The scenario

Medicines counter assistant Lily is talking to pharmacy technician Vicky. "I hate this time of year – the cold and rain seem to conspire against me and I always get chilblains, no matter how many pairs of socks I wear, the type of boots I put on, or how quickly I get my feet on the radiator when I get home in the evening," she says. "My boyfriend just laughs at me and says they are an old person’s problem, but he doesn’t realise how sore my feet are for months every winter. I know it’s only a matter of time before I get them this year."