Families Cambs Nov-Dec 2010

F R E E ÂŽ

Cambridgeshire

www.familiescambridgeshire.co.uk

Issue 7 November/December 2010

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! Christmas Shopping Special ! Where Santa is Visiting ! Things to Make Mum Happy ! Win - Tickets to Snow White at the Corn Exchange

! Win - Tickets to Jack and the Beanstalk at Wicksteed Park

It’s a refreshing change: to have a choice of hundreds of holidays that are recommended by other families who have been there and experienced them

www.RecommendedFamilyHolidays.com

We cater for 2-5 year olds in a fun, stimulating and multicultural environment.

Excellent Ofsted Reports Committed & Professional Established over 45 years

All Staff Fully Qualified Safe and secure Good outdoor facilities

Come and see for yourself Make an appointment Please telephone Principal: 01223 356565 4a Millington Road, Newnham, Cambridge www.millingtonroadnursery.co.uk

The Useful magazine for families with children from birth to teenage

Editor’s Welcome !

Welcome

to the seventh issue of Families Cambridgeshire - the really useful magazine for parents and children!

I can’t believe we’re celebrating one year of Families Cambridgeshire already! However the big celebration should be for Families as a whole as our parent magazine celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year.

And what a better way to celebrate than with a jam packed Christmas issue! Check out our Christmas guide with the top ten predicted presents, ‘Where Santa is visiting’ and a special for all the mums to keep happy.....all this alongside our regular baby page, education article and Out and About to keep the little ones occupied over the holidays.

However, I think my favourite article in this issue is ‘Future Minds’, a wonderful piece on the importance of limiting your children’s time on computers (and your own!) and spending time together.

Why not enter our competitions for a family ticket to Snow White at the Corn Exchange or Jack and the Beanstalk at Wicksteed Park? And don’t forget to enter our competition to win £250.00 of vouchers from Hamleys!

As always, I do hope you enjoy this issue of Families and feel free to contact me with any news or events that you would like to see featured in future issues. Please mention Families whenever you contact one of our advertisers!

And lastly, may I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Best wishes

Sara

Cover Santa courtesy of Ron Bird

In this issue 02 Welcome and News 04 Baby Page 05 Book Reviews 06 Christmas Shopping Guide 08 Education 09 Where Santa is Visiting

10 Future Minds 11 Treats for Mums 12 Home made presents 13 Families 20 years old!

14 Red Balloon 15 Out and About 16 Competition

Circulation 12,000 copies of Families Cambridgeshire available through schools, nurseries, libraries, selected shops and restaurants.

If you would like copies for your establishment please let me know.

Contact Sara Carr, editor@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk tel: 01223 319437 mobile: 07748 183700 Print: Bishops Printers Limited, Portsmouth tel: 023 9233 4900 www.bishops.co.uk.

Design: Louis T Koehorst tel: 01223 576688 ted@happyted.co.uk

Families Cambridgeshire is part of the Families Group established in 1990 and headed by Families South West. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under license. We take every care preparing for the magazine, but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers, the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequences.

News - November/December 2010 Slow Down Now Kids Say Slow Down is the theme of Road Safety Week 2010, taking place 22-28 November. The charity Brake, the organisers of the event, urge you to take part and help stop the many accidents on our roads. Go to www.roadsafetyweek.org for ideas on how to get involved and campaign for slower speeds, whether you are a teacher, company, campaigner or road safety professional. Speed is the number one killer on our roads and the faster vehicles go, the less time they have to react and the harder they hit, causing numerous head and spinal injuries, lost limbs and deaths of children. In built-up areas traffic must travel at no faster than 20mph; it must go even slower outside schools and homes, so if traffic travels faster than this in your community go on, take part in the campaign and stop the menace of speeding drivers. Get planning your Road Safety Week event now at www.roadsafetyweek.org. If you have been affected by road crashes their Helpline is 0845 603 8570, www.brake.org.uk.

Feather your garden This winter encourage birds into your garden with The Balcony Gardener’s stylish range of birdhouses, feeders and baths. Attract new feathered friends with a variety of next boxes from www.thebalconygardener.com, providing a safe and snug place for birds to roost and nest. These nest boxes are best put up during the autumn and winter, when many birds are looking for a suitable place to roost or perhaps to feed. Choose from bird wire feeders at £4.50 and bungee feeders at £7.50, or the more expensive nesting boxes, £15.50, patterned bird baths at £18.00 and solar panel bird boxes, £49.95.

Collect those pens

A new campaign has been launched in schools across the country encouraging students to upcycle used writing instruments. Sponsored by Berol, Sharpie and Paper Mate in partnership with TerraCycle UK, the programme teaches pupils about sustainability while helping to raise funds for schools, charities and nonprofit organisations nationwide. Collection centres will be established in 370 UK-based schools and for every writing instrument collected, 2p will be contributed to a school or charity of the participant’s choice. “Keeping one pen or marker out of landfill may seem like a small contribution, but multiply that by the estimated £208 million of writing instruments sold in the UK each year and it is a big opportunity to reduce waste to landfill,” said Gérard Danjou of Berol, Sharpie and Paper Mate. “It’s not only our responsibility but our moral obligation to do our part to help the environment.” The collected writing instruments will be dissembled and reprocessed to make a variety of new products, so get scribbling and start collecting! Interested schools can sigh up at www.terracycle.co.uk.

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By Joanna Parry and Sara Carr

Ice in winter

It may be chilly outside but there is never a season when kids don’t love ice lollies. Set up by mums Zoe Meredith and Sarah Smith, Yummy Lollies are healthy ice lollies made from nothing but 100% real fruit, with no colourings, preservatives, added sugar or water. Available in Waitrose and Holland & Barrett stores, try these tasty, healthy treats and top up your children’s 5 a day. www.yummylollies.com

The next Mill Road Winter Fair will be on Saturday 4th December 2010 from 10:30 to 16:30.

Mill Road Winter Fair is the essence of Mill Road, distilled into a single day. Over 100 of the shops, cafes and restaurants open their doors and offer unusual dishes from their cultures. Talented local people from all over the world emerge from their homes with arts and crafts, performances, food, entertainments and a warm welcome in a day of general celebration.

Join the Baby Café

This autumn NCT, the UK’s largest parenting charity, has joined forces with The Baby Café to help more mums who want to breastfeed. Research has shown that although most mums start out breastfeeding, 73% stop feeding before they want to and only 25% of mums are still breastfeeding at six months. The merging of the two charities hopes to help mums to keep breastfeeding for longer, by maximising and extending The Baby Café model, combining support from the health service with a relaxed, café style environment where mums can meet, chat and learn about breastfeeding from qualified and skilled staff. Kate Williams, Director of Healthcare Professional Services at NCT, says; “This merger is great news for mums and for the health service. For over 50 years, NCT has been helping mums-to-be and new mums with their feeding choices. The Baby Café will enable us to reach out to wider communities and increase the spread and accessibility of breastfeeding drop-ins across the UK.”With over 100 drop-ins around the UK, Baby Café supports up to 10,000 mums a year. They are open to all mothers, partners, supporters - and take place once a week in children’s centres or community venues. www.thebabycafe.org. For breastfeeding support call NCT Breastfeeding Line 0300 330 0771 visit www.nct.org.uk.

Get a taste for life Take your children on a food adventure with a new preschool programme from Organix. Nursery children are being invited to discover healthy food with the launch of Taste for Life, a new pre-school education programme launched in nurseries this month across the UK. Taste for Life is a fun and interactive way of introducing fruit and vegetables to children, helping them to explore and enjoy good food from a young age and develop healthier eating habits for life.

Based on a concept by Lucy Thomas, founder of the Mange Tout programme, Taste for Life is designed to encourage children to have fun discovering food and exploring the origin, shape, colour, texture and smell of fruit and vegetables. Register your nursery at www.tasteforlifenursery.com and they will send you all the resources you need to get your little ones exploring more fruit and vegetables, from recipes and stickers to reward charts and seasonal activity plans.

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So come to Mill Road to see the local Chinese Dragon Dance and the local Morris and Molly dancers. Then don't miss the local Beijing hotpot, the local Turkish Mezes, not to mention all the local musicians, buskers, stilt-walkers, unicyclists, jugglers..

Everyone in the neighbourhood will welcome you to a mile of festivities.

For further information, please contact Suzy Oakes at 07899 844 990 or so105@cam.ac.uk

Recommended Family Holidays Last year, ‘stay at home’ mum, Lucilla set up a website following the huge success of her company Recommended Family Holidays.

Families love the idea of booking their holiday be it a cottage in Cornwall or a Chalet in Chamonix, all of which are recommended by other families who have been there and experienced them!

For more information visit www.recommendedfamilyholidays.com

Win Tickets to Snow White on Ice at the Corn Exchange We have two sets of Family Tickets to give away for Snow White on Ice on December 23rd. Please see page 12 for more details.

Win Tickets to Jack and The Beanstalk at Wicksteed Park

Answer our simple question on the back page to win tickets to Jack and the Beanstalk at Wicksteed Park!

Mikes Tennis School

With many thanks to Mikes Tennis School for the prize for last issue’s competition where our lucky winner has enjoyed his half term’s course. www.mikestennis.com

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Baby Page g Is your baby living in a toxic environment? Part 1 by Joanna Parry Knowing the exact extent to which the air in your newborn's nursery is polluted may be more information than you want, or need, to know. But there is no need to panic. There are many ways to detox a nursery, particularly if you're still at the renovation stage, and while some methods require more effort and cash, others are cheap and easy.

! Floor:As a general rule a hard floor is best,

although bamboo and cork are also eco-friendly options. If you do want carpet, choose one made with natural fibers such as organic wool or cotton and check that it has not been treated with unnecessary chemicals or glues.

Add natural wool rugs for softness and warmth.

! Walls: Choose low- or no-VOC

Many of us try to be as green as we can when it comes to our babies.We dress them in organic cotton babygrows, buy natural sheepskins and some of us even use real nappies. But how green really are we? Recently there has been a spate of publicity about the potentially harmful toxins in baby toys, nursery furniture and cot mattresses, so how possible is it to reduce these toxins and truly ‘green’ your baby’s nursery?

Raising an eco-friendly baby is not only safer for baby but also reduces the impact on the environment. Most of us already recycle, we try to reduce our carbon impact and are aware of wasteful packaging. We buy fair trade baby products wherever available and we choose organic, locally grown vegetables to reduce our baby’s exposure to toxins like mercury, lead, pesticides and arsenic. And, whenever possible, we do our part to reduce air pollution and leave the car at home.

But is this enough? “I already buy organic clothing,” says Alison. “I breast feed my baby and I use real nappies.What more can I do?” The answer is, a lot more.

The eco nursery

Newborns can spend as much as 80% of the first part of their lives in their nursery, so it is important to make it as green and nontoxic as possible. In short, to create an eco nursery. The Nesting Project is a recent testing campaign that invited parents who had just decorated their babies’ rooms to put samplers in the nursery before sending them off for analysis. The results were surprising, even frightening: the lab picked up a number of pollutants including formaldehyde and other VOCs (substances emitted from everyday products and materials, including household chemicals, solvents, varnishes and paints) arising from newly laid flooring or carpet, soft furnishings, clothing, bedding, textiles and toys. It went on to explain the harmful effects of VOCs, of which symptoms can include eye, nose, throat and skin irritation and allergic reactions, nausea, headaches, dizziness and respiratory problems.

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paint and natural pigments made from ingredients such as milk casein, clay, bee's wax, and natural mineral dyes. Try www.earthbornpaints.co.uk for a wide range of colours. If you prefer wallpaper you can buy recycled or wood chip paper which is 'breathable' and doesn't have a negative impact on air quality. Use products made from recycled and reclaimed materials to decorate nursery walls. Lead paint is an age old problem, and some older houses may still have lead paint on the walls or window sills. If you are concerned about this get the professionals in, as stripping lead paint can release toxins.

! Curtains: Use natural materials such as wool,

cotton, linen or silk.Wash and air the curtains before hanging them up as even natural fibres are treated with substances to make them moth resistant.

! Electrical: RemoveWi-Fi, cordless phones, mobiles and wireless baby monitors from the baby's room or better from the house altogether. Children are more susceptible to electromagnetic waves which can be very harmful to development, even leading to long-term illnesses and damage to the immune system. ! Open the window and let the fresh air in. Also,

like hardwood plywood paneling, particleboard and mid-density fiberboard are sources of VOCs and harmful flame retardants. Solid wood treated with non-toxic varnish, oil or wax is best. Avoid chipboard wood (made using formaldehyde) or furniture plastic or a plastic coating as they may contain harmful softeners. A good example of an eco-crib is the adaptable Stokke Sleepi baby crib that easily converts into a toddler bed. Available from www.kiddisave.co.uk from £514.49.

! Mattress: Choose a mattress made from

natural materials from suppliers such as www.abacaorganic.co.uk or www.greenbaby.com. Many conventional mattresses use PVC as the mattress cover and foam treated with potentially toxic flame retardants as filling material. A better option is a mattress made from natural coir (coconut husk), hemp, organic cotton, natural rubber latex or organic wool, which is naturally fire resistant.

! Cot linen: It’s not just baby’s clothing that can be organic. Cot sheets, sleeping bags, blankets and towels are now available in 100% organic cotton. Don’t forget to wash all new linens before use.

! Toys: Baby toys made from PVC plastic may

contain phthalates, the suspected hormonedisruptors that have been linked to liver and kidney damage. Choose toys made of natural, non-toxic materials such as FSC wood, hemp and cotton, and check the manufacturer has used non-toxic dyes and natural oil finishes.

Helpful websites www.nrdc.org - for information on how to protect your home, health and the planet www.simplesteps.org • www.theecologist.org www.projectnesting.org/start http://www.naturalnurseryblog.co.uk/ http://www.ehow.co.uk/video_2050064_designfunctional-baby-nursery.html - for how to design a functional green nursery

reduce unwanted chemicals and pathogens the free and easy way by bringing plants into your nursery. Particularly effective plants that remove toxic chemicals from the air are areca palm, lady palm, rubber plant, dragon plant, English ivy, peace lily, gerbera daisy, snake plant, spider plant and weeping fig.

http://www.ecohouseagent.com/greennursery.html

! If you're pregnant let someone else renovate!

Furniture – www.thegreenfamilia.co.uk, www.kiddisave.co.uk

It doesn’t matter how green the products you are using are, it is still safer to keep away from them until the paint has dried.

Don’t forget to think green about what you put inside your nursery, too. Families reader Amy said “I was careful about what I put on my nursery walls, but I never stopped to think about the furniture.” It’s true, most of us don’t. We assume anything and everything we buy for our nursery will naturally be safe.

! Even cots can be green. Some conventionallymade cribs in manufactured wood products

Suppliers Flooring – www.healthyflooring.org Walls - www.earthbornpaints.co.uk, www.MyLittleEco.co.uk/ecopaint

Mattresses - www.abacaorganic.co.uk, www.greenbaby.com Bathing products – www.greenbaby.com Eco-nursery products www.hellobabydirect.co.uk Next month - Are you green enough for your baby? – Part 2. Many ways to protect your baby from harmful chemicals and pollutants are free.

We’ll find out how to be as green as you can while not spending a fortune.

J

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! Book Reviews Reviewed by Emilie Amos

Old Dog

Slightly Invisible

By Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross Published by Andersen Press RRP £5.99 Paperback

By Lauren Child Published by Orchard Books RRP £10.99 Hardback Charlie and his friend Marv are in search of strange and tricky creatures which they would like to do without Lola bothering and interrupting them at every opportunity. Luckily, Lola knows exactly how to catch strange and tricky creatures and enlists a bit of help from her invisible friend, Soren Lorensen, along with a few glasses of her favourite pink milk.

This is Lauren Child at her best. An amusing story teamed together with her fantastic quirky pictures of Charlie and his little sister on one of their frequent adventures. My children loved being just able to see the invisible Soren Lorensen and it really got their imaginations going – they are now requesting a whole host of things for their invisible friends.

The much-anticipated return of the hugely loved brother and sister team will bring a great number of smiles to a multitude of children this Christmas.

Families rating: 5 out of 6 !!!!!

A Calf for Christmas

By Astrid Lindgren. Illustrated by Marit Tornqvist Published by Floris Books RRP £9.99 Hardback

You may remember the author’s name for her most famous book – Pippi Longstocking.

This latest Christmas story is set in a traditional Swedish farming community and is about a boy called Johan. Johan and his family are distraught as their only cow, Emma, has died and they are too poor to buy another. Meanwhile, Peter Jonsson, a rich farmer, comes to town to collect his new calf. He spends too long in the tavern, gets inebriated and ends up losing the calf in the snow on the way home. That evening Johan is shovelling snow and comes across a calf stranded in the snow. Johan’s father believes he knows who the owner is and goes to return the calf with happy consequences.

The story covers the old belief that something good can result from something bad. It is supported by beautiful watercolours of rural Swedish scenes in the winter.

Reviewed by Jan Deykin

Families rating: 4 out of 6 !!!!

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From ”You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” to “There’s life in the old dog yet”!

The Young Pups are reluctant to visit their grandfather as they think he’s really boring and only talks about the olden days. But when they do visit him, he becomes fed up of their rudeness and being under-estimated and unappreciated. So he surprises them with tales of running away to join the circus and shows them he still knows a few tricks – such as juggling eggs on a bike whilst blindfolded.

This is a wry and warm book, accompanied by very funny illustrations, about the perils of underestimating old people. Old Dog is a heartwarming and amusing tale, although it contains a surprising number of dog-related puns and sayings which may go over the heads of many small children.

Families rating: 4 out of 6 !!!!

The Big Bottom Hunt

By Lari Don and Gabby Grant Published by Picture Kelpies RRP £5.99 Paperback When Sandy and Ella find a telescope on the beach, they are determined to find its owner. But the only clue they have is a bottom print left in the sand.

So what’s a child to do? Of course, they must go round the town looking at people’s bottoms and try to make a match.

Of course, this is a highly amusing concept for those very many small children obsessed with bottoms! However, although my family enjoyed reading it the first time, we didn’t love it enough to want to read it again and again. Although it’s a funny and cheeky idea which appeals to children, the actual writing didn’t quite capture the comedy potential of the idea, and with rather flat illustrations, it didn’t have the magic to make it a classic. However, children will like the fact that the word bottom is repeated many times!

Reviewed by Louise Turner

Families rating: 3 out of 6 !!!

Aunt Severe and the Dragons

By Nick Garlick. Illustrated by Nick Maland Published by Andersen Press Ltd RRP £4.99 Paperback When Daniel’s explorer parents vanish, he is forced to live with his strict and rather strange Aunt Severe. Aunt Severe takes his toys away, feeds him cold spinach sandwiches and makes him collect rubbish. His problems only get more complicated when he finds four lost dragons hiding in her garden. Daniel wants to help the talking dragons but before he can do anything three of them are captured by mean Gotcha

Grabber for his zoo. This leaves Daniel with the fourth dragon (the not so-seemingly clever one) to rescue them.

This is a great little chapter book to share with younger children.

The storyline, which is highly imaginary, flows well with simple cliffhangers at the end of each short chapter. It is an easy and compulsive read with a few supporting pen and ink illustrations.

The story touches on how perseverance wins the day and that everyone is capable of something good.

Families rating: 6 out of 6 !!!!!!

Hugless Douglas

By David Melling Published by Hodder Children’s Books RRP £5.99 Hardback This book introduces us to Douglas who is due to appear in a number of forthcoming Hodder titles and will no doubt become a hit as he is such a lovable character.

Douglas is a big brown, huggable bear, who wakes up one morning in need of a hug. He sets out to find one and tries to hug just about everything in sight but some of these hugs just don’t seem right: too big; too small; too heavy; or even too busy. Finally he is led to a cave where he finds his mother and she gives him the most perfect and warmest hug that he could possibly imagine – exactly the sort of hug that he had been after all day long.

This heart-warming story of Douglas's quest for the perfect hug makes a perfect tale to share with little ones. Make sure you give them a big hug at the end...

Reviewed by Tina Hene

Families rating: 5 out of 6 !!!!!

Witches at War!: The White Wand

By Martin Howard, illustrated by Colin Stimpson.

Published by Pavilion RRP £7.99 Hardback Sam, the talented apprentice to warty old witch Esmelia Sniff, discovers that the head witch has been turned into a frog by rival Diabolica using the famous Black Wand of Ohh Please Don’t Turn Me Into Aaaargggh… Ribbett.

Diabolica now plans to take over the world with a zombie army.

Only a wand of equal power can thwart her so, with very different motives, Sam and Esmelia set off for Egypt. The race is on to create a new wand and battle against Diabolica with only a few ancient witches and some beetles to help them.

An action packed and enormously funny book, The White Wand is second in a series and leaves you wanting to read more. It is equally appealing to girls and boys who would appreciate the horrible details of witches’ lives and fast-paced humorous storyline.

Families rating: 6 out of 6 !!!!!! ® ®

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Families Gift Guide

by Holly Wadsworth-Hill The nights have drawn in, there’s a magical feel to the chill in the air and there’s more than one kind of wrapping-up on everyone’s mind. It can only mean one thing... Christmas is on its way!

Whether that fills you with ho, ho, ho’s or Scrooge-like groans, we hope this fun-filled guide to all things festive, will help make this year a Christmas to remember...

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It’s the thought that counts...

Recent economic difficulties have triggered a new dawn of consumerism. Many of us are now concentrating on quality purchases that will stand the test of time. Nostalgia has unveiled tradition as the new vogue and whilst the latest crazes and popular characters certainly have their place, children are arguably more demanding and harder to please than ever before. There’s a reason why some of the old favourites are resurfacing and proving their worth to a new generation of inquisitive minds. Children like to be entertained but they thrive on interaction, they will happily watch but they learn quicker from doing, they benefit from competition but they enjoy team work. Classic toys are all this and much more and they really do have timeless appeal. With that in mind this year, why not focus on something they will love this Christmas but will treasure for many more to come...

Top 10 Toys for Christmas 2010!

We know a thing or two about toys but if you want guaranteed smiles or favourite aunt/ uncle status, you can’t go wrong tracking down something from this list. Be warned though, these toys are set to fly from the shelves quicker than Santa’s sleigh, so don’t miss out!

Your comprehensive list of this year’s most-wanted: Toy Story 3 Buzz Lightyear Action Figure Dr Who Sonic Screwdriver Ben 10 Ultimate Alien Disc Ultimatrix Beyblade Metal Fusion Super Vortex Battle Set Barbie Video Girl VTech Storio Animated Phonics Book Kung Zhu Hamsters Armouron Action Set VTech Kidizoom Video Camera Monopoly Revolutions Board Game

! My First Dolly £19 My First Dolly will be loved by all. She is so squeezably soft that little arms will adore snuggling up to her. Dressed beautifully, she has wild hair that little hands will love to touch and tug!

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! Alphabet Blocks £17 Painted with bright colours, clear letters and imaginative illustrations these wooden blocks can help little children when learning letters, colours and much more besides.

T is for trouble and toddlers!

Busy little hands are into all things naughty as well as nice, so classic toys should be at the top of the list. The educational benefits and development of imagination and play skills from these toys are extensive but cleverly masked behind the colour, fun and excitement that toddlers crave. ! Teaching Clock £14 Hamleys colourful Fun to Learn Teaching Clock helps teach time, number and letter recognition, as well as developing motor and problem solving skills through play. (made from fsc wood)

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A Hamleys tale...

Stuck on the basics or searching for finishing touches? Take inspiration from the world’s most famous toy store this year.

Hamleys was established by Cornishman, William Hamley, in London, in 1760. Today it remains the world’s most wonderful toy shop, synonymous with theatre, magic and entertainment; add a mince pie or two and you’ve got all the ingredients for a perfect Christmas!

Baby’s first Christmas Latest additions may be slightly oblivious to the seasonal chaos but you’ll remember their first Christmas forever and will be keen to make it extra special. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a keepsake or something they can cherish for years to come.

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! Wooden London Bus £32.50 The wheels on the bus go round and round!

The top of this traditional big red bus opens to reveal 24 little wooden passengers and one cheerful driver. Great for developing hand to eye co-ordination. (made from fsc wood)

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For him Boys of all ages need to be kept busy and love fun and games that they can really get stuck into. If he can burn off some energy, create mess and make some noise, he’ll be in his element!

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It’s all about quality time...

‘Tis the season to spend with your loved ones: keep things merry with fun and games for the whole family.

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! Jet Plane Set £55 The Playmobil Jet Plane Set is great for developing thinking processes and encouraging creative play. This exciting Playmobil play set is a hit with boys and girls alike.

! Wooden Garage £65 This brightly coloured garage has three levels, multistorey graphics and realistic features throughout. There are loads of games and adventures to be had with this traditional role-play Garage.

For her Sugar and spice and all things nice, most of the time anyway! Creativity is a girl’s best friend; indulge her imagination with everything from dressing-up costumes, role-play sets and arts and crafts. ! Dolly Tea Set £10 Time for tea anyone?

This enchanting Hamleys tea set comes in a cute carry case, so it's perfect for taking to

friends houses and keeps everything safe and tidy when little one's aren't busy entertaining.

! My Balleria Doll £12 My Little Ballerina Doll is so pretty, soft and cuddly, she’s perfect for hugs! From the Sweet Peas collection, this doll is great for encouraging imagination and nurturing role-play skills.

! Games Chest £60 Enjoy a gaming adventure with this classic wooden gaming chest.

Open the sliding drawers to reveal a smorgasbord of fun with 10 of the world's greatest games! Includes chess, mancala, backgammon, solitaire, tic-tac-toe and lots more to keep the very young and most experienced young-at-heart entertained!

Checklist

Assuming you’ve got the obvious like the turkey and tree under control, this checklist covers the trimmings!

Must-have ingredients for the perfect Christmas:

Sellotape – (Yes, you probably did already buy some but no, it won’t be where you left it and it’s not likely to be enough).

Batteries of all shapes and sizes – (No one wants a room full of redundant, lifeless toys on Christmas morning).

Carrot, mince pie and a tipple for Santa and his merry team of reindeer – (They’ll need it after months of preparation and expense).

Breakfast – (toast doesn’t cut it on Christmas morning, stock up on their favourites and don’t forget some strong coffee beans for the bleary eyed adults).

Pen and paper to hand – (Father Christmas may be the hero of the hour but don’t forget to note down family and friends who’ve also treated the little one’s in preparation for the writing of...)

Thank-you notes – (Try making your own from discarded wrapping paper – a great way to wind them down after all that excitement!)

Post-party clean up ammunition – (Your house will probably be broken within 10 minutes of children waking up on Christmas morning. Put it back together again for guests with a hefty supply of recycling bags etc).

We hope this guide has given you some ideas and eased you into the spirit of things. We wish you a fun-filled festive season and a very happy New Year!

To celebrate 250 years of The Finest Toys in the World, Hamleys have teamed up with Families Cambridgeshire to give you the chance to win £250 of Hamleys vouchers.

Log onto www.familiescambridgeshire.co.uk/competitions.

Vouchers can be used online at www.hamleys.com or in one of their UK stores.

Closing date for the competition is 8h December. See online for full Terms and Conditions.

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Education B al n o i at Educ ws Ne

innumerable – encouraging children to eat more fruit and vegetables and giving them the opportunity to try a wider variety of food, while being proactive in the prevention of excess weight and obesity. A fantastic, innovative idea. To find out more about how y r r a Pa this can be run in your school email n n a o info@fruittosuit.co.uk.

By J www.fruittosuit.co.uk.

Recycle at school A new recycling scheme aims to raise £5m for Our enterprising children schools through collecting old mobile phones and empty printer cartridges. 750 schools have A new business has been launched to enable already signed up to Support Your primary school children to set up and run a healthy tuck shop in their own school. Fruit to School, a “cash for trash” scheme where schools receive £1 for every Suit, the healthier tuck shop company, has empty ink cartridge and £3 for come up with the imaginative concept of a unwanted mobile phones. Not only one-day Business and Enterprise Programme is this a great way to introduce designed to train a young Tuck Shop Team to pupils to the issues involved with set up and run a healthier tuck shop. The recycling but it also raises much training is divided into a series of workshops needed additional income for the and fun activities: the Tuck Shop Challenge where the children set up their own company schools involved. Launched by Britain’s best known vocal that will run the healthy tuck shop in their school, and Tuck Shop Manager Training, a half- coaches, Carrie and David Grant from Fame Academy, the day session for the children who will actually fundraising scheme will raise run the shop. The children are then taken through all the practicalities of running a tuck millions for schools as well as reducing by 10% the number shop, from advertising to ordering stock, of inkjet cartridges going to landfill. Support gaining invaluable business and enterprise skills. The benefits of a healthier tuck shop are Your School is free to participate in and

encourages schoolteachers, pupils, parents and the community to get involved in recycling and reducing individual schools’ carbon footprint. According to recent figures from DEFRA, more than 35 million cartridges are disposed of in the UK each year and over 70% of these go straight into landfill where they take over 1000 years to decompose. “Support Your School is a great new scheme to teach children about the importance of recycling and how to achieve a more sustainable approach to the use of ink cartridges and mobiles,” say Carrie and David. Go to www.supportyourschool.co.uk.

Introducing Lock Stock Boutique....

After 14 years of teaching and juggling life with three children (Olivia 10, Phoebe 6 and Noah 22 months), Emma decided to resign from the stresses of school runs, after school clubs, nursery care and the hassle that goes with it.

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Looking for inspiration to decorate my garden for a birthday party during the summer I stumbled acrross Lock Stock Boutique. I immediately contacted Emma Lock, the owner to explain that, whilst I loved the bunting on the website, I wanted something slightly less girly, for a male adult, but still funky and retro. Within three days, my five metres of custom made decoration arrived and looked wonderful hanging around the trampoline. So when my nephew arrived a few weeks ago, I knew exactly where to go to source his present. Again within days, a parcel arrived with a custom made cushion with the said baby’s name, birthdate and a special picture that I’d described to Emma, which was just perfect.

In Summer 2009, Emma took a part time evening course in dressmaking and textiles after having steered clear of needles and thread since being a school girl! A sewing machine was then purchased, an addiction to beautiful, vintage fabrics acquired and Lock Stock Boutique was born!

Specialising in fresh and stylish handmade cards which can be personalised for any occasion not only by adding a name and a date but also by changing hair colour, skin tone etc. Lock Stock also sources gorgeous textiles for the home and the children...... making personalised bunting, doorstops, wool felt brooches, children's aprons etc all at an incredibly reasonable price.

Cards start from £2.20 each Bunting from £5 a metre.

Website www.lockstockboutique.com Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Lock-StockBoutique-fan-page/139110189438565?ref=ts N ove mbe r/ D ec em be r 2 010

c Christmas

Where Santa is Visiting...

Ho ho ho - it’s that time of year.

Santa’s taking a break from his busy schedule in the North Pole to visit the children of Cambridgeshire! To make things easier, we’ve compiled a special list of where Father Christmas will be this year......

Burwash Manor

December 7th - Reindeer Evening Get close to the fabulous Cairngorn Reindeer herd.

Plus Father Christmas, Jezzo the Magician, fairground rides, What's in the Box childrens activities, live music, food stalls and mulled wine! All proceeds to the Countryside Restoration Trust.

5.30pm until 7.30pm. Entrance £3 per adult, £2 per child.

Cambridge and County Folk Museum

Visit Santa on the 12th of December for a Dickensian Christmas! This will be a special event full of Victorian delights!

Adults £3.50/ Children £2.50 www.folkmuseum.org.uk 01223 355 159

Wimpole Hall

Santa in the Great Barn on the 5th and 6th and 12th and 13th December 11.00 16.00 Brass band and Carols and presents from Santa. £3 per child www.wimpolehall@nationaltrust.org 01223 206 000

Nene Valley Railway, Peterborough

Santa specials between Sunday 28th November and Friday 24th December.

See website for details. nvrorg@nvr.org.uk 01780 784 444

Wicken Fen

Wicksteed Park.

Wicky’s Christmas Circus will be performing on various dates from 28th Nov - 24th December. Shows at 12.00 and 15.00.

Then visit Santa’s Grotto!

Check the webiste for performance dates www.wicksteedpark.co.uk or 01536 512 475 Single ticket £7.50 Family Ticket £26.00

Twenty Pence Garden Centre

Santa arrives on the 21st November and on that day and the 5th of December you can also see real Reindeer! Walk through real snow on the way to Santa’s Grotto. Santa will be there every weekend from the 21st November until the 5th December. www.twentypencegardencentre.co.uk 01353 741 024

Father Christmas at the Fen Follow the Christmas Trail to discover Father Christmas in his secret grotto.

Christmas craft activities too.

Saturday and Sundays 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th December at 10.30, 11.15, 13.45 and 14.30. Child £6.75 (includes present).

Booking highly recommended. wickenfen@nationaltrust.org.uk 01353 720 274

Bressingham Steam and Gardens

Visit Santa and ride on a steam train!

Adults £8.00, Children between 3-12 £9.50, under 3’s requiring a present £4.00 www.bressingham.co.uk 01379 686 900

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Lessons at

DW Sports Fitness, Unit 2a (near ASDA), Beehive Centre Cambridge, CB1 3ER

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Family "

Future Minds

suicide is not the outcome, self-esteem becomes the victim.

This, said Richard, makes children more risk-averse than previous generations.

Put the phone down while you talk to your kids!

By David Shaw

They are all connected all of the time

One of the worst aspects of modern life is that we, as parents, do not always put down our phones, Blackberries and iPads when we talk to our children.

The thing, said Richard, “that marks out the sub-20 generation from everyone else is that they have grown up with this rapid technological change. They are connected. All their friends are connected and that network circulates information which competes with the information they hear from parents and teachers. “

This teaches them something. First, that we care more about our phones than we do about them and second, that it is OK to be on a screen all the time. At least, that's what Richard Watson, author of a new book, Future Minds claims.

His main argument is that we need more time to develop deep thinking. We need downtime for our natural creativity to emerge and we need to switch the phones off, to re-build family life.

It's not just phones. Those of us with teenage boys will see them move from phone to Xbox to DSi to computer and back to their phone, spending hours at a time looking at a screen.

Watson Richard

Girls are no better: just different, using the computer to check the latest gossip on Facebook while simultaneously texting their friends. Or, increasingly, using the phone for both.

According to Richard, all this technology means, “We are getting better at thinking faster. We can make very quick decisions and we are getting increasingly adept at finding relevant information to support those decisions.”

According to Richard, this and other aspects of the digital age are all good.

Take time to think and reflect “The bad stuff,” he said, “is that I think we are losing the bigger picture; the ability to concentrate; to focus, to reflect and to do what I call deep thinking, which I think is the heart of scientific and artistic creativity.”

Another aspect of this, he said, is that we have moved in the space of a generation away from it being commonplace for a child to leave the house, play in the park, climb a few trees and fall into the local pond and not return until dusk.

Instead, most parents now do not let their children out of sight. Whether that is caused by fear of stranger danger, or concern about traffic levels, the result is that children are being kept indoors, where the parents think it is safer .

Not only does this encourage the children to spend time in front of screens, but most of the activities available to them are based on predetermined set of rules.

When we were younger, we could make up the rules as we went along.

We could create fantasy games or make shapes out of clouds or change the rules if they did not suit the situation.

Today's generation, taking entertainment from the TV or a computer game have less freedom in this respect.

Richard noted, “That is what worries me about the generation we are bringing up now. We are putting them down these rails.”

Go out and kick a ball with your children It is difficult, he agreed, with parents trying to hold down a job or possibly two, “but you have to set some rules; set some boundaries and I know it is easy to stick a video on and get some free childcare, but actually you should be out there kicking a ball. Get involved. Otherwise do not complain that they are not talking to you when they turn 18.”

A second, and no less damaging aspect of the Facebook generation, said Richard, is that the consequences of making a mistake can be far-reaching.

When everyone is connected and every child carries a camera in their hand, a stupid playground mistake might be uploaded to Youtube that evening, and by the next morning every classmate has seen it and commented on it and ridiculed the poor victim.

Children have committed suicide over this kind of incident, and even if

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“Parents and teachers are losing the battle,” he said, adding that, “If you think of allowing a 14-year old full, uncensored access to the internet, that is quite a scary thought. You would never do that with a television or video games.”

A parent who gives a smartphone (such as an iPhone) to a 13-year old son should think how he will use it, said Richard, “I think there is a reasonable chance he will search for porn. “ My absolute critical point, he added, “is the fact that we have created this stuff which is fabulous on one level, but it has the potential to destroy the things which we value the most and that is human relationships and our sense of self.”

This disconnect begins from the very earliest days. Most babies in the 1960s and 70s were transported in old-fashioned prams. Nowadays we have forward-facing buggies. The difference is that those old-fashioned prams have the child facing the adult, permitting conversations and eye contact, whereas buggies do not.

It continues into childhood where too-busy parents use the TV or games console or computer as a surrogate childcare.

At meal times, we do not sit down together and talk about the day; we use text messages and emails to communicate the basic information, but do not spend the time to talk and think.

It continues in the workplace and in shops, where increasingly we shop online or by using computer screens to remove the human contact from the process of shopping and banking.

Advice from the author ! when parents come home they switch off mobiles and spend time with their families. ! If you are collecting your child from school. Switch the phone off. ! When you go on holiday, don't take the office with you. ! Remove screens from children on car journeys and let them stare out the window instead. ! Limit screen time for children ! If you have something to say, make time to say it face to face, not by text or email ! remove TV sets games consoles and computers from childrens' bedrooms ! Serendipity is good Pull-out quotes ! I am a big fan of spontaneity. ! 54 percent of US children age 4 – 6 would rather watch TV tHan spend time with dad. ! need to re-discover the time and space to properly think about our lives and other issues, ! There is too much structured play and not enough free play, especially for young kids. ! I think these digital devices are getting in the way of proper interaction between parents and their children Future Minds, by Richard Watson Published by Nicholas Brealey RRP 12.99 N ove mbe r/ D ec em be r 2 010

! Mum's Time Whatever makes you happy dear

By Kate Birch

We all need something to take ourselves out of ourselves. Something that is about more than just being a mum, wife, partner, employee or boss. Getting together with a group of friends is always cathartic but with just dinner or drinks there are, as Margaret puts it “always one or two people who dominate.” But, as she says “if there is an activity where you can all participate, it is a different sort of evening.”

To book club or not to book club When book groups first became popular, I could not have been more interested. An avid reader of just about anything since I was a child, I had let things slip after my children were born.

Reading breaks had become sleep breaks or rubbish television breaks or no breaks at all as I tried to catch up on all I needed to do in a day.

So when I got the chance to join a book group I jumped at it. Unfortunately, I joined at exactly wrong time. After looking at To Kill A Mockingbird and a harrowing account of the Holocaust, I offered to host the next session. J M Coetzee’s Disgrace was proposed. It was another gut-wrenching tale and maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised when I received phone call after phone call on the day from mums sending their regrets. In the end it was just me and one other.

I like to think that the group came to its natural end. However, I never had the nerve to join another.

Happily most book club mums have been spared my experience.

The best things about my book club are that I have a really good time with people whose company I enjoy and also I read more novels than I otherwise would. I sometimes think we should be a little bit more serious about discussing the book and I think anyone who was serious about literary criticism would find it very frustrating! It is a very cosy book group, with lots of food, wine and chocolate involved! (Clare) www.bookgroup.info Use this informative web site to track down a book group in your area.

Cultural jaunts If you are at all worried about the chatter overwhelming the debate take the example of a group of mums who have decided to take the idea of a book group one step further. Once a month they plan a cultural jaunt into town. It

can be to a gallery, a museum, the theatre or the cinema. Being right up close and personal to the topic spurs the debate and distracts the group away from, well, distractions. And food, wine and chocolate can still play a part!

Finding the calm inside Happiness with a group of friends can also come in a quieter, more spiritual form. About a year ago, neighbours Sue and Ann were chatting about how impossible it was to take any time out without feeling guilty. They thought that if they could just discipline themselves to get together and sit in a room quietly it could help. According to Sue: “We wanted to keep it simple. The one thing we could do was to stop our minds running with a million things a minute. “ The group gathers around a real fire in a garden or a candle in someone’s front room.

Sometimes they exchange thoughts, sometimes one of the group takes the rest through meditation, guided visualisation or breathing exercises. Sometimes they just sit there and “enjoy the silence.”

Sitting still: nothing more but it is very energising, and it fills us with the simple joy of being away from the hustle of our daily lives.

It is not about religion but it is definitely spiritual, connecting with spirituality; we all come from different religious backgrounds (or none for some).

They are more conscious of “key times” in the year, of the Equinoxes and summer and winter Solstice. “It is always special: no TV, no gimmicks, connecting with each other and being outdoors; the simple things in life are always the best!”

Often the group will concentrate on sending out good intentions, thinking about others, focusing, for example, on people in war torn countries. And sometimes one of them has had a tough time in her own life. As Ann puts it: “Because we are all mums, we can provide support and understanding.”

Mindfulness combines meditation, breathing techniques and paying attention to the present moment. Check out The Mental Health Foundation's new online course with support from Bupa. www.bemindful.co.uk Be Indulgent!

For a treat, why not get a group of girlfriends together for a spa treatment? A massage or facial will not only make you look better, but feel better!

Try the following: • Dragonfly, Burwash Manor, Barton, Cambs 01223 263 469 info@burwashdragonfly.com • The Sanctuary, Grand Arcade, St Andrew’s Street, Cambridge 01223 657 054 cambridgereception@thesanctuary.co.uk • LXIR, 70 Regent Street, Cambridge, CB2 1DP 01223 300 777 lxirspa@hotmail.co.uk

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From the sublime to the ridiculousness that is the karaoke group!

But if quieter pursuits are not your thing and you are more of an exhibitionist, do what I do.

And here, I have to blame one friend who, a few years ago, thought it would be fun to get a group around the newly purchased SingStar mics for a bit of karaoke. For some of the mums it was a fate worse than well, childbirth, but the rest of us embraced it enthusiastically.

What started off as a disorganised bit of fun has become slightly more organised – core group of eight, get-togethers every six weeks or so and outings to various karaoke clubs. Singing talent is not a prerequisite. We don’t take ourselves at all seriously (although Britain’s Got Talent beckons.)

We have all become closer and karaoke has seen us through highs and lows. After I broke my leg, it was my first outing. A lift was provided, as were shoulders to lean on, both figuratively and literally as I hopped up and down the steps. Then I sang my heart out despite an aching leg and swollen feet.

Another mum found solace in it after “a very sad bereavement.” The singing and companionship made her feel “less heavyhearted.”

And it is such fun! When Melanie had her 40th birthday party, we all, with very little persuasion, fell in with her idea of putting on a performance at it. Melanie got in Helen Hampton of Popchoir to coach us and help us with some (very simple) choreography. (Helen has worked with Michael Jackson, Queen and Bjork among others and now with us!)

I just thought ‘I always wanted to be in a band and this is the closest I can get to it. And my friends are all going to be appreciative no matter how bad we are.’

Well, they were appreciative, very much so.

Even our (blissfully unaware) husbands did not make quick exits as we assembled at the microphones. They even complimented us afterwards.

It was one of the maddest and most joyful things I have ever done.

Try the new Sing Dizzy Karaoke Pods at Ten Pin, Cambridge Leisure Park 0871 550 0880 And that is the whole point. As different as all these groups are, what connects is that they are all about being happy and energised. They are about something other than family or working life, (although if you need the support, it will be there).

Ultimately you go home feeling that, as Margaret explains, “instead of being a mum you are someone in your own right with your own hobbies and interests.”

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Christmas c EASY HOME MADE PRESENTS Paper plate angel

2. Glue the hands Glitterbug tip of the month. as antlers to the Keep a bag or box of any interesting bits and top of the footprint. pieces. Old bits of wrapping paper, ribbons, 3. Glue a red paper feathers, old buttons, scraps of material, even the corrugated card outer from your nose and googly Starbucks cappuccino can keep kids busy eyes to the hours. for reindeer.

You will need Paper Plate • Pen/Pencil • Scissors • Tape or Stapler • Paints / crayons / pens / glitter / stickers for decoration.

4. Allow to dry, punch a hole in the top of the head and hang with thread, string or ribbon.

Instructions 1. Draw a pattern like this on the underside of a paper plate. Cut along the black lines and throw away the shaded section.

2. Decorate the angel with paints, glitter and Christmas table confetti.

3. Overlap the edges of the angel’s skirt and tape or staple it into place.

Hanging handprint Rudolph You will need Brown paper (or large brown envelope) Pencil • Scissors • Glue • Hole punch • Thread, string or ribbon • Googly eyes (optional) Instructions 1. Trace around your child's foot and both hands using brown paper or back of an old envelope.

Easy wrapping paper ideas

Large sheets of white paper (or a roll of lining paper cut into lengths) covered in children’s hand prints, makes wrapping paper to treasure as much as the present you are wrapping.

Hand Prints Large sheets of white paper (or a roll of lining paper cut into lengths) covered in children’s hand prints, makes wrapping paper to treasure as much as the present you are wrapping.

Wrinkly paper Get the children to paint with watery paint on a sheet of paper. Cover it with cling film, scrunch the cling film up with your fingers to make lots of wrinkles and leave to dry. Peel off the film to leave agreat texture.

CAMBRIDGE CORN EXCHANGE

Starring the world famous Russian Ice Stars and Nicholas Parsons as The Narrator

W L a t IN A rip PL t A o ND

Sug gest ed dona tion

£5

*To be eligible for NSPCC the free prize draw just order a Letter from Santa (no donation necessary).

Full terms and conditions can be found on our website nspcc.org.uk/santa ChildLine is a service provided by the NSPCC. Registered charity numbers 216401 and SC037717. © 2010 Illustration by Jason Chapman. 6659/10.

For a chance of winning a Family Ticket on 23rd December please e-mail editor@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk with your name and contact details.

Order a letter today and make Christmas extra special for a child you know.

This picture frame was made from a rectangle cut from a cardboard box and covered with bits that would normally have been thrown away!

Ideas by Glitterbug

For regular art and craft ideas, follow “glitterbugfun” on twitter www.glitterbugfun.co.uk

Traditional Christmas Market

CHRISTMAS SHOW 2010

Send a Letter from Santa

Collage picture frame

Peterborough – Cathedral Square / City Centre 26 Nov 23 Dec 2010 For the 1st time the Cathedral Square, which is situated right in the centre of the picturesque, medieval City Peterborough, will be transformed into a small traditional Christmas Market. Visitors can enjoy the festive atmosphere, whilst relaxing with a glass of “Glühwein” (German Mulled Wine) and listening to traditional Christmas music. The typical German Sausage “Bratwurst” does not need an introduction. While wandering about, look for and find unusual Christmas presents such as silver jewellery, laquer wood, unique icons or funky hats. Candles in unusual shapes and sizes or creative Swarovski design.

“Bought by you for special people at a special place” Opening hours Monday to Sunday 10.00 – 20.00 (subject to change) info@xmas-markets.com • www.xmas-markets.com

nspcc.org.uk/letter-from-santa

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" Family ® ®

mags proud to be 20 years old Today Families Cambridgeshire is part of a thriving group of franchised magazines across the UK from the Solent to Fife, but twenty years ago it was a much smaller operation. The first issue in October 1990 was a cut and paste affair in black and white— meaning scissors and glue, not copy and paste!!

The very first edition, Families® South West, had a mere 4,000 print run, and colour wasn’t to be seen until Oct 2000.

How things have changed—it would be unthinkable nowadays to have a Families magazine in black & white.

Want To Act, Dance and Sing? Even Star in Your Own Movie?

Try us for

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Even when the experts said that “it would never work in publishing,” Families started franchising the magazine in 1995. There are now 30 editions of Families in the UK and well over 500,000 copies are printed across the group.

But throughout it all, Families has remained true to the original thinking, a hands-on magazine for busy mums with useful information, centred around the local community.

We think (well of course we would) that Families is, and always will be, the best source of local information, news, events and what’s on for parents. You are reading the right publication, well done.

Going on-line and interactive When the World Wide Web beckoned in the late 1990s, we were there. Families has had a web presence from 1997; our own site www.familiesonline.co.uk was launched in 2000 and last December saw a massive re-launch of the website. The Families website is a powerful resource that currently reaches into nearly all areas of the UK. Local editors look after their own local section filled with local articles, listings, discussion forums and free small ads.

Register as a user and find at the bottom of your chosen articles a list of relevant companies local to you. No more searching, the info comes to you. This is simply unique.

Have great fun every Saturday at the The Pauline Quirke Academy.

Why not come along and find out what we are all about.

FIND US AT: Parkside Federation, Cambridge CB1 1EH Saturdays 10am - 1pm

Alternatively please visit our web site or give us a call to find out more...

www.pqacademy.com

084567 32022 It’s almost like having a really knowledgeable friend at virtually every school/nursery gate in the country. So whereas one parent may get some information on self-esteem for older children, another will find exactly where to take a pair of rambunctious toddlers on a rainy Monday.

Nove m be r/D ec e mbe r 2 0 10

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Education B John Lewis Cambridge... fundraising and awareness for Red Balloon Alison was 12, and went to a private girls' school. She loved reading, was good at all her school subjects, and was rather tubby.

For some reason the other girls did not include her in their friendship groups, and she felt isolated and left out – she started refusing to go to school.

Gordon had a best friend John, and one day when they were in Year 8 at their local comprehensive a group of lads went up to them and told Gordon to go away and leave them with John. They had a bone to pick! Gordon refused, knowing full well from past experience what was about to happen, John was about to get beaten up. So instead of walking away he stayed and they both received a thrashing. Gordon’s parents withdrew him from that school – but by then he expected the same behaviour wherever he went.

Alison and Gordon went to Red Balloon in Cambridge, where not only did they feel safe and valued, but also learned how to assert themselves without being aggressive, came to terms with what had happened to them, grew in confidence, became interested in academic work again, and learned strategies to deal with people who were unkind to them or tried to bully them. They both recovered and went on to sixth form college, where they prospered.

John Lewis Cambridge, have been fundraising for Red Balloon over the last year, with great success from their recent event called the ‘5 Park and Ride Challenge’. The challenge was for two teams of five to battle it out across the five Park and Ride sites by different means of transport.

The route relayed was for two runners to run from Trumpington to Madingly, two then drove from Maya Gaudin of John Lewis Cambridge Madingley to Milton, then they raced to the bus in from Milton swapped over at Grafton to head to Newmarket, the cyclist then fought they way to Babraham for the last leg of the race to be walked back to Trumpington.

Maya Gaudin from the Personnel team along with her colleagues in the team organised the event, “It was a fantastic day, a lot of laughs and a great way to fundraise for such a well worth charity.”

15th - 19th November 2010 National Anti Bullying Week www.www.redballoonlearner.co.uk

Red Balloon Learner Centres are set up specifically to help children aged between 10 and 17 who cannot go to school because they have been severely bullied. At least half of the students they take have attempted or seriously considered suicide. They provide a safe environment with clear boundaries for behaviour, an ‘intensive care’ full-time individualised academic, pastoral and therapeutic programme.

Once the students have regained their confidence and are able to cope academically and socially, Red Balloon supports them in their return to mainstream school, their entry to further education or to employment.

There are currently six centres across the UK - in Cambridge, Merseyside, Norwich, Preston and Harrow, with new centres due to open soon in Reading and Warwick.

This years theme during the National Anti Bullying Week is Taking Action Together About Red Ballon The aim of Red Balloons is the recovery of bullied children.

We provide an 'intensive care' full-time education for children aged between 9 and 18 who are unable to go to school because they have been severely bullied.

At least half of the students we take have attempted or seriously considered suicide.

We promise the students whom we accept a safe environment with clear boundaries for behaviour, and an individual full-time academic, pastoral and therapeutic programme.

Christine Kitching and Tash Fulljames of John Lewis Cambridge

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Once the students have regained their confidence and are able to cope academically and socially, we support them in their return to mainstream school, their entry to further education or to employment.

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# What’s on/Events Thursday 4th November

Saturday 20th November

Welney Wetland Centre • Thursday Sunday 18.30

Duxford Imperial War Museum

Floodlit wild swan feeds www.wwt.org.uk/welney

Friday 5th November 2010 Fireworks Frenzy - Santa Pod Raceway, Bedfordshire www.santapod.com 01234 782 828

Fireworks Display - Hatfield House, Hertfordshire

‘How Tommy Coped in the Trenches’ www.iwm.org.uk/duxford 01223 835 000

Saturday/Sunday 20 - 21 November 2010 Christmas Craft Fair Wimpole Hall Set in heated marquees. Perfect opportunity to buy special presents for Christmas.

Adults - £3.50 Children under 14 - free wimpolehall@nationaltrust.org 01223 206 000

wwww.hatfield-house.co.uk 01707 287 010

Saturday 6th November 2010 Firework Fiesta, Peterborough www.fireworkfiesta.com

Cambridgeshire Christmas Craft and Gift Show Wood Green Animal Shelters

Botanic Gardens Cambridge Potty about Plants. £2 per child www.botanic.cam.ac.uk 01223 336 265

www.aztecevents.co.uk 01702 549 623

Tuesday 9th November 2010

Wednesday 1st - Tuesday 21st December 2010 Burwash Manor

At the Secret Garden Christmas Marquee.

5pm-9pm.

This will be the first opportunity to see the shop complete, as well as take advantage of 10% off all purchases on the night. Mulled wine and mince pies will be on offer to help warm you whilst you shop! www.burwashmanor.com

Friday 12th November Sunday 14th November 2010 East of England Christmas Festival, East of England Showground, Peterborough www.eastofengland.org.uk 01733 234 451

Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th November 2010 Festival of Swans - Welney Wetland Centre A feast of art and family fun to celebrate the return of 9,000 migratory Whooper and Berwick’s swans to the Wetlands. 10.00 20.00www.wwt.org.uk/welney

Sunday 14th November Duxford Imperial War Museum Remembrance Sunday Service www.iwm.org.uk/duxford 01223 835 000

Turkey and Tinsel Time Wimpole Hall Waitress served Christmas lunch.

Booking essential wimpolehall@nationaltrust.org 01223 206 000

Thursday 2nd December Sunday 5th December 2010 Burghley Christmas Festival, Burghley House, Cambs www.burghley.co.uk 01780 752 451

Saturday 4th December 2010 Learn the art of ferreting Wimpole Hall 10.00 -16.00. £75 including lunch. Booking essential wimpolehall@nationaltrust.org 01223 206 000

Mill Road Christmas Fair - Mill Road, Cambridge Christmas in the Garden - Botanic Gardens Help make pine cone fairies and snowmen, twiggy stars and berry bauble to decorate the outdoor tree.

11.15 £2.00 per child www.botanic.cam.ac.uk 01223 336 265

Sunday 5th December Eco Christmas Fayre Welney Wetlands Centre Pick up tips on how to celebrate a ‘Green Christmas’, get in some Christmas Shopping and raise money for charity at the same time. www.wwt.org.uk/welney

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# What’s on/Events Wednesday 8th December 2010

Saturday 18th December - Monday 3rd January

Christmas Elves - Wicken Fen

Christmas family activities. Welney Wetland Centre

pre-school elf workshop to help Father Christmas. 10.30 - 12.00. £5.00 includes present. Booking recommended. wickenfen@nationaltrust.org.uk 01353 720 274

Follow a self-led trail out on the reserves and arts & crafts in the pond room. See website for more details. www.wwt.org.uk/welney

Friday 24th December 2010

Friday 10th December 2010 Lantern Lit Christmas Carols and Chestnuts - Wicken Fen 16.00 20.00

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols - Kings College Chapel www.kings.cam.ac.uk 01223 331 100

Make a Christmas Lantern, sing traditional carols and enjoy mulled wine and chestnuts. wickenfen@nationaltrust.org.uk 01353 720 274

Thursday 16th December 2010 Creative Chaos - Kettles Yard Drop in art sessions. 10.00 - 11.30 mail@kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk 01223 748 100

CL ASS I FIE D A D S Do you have unwanted items to sell? Place an advert in our classified section for as little as £30.00 to reach 25,000 readers in Cambridgeshire. Contact editor@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk for more information.

Win a family ticket to see Jack and the Beanstalk at Wicksteed Park for any performance between 11th and 19th December 2010 inclusive (subject to availability).

Wicksteed is one of the oldest leisure parks in the UK having opened in 1921 and is owned by the Wicksteed Trust. The pantomime will feature James Edington as Jack, a finalist from ‘Britain’s Got Talent’.

To enter, simply answer this question “What does Jack exchange for the beans?”

Send you entry to Families Pantomime Competiton, Wicksteed Park Ltd, Barton Road, Kettering, Northants, NN15 6NJ or, panto@wicksteedpark.co.uk stating whether you would be happy to recieve further information from Wicksteed Park.

Peterborough Christmas Market 26.11.2010 - 23.12.2010

In the heart of the city right in front of Peterborough Cathedral, you will find chalets offering handcrafted goods, unique gifts and seasonal specialities such as German Glühwein and Bratwurst.

Please visit our website: www.xmas-markets.com

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