Families NWSB - Issue 3 - November/December 2014

The really useful, FREE magazine for parents of 0-12 year olds‌ pick up your copy today!

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Issue 3 November/December 2014 www.familiesnwsb.co.uk

North Wales Shropshire Borders

Local gift shopping guide!

Where to find Father Christmas!

Win: family Panto tickets and more!

Covering Denbigh, Ruthin, Mold, Buckley, Wrexham, Llangollen, Corwen, Chirk, Oswestry, Ellesmere, and surrounding villages.

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North Wales Shropshire Borders Front cover image © Pixabay.com All content © Families NWSB Families NWSB contact details: Tel: Website: Email:

07472 245731 www.familiesnwsb.co.uk editor@familiesnwsb.co.uk

Circulation: 12,000 copies of Families North Wales Shropshire Borders are distributed through nurseries, schools, libraries, selected shops and other child-related venues throughout Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham and North-West Shropshire. If you would like free copies for your organisation please let us know.

Printer: Russell Press Ltd. www.russellpress.com 0115 978 4505 Families North Wales Shropshire Borders 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.

Enquiries: If you have a query about editorial content, What’s On listings or our advertising opportunities please get in touch.

We take every care preparing this magazine, but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequences.

Next issue: January/February 2015.

Deadline: early December.

Any original materials submitted for publication are sent at owner’s own risk and, while every care is taken, neither Families not its agents accept liability for loss or damage.

Scan the QR code to go to our website, where you can search our What’s On listings, enter our competitions, and more.

@FamiliesNWSB

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Family News…

New family-friendly cafe for Oswestry

Help stamp out bullying National Anti-Bullying Week takes place from 17th to 21st November, with this year’s theme being Let’s Stop Bullying Together. The Anti-Bullying Week website is packed with resources for schools, parents and children, plus online workshops and short films on how to survive bullying.

Why not take part in their Anti-Bullying Competition, too? ‘Let’s Stop Bullying Together’ is an exciting opportunity for children to get involved in Anti-Bullying Week by designing a gadget, drawing a picture, writing a story, song or poem, taking a photo, or shooting a film or documentary. Entries can be fun, entertaining, serious, creative, colourful or futuristic, so get stuck in now for the chance to win a prize.

Baby Bird Café is a new community interest company and family-focused café and play space for young families, located on Cross Street in Oswestry town centre.

The cafe provides a relaxed and informal place where parents and carers can bring children safe in the knowledge that they can run around and mash as much food into the seats as they like – and nobody will mind!

There is a great selection of lunch and snack options, and some amazing locally made cakes. Food and coffee, wherever possible, has been locally sourced, as it's important to owner Katie to support other local businesses as well.

Photo credit: WCBC Play Team

Birthday parties are available, with children participating in a themed craft activity, and the cafe also hosts children’s drop-in craft activities at weekends and during the school holidays, or during the week for nurseries and childminders. www.babybirdcafe.co.uk

Bullying can happen to anyone at any age and at any time. National AntiBullying Week recommends ChildLine as an excellent resource on how to spot bullying, possible reasons of why bullying occurs and suggestions on how to stop it. ChildLine offers free support 24 hours a day on 0800 1111 or www.childline.co.uk.

Find out more about bullying and how to stop it, as well as everything you need to know about Anti-Bullying Week

A natural approach to healthcare...

Does your little one struggle with tummy trouble? Are they irritable or fractious for no reason? Perhaps Osteopathy can help.

A safe and natural approach to healthcare for all life stages, Osteopathy centres on the principle that the body constantly strives to maintain a healthy balance, and aims to treat the person as a whole - not just the presenting condition.

Birth is one of the most stressful events on our bodies, and not just for the mother, since the baby is subject to enormous forces as the uterus pushes to expel them.

During delivery the baby’s head has the remarkable ability to absorb these

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©Fiona Barnes, Moghill Web Services

stresses; the soft bones overlap as the baby descends, and many 'odd' shaped heads resolve themselves in the first few days as babies suckle, cry and yawn.

Often, however, this 'un-moulding' process can be incomplete, and as a result the infant and growing child may have to live with some very uncomfortable stresses within the head and body, which can leave them vulnerable to other health problems. For example, postural imbalances from asymmetry in the head, neck and body can give discomfort that causes children to fidget and makes concentrating difficult.

Wishing a Happy Birthday…

To local craft cafe Rascals Retreat, in Rhostyllen, which celebrated its first birthday on 15th October by running a competition to win a free creative birthday party. What a fantastic way to celebrate!

To find out more about Rascals Retreat and their party packages visit www.rascalsretreat.co.uk

Get stickered up… …with The Sticker Club, a new subscription club delivering high quality stickers to children each week. Two dads have drawn upon their successful entrepreneurial backgrounds to launch the club after spotting the growing desire for parents to encourage imaginative play through non-digital resources. The Sticker Club’s eye-catching designs are fantastic, with exciting themes from robots and aliens to animals and transport, and more.

The concept is simple - sign up and each week you will receive 9 sticker sheets with a minimum of 40 stickers per week. That's over 2000 stickers per year! All you have to do is decide where to stick them! www.thestickerclub.com

subtle rhythmical shape changes that occur throughout the body's tissues, so that any strains or tension the body is carrying can be gently released. For more details contact Claire on 07792 367507 or visit www.childrensosteopathy.co.uk

Claire Arnold is a Registered Osteopath who specialises in Cranial Osteopathy for babies and children, using a finely developed sense of touch to feel the very

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Family News…

New dates for Baby & Children’s Market Nearly-New Sales...

If you’ve not yet been to a Baby and Children's Market you’re missing out! Baby and Children’s Markets are the original pop-up nearly-new sales where smart parents buy, sell and save a fortune on children’s items!

Mums and dads attend the markets to sell their good quality nearly-new baby and children's items to other money-savvy parents - it’s a great way to both make and save money for growing families. There are also a number of local and national family-focused businesses showcasing their unique products and services on the day.

For sellers it’s the perfect opportunity to have a clear out and earn some extra cash by selling their gently used children's items, and helping the environment by reducing waste at the same time! Sellers take home 100% profit on the day.

For buyers it’s a great way to save a fortune and gain top quality children’s brands for less!

The easier way to dress your bump…

It’s not always easy to look stylish when you’re expecting or breastfeeding, especially when you’ve got a special event to dress for. Now, award-winning fashion stylist, Lisa Talbot is relishing her latest style challenge by helping dress beautiful bumps with the re-launch of boutique maternity hire company ‘Hire Expectations’.

fabulous and feel confident without the high price tag.”

Hire Expectations enables women to hire stylish maternity and breastfeeding occasion wear, the perfect alternative to purchasing a dress you may only need to wear once.

For more information visit www.hireexpectations.co.uk

Across the UK over 6,000 children are waiting to find an adoptive family, but for 1 in 4 it is likely to remain only a dream, and for every year a child waits their chances of being adopted reduce by 20%.

This year’s National Adoption Week, taking place from 2nd - 9th November, hopes to change that, reaching people across the UK who want to know more about adoption and reminding them about the difference adoption can make to a child’s life. The National Adoption Week website is packed with advice and support for people thinking of adopting a child, as well as help for adopted children, birth parents and adoptive parents.

system and ensure more children get a stable loving home without delay. ‘We’ve seen promising progress in the last 12 months – a significant rise in adoptions and a huge increase in the number of adopters,’ said Children and Families Minister Edward Timpson, who has 2 adopted brothers, ‘but I’m determined to do everything in my power to make sure the 6,000 children waiting are offered safe and caring homes... with a new loving family much more quickly'.The overhaul will remove barriers by ensuring ethnicity is not prioritised over other factors, as well as enabling approved adopters to actively search for children they could provide a family for, and allowing children to move in with their adoptive family much earlier.

National Adoption Week is particularly relevant this year as new rules have just been introduced to speed up the adoption

Find out more at www.first4adoption.org.uk and www.nationaladoptionweek.org.uk

National Adoption Week Explore the power of film with Into Film Festival 2014. Taking place from 4th to 21st November, this three-week festival is packed with free screenings and workshops for ages 5-19, with highlights including exclusive premieres and previews of new feature films, workshops, special events and Q&A sessions with industry experts, accompanied by innovative teaching resources.

Highlighting both the educational power of film and the magic of cinema, the festival is open to schools, parents and youth groups and offers a wealth of opportunities for a fun and stimulating day out.

Hire charges range from just £26.00 to a maximum of £55.00, making it the affordable way to dress that bump.

Lisa Talbot said, “First and foremost Hire Expectations is about offering good quality, stylish, great fitting garments for women throughout all stages of their pregnancy . She continued, “My personal style experience will bring a new direction to the business and we will continue to strive to help pregnant women look

Check out our What’s On listings on pages 10-11 for market dates and venues in November and December.

Free film festival...

The outfits available are ideal for special events such as Christmas parties and birthdays, weddings and christenings.

The event hopes to build on the success of last year’s festival, which saw over 200,000 young people attending over 1,300 special screenings and events across the UK. Book now at www.intofilm.org/festival

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Reader Competitions…

Win a fabulous family day out!

We’ve got not one, but THREE brilliant competitions for you this issue, with the opportunity to win family tickets to one of three fantastic local events!

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Win

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Win! A family ticket to

Erddig Hall e icket to se A family t al the magic

Cinderella !

ymru at Venue C

to experience the spectacular A famil

y ticket

to Chirk C astle’s fabulou sm Christm edieval as fayre !

To enter the competitions go to www.familiesnwsb.co.uk - smartphone users can scan the QR code inside the front cover to go straight there.

Pob lwc - Good luck!

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Shop Local this Christmas…

Shop locally this Christmas and give more than just gifts...

Christmas is upon us once again, and unless you are amazingly prepared and have bought all your presents already, there's shopping to be done! The big retailers have been bombarding us for weeks, and you can rarely walk down the street or switch on the television without seeing adverts for this year's Christmas must-haves.

But what about the small, local, independent retailers? Those businesses which are owned and run by local residents, often parents who aren’t trying to make millions in profits, but simply want to feed, clothe and support their own families. Small businesses easily get 'lost' in the hubbub of Christmas, when really it's a time of the year when we should be using them just as much, if not more, than usual.

smaller profits themselves, sometimes even selling at a loss.

Enjoyable shopping But what about the things that the big businesses don't offer? These are the things that small businesses generally excel at providing – handmade goods and locally produced items, in-depth product knowledge and personalised advice, customer service, a friendly and enjoyable shopping experience. You may not get the lowest prices, but you do get excellent value for money.

Supporting the local economy Added to all of this, when you buy local you are making an important contribution to your local economy. Spending money with local businesses causes a rippleeffect, as those businesses in turn spend locally, and on and on. Various research has been undertaken, with results showing that when £10 is spent in a local shop, between £16 and £50 goes back into the local economy, helping to improve local prosperity and create jobs.

Small Business Saturday Small Business Saturday UK is a grassroots, non-political, non-commercial campaign, which highlights small business success and encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in their communities. The day itself takes place on the first shopping Saturday in December each year, but the campaign aims to have a lasting impact on small businesses. In 2014 Small Business Saturday UK will take place on Saturday December 6th.

Yes, the large supermarkets and online retailers can offer price savings, because they are big and they have bulk-buying power. But they don't offer low prices to save you money, they offer them to make more profit for themselves, by offering loss leaders, or by negotiating lower prices from their suppliers, who then haggle with the manufacturers, who end up making

Will you shop local this Christmas?

Shopping locally gives you: Handmade goods Made by local craftspeople, these are often one-of-a-kind items that you won't find in the big retailers.

In-depth product knowledge and advice Small business owners often have a better knowledge of the lines they stock, for example which clothing brands 'run large' and which are true to size, or which shoes offer the best fit for narrow feet, for example.

Customer service Love the item but don't like the colour? Independent retailers are often happy to order in products in other colours or sizes for you, and they usually deal with any complaints or problems in a far friendlier way than bigger businesses do, as they really value your custom.

A more enjoyable shopping experience Local business owners (and their staff) frequently like to take the time to chat and get to know customers and their buying preferences, which makes for a far nicer experience for everyone.

Stronger community ties Shopping locally helps to create town centres which are more sustainable and vibrant, meaning people feel part of the community. Local businesses are also often more willing than larger chains are to support local causes that have more meaning to them, and the area in which they live and work.

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Local Shopping Directory…

Bookshops Booka Bookshop Oswestry, 01691 662244 www.bookabookshop.co.uk Courtyard Books Llangollen, 01978 869394 Mold Bookshop Mold, 01352 759879 www.moldbookshop.co.uk Ruthin Bookshop Ruthin, 01824 703840

Children’s Clothing & Equipment Babs&Tots Babywear Oswestry, 01691 657889 www.facebook.com/babsandtotsoswestry Belladorium Online, 07581 780063 www.belladorium.co.uk Boobox Mold, 01352 750800 www.boobox.co.uk Gooseberry Boutique Oswestry, 01691 662604 www.gooseberryonline.co.uk Harris Toys Ruthin, 01824 702320 Little Lily & Co. Llandudno, 01492 544972 www.little-lilys.co.uk ProAdventure Quality outdoor clothing and footwear for all the family, plus a huge range of specialist outdoor equipment and gifts.

Llangollen, 01978 860605 www.proadventure.co.uk Slings for Parents Online www.slingsforparents.co.uk The Mondays Child Online, 07712 669245 www.themondayschild.co.uk Uber Kids Wrexham, 0843 208 2180 www.uberkids.co.uk

Food & Edible Gifts Baileys Delicatessen Fine gourmet Welsh produce, with plenty of ideas for gifts for foodies.

Hampers made to order.

Llangollen, 01978 860617 www.facebook.com/BaileysLlangollen

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Bellis Brothers Farm Shop Holt, 01829 270302 www.bellisbrothers.co.uk

Make the Most Of Denbigh, 01745 797647 www.makethemostof.co.uk

Cakes by Lowri Cefn Mawr, 07815 954777 www.cakesbylowri.co.uk

Shop in the Clouds Llandegla, 01978 790445 www.shopintheclouds.com

Cut the Cake Kitchen (Ellesmere 07792 673606 www.cutthecakekitchen.co.uk

The Gates Gifts Oswestry, 01691 680203 www.thegatesgifts.com

Denbigh Chocolate Shop Denbigh, 01745 814864 www.denbighchocolateshop.com

The Plassey Eyton, 01978 780277 www.plassey.com

EmzCakes Wrexham, 01978 366668 www.emzcakes.com Home Farm Overton, 01978 710141 www.homefarmoverton.co.uk Jellybean Cake Shop Ellesmere, 01691 624428 www.jellybeancakes.com NV Cakes Rhostyllen, 07710 788711 www.facebook.com/nvcakes Rhug Estate Farm Shop & Café Corwen, 01490 413000 www.rhug.co.uk Spavens Sweet Shop Mold, 01352 752695 www.spavens.co.uk

Gifts & Handmade Crafts CootchyBaby Bespoke handmade personalised items to meet your precious baby’s needs, from newborns to tots.

Cefn Mawr, 07773 582233 www.facebook.com/CootchyBaby eden with pencils Limited edition wooden art and seasonal prints for home and bedroom decoration, uniquely illustrated and designed by Yvie in Denbigh.

Online. www.facebook.com/edenwithpencils

Wee Cuddles by Clare Online, 07966 209015 www.weecuddlesbyclare.co.uk

Health, Beauty & Wellbeing PeppyPlant Vegan-certified, gluten-free, dairy-free and botanical personal products including cosmetics, skincare, and haircare. Personal consultations available in and around Denbigh.

Online. www.facebook.com/peppyplant Tropic Skincare Wrexham, 07969 303176 www.facebook.com/tropicwrexham

Photographers Byrom Photographics Corwen, 01824 750648 www.byromphotographics.co.uk CameraCat Studios Northop, 01352 840863 www.cameracat.co.uk Celynnen Photography Wrexham, 01978 758501 www.celynnenphotography.co.uk Jade Langton Evans Photography Oswestry, 07792 615658 www.jadelangtonevans.co.uk Love Luella Photography Ruthin, 07805 833182 www.loveluellaphotography.co.uk

Glass Onion Denbigh 07715 545564 www.glassonioncafe.co.uk

Photography by Michael Cefn Mawr, 01978 820700 www.photobymichael.co.uk

Honey Pots Llangollen, 01978 869008 Oswestry, 01691 655231 www.honey-pots.com

Phil Rees Photography Eyton, 07969 390369 www.philreesphotography.co.uk

Little Miss Craftypants Online, 07903 311313 www.facebook.com/LMCP

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Simon Everett Photography Overton, 07833 476296 www.facebook.com/simoneverettphoto

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Guide to Buying a Child’s Bike…

It’s coming up to Christmas, and bikes are always a popular Christmas gift, so Andrew Abbess gives us his top tips on buying a child's bike… both of these the bike is too big so get a smaller one which does fit.

3. Are the brake handles scaled for children’s hands?

Many cheap bikes for children use adult sized components, but children often can’t get more than the ends of their finger tips onto the brake handles. This means they are not able to put enough pressure on the brakes to stop the bike in an emergency. Mum or dad might be able to put the brakes on but it’s the child who will be riding it. It is best if the child who is going to be riding the bike does a brake check before purchase, or have an adult try the brakes only using their little finger – that is the rough equivalent of a child’s grip strength.

Having done bike safety checks on hundreds of kids bikes I recommend you ask the following questions before buying that new children’s bike.

1. How heavy is the bike?

A bike that is so heavy that the child struggles to pick it up when it is laid down or to lift the front wheel over a kerb will be very hard work to ride. As a result cycling is not fun and the bike will hardly get used – eventually you will find it at the back of the shed still looking brand new and your children will have outgrown it. A bike that hardly gets used is not a bargain.

2. Does the bike fit the child?

Can your child get a foot on the ground when sitting on the saddle (both feet if they are learners)? Can they stand in front of the saddle with both feet on the floor and straddle the top tube? If they can’t do

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4. How many gears do you need?

Few children at primary school will properly manage bikes which have gears on both the rear wheel and on the chain rings by the pedals. Get a bike with a wide range rear block of about 8 gears and a single chain ring at the front. They will more quickly understand how to use gears and have fewer mechanical problems.

5. Do you need really need suspension?

All their mates have a bike with full suspension, so full suspension “must” be better. But it is fashion and peer pressure that is driving the move to have suspension on most kids bikes. Be suspicious of suspension on cheap bikes, especially rear suspension. Cheap suspension is often of such poor quality that the only thing it does is add weight to the bike. You do not need suspension to ride around town, on off-road canal towpaths or forestry tracks.

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What’s On…

We have taken every care in preparing the listings in this magazine but sometimes events

Jack and the Beanstalk

Christmas Fairs & Markets

Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold, CH7 1YA 28th-29th November, 1st- 6th, 8th-13th, 15th20th, 22nd-24th, 26th-27th December, 29th December - 3rd January, 5th-10th January

Oswestry Christmas Lights Bailey Head, Oswestry, SY11 1PZ 20th November, 4:00pm onwards

A Rock and Roll pantomime full of slapstick fun, jokes and laughter. Can Jack slay the Giant, make his fortune and marry Jill? Festive fun for all ages from 5 years upwards. See website for prices.

Christmas is arriving in Oswestry! Local school choirs and performers celebrate the switching on of the lights on the Bailey Head in this annual family event.

www.clwyd-theatr-cymru.co.uk

www.oswestry-tc.gov.uk

Mold Christmas Lights Mold High Street & Daniel Owen Square 25th November, 3:45pm-9:00pm

The Christmas lights are due to be turned on by Father Christmas at 6.00pm in the Daniel Owen Square. There will also be a fun fair on the High Street, with the local junior and High Schools invited to sing from 3.45pm on the Daniel Owen Square.

Ellesmere Winter Festival Town Centre, Ellesmere, 28th November, 6:00pm onwards

There’s plenty of fun for all the family, with carol singers, the Christmas parade and the switching on of the Tree of Lights, plus late night shopping, stalls in the Market Hall, donkey rides, hot food and lots more!

Oh no it isn’t...Oh yes it is!

Wrexham Christmas Market Church Street and St Giles' Church, Wrexham Thursday 11 December, 12:00pm–8:00pm

A huge variety of stalls selling toys, candles, jewellery, books, cards, crafts, Christmas decorations, freshly cut trees, plants, pottery, local produce, freshly cooked Welsh cakes, mulled wine, hot chestnuts and lots more. www.wrexham.gov.uk

Town Centre, Llangollen, LL20 8NU 29th November, 12:00pm-5:00pm

Llangollen’s annual Christmas festival, with a parade, Sion Corn's grotto, craft and refreshment stalls, and entertainment in the streets, ending with a fireworks display after the Christmas lights are switched on.

Free (£4 per child for a ticket to Sion Corn's grotto). www.llangollen.org.uk

Glyn Ceiriog Christmas Fair Canolfan Ceiriog, LL20 7HE 29th November, 10:00am-2:00pm

There will be a baddie to boo, a hero to cheer, songs to sing along with and lots of festive surprises when you join the fun in this classic fairytale.

See www.glyndwr.ac.uk/events for prices Performances - 6th, 9th-11th, 13th-18th, 20th-24th, 26th-27th December; performance times vary.

Pantomimes

It’s behind you!

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a pantomine, and this season’s show at Venue Cymru is the family favourite Cinderella; an enchanting tale where spells are cast and dreams can come true, starring international pop legend Jimmy Osmond as Cinderella’s father, Baron Hardup.

Llangollen Christmas Festival

Tick, tock, tick, tock, panto time is fast approaching - along with the most spectacular pantomine Ball ever to be seen in Wrexham!

Snow White Theatr Stiwt Theatre, Wrexham, LL14 1RB 10th-14th, 16th-24th, 26th-30th December

This year's panto at the Stiwt is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, a show that promises to deliver the mix of fun and traditional pantomime with a fresh and current twist. See organiser's website for prices. www.stiwt.com

Venue Cymru is delighted to announce their first-ever ‘relaxed performance’ of a pantomime, specifically designed to welcome people with a learning disability, Down’s Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Condition or sensory and communication disorders and their families. There is a relaxed attitude to noise and movement and some small changes will be made to the light and sound effects.

Wrexham Santa's Grotto

See www.venuecymru.co.uk for prices

The Shropshire Santa Experience

Standard performances - 13th, 15th18th, 20th-24th, 26th-31st December, 2nd4th January, show times vary.

Relaxed performance - 2nd January at 1.00pm.

See page 7 for your chance to win a family ticket to Cinderella at Venue Cymru this Christmas!

Where to meet Santa

The People's Market, Chester Street, Wrexham.

Opens Saturday 6 December. Mon–Sat: 11:00am – 4:00pm, Christmas Eve: 10:00am – 12:00pm

Meet Father Christmas and his helpers.

Tickets £4.50. www.wrexham.gov.uk Park Hall Countryside Experience, Oswestry, SY11 4AS 29th-30th November, 6th-7th, 13th-14th, 20th24th December. Visits from 10.30am-3.30pm

Capturing the delight of Christmas for both children and parents, a truly magical experience awaits young visitors when they meet Father Christmas in his enchanting grotto at Park Hall. www.parkhallfarm.co.uk

Annual Christmas market with Santa, stalls, local craft and produce, café open for bacon baps, snacks and refreshments. www.canolfanceiriog.org

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What’s On…

are cancelled or times or prices change, so please double check details before setting out.

Christmas Fun

Frozen - Musical Theatre Workshop

Loggerheads Country Park, near Mold, CH7 5LH 6th, 13th, 20th December, 11:00am-4:00pm

Llangollen Town Hall, Llangollen, LL20 8NU 22nd-23rd December, 10:00am-4:00pm

Meet Father Christmas, make a Christmas treat and explore the winter woodland trail. Booking essential, £7 per child, tickets are timed and visits last for 1 hour.

Join Anna, Elsa, Sven, Hans and Olaf in a fantastically fun two day musical theatre workshop. For boys and girls aged 6+ who enjoy singing, dancing and acting.

Booking essential, £39 for two days.

Contact Julie on 01978 860300.

www.plasderwforestschool.co.uk

Seasonal Fun

Experience Christmas the National Trust way…

Escaping the high street has never been more inviting. This year, Chirk Castle and Erddig are offering an array of unforgettable Christmas experiences for families to enjoy.

Beautiful light installations and effects will illuminate Erddig’s 13.5-acre walled garden with festive food, music and plenty of good cheer. With the house as a back-drop, Erddig Glow will reveal the Victorian parterre, avenues of pleached limes, grand lawns and iconic topiary as they have never been seen before.

At Chirk Castle, they’ll be serving up a traditional medieval Christmas with all the trimmings. The castle courtyard will be transformed into a medieval feast for the senses, with the smells, sounds, sights and tastes of traditional medieval festivities.

Erddig Glow 4th-21st December, 5:30pm-8:30pm, Adult £10, Child 5-16 years £5, Under 5s free, Family £25 (2 adults & 2 children).

Booking essential .Tickets are timed to ensure everyone has an enjoyable experience.

Baby and Children’s Markets…

If Christmas has already cost you a fortune or you haven't started yet then a Baby and Children's Market is your answer! Sellers will be primed for buyers looking for Christmas presents that can be opened on Christmas morning, so they are asked to bring only toys, books, equipment and clothing that is in tip-top condition, and that toys with batteries can be seen working on the day, so you can be assured that you are taking home items in perfect condition!

Venues do not have cash machines, so please ensure you bring plenty of cash with you on the day. £1 entry, children free.

All aboard for Lapland!

Santa is making his special annual visit to Llangollen Railway! Your decorated steam train will transport you in style from Llangollen Station to Carrog (renamed Lapland for Santa’s visit).

Northop Glyndwr University, Northop CH65 0AZ 6th December, 10:00am-12:00pm Wrexham Glyndwr University, Mold Road, Wrexham, LL11 2AW 22nd November, 10:00am-12:00pm

Santa will give each good boy and girl a special gift on the journey, and the adults onboard receive a mince pie and mulled wine from Santa’s Little Helpers.

Don’t forget to wrap up warm, it can get a little chilly!

6th-7th, 13th-14th, 20th-24th December 11:00am, 11:55am, 1:35pm, 2:30pm £16pp (under 1 year old free)

Themed Arts and Crafts Workshops Baby Bird Cafe, Cross St, Oswestry, SY11 2NF 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th November, 10:00am3:00pm (drop In sessions)

Themed sessions in the children's area, with a workshop leader. Let your little ones have fun and create a mess whilst you enjoy a cuppa and a slice of something nice! £1.50 per child, with a finished craft item to take home afterwards.

Chirk Medieval Christmas 13th -21st December, 10:00am-4:00pm.

Normal admission charges apply.

Booking not required.

Themes:

See page 7 for your chance to win a family ticket to either Erddig Glow or Chirk Medieval Christmas!

Martin Christie

Check out our searchable

2nd: Rockets and Fireworks 9th: Crazy Kaleidoscopes 16th: Marvellous Mugs 23rd: Advent Calendars 30th: Christmas cards If you know of any fun or interesting family events happening in January or February that you think we should include in next issue’s What’s On guide, please email us on editor@familiesnwsb.co.uk and let us know, so that we can help spread the word!

What’s On calendar at www.familiesnwsb.co.uk www.familiesnwsb.co.uk

Other Events

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The Do’s and Don’ts of a Happy Family Christmas…

In the run-up to Christmas it’s all too easy to see it with rose-tinted glasses, and forget that, actually, it can be quite a stressful time of year! Sarah Butters, Editor of Families Leeds magazine, shares her essential ‘do’s and don’ts’ of the season…

Remind yourself that it’s not about the money you spend on each other, it’s about the time you spend with each other.

DON’T expect it to be perfect!

Like it or not, your Christmas will not be perfect. You will over cook the turkey, under cook the pudding and end up sobbing into a huge glass of Sauvignon Blanc because your mother-in-law has criticized your gravy. But because you’ve put so much time and effort into hosting the perfect Christmas, the disappointment at the odd hiccup is overwhelming. Start the festive period accepting that you’re not Nigella and that it won’t be perfect, and you will enjoy the parts that go well.

DO try and relax!

By the time Christmas Day arrives, most of us are exhausted. You’ve probably spent the weeks prior to the big day shopping, baking everything that Jamie suggested in his Christmas special, and ferrying the family from one festive event to the next.

Earmark some time for you. It’s supposed to be a holiday!

DO make your own traditions!

Every family has it’s own way of celebrating. Whether it’s a trip to the local crib service on Christmas Eve, or a day of Christmas baking on the Sunday before the festivities begin, it’s up to YOU to create your traditions. A great idea I’ve taken from a friend is the Christmas Eve hamper. This is a basket left by one of ‘Santa’s helpers’, filled with goodies to enjoy on the night before Christmas. In it are festive pyjamas for the children, new tooth brushes, a mug to make hot chocolate and a DVD for the family to watch. It’s the perfect kit to help kick start Christmas.

DO get out and about!

You are not under house arrest over the festive period. We shouldn’t be surprised that if you fill your home with relatives you rarely see and then lock the door, there will be arguments. Add some wine and the results are anything but festive. Don’t be afraid of getting wrapped up and heading out for a bracing walk, to clear the house and let the little ones run off some steam.

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DO enjoy the preparation!

If you’re not careful, baking the cake, decorating the house and dressing the tree can begin to feel like a chore. Don’t let it become hard work. Give yourself the time to enjoy it and accept that with a little help from your little ones you can create some lovely Christmas memories.

Ok, you won’t have a cake fit for Delia.

There’ll be precious few needles left on the tree and your house will resemble the aftermath of a children’s birthday party.

But despite the imperfections you’ll have happy children - now that’s a happy Christmas.

DON’T expect children to be angels!

They’ve broken up from school about to burst with excitement about the arrival of Santa. You’ve been using the ‘if you’re not good, Santa won’t come’ line since Easter, and then the presents are opened and your little angels turn into little devils.

Rules and routine are thrown out of the window so that relatives can be entertained and trips can be taken.

Combine that with too many treats and lots of attention from well-meaning visitors, and the magic of Christmas can disappear pretty quickly! Try not to let all discipline go out of the window and if you sense that there’s a tantrum on the way, remove your child from the mayhem.

DO give out jobs!

A resentful host is not a happy host, so when you do your pre-Christmas shopping list make sure you also write a list of jobs you’ll need doing on the big day. If you know your mother-in-law has a view about your Yorkshire puddings, set her to work making some better ones (remember, a busy cook is often a quiet cook!).

DO laugh!

Forget the stress of present buying and preparing a feast fit for a royalty, and take a minute to laugh. Remember, when you strip away all the tinsel and tat this is about preparing one meal, on one day of the year, with decorations and a gift or two. And if you’re finding smiling hard, try using our favourite Christmas Cracker joke to cheer you up: Q. What’s Santa’s favourite pizza?

A. One that’s deep-pan, crisp and even.

DON’T stress about the presents!

So you haven’t been able to find the latest Transformer or bag a Buzz Lightyear doll.

Before you beat yourself, ask yourself this.

Do you remember the presents you didn’t get when you were a child? Or do you remember the experiences you had.? My Christmas memories are preparing lunch with my wonderful Nana and attempting to wake my King Charles Cavalier after he’d drunk the best part of a bottle of Blue Nun. YOUR kids will remember the laughter and the love, and so will you.

Happy Christmas!

DONT waste money!

Let’s face it, this is going to be a tough year for all of us. We all want to give our children everything on their list, but many won’t be able to. Most of us will be celebrating making it to the 25th December with a job and a roof over our heads. However, you can still enjoy the festivities while being frugal. Organise a ‘secret Santa’ (with a spending limit) for adult family members. Or simply suggest that you only buy for the family’s children.

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A Family Christmas…

Start a new family tradition this Christmas...

Opening the advent calendar and counting down the days until Christmas is always exciting for little ones, but for us parents having to either try and refuse chocolate before school, or defuse the arguments over whose turn it is today – or both! - it can be less than fun. So why not forgo the chocolate this year, and make a Christmas activity advent calendar instead?

11 Colour in Christmas printables (you can find plenty of free ones online)

12 Dance around the living room to your favourite Christmas music

13 Make 'Jingle Bell' bracelets (thread small bells onto a pipe cleaner)

Write a list of different Christmas-themed or special activities that you can enjoy as a family, and put one activity in each day of the advent calendar. You can make them as simple or as elaborate as you like – whatever works for you! If your children are usually tired after school try and keep the weekday activities quieter, then you can enjoy the more active ones at the weekend.

If you're stuck for inspiration we've come up with some ideas to get you started...

1 Decorate the Christmas tree 2 Make paper snowflakes 3 Bake and decorate gingerbread men 4 Write a Christmas poem 5 Create a collage with Christmas stickers 6 Go sledging and have a snowball fight 7 Make salt dough decorations

8 Donate some toys to charity 9 Make Christmas wrapping paper (potato-prints on brown paper)

10 Make Christmas cards

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14 Bake mince pies 15 Visit your local garden centre's Winter Wonderland

16 Make a crafty Christmas tree (shape green paper into a cone and decorate with pom poms, sequins, etc.)

22 Make 'reindeer food' (oats, raisins and glitter)

23 Watch 'The Snowman' (don't panic if you haven't got it on DVD, it's on Youtube!)

24 Visit a local Christmas festival (see our Christmas events listings on pages 10-11) Handy tip: Keep a separate list of which activities you've put in each day, so that you can refer back to it and swap them around if necessary (helpful if you've chosen sledging as an activity but it doesn't snow!).

17 Make handprint baubles for grandparents

18 Have a 'candle-lit' bubble bath with LED tea-lights or glow-sticks (make sure the tea-lights can't fall into the bath)

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In the next issue:

19 Go to the library for Christmas books 20 Make snowman pictures with cotton wool

21 Turn yourselves into dancing elves at www.jibjab.com

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• New Year, New You • Childcare feature • Half-Term events listings …and more!

Issue 4 January/February will be distributed during the first week of January…

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Families in Business…

Vickyanne Tomkiss, 35, runs Nyam4Success (Nyam means hungry in Jamaican patois), which operates under the umbrella of Forever Living, a global company that manufactures and distributes quality aloe vera products via network marketing, a business model that uses personal recommendation to promote and retail products or services.

How did you come to start up your business?

Before having my son I was a Regional Training Manager for an international hospitality company in Jamaica, which despite being very enjoyable meant working 80 hour weeks with only 2 weeks holiday per year. I certainly didn’t feel that I was achieving the work/life balance that I wanted.

I first came across Forever Living when I was on maternity leave and wanting something that could supplement my income. Over the last 10 months I have grown my business from a small flexible part time side-line to an incredibly successful, international business with a

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team of 20 individuals working under me, some of whom are achieving incredible things for themselves. Forever has enabled me to leave my corporate career and work part-time whilst earning a fulltime income, which gives me all the family time I want.

What do you enjoy about running your own business?

I love the flexible hours, lack of commute and the valuable extra time I get to spend with my son, but most of all it's the satisfaction I get from coaching and mentoring my global team to achieve their own goals.

What was the best advice you were ever given when you started up?

Never quit! Work hard, and give it at least 12 months, and you will not recognize your business or your life!

What advice would you give to someone considering starting up their own business?

If you’re planning to start up your own business from home it’s crucial to keep control – you must plan ahead to enable you to stay focused and juggle the boundaries between work and home. I have a very simple way of doing this with

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coloured highlighters in my diary – orange for training sessions that I'm either delivering or attending; green for time when I'm available for appointments, and pink for 'me time', whether that's exercising, reading a book, or playing with my son. It’s easy to see what I'm doing each day and stops me stressing from having a messy diary – simple but successful, just how I like it!

What are your favourite family activities?

My son and I have so much fun together and our week is jam packed with Baby Sensory classes, baby swimming lessons, and Rhythm Time classes with the fantastic Ryan, who makes our Tuesday mornings so much fun, singing, playing instruments and hanging out with Rat-atat the puppet rabbit! We also love going to Baby Bird Café in Oswestry; the staff are friendly and welcoming, and it's a relaxing atmosphere to catch up with my mummy friends over coffee and cake, whilst our little ones play safely in a stimulating environment.

Vickyanne is recruiting ambitious people to join her successful team – see her advert on page 2 for details of her current opportunities.

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