Aldi The glass is weighty with a chic metal lid (which doubles as a heatproof mat) and inside lies a fresh, uplifting fragrance to soothe the mind It will burn for around 48 relaxing hours Dr.OrganicMoisturising Gel Socks, £8, Holland & Barrett Can’t afford a pedicure? These are the next best thing Slip your feet into the reusable gel-lined socks for 20 minutes and the pampering ingredients help soften hard skin George EyeShadow Eye Pigment Palette, £6, Asda This is a suits-all selection Add sparkle with a wash of champagne or pink across the eyelid then ramp up the drama using a dark shade in the crease and outer corner Cleansing Brush, £15, Primark This is one of the cheapest electrical cleansing brushes we’ve come across Used with your regular face wash, the rotating brush removes dirt, dead skin, pollution and makeup way more effectively than manual cleansing so skin looks smoother, brighter and clearer 39 WHILE WE TRY TO ENSURE ALL RECIPES WORK, WE CANNOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR SUCCESS RECIPES AND IMAGES: TI-MEDIACONTENT.COM s t a e y s Ea MUM’S the word! Fabulouscakesto treatyour mum with thisMother’sDay Raspberryandwhitechocolatebundt Serves: 12 Prep: 15 Cook: 55 Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Butter and flour, for greasing 340g plain flour 1½tsp baking powder ½tsp salt 340g caster sugar 200ml milk 160g butter 110g white chocolate, broken into pieces Q eggs Q 1tsp vanilla essence Q 1tsp almond extract 40 For the raspberry glaze: Q 100g raspberries, plus extra, to serve Q 125ml double cream Q 110g white chocolate Preheat oven to 170C/ Gas Grease and flour a bundt pan In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar Gently heat the milk, stir in the butter and white chocolate Remove For the glaze, mash the raspberries through a sieve and set the juice aside from the heat and stir until melted Cool and mix this through the flour mixture and beat in the eggs, vanilla and almond extract Pour batter into the prepared tin Bake in the oven for 50-55 min, until a skewer inserted comes out clean Remove and allow to cool fully before icing Put the cream and chocolate in a pan and heat until the chocolate has just melted Remove from the heat Stir the cream and chocolate mixture through the raspberry juice Pour the warm glaze over the cake and serve decorated with the reserved raspberries Flourless chocolate cake Serves: 10 Prep: 10 Cook: 35 PUZZLE Q 200g dark chocolate Q 175g butter Q eggs, separated Q 200g golden caster sugar Q 100g ground almonds Q Zest of orange Q Pinch salt Q ½tsp almond extract Q Cocoa, to dust Bitesize! Preheat oven to 180C/ Gas Grease and line a 20cm springform cake tin In a saucepan over a mediumlow heat, melt the chocolate with the butter, remove from the heat and allow to cool In another large bowl, beat together the egg yolks with 120g of the sugar until pale and creamy Stir in the ground almonds, orange zest, salt, almond extract and the cooled chocolate mixture Whip the egg whites with the remaining 80g sugar until stiff peaks form Gently fold the egg whites into the WIN 25 chocolate mixture, pour into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 until cooked through (the centre will be slightly wobbly, but this will keep the cake deliciously gooey and moist) Yogurtand cardamomcake Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely (the cake will puff up in the oven then sink and crack on cooling) Dust with cocoa and serve with ice cream or cream Across Piece of luggage (4) Field, sphere (4) Celestial body (4) Song sung in church (4) Down Money at hand (4) Creative (4) Garment join (4) Gain by labour (4) Read down the shaded squares for the prize answer To enter, see p47 Tretahet of Week Serves: 10 Prep: 15 Cook: 55 Q 180g butter, plus a little for greasing Q 120g sugar Q Zest of lemon (reserve the juice) Q 80ml honey Q eggs, separated Q 250g plain flour Q 1tsp baking powder Q 1tsp bicarbonate of soda Q ½tsp salt Q 150g thick Greek yogurt, plus extra to serve Q ½tsp ground cardamom For the syrup: Q Juice of orange (and reserved lemon juice) Q 4tbsp caster sugar Q cardamom pods Q 4tbsp sesame seeds and pistachios To serve: Q Handful pomegranate seeds Preheat oven to 170C/ Gas Grease and line a 23cm cake tin with baking paper Cream together the butter and sugar Stir in lemon zest, honey and egg yolks In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt together, then fold into the batter, alternating with the yogurt Fold in the ground cardamom Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture Pour into the tin and bake in the oven for 50-55 until cooked through (cover the top if it starts to go too dark) Simmer together the orange juice, lemon juice, caster sugar and cardamom pods Cook for a few mins to reduce Remove from the heat Stir in the sesame seeds and pistachios then drizzle over the cake Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and serve with yogurt 41 w e n a t n ‘ I wa FACE Warren – we adore that special smile WORDS: BESS BROWNING, CHRISTINA WOOD PHOTOS: MERCURY PRESS A mum-to-be, I tried to take in what I was hearing ‘We think your baby may have Down’s syndrome,’ the doctor told me and my partner Keith, 30 I was 20 weeks pregnant with our first child together, having a scan at Salford Royal Hospital Keith already had Annalise, 4, and Eloise, 2, from a previous relationship, and I had Leona, 3, and Leyton, We’d been so excited to add to our brood But, now, I was frightened The doctor was telling us our baby had a protruding top lip A sign of Down’s syndrome ‘We also don’t know if the baby is going to develop hands or fingers,’ he continued ‘Something doesn’t look right.’ The awful truth was, we wouldn’t know for sure what was wrong with our baby until he or she was born ‘I don’t care!’ I wept to Keith later ‘Whatever’s wrong, we’ll treat them just the same as our other children.’ ‘Exactly,’ Keith said to me, determined ‘We’ll cope.’ We told the children our new baby might look a bit different ‘Because they’re special,’ 42 ’ ! y m m u M Hearing those words spurred on Jannine Atkinson,31,from Salford,to something extra specialfor her son we said to them Then, on December 2012, I finally went into labour I was anxious Would my baby survive – and, if so, would they have Down’s syndrome? Something worse? And what of their little hands – how would they cope if they had none? Keith was with me as I gave birth to baby Warren ‘He’s got fingers!’ Keith told me excitedly as he placed Warren in my arms I took in my baby’s beautiful face, his little legs – which were pumping furiously! – and his fingers All 10 digits were there – but were fused together, forming a pincer on both hands The doctors said that it was called syndactyly Our baby didn’t have Down’s living room, where his brother and sisters were waiting ‘He looks funny,’ Leona smiled, stroking his face ‘He’s special, remember?’ I cooed The kids loved looking after their newest member and soon weren’t worried that his hands and facial features were different from theirs Warren was back and forth to the hospital for blood and genetics tests Finally, three months on, he was given a diagnosis at Alder Hey Hospital And it was something I’d never heard of ‘Warren has Moebius syndrome,’ we were told A doctor explained it was a rare neurological condition, causing facial paralysis and the syndactyly Physio would help with speaking and eating syndrome – but, studying his face, I realised the doctors had been right about the pout He had a recessed chin and high palate, too, and couldn’t move his eyes from side to side But our little boy was still absolutely gorgeous! ‘He’ll need to be tube-fed for a while because of the way his mouth sits,’ a nurse explained We stayed at Salford Royal Hospital for four days while the doctors ran tests to find out exactly what condition Warren had In the meantime, doctors told us he could have reconstructive surgery on his hands in the future, to make proper fingers A cascade of Eventually allowed Valentine’s home, we carried his cards Moses basket into the Finally, a diagnosis – and it was something we’d never heard of LOVING REAL LIFE difficulties but, ultimately, it was incurable Warren would struggle to show any facial expressions, including smiling That broke my heart the most Our poor baby will always look sad, I thought Back home, Keith and I researched what the syndrome would mean for our boy Shockingly, there were just 200 people in the UK with the condition Warren really was special We discovered a support group where parents share stories of seizures, their kids not being able to walk or talk, and worse, early death It was terrifying, but made us determined to make every moment with Warren count For the first four months of his life, Warren needed a feeding tube through his mouth And as he grew, Warren needed surgery to help him Aged 3, he had a cosmetic procedure on his eyes – and weeks later, doctors separated some of his fingers, but he was still left with a pincer His teeth were all so crooked, specialists removed all his milk teeth in the hope that his adult ones would grow back straight Warren had been through so much, and coped so well He could even manage an adorable lopsided smile that the whole family loved And he hit all his milestones on time, starting to read and write But when he started going to school, he suddenly became more aware of his differences One day in January last year, I found Warren, 5, looking at himself in the bathroom mirror He touched his lips, ran his fingers across his cheeks ‘Why am I not like my brother and sisters, Mummy?’ he asked me My heart broke for him A couple of kids at school had asked him why his face was funny .and hugs galore! I’d known Leona, Warren that, one and Leyton day, we’d address so they could send Warren a card The post was first shared by friends, then friends of friends, and then complete strangers Hundreds of times… The next day, I waited by the door for the postman Before he’d even walked through our garden gate, I ran towards him with open arms There they were – dozens of cards! Over the next week, more than 200 followed Each one was addressed to Warren, some from as far away as Australia You’ve got and America mail! Our boy ‘Are they all for me?’ was thrilled Warren shrieked ‘All for you, beautiful boy!’ I said We sat down have to have this together, Warren, Keith and conversation, but nothing can me, and read through every prepare you for seeing your single one child so devastated Every word brought that ‘You’re beautiful in every special smile to Warren’s face way,’ I said, stroking his head A smile that I hadn’t seen But Warren sobbed in months ‘I want a new face, Eventually, the letters Mummy!’ he cried stopped arriving, but his smile Propping him on my knee, was still there I took him by Warren now has the shoulders a new confidence ‘You have and sense of pride super powers, in who he is Warren, and they’ve It didn’t matter made you special,’ if his mouth was I told him ‘Just slanted or his hands like Superman!’ weren’t the same But no matter as his friends what I said, Warren To me, he’s kept weeping still the most gorgeous boy It took all my strength not to in the room join him And he’s still just like his I let the tears fall in front friends – he plays on his games of Keith, later that night consoles and loves building ‘How can we make him see towers with Lego how wonderful he is?’ I said I know the next few And then, a week before years will be a real challenge Valentine’s Day last year, for Warren inspiration came Moving up to secondary I posted a picture of Warren and poured my heart out to my school, he’s bound to come across bullies friends on Facebook He is starting to hate himself Becoming a teenager will at such a young age, maybe mean more self-confidence people could send him a card issues, social media pressures to say how amazing he is and But I’ll always remind bring a smile to his face him how beautiful he is Within minutes, my phone And, if he ever forgets, began to ping – people we have a cupboard full of messaging me, asking for my amazing cards to remind him ‘How can we make him see how wonderful he is ?’ 43 &+$7 25 '$7( :20(1 &$// )5((     )UHH 0(1    *$