Country Child Summer 2018 by Country Child

COUNTRY CHILD Dorset/Somerset

Your Local FREE Family Magazine

Summer 18-Issue: 32

SAILING THE SEAS

A father's story of how sailing helped his son

DIGITAL DILEMMA

Is the digital world a help or a hindrance?

MUM'S MANUAL Summer Holiday Help

CHORE WARS

Do you or don't you give pocket money?

RELOCATION RELOCATION One family's African Adventure

WHAT’S ON ■ SHOPPING ■ HOME ■ SCHOOLS ■ FOOD ■ GARDEN ■ COMPETITIONS ■ HEALTH

Give your child the best possible start

Nursery

ng ti p e Acc2 year m fro ber s d l o tem Sep2018

Set in an exquisite rural location, our self-contained purpose-built Nursery is surrounded by 62 acres to explore.

Opportunities to experience dance, music, drama, swimming and a multitude of sports.

Parents of children aged 3 and 4 eligible for government funding may use their 30 hours entitlement.

Weekly sessions in our private indoor heated pool helps to grow children’s water confidence. Our qualified swimming coaches ensure it is always great fun too!

Weekly sessions of Forest School set in our nearby beech wood. A focus on individual attention enabling children to develop and progress at their own pace in a safe and nurturing environment.

Delicious hot and healthy lunches to help energise growing bodies and minds. Before and after school care to help busy working families (8am - 6pm).

We also run FREE ‘Bushy Tails’ play sessions for under 5s featuring Emma and her Magic Bag! Every Wednesday during term-time. 10.30am - 12noon

Call to book your personal visit

01747 813155 • www.clayesmore.com

Welcome to Summer

elcome to the summer issue of Country Child. First off, we’re super excited to announce that after many hours in the making, our new Country Child website has launched! Take a look at countrychild.co.uk where you’ll find lots of great blogs to peruse, as well as important dates for your diary, competitions, giveaways and so much more. If you’d like us to share an event on our FREE online calendar, then please do get in touch (events@countrychild.co.uk) with the relevant information and we’ll do the rest. For those of you looking for inspiration when it comes to finding appropriate sporting activities for your children, Peter Kewish shares his own experience of introducing his son to sailing. Have a read on page 13 to see if this activity could float your family’s boat, too! Rosie Wagner, tells Country Child about quitting her teaching career in the UK and relocating to Malawi with her husband and three children. Rosie has such an inspirational tale to share, as

you’ll find out on page 41, and if a move abroad is something you’ve been considering, maybe this is just the kind of incentive you need to get planning… I’ve been looking into the ins and outs of pocket money; let’s just say it’s a bit of a minefield but I’ve been given some great tips from fellow mums, which I’ve endeavoured to share over on page 19. The brilliant Hannah Woolven is back researching another hot topic; this time she’s looking at gender stereotyping. Turn to page 14 for a truly fascinating and eye-opening read. With the summer holidays just around the corner, (“Brace, Brace!”) Jo Leigh is on hand to share some great competitions, courses, camps, holidays and festivals that are all taking place over the coming months – diaries at the ready for page 20! The BBC ONE Show’s very own Mike Dilger has a great challenge for all Country Child readers – can you make it to a wetland, woodland, grassland and coastal habitat during the summer holidays? Maps out, this could make for a really fun family challenge. You’ll find all of the details on page 34. If you’re looking for ideas on how to decorate your children’s bedrooms, a quick peak on page 33 may be all you need. Yes, here at Country Child HQ, we’ve properly got the Greatest Showman bug and have had a lot of fun sourcing some fab circus furnishings! For children in need of a new read this summer, our young Bookworms at Salisbury Cathedral School have some brilliant suggestions, turn to page 45 to see which ones may appeal to your brood. As ever, we’ve a packed Calendar of Events to keep you occupied over the summer months. So here’s to a fun filled summer! Have a wonderful time.

Meet the team... PUBLISHER

Jo Leigh jo@countrychild.co.uk

EDITOR

Miranda Avis miranda@countrychild.co.uk Follow us

@countrychildmag @countrychildmagazine @countrychildmag

Neither Country Child Limited (trading as Country Child Magazine) nor any of its predecessors, affiliated companies, directors or employees, shall be liable for the accuracy or reliability of any of the content (including advertisements) published in Country Child Magazine or other information accessed directly or indirectly from Country Child Magazine, nor shall they be liable for the quality of any products, information or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained by any consumer, as a result of an advertisement or any other information or offer in connection with the service or products. Country Child Limited shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions contained within any content (including advertisement) published in Country Child Magazine.

Media Sales Matthew Cull

Writer

Hannah Woolven

matthewcullmedia@gmail.com

Writer

Hanne Bonczoszek

Cover and Feature Photography by

Millie Pilkington

CONTRIBUTORS: Salisbury Cathedral School, Charlotte Targett, Peter Kewish, Mike Dilger, Kate Holder, Orchard Park Garden Centre, Gillingham, Lucy Kienborts-Cousins, Lauren Burton Hutchence, Lee Keeling, Chris Kienborts, Julie Freemantle and Rosie Wagner. ARTWORK: Jo Vincent Art DISTRIBUTION: Katherine Shean, Jessica Rowland and Kirsty Lloyd.

Incredible things happen when you believe in children. www.barnardos.org.uk Barnardo’s Registered Charity Nos. 216250 and SC037605

UNLOCKING POTENTIAL Whenever anyone visits Warminster School there’s one thing everyone agrees on, and that’s our sense of community. Visitors always comment on how special it is, how unusual. And it’s not just our teaching staff – from prep pupils to catering staff, our sense of warmth and our values are evident in whoever you cross paths with – be it our groundsmen, matrons, sports coaches or sixth formers. Because we all work together closely to keep those values alive. We embrace all of our pupils – whatever their talents. Working together to create a safe and nurturing environment where our pupils can fulfil their full potential. Please reserve your place online for our next Open Day so you can discover just how special our sense of community is. 01985 210160 admissions@warminsterschool.org.uk www.warminsterschool.org.uk

Contents

Summer 2018

Chore Wars Do you, don't you and how much?

Sailing the Seas A father's story of how sailing helped his son.

14 What's in Store Breeze into summer with our Top Picks of swings.

Three for a Girl... The gender stereotyping debate.

Digital Dilemma Should we accept or avoid the digital world?

Relocation Relocation One family’s African Adventure.

Food Glorious Food Recipes and foodie products.

7 Family Frolics & Fiascos - Writer Hanne B divulges her family antics. 10 & 11 Food Glorious Food - Sensational summer stir fry, puddings and products. 13 Sailing the Seas - Local father Peter Kewish tells of how sailing helped his son. 14 & 15 Three for a Girl... - The gender stereotyping debate unfolds. 17 Country Child Loves - Our Best Finds for the season. 19 Chore Wars - Do you, don't you and how much? 20 & 21 Mum's Manual - Summer Holiday Help. 23 & 27 Inside Out - Places To Go and Things To Do. 24 & 25 Calendar Pull-Out - What’s on this summer season. 26 Toddler Timetable - Your local library times and activities. 29 Show and Tell - Live entertainment for the family in your area. 31 Digital Dilemma - Should we accept or avoid the digital world? 33 Interior Ideas - It’s all about the Greatest Showman. 34 & 35 Great Outdoors - Mike Dilger sets a new summer challenge. 37 Window Shopping - Our pick of available homes in areas of outstanding natural beauty. 38 & 39 Top Marks - All the news from the schools and Meet the Head interview. 41 & 43 Relocation Relocation - One family’s African Adventure. 45 Bookworms - Book reviews from children at Salisbury Cathedral School. 46 & 47 Open for Business - News and advice from the business community.

Mum's Manual

Some help to guide you through the long summer holidays.

for the finest British Alpaca socks

perilla.co.uk

www.

tel: 01886 853615 6

Family Frolics & Fiascos By Hanne B

k, I won’t deny enjoying the odd glass of wine. I tend to stick to just one, because if I have more, I start saying things like ‘Oh My Gosh, we should SO do that!’ and ‘Yep, for defs! Count me in!’ Too much wine is therefore to blame for the fact that this morning, I parked my Zafira in a field, 50 miles west of nowhere in between Karen’s bell tent and Victoria’s VW campervan. I spent hours getting myself tangled up in what would eventually become a newly purchased 4-man tent. While I struggled, Victoria studied the instructions. ‘Did you check the hydrostatic head?’ she asked. ‘The hydro-what-now?’ I responded. ‘That’s the number that indicates how waterproof your tent is. It should be around 1200. Yours is 200. Look, it says: Keeps out the worst of the rain.’ Victoria giggled. I took the instructions off her to stop any further inquest into my ineptitude. ‘At least if we get drenched, we’ll know it’s only the best of the rain that did it. The worst will be outside.’ I said, more defensively than I would have liked. ‘You can always stay in here’ said Karen kindly as she flung open the entrance to her tent equivalent of Windsor Palace. ‘Breakfast is ready’ she continued, pointing to the full English she had magically rustled up on the fire. ‘Sorry to interrupt your lovely spread…’ It was Farmer Ted, the field owner. My daughter was standing next to him. ‘Oh my!’ I said, mortified. ‘I didn’t even realise she’d run off!’ ‘The loos are broken.’ My daughter seemed very proud of having taken the initiative to solve this crucial problem. ‘I went to find Ted to tell him that the bottom has fallen out of the loo and there’s just a big whole all the way down to where they keep all the poo. Also, the bath seems to be missing.’ A smile spread across Ted’s face ‘Oh, I see. Well, it’s a compost loo, my dear. It’s meant to be like that.’ My daughter’s face showed a level of panic not seen since a princess was asked to sleep on a pea.

TLW DANCE Shaftesbury Academy www.tlwdance.co.uk

BALLET ‘Come on, sweetheart,’ I said. ‘Let me show you how the loo works. And you won’t need a bath for these few days.’ My daughter’s bottom lip began to quiver and I knew we were seconds from meltdown. ‘I think you might need that bath after all,’ said Karen. Her oldest had appeared behind me. He and the other boys, including my son had been to the duck pond to play Poohsticks (once they’d managed to explain to my son that this game is not an app). ‘Your dog jumped in the pond to fetch the stick!’ said Karen’s boy. How ironic, that my dog, who never fetches anything but pizza slices from unattended plates, should suddenly have developed his dog instinct. He’d chosen to ‘sit’ as though this delayed obedience would somehow curry him favour. He was covered snout to tail in duckweed. Then he dropped the stick he had fetched, most likely because it didn’t taste much like pizza. My daughter’s meltdown was momentarily postponed as she curled over in fits of laughter. Farmer Ted joined her and so did Victoria, while Karen went to find those spare towels she always brings, just in case. ‘Tell you what,’ said Farmer Ted, ‘Give me his lead. I’ll take him up to the house and hose him down for you. This little lady is welcome to help me.’ My daughter looked pleased at the chance to return to civilisation. ‘She can use the loo at the house while she’s there.’ It’s 8pm and my kids are tucked up in Karen’s bell tent. Farmer Ted kindly charged their tablets at the house and I think they are watching Avengers Assemble. My dog, who still smells slightly of pond, is asleep in the 4-man tent, which I have covered in a few bin liners, just in case it rains. ‘Another glass of wine?’ Karen asks. ‘Why not?’ I respond. ‘Let’s see where this one takes us.’

anne Bonczoszek is a local author whose first Children’s book ‘Esther’s Invisible Grandma’ is available via facebook. com/invisiblegrandma. Hanne lives in Salisbury with her husband, her two children and a Cockapoo named Enzo.

New places now available Pre-school 3yrs + Pre-Primary 4yrs + Primary 5yrs + Grades from 1 - 8

TAP DANCE New 5years + beginners class

STREET Jazz Age 6years +

www.tlwdance.co.uk

07584340897 TLWdance@googlemail.com 7

SALISBURY RACES

FAMILY DAYS SUN 17 JUNE (Father’s Day Racing)

WED 15 & THURS 16 AUGUST (Summer Holiday Family Races) CHILDREN AGED 17 & UNDER ALWAYS GET IN FREE! AND…..FREE ENTERTAINMENTS PROVIDED FOR THEM ON FAMILY DAYS!

For more details and to book tickets for all 16 race days, including the four excellent music nights, go to;

salisburyracecourse.co.uk or call 01722 326461

COOKERY COURSES Junior Baking Family Entertaining Student Courses Private Lessons and Events Team Building Days Pasta and Italian Influences Summer Entertaining Puddings Canapes Pop-up-Dinners Carving Butchery and Knife Skills

Visit our website for all our fantastic new courses and workshops dates.

What´s in Store

King of the Swingers

3 2

5 9 7

 1. Child's Tyre Swing for placing in your favouring tree or attaching to a play structure £72.50. thefarthing.co.uk  2. SOLVEJ Child Swing Pacific Blue. Great for young children to tummy swing on. £139.93 solvejswings.com  3. Distressed Wire Suspension Swing Chair £429. alexanderandpearl.co.uk  4. Personalized Wooden Handmade Swing By Greenwoodlt. £18.90 dawanda.com  5. Bohemian Hammock in Natural Cotton. £119 cuckooland.com  6. Booboo Swing Sofa. Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s masterpiece, Alice in Wonderland, the Booboo swing exponentially upgrades your kid’s bedroom design. £4,113.70 circu.net  7. Hammock Chair, Belize Vulcano by Amazonas. Bright colors and is cuddly soft due to its foam filling. This is how summer is done! £49.99 amazonas.eu  8. HänBalancoire Special Geek Motif, Keyboard Customizable Swing By Fieldcandy. £102.33 ksl-living.fr  9. Amazonas Hang Mini zebra hanging chair allows you to swing and rock in any direction and it is super comfortable. £69.90 amazonas.eu 

Food

S U O I R O L G

Food

Dinner like a Boss

This issue, we feature some delicious recipes from the cookbook, Dinner Like a Boss by Kate Holder. Packed with quick, easy and healthy meals for busy families, working mum Kate promises that having dinner on the table can be easy and stress free. Well, let’s find out…

Teriyaki Salmon with Udon Noodles and Stir-Fried Vegetables

ate says "The teriyaki salmon part of this meal is another of

my ‘go-to’ dinners, and makes a regular appearance when we go camping. It’s also a great dish to keep in the freezer – marinate the fish to be frozen in a freezer bag for 2–3 hours in the refrigerator, then freeze it. Defrost it in the refrigerator before cooking. The stir-fried vegetables are fairly simple because the teriyaki salmon is very flavoursome." Ingredients: Teriyaki salmon  60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) soy sauce  2 tablespoons mirin  2 teaspoons caster(superfine) sugar  1 tablespoon honey  600–800 g (1 lb 5 oz–1 lb 12 oz)  skinless salmon fillet  Stirfried vegetables and noodles  1 bunch baby bok choy (pak choy)  270 g (9½ oz) dried udon noodles  1 teaspoon sesame oil  1 tablespoon vegetable oil  1 garlic clove, crushed  2 teaspoons finely grated  fresh ginger  150 g (5½ oz) snow peas (mangetout), ends trimmed, thinly sliced lengthways  small handful of coriander (cilantro) leaves (optional).

For the teriyaki salmon, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Set aside the saucepan to reuse later. Meanwhile, cut the salmon into four portions and remove any remaining bones. Place the fish in the cooled marinade and turn to coat. Set aside for 10–15 minutes. Line a baking tray with foil and place a grill (broiler) shelf about 10 cm (4 in) away from the heat. To prepare the noodles and vegetables, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil for the noodles. Next, trim the ends of the bok choy, then shred the stalks and leaves, keeping the

stalks and leaves separate. Cook the noodles in the boiling water for 10 minutes, or according to the packet instructions. Drain the noodles well and rinse them under hot water to prevent them from sticking. Return the noodles to the saucepan, add the sesame oil and toss to coat. While the noodles are cooking, heat the grill to high. Remove the salmon from the marinade (reserving the marinade) and place it on the lined tray. Grill (broil) the salmon for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until the fish is just cooked through. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of your fish. Pour the reserved marinade back into the small saucepan and warm it through over a very low heat. Once you turn the fish, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Increase the heat to high, add the bok choy stalks and 1 tablespoon of water and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the snow peas and bok choy leaves and stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Divide the noodles between bowls and top with the stirfried vegetables and a piece of salmon. Spoon over the hot marinade and scatter over coriander leaves (if using). Feeds four people with 20 minutes prep and cooking time (plus 10–15 minutes marinating).

Table Banners T

his chalk board table runner is great fun for adults and kids alike. Supplied with ZeroDust™ Butterstix chalks which work and feel like pastels, the chalkboard can be used again and again with no dust, stain or mess. The chalkboard measures 183x46cm approx. and is perfect for hosting parties and play dates, as well as keeping little ones occupied either at home or on holiday. What’s more, the use of Butterstix chalk is not limited to chalkboards; as well as paper and card, they can be used plates and countertops…in fact your imagination is the only limit! The chalk simply wipes away with no dust. £29.95 eatwell-uk.co.uk

Dinn

Pho

Fruity Lemon Curd Eton Mess

here it all began... "I grew up in England and lemon curd on toast was a treat, but my son loves it as a dessert. He’s learnt to make lemon curd himself and often makes it on the weekend. Eton mess is a traditional English dessert that consists of a mixture of strawberries, broken up meringue and whipped cream. Here, I’ve combined lemon curd with berries, crushed meringues and cream for a really delicious treat. You could add some mango and passionfruit – the fruit choice is up to you." encourages Kate. Ingredients: 2 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks  110 g (4 oz/½ cup) caster  (superfine) sugar  80 g (2¾ oz) chilled unsalted butter, cubed very finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons  300 ml (10½ fl oz) thick (double/heavy) cream  500 g (1 lb 2 oz) mixed  berries, such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries 100 g (3½ oz) ready-made meringue

o make the lemon curd, put the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a medium saucepan (off the heat) and whisk until smooth and combined. Add the butter, lemon zest and juice, place over a low heat and whisk slowly but continuously until the curd thickens. This will take about 6–8 minutes. Do not rush the process by increasing the heat because the eggs will scramble. Remove from the heat. Transfer to a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until needed. Whip the cream until soft peaks form. If you are using strawberries, hull them, then roughly chop. Tear the raspberries in half. Crumble the meringue into small pieces and divide it among bowls or place it on a share platter. Spoon over the cream then top with the cooled lemon curd. Scatter over the berries to serve, then dig in. Feeds six people in 20 minutes (prep) plus 8 minutes cooking time.

Dinner Like a Boss by Katy Holder (Hardie Grant, £12.99) Photography © Benito Martin amazon.co.uk

In the moooo'd J

ude’s Ice cream introduce their new flavoured milk range in Chocolate and Banana. This will be the second product under the Little Jude’s brand, available in individual cartons from Sainsbury’s. Using only 100% naturally sourced ingredients, the milks offer added health benefits having been made with added vitamin D and calcium. With absolutely no refined sugar, the nutritious drinks have been naturally sweetened with honey to ensure sugar is kept as low as possible. Full of goodness, it is no surprise the new product is officially registered ‘Schools Compliant’. Don't forget Jude’s milk lollies either this summer as they are again made with no refined sugar, so contain 30% less sugar than all other children’s lollies currently on the market. Remarkably Little Jude’s Milk Lollies contain less sugar than Public Health England’s recommended levels for children’s yoghurts, let alone ice cream! £3 sainsburys.com

LICKALIX Lick A Lot!

ince its formation in 2014, Lickalix produces organic real whole fruit ice lollies. However, to compliment its primary product, Lickalix will now be launching Baby Cubes; healthy frozen cubes of pureed organic fruit and vegetables for little ones. These are a great quick fix for getting extra fruit and vegetables into any meal; pop into yoghurt, porridge, pancakes, pasta sauce, rice and much much more. Chuck a few cubes in some Tupperware and you have an instant nutritious dish for on the go. All cubes are free-from and made with only certified organic baby grade fruit and vegetables. £4.99 via ocado.com

It’s my year!

Summer camps

Bruton, Somerset BA10 0BA 01749 812 307 www.millonthebrue.co.uk

Abbot & Slater You don’t have to go head over heels looking for a new property We offer ... a personal, thoroughly professional & proactive estate agency service that goes the extra mile to help you move and achieve your work/life balance.

Call 01258 830860 abbotandslater.co.uk STURMINSTER NEWTON

BLANDFORD

LONDON

Sailing the Seas

Local father Peter Kewish remarks on the improvements sailing has made to his son's life.

y son, now 12, has never been one to grasp sport. Well, not in the way I did at his age. He’s happy enough towing the line on the rugby or hockey pitch but never makes it into the Firsts, never receives any Colours and would rather be tucked up in the warm with a good book. Frustrated by this attitude, I looked at other ways to get him outside, get the heart pumping and feeling that something has been achieved by the end of the day. A sport that wasn’t a sport, that was what we needed. So, my wife booked him into a taster session at our local RYA Sailing school. Wow! He loved it! Firstly, he was kitted out with a wetsuit and buoyancy aid, given a quick safety briefing and straight in to a dinghy with 2 others and an instructor. He got a chance to steer at the helm and was kept busy with instruction on when to pull certain ropes and when to release them. He was also taught the basics of how the wind works and some of the terminology. His instructor was brilliant too, and although she looked like she hadn’t long left school herself, she had all the skills and experience necessary, and such a great manor with the kids. He was hooked! He didn’t have to run anywhere and could do most of it sitting down. Being very careful not to try to turn him in to the next Ben Ainslie, we gently encouraged him to try more. The RYA have a

series of youth courses, designed specifically for kids, who can learn everything they need to have fun on the water. So, we enrolled him on the first entry-level day. The weather was not looking great, gusty wind and heavy cloud overhead. Some encouragement was needed to get him out the car but once in the company of other kids his own age, he soon perked up and I legged it to off to the office. Every time the phone rang, I expected to hear on picking it up “could you please collect your son” or some such conversation. But no. At 4pm, I entered the club house to a smell of ‘wet dog’ in the air and a sea of children, all looking very tired and longing for a nice hot bath and a hearty meal, but all with beaming smiles. Numerous courses, certificates and Four years on and I have had to ‘tidy the garage’ to make room for our first dinghy Bumble, a second hand and well used purchase. My DIY skills have been put to the test to get her ready for a series of races and a trip to Cornwall this summer. Sailing has proved to my son, that when in control of his own boat, he is learning how to push himself to improve, competing against others as well as himself and has fully embraced a passion that he still thinks isn’t a sport. Try telling that to Ben Ainslie! For more information on youth sailing and your nearest centre visit rya.org.uk PhotograPhy: ChriS kienBortS

All Aboard!

More ways to get your sea legs...

acing a yacht offshore is incredibly exhilarating but for those new to the sport it can be hard to get in to and more than a little intimidating. Now two of the world’s leading sailors along with the meteorologist for the British Olympic sailing squad have teamed up with Rubicon 3 Adventure Sailing and Hamble School of Yachting to break down the barriers and give everyone a go. Take part in an incredible series of five offshore and ocean races, starting in the UK, heading across the English Channel, across the Bay of Biscay and then out into the Atlantic Ocean to Madeira and the Canaries. No previous sailing or racing experience is required on either three coastal races in leg 1 and/or two offshore races in leg 2.. As part of the crew you'll be involved in all aspects from helming to navigation and sail trim. Each leg lasts approximately two weeks, although crew can sign up for both legs. Cost per place is £2,290 or crew can join both legs for £3990. Overall leg duration 5 Oct to 4 Nov. More details at: rubicon3.co.uk/offshore-racing-canaries-ocean-cup.html

he Poole Harbour Boat Show returns for its fourth year in 2018. Taking place at the award-winning Poole Quay Boat Haven, the show will run from Friday, June 8 until Sunday, June 10. Event organisers Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) will welcome over 200 exhibitors across the quayside and marina; a showcase for sail and motorboats of all sizes, RIBs, chandlery products, clothing and watersports activities. The show continues to be the biggest ever free boat show on the south coast, providing an opportunity for those who may not have been on the water before to get a feel of what’s on offer. For the latest updates on the Poole Harbour Boat Show, in association with Sunseeker visit pooleharbourboatshow.co.uk

Three for a Girl, Four for a Boy... The gender stereotyping debate has become a hot topic. Hannah Woolven looks at the minefield we may not even realise we are facing when bringing up our children as a “girl” or a “boy”. Are we limiting our children according to their gender before they’ve even left the womb?

any of us can barely open our Facebook feed without seeing a photograph of an outraged mother highlighting the range of t-shirts in a supermarket aisle and asking why her daughter can’t wear the clothes with dinosaurs, sharks or super heroes, but is expected to choose from the princess, kitten and fairy motifs. Or a video of an experiment in which parents and nursery teachers are asked to play with babies dressed as the opposite gender, and seem unfailingly to offer the dolls to the babies dressed as girls, and the Lego to the perceived boys. It begs the questions – how engrained in our culture, and in each of us, is gender stereotyping? What are its effects? And what can we do about it? The controversy around children’s clothing and toys inspired luxury greetings card retailer, Flowercard, to look into their own industry and analyse children’s greeting cards from four major retailers. The findings? • Over 60% of cards marketed at girls were fronted by fairies and princesses, followed by cute animals such as unicorns and kittens. The words most commonly used on cards marketed to girls were: magic, fabulous, princess, beautiful. • Over half of cards marketed at boys were fronted by superheroes and Star Wars characters. The words most commonly used on boys’ cards were: roar, hero, power, adventure. Stephen Gorman of Flowercard notes: “We were shocked that there was such a difference between the boys’ and girls’ cards, as it’s our belief that kids are kids and should be free to like what they want without

pressure from gender stereotypes.” But all this got me thinking: isn’t it us buyers perpetuating the stereotypes? What makes us presume the cards with superheroes are “for boys”? Why are we so averse to letting our daughters wear “boys” clothes? Why not choose the top with the navy and green tractor for our little girl? Boden and other higher end brands are cashing in on the gender hype, creating dresses with themes like dinosaurs and solar systems, specifically targeting girls with pinks and purples, while the boys get the same old deal of sharks, tractors and lions. While this seems like a step in the right direction, one can’t help but wonder whether we are paying lip service to the idea of “getting girls into science”, while still expecting them to stay clean, wear pretty dresses and behave like “daddy’s little princess”. Are we, even in our efforts to include girls in a traditionally masculine world, still reinforcing the idea that girls need to be pretty in order to be successful? We know, after all, that they are growing up into a world in which they will be judged by their appearances. “So what?” many of us may be thinking. Well, as if in answer, an ongoing survey by new social enterprise, Raising Rebels, is asking parents and educators about the effects of gender inequality. The survey is ongoing and still getting lots of responses (you can add your own here: surveymonkey.co.uk/r/XD28TVT) but at the time of writing the average rating respondents gave to the question of how concerned they feel about the effects of gender inequality on their own children or those they teach/care for was 7.8 out

Photography: Millie Pilkington of 10 (with 10 being extremely concerned). Raising Rebels will offer a free online resource hub and digital community for parents and teachers to challenge gender stereotypes. It is being created by British Mum Elle Wilks, who was frustrated by the time and effort it took to find modern and engaging books, clothes, toys, role models and guides for helping her children to view the world in an equal and just way. Clearly this is a topic that many parents and teachers are deeply concerned about, and with issues like the Me Too campaign and the gender pay gap dominating adult debate, it is obvious that these issues have far-reaching consequences for all of us in society. What’s more, the 2017 Girl Guiding Attitudes Survey found that 54% of the girls and young women surveyed felt gender stereotyping affected every aspect of their lives. And it seems things are on the move, in other areas, too. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has argued for stronger regulation of campaigns that feature stereotypical gender roles, suggesting that some advertising could reinforce harmful stereotypes, which could restrict the choices, aspirations and opportunities of children, young people and adults. Perhaps in our quest to find equality for our girls, we need to focus just as much on making sure that our boys continue to get exposure to strong female role models as our girls do, and to stop segregating our children by their gender in the toys, clothes, birthday cards, films, magazines and books we present to them. As Elle Wilks points out, “it’s no use preparing our daughters for a more equal future if our sons grow up

to endorse and enforce the systems and structures that keep our girls from achieving their potential. It's also short-sighted to think that it's only girls who suffer from the stereotypes society perpetuates.” With International Women’s Day, the centenary of women getting the vote and strong female films such as A Wrinkle In Time all happening in the last few weeks, perhaps it is time for us all to start questioning the small things that might be having a big impact on the little girls around us. As Mum and teacher, Christine Everest, asked on her Facebook page recently: “Why do kinderegg put female superheroes in the pink eggs and male superheroes in the blue eggs? I get increasing representation of women for girls, but it should be for boys too! Mix it up, don't colour the eggs in the first place! Heaven forbid a boy might have to play with Wonderwoman instead of Batman! Positive female role models are not just for girls. And for everyone thinking Batman is way cooler than Wonderwoman, well ain't that just it in a nutshell; let's see something better from the next generation.” You can read more about Flowercard’s research into The Gender Stereotyping In Children’s Birthday Cards here: flowercard.co.uk/blog/birthday-cardgender-stereotypes. Or register your email address for an alert when Raising Rebels goes live later this year at raisingrebels.co.uk. Another site to find books, films, clothing, toy suggestions and more information on gender equality for kids is at amightygirl.com.

HOTHOUSING AT HANFORD

H A N F O R D traditionally modern www.hanfordschool.co.uk or call Karen on 01258 860219

VEHICLE ACCIDENT REPAIR

www.paintnbodystyling.com JUST DANCE STUDIO & ACTIVITY CENTRE Unit 1, Quarryfields Ind Est, Mere T: 01747 861810 M: 07742 358738

Ballet Tap Streetdance Parties Chasamb Gymnastics Roller Discos Jazz

T: 01747 861810 M: 07742 358738 Unit 1, Quarryfields Industrail Estate, Mere  Dance Classes  After School Club www.paintnbodystyling.com  Birthday Parties  Events & Workshops

Emma O’Brien AISTD, FDI (07901 553602)

Church Street, Wincanton, Somerset Facebook – Just Dance Wincanton

www.just-dance-studios.co.uk

T: 01747 861810 M: 07742 358738

FAB for Father's Day!

ROOM ON THE GROOM

well groomed Dad is a welcomed sight and The Somerset Toiletry Co knows how important this is as they extend their collection of male skincare, hair care and shaving products. The MR Soap collection featuring beards has been extremely successful and as men are notoriously difficult to buy for, they offer unique gifts for men from under £5. Other products in the MR range include toiletry bags and mugs for multiple use from shaving caddies, camping mug or desk tidy. All for under £12. thesomersettoiletryco.co.uk

MOCK-BUBBLES

godsend for any summer bumps! Feel a part of the celebrations with the new Echo Falls 0% Sparkling Infusion drink. meaning you can enjoy all the fun of the fizz, without the alcohol. Light, refreshing and with all the qualities of the real thing, this 0% alcohol bubbly is a delicious combination of grape juice and green tea. From £2.99 morrisons.com and various convenience shops.

ROCKING SUMMER

his stylish children's Rocking Scooter adds vintage appeal to a playroom. Offered in cream, mint blue, pink and white, as well as a bold Italian flag edition. Long runners provide excellent stability, helping little ones to improve their balance and co-ordination. Suitable for ages 2+. £58.95 urbanavenue.co.uk

BATHING BEAUTIES

EVERYBODY SCREAN!

he NEW Childs Farm sun cream range just got better! The 50+ SPF, easy to apply, streak and stain free, newly improved formula sun care range, provides a high level of SPF protection against UVA and UVB rays, whilst being ultra absorbent. Suitable for all skin types, especially sensitive skin. The spray and roll on helps little ones apply for themselves, perfect for the ‘no touch’ policies at schools. Ideal size for book bag or lunch box too! From £10 childsfarm.com

wo children's swimwear picks for the swimming season has to be the Newbie peach girls swimsuit with back strap ruffles for girls aged 6 months up to 8 years old. £14. newbiestor.e.com For fun and consistently good quality, Joules boys octopus bermuda shorts are just £11.95 for ages 1 to 12. joules.com

Age Appropriate Chores 2-3 years    

Pick up-Put away Dust Surfaces Pop Dirty Clothes in Washing Basket Help unload Washing Washine/Dishwasher

4-5 years     

As above plus... Help fold clothes and put away Water indoor/outdoor plants Feed pets Set and Clear dining table

6-8 years    

Open Doors Events throughout the year Academic and all round education for pupils aged 0 -11

OFSTED ‘Outstanding’ in Early Years Provision For more information please contact the Admissions Team: admissions@leweston.dorset.sch.uk 01963 211010 www.leweston.co.uk

As above plus... Sweep/Vacuum Weed Garden Help wash and dry up dishes

9 - 11 years       

As above plus... Make simple meals Put out/bring in bins Mop ﬂoors Wash Cars Mow Lawn Clean Bathrooms

12 - 14 years     

As above plus... Iron clothes Make more complex meals Help shop for groceries Supervise/babysit younger children for short periods of time.

Chore Wars Miranda bravely goes where other parents have gone before.... pocket money. Photography: Millie Pilkington

s children, my sister and I weren’t given pocket money. Well, that’s not strictly true. I do remember my parents dabbling with the idea for a month or so when I was around 12 years old, and I used every penny to buy a pair of bright green Doc Martin lace up boots from the local farmers merchants. Whether it was this fashion faux-pas that caused an abrupt end to the financial handouts, I’m really not sure but, suffice to say, pocket money is something that, in my role as a mother, I’ve known very little about. So, when my oldest son asked me just last Wednesday, “When are George and I going to start being paid for the jobs we do at home, Mummy?” I found myself mumbling something along the lines of, “We’ll talk about it at the weekend.” I clearly needed to buy myself some time. You see, I’ve always been of the belief that my children should help out with various tasks around the home, just for being part of the family. Do they really need to be paid for making their own bed? And if they do, then what is considered to be the going rate these days? And how often should they be paid? And, what’s more, do my children then have carte blanche to spend their money on whatever they choose? Golly, what a minefield!! Time to ask some mummies in the know… Of course, as with all parenting topics, there are no hard and fast rules, no right or wrong answers and what works for one family may not necessarily sit right with another. But, I have to say, this has made

for a fascinating little research project and, if like me, you’re not sure what to make of the whole pocket money debacle, then maybe some of the tips and advice I’ve gleaned from the ‘Motherdom’ may help you too. Few can disagree that teaching our children sensible, healthy and realistic financial behaviours from an early age can only be a good thing. Indeed, researchers from the Royal Economic Society found that the more pocket money kids are given, without being required to work for it, the more likely they are to spend it all straight away. But those who have to earn their cash from a young age are more likely to appreciate and care of their money and save. As such, many parents believe offering a monetary reward for certain chores is as good a way as any of encouraging their offspring to develop a strong work ethic; after all money really doesn’t grow on trees! So, if you’re teetering on the pocket money cusp, how do you go about choosing the chores? Mum of three, Claire, has a good suggestion; “My ten-yearold twins are very capable at cleaning our bathrooms, whereas my six-year-old wouldn’t really know where to start. I want all my children to earn their money, but it’s important to find the right chores to suit each child’s maturity and capability. My six-year-old is now a pro at folding socks and clearing the table!” Of course, as parents (and employers?!) we’ll need to keep check on our little employees and see exactly what we’re paying for! The internet is awash with chore charts, which can be taped to the fridge, “My children love their pocket money charts,” explains Amy Andrews “they can tick off the jobs they’ve done and tot up the money they’ve earnt. Additionally, there’s an element of trust involved; I don’t have time to check that everything has been done, but the kids seems to thrive on the fact that I’m putting my trust in them…so far so good, at least!” When we choose to start giving our children pocket money is a personal choice. However, parents with more than one sibling may come up against some

difficulty when the younger siblings clock on to the fact that their older brother or sister is receiving a financial reward for his/her efforts around the home. Mum of two, Alice Wilson knows this only too well; “When my oldest turned 10, we started to give her £10 a month in return for help in the house. As soon as my 8-year-old cottoned on to this fact, a small war broke out in the Wilson household! After seeking advice from friends, we decided that both children would receive their age in pocket money per month; £10 for my oldest and £8 for her sister. This felt like a fair compromise.” In this technological world in which we live, it’ll come as little surprise to know that the good old fashioned piggy bank has some stiff competition. Online banking apps, designed especially for children, are proving a real hit - particularly with older children. Go-Henry is one such app, and I have to say, it sounds like a great introduction to banking for the younger generations. In a nutshell, this is a Pre-paid, Pocket Money Card and App with unique parental controls, for young people aged 6 to 18. Children are issued with their own card and pin, which can be used in shops, ATMs and online. They’re able to go online and see their balance – all under the supervision of their parents. So, as I type this article, I’m looking up at our new, shiny ‘pocket money chore chart’. The children and I sat down to discuss what jobs they’d help with; setting the table, emptying the dishwasher, feeding the puppy…the list goes on… and in return they’ll receive some pocket money. They’re receiving nowhere near the national average of £6.33 per week per child (gulp!), but they seem happy with the deal we’ve struck. Now, I just have to keep them away from the aisle of green Doc Martin lace up boots!

Mum's Manual

The long summer holidays are filled with the juggle of summer camps, childcare, days out, playdates and the joys of the family holiday. Here we select the best of what's on offer in your area and beyond.

WIN

FREE

HOLIDAYS

he stylish family travel experts at i-escape Kids Collection have uncovered two ‘under the radar’ family holiday locations, with availability during the summer holidays!

ur friends at Game Set and Match Tennis Academy have sportingly teamed up with us to provide a fantastic prize for our summer readers! Jon Rolnik or 'Coach Jon' as he's known by his pupils, offers a fantastic tennis coaching programme for schools and families throughout the year with half term tennis camps for children of ages 4-12 years of all levels from beginners to enthusiasts. This summer, the camps are offering even more for a guaranteed fun-packed sports programme; tennis, football, swimming, cricket and tag rugby are all on offer! What a great day for children to enjoy! To book a day or half day from £15 contact facebook.com/gsmta OR WIN a summer camp week of childcare from 10.30am to 3pm! Simply email your answer to info@countrychild.co.uk by 30th June, where we will randomly pick one lucky winner! Good luck!

Question: When did Andy Murray first win Wimbledon?

T&C's: Dates apply from 30th July to 23rd August. Camps are run from Monday to Thursday. Lunch not included. Editor's decision is final. Prize not transferable to another individual and no cash or other alternatives offered.

ly Fishing offers shared experiences in wonder and adventure for friends and family. Exploring something wild and making a unique connection with nature is an inspiration. Orvis Fly Fishing, the FF101 introduces modern fly fishing to absolute beginners by making it accessible to everyone. The initial 60 90 minute store-based class is regularly delivered without charge at Orvis stores across Dorset and Hampshire from now until October. With the 101 class you will find out more on what gear you need, have a go at casting using Orvis Practicasters, learn to tie fishing knots, look at all the different flies, where to fish in your area and receive great special offers and money off coupons to redeem in store. The next step 2 hour 201 course, takes a more in depth look at rods, lines, tackle and casting so that you are well prepared to go fly fishing, knowing what you’d need and how to use it. If you’re looking for a great way to entertain the children or even a get together with friends or family, attend an Orvis Fly Fishing 101 or 201 class and try a new activity. All ages are welcome and if you’re lucky enough to be under 16 you must be accompanied by an adult. For dates and availability orvis.co.uk

ance through the holidays with Kids Bop and to celebrate a year of Kidz Bop band, Kidz Bop have released Kids Bop Summer 18 which is available now PLUS we have 5 CD's to give away! Kidz Bop records kid-friendly versions of today’s biggest pop music hits sung by kids, for kids, taking today’s biggest hits and toning down any inappropriate or suggestive language but keeping the essence of the original song. And now we have our own British Band that is made up of the talented Lois, Twinkle, Ashton and Max all aged between 12-13. This new album includes Dua Lipa's “New Rules” , Camilla Cabello's “Havana” and “Anywhere” by Rita Ora, and the first Kidz Bop original song sung by the UK kids; “Make Some Noise”. To purchase a copy visit: kidzbop.co.uk OR To WIN simply email your contact details to info@countrychild.co.uk by the 25th June to enter our prize draw!

WIN

For an authentic beachside guesthouse on a car-free island check out The Fisherman’s House, Croatia. A 20-minute speedboat trip from Hvar’s quayside and you reach Croatia’s car-free island of Sveti Klement and welcoming guesthouse. This type of holiday is about realigning with the elements – swimming before breakfast, exploring the paths that crisscross the islet, taking a beach picnic, kayaking or simply snoozing in a hammock. A 7-night stay half-board in a Quadruple Room (double with a sofa bed) sleeping 4 is priced from £910 year-round.

Rustic charm meets contemporary cool in the Marche region - Borgo Tranquillo, Arcevia, Italy as a rural hamlet has been transformed into an exclusive self-catering hideaway. There are four loft style apartments and a two-bedroom villa with sleek interiors. There are 15 acres of gardens for free-range families to enjoy including a 2.5km nature trail. The hilltop village of Arcevia with its ancient palazzos, churches, and pizza restaurants is just a 5-minute drive away. A 7-night stay in an apartment sleeping a family of 4 is priced from £1183. This is based on a self-catering basis. For more details visit: i-escape.com

FESTIVALS

CAMPS

T S

talbridge Stars, who offer football coaching courses, are pleased to announce their third season of summer courses for 5-12 year

olds. The format of the courses are to mix up a wide variety of fun coaching exercises together with regular short games to ensure all children are fully engaged and all levels of player are catered for. Boys and girls are welcome. Founder Benedict Barbour said: "We have medals for every child as well as trophies to be won and we are really looking forward to our third summer after last summer’s successes where we sold out on our first week course and over 50 children attended overall." Each course concludes with a fun prize giving and video show of the previous three days which is then available to all attendees at home. For more information contact Benedict via facebook.com/StalbridgeStars

ill on the Brue Outdoor Activity Centre is family owned and run and has been operating since 1982 in the most beautiful part of Somerset with woods, fields and river valley. Operating all year for school groups, adults, birthday parties and special events, in the summer it opens it’s doors for children on their own to experience the special Mill on the Brue residential summer camps. For a week or two, groups of eight to 15 year olds will have superb fun trying exciting and challenging activities, including two giant zip wires, canoeing, waterslides, assault courses and high ropes – all under the guidance of fantastic instructors. Delicious food will be on offer and, what’s more, great friendships will be made. Each year the places get booked up very quickly so check out millonthebure.co.uk for availability. One week summer camp £599. Or consider a Day Camp? These run from Mondays to Fridays 8.45 am to 5.30pm starting 23rd July until 24th August. The age range is seven to 12 years, where children tackle many of the fun and exciting activities that the residential summer camps attempt. The price includes breaks and a two course lunch. £62 per day or weekly ticket £275. And finally Mini Mobsters mornings for five and six year olds on 25th July, 1st, 8th and 15th August £21 per child. Again booking essential.

he mighty reggae and ska One Love Festival of home counties fame are bringing this event to the UK’s spiritual home of the lush rolling hills and valleys of Somerset. With Glastonbury taking a year off in 2018 it seems fitting for the festival to bring some blessed up reggae vibes to Somerset, where the culture can be introduced to a much larger audience. This years event offers four nights camping at hosts Gilcombe Farm, Bruton and is to include a Rasta Village, enhanced pamper facilities, increased children’s and circus activities, additional healers in the dedicated Field of Love and a laid back Stone Circle with more emphasis on Nature and Peace. A great way to spend a camping weekend festival dedicated to a better world for families. 31 Aug - 2 Sept Tickets from £135 adults and under 10's free onelovefestival.co.uk

WIN

To WIN two adult weekend tickets. simply email your answer to this question:

Where will the festival be moving to in 2018?

T&C's: Email info@countrychild.co.uk by 1st August. Editor's decision is final. Prize not transferable to another individual and no cash or other alternatives offered.

esti-holiday frolics ahoy! The Camp Bestival crew are heading for the high seas of the summer holiday at Lulworth Castle, brimming with incredible acts and entertainers for four days of nautical themed good times with joyous music, amazing food, luxury camping and tons of fun for all the family. Captain da Bank says: "Ahoy there shipmates and anchors aweigh! HMS Camp Bestival is ready to set sail. Expect the unexpected from rock giants Simple Minds and Shed Seven to dance gurus Orbital and Basement Jaxx and a cheeky bit of Rick Astley too… and that’s just the music. From River Cottage feasts and animatronic dinosaurs, to Insect Circuses, pantomimes, a gin festival, plus all the familiy favourites, it’s full steam ahead for 2018. All aboard!" Various weekend ticket prices from aged 2 up to adults at £197.50 includes camping. 26-29 July. campbestival.net

he Curious Arts Festival will be celebrating its fifth birthday this summer. This small boutique festival with just 5000 capacity punches above its weight, as children’s author and comedian, James Campbell will not only be bringing his new children’s show to the festival, he’ll also be co-hosting a daily kids news round up with Alice Fraser across the weekend. Dogs on leads are welcome. Camping is free and glamping options can be booked. Tickets from £128. 20 - 23 July curiousartsfestival.com

WORKSHOPS

tagecoach Shaftesbury will be at the Shaftesbury School on Salisbury Road from 6th - 10th August. The classes start from 10am in the morning to 4.00pm in the afternoon, Monday through to Thursday and until 12.30pm on the Friday when the children perform, fully costumed and where friends and family can watch in delight. The children's days consist of singing, dancing and acting for their musical but will also enjoy down time each day with drama crafts and plenty of fun. It's a great place to meet like minded friends and be in the hands of a professional team of dedicated dancers, singers, directors and trained by some of Stagecoach's Main School Stagecoach teachers as well as their Early Stagers' Team. The week costs £140.00 and to book a place contact: stagecoach.co.uk/shaftesbury for more information.

ÂŠ Norman carr safaris

Expert advice, personal service and amazing trips to Africa www.thesafarispecialists.co.uk 01747 445060 Call us to talk about planning your perfect adventure

the

Toy Barnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Maize Maze opens 21 July new exciting design

TickeTs: toy-barn.co.uk the toy Barn Blackmarsh Farm sherborne dt9 4Jx 01935 815040 22

The

Toy Barn

Sherborne

Inside Out Places To Go Things To Do

It's a Toddle

he Big Toddle, run by the UK’s leading children’s charity, Barnados, which supports hundreds of thousands of children, young people, parents and carers each year are again calling for nurseries, schools and families to put their best foot forward and take part in this year’s Big Toddle Week. For the second consecutive year, the Big Toddle is run in partnership with the much-loved CBeebies TV show, Teletubbies. This year’s theme is “Nature”, with lots of opportunities for creative dressing up as animals, insects, flowers or even jungle creatures. By signing up to the Big Toddle you can access exclusive nature-themed early years learning resources. Their partners the Teletubbies love outdoor playtime too, with free nature-themed downloads on the website. Parents, carers and playgroups are encouraged to get involved by organising their own Toddle event. This could include holding a community Big Toddle, one for families and friends or one organised by a local nursery or primary school. Those who register will receive a Big Toddle pack containing information and fundraising ideas. 18 – 24 June. Go to bigtoddle.co.uk to find out more.

DON'T MISS

ickets to the Toy Barn, Sherborne's NEW Maize Maze includes entrance to the Maze and access to the Orchard Demo area where children can play on swings, climbing frames and trampolines and race on the go kart track. Inside the Maze, you will need to find your way to the lookout towers, find lost toys and work out an anagram. Refreshments also available. toy-barn.co.uk From 21 July until early September.

Charlie meets Tractor Ted

ractor Ted is visiting Cholderton Charlies for a family fun day. Ted will be touring the country bringing along his signature giant inflatable bouncy castle and driving track which kids will adore playing on. There will be lots of fun and laughter; both Welly Wanging and Chuck-aChicken will be taking place! Alongside all of the farm’s entertainment, Cholderton Charlies offer lots of adventure play areas with a Treetop trail. Nature Walk, Water Gardens and more animals than you can shake a stick at! 30 June choldertoncharliesfarm.com/ event/tractor-ted-live/

Chalke This UP!

he Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival will again bring history to life in the picturesque village of Broad Chalke, near Salisbury, in Wiltshire. With over 130 top-class speakers and the very best living historians in the land, the Festival is the biggest annual celebration of history in the UK, and is set to inspire, excite and inform all those who attend. Some of the new introductions this year are the ‘Live History Live’ programme, ‘Chalke Valley History Heroes’ celebration, fireworks at the Forties Fever Party and for three days, running alongside the main programme is the Chalke Valley History Festival for Schools. The school festival sees thousands of pupils from a large cross-section of schools in the UK, from primary school to sixth formers, visit on special days dedicated to different year groups. This section of the event will provide a wide range of curriculum-based subjects, drawing on leading historians, inspirational communicators, and the We have two family weekend tickets to The Daily Mail very best living historians around. The focus is on getting out of Chalke Valley History Festival to give away. These allow 2 the classroom and bringing history to life in new and exciting ways. adults and up to 3 children into the festival for free on 30 Visit outside of school with events like Into the White, Explorer June or 1 July, to attend living history activities, listen to the Dinosaurs, Legends of Arthur, A Disgusting Look at History, In the ‘Live History Live’ talks, see the air show, get access to the mouth of a Wolf, Discworld: Shed of Doom, Creative History Tent, stands and stalls, and go to the party on Saturday evening! History Tellers, Sword School and the First World War Trench. T&C's: To enter the draw to win a family ticket, please email info@countrychild.co.uk With a new enlarged programme for 2018, this weekend is full with ‘Chalke Valley Family’ in the subject line. The draw closes on 20th June 2018. of exciting activities for all ages, and with many historians appearing Tickets to the literary talks are not included and will need to be booked and paid for the first time, there will be something for everyone. For all for separately. Editor's decision is final. Prize not transferable to another individual and no cash or other alternatives offered. event details go to: cvhf.org.uk 25 June -1 July.

WIN

JUNE

PULL OUT EVENT GUIDE MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

(01747)

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

1 Vintage Nostalgia Festival Durlston Country Park: Seabird Boat Trip Wildlife weekend at Corfe Castle

2 Wildlife weekend at Corfe Castle Highcliffe Food Festival Wessex Folk Festiva The Royal Bath and West Show 2018 Rowing Guinness World Record Attempt, Frome

3 Vintage Nostalgia Festival Wildlife weekend at Corfe Castle Highcliffe Food Festival Wessex Folk Festival

7 Glebe Gallery Exhibition, Sutton Mandeville Yoga Knoll Gardens

8 Shoreline Ramble, Poole Poole Harbour Boat Show Art Day at Knoll Gardens

9 Glebe Gallery New Exhibition, Sutton Mandeville Castle Court School Strawberry Fair Party In The Paddock, Wimborne Wimborne Minster Folk Festival Cheese & Chilli Festival, Christchurch Swanage Fish Festival Dangerous Day 4 Dad, Mill on the Brue

10 Glebe Gallery New Exhibition, Sutton Mandeville Poole Harbour Boat Show Party In The Paddock, Wimborne Bridport Food and Beer Festival

(01747)

851151 4 Brownsea's World War One guided walksPredators at Longleat

THURSDAY FRIDAY

863322 6 Michael Morpurgo: A Lifetime in Stories, Museum of Somerset

5 Wildlife Wander Higher Bockhampton, Dorchester

(01747)

JULY

824924 11 Brownsea's World War One guided walks Bridport Food and Beer Festival 2018

12 Twelfth Night by The HandleBards Kilver Court Garden (01963)

13 Open Working Mornings, Knighton School Bridport Food and Beer Festival 2018 (01258)

14 Yoga Knoll Gardens Bridport Food and Beer Festival 2018

15 Durlston Country Park: Seabird Boat Trip Bournemouth Food & Drink Festival Dorset Polo Family Fun Day

16 Dorset Polo Festival, Family Fun Day Somerset Schools Folk Dance Festival Dorset Midsummer Music Festival, Blandford Guitars on the Beach, Lyme Regis Dorchester Carnival Weldmar's Family Dog Show

17 FATHERS DAY Pugs on the Beach, Lyme Regis Fathers Day Racing, Salisbury Racecourse Bournemouth Food & Drink Festival

18 Big Toddle Week Bournemouth Food & Drink Festival

19 Big Toddle Week Bournemouth Food & Drink Festival

20 Big Toddle Week 21 Big Toddle Bournemouth Food Week Yoga Knoll Gardens & Drink Festival Predators at Longleat

22 Top of the Gorge Festival, Cheddar Durlston Country Park: Seabird Boat Trip Vdub At The Pub Festival, Wimborne

23 DogFest, Ashton Court in Bristol Big Toddle Week Bournemouth Food & Drink Festival Vdub At The Pub Festival, Wimborne Beaminster Festival

24 Jazz by the Sea Festival 2018 Big Toddle Week Vdub At The Pub Festival, Wimborne Beaminster Festival Axe Vale Show

25 Jazz by the Sea Festival 2018 Beaminster Festival Predators at Longleat

26 Chalke Valley History Festival 2018 Beaminster Festival Predators at Longleat

27 Jazz by the Sea Festival 2018 Beaminster Festival Michael Morpurgo: A Lifetime in Stories, Museum of Somerset

29Jazz by the Sea Festival 2018 Durlston Country Park: Seabird Boat Trip Beaminster Festival Tankfest

30 Tractor Ted LIVE on The Farm, Cholderton Charlies Beaminster Festival Tankfest, Wareham Dorset Dubfest, Swanage Chickerell Steam & Vintage Show Quantock Hills Walking Festval Chalke Valley History Festival 2018

1 Totally Wiped Out, Wimborne Beaminster Festival Tankfest, Wareham Dorset Dubfest, Swanage Quantock Hills Walking Festval

34000

472647

28 Chalke Valley History Festival 2018 Yoga Knoll Gardens Predators at Longleat

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

2Jazz by the Sea Festival 2018 Michael Morpurgo: A Lifetime in Stories, Museum of Somerset

3 Jazz by the Sea Festival 2018 Wildlife Wander Higher Bockhampton, Dorchester

4 Jazz by the Sea Festival 2018 Michael Morpurgo: A Lifetime in Stories, Museum of Somerset

5 Jazz by the Sea Festival 2018 Yoga Knoll Gardens

6 Jazz by the Sea Festival 2018 Michael Morpurgo: A Lifetime in Stories, Museum of Somerset

7 Little Pickles Market, Sarum Academy, Salisbury Witchampton Village Fete Tag Rugby Festival, Weymouth Beach RNAS Yeovilton Air Day Grand Pier Kidsfest, W.S.M

8 Frome Children's Festival Tag Rugby Festival, Weymouth Beach Dorset Wine Festival

9 Predators at Longleat Minerva’s Owls of Bath

10Predators at Longleat Minerva’s Owls of Bath

11Predators at Longleat Minerva’s Owls of Bath

12 Yoga Knoll Gardens Wimbledon Tennis at Wilton Shopping Village Minerva’s Owls of Bath

13 Shoreline Ramble, Poole Open Air Theatre: Pirates of Penzance, Corfe Castle Wimbledon Tennis at Wilton Shopping Village

14 Ladies’ Evening & Lee Pashley as Robbie Williams, Salisbury Racecourse Bee day at Knoll Gardens Pommery Dorset Seafood Festival Guide Dogs Family Fun Day, Taunton

15 Shaftesbury Cobbles Market Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim Wimbledon Tennis at Wilton Shopping Village

16 Predators at Longleat Minerva’s Owls of Bath

17 Predators at Longleat Minerva’s Owls of Bath

18 Predators at Longleat Minerva’s Owls of Bath

19 Yoga Knoll Gardens Larmer Tree Festival 2018

20 Curious Arts Festival, New Forest Larmer Tree Festival 2018 Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival 2018

21 Larmer Tree Festival 2018 Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival 2018 Wilkswood Reggae Festival Wimborne History Festival Sorted in Dorset, Family Festival, Poole

22 Wilkswood Reggae Festival Sorted in Dorset, Family Festival, Poole Wareham Carnival Curious Arts Festival, New Forest

23 Curious Arts Festival, New Forest

25 Mystery Thriller Walk, Corfe Castle Superslam Wrestling, Bournemouth

26 Camp Bestival Lulworth Cove, Dorset Yoga Knoll Gardens Cerne Abbas Music Festival 2018

27 Camp Bestival Lulworth Cove, Dorset Cerne Abbas Music Festival 2018 Beach Volleyball Classic, Weymouth Bridport Folk Festival 2018

28 The Creepy Crawly Show, Dorchester Bridport Vegan Market Bugs and Buds, Knoll Gardens Dangerous Day 4 Dad, Mill on the Brue Beach Volleyball Classic, Weymouth Bridport Folk Festival 2018

29 Camp Bestival Lulworth Cove, Dorset Very Vintage Sunday, Wilton Shopping Village Cerne Abbas Music Festival 2018 Beach Volleyball Classic, Weymouth Bing Live! Lighthouse Poole

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CALENDAR SUMMER 2018 TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

30 Swanage Carnival & Regatta Be a ranger for the day, Brownsea Island

31 Swanage Carnival & Regatta Green Fingered Family Workshops, American Museum Bath

1 Mystery Thriller Walk, Corfe Castle Swanage Carnival & Regatta

2 Swanage Carnival & Regatta Bestival 2018 Minerva’s Owls of Bath

3 Swanage Carnival & Regatta Bestival 2018

4 Swanage Carnival & Regatta Bestival 2018 Lyme Regis Regatta & Carnival Week Loders Fete, Bridport Glastonbury Abbey Extravaganza featuring Paloma Faith

5 Bestival 2018 Lyme Regis Regatta & Carnival Week Thai Summer Fair, Bournemouth West Bay Day, Bridport

6 Lyme Regis Regatta & Carnival Week Predators at Longleat Minerva’s Owls of Bath

7 Lyme Regis Regatta & Carnival Week Knoll Gardens Wildlife Survey

8 Mystery Thriller Walk, Corfe Castle Durlston Country Park: Wild Wednesdays

9 Lyme Regis Regatta & Carnival Week Predators at Longleat Minerva’s Owls of Bath

10 Lyme Regis Regatta & Carnival Week Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Proms in the Park

11 Lyme Regis Regatta & Carnival Week Weldmar's Pyjama Walk, Bryanstone School, Blandford Blackdown Hills Beer & Music Festival, Honiton Side by Side: Graffiti Workshop, American Museum, Bath

12 The Purbeck Rally, Wareham Giant Gift & Craft Fair, Weymouth Side by Side: Graffiti Workshop, American Museum, Bath

13 Be a ranger for the day, Brownsea Island Green Fingered Family Workshops, American Museum Bath

14 Wildlife Wander Higher Bockhampton, Dorchester

15 Summer Holiday Family Races, Salisbury Racecourse Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show

16 Summer Holiday Family Races featuring The Sovereign Stakes, Salisbury Racecourse

17 Squashbox Kids Theatre at Durlston Country Park Minerva’s Owls of Bath

18 Bridport Vegan Market Bridport Carnival 2018 Squashbox Kids Theatre at Durlston Country Park Glastonbury Abbey: Three Musketeers

19 Shaftesbury Cobbles Market Bridport Torchlight Procession Buckham Fair Pony & Dog Show Creech Grange Country Show

20 Predators at Longleat Green Fingered Family Workshops, American Museum Bath

21 Predators at Longleat Green Fingered Family Workshops, American Museum Bath

22 Predators at Longleat Green Fingered Family Workshops, American Museum Bath

23 Melplash Show, Bridport The Great Dorset Steam Fair 2018

24 Evening Racing & Ben: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Concert, Salisbury Racecourse

26 Cinema under the 25 Bugs and Buds, Knoll stars, Corfe Castle Gardens The Great Dorset River Cottage Festival Steam Fair 2018 Cinema under the stars, Corfe Castle 2018 Candles on the Cobb 2018, Lyme Stock Gaylard Oak(01747) Fair, 8 5 1River 1 5 1 Regis Sturminster Newton Cottage Festival 2018

28 Minerva’s 29 Superslam 27 The Great Owls of Bath Wrestling, Dorset Steam Bournemouth Fair 2018 Sorted Durlston Country Hamb CChild 19:32 in Dorset, Family Easter BIG 02/02/2012 Park: Wild Festival, Poole Wednesdays

30 Bournemouth Air Festival Minerva’s Owls ofPage Bath 1

31Bournemouth Air Festival Lyme Regis Folk Festival 2018 One Love Festival, Bruton til 2 Sept

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Toddler Timetable Monday

Tuesday

9.30-11.30 Toddler Workshop, Shaftesbury Arts Centre toddlerworkshop.co.uk

9-10.30 Scarecrows Pre School 9-11.30 Messy Church Toddler Group, Toddler Group Cheselbourne Child Okeford Com Centre Vlillage school 9.30-11.30 Little Rascals Durweston 9.30-11 Tummies, Tiddlers and Village Hall Toddlers, St George’s Primary 9-11.30 Stower Vale Baby & Toddlers, School, Bourton Stower Provost School Hall 9.30-11 Sandroyd Pre Prep Parent and Toddler Group 9.30-11.30 Pimperne B&T Group, Village Hall 9.30-11.30 Jigsaw Toddler

Wednesday

9.30-11 Stay & Play, Tisbury Children’s Centre

A v i st

9.45-11.30 Tiddlers & Toddlers, Lecture Hall, Mere

Group, Sturminster Newton Methodist Church

9.30-11.30 Baby & 9.30 - 11 Mini Explorers, St Toddlers, Child Okeford Mary's Catholic Sch, Marnhull Community Centre 9.30-11.30 Piddle Valley Tiddlers, First School, TT

10-11 Toddler Gym, Motcombe Park Sport Centre

l a i c e p S

9.30-11.30 Play and Learn, Mere Children’s Centre 9.30-11.30 Little Cherubs Group, St Mary’s School Room, Gillingham 9.30-12 Bumps and Babes, Tisbury Children’s Centre

9.30-11.30 Toddler Workshop 10-11 Toddler Gym, Motcombe Park Shaftesbury Arts Centre Sport Centre toddlerworkshop.co.uk

10-11.30 Monkey Doodle, Wylye Village Hall, Wylye

9.45-10.30 Squirrels Sing & Dance, Hazlegrove Prep TT

2-3.30 Stay n Play, Community Kids Pre School, Bruton 2.15-2.45 Rhyme Time, Warminster Library

10.30-11 Baby & Toddler Rhyme & Story Time, Wincanton Library 10.30-11 Library Gets Lively, Sherborne Library

9.15-11.15 Bumps, Babes & Bigs Parent & Toddler Group, Okeford Fitzpaine Sch Hall

9.30-11.30 Marnhull Baby 9.30-11 Sandroyd Pre Prep & Toddlers, Marnhull Village Swim & Play Baby, Toddler & Parent Session Hall 9.30-11.30 Jigsaw Toddler 9.30-11 Stay and Play at Group, Sturminster Newton Ludwell Primary School Methodist Church 10-11.15 Knighton House School, Baby & Toddler Group

9.30 Pre School Music, Just Dance, Wincanton.

Buckhorn Weston Village Hall

10-11 Toddler Gym, Motcombe Park Sport Centre

10-11.30am Bright Beginnings, 10-11 Time Together Castle Salisbury Cathedral School Cary Primary School 10-11.30 Friday Fun Cllub, Whitesheet Academy, Zeals 10am Munchkins at

10-12 Motcombe Toddlers, 10-12 North Barrow P& T Grp, Village Hall

10-12 Evercreatures, Evercreech Village Hall

10.15-10.45 Library Gets Lively, Gillingham Library

10-12 Toddler Stay and play, Shaftesbury Child Centre

9.30-10.15 Emma & The Magic 2-2.45 Tiny Tots Gymnastics, Bag, St Andrew’s Primary Tisbury Leisure Centre School, Fontmell 2.30-3 Rhyme-time, 11-12 Mini Movers at Tisbury Shaftesbury Library Sports Centre

10-12 Caterpillars Parent & Toddler Group, Fovant Rainbow Centre

1-2.30pm Little Humphries Baby and Toddler Group, Holwell Nursery, Sherborne TT

10.30-12 Sunny Hill Prep Toddler Group, Bruton

2-3pm Bumps and Babies Mere Children’s Centre 2.30-3pm Story & Rhyme Time at Milborne Port Library

2-2.30 Rhyme Time, Blandford 2-3.30 Squirrels P&T Group Library Hazlegrove TT

Library

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Blandford Dorchester Gillingham

10am-6.30pm 10am-5.30pm 10am-1pm

9.30am-5pm 9.30am-7pm 9.30am-6.30pm

Closed 9.30am-1pm Closed

9.30am-6.30pm 9.30am-5.30pm 9.30am-5pm

9.30am-4pm 9am-4pm 9.30am-4pm

Mere Milborne Port

10am-7pm Closed

9.30am-1pm Closed

9.30am-5pm Closed

Shaftesbury

10am-5pm

9.30am-5pm 9.30am-1pm 2-5.30pm 9.30am-5pm

Closed

9.30am-6.30pm

Stalbridge

2-5pm

12am-12.30pm

3.30pm-6.30pm

Sherborne

10am-7pm

10am-12.30pm 2-5pm 9.30am-1.30pm

9.30am-1pm 9.30am-7pm 9.30am6.30pm 9.30am-5pm 9.30am-1pm 2-5.30pm 9.30am12.30pm 2-5pm

Closed

9.30am-7pm

Sturminster Newton Tisbury

9.30am-12.30pm

2-5pm

Closed

2-5pm 5.30-7.30pm 9.30-1.30pm 2.30-5pm

Closed

10am-1pm

9.30-1.30pm 2.30-5pm

9.30am-1.30pm 2.30-5pm

10am-6.30pm 10am-7pm

9.30am-1pm 9.30am-5pm

Closed 9am-12.30pm

Wincanton Wimborne Warminster

10-12 Toddler Group, Batcombe Jubilee Village Hall

Friday

9-11 Leweston Pre-Prep, Parent & Toddler Group and Toddler Tunes

10.30-12 Bushy Tails Playtime, Motcombe Memorial Hall Clayesmore Emma and her Magic Bag

10.15-10.45 Rhyme 10-11 Emma & The Magic Bag Times, Gillingham Library Music, Shaftesbury Arts Centre 10-11 Messy Play, Youth Centre, Sturminster Newton 10-11.30 Toddler Time, 10-11 Music & Messy play Zeals 10-11.30am, Little Wrigglers Climb Aboard, West Village Church Congregational Church Stalbridge Stour 11.30-12.15 Pre-School Ballet, TLW Dance Shaftesbury

Thursday

9.30am5.30pm 9.30am-12.30pm 2-5pm 2-6.30pm Closed 2-5pm 5.30-7.30pm Closed 9.30am 1.30pm 2.30-5pm 9.30am-6.30pm 9.30am-5pm 9.30am-7pm 9.30am-5pm

9.30am-1pm 9.30am12.30pm 9.30am-1pm 9.30am12.30pm 9.30am-4pm 9am-12.30pm Closed 9.30am-12pm 9.30am-4pm 9.30am-4pm

FUN and FREE!

rome Children's Festival will be held in Victoria Park this year. There will be the usual fabulous mix of activities and entertainment, just in a different place - making it even bigger than in previous years! And remember it's all FREE! 8 July facebook.com/fromechildrensfestival

Inside Out

Dogs Day Out

D Night Crawlers Places To Go

eldmar Hospicecare's sponsored pyjama 5km walk for 2018 is hosted in the beautiful grounds of Bryanston School in Blandford, Dorset. The event is open to anyone over the age of 14 and makes for a fun and different way to raise money for a great charity. The evenings stroll starts at 10pm and will walk you through the beautiful grounds of the school, where you will be lighting up the way, as you walk with the flashing head gear. For your efforts, on your return you will be given some tasty treats and a goodie bag. So get your pyjamas or onesies on, have fun with your friends and family and walk for Weldmar! 11 - 12 Aug. Entry price: Adults: £14 (early bird fee – £16 after 31st July 2018). Age 14 to 17yrs: £12. weld-hospice.org.uk/events/ pyjama-walk/

Things To Do

It's a Hoot!

colourful 3-month public art event to celebrate Bath’s Roman heritage and raise funds for local charities is on show this summer, showcasing 100 sculptures. Minerva’s Owls of Bath will be a free and inclusive event, bringing colour and fun to the city. Owl fans, families and budding explorers can get involved with the interactive mobile map. It'll be a great hoot! 25 June – 10 Sept. For more information visit minervasowls.org

ogFest will be at Ashton Court in Bristol and is hosted by Supervet Professor Noel Fitzpatrick. DogFest offers, families, dogs, their owners, and doglovers an action-packed, fun-filled weekend. With even more ‘have-a-go’ activities for your dog, this year’s superb line-up includes the frenetic dog sport of Flyball; agility, training and obedience sessions, watery hilarity with dog diving and the ever popular, fun dog competitions. Highlights of this exciting festival include the School 4 Dogs arena, Dogs with Jobs area (featuring a thrilling cast of dogs who work for a living) and more. Twice a day, Noel will lead the way on The Great Dog Walk, which is the perfect opportunity for visitors to get some exercise with their dog, explore the wonderful surroundings and raise some money for charity. There are many opportunities for visitors and their dog to join in with the action, including behaviour workshops at the School 4 Dogs, where even the most disobedient dog can become a teacher’s pet! Sessions include puppy training, how to teach your dog to perform using props and obedience displays. Also available to try are the Hay Bale Race and crowd favourite Temptation Alley (where dogs’ resolve is tested: snacks vs: owners’ commands), plus so much more to keep dogs entertained. So, while the dogs enjoy an energising day out, visitors can watch displays in the main ring; get first-hand advice from experts during informative talks; treat themselves to a delicious spread of food and drink; listen to live music and pamper their pooch with some excellent shopping. 23 and 24 June. dog-fest.co.uk

ith over 520 trade stand exhibitors, there’s lots on offer at the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show this year. From handicrafts and gifts, to delicious food stalls, experts offering advice on schools, further education and even home improvements. Plus, of course, over 100 stands packed with tractors, machinery and farming suppliers. 15th August gillshaftshow.co.uk

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Show and Tell Festival Features

he Frome Festival has been the town’s biggest celebration of the arts for 17 years. Its UK wide reputation is thought to be one of the major factors in Frome becoming a hot spot for tourists and for those relocating from London, Bristol and Bath. This year’s Festival will feature close on 200 events across many venues starting on Friday 6th July and continuing through to Sunday 15th July. As usual, the Festival features an eclectic mix of opera, pop, choral, jazz and folk music; theatre, workshops, exhibitions, films, walks and talks. The Festival is a platform for many local artists, writers and musicians, as well as a raft of celebrity headline acts, several of whom will appear at the town’s renowned Cheese and Grain hall including Aston Merrygold, JLS singer and recent “Strictly” contestant; the inimitable Badly Drawn Boy; Scottish folk rockers Blazin’ Fiddles; performance poet John Cooper Clarke, and as a post-Festival “Encore” the legendary Leo Sayer. Full programme details will be available on fromefestival.co.uk. Tickets now available from Cheese and Grain’s box office: cheeseandgrain. com

A guide to local live entertainment

All About Jazz

icking off this year’s Jazz by the Sea Festival will be a jazz cruise around Poole Harbour, aboard recently restored 1920’s classic passenger boat, The Dorset Queen. New for 2018, the festival will be joining the Metropole Street Market in Bournemouth with performances from Scared of Jazz, Joe Limburn and Mambossa and the festival is adding a jazz film night and supper, with Koh Lounge hosting the acclaimed American Jazz film Whiplash. With more acts, venues and events to still be confirmed check out jazzbytheseafestival.co.uk and join their mailing list to ensure you never miss a thing!!

Handle This!

Calling all Bingsters!

T B

ing and his friends are going on tour in the first ever Bing stage show! Bing Live! will visit Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts as part of a major UK tour in 2018. Join Bing, Sula, Coco and Pando as they learn how to tell stories by pretending, dressing-up and singing songs. Flop and Amma are there to help, but in this magical world of make-believe things don’t always go according to plan. The CBeebies favourites are brought to life in a brand new stage production full of fun, laughter, music and magical puppetry. Bing Live! is the perfect first theatre trip for pre-schoolers and their families. Going to the theatre… it’s a Bing thing! From 28-29 July lighthousepoole.co.uk

he world’s first cycling theatre company, The HandleBards, pedal from venue to venue with all the set, props and costume necessary to perform environmentally sustainable Shakespeare across the globe. Join their all-male troupe in the Kilver Court garden for a bicycle-powered production of Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ like none other. In usual HandleBards style, expect riotous amounts of energy, a fair old whack of chaos and a great deal of laughter. And what’s the play about? Well – Duke Orsino is in love with Lady Olivia, but she won’t have anything to do with suitors. Viola is shipwrecked and believes her twin brother Sebastian to be dead. Meanwhile, a bunch of Olivia’s servants plot to make a fool out of her pompous Butler, Malvolio. There’s drunkenness, frivolity and cross-dressing a plenty! 12 June kilvercourt.com

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Digital Dilemma

The digital world: Is it a help or a hindrance to our children? Miranda Avis investigates this very modern conundrum…

ccording to a recent report by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), children and adolescents under the age of 18 account for an estimated one in three internet users around the world. The report goes on to suggest that in some countries, “children under 15 are as likely to use the internet as adults over 25.” With such frank findings, there’s little denying that children of today are part of a digital generation; growing up in a world where the internet, mobile phones, tablets and computer games are all very much a part and parcel of their everyday lives. Tablets and other technological ‘must-haves’ continue to top the charts for most wanted presents, with parents spending billions of pounds on technology year upon year. Whilst there are those who embrace the wealth of opportunity

long they are online. Coupled with this, encouraging youngsters to spend time with friends and family, or to take up a new sport or interest, away from the screen, can help to reduce their weekly ‘technology hours’. The myriad dangers associated with digital technology are welldocumented in the press, with cyber bullying, in particular, rarely out of the news. As a result, there are lots of resources available both to parents and schools regarding this distressing topic. The NSPCC have created a leaflet, which can be accessed online, called A parents’ guide to being Share Aware (nspcc.org.uk) which offers a wealth of information on how to keep your child safe online. The internet is, of course, an amazing resource, it enables both adults and children to access opportunity that wasn’t conceivable

PhotograPhy: Millie Pilkington SAFETY ADVICE...  Get to know the online sites your child uses.  Set house rules, such as time limits.  Teach them how to protect their own privacy by never giving their name, phone number, e-mail address, password, postal address, school, or picture without your permission  Not to open e-mail from people they don't know, not to respond to hurtful or disturbing messages and not to get together with anyone they "meet" online.  Keep the computer in a communal area in your home.  Use safe surfing software and other filters and privacy settings and technologies to your advantage.

that digital technology affords our children, others consider it an unstoppable force that is ruining the childhoods of the younger generations. Smartphones are a case in point. Increasingly, these ‘palm computers’ are being held accountable for the rise of the so-called ‘bedroom culture’. Children and adolescents are spending increasing amounts of unsupervised time on their own, in their bedrooms, surfing the net and connecting with people over the internet; “In a recent survey of 1,162 pupils aged nine to eleven across 15 primary schools, 18 percent admitted to meeting up with someone in the real world they have previously talked to only online. 15 per cent said their parents never check their online activities, with over a third accessing the internet from their bedrooms.” For parents, policing such activity can be challenging. Experts suggest parents take a ‘Goldilocks’ approach to their children’s screen time – not too much, not too little, and focus more on what their children are doing online, and less on how

just a short time ago. When used appropriately, the scope for learning and discovery is both exciting and infinite. Many schools now direct their pupils online to complete homework, research topics and upload their findings. At home, apps can be purchased that encourage children to develop new skills, whilst being fun and safe at the same time. Apps such as Squeebles, Maths Rocks, Mathletics and IXL learning are all popular learning platforms based around challenges and games and are recommended for children of primary school age. Naturally, parents have a responsibility to keep abreast of the new technology favoured by their children, and this in itself can be a daunting prospect – the digital world is moving at such a fast pace that keeping up with the latest wizardry is often nigh on impossible. However, for better or worse, digital technology is a permanent fixture in our lives, we can but strive to find a happy balance.

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The Greatest Showman  Elephant's March Wallpaper by Santorus is printed on a unique gold iridescent paper. £695 limelace.co.uk  A fine china 8 inch plate featuring the Chase and Wonder type design will work beautifully as part of a dinner service or grouped together as a distinctive piece of wall art £35. chaseandwonder.com  Add a touch of magic to any celebration with this top hat silver plated wine cooler/ luxury ice bucket by Culinary Concepts. £120. cuckooland.com  With unique fabric The Great Show Drum Shade by MINDTHEGAP forms part of a brand new collection of eclectic style lampshades. £159. limelace.co.uk

The Great Outdoors With the six-week summer holidays looming large and many parents preoccupied with keeping their young charges entertained, why not soak up four of those days by taking on the Country Child Habitat Challenge?

his part of England is blessed with a diverse array of habitats, so your mission, should you wish to accept of course, is to take the time to visit a wetland, woodland, grassland and coastal location near you. There are plenty of reasons as to why this would be a smart move. Firstly, the vast majority of Britain’s countryside and its nature reserves are free to visit, making them the perfect destination for all families on a budget. These wild places are also effectively a million miles from computer games and social media, which can so often dominate many children’s spare time. And finally, what better way of ensuring our kids have a good night’s sleep than by physically wearing them out during the day! Whilst many of the learned readers of this magazine will be familiar with a whole variety of reserves across Somerset, Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire, here are a few other suggestions of some of the finest wildlife reserves across the regions – complete with some tantalizing examples of the summer wildlife to be spotted.

The Wetland

The Avalon Marshes in Somerset are part of the largest lowland wetlands in Britain and, without doubt, one of the jewels in this wetland crown is the RSPB’s Ham Wall Reserve. This location is one of the best locations to catch up with otters during the day. Well versed in catering for visitors, the reserve offers a number of raised banks from which to enjoy views across this pancake-like terrain as well as a number of hides, from which to either scan over the tops of the reeds, or across the water for any action. While waiting for an otter to turn up, a host of butterflies and dragonflies will prove delightful diversions. Look out for the birds too; Reed, Sedge and Reed Warblers will be frantically feeding their families on the season’s bounty of insects. It’s also worth mentioning that Ham Wall is the only known location where Little Bittern has bred in Britain - so keep an eye out for this mega-rarity if they return again in 2018.

☐

The Grassland

Overlooking the town of Swindon, much of the habitat surrounding Barbary Castle iron age hill fort has been left undisturbed since ancient times. Managed by Swindon Borough Council, the thin soils have allowed an impressive suite of chalk-loving plants to thrive, such as Vetches, Scabious and Knapweeds. A number of these specialised plants provide either nectar for rare grassland butterflies or food for their caterpillars. The two undoubted star butterflies to be found fluttering over southern chalk grasslands in summer are the Chalkhill and Adonis Blue, both of which also bizarrely need the help of ants to ensure they complete their bizarre lifecycles. Supporting these blue butterflies during the warm summer months are an able cast of other exciting invertebrates, such as crickets and grasshoppers, which will happily serenade you with their stridulations as you lie back to watch the clouds scud by.

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The Woodland

Covering over 400 hectares, Roydon Woods Reserve in Hampshire is about much more than just trees. This reserve, which is owned and managed by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, is actually a wonderful mosaic of woodlands, heath, fields and meadows, which are all bisected by numerous streams and dotted with ponds. On a summer’s day, the woods not only offer a perfect retreat from the sun, but also happen to be the best location from which to glimpse both Fallow and Sika Deer as they quietly slip between the cool shadows. With the sun still managing to penetrate the woodland rides, these are the best places to spot warmth-loving woodland butterflies ply their trade. White Admiral and Silver-Washed Fritillary are the key species to catch up with, as they alternate chasing females and hectoring other males with quick nectar stops from the numerous blooms on offer.

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The Coast

Studland Bay’s beautiful sandy beaches in Dorset are enjoyed by millions every year, but relatively few visitors turn their backs on the sea to explore the sand dunes guarding the beach and the heathland behind. This peninsula jutting out into Poole Harbour is owned and managed by the National Trust and Studland’s dune heath is one of very few locations in the country that is home to all six native species of reptile. The best way to catch up with any Adders and Sand Lizards, for example, is to pick a fine, sunny morning when these cold-blooded creatures are warming themselves up for the day ahead. Of course, Studland’s wildlife is not just about scales, you should keep an eye out for feathers too. Dartford Warblers must have their British Headquarters on England’s southern Heaths and if you are still there with dusk approaching, do also listening out for the churring of territorial Nightjars.

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Mike Dilger is a Naturalist, Writer and Presenter, best known as the ‘wild man’ from BBC’s The One Show. He will be completing this challenge with his son this summer!

The Great British Bee Count

ith the weather finally warming up, children and families across the country will want to make the most of nature and the great outdoors. Friends of the Earth is inviting everyone to join the fight to protect nature, by taking part in the Great British Bee Count, now on until the 30 June 2018. By downloading the free, fun and easy-to-use app you can identify and learn about the precious pollinators that visit our gardens, parks and countryside. Participants can record each species of bee they spot - and even send in photos. Register at greatbritishbeecount.co.uk

Photo Credit: Maria Davies

Rock Hunting

Have you seen the new craze sweeping across the countryside, parks and town centres? Yes, Hidden Rocks is taking over our land! Here are the do’s and don’ts to get you started...

idden Rocks is the new way to get families out and about in the fresh air - think Pokemon Go but in real form. There's no app for this but fellow 'rockers' can get connected via the local Hidden Rock facebook groups in their areas. There are loads! The idea stems from hiding painted rocks with positive messages on them to spread random messages of kindness to strangers, with no reward. A great message to teach our children. If you get very hands on and start creating your own and if they are lucky enough to be found, then you can also see your rocks travel. Some have been spotted venturing abroad and across continents. This game is certainly suitable for all ages and for both individuals and families alike. You may just want to hunt and rehide or go further and make your own rocks to go on their adventures.

How to create your own:

Ideally smooth stones can be bought in bulk from all good homeware stores and acrylic paints are the best paints to use. Not only does it dry quickly but has a slight water resistance and does not fade easily in the sun. Oil, watercolour or poster paints tend not to work and will fade with sun and rain damage. In order to see your stones travel, it is advised to write on the back of the stone which rock hunting group you belong to and to also write “post a pic on facebook page then re-hide”. Once painted and for best results use an exterior varnish, yacht varnish seems to be the most hard wearing. Some of these items are very strong smelling especially sprays so best to do this in a well ventilated area and for a hard cure, leave for at least 24 hours. Happy rocking!

Do's & Don'ts - Do take a picture of your found rock. - Do post your picture on your local facebook rock hunt group. - Do not paint anything rude or offensive. - Do not place painted rocks on vehicles. - Try not to create a trip hazard. - Do not place in any rivers or puddles. - Do not steal from people’s garden landscapes. - Do not “paint over” someone else’s rock - Taking pebbles from public beaches is frowned upon and can produce a hefty fine if caught doing so. - Do not stick googly eyes, foam beaks or glitter to the rocks as these are attractive to wildlife and will cause unnessary harm.

Rock Gardens By Orchard Park Garden Centre, Gillingham

uilding a rock garden creates a specialist environment for the alpine species of plants making the most of sunny areas that have shallow or poor soil. Alpines are hardy, low-maintenance, drought-tolerant and many spread easily. They have colourful flowers and brighten up any barren ground. Alpines grow on rocky mountain slopes where the drainage is good and there is plenty of light. By using carefully placed rocks you can mimic these conditions in miniature: a large rock set at the right angle will create both north and south facing slopes, providing the perfect conditions for these little plants. First of all you’ll need to find the right location. It needs to be somewhere with good light so away from trees or large shrubs. A rock garden can be any size from a small sunny corner awash with intricate colour, pebbles and shingle to a grand landscaped feature of boulders to make a real statement. If space is limited, alpines can be grown in cracks and crevices between paving slabs, in pockets on walls or in tubs/ troughs. Alpines can be planted at any time of year, they’re not fussy plants but they don’t like waterlogged soil. Plant sun-loving alpines on the south side of large rocks, and those that like cooler conditions on the opposite side. Start by taking the plant out of its pot and tease out the roots – these naturally grow very long to seek water. Plant it, backfill with gritty soil and give it a thorough watering. There are many Apine plants available at orcharpark.biz

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News In Brief

Milton Abbey School will open its second girls’ day and boarding House in September 2018 in response to the high demand for girls’ places at the school. 

Village, primary, pre prep, private or state we want to know your school news, email: info@countrychild.co.uk

Class Act Congratulations

umpton School Year 8 pupils achieved 23 scholarships to local senior schools this September. The scholarships include academic, all-rounder, sports, drama and music awards, to seven different schools – Canford, Bryanston, Clayesmore, Bournemouth Collegiate School, Hampshire Collegiate School, Milton Abbey and Talbot Heath. Headmaster Andrew Browning said: 'Once again we are delighted to see all the hard work of the pupils and teachers paying dividends and they should all be quietly proud of their achievements'.

wo Clayesmore students are celebrating after having been offered unconditional places to study at top drama schools. Caitlin will study BA Production Arts (Stage and Screen) at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Emily will study BA Technical Theatre Arts. Director of Drama, Mr Tom Wansey adds: “These institutions are in the top three in the country . . . if not the world! To put this into perspective, in terms of place numbers and prestige, it really is on par with getting a place to study at Oxford or Cambridge.” As well as contributing creatively to more than twenty Clayesmore Theatre productions between them, Caitlin and Emily are also current members of the fivestrong, student ‘Theatre Committee’. Since being elected as Artistic Director and Head of Production respectively, Caitlin and Emily have designed a season of nine plays this year, have helped to cast productions and recruited and trained crew members. Their experience running the theatre in this way has certainly helped prepare them for their next step. Many congratulations!

MEET THE HEAD

Charlotte Targett St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull, Dorset

ow long have you been at the school?

I joined St Mary’s in September 2012 and took on the Headship in September 2014. In that time, I have seen the school through a successful Ofsted and Diocesan Inspection. hat is the ethos of your school? We believe in developing every child as an individual; nurturing their interests, talents and needs to the full. Our pupils develop in a loving and respectful environment and carry these qualities with them when they leave. The school was awarded an ‘outstanding’ judgement following our recent Diocesan inspection. The inspection report stated that the school is “a warm and welcoming environment” and that “the pastoral care is a priority and as a result every child is nurtured and cared for in such a way they grow to become the very best that they can be”.

ow do you help ensure that every child meets their full potential? I am fortunate enough to work with an

exceptional group of staff, governors and parents. As a small school, teamwork plays a huge part in the life of St Mary’s and the support from parents and governors is invaluable. We work together to ensure that every child’s needs are met. Each of our pupils are treated as individuals and their interests and skills are fostered to bring out the best in every child. As a school, we pride ourselves on giving our children the opportunity to think about things in a different way. We follow a very creative curriculum, linking subjects as far as possible. Small classes ensure children have every opportunity to experience ‘hands-on’ learning. The

children and their families are part of a community that supports each other, making them feel safe and cared for. hat do you find most rewarding about teaching? One of the most rewarding things about teaching is watching children grow and progress with pleasure and pride. Every children is unique and that moment when you see them realise they can actually do something that they thought they would never master is wonderful. Learning is fun – and so is watching it! hat are your own hobbies and interests? In my own time, I enjoy spending time with my family. I live with my husband, Rob and our two boys; Will and Finn. As a family, we enjoy walking our two dogs, playing football and visiting new places. I also relish the opportunity to cook for others and entertain at home. hat does the future hold for you and your school? The future at St Mary’s is looking brighter every day! In 2016 we opened our own Foundation Stage Unit which is run by an experienced teacher and caters for children from 3 to 5 years. We also have wrap around care from 8am to 6pm and run a weekly Toddler session on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00am. Our Ofsted report, written in February 2017, stated that the school is “going from strength to strength to help pupils achieve their maximum potential”. St Mary’s has held a place in Marnhull since 1846 and the school is committed to ensuring that this tradition continues for many decades to come! We are incredibly proud of our school and have an open door policy which welcomes you to come and see for yourself why we are so special.

W W W

Design Determination

he Creative Design Department at All Hallows School are celebrating its greatest pupil achievement since opening four years ago, with four students being awarded CDT scholarships to Millfield, Kings Bruton and Marlborough College. Edward, Tia, Cecily and Sam each had to produce an A3 Design Portfolio of graphical work as well as numerous three dimensional products and prototypes, attend interviews, a design challenge day and deliver an assessment on their creative designing and making skills. This required a lot of skill, hard work and determination. The portfolio work was at top GCSE level in terms of its quality, as was noted by the schools they applied to. Edward moves on to Millfield, Tia to King's Bruton and Cecily and Sam were given the only two Design and Technology Scholarship awards that were offered by Marlborough College. This brings the total number of scholarships and awards gained by Year 8 pupils at All Hallows this year to 42 - an incredible achievement from a cohort of 39 pupils.

Filthy Forest Fun

ilthy Squirrels Forest School is a new childcare provision set within the grounds of a small farm in Wiltshire, run by an experienced teacher. Based on the Forest School approach with foundations from Montessori, Reggio and Steiner; Filthy Squirrels offers daily childcare to children up to school age. Hilly Webb founder and owner said "At Filthy Squirrels, we spend our days outside, in the barn and bell tent, enjoying unique and exciting learning experiences led by the children’s innate sense of curiosity. The outdoor learning environment offers a huge range of experiences that cannot be replicated in the traditional classroom. Outdoors, everything can be bigger, louder, messier whilst children become completely absorbed and motivated by their learning." The new forest school prides itself to promoting a ‘have a go’ attitude, encouraging children to be resourceful, inventive and creative. The children are encouraged to work with real tools, get messy, create masterpieces, spend time cooking (on both the campfire and in the mud kitchen!) build dens, light fires, take part in music sessions, grow their own vegetables, watch the birds, have a go at yoga and much, much more. As well as all the activities, children help to look after the many animals on the farm aiming to give them an increased sense of responsibility and in turn, boost their confidence and self esteem. From raising chicks, herding piglets to feeding alpacas, there does not seem to be a dull moment! In the bell tent the children can draw pictures, play with small world toys, read books and those children that require naps can do so by the warm wood burner. If you'd like to know more about this type of childcare provision visit filthysquirrels.com

Caring Community

oli is a festival of colour that marks the arrival of spring in India. Although originally it is a Hindu festival, it is perhaps one of the most important festivals in India, where colours and love are celebrated by everyone regardless of their religion, cast, age and beliefs. Teacher Pankaj Sulodia at Ringwood Waldorf School in Ringwood reflects "There are various legends and stories attached to the origin of this wonderfully vibrant festival, but as a child, having the freedom to throw colour on anyone and everyone without being told off, was enough for me to absolutely love this festival. From my own childhood, there are many aspects of Indian life I remember fondly, and Holi is definitely one of the earliest and one of the best!" Mr Sulodia had such a connection with this festival, that he shard it with his class at the Hampshire based school. Initilally there was a certain amount of disappointment amongst the pupils as on 2nd March ( the official day for Holi ) the school had to be closed due to snow and icy conditions on the road. So the day's celebration was postponed to the last day of term and celebrate they did, whatever the weather. The younger pupils we asked to explore powdered colour by making Rangoli patterns on the floor of their classrooms. where the older classes played (throwing) Holi on the basketball court. The pupils donated £1 each to support this event and monies raised are going to go to a children’s charity called Manzil in Delhi, India. Ringwood Waldorf School children, staff, parents pride themselves to be a welcoming community, interested in cultures and traditions from all over the world.

Links to Dorset

ilton Abbey School announce that Annoushka Ducas MBE, the co-founder of Links of London and more recently the jewellery brand Annoushka, will be the schools next Entrepreneur in Residence for 2018/19. Annoushka said, “I have benefitted so much from the privilege and freedom of running my own business. It’s fantastic that Milton Abbey are working so hard to promote entrepreneurship and I have no doubt that their mentoring scheme will help to instil a real sense of confidence and self-belief into many budding entrepreneurs.”

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Relocation Relocation Secondary school teacher, Rosie Wagner, tells Country Child why she and her husband chose to ‘up sticks’ and move their family across continents on their very own African Adventure. young children agree so trustingly to follow you to the ends of the earth, it makes it matter all the more. The application process did not go smoothly. However, the few setbacks we faced helped us to realise that we really did want to do this. After an extremely surreal and disconcerting telephone interview (conducted in a Romanian hotel room whilst on a skiing holiday), plus a few uncertain weeks, and both our requests for sabbaticals from our existing schools being turned down, we finally got the go-ahead in late February: Saint Andrews International High School (SAIntS) offered us both a 2 year full-time teaching contract. Ironically, I think we felt bold enough to make the move because we were all so very happy and settled with our existing life, rather than wanting to run away. We loved our home and the children had always loved their school. This made us feel confident that they had as good a chance as any at settling in well to a new environment. Additionally, Michael and I could sense that if we didn’t do this now, there would unlikely ever be a better opportunity to have a family adventure and

“

We also felt a little like life was slipping past us so sneakily.

“

t was a cold, dark January morning. Blissfully a Saturday and so no rude alarm, no frantic packing of the kids’ school bags, no more teaching for 2 whole days. Instead, I gradually woke to the familiar sight of my husband on his phone. Before I had a chance to nag him about screen addiction he shows me adverts for a teacher of Geography and a teacher of Design & Technology in a British International High School in Blantyre, Malawi. Over the years, I had woken to this sort of information about every 6 months, usually for jobs in the Middle East and usually appropriate for just one of us. Usually, I made a bleary ‘hmmm’ noise and rolled back over to enjoy a lie in. This time, however, there were some crucial differences; there were jobs for both our subject specialisms and in Africa, a continent I had always wanted to get back to. I sat up “tell me more” I said, and by breakfast we had proposed the idea to our 3 children, Anna (10), Dougal (8) and Bobby (6). “What would you think about us all going to live in Central Africa for 2 years?” Their response was humbling. We could have proposed a move to Aleppo and they would have said ‘yes’ as they read our faces and seemed to trust that if we thought it was a good idea then, they too, were up for it. Indeed, I reflected back on this moment many times in the subsequent run up to our departure 6 months later; when 3

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Relocation Relocation continued... to show our children that there are other ways to live. Having both spent 10 years in our respective schools, we could see ourselves staying until retirement. Furthermore, in our 17 years of teaching we felt that the pressures facing teachers in England really had hit an all time high. Witnessing amazing practitioners fleeing the profession at an alarming rate, we didn’t want to burn out in a similar way, but could genuinely feel such a threat looming. We also felt a little like life was slipping past us so sneakily. Whilst we endlessly rushed between schools and extra-curricular commitments, we sensed that our children were growing up without leaving time for us to actually enjoy or even notice being a family unit. Perhaps, in this sense we were running away - trying to pause time and create two years that will always stand out from all the rest. People have commented on how brave we were, but actually things couldn’t have been made easier for us; the school booked our flights for us, they told us which vaccinations to get, and we were advised on what to bring! A freight company came to our house to collect our boxes (34 in all!), and there was a house waiting for us on arrival on the school site, along with a community waiting to welcome us and share their knowledge from the moment we landed. In fact, the most stressful aspect was packing up. We had lived in our house for 11 years and it had seen three babies, one dog and two litters of puppies in that time. Moving out and getting it to a standard fit for rental was no mean feat. August 21st saw an emotional farewell to my parents at Heathrow, but the distraction of checking in ten large suitcases and five mountain bikes left scant time for too many tears! We were also lucky as it had been a year heavy with recruitment for SAIntS, with many new post holders also bringing families. We had been in a whatsapp group with our fellow SAIntS newbies for months now, but being aboard the plane was the first chance for all of us to actually meet. There were 21 of us in all; 12 adults and nine children ranging from toddlers to teenagers. All of us were to be living on the school site, alongside an additional six already established families. Whilst this can make it hard to escape when work is too intense, the ready-made community makes for endless safe, outdoor playing for the children, whilst the lack of commute to work and to parties suits us very well!

There have of course been challenges; within ten minutes of arriving at the house, Michael set off the security alarm thinking it was the car key fob. Sirens wailed and a 4x4 truck full of armed guards arrived soon after, leaving us wondering anxiously about the sort of place we had moved to that should require such levels of security. Some things we sorted within days, such as how to buy phone top up cards, whereas others took much longer; how to pay a water bill, buy more gas for the cooker, top up our electricity, learn that robots mean traffic lights and no power means no robots... only 10% of Malawi is connected to the national grid, yet the country struggles to provide even for this 10%. Between October and January, the best-case scenario would be no power all-day Monday and Tuesday, but for many weeks it became far less predictable than this. Yet funnily enough, the hardest part for me has been the teaching. It is only when leaving a school after ten years that one realises just how many quirks that particular school had, and how invaluable the knowledge that comes from experience. Within nine days of landing in Malawi our teaching began, I was full time for the first time since 2005, lessons started at 7am and extracurricular activities meant that for three afternoons each week, contact time didn’t end until 3.40pm. I was teaching all seven year groups and everything in my life was new and needed to be learned, unfathomable quirks included. But teaching is teaching. Wherever in the world you are, you get sucked in by that overriding desire to do all you can for the students in front of you, which is what makes it the most rewarding job in the world, as well as a muchconsuming vocation. As the months tick by, I can feel myself finding my feet in my new classroom, adapting to my new sets of students and training them up to laugh and hopefully learn from my un-amusing teaching jokes. The differences are fascinating and exhilarating and the problems are part of the adventure. Our own children have settled like ducks to water and have been privileged enough to form relationships with all sorts of children, coming from near (the local orphanage) and far (12 different nations represented in Anna’s class alone!). Most importantly of all, despite working full time we are also spending more, and better quality, time as a family. For this reason alone, I will cherish our dark January morning decision forever....

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BOOKWORMS

t Salisbury Cathedral School, reading is embedded in our everyday routine. The library is often described by visitors to the Palace as the “Jewel” in our crown; it is a place where children can catch up on current affairs, browse a huge range of books, and lose themselves in stories. Classes right from Reception through to Year 8 make use of dedicated reading time, and students are able to request particular books and series. We have areas devoted to fiction and non-fiction, and children love to spend time reading on the comfortable sofas during their lunchtimes. The library promotes reading for pleasure across our curriculum, and a recent World Book Day challenge saw students reading widely around all areas of the school. This term our newly appointed Library prefects will get to enjoy making recommendations to other children, taking responsibility for their own section of the library and developing their own reading interests. In a world where technology is constantly changing and demanding our attention, it’s a pleasure to see children absorb themselves in all the enrichment and wonder reading offers.

alisbury Cathedral School, Coeducational Preparatory School for Children aged 3-13 Head Master – Mr Clive Marriott  01722 555300 admissions@ salisburycathedralschool.com

Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery I enjoyed the book as it had adventures and my two favourite parts were when she dyed her hair green and also when she got Diana drunk! I learned that we all make mistakes but the thing is to learn from them. Also it is not good to be vain. I would recommend this book as it is interesting and a lesson in life. By Lily Merrick, Year 4 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling The prisoner of Azkaban known as

Salisbury Cathedral School, Salisbury, Wiltshire

Sirus Black has got out of prison and is looking for Harry. Everyone thinks he divulged where Harry's parents lived so that Voldemort could kill him and his parents. In the book they are trying to find out who betrayed him. I loved the book as it was really exciting and imaginative, My favourite part was when Harry saw himself and thought he was his Dad. The scariest part was then the Dementors searched the train for Sirus Black. I recommend this book to anyone who likes magical mysteries. By George Gower, Year 4 Stormbreaker by Antony Horowitz This book is filled with lots of action and mysteries. Alex’s uncle is dead however the truth is something rather different. He is alive and working with for MI6. Alex receives a message to from MI6 asking him to join the secret agency. Intrigued, Alex agrees and finds himself in the same town where his Uncle was shot. Alex receives some fun gadgets such a Nintendo Gameboy which turns into a bomb. This is a great book for anyone who loves action. By Eva Akerman, Year 6 Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve Mortal Engines is set in the distant future where cities on wheels fight each other for survival, weaker ones are demolished and eaten by stronger ones! The story follows Tom, a young apprentice boy when he is flung out into the wasteland for knowing a dreadful secret. He is persued by a cyborg, Shrike as a mining town is swallowed by London. I really enjoyed the part when Shrike attached some pirates in Rustwater Marshes. Shrike has been tasked with finding Tim so that he can’t share this dreadful secret and he catches up with him in the company of these pirates. The author has an amazing imagination and I love how he describes this violent battle and gruesome deaths of the prates. By Alexander White, Year 6 ‘Pax’ by Sara Pennypacker ‘Pax’ is an amazing story about Peter and his fox that he is forced to abandon because of the war. However, as soon as Peter drives away, he realises that he has done the wrong thing. Both Peter and Pax set off on a long journey in the hope that they will be re-united. This is a great book for all ages, containing

danger, drama and friendship, and proves the lengths that we will go for our friends. Octavia Dawson, Year 7 ‘Orphan Monster Spy’ by Matt Killeen ‘Orphan Monster Spy’ is about a Jewish girl called Sarah living just before the Second World War in Berlin. She is recruited by a British spy and sent to an elite Nazi boarding school to befriend the daughter of a nuclear physicist. This book is both terrifying and compelling, describing life in the heart of Nazi Germany. I highly recommend ‘Orphan Monster Spy’ to readers 13+. Iona Bastin, Year 8 ‘A Swarm in May’ by William Mayne ‘A Swarm in May’ is about a boy named John Owen who sings and who finds a secret passageway tucked away in an ancient tower of a cathedral. I recommend this book because it has a gripping and captivating plot cleverly intertwined with the busy, everyday life of a chorister. I would suggest this book for children aged 9+. Grace Stephens-Spada, Year 8 ‘With Napoleon in Russia, 1812: The Diary of Lt. H.A. Vossler This book is jam packed full of action, hardship and misery. It is a diary of a Wurttenburg cavalry officer who trekked all the way from his house in Wuttenburg to Moscow, and back again. He gives an amazing visual interpretation of the disastrous campaign. I recommend this to older readers who are interested in the subject. He clearly loves agriculture and architecture, and gives a vivid impression of every village/town/city he goes through. I really hope you give this book a chance. Freddie Folkes, Year 8 ‘Awful Auntie’ by David Walliams This David Walliams book was the first of his that I read, and it really set the tone for his style of writing. I can see a huge similarity to Roald Dahl by the humour and unchallenging plot which is kept low-key by having only one location and a handful of characters. I really feel the emotions of the little girl, Stella, come off the page after her parents’ death. I would recommend this exciting and hilarious book to anyone who has an existing child’s mind. A strong 5/5.

Maxim Lewis, Year 8 ‘The Taliban Cricket Club’ by Timeri N Murari ‘The Taliban Cricket Club’ is about a girl called Rukhsana who is a young journalist working against the Taliban in Kabul. Her opportunity arises to escape when she hears about a cricket tournament – the prize is to get to leave the country and go to Pakistan. She starts to coach a cricket club which will hopefully lead to her freedom. This story contains horror and love, and I suggest it for readers 12+. Susannah Thomasson, Year 8 ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time’ by Mark Haddon This gripping mystery novel tells the story and describes the struggles of 15 year old Christopher, who has autism. It tackles large issues and confronts opinions about disabilities, while maintaining a relatively light narrative style. Therefore, I would recommend it to children between the ages of 11 and 14. It is well worth a read as its unpredictable, extravagant plot makes for a maze of cliff hangers that leaves the reader turning the pages for hours. Edward Pinnock – Year 8 ‘The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto’ by Mitch Albom For anyone familiar with the books of Mitch Albom, ‘Frankie Presto’ ticks all the boxes. The book follows the emotional, magical and musical journey of the protagonist, Francisco Presto, from his birth to his death in old age. The author cleverly personifies music who narrates the story. Francisco is orphaned as a very small child. He takes up the guitar at the age of seven with a mysterious teacher who is blind and who gives him a set of ‘magic’ guitar strings. These strings have the power to affect people’s lives by interfering in times of need. As Francisco travels through Spain and overseas, he meets all the great names in music. The book is packed with engaging characters, adventures and twists of fate. A must read! By Felix Melia, Year 8 Be A Bookworm This page provides an opportunity for local schools to promote themselves through their pupils' book reviews. If you would like us to feature your school, please email info@countrychild.co.uk for further details.

NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS

OPEN for Business

Palette and Pasture open a new Ice Cream Parlour in Trudoxhill, Frome! Ideal for the summer! Liz Lean PR marketing and communciatiions agency is celebrating continued success after winning the Outstanding Public Relations Consultancy Silver Award at the recent Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) South of England and Channel Islands PRide Awards in Bristol. Fine Country Fare change name to to Chedingtons Ltd.

Inter-generational Gifts MONEY MATTERS

ith Inheritance Tax receipts at all time highs, tax planning is more important than ever before, but where your children already have significant assets making gifts to them may simply be storing up a problem for the future. It is, however, often possible to make provision for grandchildren in a more tax efficient way. If a parent transfers assets to a child under the age of 18, if the income produced by those assets is more than £100 per year, the income is taxable on the parent. This rule does not apply to gifts from grandparents, so giving assets directly to a minor grandchild can help utilise their tax free personal allowance, enabling their savings to increase without any tax charges. For greater protection, a trust structure may be used so that the grandchild can only access the assets upon reaching a certain age. It is also possible for a grandchild to have a personal pension as soon as they are born. A parent or grandparent can then make a payment of up £2,880 each year into this pension, with tax relief topping up the contribution to £3,600. Each individual has an annual Inheritance Tax gift exemption of £3,000 per year, so this can be a very tax efficient way of providing for a grandchild's long term future. In addition to the standard nil rate band a residential nil rate band, currently of £125,000, has been introduced. This additional allowance is only available where a home of the deceased is passed on death to a lineal descendant. In most cases, this will be a child, but the allowance is also available where the home passes directly to a grandchild. With the younger generation finding it ever more difficult to get on the housing ladder, this can provide a valuable boost, whether the legacy takes the form of the property or the proceeds from its sale. This is only general advice and should not be relied upon; for speciﬁc advice tailored to your personal circumstances please contact: Lee Keeling at Andrews and Palmer, The Square, Gillingham, SP8 4AR Tel: 01747 823147 andpal.co.uk Lee@andpal.co.uk

C H A R T E R E D A C C O U N TA N T S

Courses to Savour

f your looking for a cooking school for your children then look no further than The Tisbury Cookery Studio in Tisbury, Wiltshire. The studio was set up by Fiona Dodd-Noble, who is well established in the area as the owner of the successful Nobles Catering and the former owner of Nobles delicatessen. Fiona says "Breathing new life in to a near derelict building, we have been able to take advantage of the locations, five minutes’ walk from the station, to create this modern, slick and spacious new schooling and demonstration room. We offer ten workstations with room for twenty guests in spacious comfort. No crowding in to cramped rooms, jostling for space with other users. Fantastic for adults and children alike." The studio offer a varied selection of interesting courses and have lots of Popup-Dinners in the Studio, taught by their in-house chef, as well as guest chefs. Junior Baking, Family Entertaining and Student Courses are some of the current courses but for a more informed event and date list take a look at their website thetisburycookerystudio.co.uk

Consider it Done

iltshire-based mum, Sam Ribeck is launching a new personal assistant company with a bit of a difference. To-Do’s offers individuals or small businesses an extra pair of hands to complete any job, as and when they need it. A totally bespoke and flexible service, busy parents and timepoor professionals can get exactly the extra help they need to get nagging jobs completed and lists ticked off. Sam remarks “Most households these days have busy working parents juggling time between their own needs and the needs of their children. Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. Being a working mum myself I know I have often wished I could be in more than one place at a time. That’s why I wanted to set up a flexible, individual service that could fill that gap. I want to provide a friendly face that will get time-consuming jobs done and give people time back for themselves. There are also so many small businesses who simply do not have the resources to employ a full or even part-time member of staff. At To'Do's Done we can simply chase invoices to even reinventing new filing systems.” Sam has worked for many years in television and theatre production. Her administrative and personal skills have been well-honed by having to work with all sorts of people in all sorts of environments, from busy offices to festival sites, even Buckingham Palace. So if you feel you are full to capacity and need a helping hand for a day or even on a regular basis then contact todosdone.co.uk

Little Learners

uccessful franchise Little Learners is coming to Bournemouth and Poole! Little Learners is a multi awardwinning preschool company, which offers educational messy play for babies to pre-schoolers. It was created and founded by Rachel Fay, a qualified primary teacher specialising in Early Years. During maternity leave from work, Rachel designed an innovative mark-making programme following the journey of four fun characters; ‘The Mark Makers’. Messy play, painting, play dough, scribbling, dance and more are used to encourage children to mark make and learn early writing skills through play. Mum of 2 Alex Milligan, who is a qualified Primary School Teacher with a specialism in Early Years, will run the new branch. Alex quotes “I am passionate about enabling children to learn through play. When I came across Little Learners I knew it was the perfect franchise opportunity for me as it enables me to use the skills I have from teaching as well as giving parents/carers an insight on how to help develop their children’s pre-writing skills and I can do all this around being a mum.” For more information on classes and events in your area visit littlelearnersuk.com

Additional Art

Durdle Door Sunset - Alice Boggis-Rolfe

n arrival in Wiltshire in 2014, Flora Harvey and family fully immersed themselves into country life: devoting time to family, gardening, dogs, chickens and being actively involved in Friends of Wardour (their school's PTA). Having run an art gallery before the move to the country some four years ago, Flora missed the art world, which she left behind in London and has therefore now created a gallery space within her home; enabling her to present paintings, watercolours and sculptures by British contemporary artists in a relaxed environment. The new Glebe Gallery specialises in traditional contemporary art, presenting two mixed artists exhibitions a year, otherwise open by appointment. The gallery's first exhibition of the year will be held over a four day weekend in June with nine confirmed artists. The event will showcase a broad spectrum of styles embracing the ‘en plein air’ tradition as well as more illustrative techniques, with pieces starting at £500. For further information about the gallery, or details or images on any of the exhibiting artists, please contact Glebe Gallery at Sutton Mandeville via glebegallery.co.uk

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