Nell McAndrew - super woman and festive recycler

Dec 15 2008 By Anna Smith

Nell McAndrew is backing a campaign by Nestle to recycle more during the festive season. The model turned fitness fanatic and full-time mum talks about frugal Christmases growing up and her plans for a baby in the New Year.

The model turned fundraiser and fulltime mum has left her own mum looking after son Devon, now two.

"It's so nice to wear high heels, I live in flip flops!" says Nell, who's tall, blonde and even skinnier in real life than she looks on camera - if that's possible.

"I left the house in chaos this morning. It's lovely to be doing something grown up!"

Nell's escaped her domestic responsibilities to promote a recycling scheme by Nestle. The company has slashed the size of the packaging on selection boxes in a bid to save 140 tonnes of rubbish going to landfill this festive season.

The confectioner seems far removed from fitness-mad Nell, who doesn't drink or smoke, eats a healthy diet and regularly runs five miles a day.

However, the reason soon becomes clear.

"I love chocolate! You can eat a well balanced diet and still have your treats," she explains.

"I eat lots of carbs, like potatoes, pasta and bread - loads of bread. I couldn't do the Atkins diet. I've never done a diet in my life - I'd get too hungry!

"What's more, everybody buys selection boxes, they're part of Christmas. But this year I'm trying to make more effort, just like everybody, to recycle. I want to get used to it so it becomes a habit."

Nell often appears in the media to promote good causes, and recycling is just another string to add to her glowing bow.

She takes part in countless charity runs and over the years she's helped raise thousands of pounds for organisations including NSPCC, Cancer Research UK, Help the Aged and NCH to name but a few.

"I don't run to lose weight," says Nell, who looks stunning in a simple pair of jeans and red top.

"If anything I try and put weight on. It's more of a mental thing for me than physical. I like to challenge myself. I really enjoy the charity runs - the atmosphere is always amazing."

Nell grew up in Leeds and worked as a bank clerk after leaving school. However, she soon realised it wasn't the career for her.

"I took a day off work to go to a Manchester modelling agency after a hairdresser told me I should," she says.

"I remember I wore a pair of pale blue cycling shorts - I still can't believe I wasn't arrested by the fashion police en route!"

The 35-year-old went on to model for fitness, health, hair and men's magazines before she was selected as the body double of computer-animated character Lara Croft in 1998.

Soon after, Nell released her first fitness DVD, which shot to No. 1 in the charts.

She married long-term partner Paul Hardcastle in November 2004, and Devon arrived in 2006.

"Even after Devon was born I'd still go running. I'd take him with me in the baby chariot. Paul thinks I'm mad! However, he knows I'm a happier person when I'm exercising a lot. I'm a better mum when I've been training or been for a run too. Just like Devon - he's better when he's had a good run around.

"He's a little gymnast in the making. I was more elephant-like when I was younger - a bit clumsy, not at all dainty. But anything to wear him out!"

So is another baby on the cards?

"It's taken me two years to feel more like myself after having Devon," says Nell.

"I feel great now, I feel normal again. However, I'd love another baby - perhaps next year."

In the meantime, the family, who moved to London from the north earlier this year, are looking forward to the first Christmas in their new home.

"We usually go abroad to get some sun. I think we'll just make it Christmassy at home because Devon's getting older, it'll be nice to spend it here for a change," Nell says.

"When we were younger, my family never had any money to buy stuff at Christmas," she continues, explaining that she has three siblings.

"We used to cut out all the nice bits of old Christmas cards so we could reuse them as tags the next year. I'll probably end up doing that. You do turn into your mum, don't you?"

However, that wouldn't be a bad thing - her mum is her main support.

"She comes everywhere with me," says Nell.

"I'm really lucky. I hate leaving Devon anyway, it feels weird. I've never spent a night away from him. I only do half days. If I do a full day, I find myself fidgeting to get back to him.

"However, we had to move back to London, I was commuting with mum and baby and couldn't do it any longer.

"Paul's not a hands-on dad. He's getting better though. He will be the first to admit he wasn't a baby person. You kind of feel on your own in the first year. I had a lot of support from my mum. When Devon became a toddler, Paul got more interested then. There's the pressure of being a full on, amazing dad. Why would you know what to do? I think your own upbringing leads you through it.

"Paul's said to me in the past, before the baby came along, I ended up doing lots of things for him. My whole attention was on him. I don't do anything for him now though, he's big enough to do it himself! We're both just servants to Devon!"

It's difficult not to like Nell - she's open and honest with an obviously warm heart.

But then, it's easy to hate her, just a little bit - she's super fit, a super mum and superwoman when it comes to raising money for good causes. What's more - she recycles!