Vicar's wife wins lads' mags battle
It was one small step for woman, one giant leap for womankind.
Mother-of-three Amanda Robbie was celebrating today after successfully getting lads' mags moved to the top shelf of Asda and away from the eyes of children.
The 41-year-old's husband is curate at St Luke's Church in Blakenhall, Wolverhampton, and she keeps people up-to-date with life in an inner city parish on her internet blog The Vicar's Wife.
Mrs Robbie blogged about her Asda success and is now urging other people to make a stand for what they believe in.
Amanda and husband Neil will be moving to Holy Trinity Church in West Bromwich next week and visited Asda in Great Bridge, Tipton, on New Year's Eve.
"We were hurtling around the shop to find a few sandwiches for lunch after a morning of trying to sort out things in the new vicarage," she said. "We took a short cut down the magazine aisle and I was horrified to see the display of lads' mags.
"The store had a full shelving stack of FHM, Nuts and the like, with their glossy covers of buxom naked women. Because they had so many of these mags, they had them handily displayed right at the height where my kids could get a full eyeful. I was outraged.
"I would really prefer it if these magazines were not produced, sold or desired by their readers. However, given that this is the case, I feel strongly that they should displayed out of the eyesight of under-18s. Hence my complaint to the manager of Asda."
The Vicar's Wife focuses on "the inner city, family, faith and food" and Mrs Robbie, of Waterside Close, Blakenhall, said she started blogging after encouragement from her mother.
"I complained in writing about the lads' mags and got a letter back saying they had moved them. It's quite encouraging really, it proves it's worth taking action sometimes. I would encourage every mother to do the same."
