SEN
Gifts
Recipes
Nursery
Care
Issue 2
learn to swim!
Advice and products to encourage your little ones into the water
Christmas Gift Guide
Inspiring gift ideas for all your family
Working Mums
Become a stay at home working mum with our franchise opportunities
Autism
Awareness
with Anna Kennedy
Just some of the exciting new products at RosyandBo.com
New one-stop shop RosyandBo.com brings together the best gifts and lifestyle products for families with special needs children
Rosy & Bo is brimming with great products, all handpicked by them, with helpful descriptions, expert tips and no-nonsense ideas on how to use them with a range of special needs and disabilities. Uniquely, Rosy & Bo features products from
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Rosy & Bo’s mission is to enhance and inspire every-day life for special needs families
}
parents can make a list of suitable products, so family and friends can choose the perfect gift for a special needs child in their life. Rosy & Bo also provides support - a friendly neighbourhood - for informative tips and helpful ideas, all in one inspiring place.
The Rosy & Bo team live and breathe special needs; both at home and at work. Children with special needs usually have a lifelong condition that they grow with and a family adapts to over a lifetime… Rosy & Bo helps with all aspects of family life not just the medical or educational needs of the individual child, but the other things to make life easier for the whole family. Rosy& Bo has great ideas for family life, even the most special ones.
A taster of the great ideas for family life on RosyandBo.com Gifts and parties – birthday and great gifts with the Gift List for family and friends Travel and holidays – travel zones, blackout blinds, swim-gear, sleeping bags. Manageable mealtimes –grounding highchairs, ergonomic cutlery, brilliant bibs. Better bedtimes – nightlights, sleep trainers, wriggle-proof pjs, weighted blankets.
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Kit for kids – itch-free, chemical-free, fabulous clothes, shoes and accessories. Home comforts – storage ideas, cleanup solutions, calendars and organizers. Toys, learning and play – sensory fun, active play, social skills, homework Well done! – sticker charts, reinforcers and novelty toys.
choose the perfect gift.
By teaming-up with special needs expert Lauren Allen and retail guru Lesley de la Mare, Rosy & Bo have sourced products from Europe, Australia and the USA that all have three things in common; they are useful, life enhancing and stylish.
As an online marketplace, Rosy & Bo allows parents, friends and family to shop from many different Partners through one checkout. Rosy & Bo’s personalised Gift List for birthdays and Christmas, means
Co-founder, Hannah Postgate says, “Being a parent to a daughter with complex special needs has been tough… I really wanted to bring families like ours, innovative, practical products, which are also attractive and inspiring. The functional items have a really valuable place, but I was fed-up with the dull, institutional products out there. So Rosy & Bo’s mission is to enhance and inspire every-day life for special needs families!”
RosyandBo.com to help family
Co-founder Hannah Postgate, mother to Rose who has autism and learning disabilities, found it hard to find great products for her family, so set about improving the lives of families across the special needs community.
both special needs and mainstream retail partners, and have the vision to see how this diverse collection can enhance the lives of special needs families.
Create a Christmas Gift List at
RosyandBo.com, launching at the end of October, is a response to the very real difficulties faced by special needs families.
Contents
4. Baby Essentials
When it comes to kitting yourself out with all the baby essentials, you will likely be shocked and the sheer volume of things you need! Take a look at our guide for our picks of the real essentials…
12. For the Kids
From gifts to kid’s essentials, our guide points out some of our great finds that we had to share…
20. Working Mum
Mums can do it all these days, whilst a lot of us feel like we are juggling various different plates we somehow still manage to succeed! It’s because of our admiration for working mums that we decided to highlight some of our picks for mums who run their own businesses too!
24. Learn to Swim
Swimming is such a fun and healthy past-time, we show you the benefits of starting swimming young and highlight some essentials to help it all go smoothly.
35. Nutritious Food Guide
Simple solutions to making tasty, healthy and easy dishes for your little ones!
37. Jessica’s Recipe Bags
Recipes from Jessica’s recipe bag make family meal times that bit nicer, tastier, healthy and really so much easier…we love it!
42. Disability Rocks
This popular festival is back in 2014 with not one, not two, not three but four festivals across the country, we bring you the latest updates from Disability Rocks.
46. Autism Awareness
The subject of autism is always a subject we want to talk about, whether it’s raising awareness of the charity work that people do like Anna Kennedy Online or bringing you news of schools are caring facilities that are there to help those affected.
Company Director: Jenny Cross - jenny@crossproductions.co.uk
Editor: Sally Smith - sally@crossproductions.co.uk
Head of Operations: Leanne Baker - leanne@crossproductions.co.uk Design: Rachael Bambrough - design@crossproductions.co.uk Editorial Director: Emily Kirton - editorials@crossproductions.co.uk - 07944116816 Postal Address: Cross Productions, 17 Manderville Road, Oadby, Leicester, LE2 5LR Distribution: Media Matters Direct - www.mediamattersdirect.co.uk Published by: Cross Productions Ltd www.achieve-magazine.co.uk
Email: info@crossproductions.co.uk Telephone: 0116 2712573
Achieve 03
Parent Essentials When it came to getting kitted out for my new-born baby I felt a little lost. Especially with so many mums telling me that I didn’t need absolutely everything, and that there would only be a few essentials that I would need to ensure a smoother sailing. Here is my list of real essentials, the things that myself and my friends have all found to be useful for bringing up babe.
The Pushchair and Cot Now, the pushchair is a big one! Rather like the process of buying a car, the pushchair/travel system can be a complicated one. Do you choose a whole travel system with the works complete with car seat and pram? Does it fit in the boot of your car? Can you fold it down and put it up easily? (Preferably with one hand!) Try lots out for size, like wedding dress shopping - you will know when you have found ‘the one’. When it comes to the cot look for ones that convert from a cot to a bed which you can change as they grow – they are particularly good and money saving!
The Safety Stuff I felt an overwhelming sense of joy and happiness when my bundle of joy was born….then worry! Even though she’s nearly 4 - I still feel all of the above! That’s why I feel it’s important to find things that helped me to worry less; Stair-gates, Baby Monitors, Thermometers, Seatbelt keeper- oners and sit up straighters and anything else that assured me my baby was as safe as can be.
The Clothes and Toys It’s likely that your family and friends will be a massive help with this one, with grandma buying out the latest ranges at various different stores, with the change of season, Christmas and birthdays keeping them in toys all year round! However, if there is one thing I would recommend, it’s that I would try to go for toys and clothes that last, high quality materials and wooden toys can always been passed down and around! So, from 0-5 there are loads of things that you will buy and not use, but in equal measures there will be things that are invaluable in helping you and your family have a slightly easier life in precious early years, and you can’t knock anything that makes parenthood that little bit easier can you?
The Poddle Pod: A tale of success…. Owner and happily accidental businesswoman Charlotte started her family when she was just 16 and nearly 20 years and 5 children later Charlotte is now the proud entrepreneur that started the hugely successful Poddle Pods thus defying the stereotype of the young mum. Her Poddle Pod journey began with her fourth child. Charlotte noticed the frustrating lack of a cosy place for her baby to rest while she attended to the million and one things a busy mother needs to attend to each and every day. Wanting somewhere that would feel like a comfort for her baby, Charlotte explains;
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“My baby wanted to be carried by me everywhere, crying constantly if she was put down, I wanted something that would be safe and comforting to her, something that she would feel snuggly and warm on to help her settle, and in turn, give me a few moments rest!” After scouring the internet Charlotte was left feeling defeated, what she had in mind simply wasn’t on the market. It was a chance conversation with her mum and fellow company director that got her thinking; “I was telling my mum all about what I was looking for but couldn’t find, and so unbeknown to me she got to work on creating it for herself making the first Poddle Pod from a duvet filling! It was amazing and really worked, all mums that saw it loved it too…the rest, as they say, is history! It was developed and designed as me and mum joined forces until it is the product that is becoming so popular today.”
a comfortable place for your babes to settle. With weight activated materials, washable colourful covers the portable, lightweight Pods are perfect for newborns as you transport them from room to room in the house. They are ideal for little ones suffering with colic and perfect for that all important tummy time, there’s no jolt waking too as your newborn settles in a cosy cocoon feeling allowing their sleep to be undisturbed. Brilliant for sitting babies as you visit a friends house or as a protector as they learn to sit for themselves. The Toddler Pods are a fab comfort provider as they watch their favourite programme or settle for a nap.
The Poddle Pod and the Toddle Pod (a larger version for older babies and toddlers) both provide
www.poddlepod.co.uk
Essential for every mum, the Poddle Pod is the perfect gift to a new mum, or for yourself as you embark on motherhood…we just feel sad we didn’t discover them sooner when our tots were babes!
BeltUpp and Keep Little Ones Safe
3 The revolutionary safety strap With BeltUpp your child will be safer, more comfortable and is easily fitted.
R.R.P £17.99
Corrects your child’s sitting position Provides greater comfort and safety
Little green radicals free
Fits easily to most group 2 car seats
range bibs
01455 293047
www.beltupp.com
£5.50
Hauck fun for Kids Celebrating Double Gold Win Hauck launched the Bodyguard car seat earlier this year and to receive not one but two Gold awards confirms we have delivered a Group 11/111 car seat that offers comfort, safety and versatility to families travelling with children. The Practical Pre-School Awards provide a unique awards programme reviewing products suitable for the infant, pre-school and early years. Items are submitted and tested by professionals in nursery schools and childcare. The Bizziebaby Awards are voted for by the people that count ‘The Parents’. Each product submitted is rigorously tested by a selection of Bizziebaby testers for a month. They examine every aspect in great detail ensuring it is right for their needs and makes life easier for them and their baby.
Suitable from Approximately 3-12 years, the Bodyguard provides your child with maximum safety and comfort and is suitable for all vehicle seats with a standard 3-point belt system. For protection in the head region, memory foam is used. This foam is impact- and shock-absorbing and achieved excellent test results in frontal and side crashes. To keep your child cool the covers are made of breathable microfiber. This car seat grows with your child! Using only one hand the head protection and side wings are adjusted in height and width. The back rest can be reclined three times. Hauck Bodyguard Car Seat – RRP £129.99 Web: www.hauckuk.com Tel: 01978 664362
Achieve 05
Great Gifts for Kids! MY FIRST DOLL MAISIE, £14.99 http://www.tomy.co.uk
2014 DODO desk diary (£12.99) 2013 DODO Interactive Advent Calender (£5.99) www.dodopad.com SwimFin is a vertical swimming aid suitable for children from 2 yrs+ of all abilities. www.swimfin.co.uk, £21.99
Pro Deck (£24.99) http://www.johnadams. co.uk/home.php
T Shirt Studio fashion designer kit. £7.99. www.galttoys.com
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HolograFX (£34.99) http://www.johnadams.co.uk/home.php
The Befana Drama by Gianna Hartwright £8.99, available at Amazon and good bookshops.
Disney Princess Smartphone £9.99. Debenhams, Amazon, Very.co.uk, Littlewoods
DANCING POOH, £29.99http://www.tomy.co.uk
My First Disney Princess Touchpad £19.99. Argos, Amazon, Very.co.uk, Littlewoods, Tesco
Michel Mercier‘s Untangle Your Day’ brush has a unique distribution of bristles which reduces the tugging placed on the Make your own retro doll kit from Loubilou, £20.00 hair. £12.95 www.michelmercier.co.uk -www.loubilou.com - See more at: http://www. loubilou.com/product/1071498/make-your-own-retrodoll-kit#sthash.HKyc29SD.dpuf, £20.00
Kitsound Mini Buddy Speaker £9.99 www.halfords.com
Robo Design Book, RRP: £7.99, suitable from 5 years
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Air Storm Z-Curve Bow (£19.99, Argos)
Angel’s Face tutus www.angels-face.co.uk Tea Rose Tutu £35.00
With Skribbies your kids can now customize their trainers, with a wipeable surface to draw over and over again. UK Junior Size 10 to UK The ORIGINAL Wicked Socker Boppers are here, and they're guaranteed to provide hours 3 RRP £35.95, www.skribbies.com of fun! £10, www.wickedmania.com
Razor Berry is the coolest scooter around! Razor Berry Raspberry (£49.99 available from Amazon, Argos and Boots) and Razor Berry Gooseberry (£49.99 exclusive to Toys R Us)
Gooey Louie (£19.99) http://www.johnadams.co.uk/home.php
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5 Second Rule – The fast-paced family board game. RRP £19.99 (Argos, Amazon)
Telestrations (£24.99) www.johnadams.co.uk
Nursery style mum and baby will both love…. London Route Master Bunk Bed www.somethingyoufancy.co.uk £1,615.00
At Nubie we love creating children’s spaces, particularly because so often it’s the children’s areas in the home that create décor problems. They can often feel either separate from the style of the rest of the house or dominating. Merging their environment with adult spaces - whether it’s a corner of the kitchen or a dedicated playroom, you can have lots of fun with a few simple changes creating a cool area for them that will work seamlessly in your home.
Great Space Saver The
ot
01202 759401 info@thebunkcot.com
1 cot = 3 combinations
From newborn to 6 years old
company
Nubie Boutique offers the stylish home owner cool, fun and chic children’s furniture and accessories for their children’s spaces, the spaces where style sometimes gets lost. Owner Amanda shares her tips of kiddie décor coolness…
Whilst they are young it’s great to have their play space near you so you can do that multi-tasking thing us parents are all so good at! Yet many homes have toy storage issues with toys taking over the house in the day resulting in parents throwing toys in the corner in a heap by night. These issues can easily be resolved with the right storage, you can even do simple things which help your kids identify their space with colour coded or animal faces on storage for different aspects of play - a great way to get them helping with the clean-up part too! At Nubie we source cool things for cool families seeking something unique and stylish, in fact many of our companies, such as Ferm Living started with products for adults and as they had their own families have brought out children's ranges too - so they have a cool but stylish element to them that’s usually hard to find. The right high quality, high style pieces are what will make a room work for you and your family. Consider your purchases carefully; make sure you really like them before you invest. Oh, and never settle for the ordinary, whatever the space and budget there is always something better than ordinary for your home!
www.thebunkcot.com
www.nubie.co.uk Achieve 07
Nubie....Begin Life in Style Your stylish home needn’t stop at your child’s door with the help of Nubie, a contemporary baby boutique for those that appreciate a clean yet unique décor look in their home. Nubie.co.uk is host to a wide range of smart furniture and accessories for a fuss free stylish look for your babies’ nursery or child’s bedroom. With a strong emphasis on providing customers with unique furniture and quirky touches the collection screams the stunning Scandinavian style that is so classic and contemporary yet striking and unique all at once. We caught up with Nubie online boutique owner Amanda to find out more…
How was Nubie born? “I started Nubie with a friend from my NCT group because we wanted to provide people with stylish children’s furniture and accessories. I really struggled to find pieces on the market that suited the Scandinavian style of home décor that I loved and knew I couldn’t be alone in that! I also feel strongly that the children’s room needn’t be the place where style stops in your home, I wanted to bring pieces to the public that reflect a tasteful look like the rest of your décor but that had the fun factor and personality that kids look for in their rooms too. Scandinavian style does this so well.”
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So, are a lot of the pieces in the Nubie boutique from Scandinavia?
What is it about your boutique that makes customers keep coming back?
“Yes! We stock items from independent, usually family, sellers from all
“Well firstly we have a very strong customer service ethic; the idea from
over the world but a lot is from Scandinavia, they just have an effortless
the start has always been to provide stylish furniture all under one roof
clean way when it comes to décor and style in the home which shows in
combined with excellent customer service. I would definitely say we go
the way that they design children’s furniture, toys and clothes too. We like
the extra mile with the service we give and have been known to chat
to think that if you want something cool and fun for your child, whether its
to customers for over two hours on the phone offering our advice on
furniture, décor accessories, gifts and even an item of clothing that we
products before! Secondly, I think it’s because our products work really
provide a diverse enough collection to appeal to a great deal of tastes.”
well together, it’s easy to make a child’s room look good by choosing
What pieces are particularly popular at the moment? “We are seeing a surge in customers wanting to find stylish toy storage, largely because so many of us are opting for a more open plan style of living. The desire to ensure that everything in the home blends in effortlessly with a consistent style throughout is very big news. Plus, the
a few items from the boutique, it takes the design pressure off client’s shoulders I think! Thirdly, we are always looking to add pieces we love to the collection so that it’s fresh for people who want to come back for something new!”
Shop online at www.nubie.co.uk
wall art stickers are increasing in popularity, probably due to the fact they are so fun and can make a big impact on a space without the costs of a complete decoration in the room.”
Achieve 09
Fit for a future king! With the Royal Christening getting us all cooing and ahhing, and Prince George's big day we decided to bring you a slice of Royalty with companies providing goods for baby's that we deem fit for Royalty! We have been seeking out the kind of gifts that showcase just how special a new-born is, whether for their christening, to celebrate their arrival or fit for their first birthday! Say it with their prints… There is a long standing tradition in this country to give something as a keepsake for baby’s arrival or christening and this is still going strong today. There are some great companies however that utilise the specialness of your babies finger and foot prints to create a piece of memorabilia to last a lifetime. Have your babies print placed within some silver jewellery, get its date of birth marked in aluminium or, opt for a stunning cast of baby’s hands or feet in precious metals. These days you can still show the sentimental aspects to the occasion with gifts that are unique and special without opting for the silver teddy bear or cup that we might have had when we were babes.
Save for prosperity… Many of us parents like to have keepsakes to show baby when they are all grown up, from hospital wristbands at birth to first teeth and lock of hair they all hold important memories. However, holding onto them and keeping them safe can be a little tricky. Not with a My Babylog though, the clever boxes boast compartments for various keepsakes, poems and many little details that make it a wonderful gift for any parent to enjoy for years and years to come. Whatever you decide there are a host of stunning gifts out there just perfect for a new-born’s arrival, to mark a christening and to celebrate a birthday that is special. Take a look outside of the box and at some of our suggestions for gifts that say you care, we are sure that even Royalty would love the gifts that we recommend!
Birth and Christening detail print £ 17.99
Family Typography Print £37.99
B is for...Bella Print HANDMADE IN THE SHETLAND ISLANDS http://www.somethingyoufancy.co.uk/index.php/ £17.99 gifts/category/33-newborn-christening shetlandfudge.co.uk
HANDMADE IN THE SHETLAND ISLANDS loveshetlandteddybears.co.uk
Times to Treasure Keep the memories alive
As a member of the human race it’s highly likely that you have contemplated just how fast life flies past, how quickly children grow up, how memories are made and remembered. Times to Treasure, a company based in Poole, Dorset, specialises in three dimensional life casts of children and babies’ hands and feet, and beautiful, handcrafted bespoke fine silver keepsake jewellery. Capturing your children or loved ones fingerprint or hand/footprints in fine silver, pieces can be personalised to your specification with a name date or short message. These are quality keepsakes that will be treasured forever and help to keep memories alive. Designer, maker and company owner, mum of three Grainne Reynolds started the company after
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struggling to find a keepsake artist offering a 3D sculpture service within her local area. “I had my first two children’s hands and feet cast when they were born but after moving away from London I couldn’t find a company offering this service, for my new son.” After a lot of research and practice Times to Treasure was born. After mastering the art of 3D life casting I felt I needed to expand, I completed a specialist course in fine silver and learnt the process of miniaturising hands and footprints and setting them into beautiful silver jewellery. Quality is extremely important to me, I put a huge amount of time and energy into each piece, I only sell items that I would be happy to receive myself. I enjoy the variety that my job brings, its wonderful to meet all the lovely little ones and their parents too.
The collection features the 3D hand and foot sculptures and a wide range of stunning silver print jewellery in the form of charms, pendants, Pandora style beads, cufflinks and key rings with each and every piece unique to you with your child’s prints. Handmade with a great deal of attention to detail, each and every Times to Treasure piece is something to cherish forever. These creations make a beautiful gift or memento to keep within the family and pass down through generations. So, to discover a small but significant way to help keep your memories alive visit…. www.timestotreasure.co.uk www.facebook.com/TimestoTreasure.co.uk Tel : 07808078418
Insight
Achieve 11
Great Gifts for Kids!
Crafty Kids - range features six puppet kits featuring a Ballerina, Dinosaur, Giraffe, Horse and more! Each kit is complete with paints, Dream Phone (£24.99) http://www.johnadams.co.uk/home.php brushes, and glue. 6+, RRP £14.95
Tots can become Christmas master chefs in no time! The perfect gift for any budding bakers out there! £8.50 - £22 from www.tumtumtots.com
Smart Ass – This is the ultimate trivia game where you don’t even have to wait your turn to prove how smart you are. RRP £6.99 (Amazon)
Tombow Mono One Erasers: £2.60 each, Kokuyo Harinacs Staple Free Stapler: £8.95 NeoCritz Transformer pencil case: £12.50 Available to buy from www.stonemarketing.com
My Little Pony - Paint & Style Pony (from the craft kits range) (£9.99) http://www.johnadams.co.uk/home.php
Warm in Water Baby Swim Kit £30 - includes a Pirate or Flower Fairy Snuggle Sac, £45 Happy Nappy & a mini wetsuit BabyWrap. www.snugglesac.com Available in navy or pink – Ideal from birth to 30months. www.splashabout.com
Having a playdate, a party or a paddy, Eggnogg's colour-in tablecloth will keep even the most fidgety child in their seat! £11.99 for a pack of 2, RosyandBo.com
Make your very own Delta Force Flyers. Five different space jets and a helicopter spy drone to create. Easy to make designs with no more than seven steps per model. Great for fidgety children on family outings or holidays! £4.99, RosyandBo.com
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Jungle Magic Sounds Aquadoodle, £24.99 http://www.tomy.co.uk
Children will love learning with the Musical Rainbow Tea Party! features more than 50 songs for little ones to sing along to! RRP £19.99
Treat someone to Real Snow this Christmas! The Snow Centre Gift Voucher, www. thesnowcentre.com or call 0845 258 9000
Carddies, the Card People to Colour and Go - perfect for children aged 3 to 10. RRP £8.99 from the Carddies store at www.amazon.co.uk
4. Silver Sense’s Wonder Onesies £39 from www.silversense.co.uk 18 months to 8 years Chimp and Zee craft and activity sets Pretty Ponies, 4+, RRP: 9.95
Hue Animation Studio Enjoy powerful, easy-to-use, animation software. £49.95, www.hueanimation.com
Young Driver offers 11-17 year olds the chance to get behind the wheel of a real car with a qualified instructor before they’re legally allowed to take to the road. 30 minute - £31.99, 60 minute - £59.95. Available from www.youngdriver.eu
Blazer Bears are wonderful bespoke and handmade keepsakes made from old school uniforms or any memorable clothing. £50 from www.blazerbear.co.uk
The KaZoo headphones ensure children can have fun listening to their favourite music or entertainment without the risk of damaging their ears. £14.99, available from www.currys. co.uk / www.pcworld.co.uk. 3+
Cozie Warmers ‘Olly Owl’ Microwave Heated Toy with Lavender.
Babog Baby Early Language Learning Tool, teaches words, numbers, colours and shapes!
£9.95, www.coziewarmers.co.uk
www.babogbaby.com
’’Never give up, never give in and never take no for an answer’’ It’s human nature to want to find ways to preserve the special moments we share with our offspring forever, yet as you cut their hair for the first time, or take a print of their foot, or lose their first tooth, where do you put these items to ensure they can be kept forever, preserved and not in various ‘keepsake’ drawers and boxes around the home? The MyBabylog Keepsake box provides a perfectly fitting home for these very important memory snapshots and makes for the perfect gift to a new-born or at a baby shower. Made from a super strong material designed to protect your special items for the future, it is finished with delicate hinges and a clasp to ensure all your treasures are kept securely inside. The baby memory boxes are a beautiful way to keep precious things that way. A family heirloom in the making, they hold onto your memories forever. It is available in a unisex design, great for that gift when the gender of the baby is to be a surprise, as well as a beautiful design for girls and boys. The boxes feature two storage areas, little storage pots for keeping baby’s first curl, baby’s first tooth and hospital wrist or ankle band, a family tree for you to complete and a sweet poem. There’s plenty of room for those scanned photos of when your baby was glimpsed for the first time, their first photograph and first outfit or even their favourite snuggly toy growing up. What’s even more special is that, precious things can be added over the years for that memory to be made even more special. Made from a robust material, an environmentally friendly rigid cardboard with the hardness and strength of wood, it’s a beautiful gift for all to enjoy for years and years to come. Discover the perfect gift for any newborn at www.mybabylog.co.uk, with plenty of other precious gifts too, it’s a must for any baby shower or new baby gift.
WIN WIN WIN For your chance to win a MyBabyLog simply visit www.mybabylog.co.uk to find the answer to the following question; Which famous bears are available from the website? Send your name, address and contact details to competitions@crossproductions.co.uk with the subject ‘mybabylog’ before the closing date of Dec 6th 2013. Facebook: www.facebook.com/mybabyloguk Twitter: www.twitter.com/mybabyloguk Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/mybabylog LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/barbaramybabylog
“4 small boys and your own business. How DO you do it?”
If like me you try to ignore Christmas until you can’t ignore the endless carols in shops, tinsel, inflatable santas and the torrent of Christmas
My honest answer? Badly. For instance, I was so engrossed in a work deadline that I completely forgot to collect two of my little darlings from school. Thankfully, my concentration was interrupted by a phone call, at which point I glanced at the top of the computer screen, glanced again, squinted hard and very slowly my brain translated the 24hour clock into real time.
adverts anymore, then start to panic that you haven’t started even thinking about what to buy the ever increasing list of gifts to buy (nieces, nephews, godchildren and own children) then maybe can help? I’m Caitlin and run Cherish & Cherubs. I set up Cherish & Cherubs bringing together a collection of gifts, many personalised, that I would be happy to give or receive as a gift. We
Ffffffffffffff********** Actually, I didn't have time to swear. There then ensued a mad sprint down the road in a heavy cloud burst (which it seems I'd also failed to notice) whilst passing lots of lovely Mothers on their way home who obviously hadn't forgotten that they had given birth. And there they sat; like poor bewildered orphans, safely waiting behind the glass door. Not red faced, not out of breath, not with wet hair plastered to their forehead and with no hint of smeared mascara oozing from their crows feet down onto their cheeks.
strive to provide products that aren’t stocked on the high-street to ensure that gifts retain the much loved quirky nature we’re renowned for. For example no little boy’s room would be complete without a train! Our best-selling personalised wooden train is just the ticket – all aboard! Everyone should have a special top to wear at Christmas – especially little angels. We have personalised Christmas angel, reindeer or Christmas pudding design t-shirt’s available in a choice of colours. My inspiration to establish this business came from my son and background in antiques (many
Bless their sweet neglected little cotton socks, and with such a joyous "We love you Mummy" reunion I secretly admit to being quite tempted to do it again. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Anna Danielle, working mummy to four little ratbags, creator of Rufus Rabbit, the funny bunny baby gift range and armed with my trusty English GCSE, it appears I am somehow qualified to waffle on in print. So until they notice their mistake... Mum's the word xxx www.rufusrabbit.co.uk
gifts have a vintage feel). After spending ages searching for fun and good quality gifts for friends and struggling, I decided to choose my own selection for everyone's little cherubs! I’m a busy mum, who works full time and want to be available to my son in what spare time I do have, then last thing I want to do is trawl the shops at the busiest time of year, so in setting up Cherish & Cherubs a few years ago, I have actually made Christmas shopping for the little people in my life very easy!
Happy Christmas everyone. www.cherishandcherubs.co.uk
Achieve 13
Rufus Rabbit brings the happiest and hoppiest of gifts… Buying that all important first gift for the new-born
greetings cards and gifts throughout his collection.
bundle of joy in your family or friendship circle is no
“Rufus was an in house idea created after getting
easy task. Most parents will tell you that one of the
inspired by a Father’s Day Weatherspoon’s Menu and
best gifts you can give them is simply to wish them
owner Anna’s love for a slightly altered fact to support
well and offer their congratulations; however, you
her theories! He was loved the moment we created
don’t want to turn up empty handed for the first visit
him and so many of our customers delight in his quirky,
do you? Awkward. You want a unique gift that’s well
cute ways. We are always thinking of fun ways to
made, nice to look at, is useful for the parents in some
include Rufus in new product and gift card ideas and
way and that hopefully another well-wisher hasn’t
know that he will be cherished as part of the Little Dog
bought too! Oh, and it helps if it doesn’t cost the earth!
Company Family for years to come!” A Little Dog told
The Rufus Rabbit collection from the rather lovely Little
us.
Dog Company ticks all the right new baby gift boxes with ease, and now we mention it, it ticks all the baby
The Rufus comforters and soft toys are our particular
gift buying boxes whatever the occasion.
faves, buy them in the happy knowledge that to the recipient they may well become that friend for life –
The unique collection features Rufus Rabbit romper
you know the one, the one that gets lovingly dragged
suits, soft toys, organic nightwear, bunting, money
everywhere and needs a wash to be able to be seen
boxes, comforters, soft first shoes and perfectly
in public at least once a month! Rufus is the perfect
matching cards to accompany. The Rufus range has an
companion for any tot.
emphasis on the original, high quality and refreshingly affordable – your gift recipients will be hopping for
Like we said before (we must really mean it!), a
joy! The brainchild bunny was born to an already highly
commitment to quality is key for this lovely company
established greetings card and gift family run business,
who delight in bringing gifts to homes and smiles to
appearing as if by magic from a hat to the family in
faces with special cards and sentiments, and it shows
2009 and he has been multiplying in popularity, as
in each and every design.
rabbits do, ever since! Rufus’ personality is that of a cheeky chap who likes to tell facts that are loosely based on real life and shows his humour through the
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Shop the current collection at www.rufusrabbit.co.uk.
Left to Right: Slugs and Snails Feather Cushion £22.50, Rufus Rabbit Soft Toy £22, Applique Room Bunting £15, 6 Piece Dinner Set £25, China Gift Mug & Coaster £10, Musical Christening Cot Pram Toy £20, Babys First Christmas Toy £25, Cutlery Set £10, Handmade Dribble Bibs £6.50. Buy at www.rufusrabbit.co.uk.
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This Christmas Apollo Digital Entertainment Proudly Presents
DISNEY FANTASIA: LIVE IN CONCERT
By arrangement with The Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Following a series of hugely popular and successful performances at the Royal Albert Hall, Apollo Digital Entertainment, by arrangement with the Royal Albert Hall, is proud to announce three exclusive tour dates for DISNEY FANTASIA: LIVE IN CONCERT, with live underscore by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Described as ‘a magical treat for the eyes and the ears’, DISNEY FANTASIA: LIVE IN CONCERT can be enjoyed by all the family this Christmas on an 80ft screen in high definition at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on 27 December, the phones4u Arena in Manchester on 28 December and the nia Arena in Birmingham on 29 December.
DISNEY FANTASIA, LIVE IN CONCERT - VENUE SPECIFICS
27 December, The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, www.thehydro.com, 0844 395 4000 28 December, The phones4u Arena, Manchester, www.phones4uarena.co.uk, 0844 847 8000 29 December, The nia Arena, Birmingham, www.thenia.co.uk, 0844 338 8000
Disney shares one of its crown jewels of feature animation, showcasing selections from Walt Disney’s original 1940 Fantasia and Disney’s Fantasia 2000, featuring a selection of the magnificent repertoire from both films, including Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite, and, performed and screened simultaneously for the first time in the UK, Ponchielli’s Dance of the Hours, the great ballet of hippos, elephants, ostriches and alligators. Other iconic moments from Disney’s stunning footage, such as Mickey Mouse as he dabbles in magic in Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and the mythical unicorns and winged horses that accompany Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ Symphony, will also be shown in HD on the big screen. With live underscore by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, this is another chance to relive this timeless classic and unique cinematic experience. Walt Disney once said, ‘Fantasia is timeless. It may run ten, twenty, thirty years. Fantasia is an idea in itself. I can never build another. I can improve. I can elaborate. That is all.’ Disney’s Jonathan Heely, Executive Producer of the programme, added, ‘Now 73 years later, these live performances of Fantasia are a way we can honour Mr Disney’s vision while introducing new patrons young and old to the concert hall with the inspiring sounds of the symphony orchestra.’ This presentation is licensed by Disney Music Publishing © Disney.
WIN WIN WIN Enjoy a White Christmas at The Snow Centre If you can’t make it to Alps this winter you can still enjoy a day out on the snow at The Snow Centre! With fresh snow falling regularly on perfectly groomed slopes The Snow Centre is definitely the coolest place to be this winter. The closest real snow to London the 160m slope is serviced by two efficient drag lifts, combined with a wide nursery slope for beginners. There’s good quality clothing and equipment for hire and a licensed restaurant overlooking the slopes where you can relax after a session on the snow. If you and a friend would like to enjoy a festive alpine day out you can win lift pass at The Snow Centre. This prize also includes equipment and clothing hire and drinks at the Schuss Bar at the bottom of the slope! To enter all you need to is answer the following question:
What length is the main slope at The Snow Centre? Send your name, answer and contact details to... competitions@crossproductions.co.uk with the subject ‘Snow’ before the closing date of December 16th 2013. Terms and conditions: To be able to use the main slope at The Snow Centre you need to be able to make controlled turns down the slope. If you don’t have any snow sports experience you can exchange the lift passes for non-skilled sledging session. Date restrictions apply to non-skilled activities at The Snow Centre and all sessions are subject to date availability.
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Wishytums have a special tummy pouch for a child to I’ve always had a love for the outdoors, the environment, the places we take for granted. My passion increased when I moved to New Zealand. It’s such an amazing place with unspoiled landscapes where people look after what they have, are tidy and environmentally aware. Back in the UK I realized how behind we are, what a state we are in and it was time to do something about it, time to change the way we look at everyday items and appreciate what we have. My illustrating background was a brilliant way to start making a change – encouraging people to take the planet more seriously but with a light and fun sense of humour, which is how I came up with Bhingles. When my son was born our environmental impact became more important – children are so precious, you only want the best for them and their future so I was determined to give that to them. Of course you can only begin to change your lifestyle if you can afford it, and as times have been hard for a lot of us it has always been important to make sure that Bhingles is affordable – EVERYONE can make a difference.
07876473998
www.bhangdesign.com
express their worries or their wishes. Writing a word/ sentence or drawing a picture and placing it inside Wishytums tummy can be comforting for a child and helpful for a parent/guardian. Children can’t always explain with words how they are feeling and can find it difficult to understand their emotions. As a parent or carer, being able to see what your child has expressed in their writing or picture, can help enormously and encourage a starting point for a conversation. A cuddly and adorable 34cm Puppy, with a choice of two tummy patterns. Wishytums have their own special rhyme and are supplied with a notepad. Suitable from age 3 years.
Telephone: 0116 2711198 Email: info@wishytums.co.uk www.wishytums.co.uk Achieve 17
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1. The Blue Beard range is paraben free and contains ingredients to specifically combat tough stubble and reduce hair growth, as well as tackle common shaving problems like razor rash, burn, in growing hairs, lumps and bumps. Deluxe Kit - £34.99. www. bluebeards-revenge.co.uk 2. Lindor Stracciatella Truffles (200g) This Christmas the LINDT Master Chocolatiers are introducing a limited edition flavour to the collection: LINDOR Stracciatella truffles. With a smooth, creamy white praline centre and crunchy cocoa nibs in the chocolate shell. RRP £4.59 3. Ever since biblical times, the minerals in the Dead Sea have worked wonders on skin. From dry eczema to oily skin prone to break outs, all types have benefited from its powerful, soothing waters. Just add a few handfuls scattered in the bath. Black Mud Mask Soap is a pure and unperfumed soap based on black Dead Sea Mud, making it a unique product, this little wonder removes dead skin cells and impurities. £3.75. www.boots.com info at: www.deadseabathcare.co.uk 4. Dettol & E45 Softness Hand Wash Your hands are one of the most visible and used parts of your body when taking care of a child, by harnessing E45’s moisturising expertise and Dettol’s trusted germ-kill protection, you are killing 99.9% of bacteria, whilst protecting the skin’s natural moisture levels. £2.49. www.boots.com 5. Pointless Board Game Age: 10+, 2-4 players, available at amazon.co.uk, John Lewis and Argos. 6. The Merumaya Integrative Effective Skincare Pure Radiance Mask, is a must-have in the winter/ party seasons. It contains Kombuchka for smoothing the skin profile to add a glow and Tumerone for anti-oxidant protection to improve the evenness of skin colour. £19.50 www.merumaya.com, www.johnlewis.com, www.johnlewis.com and select John Lewis stores. 7. Men’s Calm Balm – Post Shave Balm for calmer looking skin. If shaving has left the skin red raw, irritated and sore, then this is the post shave balm to use. This moisturizer calms irritated skin after shaving but it can also be used when the skin has been exposed to extreme heat or cold conditions. John Lewis, Peter Jones, Nutricentre, Lloyds pharmacy and many online stores. £14.95 8. Our ‘Gone Skinny Dipping’ beach towel is a newcomer to the giftware range. Part of a collection of three, luxury towels and generously sized at 140cm x 70cm, the towels are made especially for us in Belgium.. £19.99, www.gonecrabbing.co.uk 9 & 10. Porcini mushroom risotto mix (£2.49) & Balsamic vinegar. £9.99, www.foodhq.co.uk 11. Villa Maria Cellar Selection Pinot Noir 2011, RRP £15.99, Majestic Wine, Sainsbury’s, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Hailsham Cellars and other independents. 12. The new LifeProof cases for Apple iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy SIII are totally sealed from water, dirt and dust, yet provide an unprecedented full touch-screen user experience. £79.99, www.lifeproof.com 13. Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Noir 2012, RRP £12.99, Coop, Bin 21 Ltd, Eynsham Cellars, Fresh & Wild and other independents. 14. A girl really can never have too many shoes! Fashionistas everywhere will love the new Scotch Tape Dispenser in the shape of a blue heeled-sandal or hot pink stiletto. Both dispensers are perfect for dressing up your desk whether at home or in the office. RSP £8.99 15. Lindor Maxi Ball (550g) An eye catching giant LINDOR ball that opens to become a bowl containing approximately 44 individual milk chocolate truffles. Perfect for sharing or as an impressive gift. RRP £14.99 16. Standeazy, the credit card sized phone stand designed for iPhones and the iPod Touch. Standeazy is credit card sized so it fits in any wallet and is right there to unfold – wherever the phone (and owner) may be. £2.99 www.standeazy.co.uk 17. Wok Gift - comes with non-stick wok, Fine Egg Noodles and Toasted Sesame Oil (£16.99 each) Waitrose, Oadby. 18. Creamy Stilton Christmas Pudding (£4.99/250g) Waitrose, Oadby. 19. The Bluebeards Revenge Aftershave Cologne - This refreshing manly fragrance opens with ozone notes accented by Sicilian bergamot and Ligurian basil. It has a RRP of £19.99.
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One less mummy worry! Personally as the nights get chillier I am finding myself worrying more and more about the warmth of my toddler in her bed. Every night I say the same thing to her daddy; ‘Will her covers stay on?’ ‘Shall I put her in a cardi too, just in case?’ and my most recent ‘I wish she could still fit in her baby sleep bag- I didn’t have to worry then!’ At last though, with the discovery of the award winning Snugglesac, I can cut out these night time worry mummy woes! From a mother’s plight to keep her little one cosy as he moved from cot to bed to make way for his little brother in his cot, mum to two Tina Lane got so concerned about the warmth of her eldest that she invented the perfect solution, the Snugglesac. Made from warm fabrics in striking designs, they are somewhere perfectly placed between sleeping bag and bed covers! My First Snuggle Sacs come in several bright appealing design, they are machine washable (hurrah!) and can be tumble dried at low temperatures overcoming inevitable accidents during toddler years and making them perfect for every night of the year. Your toddlers sleep will be much improved, and in turn so will yours! “Any young child who has slept soundly and securely in a baby sleeping bag will love the move into a more grown up Snuggle Sac. They are kept warm and cosy, their covers aren't kicked off, but they aren't in something that a baby could have. This is their next step… any parent will tell you that sleep deprivation can affect our ability to make even the most simple decision, the Snuggle Sac changed our family’s lives for the better, and we know that they’re doing the same for others in the UK and across the world.” Tina told us. They come highly recommended from the thousands of tots the world over, with the highly acclaimed children’s sleep clinic Millpond Children’s Sleep Clinic even recommending the Snugglesac sleep saviours! www.snugglesac. com
Hannah’s story... Hannah 40, is a mother of two and cofounder of Rosy & Bo, a new marketplace full of gifts and lifestyle products for special needs families. Her daughter Rosy, has Autism and complex learning disabilities. So she understands the everyday and larger difficulties families come across. She wished for something to make life easier and also lovelier, she says, Unless you know a family working hard to deal with with every day life with a special needs child, most people haven’t even noticed, especially as many special needs are not immediately obvious – Autism, learning disabilities or Dyslexia don’t always show like other disabilities. But here is a quiet revolution happening under our noses. Parents of special needs children are blogging about dayto-day life as a ‘special needs parent’ – try buzz.rosyandbo.com for some candid insights - writing books about their experiences, or simply being open about their child’s disability. Being a parent to a daughter with special needs is tough, so I really wanted to bring families like ours, innovative, practical products, which are also attractive and inspiring. While the functional items have a really valuable place, I was fed-up with the dull, institutional products out there. By teaming-up with a special needs expert and retail guru, Rosy & Bo have sourced products from Europe, Australia and the USA that all have three things in common; they are useful, life enhancing and stylish. To find great ideas for family life, even the most special ones, visit RosyandBo.com
Straight up safety and comfort with Beltupp Speaking from personal experience as you move your child from the 5 point harness to the group 2 seat (which uses the seatbelt for children over 15kg or approx...4 years) the feeling is pretty uncomfortable, whilst it is right to do so at this age they suddenly look much more vulnerable and suddenly driving gives you more worries for their safety. My toddler often falls asleep in the car too and this looks particularly worrying as he often slumps forward out of the seat, which can be dangerous and uncomfortable too. For their child to go from a 5 point harness to the ‘freer’ lap and shoulder seatbelt is unsettling for any driver and many of us will find we drive differently due to the feeling of unease at their safety, constantly turning round to check and move them into a more upright seated position, which is distracting and dangerous for other road users to say the least. However there is an answer to your seat belt worries in the form of Beltupp! My husband and I have devised, designed and developed an additional strap that will keep your child upright in a safe and comfortable position have made something which will not only keep your child safe and comfortable but will give you that much needed piece of mind as a driver. The devise is easy to use and can be added in seconds, you can adjust it to suit and it doesn’t require any changes to the seat or the seat belt. It uses a traditional seat belt buckle and tongue release system, so there is no fiddling about for you as you put your child in the car. Extensively crash tested, easy to use and affordable too, the Beltupp provides you and your child with that much needed extra comfort, peace of mind and safety as you travel.
www.beltupp.com Achieve 19
The rise of the
Mumpreneur! These days, thankfully, us mums find a balance between working life and home life (or, at least try to!) and with the rise of the mumpreneur women juggling their own businesses, while bringing up children is commonplace (hurrah!) but still rather special too! Experienced in what mums really need for their children, the services and products a mumpreneur provides are always of high value to us! We want to highlight just a handful of some of the wonder women who manage to juggle it all right here, whether they are self-employed or part of a franchise, the work they put in is tireless!
Jacapella: It is never too early to begin Jacappella music classes. Making music is such a powerful way of hard-wiring the brain to improve speech, reading, problem-solving skills and co-ordination. Go on a musical journey and share Jacappella songs and games and watch your child "light up" through the weekly stimulation of music classes. Teaching music to babies, toddlers and under 5’s with Jacappella is rewarding, fun and the best job you will ever have! Our teachers are all self-employed, operating under Licence from Jacappella with lots of ongoing support from the company. This is a business where our teachers are their own bosses, setting their own hours, deciding on venues and lesson times, whether they want to work full or part-time, termtime only or through the holidays. Jacappella music classes aim to aid language and speech development, develop confidence and allow children to grow into budding musicians. If you love music, you’ll love Jacappella! Look out for your local class at: www.jacappella.co.uk Tots Play: Tots Play was created to offer a varied programme of activity classes, parties and play resources for babies and toddlers, designed to provide not only age appropriate learning experiences for your child, but also exciting, interactive play sessions for you both. Look out for your local programme at: www.totsplay.co.uk My Little Munch: Brings you unique and inspirational baby products. Fed up of mass produced, ‘same-y stuff’ when shopping for your baby or toddler? Then browse around mylittlemunch.co.uk. It’s different; it’s all about bringing more choice for your baby than ever before. It’s about simplicity – a shopping experience made easy and straight to your home. It’s about creativity – sellers bring unique, niche products that you can’t find anywhere else. You can sell or buy products on-line, or just submit product ideas at: www.mylittlemunch.co.uk Health and Beauty Company: At The Health and Beauty Company, they care for their Customers as much as they care for their Consultants. With an aim to provide not only the best in Nutrition, Skin Care, Colour Cosmetics and Bath & Body products they provide others with an opportunity to join what is a fun and exciting and business. Health and Beauty Company is perfect for mums looking to become mumpreneurs! www.thehealthandbeautycompany.co.uk/shop/cross
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Love Music - Teach Jacappella! Join our team!
Make the Most of Play Time! Tots Play is a Unique, Multi-Activity Play Programme designed especially for Babies and Toddlers
…where musical journeys begin.
Top quality music classes for children from 3 months to 7 years. Build an exciting future for you and your family with the full support of Jacappella.
With Music and Movement, Baby Massage and Yoga, Sensory and Exploratory Play, Sign Language, Social Interaction and even Bubbles combined into one exciting, interactive programme, there is so much to Engage and Inspire both Child and Parent that Smiles, Cuddles and Lots of Fun are Guaranteed!
Bri ng ToTs Play To your local area If you love to play, but also want to earn what you are worth, then why not be the one to bring Tots Play to your area?
Make every day a Jacappella day. If you love music, you’ll love Jacappella!
The Tots Play Franchise Programme is for you if you are looking for a flexible, family friendly business, designed around you, where bringing laughter, inspiration and support to local parents and children is all in a day’s work!
Email jacqui@jacappella.co.uk Web www.jacappella.co.uk
Find out more today at www.totsplay.co.uk or by calling 01633 897841
New Franchise Opportunities Would you like to run your own business that saves lives? Train to become a first aid instructor for families! Develop an excellent business within your area. Exciting and rewarding opportunities for the right candidates. New Franchise Opportunities. Excellent for Nurses, First aiders and mums who have that Special quality. Full Training included.
www.bumpsandbashes.com franchise@bumpsandbashes.com 0800 9179525
An online marketplace for small creative businesses offering Mother & Baby products including maternity & baby clothes, toys, baby equipment and accessories!
Why sell on mylittlemunch...
Free product listings We advertise on your behalf & you benefit from our brand Attracts customers due to a better choice on offer A cheap way to sell, without the overhead of your own website/outlet “I am going to register with you today as I feel you have an excellent idea & it could be very beneficial to all of us small businesses especially those that have their own websites, but don’t have a lot of trade through them. A large selection of baby/mum items in one place will make it so easy to browse & buy what’s wanted or needed.”
www.mylittlemunch.co.uk Achieve 21
Welcome to The Health & Beauty Company At The Health and Beauty Company we care for our Customers as much as we care for our Consultants. It’s why we set the Company up. We wanted to provide not only the best in Nutrition, Skin Care, Colour Cosmetics and Bath & Body products but we wanted to provide others with an opportunity to join what is a fun and exciting and business.
Build your own Business with The Health & Beauty Company Although a lot of people would like to start their own business, most find taking that first step can be daunting. With The Health and Beauty Company we help you create a business of your own without leaving you on your own. As well as a no-risk, low cost start up, we also provide: - Proven Training programme which has helped many develop the business of their dreams. - Exclusive Health, Skin and Beauty Products. - Fabulous products at a great price for Customers. - Generous Host incentive programme, - A commission plan which offers up to 35% for Consultants, - Free Public Liability Insurance - Free Web Shop - Exciting Leadership programme - Training Academy developed and run by industry professionals, - Superb joining offer - Rewards, Awards and Recognition every step of the way.
Contact jenny@crossproductions.co.uk for more information
Host your own Shopping experience with friends If the idea of shopping in comfort, free products, exclusive Host offers and the opportunity to try before you buy appeals to you, why not become a Host and have a party in your home, place of work or an information class at your local gym. It’s a free, fun filled way to shop with friends!
“I love my job so much! The freedom to work when I want with the ultimate reward of having a new car paid for by The Health & Beauty Company and all this for working the hours that I choose so that I can still first and foremost be a mum. Giving others the same opportunity to work with the amazing products and income plan is so fulfilling. Training and developing others is a great part of my job and what I love about our business is the more I help others the closer I get to my goals, financial freedom for my family. This really is the perfect job.” Jacqui Bland, Divisional General Manager
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Melting Cleansing Balm 100ml
This delicious balm is the simple way to double cleanse your skin. Envelop your skin in a comforting layer of nourishment, cleansing and purifying, dissolving make-up and impurities to leave your complexion visibly more soft, smooth and supple. £27.00
Collagen - 90 capsules
Collagen is nature’s own incredible ingredient for supple skin, strong nails, shiny hair and healthy joints. Boosting your body’s natural levels of collagen can contribute to maintaining a youthful appearance by plumping fine lines, improving the strength and texture of nails and enhancing the quality of hair along with the added internal benefits of reinforcing healthy joints. £29.95
Aura Miracle Balm 15ml
An ultra-intensive, 100% natural beeswax and shea butter balm with pure essential oils designed to protect dry, cracked skin and soothe angry, inflamed blemishes.
Essentials Achieve’s favourite picks of The Health and Beauty Company products
Highlight & Shade Eye Shadow - Smoke & Mirrors
This collection of baked eye shadows in beautifully soft, blendable shades, create effortless looks for day and evening wear. £25.00
Daily Magic 100g
Daily Magic is a complex blend of superfoods, including Spirulina, Wheat Grass, Royal Jelly and good bacteria. Packed full of anti-oxidants, just one teaspoon mixed with either water or your favourite juice once a day has been shown to boost energy levels and improve immune and digestive function. Add a sprinkling of magic to your day! £21.35
Precision Nail Polish So Chic
Glamorous Colour in a choice of finish. From sheer, vinyl shine to rich creamy colour, there’s something for every day, every occasion….everyone. Pick and mix your favourites £8.00
Everyday Spa Gift Set
Grab a moment of me time and reveal a more radiant skin tone with this essential spa selection. Body Cream - 200ml, Bath & Shower Wash - 200ml £26.00
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Great gifts
for
C hristmas
Wishytums:
A doorway to communication
One local woman’s tireless efforts to encourage children and young people to express their worries and wishes caught our attention in such a way that we had to bring it to yours too. With a unique invention of a Wishytums bear, Suzy of Leicestershire is providing the opportunity for children and young people everywhere to express their emotions. The idea focusses on the child’s thoughts and feelings by encouraging them to write down their thoughts, feelings and emotions and placing the written or drawn piece in the Wishytums tummy pouch. Not only is this helpful for the child but it can also be a powerful communication tool for the parent, guardian or carer too. Suzy started the charitable company recently after realising there was a need for children to be able to communicate in this way; “Back when my son was small, he lost his father and as a result he spent some time afterwards in therapy sessions to help. He was often encouraged to write or draw how he was feeling in order for the therapist to understand a little of what he was feeling. I saw then how powerful this tool for expression was and looked to find a way to bring it to a wider audience for children whatever their circumstance.” Suzy told us. Ideal for all children, the Wishytum quickly becomes a friend and someone they can talk to, whether it’s a worry about something at school, a move to a new foster home, a parents separation or the loss of someone close to them, it simply helps to communicate the feelings around any given event or situation in their life. Suzy is determined to help Wishytums grow so that all children can benefit from having one and from each Wishytums sale £1 will be donated to one of four Leicestershire local charities.
www.wishytums.co.uk
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All the fun of a good splash.... Taking your baby for its first dip in the water is all at once thrilling, exciting and nerve wracking and that's just you as a parent! There are so many benefits to getting your child loving the water from a young age, not only is it beneficial for their exercise, but also for their confidence and safety in the water as they get older.
Here are our top reasons for taking your tot swimming young.... • • • •
It’s fun! A great opportunity for you and baby to bond and have fun, great for rainy days when you need something to do! Great for the development of your baby, exercise plays a vital role in their brain growth and the stimulation of moving in water. It feels so natural for them as they have spent months surrounded by fluid in the womb. It is a common myth that your baby has to be a certain age before they can go swimming. The Department of Health states you can take your baby swimming at any age, so there's no need to wait until your baby has completed their course of early immunisations.
So now you know the benefits of swimmingwhat do you need to get the most out of it?
Baby Swim Kit Essentials. This is a great ‘starter kit’ as it has all the basics you need to take your baby swimming – the choice of a pink or navy Happy Nappy, this is the UK’s best-selling reusable swim nappy. It’s so effective at preventing unwelcome ‘poo’ leaks into the pool, it is recommended & in many cases insisted upon by 99% of UK swim schools. The Happy Nappy can be worn on its own, but if your swim school or pool insists on a double layer, Splash About has its Happy Nappy System – which is not only great value, it’s environmentally friendly & reduces disposable nappy waste. Put a flushable liner in your NappyWrap then place your baby on top of the wrap (as you would a nappy) and fasten snuggly with the surgical quality Velcro, then pop on your Happy Nappy and you’re ready for swimming. After use, remove the liner & flush
away/bin, rinse the Happy Nappy and machine wash the NappyWrap for use again. Ideal for babies from birth to 24months. There is also a toddler size Happy Nappy 16kg+ www.splashabout.com SwimFin is a teaching aid, flotation device and fun water toy all in one. SwimFin inspires imagination and play. When a child puts on a SwimFin, they immediately become more active, playing, building confidence, learning, experimenting and having FUN! SwimFin plays a psychological part in learning to swim, even before a lesson has started. Kids love the feeling of safety and security SwimFin gives them, while it motivates and encourages imagination and play. www.swimfin.co.uk Water Babies began in 2002 when a young couple began teaching their children to swim. It wasn’t long before they decided they wanted to teach other babies and toddlers, too… and the rest is history. You can take your little one to a local Water Babies class wherever you are in the UK. Find details of the lovely classes held in Leicester at www.waterbabies.co.uk/local/leicester
Splash About
BabyWrap: Sporty £22.49
The BabyWrap keeps babies warm in the water and prevents the shock factor of water to changing room chills. It gives solidity to the body making parents surer of their grip, protects barrier cream for those who require it and is a total sun block.
out Stay safe b A h s a l p S & Have fun!
Baby Swim Kits - Warm in Water Happy Nappy and BabyWrap Wetsuit £30.00
Keep your baby warm in water for longer with the Splash About BabyWrap. Our revolutionary open flat baby wetsuit is easy to put on and take off and the velcro fastenings, provide size flexibility. We all know that little ones love to swim, play & splash about in & around the water! We create gorgeous, essential products to protect babies & children in the water that keep them safe & warm, while they have fun! For more information & to view our range of products please visit: www.splashabout.com
A tionary revolu ent in m p lo e dev of ching the tea ming im w s
WEEKLY
LOCAL
CLASSES
with Water Babies, the UK’s leading baby swim school
3 Fully qualified, world class instructors 3 Award-winning programme teaches babies from birth
3 Teaching you to teach your baby to swim
classes held...
Across Leicester, Rutland and Grantham 6
So how will it help your child to swim? It works in harmony with the body because it’s worn on the back - providing total freedom around the arms and legs allowing for a natural swimming position, with the fin working like a boat’s keel in the water. Kids love SwimFin because the shark element appeals as a fun piece of kit and encourages them into the water. It appeals to parents because it makes learning to swim more of a game than a chore. Tests have proved that it can reduce the process by up to a third less time. It’s also perfect for taking on holiday as the fin is highly visible in a busy pool or on the beach!
3 Saving lives through water confidence and safety skills To join in the fun call
01664 567 302
SwimFin is a vertical swimming aid suitable for children from 2 yrs+ of all abilities, and has been designed by a highly qualified UK swimming coach with over 30 yrs experience. SwimFin can be used on all 4 strokes and is the only aid to have been endorsed by the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA).
waterbabies.co.uk
Email: info@swimfin.co.uk Visit our website: www.swimfin.co.uk
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The nostalgia of school days.... Ahhhh the school days…what do they conjure up for you? Fun and laughter, friends and sports days or tedious and neverending? We think a healthy mix of all is probably the mix in most common responses to that question! Whatever your age, a funny mix of something like nostalgia with happy memories will likely be your thoughts as you look back over your schooling years. There are things that as a parent though I know I will say that my parents said to me amongst them; ‘Do your best’ ‘Tuck your shirt in’ ‘Have you got your kit?’ and the truly classic ‘Your school years are the best years, you have got it easy kid!’ and how many times as a parent do you smile when you ask your child what they did that day, only to get the response ‘stuff!’ as you recall that is your response you gave your folks to the question too! Whilst schools and education changes continuously some things never do, one of them being these parental questions! Another being that mum will always need to sew in the name tags (see www.labels4kids.co.uk for help on this one!) and you will always have a hint of sadness and nostalgia the last day you wear your blazer or shirt (and www.blazerbear.co.uk for help on this!). Of course, there are many ways to ‘re-live’ the happy school days, take a look over your old text books, dig out those cringy school photos and experience that heady mix of feeling glad and sad all at once! The bad and the good all simply part of growing up and coming out of the other side!
with the code “achieve”
10% off at the checkout A unique keepsake with Blazer Bear
Award winning
For a unique and wonderfully sentimental gift look no further than Blazer Bears. A fantastic keepsake made using recycled school uniform or any special clothing, a Blazer Bear is handmade and bespoke and can incorporate most other clothing such as ties, sports kit, scarves etc. Blazer Bear began with 4 bears made from 4 neglected blazers, giving a wonderful memento from schooldays, and now Blazer Bears can be made from any special clothing whether kilts, summer dresses and even rugby tops. The options are endless… you can personalize further with colours and pin badges which can be added to the front or back and a nametag is stitched behind the ear. Much loved by children and adults alike, they make unique and special gifts for any age whether family, friends or godchildren. A Blazer Bear Gift Voucher makes the perfect gift this Christmas! www.blazerbear.co.uk info@blazerbear.co.uk tel: 01892 860307 / 07876741817
Labels4Kids is an award winning provider of labels for school clothing and belongings. Your name labels are 100% guaranteed to last. We haven’t won Online Retailer of the Year four years running for nothing.
Your satisfaction is important to us and we supply a massive range of high quality labels: Iron on labels Sew on labels Stick on labels Click on labels
We are a family run UK business providing name labels to very happy kids and parents for the past 9 years.
BUY NOW AT www.labels4kids.com/achieve
Free postage over £20 & Free returns - 100% money back guarantee
On the twelfth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me Twelve drummers drumming
Eleven pipers piping Ten lords a-leaping
Nine ladies dancing Eight maids a-milking Seven swans a-swimming
Six geese a-laying
Five golden rings Four calling birds
Three French hens Two turtle doves And a partridge in a pear tree! 28 30
Jump for joy with a Mini-Jump… Any parent will tell you that discovering things for their children to do to keep them amused is no easy task, especially when there is a nip in the air. However, I’m one of those old fashioned parents that believe the kids should get outside in the air to play whatever the weather and so imagine my excitement at discovering the fab Mini-Jumps I have found to keep them entertained!? They are perfect for those days when they need a bit of exercise and outdoor fun - whatever the weather. Think show-jumping for ponies on two legs and you get the picture….these unique jumping posts provide hours of entertainment and oodles of good clean fun and exercise. Available in two different height sizes, one for 4-9 years and one for 10-14 years, the jumps are made of very robust materials to hack the pace that your children set them over the years! The smaller of the two is fully adjustable from a few centimetres high to 65 centimetres high and is light and manoeuvrable enough so that little ones can help set them out and put them away again. The more challenging jump, The MAX jump is for older jumpers and presents a great challenge for them, perfect for creating games with friends and keeping them motivated at play. Made from high quality materials and by a team right here in the UK, why not join in the MiniJump phenomenon?! You’ll be jumping for joy at the fun to be had (sorry, couldn’t resist that one!) www.mini-jumps.com
WIN WIN WIN
For your chance to win a mini jump for yourself, simply visit the website at www.mini-jumps. co.uk and find the answer to the following question: "What is the prize for entering the monthly Mini-Jumps Post-A-Pony Competition?" Send your name, address and contact details to competitions@crossproductions.co.uk with the subject ‘mini-jump’ before the closing date of Dec 15th 2013.
The best boutique for children…on the planet! Like you, your child is an individual; as a result the clothes you pick for them should be a chance for them to express their individuality… just like it is for you. However, when it comes to shopping on the high street and supermarkets for your offspring’s wardrobe their chance to express their individuality often gets lost along the way. Loubilou.com founder Heath Kane recognised this dilemma and felt the gap of access to individually made clothing and gifts for children was getting too wide to ignore, and his plans for a worldwide selling children’s boutique was born.
“I found myself increasingly concerned over not only the quality of clothing that was being made for my children but perhaps to a greater degree, the concern that big companies continue to dominate the market making it hard for parents not to have their kids become department store clones.” Heath told us. A children’s boutique with a great deal of refreshing difference, Loubilou is home to an ever growing collection for children which includes clothing, gifts, toys and bedroom décor from individual sellers worldwide, making Loubilou. com the planets’ greatest unique childrenswear retailer. Offering a diverse and wide range of clothing and gifts for children, at Loubilou you will discover a whole new world and approach to shopping for your tots. With a background in design and a keen eye for special goods, Heath has created a platform for skilled artisans the world over and a place for you to discover them. Notably, of the 300 (and counting) sellers found on Loubilou, many of them are producing 100% British goods, designed and made right here in England. Perhaps one of the most common dilemmas with buying from the high street is its often lack of moral compass, with cheap manufacturing comes
a question of social responsibility, not only to the environment but also to the manufacturers and its trade ethics. Furthermore there is the question of quality - as parents we want clothes and items that our children love, that we love, and that will last and yet more often than not what is so readily available and at such low cost is simply not cutting it. Why not consider the idea of buying pieces that will last, pieces you will want to hold onto and hand down, items that have a far more reasonable cost per wear price than the initial outlay of so called ‘fast fashion’ clothing. At Loubilou you will simply find clothes and gifts that offer exactly that, greater value and higher quality than that of the high street. From hand knitted organic wool booties through to a full retro inspired wooden table and chairs, books, keepsakes and much more besides Loubilou is the perfect site for Christmas shopping, year round gift buying and home décor as well as creating a wardrobe for your children that you will both love. Discover a community of sellers from around the world, a shop with heart and soul as well as individual style in one easy to boutique at www.loubilou.com
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A small family business which specializes in products which offer Made with love, passion and plenty of imagination, Win Green creates playhouses and accessories for little people with big imaginations. Each collection is hand embroidered and appliquéd with beautiful detail…designs include a Princess Castle, Pirate Shack and Toy Shop and feature Bean Bags, Cushions, Toy Bags and Bunting.
comfort, warmth and fun - sit back, relax and enjoy our products! They include soft snugly slippers for the whole family, soothing, relaxing wheat bags and a large range of fun microwave heated toys - which often become kids best friends!
www.coziewarmers.co.uk
www.wingreen.co.uk 020 8295 5413
Cherish & Cherubs for Gifts That Little Bit Different www.cherishandcherubs.co.uk info@cherishandcherubs.co.uk 32
01525 718097
Children's dino-RAR hoodie £39.00
Treat your own little dinosaur to a Dino-RAR Hoodie by Rocket & Rose. Available in size 1-12 years & in a wide choice of colour combinations.
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win win win Their range of fun microwave heated toys are a unique bedtime companion for a perfect night’s sleep and are especially useful when children are ill. Available either unscented or with lavender. To win your very own, visit www.coziewarmers.co.uk to find the answer to the following question; What is the name of this adorable microwave toy? Send your name, answer and contact details to... competitions@crossproductions.co.uk with the subject ‘cozie’ before the closing date of January 3rd 2014.
20 Y
ears Of Beau tiful Babie
s
2013
CHRISTMAS collection Call us on 0871 423 5656 or visit us at www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk * Free delivery to UK and Ireland. See website for full details.
The patented Magic Mitten is the first ever handheld baby calming aid that plays settling white noise sounds that only your baby can hear. Highly portable, the specially designed sounds have a swift calming effect that will soothe your baby when they're upset, at home or out and about. Empowering for dads giving mum that much needed sleep! Features include: fixed volume providing safe decibel level, automatically switch off after 10 minutes, three magical sound options, including mother’s heartbeat, ocean waves and rain on a tin roof & triple layered comfort pad for cushioning and sound diffusion! To win your very own, all you need to do is tell us the answer to the following;
Ways to keep in touch:
Name one of the 3 magical sounds. Send your name, answer and contact details to... competitions@crossproductions.co.uk with the subject ‘mitten’ before the closing date of January 3rd 2014.
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win win win To win one of 5 Babog Bears we have to giveaway, visit www.babogbaby.com to find the following:
Name one of the four sensors on the Babog Bear. Send your name, answer and contact details to... competitions@crossproductions.co.uk with the subject ‘babog’ before the closing date of January 3rd 2014.
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Touch on Silver
www.touchonsilver.co.uk
Create a Lasting Impression
The perfect gift at Touch on Silver Touch on Silver have been creating unique and very special pieces of jewellery for those to give as gifts to loved ones or even to themselves for quite some time. The individually handmade personalised jewellery gives you the chance to have the hand, footprints or paws of your loved ones, including your pets, miniaturised and embedded in pure silver to treasure forever in a unique piece of personalised silver jewellery. You can choose from a wide and varied collection of pieces on which to have your prints embedded from bracelets, necklaces and cufflinks to keyrings, bookmarks and charms, whatever the occasion there is something very special from Touch on Silver to mark it. Yet, Touch on Silver also offer the opportunity for more than prints, you can have the signature of a loved one, a special drawing or date, the possibilities are endless! We particularly love the co-ordinates pieces whereby the client can suggest a particular special place that holds sentimental value, a birth place, a marriage venue or even the
place you first met, your beloved and can have these map co-ordinates embedded and kept all the more closer as a result. The process for you the customer could not be simpler, the Touch on Silver team will send you a non-toxic, mess free wipe and paper for you to use to capture the hand, foot (or paw!) print. After you have returned the print the team will get to work on handmaking your unique, carefully miniaturised design. No longer than two weeks later you will receive your beautiful, entirely unique, gift boxed Touch on Silver jewellery. Making the ideal gift for any loved one, you can also purchase gift vouchers from Touch on Silver and in that way the recipient can choose for themselves a gift to cherish forever from the Touch on Silver collection. Visit www.touchonsilver.co.uk to view the collections to choose from and help to keep precious memories alive.
Memento photo book £ 27.50 An engaging and personal gift for a baby or child
HANDMADE IN THE SHETLAND ISLANDS shetlandfudge.co.uk 34
Memento is a child’s equivalent of a coffee table photo book: a soft cloth photo book filled with photographs of your little one’s family and friends, with space to add names or a caption on each page. Babies love looking at the faces of their loved HANDMADE IN THE SHETLAND ISLANDS ones and what better way to share special photos with them than in a custom made cloth photo book – a book which can be hand washed and personalised with your choiceloveshetlandteddybears.co.uk of hanging loop.
Star Buy this Christmas! The powerful Zinc Volt Electric Scooter has proven popular amongst children of all ages. This electric scooter is a zippy number ideal for the speedsters in the family who, whether it’s snowing or not this Christmas, will be dreaming of trying out this new scooter on the streets! After a five hour charge time, the scooter can travel a distance of 8 miles for as long as an hour, at a maximum of 10kmph! The variable speed motor is controlled by a ‘twist and go’ throttle on the handles making it ideal for over 8 year olds to ride. (Although some adults may be not be able to resist as this sturdy scooter can take up to 70kg.) RRP £149.99 and available from Argos. Here’s some specifications of the Volt: - Belt driven - silent running with minimal maintenance. - Disc brake for better performance in both wet and dry conditions. - Fully customised graphics. - Fast recharge time of 5 hours. - 2 puncture proof wheels. - Anti-slip printed footplate. - Easy grip handles. - Handlebar height range: 92-92cm. - Size H92, W47, D77cm. - Weight 12kg. - Maximum user weight: 70kg. - For ages 8 years and over.
Visit http://zincsports.com/ or https://en-gb.facebook.com/ZincSports
Pin Dressing Table Set Little girls will love this adorable white dressing table with pretty pink detailing on the drawer, mirror and stool. This miniature table is made from eco-friendly rubber wood, giving it a sturdy and durable feel. The mirror is perfectly positioned opposite the stool, so it's ideal for trying out new hairstyles or preparing for dress-up games. There's a tiny shelf and drawer for storing kirby grips, brushes, hair bands and any other little essentials, with plenty of space for jewellery on the table desk. The painted pink heart motif appears all around the table and stool, brightening up the simple design to make this dressing table a guaranteed firm favourite with any princesses in training. £92.96 with free delivery, Age 3+ Visit www.wayfair.co.uk
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Great Gifts for Kids! These Chuggington Engines are collectable, colourful and make great stocking fillers... Featuring Chuggington’s three trainees – Wilson, Brewster and Koko, £4.99 and available at Amazon and Toys R Us. Classic Tiny Tears (£19.99) http://www.johnadams.co.uk/ home.php
Inch Blue are one of the UK’s leading soft leather baby & toddler shoe brands. The shoes retail from £18 - £20 and come in sizes 0 - 6 years. www.inch-blue.com
Rudolf the Reindeer from HappyHopperz £21.99 from www.happyhopperz.co.uk
Crown Chewels is a brand new, beautiful collection of accessories have taken baby friendly jewellery to a whole new level. From £30, www.crownchewels. co.uk
Bananagrams Family of Games - wordtastic gifts for everyone aged 3-107. Available at independent toy and book stores as well as John Lewis, WH Smith, Waterstones, and supermarkets and www.winningmoves.com/ shop. Visit www.bananagrams.com. £14.99£15.99
Abney Rag Doll RRP £17.99 The instantly recognisable Abney character stars as a charming soft toy which is just right for adventure. Magic Man, www.galttoys.comRRP: £7.99, suitable from 10 months
Wordsearch Junior game (£18.99, 4+) www.drumondpark.com
Retro Sweet Hamper, £15.99, available via www.bahhumbugs.com
Mega Construction Starter Workshop (£14.99) http://www.johnadams.co.uk/home. php
Air Storm Double Shotz £9.99, Toys R Us
Finger Whips Scoot Park (£29.99, Argos) Gosei Great Megazord, RRP £34.99 www.bandai.co.uk
MASK ‘n’ ASK - The truly special new game of ‘Who Am I?’ Age 7+, rrp £16.99. For stockists visit www.drumondpark.com
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Little Blooms Prob & Play Mat £12, www.mylittlemunch.co.uk
The Badge It! www.bandai.co.uk, RRP £19.99
Catchphrase Board Game www.drumondpark.com, £19.99
‘Design your own Snow Globe’ is a fun and festive set that will put a smile on every child’s face. £14.99 available from Heels, Liberty, Harrods
The Lindt Bear (10g) perfect stocking filler with 10% of profits from sales of the 10g Bear going to BBC Children in Need. RRP £0.49
Feeding time! The subject of how you feed your baby and child is a tricky one, and one that most people have a strong view on, of course it all comes back down to what you, as mum, think is best for you and your baby. Whatever way you decide to feed your baby, from birth upwards there are thankfully lots of advice and gizmo’s to make it easier for you both. After the milk months come the wonderful weaning weeks, those weeks where you are prepping home cooked purees, smoothies and desserts in anticipation of giving your child the best start into the culinary world of delights! However, with this exciting time comes a whole host of feeding dilemmas, the main one being how to get the food from A – the pot to B - Baby’s tummy, with as little stress as possible. The Sucup is a great invention for this very purpose; it couldn’t be easier, simply fill the cup with your homemade delights, do it up and take it on your way! The silicon straw means no mess and no stress and from a young age, baby can start feeding themselves. www.sucup.com.
The Contented Calf Cookbook: Nourishing Recipes for Breastfeeding Mums is a unique book of delicious meals especially devised to help breastfeeding mums boost their milk supply. Launched in 2011 the cook book was created by Elena Cimelli following the birth of her first daughter. Having stock piled the freezer with food ahead of the birth Elena consequently discovered that some foods have lactogenic properties which were reputed to help build up milk production. Not only does The Contented Calf Cookbook give you an easy way of introducing lactogenic ingredients into your breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks, but over half of the main meals are designed to be made in the final weeks and months of pregnancy and frozen, so new mums and dads will have a freezer full of tasty, nourishing food for the first few weeks of parenthood.
www.contentedcalf.com e: ecimelli@contentedcalf.com
t: 020 8893 4155
Maintain a healthy homemade diet for your child with Fill n Squeeze Pouch Filler and Squeezee Pouches. They allow you to have the convenience of a portable, mess free baby food pouch, while still providing your little one with fresh homemade food and the ability to reuse the pouch over and over again. www.fillnsqueeze.co.uk
On the go feeding made simple by Fill n Squeeze Gold award winning Fill n Squeeze pouch filler and reusable pouches have been voted by mums as the best feeding product. Fresh homemade food can be stored in the reusable pouch that offers portability and convenience of shop bought pouches. The pouches are BPA free, freezer, microwave and bottle warmer friendly and include name and date labels. When ready to use, simply squeeze the contents onto a spoon - or the child can suck food directly from the pouch making them extremely convenient for parents, but great fun for children too. Starter pack £19.99 from Mothercare, Tesco, Argos, fillnsqueeze.co.uk Pack of 10x150ml reusable food pouches £4.50.
mimijumi, the innovative baby bottle company creates bottles that are designed to support breastfeeding. This is why mimijumi bottles are different! Designed by doctors in the USA, mimijumi bottles feed the baby in the same way the breast does. The skin-like tone and shape of the nipple makes the latching & feeding experience the closest to breastfeeding that a bottle can be making the transition comfortable and natural for the baby when moving between breast, bottle and back again. Like the breast, the baby must latch naturally and milk flow is regulated by the baby’s feeding action. The nipple flattens and stretches while feeding. This eliminates nipple confusion between the breast & bottle. Some parents rely on mimijumi as the “back-to-work bottle” because it makes the transition easier for mum to return to work and resume breastfeeding when they return home, if they choose to. Email: sales@mimijumi.co.uk
W: www.mimijumi.co.uk
Tel: 0845 505 1245
Win Win Win! To win one of 5 Very Hungry 8oz bottles we have to giveaway, all you need to do is find the answer to the following:
mimijumi, are designed to support what? E: rifat@fillnsqueeze.co.uk T: +44 (0) 7980 853446 W: www.fillnsqueeze.co.uk T: @fillnsqueeze
Send your name, answer and contact details to... competitions@crossproductions.co.uk with the subject ‘mimijumi’ before the closing date of January 3rd 2014.
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Achieve’s Must Have Mummy Product… As a mother of a toddler myself I know only too well the joy and chaos that feeding time with your baby and toddler can be! As they experiment with your home cooked puree’s I found it wonderful and mayhem all at once! You know the scene, the floor is covered, aprons and old tops on for them (and you!) as you take the spoon filled with nutritious solids towards their mouth and they try anything they can to intercept and ‘help’ - often resulting in more of the foods on everything else than in their tummies! If you are smiling at this all too familiar scene I think you will be as thrilled as I was to discover the Sucup. The invention of creator Andy Wells, the Sucup Teeny-Weany and the Sucup Toddler are meal time saviours when at home and out and about that you didn’t even know you were looking for. With their wide top and easy fill abilities and the fact that they can’t be squeezed by the child, the Sucup Teeny -Weany and Toddler are the perfect meal time companions at home and on the move with a lockable lid, thankfully banishing those messy utensil bags in your handbag! The wide straw allows for lumps and more menu variety whilst the see through, easy clean, plastic cup helps you keep track of how much your little one has consumed! The Sucup Toddler has a wider removable mouthpiece and promotes independent eating as it’s so easy for your toddler to use. Both of these nifty inventions mean less mess and less stress - not to mention their wonderful independent feeding opportunities! My little one loves the Sucup, so do I …I only wish I had discovered it sooner!
www.sucup.com christine@sucup.com 01908 562288 Cooking at home with Sucup The benefits of creating your own culinary delights for the little people in your life early on are endless…not only are they getting the nutritional benefits of freshly cooked ingredients, but they are also adjusting their tastebuds to your cooking and discovering where food comes from. Aside from this there are the savings you make financially, and that generally all round good parent feeling that comes from feeding your tot well balanced great food! Of course, one of the only drawbacks to creating up a storm for the babies and toddlers in your life is the stress and dilemma of how to get your kitchen efforts from A to B with as little mess as possible! The Sucup is the perfect solution, the Teeny-Weany for the babies and the Toddler for the older ones mean you can cook, store and easily serve up your cooking with no mess and very little stress. Here are a few of our ideas for getting the most from your cooking for the little ones and feeding with ease from the Sucup, keeping them healthy and making your life easier! I found batch cooking a really great way to build up a supply of foods for those times when you haven’t got much time, I would cook up some carrot and sweet potato combos or other tasty delights in the early days for mains and then apple and pear for dessert for example and store them in little pots or even ice cube trays in the freezer until I needed them. The Sucup is a great support to this style of food prep, simply defrost, pop in the Sucup TeenyWeany and you are good to go! As my tot got older I liked to find ways to get as much fruit into her as possible and homemade smoothies are a great way of doing this, blend up their favourites with some yogurt and pop in the Sucup Toddler… a fast way to their five a day.
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Win Win Win For your chance to win one of five Sucups we have to giveaway, simply visit www.sucup.com to find the answer to the following question;
What prestigious award did the Sucup Teeny Weany win? Send your name, answer and contact details to competitions@crossproductions.com before the closing date of February 3rd.
Jessica is an Anglo Swedish nutritional therapist, cook, businesswoman and lifestyle expert. She started her career as one of the founder members of The Futon Company London, at the age of 18, and worked in retail until 2004. Her international adventures, by way of Chicago and Moscow, have included everything from running her own furniture shop in Paris to renovating a disused Swedish cinema and turning it into a beautiful living space. In 2004 she decided to take a break from her retail career and, influenced by her Swedish grandmother’s love of cooking and nutrition, decided to go to university to study nutritional therapy. She graduated in 2008 and went on to practice at a private clinic as a nutritional therapist where she specialised in meal planning for individuals and families, health coaching and nutrition education, both privately and for the corporate sector. She also completed extensive additional training in children’s nutrition, obesity management and cardiovascular disease. After years of working with clients struggling to find inspiration and time to feed their family balanced, healthy meals, she realised that a recipe bag service could be the answer. So she brought the phenomenally successful Swedish enterprise Linas Matkasse to the UK in 2012, and is now Founder Director of Menu Planning and Nutrition for Jessica’s Recipe Bag. Every week, Jessica and her talented team prepare easy to follow recipes and deliver these, with all of the ingredients needed, to customers, enabling them to cook delicious and nutritious evening meals at home. Her aim is to show that, given the right guidance and tools, cooking well-balanced meals can be fun and done by anyone. Jessica has three children and is currently living in London.
Chunky Fish Soup with Warm French Bread and Garlicky Crème Fraiche 350g cod fillets 200g king prawns 200g crème fraiche 1 fennel bulb 1 carrot 1 onion 1 tsp sugar 1 tin chopped tomatoes
800ml vegetable stock 2 garlic cloves crushed 50g chopped dill 1 tbsp olive oil 50g chopped parsley French bread Salt & Pepper
Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 30 minutes Serves 4 1. Pre heat the oven to 180C 2. To make the base of the soup. Cut off the top of the fennel bulb and remove the outer layer then slice finely. Finely chop the onion and carrot. In a large saucepan heat the olive oil, sauté the onion, carrot and fennel for 5 minutes (should be soft), add the chopped tomatoes, crushed garlic, sugar, salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and simmer for a further 20 minutes with the lid on. 3. While the base of the soup is cooking, cut the cod into chunks (aprox 2.5cm square). Finely chop the parsley and dill removing any large stalks, set to one side. In a small bowl mix together the crème faiche and crushed garlic. 4. When the base has been cooking for 20 minutes in total add the, chopped dill, parsley, cod and king prawns. Simmer for 3 minutes until cod and prawns are cooked 5. Serve the soup in a bowl with a dollop of the garlic crème fraiche and buttered warm French bread.
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600g chicken thighs 250g cherry tomatoes 500g sweet potatoes 300g red peppers 5 garlic cloves 1 ½ tbsp chopped thyme 25g basil leaves 4 tbsp of olive oil 1 pack feta Salt & Pepper Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 30 minutes Serves 4 1. Preheat the oven to 200C. 2. Prepare the vegetables. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into chunks (2cms) set aside. Cut the peppers into 8 pieces and the tomatoes in half then add to a large oven tray with the sweet potatoes. Coat well with 2 tbsp of olive oil, add 4 peeled garlic cloves ½ of the basil leaves torn into smaller pieces and 1 tbsp of chopped thyme, season well. Using your hands make sure all the vegetables are well coated in the oil and herbs. Lay the chicken thighs on top, drizzle some the remaining olive oil over the thighs and season well. Bake in the oven with 35 minutes. Turn the thighs after 15 minutes and baste them with the juices. 3. Crumble the feta and set aside. 4. Take the chicken out of the oven. Sprinkle the feta cheese over the top with a tbsp of chopped thyme and serve together.
Lamb Meatball Tagine with Giant Couscous 600g minced lamb 2 garlic cloves 1 red onion 2 tsp dried cumin 2 tsp dried coriander 2 tsp paprika 1 beef stock cube 200g green beans 1 carrot 400g tinned tomatoes 200g giant couscous 1 egg 50g breadcrumbs 100g sun-dried tomatoes 50g fresh coriander 1 red chilli pepper 3 tbsp olive oil
Preparation time 20 minutes Cooking time 30 minutes Serves 4
1. Preheat the oven to 200C 2. Make the meatball mixture. Finely chop the onion and chilli pepper. In a large bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, onion, lamb mince, 2 crushed garlic cloves, chilli pepper, spices and 1 egg. Season with ½ tsp of salt and a good pinch of pepper. Using your hands form the mixture into balls approx 4cm in dia. 3. In a large frying pan heat 2 tbsp of olive oil. Fry the meatballs in 2 batches until browned. Remove and set aside. 4. While the meatballs are frying in a large casserole or heavy based saucepan add the tinned tomatoes, 125ml of boiling water and a beef stock cube. Roughly chop the dried tomatoes and add, season to taste. Chop 2 tbsp of fresh coriander and add. When the meatballs are ready add them to the tomatoes, cover and transfer to the oven for 25 minutes. 5. Peel the carrots and dice. Cut the green beans into 3 lengths. In a medium saucepan bring to the boil 300ml of water. Add the carrots and beans and simmer for 5 minutes then drain and set aside. 6. When the meatballs have been in the oven for 15 minutes cook the giant couscous. Bring to the boil a large saucepan of salted water. Add the couscous and simmer for 10 minutes or until cooked. Drain and add the carrots, beans and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Season to taste. Finely chop the remaining coriander and add to the couscous. 7. Take the meatball tagine out of the oven and serve with the giant couscous.
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Special offer
50% off
your first bag Achieve Use code RASCALS
Order online jessicasrecipebag.co.uk
We plan. You order. We shop & deliver. You cook! Jessica’s Recipe Bag delivers seasonal high quality ingredients & inspiring recipes so you can cook delicious meals at home First Family Bag £45 / First Couples Bag £29 Reg.price £69
Delivery to your door is free. No commitment beyond your first bag. jessicasrecipebag.co.uk
Reg.price £42
Crelling Harnesses Ltd
Special needs harnesses for vehicle seats, wheelchairs, shower & bath hoists, commode chairs, walking reins and more. Tel: 01253 852298
Fax: 01253 821780
www.crelling.com
Email: jenny@crelling.com
We make simple belts and full supportive harnesses for all kinds of special needs, including challenging behaviour.
We will support you the way you want us to!
Our support is different for each person as we design it around their individual needs and wishes. We will work with you, your family and other people important in your life, to make sure we get this right for you. We can support you to live in your own home, with other people or when you are out and about. We can support you for a few hours a week to 24 hours each day. We will help you build your skills to become more confident and independent so that you can make choices about everything that affects your life and puts you in control.
0800 0884 377 United Response is an award winning charity and has been supporting young people and adults with a wide range of needs and disabilities for 40 years.
get.support@unitedresponse.org.uk www.unitedresponse.org.uk/get-support Registered Charity No. 265249
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Handmade With Love The kind of gifts that last a lifetime….
The collection, which is ever growing, currently features rings, family necklaces (our favourite!), Do you have a favourite lyric or saying? A message you key rings, cufflinks, bag charms, medical bracelets, want to keep close to you or give as a gift for another earrings and much more besides, all of which can be adorned with dates, sayings, information and to cherish? Gift buying can be such a tricky task yet sentiments of your choosing made from the ultra-light with Handmade with Love it can be a pleasure. With weight ultra-long lasting aluminium. All you need to affordable hand stamped homemade jewellery and accessories adorned with your personal messages and do is pick your piece and then let Anne Marie know what wording you require through the easy to use names, Handmade with Love makes for the perfect gift for birthdays, anniversaries, to mark a new-born’s website and she will do the rest! The collection is also birth, a christening gift or simply to show you care, it’s excitingly expanding through to wedding pieces too so look out for jewels and hair pieces fit for a bride perfect for any occasion! coming soon. Handmade with Love was born from a grandson’s desire to give back to the Macmillan nurses who cared for his grandma when she passed away with lung cancer a couple of years ago. Starting out by creating bracelets as a thank you to the nurses Luke, then 7 years old and sister Courtney, then 5, set about making bracelets to sell to the public using donations of beads from businesses to raise money for Macmillan, they soon raised over £600. Mother Anne-Marie decided to keep the business going in honour of their children’s Grandma and the company has been delighting its customers with its handmade designs ever since. “I found that once the children finished their fundraising I actually missed creating the pieces with them, Luke’s attitude to simply go for things I wanted to do encouraged me to go for it too!” Anne Marie told us.
To purchase from the range visit www.handmadewithlovedesigns.co.uk Facebook: handmadewithlovedesigns Email: annemariemccallister@hotmail.co.uk
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Disability Rocks is back in 2014 with not one but four new festival locations!
Many of you will know about the great family friendly festival in Ilkley West Yorkshire, but we bring you breaking news from the Disability Rocks team that will surely delight our readers! “We feel that more people should have the chance to experience our unique and inclusive event. This is why Disability Rocks have chosen to come to a place nearer to you and so announce 4 regional festivals for summer 2014.”
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These will be; Disability Rocks - South West - Port Eliot, Sunday, 1st June 2014 Disability Rocks - North - Nell Bank, Ilkley, Saturday 7th June 2014 Disability Rocks - South East - Lambourne End, Saturday 28th June 2014 Disability Rocks - Midlands - Kibworth, Leicestershire 12th July 2014
In our first edition of Achieve magazine we were thrilled to tell you all about the success of Disability Rocks, a music festival which actually is accessible to all. This issue we are especially thrilled to bring you this news! We don’t know about you, but we would say that this wonderful expansion of venues makes the festival a resounding success!
Event organiser and festival extraordinaire Richard Sutton told us more about the origins of these unique festival events; “I started the festival after finding that there was a real gap in the market for an entertainment event for those with a disability. Having a young boy with a disability means that I am heavily involved in various support groups, and the general feeling was the same – why did such a thing not already exist. To say I am thrilled at the success of the event so far is an understatement, the support from the public has been astounding and I can’t wait for Disability Rocks to come back with four events in 2014! Amazing!” An accessible festival that centres on music and the arts for those with a disability, their carers, friends and family started out with Richard determined to make the festival a place where revellers could be
assured of their safety and comfort in their surroundings, and to provide an event that simply wasn’t currently available for the general public. This year saw some amazing creative talent in the shape of, comedienne Francesca Martinez, music acts including Danny & The Champions Of The World, The Loose Salute, Bo Weavil, Trevor Moss & Hannah Lou, Bethia Beadman and many more who brought their eclectic music mix to the main stage. Singing Hands performed their unique Makaton Singing and Signing show for children of all ages too. There was plenty more besides the acts for your entertainment, with drumming, DJ and arts workshops and the infamous Sensory Yurt dropped by again. An array of world cuisine was available as well a wonderful mix of activities, stalls and entertainment too. If 2013’s event was anything to go by we can’t wait for 2014, which one will you be at?
Full details will be on the Disability Rocks Website www.disabilityrocks.org and supported by their brand new low cost telephone helpline and booking service on 0333 800 0199
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Set a child free….let them soar
Any parent will tell you they want their child to be free, to grow, expand their horizons and really get out there into the big wide world. Sure, we worry about them in this freedom but we also know that a life filled with boundaries is a life half lived. One parent, Dan, felt this just like any other parent…it just became a much more challenging prospect as his son was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at 9 months old. As it came to looking at adapted pushchair options from the NHS, he and his wife were amazed to discover there weren’t options at all, finding themselves being forced into an apparent ‘one size fits all’ scenario. Well, they didn’t settle for this and set out to find a chair that had what they needed, with an appearance that fitted their lifestyle. After discovering one
that worked abroad they soon set up a company – ACTIVATE - importing them so that more people in this country had a choice when it came to considering their options for their children. From here the company has not stopped growing, adding innovative, pioneering wheelchair models that are tailor-made to suit the needs of young people rather than smaller versions of chairs for adults. With a huge proportion of the manufacturing taking place right here in the UK, coupled with the very latest 3D CAD modelling capability, Activate are a force to be reckoned. Designs are forward thinking, with Dan always insisting on making sure the focus is on the way in which a chair is used by the child and the whole family. This means each design offers ease of use, practicality and an emphasis on providing freedom for the child and their family, whether through everyday practicalities like getting around with ease in school, or at play when out and about. Activate provides children and their families with things that they want - a choice of colours, added LED lights and designs based on sports cars (see The Mustang!), added suspension so that practically all terrains can be tackled with ease, of course these extras all add to the
feeling of ownership for the child. In a world full of boundaries, ACTIVATE products set out to break them down, set your child free, let them soar and explore life for themselves.
www.activateforkids.co.uk 01722 340 600
Set a child free... let them soar with the eagles ‘We make special mobility products for amazing kids’
01722 340600
www.activateforkids.co.uk
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Q&A with Sean Kennedy Barrister legal
Children’s Schools and Families Bill
Q. When is the Bill likely to become an Act? Very possibly September, 2014. Q. Will statements of special educational needs be replaced by the new Act? Yes, statements of special educational needs and also Learning Difficulty Assessments (LDA) will be replaced with a new birth-to-25 Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan). Q. What exactly is a EHC Plan? This is a document that lists all educational, health and social care needs. It is envisaged that there will be safeguards in relation to educational provision, but there are no new duties in relation to safeguarding health and social care provision in relation to delivering what is contained in a EHC plan, though there is a duty on providers of this provision to co-operate with the local authority. Q. What might a EHC Plan look like? Statements of special educational needs have a prescribed form. The EHC Plan is different document and will look different, though it is fair to say that, at the moment, there is not a settled format. Anyone interested in finding out more about how the document could look, may wish to read the following from a company called Mott MacDonald who have been commissioned by the Department of Education to work in developing the process by which EHC Plans will be issued: http://www.sendpathfinder.co.uk/files/ page/504989/0_25_Coordinated_Assessment_ Process___EHC_plan_V2.1_Sept_13.pdf Q. If a child currently has a statement of special educational needs, will this be replaced by a EHC Plan? Eventually yes. It is envisaged that from 1 September 2014, no new assessments for statements of special educational needs or LDAs will be offered by local authorities. All new requests for an assessment of special educational needs will be considered under the new legislation and those requiring support will
Anyone involved with supporting a child or young adult needs to be aware of the potential for Children’s Schools and Families Bill to impact on their lives. In this short article we will explore through a series of questions and answers how the Bill could effect the system for supporting children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) and also those who are disabled.
receive it through an EHC plan. The Government claim that “The reformed mediation and appeals process, and the option of a personal budget for those with an EHC Plan will also be available from this date [likely 1st September, 2014]” When the new process is introduced, the Government state that the “pace of transition needs to allow sufficient time for local authorities to manage the transfer to EHC Plans in an appropriate way, but should not deny children and young people the benefits of the new system for longer than is necessary.” Importantly the Government wants to minimise the period during which both the new and the old systems are operated in tandem. Having said all of that, it is clear that that there are no defined timelines for the transition. Q. What is a Pathfinder Authority? These are Local Authorities who have been chosen along with their Primary Care Trust (PCT) partners to test out the new process. Q. If I am in a Pathfinder pilot authority, do I have to accept a EHC Plan rather than a statement of special educational needs? No, parents should be aware that they can choose between the new EHC assessment processes or the existing system. Parents should be aware that, until the new system come in, EHC Plans have no statutory basis and cannot be appealed to the SEND Tribunal should parents disagree with the contents of the document in relation to their child’s education. That said, the Department of Education have advised that, should such conflicts exist, the educational component of a EHC plan should be converted to a statement of special educational needs thus giving the parent appeal right to the Tribunal. Q. In relation to the new system, what are personal budgets? With the new system Local authorities must prepare a personal budget in relation to an EHC Plan where a request has been made by the parent and the young person. Families can then
choose how to use this money to meet their child or young person’s needs to meet the outcomes agreed in their EHC plan. This will mean that personal budgets will be offered to families whose children have an EHC Plan, though these do not have to be accepted by the family. The amount of money received will be dependent on the assessed needs of the child and this must be spent on support that has been personalised for the child. Such support could include: occupational therapy, physiotherapy or speech and language therapy. Q. Will EHC plans be an improvement on statements of special educational needs? The Government are clear that the new system is an improvement. The proposed benefits cited are that, because the age limit is 25, it will help stop children being cast adrift from the support system when their statement of special educational needs ceases at 19 years. Further, personal budgets are put forward as a solution to Local Authorities not providing what is on a child’s statement of special educational needs. That said, the new system has its critics. For example, it is claimed that, rather than introduce personal budgets, the Government should fix the existing system that is perhaps broken. Furthermore, it is claimed that EHC Plans may be more difficult get than statement for special educational needs. The Government, has been keen to stress that existing parental rights will not be diluted by the changes, though it would be fair to say that some people have their doubts about this. Q. Where can I find out more about the changes? Pathfinder authorities will typically provide information on the proposed changes, and the Department of Educational website is comprehensive on the subject. Parents are advised to review the relevant information contained on the IPSEA website: http://www. ipsea.org.uk if they want an independent evaluation.
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Jelly and Bean: The Keys to the pleasure of reading Whatever age and capability you are
One girl : An inspiration to all A 12 year old little girl from Park Ridge, IL., who is non-verbal is inspiring the WORLD! Candace’s proud parents contacted us here at Achieve with their daughters amazing art so that others can be inspired by her work. At 12 years old and with severe autism her work really is set to take the world by storm. An amazing painter, Candy’s (as she is known to her family and friends) art is an expression of herself as she is unable to communicate with words, and her art speaks volumes. Candy’s parents couldn’t be prouder with a flood of enquiries continuously coming their way through Facebook of how to purchase her art from around the globe; “Candy's art and story has inspired, raised autism awareness and given hope to people around the WORLD! Prints of Candy's paintings are being sold through "Kind Tree-Autism Rocks Foundation". The way Candy gives back to the autism community is half of all proceeds from the sales of Candy's prints are going to help others on the autism spectrum fulfil their dreams of becoming artists.” Candy’s work is building up quite a reputation, with her work being featured in and on the cover of a number of magazines and features and the interest is growing every day for this wonderful story and cause. "Kind Tree-Autism Rocks Foundation", "We Are Lions" sell prints & T-shirts of Candace's paintings with 50% of all proceeds from the sales of Candy's prints going to help others on the autism spectrum to fulfil their dreams of becoming artists. www.kindtree.org/marketplace/artists/ candace-waters www.wearelions.org/candace.html Like Candy's Page on Facebook. www.facebook.com/pages/Candy-WatersAutism-Artist
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at reading offers a path to pleasurable entertainment and independence. Reading and understanding in turn boosts our confidence and opens our minds. Whether you are new to reading as a small child, or as a person with learning disabilities, reading is a path you won’t want to leave once you start doing it for yourself. Jelly and Bean books offer a wonderful key through the door to independent reading. Their combination of humorous stories, striking illustrations and simple words make it a successful reading experience for everyone. Regular CVC words and ‘tricky’ words are introduced gradually at the same time making the learning to read process accessible and challenging all at once. The books allow children to progress within their own capabilities and the engaging stories and characters keep them entertained and motivated to read and learn more. Jelly and Bean books are perfect for schools, both mainstream and specialist, and at home. “I have read a few of the books now with my young daughter and we both love them! They feel familiar in some way, nothing too complicated or over the top, just simple words to help her identify the sounds and how the words look on the page. She loved the characters and illustrations and after just a couple of reads she really started to recognise the words. I can see that they would be a wonderful way into independent reading for all children, whatever their abilities.” Achieve Writer Emily Kirton comments.
www.jellyandbean.co.uk
You could be a foster carer Be part of a growing business with local services across the UK with families who are committed to providing their time, patience and care to children in need. Contact us for more information; Outlook Fostering Services Limited (South East England) Website: http://www.outlookfostering.co.uk Tel: 0333 800 3000 Email: info@outlookfostering.com Fostering Support Group Limited (London & South East England) Website: http://www.fosteringsupportgroup.com Tel: 0208 771 6167 Email: fsginfo@fosteringsupportgroup.com Park Foster Care Services (North West England) Website: http://www.parkfostercare.com Tel: 0800 169 4552 Email: info@parkfostercare.com TLC Wales Fostering (South Wales) Website: http://www.tlcwales.org.uk Tel: 01269 846 371 Email: info@tlcwales.org.uk
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Polycarbonate Window Protection with Ventilation Individual Spec, POA
Anti Ligature Shelf h 560, w 800, d 230 £95.00
Medium Beech Poster Frame h 560, w 460, d 18 £89.00
Safety Mirror Beech Frame h 1300, w 490, d 24 £221.00
Tough Plus Desk h 757, w 810, d 525 £208.00
Tough Plus Drawer Chest h 818, w 810, d 525 £535.00 Tough Plus Double Wardrobe h 1800, w 810, d 595 £650.00
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Tough plus Bed h 333, w 970, l 1995 £491.00
Tough Plus Bedside Cabinet h 637, w 410, d 405 £248.00
Achieve meets Nigel... Tough Furniture are the name to go to when it comes to sourcing robust, safe and trend aware furniture for environments where furniture requires a more robust resistance to wear and tear. Tough Furniture provides pieces for those with severe learning difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Attention Deficit Disorders, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties at home or within a residential setting. We had a chat with company Commercial Director Nigel to discover more about this company and its unique, ground breaking work in the world of robust furniture.
So, Nigel, tell us a bit about the Tough Furniture ethos? Well, at Tough Furniture the emphasis has and always will be on meeting the needs of the individual. Whether we are looking at providing pieces for the home or for a community environment the emphasis is always on what the client individually needs. Our ranges are continuously improving to meet the demand from clients too, plus, we are always looking at ways to keep our furniture up to date with trends too, we don’t want the furniture to be entirely about its functionality, we want it to be enjoyable to
use and look at too! Our team have all been in the business for a long time and over the years we have really built up a knowledge base for what works and what people want, but that’s not to say we rest on our laurels, we may have just made our 1 millionth panel but that doesn’t mean we are standing still!
Lastly, what kind of an impact does your furniture make on people’s lives?
I think it makes quite a big impact really, I will always remember a client coming to us whose child had been diagnosed with Autism. She wanted a bedroom that could be his space, a space where he could act like any other boy, where she felt she could leave him to play happily on his own every What about the range, how to you now and then and be assured of his safety. create a collection for all? We made small yet high impact changes to his environment such as polycarbonate We are always looking at ways to bring pieces within collections that our clients love protection to the windows, a bed that could and yet we really enjoy adapting and creating be bounced on and not give out and a desk with a computer in that couldn’t be damaged. pieces specifically for clients. So, a lot of what we do is a real mixture, which is great, These things that might appear to be small changes had a profound effect on their it keeps us on our toes as well as allowing our clients to choose easily from a range or family life and most importantly her son got to use his room, have his space in the way in a sense, create their own! We have just that he ought to. recently made the collections more user friendly to purchase from and will continue To find out more visit www.toughfurniture.com to work at making the process easy for our clients. I always encourage customers to get or call 01588 674340. in touch with their requirements, nothing is fixed with our ranges and so we can easily adapt things to suit. Because we handle the manufacture and design all in house we can do these things, I’m sure it’s the main reason why people who use us always recommend and use again.
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An independent charity, which provides vital care and support to children, adults and families affected by autism covering services in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, Autism Anglia provide a vast range of services from direct support to the individuals themselves, through to training for professionals who are looking to understand autism more. Whatever the service, Autism Anglia strives to make it personal, with an experienced approach that provides the individual and their families with exactly what they need so that they can assist those affected in the right way empowering individuals to lead the fulfilled lives they deserve. The ever growing charity, which was founded back in the 1970’s, was founded by parents of children with autism because of a lack of the right education that parents wanted for their children in the area. It was this drive, commitment and passion to provide what was needed that led the charity to open Doucecroft School, which to this day offers outstanding levels of specialist education for 3-19 When you speak to pretty much any parent whose child has received an autism diagnosis one of the first things they will recall is the fight that they felt started even before the diagnosis came through. A fight that starts when you first start to be concerned and a fight that continues from diagnosis, to education and the future that you like any parent, wants for their child. To fight this battle a parent needs a resourceful and supportive army and its charities like Autism Anglia that make the fight that little bit easier. For parents of a child with autism, and often for the individual themselves, the battle for finding ways in which a fulfilled and full life can be found is a battle made easier when you have a team of trusted, experienced people on your side – they make all the difference in the world. The right access to information and support when it comes to an autism diagnosis can mean the difference between a life lived and a life worth living. The work that Autism Anglia does ensures that families and individuals get this information and support network that is so vital in lives affected by autism.
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year olds. Providing options for traditional school day attendance, or boarding facilities, the school offers the level of education and environment in which your child can thrive, learn and grow. Autism Anglia has helped thousands of children, adults and their families to deal with the news of an autism diagnosis, and has helped them to discover methods of support and the tools to help them enjoy life and live it to the full. “Without your service I am sure that my family wouldn’t be a whole unit anymore. Just keep going as you are, you all do a wonderful job.” A parent of a child at Doucecroft sings Autism Anglia’s praises. Autism Anglia relies on the fund-raising efforts of the public to continue the crucial work that they do. To discover a wealth of information from the lovely people at Autism Anglia visit www.autism-anglia.org.uk
www.annakennedyonline.com
Autism’s Got Talent Roadshow, photography by Karen McGuire
The latest news from Anna Kennedy Online Angelo causes Twitter frenzy! Anna Kennedy’s son Angelo has been making twitter headlines this week with his Anti-Bullying Week poster. People who are aware of Anna’s story will know that her two sons were the start of her tireless campaigning for autism awareness, and continue to be the driving force behind the passion and commitment she has to making a difference. Angelo, who has severe autism, epilepsy and sensory process difficulties, designed the poster which includes the campaign slogan ‘Give us a Break’. Shared on Twitter by Mel C, X Factor’s Melanie Masson and Strictly Come Dancing’s Kristina Rihanoff, Arlene Phillips CBE (former judge on the show), Fiona Phillips and Adele De Silva who all showed their support with their retweets and social network connections! Angelo’s mum Anna spoke of her delight at her son’s poster and its celebrity reaction; “Its great these celebrities decided to give him a voice for Anti Bullying Week and I thank the celebrities that gave the cause the attention it deserves!” The ‘Give us a Break’ anti bullying campaign was initially launched by Anna and her team in April
2013 and continues to be a successful campaign raising awareness of the key issues surrounding bullying and autism, consulting with schools on ways they can decrease bullying within their environment and to find ways to put an end to it for good.
Autism’s Got Talent Roadshow Success Not one to sit still, Anna Kennedy OBE and her team staged a very successful Autism’s Got Talent Roadshow earlier this month at the Baston House School, a school founded by Anna. The talent show was a huge hit with audience and performer alike and showcased the singing, dancing and acting abilities of young people on the autistic spectrum. A particular highlight of the event was a speech made by World Kick Box Champion Jo Redman who spoke of how she had been bullied as a child and in the work place and how she turned to kickboxing to help her through. Jo, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, told the audience of her experience of being bullied in the hope that it would inspire people to speak out against it; “I hated myself when I was younger, I felt lonely
and I believed that I was no good to anybody and that I would never achieve anything. There were even people who laughed at me when I started kickboxing, who told me I would never be any good at kickboxing – how wrong were they?! I tried to stay in the background and avoid attention but I was not made to be in the background – just as any other person I was made to live a life that I chose. And I chose kickboxing. At 13 years old, when I was at school and bullied, I decided I was going to be a world champion, I was going to be the best. And it was my focus on this that helped me get through the tough years I had as a teenager. Things turned out well for me in the end but it was excruciatingly painful and you can’t take that chance. You shouldn’t have to suffer in silence like I did.” The show was a sell-out and the audience included many friendly faces and supporters, including Mayor Ernest Noad! The audience enjoyed performances by classical singer Marie Gorton and actresses Olley Edwards and Vicky Alcock. There was also comedy from comedienne Jennifer Belander, whose child is on the spectrum.
www.annakennedyonline.com
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Delivering a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach to education
Provide practical and simple techniques for managing stress and anxiety.
Implement individual exercise programmes to enhance physical and emotional wellbeing.
Our specialist schools for children and young people with autistic spectrum conditions: • Higford School - Shropshire • Barton School - North Lincs • Kinsale School - Flintshire
The Bridge@Barton School Barton School’s new service for students with High Functioning Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome opened October 2013.
Use a whole child approach to address individual needs, abilities and interests. Support students to explore the wider world, learn skills, engage and achieve.
Support the development of social and communication skills using social skills groups, intensive interaction, circle time and drama lessons. Have dedicated on-site Professional and Clinical Multi-disciplinary Teams, including Occupational and Speech and Language Therapists, that focus on sensory processing and communication styles and difficulties.
For further information about our Specialist Schools, Transitions or Adult Services please call 08442 487187 or e-mail info@optionsgroup.co.uk. www.optionsgroup.co.uk. 54
To communicate is a basic human right…. Pyramid Educational Consultants UK (PECS UK) provides an internationally renowned communication system for children and adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related disabilities. With a central belief and passionate commitment to providing the keys to effective communication, they are the leaders of the ‘communication pack’. The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) works on a simple yet highly effective series of images and interactive work. PECS focuses on the initiation of communication and the design of effective educational environments. PECS is used in an ever growing number of educational environments the world over, an estimated 100,000 people have used the system. PECS UK’s team of experts present a unique blend of broad spectrum applied behaviour analysis along with the knowledge to be able to assist users in developing functional communication skills. Taking into account the individual learners needs PECS UK always look to find the most effective way to get the environment harmonious to its learning methods.
What is PECS? PECS was developed in 1985 as a unique communication intervention package for pre-school children with ASD. It is now used successfully for adults and children with a wide range of communication difficulties. PECS is an inexpensive communication tool, which can be used in large educational facilities and individual homes alike. It works by teaching an individual to give a picture of a desired item to a communicative partner, who immediately recognises the exchange as a request. For example if a user wants a drink then they will give the communicative partner a picture of a drink, the communicative partner then gives the user a drink. PECS can be used to request all sorts of items and as communication skills develop sentences can be built up and users begin to comment on their environment such as ‘I see’ or ‘I
hear’. What makes the system so unique and so effective, is that verbal prompts are never used, thus building immediate initiation and avoiding prompt dependency. Spontaneous communication is the goal of PECS.
Why is it so effective and doesn’t it stop users learning to speak? PECS is considered as an effective intervention because it uses real life learning in an interactive way. It gives the individual the tools needed to communicate with others, to form sentences and, in advanced stages, answer questions and to comment. The Delaware Autistic Programme found that 76% of all children who used PECS went on to acquire speech, using speech singularly or
system is used in the correct way, ensuring the best possible outcomes. PECS works best when all those involved in a users care work in the same way, providing positive environment for individuals to learn effectively. PECS training ensures that everyone knows the best way in which to make
alongside a picture based system such as PECS.
PECS a success.
How can you get the most from PECS?
Discover how you can create an environment which
For PECS to work effectively initial training from the team at PECS UK is required. This takes the form of a two day workshop which is open to both professionals and parents. It is important that the
provides your student or child with the tools for lifelong communication skills at www.pecs-unitedkingdom.com Call: 01273 609555 for further information.
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quality of the building and the amount of care that had gone in to the design in order to achieve an environment that is spacious, sensitive and inspiring. John Burton, President of The Bedworth Society commented, "This is the most inspiring scheme we have seen in the Borough in the 30 years of making our Awards. Every aspect shows a dedication to quality and functionality."
Double Ofsted "Outstanding" achievement In March 2013, RNIB Pears Centre achieved a second "Outstanding" grading following an Ofsted inspection of the school. This rating is in addition to the "Outstanding" rating of the Centre's care provision, which is regulated separately.
RNIB Pears Centre - where blind and partially sighted young people with complex needs live, learn and grow. Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) estimates that between 9,000 and 12,000 of the 25,000 children in the UK who are blind or partially sighted may also have additional disabilities, including some or all of the following conditions: • learning difficulties and disabilities • autistic spectrum disorders • physical disabilities • communication difficulties • other sensory impairments • additional healthcare needs, such as epilepsy • complex medical needs • additional behavioural difficulties. A child with such complex needs requires high levels of care and support. RNIB Pears Centre for Specialist Learning in Coventry, North Warwickshire enables young people and families to gain the support they need in a stimulating and supportive environment.
The Ofsted report for the school praised the "outstanding impact of the teams that support learning in every class" and added that "relationships with other professionals who support the students and with their parents are exceptional". The report for the children's home (November 2012) congratulated the "highly individual and well-structured package of care" provided by the centre and added that "staff ensure that the education of young people is part of their whole life experience and not just related to classrooms". Andy Moran, Executive Headteacher, said: "I'm delighted that the quality of our education has been rated to be outstanding by Ofsted, as well as our care. I know that staff, parents, governors and in particular the young people are very pleased with this outcome. It confirms to us that we're doing the right thing for the young people we support." Ofsted fully supported the school's ambition to use its expertise to further develop its outreach service, which offers specialist advice and support to teachers and students in other schools, both special and mainstream.
For more than 50 years RNIB Pears Centre (formerly known as RNIB Rushton School and Children's Home) has offered individually-tailored education, care, healthcare and therapies for children and young people with multiple disabilities and complex health needs who are blind or partially sighted, from pre-school up to the age of 19.
New award-winning facilities The Centre has recently undergone a significant transformation with new purpose-built facilities being created following a major redevelopment. The fully accessible facilities are helping to develop and encourage independence as well as catering for the children's individual needs. They were officially opened in September 2012 by HRH The Princess Royal and comprise: • School with versatile classrooms, each with space for one-to-one and group teaching, physiotherapy and mobility equipment; multi-sensory environments, a music room, an art and science room, a library, a hall, movement and therapy rooms. • Five bungalows grouped along a pedestrianised street, each with six bedrooms, three bathrooms and a lounge, dining room, kitchen and gardens; secure gardens and outdoor play areas. • Bedrooms for visiting families. • Meeting rooms and conference space.
New specialist support for young people with high health and medical needs
In recognition of the new facilities, RNIB Pears Centre was presented with an award for Excellence in Environmental Improvement for 2012 from The Bedworth Society. The award judges were particularly impressed by the amount of natural light that floods into the buildings and the gently curving walls of the school. The judges also commented on the high
As well as providing the most appropriate level of individual support, the service can help to relieve hospital and hospice places in the Midlands area. The centre can care for young people during transition periods from hospital to their home environment. Long term placements, rehabilitation, medical care and respite care are also available. A team of nurses,
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RNIB Pears Centre has worked to extend its specialist provision and now also caters for children and young people with high health and medical needs, including those who require long-term ventilation or who have lifethreatening or life-limiting conditions.
at RNIB Pears Centre fills a huge gap in services for this group of children with highly complex needs within the Midlands and beyond."
Innovative partnership with a new SEN academy RNIB Pears Centre has also recently joined together with Three Spires School in Coventry to convert the school into a special educational needs (SEN) academy. This partnership is the first of its kind in the UK, where a disability charity sponsors a SEN academy. From 1 September 2013, RNIB Pears Centre took over the management of Three Spires School to support the delivery of improvements at RNIB Three Spires Academy. RNIB Three Spires Academy is a special school for children aged 3 11 with mainly moderate learning difficulties. Many of its pupils have autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) while others have sensory impairment, communication and physical difficulties. Sally Harvey, Group Director of Independent Living at RNIB, said: “This is a very exciting time for both RNIB Pears Centre and RNIB Three Spires Academy and we are confident that by using our extensive specialist expertise in supporting children with complex needs, we can support Three Spires to continue to build on progress to date ensuring they achieve at least a grade "Good" in their next Ofsted inspection.” "By doing this, we will also be improving the outcomes for all of Three Spires' pupils including those with sight problems. This also gives RNIB the opportunity to promote its mission of preventing avoidable sight loss and promoting eye health to a much wider network of schools both in the Coventry area and beyond." together with therapists and social care workers, work with parents and families to support them in managing these conditions. Ginny Tyler, Principal Manager of Care and Wellbeing at RNIB Pears Centre said: "We have been working very closely with our NHS colleagues to develop this service. As well as specialist care, bespoke packages of educational support can also be provided for young people for whom attending school can be physically challenging. "Building on over 50 years of expert care and education, we can offer the very best service to these children, young people and their families." David Widdas, Consultant Nurse Children with Complex Health Care Needs of South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, added: "The development of long-term ventilation short breaks and residential care
More information If you would like more information on any of the Centre's specialist services or would like to arrange a visit, get in touch (please mention Achieve magazine). RNIB Pears Centre for Specialist Learning Wheelwright Lane Ash Green Coventry CV7 9RA Call 024 7636 9500 Visit: www.rnib.org.uk/pearscentre Email: pearscentre@rnib.org.uk
Ashleigh’s story Ashleigh, 15, is registered blind and has specific learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder and severe anxiety disorder. Before she arrived at RNIB Pears Centre in March 2012, she wasn’t attending school because of her challenging behaviours. She refused to socialise, preferring to stay in her bedroom. Ashleigh struggled with completing personal care routines and was reluctant to go on trips because she wouldn’t communicate her wishes and needs. Our speech and language therapist and social care team worked consistently with Ashleigh to improve her understanding of events and expectations. Our teaching staff and habilitation officer supported Ashleigh to become familiar with her surroundings, for example using tactile location markers to enable her to walk more independently around school and in the community. Ashleigh now attends school, accessing the curriculum using assistive technology. She has developed her skills to independently carry out personal care routines. She has become much more sociable and enjoys going on trips. She recently went to see “Dancing on Ice Live” with friends. Every Wednesday, she serves customers in the student-run Tasty Treats Café as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme. Ashleigh loves music and recently sang in front of a very large audience, including The Princess Royal and Sir George Martin! “When Ashleigh first came to RNIB Pears Centre, we were concerned that we’d lose connection with her, but actually our relationship with her has improved. This is partly due to Ashleigh’s willingness to share her day with us on the phone. We feel that she now has a better understanding of what she is doing in her day and is less anxious. Ashleigh has told us that she is happy here and we feel assured that RNIB Pears Centre is the right place for her.” Nicola, Ashleigh’s mum.
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Baston House School
Anna Kennedy:
Spolight on Schooling…
The vital work that Anna Kennedy does for those affected by autism started when she entered the world of fighting for the right education for her two sons, both on the spectrum. After trying and failing to find the right place for them to thrive and be happy, Anna set about opening her own school that would! Anna Kennedy and her team have opened two schools, a college, they host many events each year to campaign and provide a much needed portal of advice at www.annakennedyonline.co.uk. Making a huge impact on people’s lives Anna and her team’s work is more than vital for those you need it. Harry Pettitt, our case study for this issue, aged 12, attends Anna’s Baston House School we discovered his story from his mum… “Harry was diagnosed at 4 and a half and started at Baston House when he was ten. He attended a mainstream primary school up until Year 6 and had a dedicated Individual Support Assistant. The school he was at pulled out all the stops to accommodate him, but in the end they had
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to admit that they did not have the resources to fully support Harry and stated they could no longer meet his needs. This culminated in me having to take my Local Authority to a Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal to get him into a specialist school, namely Baston House School.
When Harry left his Mainstream School at the beginning of Year 6 he was academically well behind his not affected peers, functioning at a similar level to that of a Year 2 or 3 child. He found the whole classroom experience in mainstream extremely daunting and had huge anxiety levels and would often become tearful because he just could not cope with everything that was going on, this in turn put a barrier to his ability to Learn. In his latest academic assessments at Baston House he is now at similar levels to his unaffected peers and in some subject actually above the National Curriculum levels for someone of a similar age. Harry also receives Occupational Therapy and Speech and language therapy at Baston
House, they have fully qualified staff on site and this has had a huge impact on his learning, this has also had a positive effect on his behaviours at home and work on his Sensory Processing Disorder. Harry loves going to Baston House School, he always has a smile on his face. He embraces the opportunities he is being given and the support that is shown by all members of staff. Baston House offers opportunities that other schools can’t, for example they have just taken delivery of 3 Shetland ponies and the pupils all help to look after them and they take them for walks. For the first time ever when joining Baston House Harry made friends, he enjoyed a trip to the cinema with a new friend and a visit around a friend’s house; it has been wonderful to watch him develop his social skills and understanding of the meaning of friendship. Harry is becoming an independent young man, he has been given the confidence to ask the price of things in shops and speak to people on subjects that interest him. He no longer hides behind me, constantly looking for adult support. I used to worry about what the future holds for Harry and of course I still do, although not with the trepidation I used to. Baston House is equipping Harry not only academically but also socially for the future, Harry now talks about his future and going to college and the type of job he would like to do. Home life has improved. Harry is my middle son I have 3 boys. They have noticed a difference in him; he is a lot more sociable and now wants to interact in their games of football or cricket in the garden. Other people have also commented on how much he has come on socially. Polishing our body armour and fighting for Harry to go to Baston House was the best decision we ever made.” www.bastonhouseschool.org.uk
Individuals nurtured at St Christopher’s When it comes to finding the right school for your child there is no end to the list of requirements that you look for, however if your child has severe and complex learning difficulties the list is even longer. The school must of course provide education for your child but they are also required to provide so much more. St Christopher’s School, located in Bristol, offers specialist education, care and therapy for children and young people with severe and complex learning difficulties. Registered for pupils aged from 5 to 19 years, with all pupils having a range of language and communication disorders, including some with physical disabilities and some having challenging behaviours associated with their conditions, St Christopher’s School is a place where nurturing is at the heart of everything that they do. A professional and friendly multi-disciplinary team of teachers, carers and therapists look at each pupil and provide individually designed programmes based on their needs. The aim however is always the same, whatever the pupil and their needs; Our task is to guide and support pupils’ physical, emotional, spiritual and cognitive development in order for them to: •
Fulfil their individual human potential and be recognised and valued for the special qualities they bring
•
Lead an independent life as far as they are able
•
Communicate, interact and express their wishes and preferences
•
Enjoy a rich quality of life
•
Widen their awareness, knowledge and appreciation of their environment and world
•
Maintain dignity and self-esteem as individuals
• Progress educationally to their full potential It’s the ethos at St Christopher’s that makes it such a special place; “We believe that beyond any learning, physical or emotional difficulties that any child has, there is always an intact human spirit and individuality that shines through.” This ethos shows to everyone to attends and visits the school, with Dec 2012 Ofsted saying;
“The school’s spiritual ethos is at the heart of pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.” www.st-christophers.bristol.sch.uk Tell: 0117 973 6875
St Christopher’s School (Bristol) For children and young people aged 5 - 19 who have severe and complex learning difficulties requiring high levels of support. The school term is 40 weeks. We offer up to 52 week care facilities, only a mile from the centre of Bristol. Autism accredited since 2007. We offer: • A therapeutic environment • Waking day curriculum • Flexible, individualised learning programmes • Specialist Behaviour Support • Multi-disciplinary team work • 24 hour qualified nurses • Young Adult Provision (19 - 25) opening Easter 2014
For further information and visits please call 0117 973 6875 or St E:info@st-christophers.bristol.sch.uk www.st-christophers.bristol.sch.uk Carisbrooke Lodge, Westbury Park, Bristol BS6 7JE
Christopher’s School (Bristol) Residential Special Needs School and Children’s Home Achieve 59
Bridge College: Skills for Life The Together Trust’s newly built state of the art Bridge College provides specialist non-residential education for students aged 16 to 25 years with disabilities, complex needs and autism. Their mission is one which started over 20 years ago and is one that has never faltered; to provide an inclusive learning environment where young people are able to make the transition to adulthood with better skills, independence and strong communication. Co-located at The Manchester College, Bridge is a college whose sole aims are to provide students with the tools and confidence to gain independence, qualifications and inclusion within their community. These promises to students are made and met without exception with each and every student.
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With a curriculum that is highly effective and diverse each student learns from a holistic approach, an approach which sets them up for life giving them the tools and confidence to get to where they want to be in the world. Bridge College’s curriculum encompasses: •
Citizenship: effective communication and confidence building, community action, fundraising
•
Life skills: travel training, shopping, meal preparation
•
Expressive arts: music, dance, visual arts, pottery, drama
•
Vocational skills: work experience both in the college and with local employers, volunteering and work/pre-work skills
•
Health and well-being: healthy eating, sport, relaxation, swimming
•
ICT: use of switch operated equipment, specialist software, PowerPoint, photostories, electronic communication aids.
This approach to learning is wide, diverse and enables all Bridge students to take real life skills and experiences from their education enabling them an easier transition from school life and beyond.
The college provides learning pathways which are based on the young person's learning aspirations. The pathways may include: Arts and Media, Vocational learning such as horticulture and catering, Skills for Independence and/ or sports and recreation. Therapy and medical input are embedded to ensure that despite a young person's learning disability or medical needs they have access to these areas of learning. The range of tailor made courses mean that there is something for every young person in order to thrive. The college’s team of professionals from its teachers right through to its therapists work as a tight knit team to support students in a way that promotes confidence and skills to be as independent as possible.
“It’s our job to ensure that every student who attends our college is listened to and cared for in a way that gives them their own confidence in their abilities. We always look to the future with each person, looking to see where they want to be in life, and then find ways in which with education and experiences we can get them there. A student’s time at the college may be three years, but Find out more about Bridge College and in reality it’s much longer, the other work that Together Trust do at hopefully the things they www.togethertrust.org.uk learn with us stay with them Bridge College for the rest of their lives.” Bridge College Principal Lisa Duncalf
t: 0161 487 4293
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The Bridge@Barton School…. leading to a brighter future The Bridge@Barton offers a specialist education service to young people with High Functioning Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome through day placements at its already very successful Barton School. Its aim sounds simple enough: To provide a day placement educational and supportive environment for individuals aged between 8 and 19. Yet, if you are a parent of a young person with HFA or Asperger’s Syndrome it’s likely you will know only too well of the ongoing battle you experience in getting the right support for your child, and therefore to find a specialist school like this is really rather rare. It was for this reason that Ian Thorsteinsson, Head of Service at Barton School, was so passionate about opening The Bridge@; “In my experience far too many young people with HFA or Asperger’s Syndrome have a tough time in mainstream schools. Many end up being expelled if the schools can’t support their specific behavioural and emotional needs, in some cases they end up entangled in the justice system. Of course, this is the worst case scenario but all the same it is a reality.”
Ian, passionate about the cause, approached Options Group about the importance of adding a service for higher functioning students to their bow; “The schools Options Group run are invaluable, they provide a first class specialist schooling system. However I felt that we ought to provide something for young people who could, with the right support, access GCSEs and other such accreditations, a day service whereby students could still live with their families and in their communities yet attend a school that met their individual needs…..and so The Bridge@ was born.” The name The Bridge@ sums up the service particularly well, bridging the gap between the early years of schooling for a child with HFA or Asperger’s Syndrome and their journey to adulthood is a tough one, but one that The Bridge@ aims to do. The Bridge@ provides small classes, high staffing ratios and support for integration into further education and employment. The service aims to make these years what they ought to be for any young person: enjoyable and successful all at once. Their personcentred broad and differentiated curriculums,
www.optionsgroup.co.uk 62
and limitless experience and knowledge means a young person at The Bridge@ will have all the tools they need to maximise and make use of their educational achievements gained in an ideal and tailored environment. The curriculum at The Bridge@ is flexible with G.C.S.Es at the core, and varied according to student’s needs, skills and interests. This system works alongside Key Stage 3 and 4 to include GCSE Maths and English, Entry Level Certificate (ELC) and Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network (ASDAN). The modified curriculum also supports communication, social and life skills development, self-management tools and training, all giving students supported access to and engagement with the wider world. Students will have access to professional and clinical services as required including Speech and Language and Occupational Therapy. Life at The Bridge@ is all about achieving personal goals and obtaining the skills to achieve them, for every student no matter what their journey so far. In a world where the path can seem unclear, The Bridge@ gives direction.
Sharing worlds, Changing lives. Dedicated to promoting the welfare, education and care of children and adults with autism, whilst also supporting their families.
Doucecroft School ~ Further Education Adult Residential Services ~ Study Centres Support for Families and Professionals Training ~ Conferences
Achieve Magazine - November 2013 v2.indd 1
13/11/2013 12:25:56
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Finding calm, even in the most testing times When Molly’s complex needs could no longer be met by her family, school or respite support she moved to one of our schools for a period of assessment, which was extended. Still with us, and less than a year later, Molly’s parents and social worker can’t believe how settled and happy she is. Mum and dad are starting to rebuild their relationship with her and are now taking Molly home for visits too.
Referral enquiries freephone 0800 055 6789 www.hesleygroup.co.uk
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We always seek to take a positive, caring and calm approach to everything we do whilst providing a safe and stable place for children and young adults with complex and high intensity needs to live and learn. Many of those who we support have had multiple crises and multiple placements before they come to our services. Hesley Group’s goal is simple. To ensure everyone who comes to live with us in our schools and colleges has an enjoyable and active life in relaxed, non-restrictive settings, supported by experts and therapists who care. It’s why for nearly 40 years we’ve enabled so many people to achieve their full potential and move on. We offer an alternative to hospital of which you may not be aware. To find out more about our calm approach to education and care, whether for a planned or emergency admission, call us on 0800 055 6789.
Foster Care that really cares It takes a special kind of person to foster and an organisation who understands the needs of the most vulnerable in our society to support the development and training required to become a foster carer. Both should be working together in an approachable, honest and supportive way and really neither can exist without the other. We know this to be the case simply from hearing others recall stories of people they know who foster children and from people who have been fostered themselves. Many who would like to foster take some time to make the enquiries and after careful consideration, typically two years’ worth, will then contact a local authority or local fostering agency to find out more. So what makes a person take the step from wanting to do it to actually making the move to make it a reality? We think it’s all in the fostering organisation.
carers, offers an experienced and holistic view to the care of individual children and young people. Park Foster Care Services offers placements for children and young people across the North West and the Midlands and offers a unique level of service recognised by Ofsted as Outstanding for the last three inspections. The service provides excellent training and support for carers using their accredited “Park Parenting Approach”. Fostering Support Group (FSG) provides fostering placements in London, Kent and Sussex and has been doing so exceptionally well for over 20 years! Of course, with these years of experience at FSG there is very little they don’t know about fostering. With a strong emphasis on creating a supportive network for foster carers the team at FSG become like a family unit, with many finding support from other carers within the group.
As a foster carer you are looking for a company to provide you with huge levels of support, with advice and honest viewpoints, a social worker or experienced professional within easy reach and a professional Additionally, TLC Fostering which covers South experienced organisation who knows what it’s Wales and provides a unique and particularly talking about! CareTech Community Services remarkable service, was established is that organisation. The company has specialised in care and support for children and adults up to retirement age for over 20 years now and also provide a wide range of fostering services for a variety of different areas local to you. The fostering aspects have all grown as a natural progression over the years. CareTech Community Services is the foundation from which their fostering services have grown and been nurtured and today offers a supportive and experienced network of services for children and young people all over the UK.
specifically to provide family placements for children and young people from birth to 18 with disabilities and complex needs. They provide short-term, long-term, respite and palliative care family placements for children and young people from birth to 18 with a range of disabilities and complex needs, including learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorders, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, genetic disorders and life limiting conditions. Having provided care since 2002, this service aims to enable each and every child to reach their full potential, whatever that may be. Really it’s TLC’s philosophy that is shared by all the fostering divisions at Care Tech and extends through to the foster carers too. We all know that foster carers are offered support, but none do it as well and as passionately with as much experience as those at CareTech. www.caretech-uk.com If you are considering fostering, or know of someone who is, go to www.caretech.co.uk to find the local fostering service that will.
The team at Outlook Fostering covers over 30 different local authorities across London and the Home Counties, its vast network of foster
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Committed to enabling brighter futures Hesley Group has been changing lives since it was established in 1975, offering the best possible care, education and vocational opportunities for young people and adults with autism, learning disabilities and complex needs with behaviour that may challenge. Their services can be a lifeline for the people who use them as well as their families, friends and carers.
they respond thoughtfully to stressful situations. They are:
Providing a holistic approach to the support, enablement and education of all those who live in its services, Hesley Group offer wide ranging residential provision for young people and adults; with support, therapy and care matching the needs of each individual.
This ensures a well informed response by staff to the meaning behind the behaviour an individual is demonstrating, rather than simply an instinctive reaction to the behaviour they see.
Many of the people supported by the Hesley Group have previously struggled for long periods and through a range of placements before achieving stability and the opportunity to thrive, develop and be happy in a safe and nurturing environment. HELP and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Central to supporting those who live in Hesley Group services is a unifying, ethical model of care, the Hesley Enhancing Lives Programme (HELP), - which is based on the principles of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), an internationally recognised and respected approach which enables people to make positive progress, even from the most challenging of circumstances. One concept central to TCI and HELP is that it is the actions and reactions of those around individuals that strongly shape and influence their behaviour, as well as affecting their social and emotional development. The professional judgment of staff in responding to crises are critical factors in helping individuals learn constructive and adaptive ways to deal with frustration, failure, anger, rejection, hurt, and depression. For this reason TCI proposes that staff need to answer the following four key assessment questions before
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• • • •
What am I feeling now? What does this individual feel, need or want? What is the environment like right now? How do I best respond?
Cornell University, one of the United States’ top universities, developed the Therapeutic Crisis Intervention crisis prevention and intervention system for residential care staff as part of the Residential Child Care Project in the early 1980’s.
The TCI system helps organisations like the Hesley Group to prevent crises from occurring, to de-escalate potential crises, support individuals when their behaviour challenges services, teach individuals to develop coping skills and to develop a learning organisation. Accredited by the British Institute of Learning Disabilities this system gives the Hesley Group a framework for implementing a crisis prevention and behaviour support system that reduces the need to rely on high risk interventions. As TCI is a university accredited programme, staff are updated and tested twice a year in new concepts, skills and knowledge. Indeed the curriculum has been revised five times since its inception.
Supporting Positive Progress Therapeutic Crisis Intervention works and it works extremely well within the Hesley Group. Here are a couple of examples:
“T” – 49 King Street, Thorne ‘T’, a 21 year old man with autism, a learning disability and associated complex needs moved to 49 King Street, a residential service for 6 adults, situated in the heart of Thorne, a small and busy market town near Doncaster in the autumn of 2010. At this time he had struggled to manage his own emotions and
“S” Wilsic Hall School
anxieties for a number of years. Aggression towards staff and severe property damage had, in the past,
‘S’, a young man with autism, a learning disability
often ensued.
and associated complex needs moved to Wilsic Hall School in 2010. He had struggled in a
‘T’ made initial positive progress at 49 King Street, the pace and degree of which however, increased
number of previous placements, particularly with
significantly after the introduction of the Hesley Enhancing Lives Programme (HELP), in respect of which
anxiety and the communication of his feelings.
all staff completed a four day training programme in January 2011.
Without staff support he would suffer severe and escalating distress, yet he would find it very
‘T’ was initially unable to cope with items of furniture in his bedroom during periods of high anxiety and
difficult to develop relationships with staff (as well
would display aggression towards staff trying to support him at these times, with staff being injured and
as peers) in the first place.
bedroom furniture damaged beyond repair, on an average of 12-14 times per month at this stage. Since HELP was introduced, incident numbers have fallen to 2-3 per month and items of bedroom
‘S’ benefitted very significantly and in a number
furniture, gradually replaced over a 12 month period, remain undamaged and in situ.
of ways, from assistance provide by means of the Hesley Enhancing Lives Programme (HELP).
‘T’ still becomes anxious on occasion but the tools and knowledge staff have gained through HELP have
He co-wrote guidelines on how he could best be
proved very effective. ‘T’ has been enabled to self-regulate his emotions through skills gained using
supported at times of crisis and devised a box
the Life Space Interview, a powerful tool for learning self-management, which is integral to Therapeutic
with items of interest that helped to divert and
Crisis Intervention (TCI), on which HELP is based; and additionally through sessions on communication
absorb his attention, should he become anxious.
and understanding emotions, that ‘T’ has undertaken with support staff and Speech and Language
An “anger thermometer” was developed, which
Therapists. Staff are much more easily able to recognise when ‘T’ is becoming agitated and when to
enabled ‘S’ to communicate his feelings more
implement support; and thus prevent incidents occurring, or if one starts, prevent escalation towards
easily at a time of upset; and which worked in
crisis point.
conjunction with guidance to staff as to how best to support him, in relation to specific levels
As well as ‘T’’s excellent progress within 49 King Street, he has been enabled to access work experience
and issues of distress. Support from staff (“co-
in a highly social setting and to gain a range of other new experiences, all in the local and wider
regulation”) helped ‘S’ to settle. His relationships
community, which would never have been previously possible.
with staff and peers improved greatly. The longterm aim was for ‘S’ to increase his self-regulation ability, which he gradually and progressively did. After incidents, which occurred increasingly less frequently, ‘S’ sat with staff to complete a Life Space Interview, to plan how best to respond should the situation recur. Ultimately, before moving on recently to an adult placement, ‘S’ was able to enjoy a wide range of experiences which he previously would not have been able to access, including camping with the Scouts, go-karting and activity centre and theme park trips, in all of which he displayed his increased confidence and self reliance. TCI and HELP, as well as ‘S’s hard work and desire to progress were central to these positive outcomes for him.
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So, what services do Hesley Group offer? Fullerton House and Wilsic Hall Schools
communication and address anxieties and particular challenges, to enable them to maximise their potential and to be as happy and settled as possible.
young people with Autism, Learning Disabilities and associated complex needs, but also has well-established provision for adults, including the recently launched Independent Specialist Colleges for young adults aged 19-25 years, at Wilsic Hall and Fullerton House.
Living and learning environments are positive and of high quality, with excellent accommodation and facilities, well equipped workshops and vibrant and Hesley Village, Low Laithes Village and 49 King stimulating, as well as calming and therapeutic Street, Thorne, offer the same high level of spaces, offering a flexible range of settings to commitment to person-centred, outcome-focussed, We alwaysquality seek to takecare a positive, caringforand calmaged 18 encourage creativity and match the range of need; driven and support adults, approach years to everything providing a safe and a comfortable and safe environment in which and over,we as do do whilst the group’s schools, with all and stableadult place for children andexcellent young adults with young people can be themselves. services boasting facilities, including complex and high intensity needsgroup to live and learn. single person and small accommodation and Each young person has their own room, many with welcoming, safe and thriving environments. Many of those who we support have had multiple en-suite facilities and everyone is encouragedcrises to and multiple placements before they come to personalise their space. Communal areas facilitate All services have the benefit of a committed our services. socialisation and the development of friendships. workforce and a unifying and positive model of care With over 20 years of experience, the schools Group’s goal is Enhancing simple. To Lives ensure everyone who Weekend and evening activities are a vital partHesley of – the Hesley Programme. are highly regarded and intended to be enriching comes to live with us in our schools and colleges has When complex needslifecould no longer a young person’s at Wilsic and Fullerton, with environments for all who attend. The focus is Molly’s be met by herclubs, family, school orand respite off-site visits othersupport opportunities toan enjoyable and active life in relaxed, non-restrictive on meeting each individual’s needs, maximising one ofthat our schools for are a period of with asettings, young people engaged range supported by experts and therapists who care. potential and enhancing independence. she The moved toensure It’s why for nearly 40 years we’ve enabled so many assessment, which wasexperiences extended.– stimulating and otherwise, of positive person centred focus encompasses education, people to achieve their full potential and move on. according to their need later, – through waking hours. care, communication, health, behaviour, Still with us, and less than a year Molly’s Activities range can’t from football training recreational/vocational programmes, emotional parents and social worker believe how to ICT to We offer an alternative to hospital of which you swimming paper all with the aim well-being and citizenship and other key elements, may not be aware. To find out more about our calm settled and happy shetois.local Mum androunds, dad are of ensuring that life is enjoyable, positive and approach to education and care, whether for a planned as identified for and with each individual, starting which to rebuild their relationship with her together contribute to the success and happiness or emergency admission, call us on 0800 055 6789. and are now appropriately taking Mollyfull. home for visits too. of each and every person. Both schools provide the kind of high quality, The holistic approach at both schools is much enriching, life-enhancing and safe, living and more than simply a notion: it works through a learning environments that parents and carers often carefully designed Individual Learning/Education look for; freephone where young people Plan based on each young person’s needs and Referral enquiries 0800 with 055complex 6789 needs have the opportunity to aspire and thrive in a way aspirations. www.hesleygroup.co.uk that might otherwise not have been possible, in the context of expert and experienced multidisciplinary A range of professionals in the multidisciplinary www.hesleygroup.co.uk care, education and therapeutic support. therapeutic team, including Psychologists, Speech and Language and Occupational For enquiries about referrals, Independent Specialist College provision Therapists, Behaviour Analysts and Psychiatrists, placement availability, visits or and Adult Services work cohesively with each other and with Care brochure information, please call and Education colleagues, to understand and Hesley Group not only supports children and freephone number 0800 055 6789. support each young person to enhance their Both Fullerton House and Wilsic Hall are specialist, mixed gender, residential and day schools, providing expert and positive, flexible education and care for up to 52 weeks per year. Fullerton House, centrally placed in the community of Denaby, near Doncaster, is a thriving environment for up to 40 young people aged 8 to 19, while Wilsic Hall, with 33 places for young people aged 11 to 19, provides similarly positive and nurturing support in its more rural setting, five miles south of Doncaster.
Finding calm, even in the most testing times
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Leicestershire care provider, Freedom Care, is opening a new care home in the city of Leicester which is expected to create up to 50 new jobs. Freedom Care who currently have four care homes, will be opening their fifth home on Groby Road in the centre of the city. The home will have the capacity to offer care for 15 residents as well as provide a sensory room and a large communal room for its residents.
“
At Freedom Care we believe that by creating a quality caring environment, it enhances the lives of everyone that either works for us or lives in one of our homes. This quality comes from the heart, and is built upon trust, hard work, fairness and friendships that are nurtured in a professional environment.
�
Contact us T: 01509 557 887 E: enquiries@freedomcare.org W: www.freedomcare.org T: @freedom_care F: Freedom Care Ltd Achieve 77 69
Looking for affordable housing?
Golden Lane Housing offers a range of quality housing options tailored to individual needs. We help people with a learning disabiilty to find homes they can build their lives around - giving them choice about where they want to live, with whom and with the right support to live the life they choose. To find out how Golden Lane Housing can help you: Call Email Go to
0845 604 0046 enquiries@glh.org.uk www.glh.org.uk
Follow us on Twitter - @GoldenLaneHouse Registered charity number 1071097
297.11/2013
Housing you can build your life around Written by Alastair Graham, Director, Golden Lane Housing
Finding the right home is hard enough for anyone these days but it is especially difficult for people with a learning disability due to the severe shortage of appropriate housing. Only 16% of people with a learning disability live in supported housing in the community. A study by Mencap found 70% of people who live with family or friends want greater independence, but many continue to live with parents sometimes struggling to cope and often elderly while others live in larger remote institutions. Cuts in Government capital funding and the difficulty of getting loans on acceptable terms means there is very little support for the provision of community based housing. Set up by Mencap in 1988, Golden Lane Housing (GLH) is a leading national charity providing housing for people with a learning disability. We have continually found new solutions for people with a learning disability to move into tailored housing in a location of their choice. GLH responded to the changing times by successfully issuing a bond in February 2013, raising £10m in an over-subscribed offering. Using bond monies, we are purchasing bungalows and houses for over 100 people with a learning disability supported by Mencap up and down the country. This has created a lasting legacy for many generations of people with a learning disability. With a full pipeline of schemes we will have spent this money by the end of this year and we are currently looking into the feasibility of issuing another bond in 2014 to help us provide more of the desperately needed housing.
Everyone has different wants and needs when it comes to their home. For some people sharing with friends or living in a particular area is important, others need specially adapted homes. A person’s home can have an enormous impact on their life. That’s why we start with the individual giving them choice about where they want to live, with whom and with the right personal support to enable them live the life they want. By working closely with the individuals, families, over 80 support providers including Mencap, local authorities, other professionals, private landlords and developers we ensure a joined-up approach. We also help people with a learning disability to maintain their tenancy, including through our supported landlord services. We now have over 1,400 tenancies across the country using a variety of different options: Private rented accommodation GLH has developed a very successful private sector leasing scheme called Great Tenants, where we lease accommodation from landlords and let it to people with a learning disability. We secure over a hundred tenancies each year through this scheme, which can provide housing fast and flexibly to meet people’s needs and wishes. Ordinary Houses Ordinary Streets – GLH bond monies purchase properties Through our Ordinary Houses Ordinary Streets model we purchase properties in the community enabling
us to specially adapt them to meet individual’s needs before letting them. Our House Long-term security is so important to many people. Our House model enables parents and other family members of people with a learning disability who want to leave their family home to their loved one or purchase a property for them as a way of planning for the future. Using a discretionary trust through Mencap Trust Company, GLH can help people to manage and maintain such properties and make sure there is a rental income to pay the necessary costs. Real life story Jeremy, Myles, Joshua and Nicholas studied at Lufton College. As they were coming to the end of college life they wanted to share a place and continue using their skills rather than returning to their family homes. With limited time, GLH worked closely with the individuals, parents, Mencap and Wiltshire County Council to find the right home. Using bond capital GLH purchased a high quality chalet bungalow and modifications were completed enabling them to move in as they left college. “It’s a great house and we’ve got our own lads pad!” Jeremy, GLH tenant For more information and advice: Call Go to
0845 604 0046 www.glh.org.uk
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Freedom Care for individual care Freedom Care Leicestershire has been providing exceptionally high quality care for those with complex needs such as Autism, Personality disorders, Aspergers, ADHD and Learning disabilities with recognised Autistic traits for over ten years now and currently has five homes, including the newly renovated Chantry with a further three in Leicestershire and one in Nottinghamshire. A family owned business with husband and wife team Joe and Kat Kinch at the helm, both of whom have had long careers in nursing and caring for people with learning disabilities. Joe’s experiences led him to start up Freedom Care to offer a tailor made service that would enhance individual’s lives; "Having worked in a number of care homes and worked my way up to managerial level, I had a clear understanding of the level of care I wanted to provide. The people we care for have challenges they need to overcome and I believe that by providing one on one care, we can help these people lead independent lives. Our ethos is not just about caring for people in the home but to assist them outside in everyday activities and to provide ongoing coaching." With a unique ability to see each service user as an individual, Freedom Care ensures that care packages are built entirely around the individuals’ needs and preferences and creates packages with both the help of family members and professionals that are involved with each service user at all of their five homes. The newest home, The Chantry, is the largest string to the Freedom Care bow and can cater for 15 service users. Each service user will have a brand new state of the art studio apartment, which includes its own en suite facility with a choice of either a bath or shower, a kitchen with laundry washing facilities and access to Sky or digital TV, DAB radio and free WIFI. The Chantry offers a spacious living experience and therefore it lends itself well to those service users that find sharing space with other people a challenge. Conversely, it is also a place where service users can make friends and be part of a larger supporting network. To ensure that each individual becomes a valued member of society, Freedom Care supports all individuals to access community based activities including work placements, colleges, sport, shopping and any hobbies that an individual wishes to pursue. “Freedom Care has benefited our son and our whole family. He is very happy and settled. His care is what he wants and needs, not what is easy. We wish Freedom care had been open when he was younger. It has made a tremendous difference to his life. He’s tried the rest now he’s got the best!” Mr & Mrs C. The Chantry will have one full time studio apartment that is dedicated to planned and emergency respite care. As well as offering a full-time respite bed, Freedom care will be offering their service users the chance to relax and unwind in an onsite sensory room. The sensory room is being designed and developed with a leading nationally known company and will feature the latest in sensory room technology. The sensory room is also being opened up to non-residents. So, with this in mind, don’t forget to give us a call to make a booking! If you would like more information about making referrals to Freedom Care, planned respite or any other service that Freedom Care offers please get in touch using the following information:
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T: 01509 557 887
E: enquiries@freedomcare.org
T: @freedom_care
F: Freedom Care Ltd
W: www.freedomcare.org
Exciting new plans for Freedom Care! Freedom Care will be opening their fifth care home on Groby Road in the centre of the city, and is expected to create up to 50 new jobs.
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News from Anna’s West London College… Here at Achieve Magazine, there is one particular woman’s charitable plight that has truly inspired, and she goes by the name of Anna Kennedy OBE. Having been a tireless campaigner for Autism Awareness for years now, there aren’t many aspects of the Autistic Spectrum that Anna hasn’t tackled in support of children and adults who have been diagnosed with the condition. A parent of two boys with Autism, Anna's personal experience with the condition has led her to establish two specialist schools including a college for adults, to front many, many campaigns, and in the process, win an abundance of awards and accolades (most notably, her OBE title!), not to mention becoming the voice for countless parents and children affected by the condition in the UK, Europe and across the globe.
West Ham Coaching Success Jam Happy Anna Kennedy Online does amazing work for those affected by autism, and her work is quite rightly rewarded with members of the public looking to help out in any way they can. Just recently West Ham United coach Mark Phillips lent his support for the charity at West London Community College by putting on a coaching session for the students at the Hillingdon based College. The West Ham relationship with Anna Kennedy Online started back in May 2012 when Joint – Chairman David Sullivan fulfilled a promotion pledge by donating a five-figure sum to the charity. Phillips feels Anna’s charity is one very close to his heart, with a son on the spectrum; "I have an autistic son Jack and I work for West Ham and Anna said she was always keen to get people on board who could help the charity, so she asked me to come down and do some coaching at colleges and skills, so that's what I've done. Football helps because, at the colleges and schools where Anna Kennedy Online are involved, the autistic youngsters are high-achievers who are just out of the mainstream and they all support football teams. They have nothing wrong with them physically but their condition means that many of them have large amounts of energy that they need to work off. They therefore enjoyed getting out in the fresh air and running around during the training session. Personally, I am going to keep in close contact and will go to a different school or college every month to hold a coaching session. To see the looks on the youngsters' faces is fantastic."
At West Community College, an Anna Kennedy founded college for adults on the Autism Spectrum, they are making waves in the culinary retail world as they sell their homemade wares at The Pavilion’s shopping centre in Uxbridge. Anna asked the college if they were up to the challenge of a small retail business and the team jumped at the chance! Raising money for Anna Kennedy Online whilst gaining valuable experience in the world of business and retail, the team are making it a huge success, in terms of both profit and personal challenge! Starting out with waffles, they adapted their plans to include jams and chutneys and the success is resounding with members of the public seeking out their jams and spreading the word. The work enables the students to utilise various business and social skills, giving them the opportunity to interact and develop in a way which teaches lifelong skills - all whilst having fun and earning money in the process! Anna added: “There is no doubting that the hard work and enthusiasm the students give to the session is an incredible advert for the college. An effort the staff team at WLCC are extremely proud of.”
www.annakennedyonline.com
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CRELLING HARNESSES FOR DISABLED LTD
Crelling Harnesses manufacture a large range of belts and harnesses designed to provide postural support for both children and adults with special needs.
Speech vs Communication
Quartz Healthcare was set up nearly three years ago by Mark Stevens and Ian Woodley, who have nearly thirty years’ experience in Healthcare recruitment. Predominantly in the mental health and learning disability area, Quartz covers the East Anglia region although can cover nationally for consultancy contracts. Quartz works with establishments and charities to supply specialist staff either on a permanent or temporary bases, at all grades. From Support workers to psychologists, home managers to companions. The directors of Quartz also saw a growing demand in the setting up and running of individual services for people with learning difficulties and mental health issues. With the implementation of personal budgets, and a desire from Government for people to have more control and choice in their care requirements, the abilities are there for individuals and/or their families to create a real person centred service. However as this is still in its early days, it can be a major problem to get good independent advice. This is where Quartz can help. Whether it’s to look at housing, staff, care planning, budgeting or to set up a full independent service, either run by the family or Quartz – we can help. We are not funded by local government or social services, so can give you the best possible advice. Call us now on 0845 034 7758
When we assess students communication skills, we may find that although they can imitate certain sounds or words, or respond when someone asks a prompting question, they can’t initiate spoken requests. Our primary goal is always to teach functional communication and we must recognise that communication is more crucial as a goal than speaking. Of course, if we can accomplish both, that’s what we want! Since functional communication is the main goal for people who are having difficulty speaking, we must consider teaching a modality other than speech. Does this mean we’re giving up on speech? Absolutely not! Our goal is to teach the person to communicate in some manner (modality) while continuing to address speech development.
We are proud to say that we have successfully been in business for over 38 years and over this time have built up quite a large range of designs to meet with the needs of most special requirements. We are a small and friendly company and are happy to discuss our harnesses on a one to one basis with our customers. Many harnesses are suitable for those with learning difficulties or behavioural problems offering a certain degree of restraint and alternative buckles to the instant release press button type for those with inquisitive fingers or potential escapologists. Rear fastening harnesses are available for single seats only. Our vehicle harnesses are not designed as safety harnesses but as disabled persons’ restraints, to help maintain the passenger in an upright sitting position when travelling. The existing vehicle safety belt should always be worn over the top of our harness to comply with safety regulations. The only exception would be when the passenger is exempt from wearing the safety belt for medical reasons and holds a certificate of exemption which can be obtained from their doctor or consultant where appropriate.
Will these alternative modalities (PECS, sign language, gestures, etc) inhibit speech Crelling harnesses are suitable for use with all development? We know from many years kinds of equipment including vehicles. of research that the answer is a resounding Model 27 harness has become very successful NO and in fact, many researchers report for children and adults travelling on aircraft seats. that these systems actually enhance This harness provides additional postural support speech development (Silverman, 1995; when used with the standard aircraft safety belt Glennen, 1997). and is approved for passenger use by most Approximately 40% of people with autism do not acquire spoken language that’s adequate for them to rely on so it’s vital that we work hard to provide another system so they can communicate effectively in their daily lives. Being able to say a few words under limited circumstances isn’t good enough. Focusing on expanding overall communication skills using Augmentative or Alternative Communication (AAC) systems will ensure more independence and a higher quality of life for the people we are teaching. www.pecs-unitedkingdom.com
airlines.
We make a range of walking reins to help control and protect children and adults when walking outdoors. We also supply belts for wheelchairs, bathing equipment and more. For further information and current prices please call us or visit our website: www.crelling.com Brochure and price list available on request. CRELLING HARNESSES FOR DISABLED LTD 12 Crescent East. Thornton-Cleveleys Lancs. FY5 3LJ Tel: 01253 852298 Fax: 01253 821780 Email: jenny@crelling.com Website: www.crelling.com
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A natural path back to health A human protein, which has eradicated advanced cancer and 500 cases of autism is being dubbed the ‘biggest breakthrough since Penicillin’. Scientists say the protein GcMAF is made by our immune system. But when it is missing in our body, a replacement can be taken externally to help rebuild the immune system and fight disease. GcMAF was discovered in 1990 by Japanese scientist Dr Yamamoto who extracted GcMAF and used it to eradicate cancer cells in mice first and then in human breast cancer. Twenty years later, GcMAF has been made available by biomedical company Immuno Biotech whose scientists have produced ‘First Immune GcMAF’ for public trials. Its peer-reviewed research papers have taken the science world by storm and a recent paper that showed staggering results with breast cancer has become one of the most-read science papers in medical journals. Because it also rebuilds the immune system, First Immune GcMAF is now giving hope to thousands of parents of children with autism, as well as patients with cancer. It has also eradicated cases of chronic fatigue syndrome and other illnesses such as Fibromyalgia, LMBBS, chronic depression, herpes and many allergies. In a two-year trial of 3,000 children and adults with autism, First Immune GcMAF improved 85% of cases. Out of this figure, 15% have recovered from autism and children are now going to traditional schools. Anna Kennedy OBE, patron of Achieve Magazine, has been so encouraged by these results that she is now set to trial GcMAF on her two autistic sons. GcMAF’s affect on stage 4 cancers has been groundbreaking and Immuno Biotech has seen cancer improved or eradicated in around 700 cases of breast, liver, ovarian, prostate and tongue cancer. But the team at Immuno Biotech advises that a course of GcMAF must be coupled with a change of diet and lifestyle. Daily vitamin D3, removing sugar and carbohydrates from your diet,
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Read about Gail Harling’s dramatic recovery from Stage 4 cancer on page 54
decreasing stress, exercise, eating meat and fish are essential.
that is essential for a very large number of functions in our body.”
Scientific Director of Immuno Biotech and former professor of molecular biology at the University of Florence, Marco Ruggiero, also a medical doctor, has had a 30-year career working with cancer. He adds: “GcMAF is not a drug but an essential component of our body, just like the hormone insulin. When we are unable to produce these essential components, a number of diseases arise. And all these diseases can be reversed by administration of the missing component. In my opinion, the importance of GcMAF derives from this consideration. It is a physiologic protein
Such is the confidence in First Immune GcMAF as an effective cancer therapy that Immuno Biotech is set to open its first residential treatment centre in Switzerland. CEO David Noakes says up to 80% of terminal stage 4 cancer patients who are treated at the centre will become cancer-free within a year – even with three months to live. Patients will be educated in diet and lifestyle and follow a GcMAF program under Professor Ruggiero.
What is GcMAF? GcMAF is the abbreviated term for Gc-protein-derived Macrophage Activating Factor. According to over 80 GcMAF published research papers, all 5 billion healthy people have natural GcMAF inside them – it is a “director” of our immune system. In healthy people, around 10,000 cells a day mutate into malignant or cancerous cells. The natural GcMAF in our bodies instructs our macrophages to eat those diseased cells, and also has four direct effects on cancer. Cancer and other diseases or viruses are therefore destroyed by GcMAF and the immune system, unless they can sabotage it first. They attempt to do that by preventing your body from making your own GcMAF. If successful, that collapses your immune system, and the disease grows unchecked. Administering external ‘First Immune GcMAF’ is a replacement therapy for those who cannot make their own. Taking manufactured GcMAF as a small injection – one dose looks like a tiny raindrop – simply replaces the missing part of the immune system. In three weeks of just one GcMAF dose a week, your immune system is rebuilt to above normal strength. Patients need one dose a week for typically 24 weeks for many diseases and early cancers – a year for later-stage cancers. First Immune GcMAF has undergone hundreds of experiments in universities, laboratories and clinics and has been the subject of 22 scientific research papers. To find out more about GcMAF visit: www.gcmaf.eu Call +44 (0)1481 722787 Professor Marco Ruggiero (pictured front, seated) has researched cancer for the past 30 years.
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Gail Harling (middle) with two of her seven grandchildren she thought she would never see again
Surviving cancer gave me a fresh look at life Just after her mother had a stroke nine years ago, Gail Harling found out she had ovarian cancer and was put on a course of chemotherapy. But four years ago, after a stressful divorce and watching her Army son head off to Afghanistan, the tumour came back. Gail, with stage 4 ovarian cancer and metastases to the lungs, was told she only had between three months and two years to live. Gail asked a photographer to come and take pictures of her with her children and grandchildren so they would have something to remember her by. And then she discovered GcMAF through a friend. “Without any hesitation I thought I’ve got nothing to lose here. So I did and from that moment on I never looked back because within three months my lungs were clear, the ovarian tumour had shrunk to one quarter the size and I was just feeling over the moon – I was just so so well,” says Gail. “The surgeon said to me, ‘in all honesty Gail, somebody who’s had a tumour come back so quickly like you did for the third time, really shouldn’t be here. So something is obviously working for you.’” Gail’s tumour reduced enough to be cut out and the happy grandmother, now 59, has lived to see six grandchildren born – a seventh will be born later this year. In October 2013 scan results showed she was cancer free. Gail still follows a strict diet and as a professional gardener gets plenty of exercise and Vitamin D3. Gail maintains she also got well through mind and body. “You’ve got to take a fresh look at life,” she says. “And to get your body fit, you’ve got to think about what you’re going to eat and then you get the results.”
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Image of the human protein Gc-protein-derived Macrophage Activating Factor (GcMAF). A macrophage cell (purple) will wrap itself over a cancer cell (orange, centre) and seal the cancer cell in a pouch where it “digests” it.
Living with autism GcMAF was only made available for public trials recently but has since eradicated 500 out of 3,000 cases of autism. Adults diagnosed as children with severe autism now have access to GcMAF and many are seeing significant improvements in both behaviour and speech. This includes playing the piano, typing emails and, for the severely autistic 19-year-old son of Gail Ewell in California, rollerblading. “We had tried to get Jordan to do this for years but soon after he started taking GcMAF he went out with his friend and he started to rollerblade.” This was a significant breakthrough and Gail soon began seeing more breakthroughs. She explains that one day, Jordan (left) took his friend’s iPhone, found the camera button himself, got them to pose for a picture and took the picture. “This shows Jordan’s motor skills are getting better and he can do things independently,” says Gail. “Jordan was diagnosed at two with severe autism and it was primarily non-verbal. He yells so he can keep his voice and it’s often hard to go to public places. But in three months on GcMAF, his yelling has reduced by 70 per cent.” Jordan Ewell rollerblading & friend Maissa (above)
GcMAF is also working for Gail’s 22-year-old son Jonathan who has Down’s Syndrome and autism. “GcMAF has taken the obstacles away and made him more independent,” says Gail who says Jonathan is now typing conversations and doing some things without having instructions repeated to him. “We’ll never stop trying something new because you never know – medical advances are happening all the time so I believe it’s worth starting GcMAF at any age.” www.gcmaf.eu
Figures for 2013 show that 1 in 50 children worldwide now have autism
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Charity shows off plans for Leicester’s first youth arts and heritage centre Business leaders were shown plans for Leicester’s first youth arts and heritage centre at a business reception on Thursday October 31. The evening, hosted by charity Soft Touch Arts at its new premises in New Walk – the site of the centre, to be opened in summer 2014 – attracted around 80 people. Christina Wigmore, of Soft Touch, said: “We were absolutely thrilled with the turn out; the centre will mean so much for the young people of Leicester. We hope it’ll be a real hub of activity with workshops, exhibitions and so many other services for young people to utilise.” Guests were offered canapés cooked up by the charity’s young healthy cooking champions in collaboration with Maiyango chefs and speeches were given by Martin Maximilian Forbes Heatlie, director at John Cheatle and the charity’s patron, Lady Gretton. Darren Farman and Joe Nixon, directors of design agency Arch Creative, Aatin Anadkat of Maiyango, Kiran Parmar of The City Rooms, Meera Majithia and Zeenat Sabur of PR agency Media Twenty Four and Councillor Manjula Sood were among attendees. The charity has received plenty of support from Leicestershire’s business community with Arch Creative offering its design services for free. Joe Nixon, one of its directors, was at the event and said: “Soft Touch is such a fantastic charity helping young people who perhaps lack opportunities or face challenges to participate in positive creative activities.”
“The plans for the new centre are really exciting and we’re happy to help in any way we can.”
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Top to Bottom: 1, Summer 2013 sculpture installed at the new building on New Walk. 2, Giant bench made made by young people in New Parks and installed on Glazebrook Square, New Parks Sept 2012. 3, Soft Touch Art new building.
Soft Touch Beatsmobile, on street studio vehicle
Law firm Spearing Waite, insurance services The Oval Group, accountants Newby Castleman, and PR agency Media Twenty Four are also supporting the charity ahead of its centre opening. Chris added: “The support of local businesses really helps the charity to thrive and reach out to as many people as it does, for this we are so grateful.
“We of course welcome the support of any businesses which would like to get involved, be it through mentoring, sponsoring, providing specialist skills or knowledge or any other means really.” So, what will go on at Soft Touch in New Walk?
Well, the answer is…lots! Providing a much needed space for the youth of the city, Soft Touch uses arts, media and music activities to inspire and engage young people and help them to develop creative, social and employability skills. Their inclusive way of working helps young people who lack opportunities or have challenges in their lives to participate in positive creative activities. Soft Touch help them get back on track if things have gone wrong, allowing them to try
new things, build the confidence and resilience to change negative or risky behaviours, and to progress to lead more fulfilling lives. This, in turn, has a beneficial effect on their communities as well as the perception of youth in or culture. Soft Touch set up projects and activities to encourage participation in the arts in Leicestershire in particular, allowing young people to feel connected to their communities and involved in the bigger picture of the city. With an experienced team who develop and deliver a wide range of creative projects and activities, whether its music, film, dance, acting and everything in between! Soft Touch’s work tackles local and national problems like gang culture, anti-social behaviour and unhealthy lifestyles, using creativity to give young people more positive choices in their lives. They work closely with MPs, police, fire service, schools, youth, health and social services, and local authorities giving their work a greater impact: ultimately their resources and support result in happier individuals and therefore fewer social problems. Having been established since 1986 they have been transforming lives and the face of Leicestershire’s youth so this new premises is a wonderful opportunity for their positive work to continue. Businesses wishing to get involved can contact Chris on chris@soft-touch.org.uk, 0116 2702706 or 0786 7610088. For more information please go to www.soft-touch.org.uk.
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Disability Rocks is pleased to announce some exciting plans for the festival scene for 2014. Many of you will know about the great family friendly festival in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, but we feel that more people should have the chance to experience the unique and inclusive event. This is why we have chosen to come to a place nearer to you and announce 4 regional festivals for summer 2014!
South West - Port Eliot, Sunday, 1st June 2014 North - Nell Bank, Ilkley, Saturday 7th June 2014 South East - Lambourne End, Saturday 28th June 2014 Midlands - Kibworth, Leicestershire, 12th July 2014 Full details will be on the Disability Rocks Website www.disabilityrocks.org and supported by our brand new low cost telephone helpline and booking service on 0333 800 0199
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the Together Trust
Together we make a difference for people with learning disabilities Services from birth to adulthood in North West England from the Together Trust. If you are looking for an autism specific school, specialist FE college course, an independent assessment or diagnosis, speech therapy, need a short break, residential care, supported living or a bespoke integrated care and education package, then the Together Trust can help. Our services include: Inscape House School – a day special school for young people 4 to 19 years with complex autism spectrum conditions or related social communication difficulties.
Bridge College – an independent specialist further education college for young people 16 to 25 years.
Short Break, Shared Care and Residential Care, Supported Living – Ofsted and Care Quality Commission inspected services for young people with learning and/or physical disabilities and complex health needs.
We provide many different forms of support for families: • after school and holiday clubs • activities for the whole family • workshops and training for families • advice on challenging behaviour and support at home • specialist consultancies or training for organisations and professionals •
Contact us to find out more:
0161 283 4801 www.togethertrust.org.uk enquiries@togethertrust.org.uk Registered charity number 209782
AUTISM ●●● ACCREDITATION
/SupportTogetherTrust
care • education • support • since 1870
@TogetherTrust
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