Local news Did you know there is a Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme in Portsmouth? Managed by the Breastfeeding Network and funded by local Public Health, the scheme was created to provide breastfeeding mothers with a comfortable and safe environment in which to breastfeed their babies. Venues and businesses in Portsmouth are invited to join the free scheme, with a commitment to be aware of their responsibilities to avoid discrimination of breastfeeding women under the Equality Act 2010, and to welcome babies of any age to be breastfed in any public area of their premises. A list of all the venues and addresses is available on the Breastfeeding Network website. This is a national scheme which has proven popular with young families planning days out and weekends away in Portsmouth. With a very active social media presence, it is a recognised and highly regarded scheme. If you're interested in joining the scheme contact sophie.kynoch@breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk for more details.
Wildlife Trust teams up with local artist for marine litter sculpture With more marine plastics washing up on our shores each day, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is pleased to announce a new environmental art initiative. As part of its project Secrets of the Solent, which is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Trust is collaborating with local artist Trudi Lloyd Williams to create a sculpture from plastic marine litter. The presence of plastics in the marine environment poses a threat to both people and wildlife. Animals can become entangled in litter or mistake it for food, and over time larger items break down into microplastics that affect smaller organisms. The planned sculpture will help to tackle this problem by removing some of the litter from our local area, as well as encouraging viewers to consider their own plastic use. Trudi has spent over a decade raising awareness about marine plastics through her sculptures and community engagement, making her an ideal collaborator for the Trust’s work on this issue. To ensure that the sculpture reflects the passion and creativity of our coastal residents, it will be made through a programme of community activities. Trudi has given this initiative the name Spiny Seahorses and Ripping Yarns, to evoke the amazing species found in our waters and the stories told by sailors past and present. Over the next few months Trudi and the Trust will hold activities in coastal locations across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Marine litter will be collected through dedicated beach cleans, and catalogued using citizen science methods. Trudi will then guide the creation of the sculpture in public workshops, before the finished piece is installed at Cumberland House Natural History Museum in Portsmouth.
Invisible Goodness Wrapped Up in Fun Perform founder, Lucy Quick tells us more. Perform classes are a bit like a pasta sauce that’s filled with hidden vegetables: kids think it’s really tasty and don’t realise that it’s full of healthy nutrition. I see our classes like this - invisible goodness wrapped up in an hour of games, role-play, dance routines and songs. The children think they’re enjoying an hour of fun but they’re also being equipped with essential confidence-building social skills. We all want our children to be happy, feel confident enough to try new things and interact well with others. Taking part in regular drama activities encourages confident and fluent speaking, boosts reading and writing abilities, and enhances coordination and spatial awareness. Rescuing a mermaid from a pirate ship might seem like just imaginative improvisation for 6 year olds, but it's teaching problem-solving and team-work too. Early drama, dance and singing lessons changed my life and helped shape my vision for Perform - to deliver classes with a specific focus on developing a child’s confidence and social skills - not to create just another drama school. Try a FREE no-obligation drama class in Chichester, Fareham, Petersfield and Waterlooville. Quote SOL300420 for an introductory £40 discount when you book by 30 April. Visit www.perform.org.uk/try to book.
The Emsworth Arts Trail 2020 A Fun Family Day Out! Each year, artists from Emsworth and the surrounding area open their studios and gather in local venues to take part in the Emsworth Arts Trail. Taking place over 2 weekends – the 25/26 April and 2/3 May, this year promises to be an exciting and varied weekend to visit the picturesque harbour town. There are 99 artists taking part in mediums including painting, printmaking, textiles, ceramics, jewellery, glasswork, photography sculpture and even a blacksmith! It is sure to appeal to adults and children alike. The majority of the venues are located within a mile of the town centre, so it is perfect for walking, cycling or scooting around, and there are plenty of cafes and places for refreshment along the way! You can pick up a Trail Guide in Emsworth from March onwards, or go to www.emsworthartstrail.org.uk to plan your visit. Group image below courtesy of Vince Lavender
Christine Taylor, Natural History Curator at Portsmouth Museums, said: “We are really delighted to host the marine litter sculpture. The sea is on the doorstep of the museum and we hope visitors will make the very visual connection between the sculpture in front of them and where the plastics and other marine litter materials to create it have come from.” Spiny Seahorses and Ripping Yarns forms part of Secrets of the Solent, a four-year project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. More information can be found at www.hiwwt.org.uk/SecretsoftheSolent Trudi Lloyd Williams courtesy of HIWWT 4 F amilies Solent East
familiesonline.co.uk
