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News & views
The Corn Exchange Newbury Panto is back and full of beans!
Head to the Corn Exchange Newbury this festive season for a pantomime adventure full of Fee Fi Fo Fun for all the family in Jack and the Beanstalk!
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When Jack sells the beloved family cow for some magic beans, a beanstalk climbing adventure begins! But as Jack reaches the top, he finds a mystical castle in the clouds… and a very unfriendly giant who has some very unfriendly plans. Can Jack and the gang defeat the giant? And will they become rich beyond their wildest dreams?
Dream team, Plested, Brown and Wilsher, have delighted Newbury audiences for the last three years with their hilarious and fresh takes on muchloved pantomime tales.
Join them on this next epic adventure packed with plenty of jokes, songs from across the decades and magic in GIGANTIC proportions!
Find out more: www.cornexchangenew.com/panto
Top Award for GR Swimming Schools
GR Swimming Schools is a local swim school which has just scooped a top award in the swimming world – Swim England Swim School of the Year 2022! Which means we have the best swim school right here on our doorstep serving Newbury, Hermitage, Bucklebury, Thatcham, Goring, Pangbourne & everywhere in between.
• They proved that they are worthy of this coveted award by providing lessons to children, adults, people with aquaphobia and are actively inclusive to SENs children. • They also showed their teachers’ commitment to continuing to learn and develop i.e. by attaining additional qualifications to help their students. • They have the highest safeguarding and safety standards and continually strive to maintain them. • Since 2019 when the owner Joanna Lay took over the swim school, she has worked hard to develop her team and to raise safety, safeguarding and teaching standards. Jo’s reaction: “I am so honoured to be able to say we are the best in England! But humbled to know our parents think we are too. We will live up to and maintain our high standards and always aim to learn and improve.”
For more information about lessons, careers or pool time, contact swimlessons. co.uk or jo@swimlessons.co.uk
Shopping with a difference at True Food Co-op
One of Reading’s best kept secrets is the True Food Co-op, a community run Organic, Ethical and Zero Waste Supermarket in Emmer Green. It’s a great place to bring the kids to get them involved in the fun side of plasticfree shopping. Bring along your empty food containers and household bottles, and they can fill their child-sized trollies and baskets. There are over 80 zero waste foods – including fruit and nut snacks to scoop and weigh; and household and body care products to refill using the pumps and funnels. And if you’re concerned about making environmentally friendly and healthy choices, almost everything in store is organic. You’ll also find lots of ethical Christmas stocking fillers and tasty presents, including for those with specific dietary requirements.
Find them on bus route 23/24 from Reading station, opposite Emmer Green Primary School: www.truefood.coop
Toyota Dream Car 2023 Contest
The Toyota Dream Car 2023 Contest is open for entries. Children are challenged to design wild and wonderful ideas for future transport that can also help protect the environment.
Last year’s winning entries in the UK national round of the competition included a car that protects endangered animals in Africa, and a vehicle powered by toxic waste and sewage water.
The contest has three age categories: under 8-year-olds, 8 to 11 and 12 to 15-year-olds. Entries may be hand-drawn or digital designs including a colourful background and explanation of how the vehicle works and what makes it special.
The winning entries in each age category will receive an Apple iPad, and second and third-placed entries will win a Samsung Galaxy tablet.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Odds Farm Park
The countdown to Christmas is on at Odds Farm Park this winter as the family attraction, near Beaconsfield, launches its Christmas Spectacular event on Saturday 3 December.
Visitors can walk through the sparkling enchanted woodland as they head to meet Father Christmas for a special one-to-one meeting in his Grotto, and littles ones can be sure to tell him all of their Christmas wishes.
Families can then head to ‘Cuddle Creation’ in the Elves’ workshop, where children can make their own soft toy bear, cuddle and take home, complete with a birth certificate – all at no extra cost.
Louise Winslow, Head of Guest Operations at Odds Farm Park, says: “Christmas is a very special time for lots of people and it’s one of our favourite events of the year here at Odds.
The Christmas Spectacular takes place between 3–24 December 2022.
For more information, call 01628 520188, visit www.oddsfarm.co.uk, or like and follow @OddsFarmPark on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest news and updates.
Breakthrough book shows how to beat maternal anxiety using CBT techniques
Contrary to popular belief, the most prevalent mental health issue during the perinatal period is anxiety, not postnatal depression. In fact, studies show that about 15% of women will experience a significant anxiety problem at some point during pregnancy or the first postnatal year.
It’s normal to feel anxious during pregnancy and after having a baby. But when is it a problem? How is anxiety different to post-natal depression? What are the different forms anxiety can take? What are the thought and behavioural patterns that intensify the symptoms?
Break Free From Maternal Anxiety is the first evidence-based resource, using cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) techniques, to explore how to cope with persistent and distressing worries about pregnancy and becoming a mother.
GIVEAWAY: We have a free copy of Break Free From Maternal Anxiety to give away. Send your name and address to editor@familiestvw.co.uk by 30 November to be in with a chance of being chosen to receive it.
Leading nursery brand ClevaMama launch asthma & allergy friendly Toddler Pillow
One of the reasons that children may struggle in the night can be down to the likes of asthma and allergies. According to Asthma.ie, 1 in 5 children will experience asthma at some stage in their lives. The new ClevaMama’s ClevaFoam® Toddler Pillow is one of the first to be certified as asthma & allergy friendly®. This pillow is a must-have winter essential for parents, aiding a good night’s sleep before creche/school.
Artemis Studios is a performing arts charity providing award winning inexpensive (often free) classes in and around Bracknell since 2007.
Classes include Cheerleading, Hip Hop, Acting, Musical Theatre for ages 3-adult! We are an Ofsted registered evening/ weekend school, and a free to attend full time vocational performing arts college (based at South Hill Park Arts Centre).
We accept split payments, and Childcare Vouchers/Tax free Childcare helping families to budget. Classes start at just £46 for a whole 12 week term!
As well as term time classes, we offer free and low cost holiday workshops - with highly qualified and talented teachers (including West end choreographers, and real actors and directors) who are professionals in their specialist area!
Why not join us on February 25 and 26 2023 in The Wilde Theatre for an amazing production of The Wizard of Oz (youth edition).
Free two week tryout for all our classes www.artemis-studios.co.uk
