Achieve PREGNANCY
KIDS ESSENTIALS
HOLIDAYS
EDUCATION
SEN
MAGAZINE ISSUE 9
birth, baby
& Beyond
Love Your Pets Win tickets to The National Pet Show!
butterflyoccasions.co.uk
Helping children to play, learn and flourish Helping children to play, learn and flourish
WINTER
trend alert
Our top
Christmas Gifts for 2015
next.co.uk
Contents
Issue 9
COVER STORY Bumoon Farm Yard Wall Stickers available to buy from www.butterflyoccasions.co.uk
22. Little Fashionista
38. Get ready for christmas
Monster mashup The best in autumn/winter fashion trends for your tot
Trending gifts We take a look at the predicted hottest childrens gifts this year!
Ewe-nique kids fashion Bringing back vintage classics to celebrate their 10 year anniversary
COVER: Butterfly Occasions Find something a little bit different and help your child blossom and thrive
30. Kids essentials
54. Education review
Water Babies Kids Rooms Create your own modern kids boutique Top tips for teaching your little ones how to swim at Nubie E-Bop TV Groundbreaking kids entertainment
74. Love your pets
Win tickets to The National Pet Show The National Pet Show returns to NEC Birmingham on 7-8 November 2015 and you can be in with a chance of bagging yourself a pair of tickets! Happy hounds all round with Dogmatic A head collar, like no other, designed to put you back in control and have your dog feeling relaxed as you lead the way
Musical learning Develop a positive, endearing talent with Stringnote Academy
Company Director: Jenny Cross - jenny@crossproductions.co.uk Operations Director: Leanne Baker - leanne@crossproductions.co.uk Design: Rachael Bambrough - design@crossproductions.co.uk Journalist: Kerry Smith & Charlea Harrison - editorials@crossproductions.co.uk Media Account Manager: Sharon Hodges - sharon@crossproductions.co.uk Media Account Manager: Sandra Shaw - sandra@crossproductions.co.uk Postal Address: Cross Productions, 17 Mandervell Road, Oadby, Leicester, LE2 5LR Distribution: Media Matters Direct + Self Select Distribution Ltd Published by: Cross Productions Ltd www.achieve-magazine.co.uk Email: info@achieve-magazine.co.uk Telephone: 0116 2712573
Achieve 03
Bump, Birth & beyond
There is something that many first time parents don’t know about when dealing with a new born baby.
Most parents know that supporting a baby’s head whilst lifting, laying or passing them can be a real concern but very few know about the effects of the Moro reflex. A baby has many reflexes and each one has its own survival propose. It could be argued that one purpose of the Moro reflex is to ensure the baby is not left alone, it works by causing the baby to wake when laid flat and contact with the parent is lost. No matter how asleep your child is, if their Moro reflex is working well, it will wake the moment you put it down and lose contact. Many experts write about the problems of trying to lay a baby down and the stress of trying to settle them. Parents spend ages trying to lay a baby and will tell you about the hours driving around or walking their babies in prams in desperation. This reflex can cause stressful and sleepless nights, yet it is hardly mentioned or discussed prior to birth. Nonetheless, once the baby is born most parents go on line looking for ways to help them cope with the Moro reflex.
Settling a baby has always been tricky. That is until, David Solomons tried to deal with his bad back whilst laying down his first baby. He formed a hammock with a blanket and rocking his daughter to sleep and gently lowering her down. Then the eureka moment hit him- “Why not put handles on a blanket?”. It couldn’t just be a cosy baby blanket wrap it had to safely and fully support the head too. After many prototypes and EU safety testing all this was achieved. And it became far more useful than expected. The head support enables a parent to pass their baby without worry and babies can be taken in and out of car seats without waking them. It’s a relief not to have to carry a car seat or leave a baby in one for too long. The reduced stooping helps with posture and post birth recovery. Mothers said it was an excellent aid for breastfeeding! Having been endorsed by doctors, midwives, health advisors and baby sleep experts it’s won many awards and becoming really popular with parents as a must have new snuggl ebun dl. co. uk
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Fully supports your baby’s head
Making Parenting Easier
The product that every parent has been waiting
Move your baby without waking them ! EU safety tested to 30kg Leave the car seat in the car. What a relief!
for has arrived!
0-6months Soft , warm cotton Wash & dry as normal. Ideal breastfeeding cover Rock and soothe to sleep Visit website to see video
snugglebundl.co.uk 15% discount code:
Ach5
Tel: 01273 958703 Easier parenting for you and more time to bond with your baby
The perfect gift box!
Multi award winning British design
Lift & lay with ease. Padded head & neck support Achieve 05
Underwire nursing bra from Anita maternity fitting up to I cup in soft microfibre with pretty tiny jacquard pattern and naturally forming underwires to give shape and lift. • softer, naturally shaping underwires for breastfeeding • adjustable straps • preformed seamless cups • Kiwklip system for quick unfastening £37.99 www.envie4u.co.uk
The Importance of Maternity Wear During your pregnancy you have two style choices: to hide your growing tummy under your
partner’s old baggy clothes and cover up your changing figure for the next few months; or to embrace this beautiful and special time by looking your very best at every occasion. Bumpalicious Maternity is the perfect shopping solution for looking professional and feeling fabulous throughout your pregnancy whether at work or at play. Their designs allow you to maintain your own style and full on fabulousness at weddings or parties in beautifully designed maternity dresses. They specialise in maternity dresses and gowns for all mums-to-be. They are all about empowering you with the perfect maternity dress that allows you to channel your inner and outer beauty throughout your pregnancy. With such limited collections in High Street stores it can be difficult to find something unique to you. The Bumpalicious Maternity website showcases designer brands not available elsewhere in the UK; allowing you to find an outfit to suit your style by clicking away from the comfort of your own home. Visit their website or call to make an appointment to try their dresses on! www.bumpaliciousmaternity.co.uk amanda@bumpaliciousmaternity.co.uk 0845 0038301
ECO.NATURAL. FRIENDLY
Our aim is to provide products for mum and baby that make you feel and look good. Especially in times when your not feeling your best. Shop on our website and find lots of helpful advice.
www.rosewaterbaby.co.uk info@rosewaterbaby.co.uk 01612704614
Achieve 07
Baby Bath Wraps The baby bath wrap is perfect for newborns, but will also fit a growing baby. It is available in fluro blue or pink, twinkle and jungle jam prints and retails for £35.95. www.adenandanais.co.uk
Cuddle Corner Shh-leepless Nights No More! You’ve all met the loveable Sleepytot Bunny that became your child’s best friend the day he arrived and now there’s a new guy in town! With such an adorable face, the brand new Sleepytot Lamb is set to be a hit. Just like the Bunny, he can stay put by holding onto cot bars and buggy straps, stick to things with his Velcro paws to help baby sleep and he is the perfect pillow when baby is out and about. Never lose a dummy again with the help of the cute comfort characters! Attach up to four dummies so your little scamp is never far away from one, learns to self soothe in the process and consequently; gives the rest of the family a restful night’s sleep! Sleepytot products have been assisting families across the globe since 2008! Visit their website for expert sleep solutions and find your little ones first best friend. www.sleepytot.com
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Lexington Baby Flag Throw Lexington classic flag throw in soft cotton with fringes. £59 from www.occa-home.co.uk
The hauck Torro Torro - the stylish buggy that will stand out in a crowd. The sprung aluminium frame, with contrasting colour stripe, and newly designed solid double wheels provide optimum comfort. The front wheels swivel 360° and can be locked, whilst the contoured handle grip with specially designed thumb rest ensure a comfortable grip. With the hauck Torro all your needs are taken care of. RRP: £119.99 Tel: 01978 664362
The Varioguard with Isofixbase for children from 0 months to 18 kg of weight. The Varioguard is an amazingly flexible car seat with Isofixbase which can be used for many years. It provides you and your child with the latest technology and the highest level of safety.
Achieve 09
Handmade, unique wooden children’s clocks with silent systems, designed and made by Little Timbers.
10% off online orders using discount code ‘ACH15’
The multi-award winning Sleepytot baby comforter - say good bye to the night time dummy runs! What’s so special about me… •
I can hold onto cot bars and buggy straps
•
I have Velcro paws that hold onto things to help baby sleep
•
I’m a perfect pillow for little heads on changing tables
•
I stop soothers getting lost by holding on to them
www.sleepytot.com 0845 009 4405
www.littletimbers.co.uk
info@sleepytot.com
© Infant protective safety hat ®
© Infant protective safety hat ®
Learning to walk in a world of hard surfaces just got safer! Infant Safety Bump Hat
Featured on ‘The Apprentice’ and endorsed by experts world-wide
the smallest baby cycle helmet in the world
Now taking Christmas orders!
INCY WINCY CASHMERE For all your hand knitted babywear, available from early baby to five years, each piece is made using the highest quality merino wool or cashmere. Choose from our traditional Scottish Aran or one of our vintage patterns, there is something for every taste making Incy Wincy the ideal shop to indulge for your own babies or as a gift to friends and family. Discover our hand knitted designs that will be cherished for years to come at:
www.thudguard.com 10
www.incywincycashmere.co.uk incywincycashmere@gmail.com
The Best Baby Buys in One Place The largest independent pram and nursery store in the Southeast is coming to you! BushBabes Babystore are expanding and taking on the World Wide Web to solve all your nursery needs! When an aspiring business woman running a market stall at Camden Locks came across the chance to run her own store at just 18 years of age, Gael Bootman never looked back! 31 years on and Gael’s store stocks 50 of the best brands in nursery equipment, furniture and accessories.
tisement proof
The brand new website will showcase everything they have in store and much more! Every highly recommended, trusted product you need from sleeping to feeding time, trips out and play time is all on one site at the tap of a button, including major brands like Bugaboo, Stokke, Maxi Cosi and Mamas and Papas.
Papas, was the next step. After nine years of trading together, it was time for BushBabes to fly the nest and, this February, found a new lease of life by going it alone once again, with the full support of Mamas and Papas!
o attach a proof of the advertisement we have prepared for you. Please check it carefully withinHer 24success hours,was either indicating your approval orwas any changes like made. In theyou two would floor department store, every member of staff knows clear, Gael’s baby department store flourishing and becoming the first UK franchise of Mamas &
PROVE/AMEND YOUR ADVERTISEMENT
the products inside out. Having a baby is a giant turning point (in a tiny package) to take place for anyone, so Gael made it her mission to give her customers the ultimate experience in service and expertise. Building great relationships with their suppliers means building great knowledge to feed to you and answer all your questions. Spending time with customer’s and selling only the right products for their needs means a lot to Gael and her employees as individuals as well as meaning a great deal to the business as a whole. Word of mouth has carried their reputation through the years as a trustworthy and caring company. But Bushbabes want to give more! With the introduction of instore pregnancy classes, babies massage classes and help and advice from the babyhood specialists, BushBabes BabyStore really are the one stop shop for all your nursery needs! Gifts, furniture, clothes, car seats, toys and more; the brand new BushBabes website will store it all -in every colour, size and style. A click and collect service cuts costs for you and a deliver and build option makes life much easier and convenient! Be the first to see what’s on offer at www.bushbabesbabystore.co.uk today! Or get the full treatment at 53-55 High Street, EN8 0BS Cheshunt, with free on-site parking. 01992 642250
FUTURE INSERTIONS Once approved, this
Achieve 11
Catch that dribble the stylish way with he help of Bibbles Bandana Bibs! With their wide collection of bandana bibs made in Nottingham by caring grannies you are sure to find something you will love! Bibbles are made with a quality soft cotton top fabric to absorb wetness and a soft fleece under layer to act as a barrier, preventing clothing and baby’s chin from becoming wet and uncomfortable. Adjustable nickel free press-studs means it’s a comfy fit and being machine washable, your Bibble will last for years!
10% Off your 1st order with code ACHIEVE
www.bandana-bibs.co.uk
Pack of 6 Babies "R" Us Mini Non-Slip Bath Mats that are easily fitted in the bath or shower and help prevent slipping while washing. Featuring bright colours in a variety of sea-themed animal shapes to help make bathtime fun as well as safe! £4.99
Award winning Kari-me Baby Sling £12.99
The breastfeeding pillows that lift the breast so the nipple is aligned to your baby's mouth, for a secure comfortable latch while feeding lying down. You can relax your whole body, have your hands free to comfort your baby and be able to move away easily and comfortably if your baby falls a sleep.
www.bennubabies.com 12
www.kari-me.com
The Very Best in Babies Bibs - It’s the Tooth! When two mums were faced with rosycheeked, sleepless, dribbling babies in pain, they knew something had to be done! Witnessing their teething
discomfort was upsetting but what the
inspirational Mumpreneurs didn’t realise was that this milestone would inspire them to create something that would have a global impact.
The two new mums met at an antenatal class in 2011. When their babies reached the teething stage together they found themselves forever picking up dropped teethers and needing to re-sanitise them… only for them to be thrown on the floor minutes later. Coupled with their little ones obvious distress, they heard themselves saying “I wish someone would invent something that would attach [a teether] to the baby.” Their next thought came to be: “Let’s be the people to do this!” Amy Livingstone and Julie Wilson came together to found the business, Cheeky Chompers. They created the Neckerchew to soothe the tender gums of their two teething tots. The pioneering design combines a dribble absorbing bib with a silicone chew for babies to nibble away the pain as and when they choose. It can’t be dropped or thrown out of the buggy, is super absorbent, soft on babies skin and each Neckerchew is reversible, super stylish and complementary to any outfit! In disbelief that there were no other products available, Amy said: “It puts
them in control of when they chew. It seemed so obvious!” The company has sold 250,000 units since 2013. Cheeky Chompers newest product, the Comfortchew rolls four products in to one - it is a child’s favourite comfort blanket and, like the Neckerchew, encourages their tiny teeth to break through with the addition of a chewy hippo shaped teether. The product also has tags for sensory stimulation and has the sumptuous feel of their favourite teddy. The Comfortchew is also attachable, either around the childs wrist or on to the straps of a car seat or buggy, meaning their favourite comforter should not get lost....a bonus for any parent! Without intending to, they also stumbled upon a market that would see this product as a life changer. “We’ve had great feedback from parents and carers who look after children with special educational needs,” Amy told us, oral sensory stimulation can be therapeutic for children with developmental disorders and customers had expressed to them how their invention had made life so much easier. The pair saw how their product was having a positive impact on guardian’s lives so they developed their teething bibs to be worn by any age allowing your little ones to grow up with their prized possession.
Giving them the look of a fashionable accessory rather than an SEN essential, they’ve received further brilliant response. After the launch of their innovative baby bib in 2013, the two friends pitched their creation to the Dragons on the popular BBC show. As the tycoons found their financial projections too good to be true, the business women left empty handed, but this wasn’t the end of their story. Amy and Julie didn’t know what to make of it when Tom Joules contacted Cheeky Chompers after seeing them on the show. The fashion entrepreneur saw huge potential in the ladies and they now have a successful collaboration with Joules having two designs in both the Neckerchew and Comfortchew in the beautiful Joules fabrics. The Neckerchews quickly became Joules’ top selling baby item. Creating a loveable solution to a problem that affects babies all over the world has led to huge successes for these ladies who look forward to introducing us to two new products coming soon! Having sold over 250,000 units in 30 countries since 2013 and launching in the US last year, the business has exceeded the expectations of not only the dragons but the young mums themselves. 0131 440 8370 www.cheekychompers.com
Achieve 13
fit for a royal MEET THE NEW FACE OF BIZZI GROWIN After a successful national campaign to find the face of baby brand Bizzi Growin, which saw over 400 babies entered, the winner has now been chosen. Bizzi Growin, designers and suppliers of soft nursery furnishings, worked with a panel of independent judges, which included celebrity mum-of-two and TV presenter Laura Hamilton, to choose the winning baby of its ‘Be the Face of Bizzi Growin’ campaign and has revealed that 10 month old Nancy is the face of its brand for the next 12 months. The adorable little girl from Birmingham, who was entered into the competition by her mother and saw off a host of tough competition in order to take the title, will enjoy both national and international stardom with the brand for the next year. Rebecca Rowlands, head of product development at Bizzi Growin said; “We were overwhelmed with the amount of entries that we had in such a short space of time and all of the babies that were entered were so beautiful, it made our decision a very tough one!
great achievement at just 10 months old!” Nancy and her mum were treated to a two night stay at luxury countryside hotel Eaves Hall in Lancashire, an abundance of Bizzi Growin products and a professional mother and baby photoshoot by Scrumptious Photography as part of the winners prize and Nancy’s picture will appear across all of the brands marketing material. On the subject of her daughter’s achievement, Nancy’s mum Kate said; “I couldn’t believe it when I got the call to say that Nancy had won the competition and to find out that there was over 400 other babies makes me, and all of Nancy’s family, truly proud of her! “Of course I think she’s absolutely beautiful but to have other people also say it is a wonderful feeling and the prize package that she won was fantastic! We can’t wait to see Nancy as the face of such a great brand for the next year.”
This year saw the inaugural search for the face of Bizzi Growin launched and will return again next year to find a new star making it an annual campaign. Six “Along with Laura and our other judges, we other babies were chosen as runners up in the campaign, who also received an chose Nancy as our winner because we feel she represents our brand well and can impressive prize package, and will feature in parts with Bizzi Growin alongside Nancy. grow with us as the brand and range of products also grow. We want to welcome www.bizzigrowin.com Nancy and congratulate her on such a
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peacheyboo.com Peacheyboo are a British company specialising in unique, hand designed baby wear for 0-3 year olds. All of our products are designed, manufactured and packaged in Great Britain to the highest standards. We use baby safe CE certified inks, high quality nickel free poppers and 100% cotton. Our inspiration for our first collection; ‘sweet toothy pegs’ was fond memories from our childhood, walking into old fashioned sweet shops, that delicious sweet smell hitting you instantly and the huge selection of treats you could never decide on. Our favourite sweets as kids were sugar mice and we just couldn’t resist putting these cute little fellas on our products. The other inspiration for our collection was baking with our Nana; Sundays spent around her kitchen table getting covered in flour and jam, the smell of whatever was baking in the oven filling the whole house! We have used our Nana’s recipes on our bibs and we have a Nana's Recipes page coming soon, so you can share and create these special memories too. Shop our collection at www.peacheyboo.com
䔀夀䈀伀伀 倀䔀䄀䌀䠀
琀洀
Unique baby & toddler wear, designed & made in Britain for boys & girls 0-3 years 020 7821 9499 info@littlebevan.co.uk
www.littlebevan.co.uk
peacheyboo.com Achieve 15
B Bareef autiful oot with y Use p our first o Book nline romo ord co de ‘Ba e refoo r. t’.
Visit op! h our s aturday
ay - S 0pm Mon0dam - 5:3 3 : 9
01558 824755
sales@evestoyshop.co.uk
or visit us at: 1 King St, Llandeilo, Camarthenshire, SA19 6AA
Happy Hopperz Red Fire Bike £21.99 from the Emergency Vehicles range, Guaranteed for hours of fun! Strengthens core muscles, Increases balance control & Develops coordination skills.
Two Easycare Polycotton Cotbed flat sheets for just £6.99 available in white, cream or Sky Blue
These and much more at www.babe-equip.co.uk Award winning web site for parents and young children. Gift wrap service now available!
7% Discount on all orders using code ACH915
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Your baby will love the feel of luxury when he’s wearing this super little set from award winning brand Kissy Kissy. Known for their exceptional quality, timeless design and trademark softness this outfit is made from 100% pima cotton and features gorgeous little trousers and a long sleeved top in a classic blue and white candy stripe. £26.00 www.papucci.co.uk
Toy Shop
Playhouse Prices start at £170 www.wingreen.co.uk
KIDDIMOTO KURVE -
UNION JACK BALANCE BIKE
fit for
a royal
The perfectly formed and simply designed Kurve are the new range of balance bikes from Kiddimoto. These toddler balance bikes are for children aged from 3 years. The Kurve is a first bike for toddlers to develop balance and coordination. £53.90 from www.babe-equip.co.uk
Haba Wooden Doll Pram Hearts
LITTLE BEVAN
This high quality wooden doll pram is the perfect accessory for every little doll’s mum. It comes complete with a three piece bedding set with heart motif which will guarantee a most comfortable ride. £119.95 from www.evestoyshop.co.uk
OCCASION WEAR Enchanting occasion dresses for babies and flower girls, super cute separates for pageboys and beautiful bridesmaids outfits for teens and adults. www.littlebevan.co.uk
Raspberry Tart
Babygrow £ Not just a favourite of Paul Hollywood, these hand drawn raspberry tarts look delicious all over our babygrow. £22 from www.peacheyboo.com
Achieve 17
perfectly pure
Fitness tips for new mums Getting fit and active is a fantastic way to cope with stress, improve relaxation and help your body to recover after childbirth. Jane Michell, nutrition and weight loss expert, author and the founder of Jane Plan, one of the UK’s leading diet delivery companies tells you how to get started... Build slowly when it comes to exercise after having a baby. You could try pelvic floor exercises, walking or gentle stretching. When it comes to high-impact exercise, it might be best to wait until you have had your six-week postnatal check and have a chat to your GP. Everyone is different so don’t feel pressured to do too much too fast. You might have experienced a complicated birth, caesarean or particular have questions so make sure you are clear on goals and medical information before you begin any high impact exercise. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY Your lower back and core abdominal muscles will be weaker than they used to be after childbirth. Pregnancy will also mean that your ligaments and joints are also more supple and pliable so it’s very important to take extra care with twisting or stretching. There is a higher risk of injury so take care. JOIN A POSTNATAL EXERCISE Postnatal exercise classes will often have a strong focus on improving pelvic floor muscles and strengthening the back, which is a massive benefit to your health. You’ll also get to meet other new mums and make connections and share experiences. Some classes welcome
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babies, so your little one will be nearby so you can exercise stress free. GET STEPPING You’re probably moving a lot more than you think so you could run up the stairs instead of walking to burn extra calories… plus it’s free! You could also go for a brisk walk with your buggy or pram but remember to keep your back straight. PUT YOUR BACK INTO IT Take advantage of all that squatting to pick-up toys and changing bags and your baby and turn it to your advantage! Squat with your knees bent and your back straight, you'll strengthen your thigh muscles and avoid damaging your back. The key thing is to hold heavy objects or your baby close to your body. PARK LIFE Go to the park or your back garden and have a kick-around or energetic games with family or your older children – no doubt they will give you a run for your money and you’ll be burning calories without realising! BECOME A WATER BABY AGAIN Thirty minutes of breaststroke will burn 367 calories so a few gentle lengths in the pool can give fabulous results for your overall fitness and weight loss! SQUARE EYES Why not catch-up with a friend and do a fitness DVD at home? Pilates, zumba, yoga or aerobics will all get your heart-rate going and you can have a good natter too!
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圀攀 栀愀瘀攀 猀甀挀挀攀猀猀昀甀氀氀礀 猀甀瀀瀀漀爀琀攀搀 ᤠ猀 漀昀 瀀攀漀瀀氀攀 琀栀爀漀甀最栀 琀栀椀猀 瀀爀漀挀攀猀猀⸀ 吀愀欀攀 愀 氀漀漀欀 愀琀 漀甀爀 眀攀戀猀椀琀攀 昀漀爀 洀漀爀攀 椀渀昀漀爀洀愀琀椀漀渀 愀渀搀 琀漀 眀愀琀挀栀 瘀椀搀攀漀
挀氀攀愀渀猀椀渀最 琀栀攀 猀礀猀琀攀洀⸀
琀攀猀琀椀洀漀渀椀愀氀猀 昀爀漀洀 瀀爀攀瘀椀漀甀猀 挀氀椀攀渀琀猀⸀
Achieve 19
£5OFF
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your next order
Luxury, Organic HandmadeSkincare that REALLY WORKS!
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20
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Start School off in Style with Fruity Fun for All The summer holidays are drawing to a close and school is soon to be back in full swing. As our lives turn a little more chaotic, parents often turn to convenient snacks to keep the little ones happy. But snacks don’t have to mean chocolate bars, crisps and other junk food. Humdinger, the family friendly snacking company is on hand to provide the perfect healthier alternatives with Humzingers and The Fruit Factory Sports MixUps. Both perfectly portion sized for kid’s lunchboxes or to satisfy children’s hunger cravings while on the go! Humzingers, RRP £1.99 With 100% fruit goodness and a ‘no junk’ nutritional offering, Humzingers is a family friendly fruit snacking range developed specifically with hungry kids and health conscious parents in mind. Sporting a fresh new look, the fruit stick variety packs of Summer Fruits and Orchard Fruits include flavour favourites such as raspberry, strawberry, apple, cherry and apricot. In perfectly portioned sizes, Humzingers are free from added sugar and contain no artificial colours or flavours. Full
of fibre and perfect for satisfying kids hunger cravings, they even count as one of their five a day. Look out for Humzingers’ fresh new packaging, with an RRP of £1.99, in stores nationwide. The Fruit Factory Sports Mix-Ups, RRP £1.99 The Fruit Factory Sports Mix-Ups are the newest addition to the Fruit Factory range. Made with 75% fruit and no artificial colours or flavourings, they’re conveniently portion sized in five fruity flavours across five popular sports. Combining fun with great taste, The Fruit Factory Sports Mix-Ups include a game card for children to enjoy. With 10 cards to collect for each of the five playful characters, there is a range of games, jokes or puzzles to keep kids entertained. At home, children can head to The Fruit Factory website to see the characters come to life in the ‘Fruity Club’ interactive zone.
Mini nom nom’s Announces New Healthy ‘Gruffalo ’Ready Meal
Mini nom nom’s, the new brand of healthy world food for kids and grown-ups has partnered with Magic Light Pictures and TLC to introduce the new British Gruffalo Roast Chicken Dinner for some monstrous fun at mealtimes! Mini nom nom’s is pleased to announce the addition of The Gruffalo British Roast Chicken Dinner to its range of five world-food inspired ready meals for children. With no added salt or sugar, preservatives or additives the free range roast chicken comes with Yorkshire pudding, broccoli florets, sweet potato wedges and gravy. As if that wasn’t enough, there is also a delicious dessert of chocolate pudding and chocolate sauce to tuck into afterwards as a real treat for the taste buds! Kids will love to mix, dip, pour and sprinkle as they explore the rich flavours of the classic roast dinner with a Gruffalo twist. Daryl Shute, Brand Director at Magic Light Pictures added; “We always look
for interesting and exciting partners to work with and Mini nom nom’s is certainly both of these. What they have created with their new range of children’s convenience meals is very unique and it was evident from the beginning that we shared the same brand ethos of delivering quality products. “Expanding the Gruffalo brand into food and drink categories this year, we’re seeing a really positive reaction from retail and there are lots more things to come. The Gruffalo nom nom’s is an excellent addition and one we’re very proud of.” The chicken used in the Gruffalo meal is sourced from free range British farms. True to Mini nom nom’s health values, there is no added salt, sugar or artificial preservatives or additives. The meal can simply be heated up in the microwave and ready to eat in two minutes – perfect for busy parents who want healthy food for their children.
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little
fashionista next.co.uk
What to look out for in childrenswear this autumn
Sneak previews into upcoming autumn and winter childrenswear have revealed the top trends to watch out for this year. Prominent styles use animal and rustic themes that compliment the adventurous yet homely season. In their recent press release, Next exhibited designs that incorporate folk influences in their girls’ range.
Ditsy floral and animal patterns
are common features, creating a sense of comfort as well as adventure. The boys’ line similarly presents an animal influence with prints that convey the outdoorsy feel of the season. However, the patterned shirts and jumpers provide a smarter option, whilst still maintaining autumnal and wintery tones.
monster
geometric
Another upcoming trend is written print, particularly on children’s shirts and jumpers; bold, enlarged quotes
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give a strong mood to connect with the child wearing them. This is seen throughout both girls’ and boys’ lines, with varied fonts used to give the clothes true character and style. Alongside the images and patterns used in the upcoming lines, children’s footwear will also incorporate an focus.
outdoorsy
As the Next range preview shows, boots are a prime item to look out for. These complete the rustic look so children can be fashionably equipped to explore the new season’s adventure!
marksandspencer.com
Dino crew neck ÂŁ11.00 next.co.uk
Yellow dinosaur print t-shirt ÂŁ7.00 next.co.uk
next.co.uk
monster
mashup little
fashionista
next.co.uk
marksandspencer.com
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See in the new season in style
Ensure that your little one enters the new season in style with My 1st Years AW15 range of personalised clothing. From deliciously soft onsies to on-trend tutus My 1st Years have all your baby’s clothing needs covered this coming season. www.my1styears.com
IDEAL GIFT FOR CHRISTMA S!
FUNKY, FUNCTIONAL & FUN! hold them up
Running around keeping little people presentable can be a full time job but there are ways to lessen the running and funk up an
outfit with simple, practical hold up solutions such as belts and braces which are invaluable for young children and can add a bit of quirkiness to any outfit.
www.holdthemup.co.uk 24
Ewe-nique! Kids Fashion All you ‘green parents’ out there can celebrate with Woolshed this year as they reach their 10th anniversary! The children’s clothing company has become a renowned British brand producing their knitted collections here in the UK with only the finest materials.
classical style that came before it,” added Gerhard. As they introduced their brand new Liberty collection, the company took on a true transformation using world famous Liberty fabrics and original designs.
To mark their success in the little people’s fashion industry, Woolshed are bringing back their vintage classics to honour the companies’ small beginnings in 2005. For a limited time only, designs based on the traditional woolly collections that the company originated with will be available to buy.
THE PRESENT Now we know Woolshed as an ethical company stocking quality knitwear and run by people who know what it means for children to feel beautiful.
THE PAST Gerhard Kronsteiner and his wife, Lusine Akopyan, took over in 2012 with the aim of transforming the business. He told us: “it was all set up for kids in the UK but we wanted to update it with more modern designs.” The creative individuals had big ideas for their new endeavour. They set to work: Gerhard taking care of operations and Lusine coming up with all the designs, they quickly established strong recognisable characteristics in their woolly work. “We reshaped Woolshed and added new styles and more colour with the Liberty Collection. Our aim was to incorporate feel good colours into our designs. We wanted it to be more current rather than the
Gerhard said: “we like to provide children with clothes that are fun and brightly coloured and give off a feel good vibe.” Their latest collection Luska@Woolshed, was inspired by the authentic styles of different European cities. With beautiful new garments ready to be worn by tiny tots all through the colder months, Woolshed had turned the knitwear company into a wonderful winter clothing brand by adding new fabrics such as leather, silk and pressed wool. The combination of different fabrics and yarns make this collection special and see that their little customers stand out from the crowd in trendy coats and jackets! Along with their 10th anniversary come big ideas! The pair want to break into the warmer seasons so kids and parents can enjoy their eye catching fashions all through the year.
THE FUTURE Although winter seems to last the longest, spring and summer will soon be here. Gerhard and Lusine are excited to announce that cotton fabrics will soon be used to create a brand new collection! In 2016 you can dress the kids in your favourite Woolshed styles whatever the weather all year round. “Our clothes are perfect for parents keen to have products that they can know where they came from. It is important to us that everything is hand made in the UK and will continue to be made in the UK to maintain quality,” Gerhard told us. Your little ones can stay stylish throughout every season with light cotton fabrics to keep them cool and protected in the warmer months and continue with their ewe-nique look with warm coats and jumpers until the end of the year. Go to www.woolshed.co.uk to see the Woolshed, Liberty and Luska collections. Celebrate Woolshed’s anniversary with them and find great discounts on their site along with their classic vintage collection – a blast from the past! 077 205 355 24
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Animal hat £11.00 next.co.uk M&Co; Baby Bunny & Snowflake Puffer Jacket £22.00
Elephant t-shirt £6.00 next.co.uk
Animal print sweat £9.00 next.co.uk
next.co.uk
animal
madness little
fashionista
next.co.uk
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RJR. Rocha Bear Hooded Cardigan £22.00 Debenhams
Bras for young girls and teens
A good fitting, comfortable and supportive bra is very important at all times in a woman’s life. But when a girl is growing and developing, it’s more important than ever to get fitted regularly for a bra, as her size will be changing constantly and very quickly.
Back to School with
Missy
Although lots of high-street stores sell underwired bras in sizes aimed at young girls, it’s best to choose wirefree bras, such as the Missy range. There will be plenty of time for underwires later on in life, when she’s fully-grown! A wirefree bra will fit properly for longer than an underwired bra, without any wires digging in and bruising delicate skin and tissue and will give all the comfort and support needed for growing up. Whether she needs a bra already, or just wants one because all her friends have got one, the non-wired Missy range is perfect for youngsters! When should I buy my daugher her first bra? It really depends on how quickly she develops (physically and emotionally!) Wearing a bra is all part of growing up, so if her friends all start to wear one she might want to as well. If she's developing early then she might need to get one sooner than her friends. As a guide, many girls look to get their first bra at the age of around 12 but they can be as young as 9. A first bra may be less about support and more about modesty and creating a nice shape under her clothes but most important of all, it needs to be comfortable and fit properly.
Wirefree bras for young teens and growing girls The Missy range by Royce includes bras for under school shirts and during P.E. lessons To view our complete collection, find your nearest stockist or request a brochure call 01295 265557 or visit www.royce-lingerie.co.uk
Achieve Magazine.indd 1
Organic clothing for non-conventional kids! www.ilovedoodledo.com
6/30/2015 11:49:53 AM
Lovingly handcrafted children's clothing and accessories from birth to 7 years
www.folksy.com/shops/QTkidztuff
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kids rooms
My 1st Years are
delighted to launch
a beautiful Autumn/ Winter 15 children’s
collection, consisting of personalised
nursery and bathroom accessories from
dressing tables to fun
playmats & bathroom toys.
www.my1styears.com
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Bunk beds & Loft beds
Every child deserves a beautiful bedroom.
Convertible for smart children’s rooms. ‘Grows’ with your child. High quality and safety standards. Individual accessories. Order online now.
The Children’s Curtain Company can help you achieve this with over 500 fabrics to choose from for curtains, blinds and all soft furnishings. We also have lots of accessories, co-ordinating & matching wallpaper, lampshades (made from any of our fabrics) and bedding. There is something for everyone, from new-born babies to super cool teenagers. Choose from vintage animal prints, story book scenes, woodland friends and many more. Create a seaside escape for your little ones with a light house and sail boat printed fabric. Or choose from classic prints featured in children’s tales from authors such as Roald Dahl and have matching bedding or lampshades.
Woodland-bunkbeds.com 0207 1128107
Play made beautiful with..
MYWEETEEPEE Our teepees are designed to not only offer a secure and beautiful play space for children but to promote imaginative play with colourful themes and designs. Our teepees retail at £120 and are made from premium quality fabrics with beautiful embroidery designs. www.myweeteepee.co.uk
Everything is handmade, corners mitred and weighted and no machine stitching is visible on Roman Blinds. Select a style of headings from our range of pencil pleat, eyelet, pinch pleat and tab top. Avoid being woken up at the crack of dawn and keep those little ones asleep - blackout lining comes as standard or we provide cotton lining and interlining if you prefer. Our Children’s Roman Blinds come on a continuous chain track (unless a wooden baton is preferred) as these are safer for the nursery and children’s rooms. Our Curtains and Blinds are made to measure so don’t worry if you have an odd size window…we can help! If you would rather make your own curtains that’s fine! We are happy to supply the fabric. Can’t decide which fabric to choose? No problem - we will send you five samples free of charge! Still unsure? Just call Viv on 01635 871168 or drop her an email at sales@childrenscurtaincompany.co.uk With 35 years of interior design experience behind her, she will answer all your questions with absolutely no obligation. We aim to complete our orders in three to four weeks and everything is sent out by courier. Fabric only orders are delivered within 7 working days to any UK address and overseas may take longer. Go on, take a peek…www.childrenscurtaincompany.co.uk you’ll love what you see. Achieve 29
kids essentials
My Doodles introduces its new watches Unleash your fun side with the new My Doodles Watches! A new range of character watches, designed specifically for children. Available in four different designs, the Owl, the Alien, the Bee, and the Penguin, there’s a fun character to suit everyone. Suitable for both boys and girls to wear, these character watches are sure to keep all the kids happy. Super-comfortable to wear, these watches will snap on to your wrist to fit you perfectly, while its removable strap and clock face means you can carry your watch however you like. What’s more the new My Doodles watch is ideal for taking with you on all your adventures thanks to its durable silicon material.
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Features: - Analogue watch - Great for learning how to tell the time - Removable strap and clock face for flexibility - Strong silicon design - Snaps on to fit all wrist sizes - Fun character design The My Doodles watches are available to purchase in most high street stores and online retailers. RRP: £15.00. Twitter: @MyDoodlesUK www.facebook.com/MyDoodlesUK
www.nubie.co.uk
01825 724160
10% off all orders. Just enter ACHIEVE10 at checkout. Offer valid until October 2015
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Minnie Mouse Hello Sunshine Tutu Bodysuit and Headband ÂŁ12.99 from Babies R Us
Introducing the BigBug by The Buggysnuggle Company USE CODE: BIG10 for 10% off
Using timeless traditional prints as well as our more contemporary designs, your nursery can be decorated in our exclusive fabrics with the highest quality accessories to match. We also offer a gift service for you to assemble the perfect gift for your loved one whether it be our popular hooded towel, a traditional smocked Babygrow or a beautiful 100% Cashmere pram blanket.
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Designed for older kids (up to 130cm) & children with special needs www.buggysnuggle.com
GIFTS 4
KIDS
What is this E-Bop TV all about? It’s ground breaking in the world of kid’s entertainment! We are a NEW free digital channel for 3-6 year olds. It’s free to view and what’s more important, free from advertising to the little ones watching. So you stay in control of when and what they view while we keep them safe from watching too much with our very clever technology that ensures the maximum daily viewing is two hours. When their time is up an alarm clock will flash to show it’s time to switch off.
Beat the rush and get your fun & interesting Christmas gifts early! www.what2buy4kids.co.uk FREE GIFT WRAP!
Our grown-ups site will enable Mum, Dad, Granny and Grandpa, carers and all to have full access to our sponsors, their offers, their adverts and our related merchandise and community events around the UK. You can send us Birthday and ‘get well’ messages to announce on air by the E-Bop friendly robot or Herbie; Captain of the space station. There’s also the chance to win competitions, video link share and plenty more fun stuff! You may remember Herbie Hound who made his debut in April this year; well Herbie has been scooped up by the new channel and is set to play a very special role. The space station, E-Bop the robot and Herbie are the first things that the little ones will see before they navigate around the channel. Your cherubs will get to know the channels anchors, E-Bop and Herbie very well over the coming years. Programmes on the energetic new channel are carefully selected and produced by Keith Littler; creator and producer of many kids programs for the BBC, ITV and Nickelodeon for the last 28 years. Good old favorites like The Little Red Tractor and Merlin the Magical Puppy will be available together with a large collection of new programs, sketches and music. Brand new Don’t Like it, Won’t Eat it sees kids experimenting with healthy food recipes with an entertaining panel of kiddiewinks judging the creations. They will have the ultimate last laugh by eating it, throwing a custard pie at the chef or inviting Herbie to scoop up the dish! After all this excitement, a good old fashioned story-time show tells tales for some much needed peace and quiet. E-bop TV launches in February 2016 and is going on tour later next year; working closely with key sponsors to create educational, fun and creative events for viewers out and about in the community. Be sure to follow us on twitter @eboptv. You will be hearing much more about them as they draw closer to launch. So let’s E-bop together!
Achieve 33
mumpreneur Itchy Baby Leaving You Scratching Your Head? We Have the Solution! An itchy infant can be a real problem. Those tiny fingernails might not seem it, but they can be very dangerous. Scratching can cause huge damage to their delicate skin. But for such a common issue in babies and children, the market seems to lack a manageable solution. That is until December 2011, when Jae Rance and her husband, Mark, developed the ingenious idea that is ScratchSleeves! “Our ethos has always been to offer a solution that is easy to find. We know how horrid scratching can be for babies and we wanted to share our solution,” Jae commented. The family run business is constantly striving to do something constructive that relieves pain for infants and stress for their carers. The cardigan-like sleeves with silky outer layer cover your little ones fingers so that they slide over the skin and stay in place night and day whilst allowing for full movement so they can still get up to mischief! ScratchSleeves also come in the form of pyjamas and dungarees and more designs will be coming soon! The simple and practical product was invented after Jae and Mark’s four month old son had an angry case of eczema
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and they found him covered in bloody scratches in his cot. His concerned parent’s realised scratch mitts were unreliable. From Mark’s idea, Jae fashioned the very first pair of ScratchSleeves from an unwanted t-shirt and silk left over from her wedding dress. They were tested out on her son and another little girl with nasty eczema. Feedback was beyond brilliant and so the product was developed further. Jae told us the benefits go beyond stopping the rascals from scratching: “parents can sleep! They can get stuff done without having to keep an eye on them to see if they’re scratching constantly. Just being able to drive without worrying that your little one is scratching can make a huge difference to family life.” It’s not only children with eczema who have had success with ScratchSleeves. The silky saviours have stopped children from picking at stitches after surgery, stopped chicken pox scratching and impetigo scratching, helped burns to heal, reduced infections and even helped diminish hair pulling and thumb sucking! Find helpful information about these conditions and how to cope with them at www.scratchsleeves.co.uk
The Jane Plan Diet Jane Michell is a nutrition and weight loss expert and the founder of Jane Plan, the UK’s only truly bespoke diet-delivery service. Jane started her business in October 2010 from her kitchen table, buying food from Waitrose and delivering diets to her friends. Jane’s business has gone from strength to strength and Jane Plan now has two kitchens, a warehouse, a fully female team, including warehouse staff, delivering delicious meal plans to more than 26,000 people. No fad diets on Jane’s watch, just honest real advice. Jane Plan now has an annualised turnover of just under £5 million.
Remember getting a telling off because you could not resist riding through those enticing muddy puddles? We miss those days and so does Claudine Marshall. Claudine knows the value of playing outside and interacting with toys and other children. As the owner of OurKidsLikeToys. com, she treasures the skills and memories children gain simply from having fun with great toys. the time she left, Jane held the position of Director of Nutrition.
Jane Michell is known for her caring approach, her non judgmental attitude and her in-depth understanding of Jane’s career started at the issues faced by anyone BBC, where she developed who wants to lose weight. her love of good food, She lost weight herself in working with household her early twenties and now, names such as Delia Smith aged 48; she has kept the and Rick Stein. After the weight off ever since. Jane birth of her third child, Jane has proven that with a stable decided to change direction and calorie and portion and turned her passion for controlled approach to our exercise and nutrition into diet, sustainable, long-term a whole new way of life. weight loss is possible. She initially trained to be a personal trainer at the YMCA Jane has a great and then later with Fitpro, understanding of how the before going on to do an power of portion and calorie advanced diploma control can play a huge in nutrition. part in maintaining a healthy Diploma in hand, Jane worked at London’s Princess Grace Hospital for four years, running weight loss clinics, where she helped hundreds of people achieve their weight loss goals. By
Childhood Memories
weight, especially as we age. Jane Plan was voted UK’s best diet delivery by Good Housekeeping, June 2014 so this is an approach that really works!
The Mumpreneurs’ business sells well-crafted, durable toys to teach cycling, swimming and imaginative play. Claudine’s own twoyear-old tot learnt to swim in just a fortnight with the Swimfin! “Teaching your child is something you just can’t put a price on!” she told us. Child psychologist, Professor Tanya Byron, said: “Nothing can replace what children gain from the freedom and independence of thought they have when trying new things out in the open.” (National Trust) We want you to get outdoors with the kids and show them what it’s all about! Get them active with a balance bike or get their creative
juices flowing with dress up play. Claudine explained: “I’m not against electronics. It’s a part of growing up for children now. I want to provide a different approach to creating memories.” Only stocking independently and ethically produced toys, it is “nice to know you’re not supporting something just rolling off a production line.” On running her own business, Claudine told us she loves her job and it’s great to hear feedback from parents on how wonderful it is to hear their children interacting with each other. 02889531330 www.ourkidsliketoys.com
www.janeplan.com
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Top 5 Mumpreneurs
Animal Art Travelling and living in some amazing places around the world, such as Singapore, South Africa and the USA gave illustrator, Louise Tate, plenty of inspiration from which to create her fantastic artworks.
Get in the Know Tired of trying to remember where you saw the advert for that children’s dance class you were interested in? Now every event, kids club and day trip are all in one place! Mumsintheknow. co.uk keeps you updated daily on everything going on in your area.
Louise Tate Illustration was set up two and a half years ago when Louise and her family returned to the UK and as her children were Mumpreneurs and co-founders Dawn Hayes and Alex Uprichard in school, Louise took the opportunity to start her own business. are proud to be helping families. The new mums would save piles of magazines whenever they came across something that interested them. Alex recalled: “People were always on their Louise Tate Illustration offers art prints and canvases, children’s phones and we saw how big social media was getting. We saw a prints, greeting cards and stationery. The most popular of her gap in the market.” works being her dog breeds artwork, including the Dachshund and the Labrador, closely followed by her composite animals, the Elephant and Flamingo! Initially run as a Facebook page for the Wilmslow area, they now run a site that has had 1.2million visits so far this year across 60 areas in Britain. Alex said: “We had hundreds of followers in the After studying both illustration and zoology at degree level, it is understandable why you will find many references to the animals, first few weeks and we realised we’d tapped into something that was really needed.” insects and the natural world beyond your everyday household pet! This combination is shown in her designs which are intricate and unique, making her business stand out. Each area is run by a manager who usually has children themselves, “This way it’s more authentic. It gives people the opportunity to become a really useful part of their community and Louise is currently collaborating with global company, Jellycat, earn money in a flexible role,” Alex explained. with a range of books based on their cuddly toys. Not only is this a milestone for her business, but she has also been highly commended for the Macmillan Prize for Children’s illustration Dawn said: “It’s motivating to get positive feedback from readers multiple times and has had her work displayed in the Illustrators and we have some lovely emails from Mums saying they have Showcase exhibition in London 2013, both of which were a had a great outing thanks to one of our area managers’ posts!” different experience for her. They plan to reach 100 areas by the end of the year. Interested in becoming a Mum-in-the-know? Visit www.mumsintheknow.co.uk/join-us To purchase Louise’s amazing artwork, go to www.louise-tate.com or contact her on either 07901253281 or 0845 299 3528 louisetate.illustration@gmail.com 36
Innovative Products for Parents and Children After having 12 years of experience as nannies, and the opportunity to travel around Asia, Faye Norton and Lucinda de Watteville decided to set up their own business as Faye&Lou ltd. Faye&Lou ltd was first set up eight years ago, but took three years to fully establish what they wanted to do. Having volunteered in a Dehli orphanage, it was here they realised they had gained a wealth of knowledge in which baby products are essential to parents and babies and so went on to put this information to good use in a business. The orphanage proved to be full of challenges and the pair discovered that muslins can be used for just about anything, which inspired Faye and Lou to produce their own. They sell Cozio muslins, breastfeeding butterflies and comforters as well as toys, dribble bibs and breast feeding covers. The use of bright colours and unique designs is what makes Faye&Lou stand out – so much so that John Lewis, Boots.com, NCT shop and Amazon now stock their products. Faye has three children of her own and describes juggling her motherhood duties with her work life as very hard. She has to be strict and put a few hours aside to work on the business and plan when to put her children to bed. The online aspect of the business allows her to spend quality time with her children as well as using social networks to connect with her clients. To purchase Faye & Lou’s pretty products visit www.fayeandlou.co.uk. Call them on 07949184693
Get the Baby Bright
Retail Therapy at
You’ve just arrived home with your beautiful bundle of joy ready to show off to all the relatives. But now what? When do you start teaching them all the skills they are going to need?
On the idyllic Manor Farm in Wiltshire, where PinkBox HQ is currently based, a barn conversion is planned to build a showroom that will see pampering and retail combined to create a shopping sanctuary. Just what we need!
Sparks Buzz!
The answer is right now, thanks to inspirational Mumpreneur, Judith Pleuvry! Primary school teacher and mum of two has always been concerned with child development. She wanted to help her own tiny urchins learn about the world around them as much as she could and now she wants to help you do the same. She set up Baby Bright Sparks so that mums, dads and carers could come together to have lots of fun with their babies, make new friends and learn together. Babies aged 0-12 months and 11-24 months can enjoy structured play sessions with multi-sensory equipment, music, singing, messy/water play and light and puppet shows. Judith established these sessions to build upon an infant’s vital senses. You can also help your little ones to relax in incredibly cute baby massage instruction classes in the comfort of your own home or venue of your choice. It is through these social activity groups, as they watch, work and play with their peers, that Judith believes babies begin to develop physical, social and emotional skills. Additionally, all you parents and carers can have a well-deserved break spending an hour enjoying the special bond with your baby. www.babybrightsparks.com 07432 030 844
its Best
Kerry Gover founded PinkBox Boutique; the online store that comes to you! Offering Boutique@home shopping services, they set up shop in customers’ homes for the perfect night in with friends browsing, testing & sampling. A Boutique@Home gives Kerry and her team the opportunity to share with you their in-depth knowledge of their beautiful and very different range of treats to spoil yourself or gift to friends & family. Their truly unique options won’t be found on the high street. Kerry’s passion for all things naturally produced, free from artificial colourings, flavourings, preservatives or chemicals means their expanding product range of candles, natural skincare, artisan food and all sorts of gifts will only ever include ‘clean’ items from smaller producers, each with a special story behind them. The exclusive showroom will include a Temperance Bar serving all natural mocktails and great tea & coffee to make guests feel right at home while they browse their latest product range. Guests will also have access to some fabulous beauty treatments to try out some of their skin care ranges. Now you can see for yourself and learn about what you are buying in to in order to make an informed decision (whilst having a facial!). www.pinkboxboutique.co.uk Achieve 37
Christmas gift guide Getting ready for Christmas 2015 Christmas is going back to basics this year with a touch of nature added to our homes. Preparing for Christmas can become an even greater family activity by making decorations together using natural materials such as wood, cloth and even paper. Not only will this get the whole family involved, it is an excellent money saving tip to help with the most expensive time of year. The predicted hottest children’s gifts this year include toys from all of their favourite TV programmes and films. Disney’s Frozen is making yet another comeback, with the brand new Skate and Sing Elsa toy expected to be a huge hit amongst girls. For boys, it is expected that Thunderbirds toys will be a popular request. After the classic series returned this year with Thunderbirds Are Go, nostalgic parents can enjoy the new toys with their children this Christmas. Although the majority of toys are influenced by children’s favourite fictional characters, another popular gadget this year will be My Friend Freddy. The interactive teddy bear can be controlled by an iOS or Android device to register your child’s likes and dislikes, making him the ultimate cuddly friend. However, even with these extravagant new releases, classic toys such as Barbie and
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Lego are still expected to remain in demand. For adults, gift expeiences appear to be a popular choice this year. Many high street stores are offering experience packages for everyone to enjoy, whether it is for one person or a group gift. With options from any price range, there will always be a gift you can enjoy, from luxury spa experience to skydiving, or flying lessons to a rural weekend away. However, for avid readers, the new Kindle Paperwhite will be a must have this Christmas. This latest model has high resolution display with a built-in light and anti-glare technology, even in bright sunlight. With its highly praised battery life, a Kindle is the perfect gift for anyone who loves to read wherever they go. The chaotic rush to prepare for Christmas is always a great stress, especially for parents. When the gifts and decorations have all been bought at last, why not visit a local Christmas market to embrace the vibrant atmosphere as the Christmas season finally begins. With over fifty picturesque markets across the country, there will be somewhere for every family to explore and spend precious holiday time together before the big day.
COVER STORY
P LA Y IN G . LE A R N IN G . F L O UR I SHI NG
Nogaravin Rosso The Rabbit £29
Liso Bunk Bed with Storage £1900 each
There has been a mixture of toys among the ‘Top 10’ lists for high street stores this year and you’ll notice that Frozen has beaten them all, which doesn’t come as much of a surprise! It’s a great feeling to see the face of your wide-eyed youngster at 7am on Christmas day as you reveal the one toy that they have been admiring for months, but it’s also important to find toys that offer the best benefits to your child! Playing is the best way kids learn and there are many amazing products out there to inspire and educate them. But where do we find them? Sotiria Spantidea, mother of two, founded Butterfly Occasions in 2013 to bring together, all in one place, creative, educational toys and funky, functional furniture from inspirational designers and companies all over the world. We spoke to the kid’s toy enthusiast and CEO of the online toy collection to hear her advice on choosing the best toys for your little ones this Christmas and what inspired her to set up her own company.
Here’s what she had to say… What do you believe is important to consider when buying presents for children? Firstly, they must work, must be robust so they don’t break, then they must entertain and engage - then you can educate. Do you have any advice for parents on how to encourage happiness and learning in children? Children learn most from copying. If you act right and happy, so will they. If you read, they will read. If you play, they will play. If you count, they will count. If you explore, they will explore. What inspired you to set up Butterfly Occasions? After having children I wanted to give them the best toys and furniture I could find. To do this I found I was scouring the internet to source things from multiple retailers as I could only find the interesting things in novelty and niche categories of other sites.
www.butterflyoccasions.co.uk
Is there a specific selection process for the products you sell? Yes, we have a rigorous selection approach. Firstly we look for toys that will aid a child’s development. Then we make sure it is a safe, quality product. What are the challenges of running Butterfly Occasions? Juggling being a mum whilst running a business is a challenge - but one I love. Being involved with children’s toys and furniture means I can get the best opinions in the world from my own children! What do you love most about your job? The best thing is when I get emails from people telling me about the positive effects that the things they have bought have had on their children. That’s when we know we have picked the right toys. What better way for children to learn and gain those vital early life skills than through joy-filled play. If you’re someone who loves a little bit of something different and wants to help your child blossom and thrive check out Butterfly Occasions; the company that values play time highly!
ButterflyOccasions
Butterfly Occasions Limited, The Pippins, Dunsmore, Buckinghamshire HP22 6QH
@JoyFilledPlay Achieve 63
Enjoy
15% off with code:
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Smart Start Toys offer quality wooden and educational toys, games and bedroom accessories for babies and young children. Our award winning toys are innovative and fun providing extensive learning and play value. We offer a gift wrapping service and a speedy delivery to all UK mainland addresses.
www.smartstart-toys.co.uk Free delivery on orders of over ÂŁ60
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A perfect solution to help Pre-schoolers achieve goals WOW Toys have been producing toys designed specifically for pre-schoolers since 1997. Our toys offer children lasting play value without the need for batteries thanks to the toys’ clever designs. They whizz along with mechanical ‘push and go’ motors and ‘trigger-pull’ propellers with many containing special features such as secret compartments and ‘magic’ buttons teaching children exciting cause and effect principles through fun and interactive play. WOW Toys has added another clever product to its expanding toy range and have created the first ever toy filled Reward Charts, available in stores from October. Designed to empower children by helping them make good choices, they can help children to achieve goals such as potty training, brushing teeth and tidying toys. No longer do you have to deliberate on what to reward your child with, as this practical solution provides it all for you! Each set includes three Reward toys and a cute magnetic star. The charts can be displayed on a shelf or hung on a wall by using the hidden hanging loop.
The WOW Reward Chart range consists of Fairies, Dinos and Racers themes. All three Reward Chart themes come with a magnetized road to travel on and a brightly coloured magnetic star tracker that acts as a visual cue for both children and parents. ‘Fairies’ contain three reward toys, a fairy girl figure, a unicorn and ride-along ladybird, ‘Dinos’ contains a caveman, pet dino and ride-along chariot and the ‘Racers’ Reward Chart contains a boy racer figure, a pet dog and a speedy motorbike. Please visit www.wowtoys.com to find your nearest stockest. WOW Toys Reward Charts RRP at £12.99
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ENCOURAGE ACTIVITY AND STIMULATE THEIR IMAGINATION WITH TRADITIONAL ROLE PLAY AND WOODEN TOYS
Feel Good Friends is an award winning company with a unique range of fun, educational products to help children feel good about themselves and their world. These resources help to: - Build confidence and self-esteem - Teach children about feeling and emotions - Encourage sharing and caring, listening and understanding - Teach relaxation and calming techniques - Build Emotional Intelligence - Build respect and appreciation of others - Encourage children to express themselves The resourses are suitable for children aged 3–10 yrs.
Remember, Happy kids mean Happy grown ups! Have fun and Feel Good!! You can order by phone on 01837871777
Fun & unusual toys & gifts for kids aged 0 -10
We Gift wrap for& Funwill & unusual toys FREE send for1-10 you gifts for&kids aged We can gift wrap and www.double-flip.com Please contact us for your nearest stockist Juratoys UK Ltd 32 HighPark Road Kew Gardens Richmond TW9 7BD
T: 020 8878 2133 E: sales@juratoys.co.uk 42
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regular customers I created a personalised individual’s tastes. We have 13 local crafts word art for them to take home, showing based in the ‘Den’ including CE certified all the memories, fun and Sock Monkeys, Doodle laughter that had taken Dot Magical Fairy Doors, place during their stays Bevs Crafts, Button Box with us (including all the Born in 2014 at home, I created word arts Gifts, Dream Chic, Gekko ‘Basil Faulty’ moments!). for friends and family and my love for all Art and more. In our things handmade. A small group of us got first six months we won It was a shock to the together to share our ‘makes’, frequently the Christmas Window system from working 24/7, taking orders for each other’s work and Competition for best 365 days to suddenly along with an affection for home décor newcomer and supported being at home without a items that can be personalised to an many local charities, which individuals taste, I set about finding a small lot to do! A few customers we continue to do monthly. had stayed in touch with shop premises to cope with demand and me and asked to order word arts for their so we could all base ourselves together. We believe in personalising your items to relatives. My personal love of ‘homemade’ make your gift stand out from others. In comes from my Brownies. My background has most cases if you want something made, As a guide for over 15 always been in we have someone who can do it! We have years, the inspiration and customer services being lots of gift items along with a few unusual imagination they have in a manager at various ones. We can personalise everything we everything they make is Bournemouth Hotels until have: be it signs, plates, glass, monkeys, eye-opening. my parents had their own driftwood mirrors or lights, including which I ran with them. making up gift baskets to order. All I believe strongly in Sadly, due to family occasions can be catered for just ask...! supporting and shopping health, we had to sell www.daisys-den.co.uk local. The search began after ten years of building info@daisys-den.co.uk to find local crafters great friendships with facebook.com/daisysdensouthbourne and artisans that were staff, regular customers tel: 07967 971893 and suppliers. As a parting gift to our most all prepared to customise orders to
Perfectly tailored for the gift of a lifetime of hugs. All Fifi Stitch® bears are handmade in Wales with love and care from hand dyed, British sourced, 100% cotton toweling and premium grade carded hollow fibre filling. They are all triple stitched all the way through to allow for rough play, and their eyes are softly clasped tightly on the inside with babies and young children in mind.
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The Original award-winning sleeping bags for children Recommended by The Childrens Sleep Charity
All Snuggle Sacs combine the cosiness of a duvet with the practicality of a sleeping bag. They are designed to be used every night of the year and come in 3 sizes.
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PUTTING THE ‘FUNK’ INTO FUNCTIONAL NAPPY BAGS 44
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BABY ACCESSORIES
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Gifts for tots
Get ready for action and adventure with Win Greens’ Cowboy Wigwam £220 www.wingreen.co.uk
Sonya Purifying Cleanser - £27.91 www.chrissyretail.myforever.biz/store
Baby slippers £4 from Marks & Spencers
Cinderella Musical Jewellery Box £3 from Marks & Spencers
Personalised 100% cotton Bodyvests with cute pouch. £28 from www.hallelulaprints.co.uk
Lovingly handcrafted Cerise square neck dress £10 from www.folksy.com/shops/QTkidztuff
Give me the rhythm and melody with this fun Boikido PercussionTable £28.49 www.babe-equip.co.uk
BOYS BANDED BOW-TIES £8.50 www.holdthemup.co.uk
Push & Play Boikido Rabbit Wagon £47.99 www.babe-equip.co.uk
Herbie Hound ebooks www.herbiehound.co.uk
Hand knitted white matinee jacket and bonnet, £33.00 incywincycashmere.co.uk
“All Aboard” Signed, mounted print £40 by www.ouise-tate.com
ADJUSTABLE STRETCH BELT £7 www.holdthemup.co.uk
Funky Little Bugs unique changing bags and accessories www.funkylittlebugs.com
Sleepytot’s award winning baby comforter £13.99 from www.sleepytot.com
Encourage all young children to get on their feet with Pull along stacking giraffe. £15.50 from www.smartstart-toys.co.uk
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Gifts for tots
Babasac 2-in-1 multi tog baby sleeping bag £36.95 from www.sleepytot.com
Child’s Wishbone Balance Bike 3-in-1 Alphabet Edition Ride-On, £170 www.ourkidsliketoys.com
Feel Good Faces Game £19.99 from -www.feelgoodfriends.com
Doodle Dot Magical Fairy Doors www.daisys-den.co.uk
Hand crafted wooden yellow lion clock with a swinging tail pendulum. £31.99 www.littletimbers.co.uk
Cozy Plus Sleeping Bag £55.00 www.adenandanais.co.uk
Serenity Star is an electronic sleep and feeding system. £64.99 available at: www.adenandanais.co.uk.
Brightly coloured, simple designs, completely original t shirts for 5-12 year old boys. catapultclothing.com
Sweet Care Spa Foot Spa from Sambro RRP £29.99 from Argos
T-Rex Projector & Room Guard from Brainstorm Toys RRP £29.99 from Argos and Smyths
SpongeBob Aqua Art £2.99 from The Entertainer and The Range.
JCB 5CX Backhoe Loader £39.99 from Amazon
My Enchanted Mirror from Sambro from £16.99 from Smyths Sweet Care Spa Foot Spa from Sambro RRP £29.99 from Argos
Boot Light (£12.99): B&Q, Argos and Amazon
LeapFrog Mobile Med Kit £17.99 from www.leapfrogstore.co.uk
Ollie is an app-controlled robot £79.99 from John Lewis, Amazon, Firebox and Menkind.
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Friends & Family Collection by Chrysalis Friends & Family is the latest collection from stackable bangle company Chrysalis. Featuring twelve unique designs, each bangle in the collection celebrates the important women in your life, as well as friendships and special moments, such as a new baby. The collection focuses on relationships and the true happiness that lies in the special bonds you have with your friends and family. These are the people who
help create lasting memories to be cherished for the rest of your life. They fill your heart with sunshine and help you achieve your dreams, making every day special. The Friends & Family collection is designed for giving and makes a perfect gift for mum, sister, daughter, aunt, a best friend, or even an animal lover. Each bangle is expandable, adjusting to any wrist size and also comes in three colour options. Share your memories and keep them close, the Friends & Family collection provides a meaningful addition to any Chrysalis stack.
Join us on Facebook.com/lovechrysalis, Twitter @lovechrysalis & Instagram @chrysalisofficial www.lovechrysalis.com
Prints
Find a beautiful, hand-picked collection of lockets at The Locket Tree. Whether you want to commemorate an important event in your life, or to keep that special person close to your heart, or even to capture a magical moment, lockets make the perfect gift. Engraving and photo insertion available.
www.facebook.com/hallelulaprints
@hallelulaprints
www.thelockettree.co.uk 01202-331675 Achieve 47
marksandspencer.com
Achieve 67
CHRISTMAS
Essentials
Belly Bump Balls. Junior Twin Pack £49.99 Large Twin Pack - £89.99 www.eduk8worldwide.com
Study how ants live and create their home with the Ant Mountain £11.99 www.eduk8worldwide.com
Football Illumimate (£5.99): Amazon and B&Q
Kids will have hours of fun playing and drawing on this mat with washable felt tip pens. £28.00 www.double-flip.com
Headlight (£16.99): Argos and Amazon
‘Best Of Friends’ bag £34.99 including all personalisation and are available on www.toxicfox.co.uk.
Bright Light Pillow £19.99 from Argos
Lego Star Wars Keylights £6.99 Stockists include Smyths Toys, John Lewis and Tesco.
Minion Stompeez - charactorised slippers which come to life when walking in them. £14.99 from www.highstreettv.com
Leitz Complete Desktop Multicharger for mobile devices RRP £50 Amazon
classic girls jute bag £34.99 including all personalisation and are available on www.toxicfox.co.uk.
My1stYears pretty floral backpacks £20 with free embroidery and luxury gift box. www.my1styears.com
Earth Conscious Natural Organic Deodorant £4.99 www.rosewaterbaby.co.uk
Make Your Own Wind Up Tyrannosaurus Rex £3.95 from www.dotcomgiftshop.com
Taupe Christmas Parklife Table runners £14.99 Fine bone china mugs £11.99 Tea Towels £9.99 www.theshedinc.co.uk
Avoid boredom and be productive this Christmas with Puzzle Club
Achieve 49
CHRISTMAS
Essentials
Leitz ICON printer, cartridges and battery pack www.leitz.com
Surfr iPhone 6/ 5/5s Case Ideal for runners or mountain bikers. SRP £59.99 available from Amazon.
Accentuate -guess-the-accent party game RRP £19.99 firebox.com, John Lewis & accentuategames.com
Love My Skin’s red light therapy The ultimate anti-ageing defence £99.99. Available online from Boots, Superdrug, Tesco, Amazon & Argos
Get free cash for your schools, clubs or chosen charities at no extra cost to you when you shop online via www.thegivingmachine.co.uk.
Night Revitaliser Cream £20.00 www.mimisorganics.co.uk
Satin hair 7 Brush - Smooth and minimise frizz and static! £21.99 from Amazon
Braun Silk-epil 9 Epilator. £149.99 from All Major Retailers
Poultry Lifter £10 Available from: Lakeland
Faith In Nature Skin Care Box, Moisturising Cream & Restorative Cream £14.99 from www.goodnessdirect.co.uk
Oh Organics Rose Facial Serum oil plumps and moisturises your skin £19.95 from ohorganics.co.uk
Rejuvenating Repair Serum £22.00 www.mimisorganics.co.uk
4 Cup Fat Separator £15 Available from: Lakeland
‘I’m going to...’ notebook RRP: £7 Available: www.2littleboys.co.uk
‘Classic Blend’ & ‘Cuban Blend beard oils & moustache wax, £9.99 & £6.99 www.bluebeards-revenge.co.uk/shop
Tablet bean bag suitable for all devices! £24.99 from www.ibeani.co.uk
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Have yourself a natural little Christmas! People are loving all kinds of organic-ness lately, especially when it comes to skin care and we’re here to tell you why. Our precious skin needs to be taken care of as best we can and this is especially true in the harsh winter weather. We believe nurturing it with natural elements is the way forward. Organic products are free from preservatives and other thought-to-be harmful ingredients that could enter our systems through our skin. They are also less aggressive and work with your skin to repair and enhance your natural radiance. What’s more, certified natural ingredient based skin care products won’t be tested on animals! We’ve found the perfect, naturally beautiful presents for your friends and family this year (or maybe a treat all to yourself). Find
Gold award for Mimi’s Rejuvenating Night Cream
all the essential items of your regime from the award-winnig Mimi’s Organic Skin Care! They stock everything from toners to night creams and face masks to lip balms! Founder, Rumbi Serima-Fowler, is one dedicated Mum who has found that it’s not just the skin that organic treatments affect. As mother to an autistic son, Rumbi is determined to make life as comfortable for him as possible. After researching her son’s condition she began to look at autism in a whole new light. She discovered that chemicals and other components in food and every day products as simple as bubble bath could be affecting her son for the worse. Seeing that his behaviour and anxieties dramatically improved after changing his diet to an all-organic one and having the whole family use natural alternatives was
enough to convince Rumbi of the power of nature! Wanting to make her own special formulas and let others feel the difference that going organic makes for themselves, Rumbi got trained up in everything skin care related, including the properties of oils and butters and how to comply with EU regulations. Just over a year on and Rumbi has been awarded with a Green Parent Natural Beauty gold award for her Revitalising Night Cream! Mimi’s Organic Skin Care stocks Rumbi’s handmade Womens, Mens, Anti-ageing and Detoxifying ranges in beautifully designed stand-out packaging and all at great prices too! Find these perfect presents for Christmas and all year round at www.mimisorganics.co.uk
From cleansers, toners & moisturisers, to body butters and lip balms
Look after your family’s skin this winter Hand-made skin care using certified organic food-grade ingredients. Free from chemicals. Oil and butter based (e.g. avocado, shea butter & cocoa butter) to alleviate dryness, nourish and rejuvenate your skin. A little goes a long way!
www.mimisorganics.co.uk
SpeciAL offer
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Use code AM15 valid until 31/12/2015
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MORE POWER TO YOU ADD A LITTLE SPARKLE WITH NEW SODASTREAM POWER Sleek, sexy and stylish, the NEW SodaStream Power is the first machine in the award-winning range to create sparkling water at the touch of a button. Operated by a refillable CO2 carbonator, for? Pick SodaStream Power today and say goodbye to buying endless bottles of sparkling water from the supermarket. As well as making fizzy water SodaStream has a range of over 50 varieties of flavoured sparkling water mixes. SodaStream Power has an RRP of £149.99 and is available from www. sodastream.co.uk and retailers nationwide including Wholefoods, Argos, Ao.com, and Amazon
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Pamela LloydJones Beautiful Portraits
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WIN A Luxury Skin Care Hamper! For a chance to win simply send your name and contact details to competitions@achieve-magazine.co.uk by October 29th 2015 What you can find in this lovely hamper prize: Christmas is coming up and it’s time to start thinking about presents! But what do you get for your loved ones when they already have everything they need? You may be the King or Queen of gift giving but no matter what, every year - there’s always one…or two! They’re either the picky one or the one who has everything. This year there’s no need to panic. Chrissy Richardson, Forever Living Business Owner, is giving away seven indulgent aloe skin care products in a luxurious Christmas hamper worth over £150! Forever Living’s Sonya skin care collection is perfect for anyone who loves to pamper and care for their skin. The range uses a unique combination of aloe, fruit extracts, white tea and other ingredients. This formula regulates the skins moisture so whether you have dry, oily or combination skin, the Sonya collection will balance it out to a normal, manageable state. Aloe is known for its rejuvenating properties. It has been a healing remedy for centuries and its use even dates back to the ancient Egyptians (who came up with many great ideas such as eye liner – thanks guys!) The patented technique that is exclusive to Forever Living means all their products are the only ones you’ll find with the plants gel in its purest form. Check out Chrissy’s website to find more products for weight management, digestive health, make-up and even animal care at www.chrissyretail.myforever.biz/store Now there’s no excuse for all you Christmas Eve shoppers out there this year!
SONYA ALOE NOURISHING SERUM - £34.69 A lightweight serum that preserves and replenishes your skins moisture to help maintain a youthful complexion. Contains aloe, white tea and mimosa bark extracts. SONYA DEEP-CLEANSING EXFOLIATOR - £20.95 This gentle formula with aloe and natural jojoba beads cleanses and moisturises as it exfoliates. Helps to remove dead skin cells to leave your face feeling fresher, softer and smoother. SONYA PURIFYING CLEANSER - £27.91 A refreshing cleanser infused with aloe, lemon and cucumber extracts, designed to gently remove makeup and other impurities without drying the skin. SONYA REFRESHING TONER - £27.91 An alcohol-free toner with aloe, white tea and cucumber that refreshes and hydrates the skin. Use morning and night, after cleansing and exfoliating. SONYA BALANCING CREAM - £26.63 Enriched with aloe, vitamin E and white tea, this rich face cream helps to restore and balance your skin’s natural moisture to leave it feeling well hydrated. Contains AHAs and L’Arginine to maintain the clarity, texture and tone of the skin. This product naturally exfoliates the build-up of dead skin cells to make way for a more radiant appearance. Use in conjunction with the Aloe Nourishing Serum. SONYA HYDRATE SHAMPOO - £19.52 Moisture-enriched shampoo with a unique ultra-hydrating formula that nourishes the scalp and invigorates dull-looking hair. Made with moisturising aloe vera and royal jelly, this shampoo helps to eliminate dryness, providing hair with the moisture it needs to look and feel silky soft. SONYA HYDRATE CONDITIONER - £19.52 Conditions, detangles and softens dry hair to leave it with a luminous shine. Its unique formula helps to retain moisture and nourishes the scalp whilst controlling frizz. The perfect companion to the Sonya Hydrate Shampoo.
DON’T FORGET! If you’re in Darlington or a surrounding area, Chrissy can visit your home or work for an exclusive Forever Living sampling party. Contact her on 07877076395 for more information.
Achieve 53
Education Review
Petition urges Government to put driving on the school curriculum
- Experts say 400 lives could be
saved by teaching youngsters to drive from an earlier age
- People urged to sign the petition at https://petition.parliament.uk/ petitions/104632
Major motoring organisations and experts are backing a petition urging the Government to include driving on the school curriculum. The petition has been launched in a bid to help cut the high number of accidents involving newly qualified drivers on the UK’s roads. Launched by Young Driver, the UK’s largest provider of pre-17 driving lessons, the petition already has backing from the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), the RAC, the Driving Instructors Association (DIA), the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the Motor Schools Association of Great Britain (MSA), Admiral, Goodyear and Quentin Willson, motoring presenter and expert. One in five new drivers has an accident within six months of passing their test and road traffic accidents account for 25 per cent of the deaths of 15-19 year olds in the UK, compared to just 0.5 per cent of the overall adult population. Every year 400 people are killed in accidents involving young drivers.
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The petition does not propose lowering the age at which people can take to the roads, but instead suggests youngsters should start to be taught about driving at school, via both practical and classroom based lessons. Independent research undertaken on behalf of Young Driver showed that past pupils of the scheme, which takes students from age 11, are half as likely to have an accident when they do pass their test. Pilot studies in Europe have also shown a 40 per cent reduction among novice driver groups who trained at school. Mark Lewis, Director of Standards for the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), added: “The high number of accidents and the sad loss of life as a result of unprepared young drivers urgently needs to be tackled. Quite obviously the driving education that youngsters are currently receiving is inadequate. At the IAM we can help prepare people for more advanced driving situations once they have passed their test, but there needs to be more done at an earlier stage. Learning such an important skill shouldn’t potentially be done and dusted in a few short months. That’s why I strongly believe people should sign this petition and get the subject debated in the House of Commons.” To add your signature to the petition visit: https://petition.parliament.uk/ petitions/104632
Get splashing! Learning to swim is a vital life skill that not only encourages safety in the water, but also acts as a refreshing form of exercise and even aids social and psychological development. Most of us can remember learning to swim, however long ago it was, and realise that is now such a simple part of our lives. However, for babies and toddlers, it is a big landmark of growing up and learning to exercise their bodies safely and independently in water. Just like learning language and other physical coordination such as walking, swimming is best practised from a young age. Children, in their earliest years, are naturally equipped to explore their environments so swimming will be an easily enjoyable activity for them. The inverse of this is cases in which swimming has been ignored, sometimes leading to future fears of entering water. Encouraging
swimming early often boosts children’s confidence, as well as triggering the development of social skills. Whilst learning to swim can be an intimate parent and child activity that you will treasure, doing it early can then lead to the possibility of taking up group swimming classes. Besides the obvious benefits of becoming accustomed to routine exercise, swimming with other children will increase social interaction and make the activity even more fun! A big factor on your child’s progress when learning to swim is their enjoyment of it. Praise and rewards are a constructive way of boosting the willingness of children to swim, but the practice itself should also be fun. You can do this easily by using products such as SwimFin, a vertical swimming aid that supports children in water. Shaped like a shark fin, SwimFin
incorporates imagination and adventure into swimming from the very first practice. This creates a positive association with exercise that will make it feel like an amazing treat, whilst increasing their desire to continue practising in the future. Products such as SwimFin also encourage children to support themselves in the water, making an independent form of exercise that will undoubtedly boost their confidence further. Many local pools will provide swimming classes for children of all ages, from newborns to toddlers and all throughout their young years. These offer fun and proactive sessions for the family to enjoy, whilst giving kids a valuable learning experience that may well create a life long passion for the water. So grab your goggles and get splashing!
Tips for teaching your child to swim… for every mini shark adventure! Children love to swim and generally as a rule the earlier you get them into the water the better. When teaching your child in the water make sure your eye level is the same as your child's and always maintain a smile – kids pick up on negativity so remember to reinforce the positive and never use negative comments. Lavish your child with praise in the water and you will see their confidence grow immensely. A fun way to teach children to breath properly in the water is to use phrases like “talk to the fish” by blowing bubbles in the water, or “listen to the fish” by turning the head with an ear in the water and breathing in. If your child really doesn’t want to get into the water then don’t force them – play it down and suggest they sit on the side with their feet over the edge so they can kick and splash the water instead. Just sitting will increase their confidence – not every child wants to jump straight in! SwimFin aims to provide and encourage a fun learning experience for children and family members of all ages and abilities without being restrictive. Most importantly ensure your child is safe at all times – whether it be during a lesson, for recreational use at the weekend or on your summer holidays in a pool or down at the beach!
For more information or to buy please visit
www.swimfin.co.uk
RRP
£21.99
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Imaginative play Birthdays Numeracy Sports days
Numeracy set (2 horses with interchangeable numbers £69.99)
Horse £15.99, Jacket/hat £17.99, Bag of 10 race horses from £129.99 (not pictured, see website)
Kids love them as there is no stick or straps to get in the way of a great gallop! Schools and nurseries use My Horse for numeracy learning & imaginative play - key requirements for Early Years. Race, Show jumping, Medieval, Calico and Unicorn styles and 4 sizes ranging from 3yrs-adult and toy size.
RE AD IN GC HE ST
Saddle up for safe horseplay!
www.myhorsetm.com myhorse07@gmail.com
How will you send your child’s medication to school this year?
M H My Horse
Medpacs can help you get your medication organised and help keep your children safe for this new school year. Starting at only £7.99 each, Medpacs are specially designed for storing and carrying most medications including asthma inhalers and spacers, Epipen and Jext adrenaline pens, Diabetic and Epilepsy medicine and more… Each Medpac comes complete with a photo ID card and a treatment card to write all the essential information. They are completely portable but also stack well on a shelf or in a medicine cabinet and are now also available with a thermal lining to help regulate the temperature of the medication. By using Medpac at school, your child can:• Have their medications stored safely and kept organised • Benefit from clearly labelled medicines complete with photo identification to assist teachers • Allow easier access to correct medication in an emergency such as asthma attack or anaphylaxis • Help ensure medicines are easily accessible for school trips, school transport, swimming lessons and clubs Medpac Wristbands are also available, waterproof and latex free they help to highlight wearer is carrying medication, ideal for trips and clubs, and a great help to staff.
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School Reviewer launches a new website to help parents rate and review and uniquely ask other parents questions about all education institutions within the UK.
schoolreviewer.co.uk also offers a wealth of up to date information on 41,826 preschools, primary, secondary and further education establishments across the UK. The majority of listings include a minimum of three year’s worth of Ofsted Ratings and academic data that helps enforce quality and repute across the board. These days there are reviews for everything, from the holidays we go on to the hotels we stay in and the restaurants we eat in. We’ll read a review of a book before we read the book itself, we’ll read a review of a film before we sit down and watch it. Indeed, there are few things we decide on these days without reading someone else’ s review of it first. So why is it that when we make one of the biggest and most important decisions of our lives we don’t seek out opinions and reviews or ask questions? That decision is the schools we send our children to. A good education is the right of every child. Therefore, it stands to reason that parents need to make informed choices about any school they choose for their child. All children are different and so are schools, so it is important we choose the one that best suites our child. For that to happen information is vital. schoolreviewer.co.uk details 41,826 schools throughout the UK and provides an invaluable, informed and objective overview of all educational establishments from nursery through to further education, including both state schools and those in the independent sector. Its aim is to become the one stop place for school information in the UK, providing a comprehensive and continually updated database about schools helping parents
research the most suitable school for their child. Because it is interactive it will allow parents to share experiences, post comments, write reviews and gives parents the ability to ask other parents questions about a particular school, something that isn’t available anywhere else. schoolreviewer.co.uk will create an on-line community that will provide firsthand information that goes beyond the school prospectus and the school tour by providing personal experiences from those who know the school best, the parents of current pupils. Parents will have the unique opportunity to review and rate their experiences against given criteria. A chance to reassure other parents just how good their school is. This will be a valuable tool for parents investigating a new school, be it for the next stage of their child’s education, a change of location, or simply looking for a better ‘fit’ for their child. For schools the website offers the opportunity to profile and promote their own establishments, hear what parents have to say, writing their own descriptions, uploading their own photos and updating relevant information. Head teachers will also have the opportunity to respond to reviews, thus ensuring a fair platform. schoolreviewer.co.uk invites parents, carers, teachers and head teachers to become part of this important and invaluable initiative. This is intelligent support for parents wanting to see beyond the prospectus and school visit and who want to make informed choices. See what other parents are saying about the schools near you right now. Visit www.schoolreviewer.co.uk to find out more.
Achieve 57
www.marksandspencer.com 76
INVEST IN THE KOBO GLO HD FOR KIDS THAT LOVE READING Make reading a fun with the weightless Kobo Glo HD, perfect for little hands It can sometimes be a struggle getting young children to enjoy reading at school. For those that need some encouragement, or for others who already love reading, gifting them an e-reader will provide them with hours and hours of fun. The Kobo Kids’ store is equipped with safe-search features designed to allow kids to easily browse and find age-appropriate books. With dedicated kids’ accounts, parents can set spending allowances – giving children the freedom to make their own choices of what to read next, and with over 100,000 children’s
books, there is plenty of choice. The Kobo Glo HD allows children exclusive access to the Kobo Kids Store. Parents can create an account for their children, which has safe-search features to allow their children to choose their own books, and use ‘pocket-money’ uploaded by their parents to give them complete choice over which children’s books they wish to buy and read. What really marks the Kobo Glo HD out from other e-readers, is the ability to borrow books from the library on your e-reader, you won’t have to fork out a fortune for books as they’ll be able to borrow them from your local library instead The Kobo Glo HD also supports a wide range of files including EPUB and Adobe DRM, along with many others – meaning you can upload any ebooks you already have to your Kobo library. The Kobo Glo HD is available from £109.99 at WHSmith and all major retailers or online at www.whsmith.co.uk.
A Unique Opportunity Canterbury Cathedral Choir is looking to award substantial scholarships to talented boys who would like to join them in September 2016. Auditions, for a long time referred to as a Voice Trial, will be held on 7th November 2015. Don’t wait until then, though! Any boy who is 7 or 8 years old and who enjoys singing can be considered and the Cathedral organist, David Flood, will be delighted to meet and advise them at any convenient time. It is not necessary to have had any musical training at all: it is just potential that Dr Flood is keen to see. He will give lots of encouragement, help to prepare for the audition and can answer any queries and give all sorts of information. He makes sure that all the music-making in the Cathedral is fun and the life of a chorister is a wonderful and unique experience. The choristers, all 25 of them, enjoy the excellent facilities of St Edmund’s School, Canterbury and receive very substantial scholarships from the Cathedral. The Cathedral Choir House has recently enjoyed a £2 million renovation.
of America. Canterbury Cathedral choir enjoys the very highest reputation across the world and performs to many thousands of people every year, at home and through radio and television. Their recent CD “Ceremony” was heralded by the Sunday Times as “world class”. The life of a chorister is full of excitement and the huge reward of being part of such a special team. It is the chance of a lifetime. For further information, please contact David Flood on 01227 865242 or davidf@canterburycathedral.org. Further information and short video can be seen at: www. canterbury-cathedral.org/ worship/choir
During the last year, the choir have made a highly successful two-week tour
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VOICE TRIALS for boys aged 7 & 8 87November 2014 NOVEMBER 2015 Substantial scholarships are awarded and choristers enjoy the superb and extensive facilities of St Edmund’s School. The Master of Choristers, David Flood, is always pleased to meet and advise parents and their sons. For further details please telephone
01227 865242
davidf@canterbury-cathedral.org
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The Sound of Music at Stringnote Academy Did you know that your child could be getting ready for university from as young as six years old?! UCAS awards those who play a musical instrument at grade six or above with extra points. Here’s how to get them started…
Kids love experimenting with sound. Their inquisitive ears are drawn to anything that plays a tune, chimes, clashes or dings…to put it simply, kids love to be noisy! Nature has given your child an innate ability for the arts. Between the ages of one and six, children have a natural curiosity and creative skill. Now it’s time to nurture that gift from Mother Nature! Stringnote is the academy with a big difference! Developing your little ones musicality is something they believe puts children one step ahead (or two) before they encounter the challenges of primary school. Sylvia Corona, Professor in Music Pedagogy, has seen young children excel in the language of music at the academy from a very early age. “As young as four, they learn to read music before they learn to read literature. They improve physically and intellectually with these lessons,” she said.
Music grade exams usually begin for children at the age of six but there is a serious timing issue here! Sylvia explained: “At this age they’re able to understand more complex concepts so people assume that it will be harder to teach music to children younger than that, but this is a misconception. At around seven is when children’s ability to develop their musical talent starts to diminish. “There is a correlation between music and cognitive abilities. It helps with visualisation, spatial awareness and coordination skills.” In two separate levels of classes, your tiny tots will soon be impressing you with their knowledge of the musical language; a skill that proves essential when learning maths and English. The professor added: “They’re recognising symbols and sequences and reading systematically. Their concentration and reading skills are improved and these are important achievements for children that age. It’s amazing and fascinating watching them learn!” The idea behind their music school is that all children should be happy and confident. Small classes of no more than eight pupils mean the kids get the best of both worlds through interacting and helping each other out, whilst getting one to one support
from teachers. “Usually only those lucky enough to grow up in a musical environment have this chance. Our method instead gives all children the opportunity to develop their natural abilities.” The academy’s founder, Marcello Palace, decades ago found himself wondering why other children weren’t able to compose music as he was. He dedicated years of research at university to this contemplation and spent 13 years adapting his music teaching method. He established Stringnote so that any child can develop a positive, endearing talent. Currently, the academy offers site lessons in Fulham and home lessons across London. Marcello expects to expand the music school across the country through the franchise of his method. What’s your little one doing now? Probably making a tuneful racket somewhere – a huge hint to book them a FREE taster session we think! Or, request a teacher to visit you at home for a personal lesson. Call 07946 808976 or visit www.stringnote.com to find out more. Achieve 61
MARTIN DALBY
Martin Dalby
– A Scale of Success
Classical music, one of Europe’s most celebrated, traditional musical genres, which boomed in the 18th Century, is still alive today! As long as great composers continue to be nurtured, classical music will live on through the generations. Achieve looked at the life and times of one of the UKs most prolific composers… Martin Dalby, an important figure in the world of classical music, has spent a lifetime educating himself in the art form. The musician studied Composition in 1960 after winning a Foundation Scholarship at The Royal College of Music in London alongside English composer, Herbert Howells and violist, Frederick Riddle. He spent two years in Italy where he played the viola in an Italian Chamber Orchestra that toured Europe and North Africa. He was appointed one of the BBC’s Music Programme music producers in 1965; a channel that would later be known as Radio 3, eventually became Head of Music at the BBC, won a Sony Gold Award for producing BBC Scotland’s radio as well as having written music for
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orchestras, the Church, radio, television, many songs and chamber music! All this and so much more in just over 30 years! The inexhaustible maestro said: “I consider myself very privileged to have been given the opportunity to have most of my work commissioned from many festivals including Edinburgh, Cheltenham, Cardiff, Orkney and Peterborough to name a few! I really enjoy being supportive of fellow musicians too and have composed many pieces specifically for orchestras and ensembles.” Born in 1942, it was written in the stars that he was destined to be musical. The young Martin grew up surrounded by music with an organist as a father and educated at Aberdeen Grammar School. His time in Italy was thanks to the Otavia Prize and a Sir James Caird Travelling Scholarship; a stage in his life that was wonderfully educating. It was on his arrival back in the UK in 1971 that his experience harmonised with the BBC as they searched for music producers. This was the start of a successful career with the BBC that he would cherish for years to come. After leaving to become a Cramb Research Fellow in Composition at
the University of Glasgow, it wasn’t long before Martin found another project with the BBC that he couldn’t resist. Now, in 1972, as Head of Music for Scotland, he put into development the public profile of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Great Britain and abroad. His Sony Gold Award was won through his hugely influential and creative role producing radio channel ‘Scotland’s Music.’ The largest international Polish festival of contemporary music, the Warsaw Autumn and the Henry Wood Prom in London (aka The Proms), for which he wrote The Mary Bean, have performed Martin’s work: success on a whole other level! After this, going back to his roots, he composed The White Maa to celebrate 200 years of Union Street in Aberdeen. The life of the Classical Era lives on through greats like Martin Dalby and the next generation may hope to follow in his footsteps. Martin retired in 1993 and is now a full time composer but we have a feeling the Grand Finale wont be along any time soon! www.impulse-music.co.uk/dalby
A SCALE OF SUCCESS
“
I really enjoy being supportive of fellow musicians too and have composed many pieces specifically for orchestras and ensembles.
Achieve 63
MARTIN DALBY
Are Utero Concerto’s Creating Clever Kids? The debate is on-going; playing classical music to babies (including those in the womb) has been found by some researchers to be a source of calm, a head start in education and a past time that strengthens the bond between parent and child.
It’s called the Mozart Effect. The study conducted in 1993 at The University of California found that teens who listened to compositions by Mozart before a test did better than those who sat in a silent room or listened to any other music. Classical music CDs are handed out to parents in some hospitals as they are believed to create a stimulating yet relaxing environment for parent and baby. It’s also unsurprising the effect it may have on the tiny person who is brand new to the strange world and will find comfort in the familiar sounds they listened to in the womb. Martin told us: “The first music I ever heard was in the womb whilst my father played clarinet. I obviously can’t remember what
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I heard but there is no question about it, it affected me! Without a doubt, the baby, not understanding what he’s hearing, is taking it in.” Mozart himself was said to have begun composing his own music as early as the age of five and Martin Dalby was performed to by his father on the clarinet whilst in utero! Towards the end of the second trimester, your baby’s hearing will be developed well enough for their little ears to hear the delight that is classical music. Whether playing the works of great composers will produce a child prodigy or not has not exactly been proven but if it helped to get Martin where he is today, we’d say it’s worth a try!
A SCALE OF SUCCESS
Developing Talent compositions: “writing this work was a young people should become more natural way for me to honour the animals that have meant so much to me in my life. involved in the making of music, It’s a real expression of myself in Martin encourages children to learn that way.”
Passionate that children and
to play an instrument.
How often have we admired someone whose hands can dance gracefully over the keys of a piano or slide a bow over the strings of a violin with delicate precision? Teaching a child to play an instrument, read music or even write music is thought to be an eyeopening talent. At a young age, the skills learnt from playing an instrument are transferable to school subjects that support them in reading English, understanding languages and improving writing and physical activity through improved handeye co-ordination. Martin has written vocal music for children to play and enjoy. A set of songs produced for voice and piano are written in loving memory of one of his Labradors and named A Little Song Book for Tessa and Sunbeam for Sheba is is memory of Tessa’s late mother. He described the importance of these
ADDING MORE STRINGS TO HIS BOW! In 1995 he became the Chairman of the Composer’s Guild of Great Britain and a founding director of both the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters and the British Music Rights. Martin was also the Warden of the Incorporated Society of Musicians and Performers and Composers Section in 2001 and carries on supporting and promoting musicians and composers.
THE RHYTHM OF LIFE! Martin has managed to keep a good balance of work and play throughout his busy life. Whilst dedicating much of his time to his passions in music he still has energy for hobbies. Bird watching, hill walking, reading and flying the skies with his pilot’s license are things that he loves to do in his free time as well as keeping his music fresh and inspired!
“
Writing this work was a natural way for me to honour the animals that have meant so much to me in my life. It’s a real expression of myself in that way.
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SEN The Benefits of Outdoor Play for SEN Children Outdoor play benefits SEN learners by providing them with an open and often therapeutic environment that boosts visual and sensory stimulation while making them feel comfortable and secure. Here are some great benefits of outdoor play for SEN children: Physical Development - playground equipment including balance beams and trim trails can help children learn to balance, and improve coordination and motor skill development. Social Development - quiet seating areas and sheltered areas like wigwams and tipis can be calming environments which encourage verbal and non-verbal communication. Emotional Understanding - playhouses, tree houses and other themed play areas can promote creative and pretend play that helps SEN learners to understand how others may be feeling. Sensory Play - sand pits, water ways, mud kitchens, dig pits and planting beds are great sensory environments. Getting hands on during play can better engage SEN learners and boost cognitive understanding. Fine Motor Skill Development - musical instruments, chalk boards and activity panels require learners to use their hands and helps to strengthen their muscles. Pentagon Sport have worked with over 6000 settings including large-scale Special School projects to create innovative playgrounds and outdoor learning environments for young learners and for those with special educational needs. www.pentagonsport.co.uk Pentagon’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PentagonSportUK Pentagon’s Twitter: @PentagonSportUK
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SHINING.. SHIMMERING..
Splendid
Anna Kennedy with judges Steven Smith, Denise Welch, Jane Moore and Maggie Paterson.
A whole new world in which people living with autism experience all the glitz and glamour of the catwalk, in true celebrity style, will take you wonder by wonder on the 4th October at this year’s Wear it for Autism charity fashion show.
Jane Moore, Principal of the Pineapple
For the third year running, the star studded
The shows have a major impact on
event will give much deserved recognition to selected winners who have been
nominated throughout the year by friends
and family. Charity leader, Anna Kennedy OBE, said: “The idea behind Wear it for Autism was to spoil those who usually
never get a chance to treat – or even think of – themselves.”
Living with autism can be challenging and
often demanding. Those with the condition or carers and parents of someone with the
Performing Arts School Maggie Patterson and Fashion Designer Kaffa Mockbill.
The winners get to keep their extravagant outfits designed by Kaffa Mockbill based on each entrants style and jewellery
provided by Miglio as well as make overs and professional coaching that will teach them how to walk the walk on the night. everyone involved, Anna commented:
“Last year all the mum’s were crying from beginning to end. There’s always a real buzz and everyone
gets really excited.” The magical atmosphere doesn’t wear off at
midnight though, friends are made, memories are treasured and
confidence and social
raising awareness for autism.
Winners are selected by celebrity judges prior to the occasion. This year’s panel
includes Stylist Steven Smith, Actress and
Loose Woman Denise Welch, TV Presenter
including Miglio Jewellery, Pineapple
Performing Arts School, Living Autism and TV personalities such as Waterloo Road’s, Richard Mylan, who together help to bring autism into the spotlight.
Celebrating people living with autism,
acts from this year’s Autism’s Got Talent will be performing in between the seven categories: Mums, Dads, Grandparent, Adult with Autism, Child with Autism,
A REAL BUZZ AND
Teacher/TA and Carers. As ever, the process of choosing their winners
was a difficult one and
EVERYONE GETS
the judges went through
REALLY EXCITED”
to get to the final stage.
The contagious passion affects the whole audience, fulfilling the true aim of the
charity: raising awareness and recognising such courageous human beings who experience the world from a unique
perspective and offering hope, fun and positivity to their lives.
regular support from sponsors and hosts
“THERE’S ALWAYS
skills are boosted; proving that Wear it for condition, are nominated to win the chance Autism is a cherished experience for all! to strut their stuff and receive true Prince and Princess treatment; all in the name of
Each year the charity has on-going,
many tears and debates
Witness dreams come true at an
electrifying night of stars and fashion. Anna invites you to get your ticket to the most inspiring event you’ll go to this year!
Join us at the wondrous place that is
Millennium Hotel London Knightsbridge on 4th October.
Contact lisa.robins@thevines.org.uk to
order yours now!
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Calvert Trust Exmoor, the only 5 star activity accommodation in the country, enables students with all types of disability and their classmates to experience challenging and enjoyable adventure breaks together. At our fully accessible residential centre all activities are specifically designed and equipped to cater for everyone. Have your residential break with us and discover
it's what you CAN do that Counts! www.calvert-trust.org.uk/exmoor Contact us quoting ’Achieve’ to find out more:
Bibbleplus+
d i g n i t y
b i b s
Bibble Plus+ Bandana Bibs are the functional and stylish solution for older children, teenagers and adults who have difficulties with drooling and dribbling Bibble Plus+ are available in 4 sizes and come in a range of colours a designs to suit every taste and enhance any outfit
Receive 10% off your 1st order.
Enter code: ACHIEVE at the checkout to receive your discount
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Autism affects children on a very wide scale, for many of them, sleeping can often be a struggle. For young ones of any age on the autistic spectrum, sleep is affected if they don't have a consistent, familiar environment. The Snuggle Sac wraps up your precious ones and creates a cocoon-like environment.
www.snugglesac.com 68
01598 763221 exmoor@calvert-trust.org.uk
Play Therapy and the Development of Resilience Three cases show a variety of conditions where Play Therapy delivered to the standards of the Play Therapy UK Register, accredited by the Professional Standards Authority, is effective. All names have been changed. Owen, for example, was a 7 year old who had suffered a very traumatic hospitalisation which had left him unable to manage mainstream schooling without continuous 1:1 adult support. He was physically weak and very clumsy, finding it difficult to know where his physical body began and ended. He lived very much in the moment, seemingly unable to plan how to complete all but the simplest of tasks and was at the mercy of sudden mood swings. He was completely unable to understand the perspective of others and consequently had difficult relationships with both his teacher and his peers. Play therapy allows children the freedom to play as they wish in an environment where the therapist will keep them safe, physically and emotionally. A lot of Owen’s play was physical; building towers with large foam blocks and throwing cushions. This enabled him to begin to reconnect with and to trust his body, resulting in a better awareness of what his body was doing. This led to his also becoming better able to manage his physical environment. He became able to play in the sand without accidentally sweeping it all over the floor! This article is based on a paper by Jan Hunter a Play Therapy UK Registered Practitioner in Therapeutic Play Skills. www.playtherapy.org.uk
Parent launches pioneering reading application for Autism & Dyslexia and
Accessible Adventuring
Young Readers
It’s time to discover a new hobby! Or relive that old past time you used to love. We know how hard it can be to find a place that is fully accessible to those living with disabilities but with the Calvert Trust you’ll find all you need and more to challenge, inspire and excite you!
An Essex based company releases its debut pioneering educational iPAD app today. The app is built to assist those with Autism, Dyslexia or those with learning difficulties to read and create stories in a fun way. Young Readers can take advantage of the features too. The application was designed by the parent of Nieve Jones, an eight-year old autistic girl, who loves books, but struggles with words. The app gives parents or teachers the ability to create their own storyboards. Familiar pictures or videos can then be assigned to each word. The child is then able to follow a story by either reading the words, or by seeing the image assigned to each word. The image acts as a visual clue to each word. The app utilizes advanced text-to-speech technology, which allows the book content to be read out-loud when appropriate. The user can also click the individual words to hear them spoken. The application comes with seven built-in stories and a default library of 760+ common nouns that automatically appear as the user types. The internal image library is designed to grow as personal content is added. To get the most out of the application, the designers recommend using images and videos from the child’s own environment. This helps create a fun environment to learn and help build a strong association between the words and images. The application is built for the Apple iPAD for iOS 5 and greater. Visit www.visualreadingapps.com for more information.
The team want people to love life and delight in new experiences. Their wondrous array of activities range from sailing to horse riding, cycling to archery and in between, relax in hydrotherapy pools or visit their multi-sensory rooms. Over 200 years ago, William Wordsworth grew up with a boy named Raisley Calvert. Their childhood was a happy one in the Old Windebrowe Farmstead in Keswick but in their adult lives, Raisley tragically developed tuberculosis. Wanting his friend to continue with his poetry, Raisley invited Wordsworth to stay with him rent free. Today, their story lives on through the Calvert Trust; providing people of all abilities with adventures and challenges and the opportunity to enjoy the British country side to the maximum. In 1978, John Fryer-Spedding inspired the beginnings of the organisation when he donated Old Windebrowe to be transformed into a place that would satisfy the thrill seeker in us all. He named it after Raisley as a symbol of friendship and support; two things that are the foundations of the trust. Now with three centres in Exmoor, Kielder and the Lake District, they have been enabling guests to achieve their full potential through their fully accessible facilities. www.calvert-trust.org.uk
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TOUGH FURNITURE A NEW APPROACH THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE SEN CLASSROOM furniture to individual order if standard items don’t quite fit the bill. Flexibility has proved to be a key component for successful SEN classrooms and along with the company’s trademark durability and long life, real budgetary value is accomplished.
Willowdene School
By raising the standards and quality of learning environments, SEN schools are increasingly evolving to deliver outstanding educational opportunities. They have looked to Tough Furniture’s problem-solving approach and combined this with the hardwon experience of their own staff to produce real benefits for students with learning difficulties, complex needs and ASD. Much can be achieved by thoughtful design to optimise outcomes in special education environments and manage the practical daily problems of challenging behaviour. The company has always provided this extra element for its many customers by listening to their problems and ideas and then being able to make
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Tables are carefully proportioned to allow them to be configured into a wide variety of layout shapes to suit different groups and activities. The U shape has proved very popular with Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) practitioners. Students of all sizes, as well as wheelchair users, have found height-adjustable tables especially advantageous. Another invaluable offering is a freestanding screen system. Individual screen elements are heavy duty and stable but can easily be repositioned to make the room space itself flexible; creating useful sub-division zones using an innovative clip system, perhaps for play or chill out. Faced with a special sound-attenuating fabric, the system reduces noise and enables the screen to be used as a display board, complete with hook and loop fasteners that avoid surface damage. THE SUNFIELD PROJECT Sunfield School was first established in the 1930s to provide special needs education inspired by the Steiner approach. With a variety of complex learning difficulties and an
international reputation for its work with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, its extensive site accommodates residential and day students and offers outreach services and training programmes. With the planning of a new school building, Sunfield made every effort to design and equip it to be a dedicated special education learning environment. Their residential service had, for many years, used Tough Furniture because in areas where very challenging behaviour can occur ‘it does what it says on the packet.’ However, the school had wider needs than just strength and durability. To develop specialised classroom furniture benefiting both students and teachers, Sunfield’s senior staff got together with the Tough Furniture design team. From their initial concepts, the prototypes were born and put to use in the new building. Teachers had the opportunity to have their input in the process and be able to plan their new classroom layouts. An individual workstation was the key requirement. With a flexible modular design and a simple robust extension system, the workstation was able to best accommodate the needs of the school and the individual for any future changes. To create the desired working environment, screening was used to allow the student to
Sunfield School
focus and keep free from distraction. The adaptable workstation could be equipped with shelves or racks to suit the needs of both the individual and educational approaches such as the TEACCH method. Each classroom was equipped with a matching computer workstation that provides secure storage for the equipment and could retract swiftly inside if circumstances require. The tables were also designed to modular sizes and shapes, so that with a stock of just three types of table, a very wide range of layouts can be configured and easily changed. One option illustrated is the U-shape layout facilitating the PECS system. Sunfield requested all its furniture be made in a muted colour tone to blend with the low-arousal colour scheme of the building design, and the co-ordinated effect has been well-received. As well as the special considerations that have gone into the furniture design, it's also still 'Tough Furniture', heavy-duty and built to cope with challenging behaviour environments. “You gave us solutions, not a catalogue,” commented a manager at Sunfield School.
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SPRINGWATER SCHOOL Tough Furniture worked with the Facilities Manager at Springwater School to design new seating arrangements for the common areas. An ocean wave themed breakfast bar and an autism friendly protective bench and table were just some of the products installed. Nigel Reaney, Commercial Director at Tough Furniture said: “We’ve always aimed to be, not just a quality specialist supplier, but also the company who will really listen to your needs and can offer standard or bespoke problem-solving furniture at a sensible price.” The company has invested heavily in the evolving design and manufacturing technology that can deliver both flexibility and value for money, and their achievement has been recognised by three prestigious business awards in as many years.
Springwater School
All enquiries to: Tough Furniture Ltd, Stokewood Road, Craven Arms Business Park, Shropshire SY7 8NR
Tel: 01588 674 340
Email: sales@toughfurniture.com
www.toughfurniture.com
Special Education Needs
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NATIONAL CHARITY GIVES ITS “STAMP OF APPROVAL” AS IT PLEDGES TO POST OUT NEW BOOK TO OVER 200 SCHOOLS The Dyspraxia Foundation teams up with Rotary Club to distribute specialist book to promote awareness of the condition The Dyspraxia Foundation is delighted to announce that over 200 schools in the Hertfordshire area will be receiving a free, educational resource for the start of next half term!
Jane Binnion writes; “Charley always seemed to get into trouble, though he didn't mean to. He was getting fed up with going to school, because he felt different than most of the other kids. Then he met his Aunty Bella... and everything changed. This book is about dyspraxia…….but we chose not to name it in the story because this book is for every child that is different.”
The delightfully fun yet touching and insightful book, “You’re so clumsy, Charley” (written by Jane Binnion - an author who herself has been diagnosed with dyspraxia) will be mailed out to 225 local primary schools thanks to a grant from Hitchin Tilehouse Rotary Club, with a further £1,000 matched funding from the District Rotary Foundation.
In addition to poor motor coordination, many individuals may also experience difficulties with memory, perception and processing along with poor planning, organisation and sequencing skills which can have a significant negative impact on everyday activities. Dyspraxia can also affect articulation and speech, perception and thought.
The cartoon-style book - which follows the daily challenges of a young boy with dyspraxia, Charley - has been developed for children in sensory & communication solutions Year 1 and 2 (ages 5 – 7) and the Dyspraxia touchkept movement smell Foundation advises that a copy is by the school’s SENCo (Specialist Educational Needs Co-ordinator). As well as reading it together as a class, teaching staff could also use the new resource to prompt a discussion with a parent who has raised concerns about their child. sensory & communication solutions
Although the exact causes of dyspraxia are
multi-sensoryworld.co.uk unknown, it is thought to be caused by a
disruption in the way messages from the brain are transmitted to the body. This affects a tasteperson’s sight hearing abilitybalance to perform movements in a smooth, coordinated way. Dyspraxia affects around 5% of the population (2%, severely) and males are up to three times more likely to be affected than females. Dyspraxia sometimes runs in families – and there are believed to
multi-sensoryworld.co.uk
multi-sensoryworld.co.uk
touch
movement
smell
taste
sight
hearing
balance
We are a sensory toy company committed to providing explore your senses 2015 products, equipment and activities that encourage development through the stimulation of senses. Multi-Sensory World offers imaginative and fun inspiring ideas for all ages and abilities.
www.multi-sensoryworld.co.uk facebook.com/multisensoryworld
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be two children affected in every class of 30 children. General Manager of the Dyspraxia Foundation, Eleanor Howes, says; “As a relatively small charity, we are delighted to have the opportunity to reach out to so many teachers and share this wonderful book with Primary Schools across our area. The book has already been so well received by families and children we would love to see this funding initiative being taken up by Rotary Clubs on a national level, so that children in every corner of the UK could ‘meet’ Charley and share his experience! “The Dyspraxia Foundation is the only national charity in the UK dedicated to raising awareness of this still poorly understood condition. We support a network of local support groups and offer a wide range of resources through conferences and events, literature, publications and factsheets, online shop, professional journal, a Helpline, specialist youth office and of course, our annual awareness campaign in October.” www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.
Helping children with emotional, behaviour and mental health problems
P
lay therapy is recognised as a profession through the accreditation of Play Therapy UK’s Register of Play and Creative Arts Therapists by the Professional Standards Authority. Being accredited by the Authority offers enhanced protection to anyone looking for play therapy services – you now have the option of seeking practitioners on a register that has been vetted and approved.
Our register covers the entire UK - find a Play Therapist in your locality www.playtherapyregister.org.uk, or ask your child’s primary school, if they provide a service based on Play Therapy UK’s therapists.
Between 72% and 83% of the children who have received play therapy from a Play Therapy UK Registrant show a positive change. Your child deserves the best.
You can also help other children - develop your own career! Become a Registered Practitioner in Therapeutic Play Skills or a Play Therapist The UK needs at least 14,000 more therapists to work with children.
● Post Graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills
Anyone over the age of 21, with at least two years experience of working with children in some way and an ability to study at post graduate level can train to become a Play Therapy UK Registrant. The courses delivered by the Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy are, at present, the only ones that give admission to the Play Therapy UK Register.
● Post Graduate Diploma in Play Therapy (Both courses are 15 days in 3 day blocks delivered over 6 to 9 months. You will normally start working with the children after the second block) Optional MA in Practice Based Play Therapy
Train in one of our 10 therapeutically sensitive centres, Antrim, Barnsley, Bristol, Edinburgh, Huntingdon, Kenilworth, London Central, Manchester, Truro and Tunbridge Wells. Post Graduate courses accredited by Leeds Beckett University. Ask for: ● Our 28 page career and training guide in Play Therapy, including in-school programmes. ● Research paper showing the effectiveness of play therapy ● Course fee payment options
Find out about our special training methods and career opportunities by attending a 1-day Introduction to Play Therapy. Penny Milne Course Administrator APAC Ltd The Coach House, Belmont Road, Uckfield TN22 1BP 01825 761143
Email: mokijep@aol.com Web: www.playtherapy.org.uk Phone: 01825 761143
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love your pets
The story of Dogmatic! How did Dogmatic come to be? The short answer is ‘Necessity is the Mother of Invention’! It is difficult to know where to start as it is something that has evolved completely by chance and out of necessity rather than some grand scheme. Susan Lewsley, my Mum and the designer of the Dogmatic, has had back/leg and neck pain for 28 years due to disc/nerve problems and arthritis resulting in seven major back operations and one major neck operation plus arthritis in her hands. She is currently recovering from her latest surgery. This meant she could no longer walk or even hold our dogs let alone be involved in showing them. We had Dobermanns for 26 years (including Tommy, Top Dobermann in the UK 2000) and enjoyed showing same. We were using the known makes of Headcollars but found, not only did they not stop them pulling, they were all rubbing and riding up into our dogs’ eyes and they had even managed to get them off. We found neither the Headcollars or harnesses were taking the strength or weight of the dogs and, in fact, the dogs were putting their weight against the harnesses thus making them even harder to hold on to with some makes rubbing them raw!
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We had a local saddler help with prototypes/samples etc., Many ideas/styles were tried and tested until we were happy with the finished product. The Headcollar evolved into the present design and the finished product not only is comfy but does not ride up or go near the dog’s eyes. It works on all breeds/ sizes of dog and ensures your dog will immediately follow where you want to lead. An extra bonus is that, in an emergency, the Dogmatic can be used to close the dog’s mouth and turn it’s head to enable the owner to keep their dog safe but immediately releases again allowing the dog to pant, drink, carry a toy etc., It is very comfortable for the dog to wear and offers complete control for the owner. The name Dogmatic and the strapline (Automatically Leading the Way) literally came to Mum in the middle of the night and she jotted them down on a pad by the side of the bed together with a few less desirable ones before going back to sleep! It has been an amazing journey which has been a learning curve, but we could never have imagined how an idea could have changed our lifestyle in such a way! Read more on page 79!
Love your pets Our little furry friends are often the heart of the home, so it’s important to keep their tails wagging. They make brilliant best friends for your children and keep the house happy no matter what, so it’s only fair that they get a treat!
Summer may be over, but that’s no excuse to stop your pets bouncing about. Why not treat your dog or cat to a brand new personalised collar? These are available in various stores and will make yours the most well known pet in town. However, whilst it’s all fun and games from their eyes, it’s our job to keep them well looked after. New technology and gadgets allow us to take better care of our pets than ever before, with apps specially designed to inform about pet first aid. This provides a little handbook in pet care for you to consult in any situation and is an extremely useful tool to have. With the colder months creeping in, it’s even more important to care for our pets and keep their hearts warm. When the bad weather means they can’t run around quite as much, keep them equipped with their own cuddly toys to make for a cosy snuggle partner, or just do it yourself!
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Win a family ticket to The National Pet Show!
The National Pet Show sponsored by Gocompare.com returns to NEC Birmingham on 7-8 November 2015 and you can be in with a chance of bagging yourself a pair of tickets! With hundreds of different animals, amazing action displays, expert talks and many more activities, the National Pet Show provides an educational and entertaining weekend for pet lovers across the country. From the cute and cuddly to the weird and wonderful, you can get up close and personal to your favourite animals and receive essential advice from the experts. Don't miss out on the amazing action displays including Rabbit Show Jumping and Duck Herding which are back popular demand, as well as a whole host of exciting new feature areas including Hill’s School for Dogs, TopCats and the Nerf Activity Ring. See the nation's most skilled and heroic dogs showcase their talents in the entertaining SuperDogs Live competition, which will take place throughout the weekend. Meet animal experts and celebrities including reptile expert Crocodile Joe and join Professor Noel Fitzpatrick on the last leg of his Eukanuba Supervet Live Tour. This is your chance to hear first-hand from Noel, as he recounts heart-warming stories from his popular Channel 4 show The Supervet, and reveals the latest 76
advances in the veterinary profession. The National Pet Show comes at the perfect time for the festive season, making it the ultimate place to discover Christmas gifts for your pets, from tasty treats and stocking fillers to personalised presents and the latest gadgets. As well as providing a fun-filled day out, the National Pet Show promotes responsible pet ownership and animal welfare and throughout the event experts are on hand providing advice and answering questions to ensure that all visitors have the most up to date information to give their pet, whatever species, a happy and healthy life. Achieve Magazine is offering 2 lucky readers the chance to win a family tickets to UK’s favourite pet show. Tickets are valid any day and are limited to one pair per winner. So what are you waiting for? Send your entry today! Email your name and contact details to competitions@achieve-magazine.co.uk If you are not a lucky winner, you can book tickets by visiting www.thenationalpetshow.com or calling 0844 581 4993.
Leucillin, The Must Have Solution For All Pet Owners Healthy Skin makes for a Happy and Healthy Pet. We all think about our own skincare but how often do you think about our pets? Leucillin is your pets’ answer to keeping their skin clean, clear and healthy, it is a revolutionary antiseptic product, which gives owners the confidence to manage their pets skin health. Leucillin tackles many of the common problems pet owners face with its ability to kill germs that can cause; irritation, dry, itchy, flaky or smelly skin. An incredibly versatile, easy to use solution, Leucillin tackles your pets skin health from the outside in, it is soothing and calming to; itchy skin, sore paws, cuts and grazes, weepy eyes and irritated ears whilst being 100% safe on all skin types. Leucillin can be used to as a cleaning aid to remove unwanted smells from your pets coat and as a wound wash for minor cuts and abrasions, as an essential part of the first aid kit.
animal healthcare and is suitable for all mammals, birds and reptiles; from Cats to Cayman, Dogs to Degus, Hamsters to Horses.
Leucillin stand was a hive of activity, the day flew by chatting non-stop to those keen to learn all about skin and coat health.
Leucillin does not contain any harmful chemicals and is safe to use on sensitive and even allergy prone skin making it totally safe to use and store in the home environment.
On the stand we were joined by Pets at Home's The Groom Room as part of Team Leucillin’s very own Dogfest Doggy Day Spa who were on hand with advice, tips, demonstrations and heaps of knowledge to impart on how to keep your dog’s skin and coat happy and healthy. Leucillin is available in all 180 Pets At Homes Groom Room Salons across the country.
A Doggy Day out as VIP Sponsors of DogFest Leucillin can be found at many events all round the country, however we were incredibly proud to be the VIP sponsors of Dogfest, hosted by The Supervet, Noel FitzPatrick this Summer, with record numbers of pet lovers attending.
In the Leucillin VIP Marquee, SuperVet fans were greeted on arrival and had a wonderful day meeting Noel FitzPatrick, enjoying a luscious hamper lunch in the relaxed surroundings of the VIP Lounge, with refreshments all day and a Leucillin Leucillin has a wide and varied range of VIP goodie bag to take home. Meanwhile uses and capabilities within all areas right12:28 next Page to this ACHEIVEMag_HalfPG_Sept16:Layout 1 of 24/07/2015 1 tranquil environment the
Leucillin support The Soi Dog Foundation, who rescue dogs and cats from the cruel meat trade throughout Asia. They ran the Leucillin VIP Treat Challenge, raising a fantastic sum for their wonderful cause! Look out later this Summer for the DogFest special episode of The SuperVet on Channel 4, keeping your eyes peeled for the Leucillin purple flags. Visit www.leucillin.co.uk call 0845 548 9800 or email info@leucillin.co.uk today to find out more.
Proud to be the VIP Sponsors of
irritation, dry, itchy, flaky or smelly skin
Leucillin is an effective and reliable first aid tool, to l, a too must have for all pet owners. Leucillin tackles infection; irritation, dry, itchy, flaky ky or smelly skin, Leucillin is 100% safe to ears and nd d eye eyes,, eyes even to those with sensitive or allergy pronee skin. skin. Join Leucillin’s very own VIP Social Media Club lubC where every pet is important!
Healthy skin makes for a happy and healthy pet info@leucillin.co.uk www.leucillin.co.uk 08455489800
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Leather Dogmatic Headcollar The unique strapping under and at the sides of the chin ensures the Dogmatic stays in place and the nose band does not ride up under or into the eyes which causes distress and discomfort to your dog. The dogmatic is very comfortable to wear and offers complete but gentle control. £35.99 from www.dogmatic.org.uk
Handmade Leather Dog Collars Handmade and hand stitched by a multi award winning saddler in top quality English bridle leather. Choose from a range of leather colours, buckle options and widths to create your bespoke collar.
Gobblestopper™ Slow Feeder Gobblestopper™ is a simple, elegant solution to helping prevent a serious dog health risk: canine bloat. In fact, bloat is reported to be the second leading killer of dogs after cancer. By slowing your pet’s eating with Gobblestopper, you can avoid gulp£29.50 to £34.00 depending on size ing of air while dining, thought to be loving pets may15 advert_Layout 1 a 27/04/2015 13:07 Page 1Available in and width. www.jhleather.co.uk major cause of bloat. small, medium and large www.lovingpetsproducts.com
Bespoke Handmade Leatherwork Expert workmanship from a multi-award winning saddler All items are handmade and hand stitched from top quality English leather in our workshop in Wales. Range of leather colours, buckle options and designs to choose from.
Simply Georgous, Nearly Indestructible
www.jhleather.co.uk info@jhleather.co.uk 07494654036
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• Provides the beauty of ceramic without its shortcomings • Solid heavy gauge aluminium body reduces skids, prevents spills • Beautiful, ceramic-like bacteria-resistant interior • Available in 4 sizes, 6 designer colours
Robusto bowls are SO TOUGH, to prove it we ran one over with a 3-tonne truck! The only thing that dented was the tyre!
Loving Pets UK. Broad Oak, East Sussex tel: 01424 868 346 sales@lovingpetsproducts.co.uk www.lovingpetsproducts.com
@LovingpetsUK
Lovingpets_UK
Lovingpets_UK
Happy Hounds All Around Tired of your dog taking YOU for a walk? It’s never a good look when your dog is dragging you down the street gasping for air, whilst pulling your arms out of their sockets - and it can’t be doing them much good either! A head collar, like no other, designed to put you back in control and have your dog feeling relaxed as you lead the way, has been created by two ladies out of pure necessity. What they have come up with has helped train the un-trainable, home the unhomeable and been endorsed by famous dog behaviourist Dr David Sands! Mother-daughter team, Susan and Zoe Lewsley, are the owners of the popular Dogmatic head collar. Susan, inventor of the Dogmatic, suffers with widespread arthritis and nerve pain and is about to undergo more major surgery on her spine and neck, which meant she could no longer walk or even hold their Dobermanns; three proud show dogs. Zoe said: “Mum’s problems were being aggravated by trying to cope with the dogs and walking, showing or even holding them was no longer viable. Rather than give up, she decided to experiment with a head collar that would work by turning the dog’s head in a kindly manner ensuring the body would have to follow, yet was
comfortable to wear and would stop your dog pulling and lunging.” She continued: “we had three black leather head collars with brass fittings made for our dogs and this meant Mum and I could now walk them together and she could hold them when I was in the ring etc.; this was a major lifestyle change!” The Dogmatic was created to stop dogs pulling but ensure there was no riding up or rubbing in the dogs’ eyes. Both the Leather and Padded Cushioned Webbing alternative are very comfortable. There are ten sizes to ensure a good fit which will not come off. The invention even helps prevent emergencies from escalating! In case of anything going wrong on your walk, you can use the Dogmatic to close your dog’s mouth, turn its head and remain in complete control for the safety of your pooch and those around them. But don’t worry! The strap immediately releases again so that he can pant, drink and carry his favourite toy! Susan’s revolutionary design has helped other disabled owners. As the Headcollar has been designed to stay in place and not ride up, you are leading the dog by the head, ensuring the owner truly takes the lead and along with specialised non-slip leads, he isn’t going anywhere that you don’t want him to!
“Most dog owners are a very friendly lot and everybody was very helpful and eager for their dogs to be included in the research!” Neither being natural sales people or over-confident by nature, Zoe said: “it was interesting to have to ask if we could measure people’s dogs and trial our sizing samples on as many breeds and crossbreeds as possible. Fortunately, most dog owners are a very friendly lot and everybody was very helpful and eager for their dogs to be included in the research!” The Dogmatic is highly commended by content canines and overjoyed owners meaning that Susan and Zoe’s head collars won ‘Product I can’t Live Without’ in the 2014/15 Your Dog Magazine’s Pet Product Awards and Susan won ‘Established Business Awards 2012’ at the Women in Business Achievement Awards. The pair have also helped with small businesses, clubs and rescue centres by offering low minimum orders at trade prices so any profits can go back into them. www.dogmatic.org.uk
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FUn in the sun
Holiday Safety For All The Family As we enjoy days out with our families, high temperatures mean bacteria can thrive in public places and be brought back into our homes. A recent study has revealed that over 1/3 of taps and more than 50% of wash basins in public washrooms were contaminated with faecal bacteria which could cause illness taking the fun out of a family day out. Home hygiene expert Dr Lisa Ackerley advises parents to follow simple precautions to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria and help keep your families summer safe and hygienic. 1. Throw in the towel – Bacteria can thrive on polyester based fabrics3 such as swimming costumes, increasing the risk of germs transmitting to other items in the wash bag like towels and clothing. To help prevent cross contamination within laundry, use a disinfectant such as Dettol Anti-bacterial Laundry Cleanser which kills 99.9% of bacteria even at temperatures as low as 15°C. 2. Beware BBQ bacteria With bacteria such as E. coli and Campylobacter being present on raw meats and poultry, we need to be particularly careful to avoid crosscontamination risks. Make sure surfaces and utensils are hygienically clean and grease free by using Dettol Power & Pure Advance Kitchen Spray & Wipes - the Active Oxygen formula breaks
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down to water and oxygen leaving no harsh chemical residue, and kills 99.9% of bacteria which could contaminate barbecue shelves, garden tables and other surrounding surfaces. Don’t let your hands carry dangerous germs – wash after handling raw meat or poultry or use antibacterial gel. 3. Public Bathrooms – On family days out, public bathrooms are unavoidable. With an estimate of 95% of people not knowing how to clean their hands properly4, make sure to teach your little ones the importance of hand hygiene, especially outside the home. For a fun viral video to help limit the risk of catching germs, visit http://www.wash-hands. com for the NHS’s ‘Simple guide to hand washing’. 4. Farmyard Frenzy - Petting zoos & animal farms are great places to visit, but they’re also places where bacteria can spread. Medically termed as ‘zoonoses’, animals can pass many infections onto humans, with illness occurring when germs such as the dangerous E. coli 0157 bacteria, parasites, infected insects and fungi are transferred from hands to mouths. It therefore important to use an anti bacterial hand wash after animal contact to protect children from potential illness, and carry an anti-bacterial hand gel in case you can’t get to a basin. Don’t let children eat during farm visits without washing or sanitising their hands first.
The
Beach Easy All Terrain Wheelchair
Accessible, affordable and enjoyable Designed and made in sunny Lancashire, Beach Easy Wheel Chairs are the best wheelchairs for beach lovers with mobility difficulties or physical disabilities which necessitate a wheelchair. Available to hire up and down the country or to buy, Beach Easy Wheel Chairs are an ingenious adaptation to the traditional wheelchair. Combining the best design and at an affordable price, Beach Easy Wheel Chairs act as a standard wheelchair for day to day use. However, when your adventures take you off road or you need to catch some rays on the beach, the low pressure balloon wheels convert your wheelchair into an off road, beach ready machine!
Email : beacheasy@hotmail.co.uk
The “Beach Easy” rolls over sand and rough terrain remarkable ease !! Email : with beacheasy@hotmail.co.uk
To find out more pop along to the website www.beachwheelchairs.co.uk and see where you’re adventures for 2016 could take you!
www.beachwheelchairs.co.uk www.beachwheelchairs.co.uk
Call Call ––07801 07801 710750 710750
Email– -beacheasy@hotmail.co.uk beacheasy@hotmail.co.uk Email
Eastham Hall Caravan Park SALT COT ES ROAD LYT HAM ST ANNES, LANCASHI RE FY 8
Touring Caravans | Seasonal Tourers | Holiday Homes
www.easthamhall.co.uk
01253 737 907
Achieve 81
www.sarahmasonphotography.co.uk
THE TRANQUIL TRIP WITH A TWIST! Beneath the dappled sunlight of a magnificent Copper Beech tree sits three gypsy caravans in enchanting woodland that surrounds the historic Markington Hall. Bella, Carmen and Rosita are brightly coloured wagons bursting with character and waiting to meet curious uniqueseeking guests and kids who love the outdoors! Owners Julie and William Wilberforce take pride in their niche holiday package. William told us: “the idea came from our son. After looking on canopyandstars. co.uk he said we should do something quirky like this so we got looking around for something different.” The direct descendants of the famous William Wilberforce; voice of the abolition of slavery, scoured the lands in search of antique carriages to fulfil their personal
brief of an idyllic, charming holiday break. There’s lots on offer here at The Copper Beech Glade. With an open campfire, cooking tripod, gas barbeque and a communal log cabin, there are lots of cooking options. William said: “we provide tea sets for children, hampers with spices and condiments, marshmallows and recipes and instructions to cook over the fire;” a great idea for those (like us) who wouldn’t have a clue when cooking outdoors! The caravans, in the peaceful private surroundings of the ancient trees, are fully wired up for all electrical needs, shower and toileting facilities and with limited signal for your phones, it’s the perfect luxury retreat! This is the place where romance is in the air and adventure is around every corner.
“We’re quite off the beaten track so our guests are usually looking for something a little different,” William laughed. Take the kids to explore the close by woodlands in the cool morning sunshine or go fishing in the babbling brook after tea and head out to see the beautiful sites of Yorkshire in the evening. Book all three caravans to accommodate for larger parties and invite more friends who can camp out in their own tents for the most extraordinary private party. Or, book a single caravan and make new acquaintances to share your experience with. Visit www.markingtonhall.co.uk/copperbeech-glade Or call 01765 676534
Old Kennels Farm Holiday Cottages LEDBURY, HEREFORDSHIRE
stay in luxury on ventnor beach
Isle of Wight
These stylish new beach houses enjoy a unique position, literally a stone’s throw from the beach in Ventnor, Isle of Wight. Each house can comfortably accommodate up to six adults, three children and an infant.
BOOK EARLY FOR NEXT SUMMER We offer complete flexibility, just give us a call to discuss your requirements. ventnorseafront.co.uk 01983 855010 achieve@ventnorseafront.co.uk
The Old Kennels Farm is a small family run farm of 24 acres, on the farm we have six holiday cottages which sleep from 2 to 6 people. The holiday cottages are conversions of old farm buildings and are all named after old varieties of cider apples. Our farm is situated on the edge of Ledbury in picturesque Herefordshire. There are many places of historical interest; a variety of public houses and restaurants, a small leisure centre, a swimming pool and a gym. A lovely assortment of small individual shops and two larger supermarkets - one only ½ mile away. Everything here is within easy walking distance. The mainline Railway Station is only a 5 minute walk away, with trains to Hereford, Worcester Birmingham and London Paddington.
WWW.OLDKENNELSFARM.CO.UK 82
01531 635024
Calling All Quest Craving Kids and Grown-ups!) The brightly coloured setting was perfect for kids of all ages with a more calming atmosphere, which allowed them to really take in their surroundings. Mia’s Riding Adventure spun them forwards and backwards through the air and they were very impressed with the dessert shop (which we indulged in after the ride, of course!) WHAT THE ADULTS THOUGHT Our trip was a fantastic adventure for the kids and for us adults! It was the perfect escapism to everyday life and was great to see the kids having some real fun. One of the things that we (not so secretly) enjoyed was the Laser Raiders in the Kingdom of the Pharaohs section. We loved working on our aim as the interactive ride took us on a mini quest to find lost treasure. It was incredible how this got all four of us working together and had us cooperating like real heroes.
This year we went to LEGOLAND Windsor! The brand new area Heartlake City, based on the popular LEGO Friends range, had recently opened and we wanted to see what all the fuss was about. With over 55 interactive rides and attractions, the park screams adventure for children aged 2-12 years old.
spending some time in this area. After darting eyes, ‘what’s over there’ comments and finger pointing to various dragon statues, they were ready to get on their first ride. They ran for the Vikings’ River Splash first – a fantasy voyage created with millions of LEGO® bricks that was a true thrill for all of us.
We explored the park to see what’s on offer for children and grown-ups alike. As a group of two adults and two youngsters, a boy and girl aged eight and nine, we were sure to have very different experiences!
A real highlight for the inquisitive kids was the 4D cinema experience. We saw Spellbreaker, which had them on the edge of their seats – 15 minutes of pure entertainment!
WHAT THE KIDS THOUGHT Our mini theme park detectives were able to investigate a whopping chunk of the resort set in 150 acres of beautiful parkland. Instantly struck by the fantastically designed LEGOLAND hotel, their excitement turned to awe and we were dragged hand in hand eager to be amazed. Headed straight for the Land of the Vikings, it was clear we would be
The Pirates of Skeleton Bay stunt show was entertaining to say the least! Featuring acrobatics and daredevil acts, this was undoubtedly a joint favourite of ours. On to the newest area we’d all been waiting for…! Where adventure is everywhere and friendship is everything; Heartlake City, although made of sugar and spice and all things nice (and LEGO® obviously), was enjoyed by both of our little critics.
Our journey round the park was as engaging as the rides themselves. Mount Rushmore and the Eifel Tower were particularly impressive and Miniland was educational and really grabbed our little ones attention. We all had a lot of fun in the eagerly awaited, Heartlake city. It was a real little city for us to explore with a lot of interactive experiences to be had inside the pretty buildings. This is where we hopped on the Heartlake City Express Train to ride through a safari landscape that is home to hundreds of LEGO® safari animals. There were plenty of stop offs to get quick bites to eat, ice creams and other treats as well as fun themed restaurants! We could have spent a whole two days at LEGOLAND – next time we shall definitely be staying the night in their imaginative suites. Leanne x
(Achieve’s Operations Director) www.legoland.co.uk
0871 2222 001
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