I am always on the lookout for healthy news, and I was sent an email from Karen Hopwood which reminded me about a very old fashioned remedy indeed. When I was a child and had a cold my mother would apply lashings of Vick’s vapour rub to my chest and cover it with a red flannel liberty bodice. A sticky concoction, but it seemed to do the trick.

Karen has a slightly different take on it, and I will let her tell it to you in her own words. “When my eldest son was a baby he caught a cold which was very heavy and I was really worried. Nothing the doctor gave me seemed to clear the cold. A Jamaican lady I worked with suggested I try putting Vicks Vapourub on his feet and then putting cotton socks on him. I did it and he was much better the next morning. I then caught the cold and she suggested I do the same thing but added that I should drink some hot Ribena with a slug of black rum in it as well. It does make you sweat but you are much better the next day. It really works!”

Not sure of the medicinal effect of the rum and Ribena, but it undoubtedly worked for Karen – and probably would cheer you up in the midst of your cold!