COUNTRY CHILD Winter 2021
Essential For Rural Families
Issue: 45
FARMING FOCUS
Feature: Eastbrook Farm
BABY DRIVER Driving Courses for 10-17 year olds
GAME ON
Staying safe with online gaming
GREAT OUTDOORS
How to look after your Evergreens
NURTURING NATURE
Nature's Impact on Children’s Well-Being 1
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Welcome to Winter
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ell what a year! High's, low's and everything in between. It has not been easy and as ever we can not thank you our readers, advertisers and associates enough for your support and encouragement. We can certainly look into next year with revived hope and positivity as we come out of this life changing event in history. So what is there to look forward to? Well there's plenty to do and see as ever with the local entertainment scene. Illuminations on everything certainly seems to be a hugely popular event. So turn to page 18 and 19 for where to catch the lights in your life. Light displays are such a wonderful part of the Christmas season, we felt it only right to celebrate more and take a look at what is on offer to you. So you too can join in the illuminations at home. All this on show at page 27. Now the house is staged, let's turn our attentions to the main event, Christmas day dinner! We know where you could get all the trimmings too as we have a wonderful focus on a local Wiltshire farm that shares its beginnings through to where they are today. And what a position they are in now, with a pub,
hotel, dairy, shop and farm tours thrown in for good measure. Check out the feature on Eastebrook Farm on pages 8 and 9. Each year through the holidays, that mix of getting children outside and inside is a balance. We have some great initiatives from local chaps Little Folks Furniture for bedroom garlands creations on page 14, some home tips to keep the festive trees alive on page 23 and also when outside all the benefits this brings on pages 20 and 2. And to round off your time inside there is a feature on online gaming about how to keep our kids safe on page 12. There's so much to read! We have not forgotten our favourites from the schools and property arenas too, so take a browse and enjoy as you unwind for the winter. We will see you all back in 2022 for more Country Child capers. We wish you all a very Happy Christmas and New Year!
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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.
PUBLISHER
Jo Leigh jo@countrychild.co.uk
Media Sales Matthew Cull
matthewcullmedia @gmail.com
Cover Photography by
Millie Pilkington
CONTRIBUTORS: Carrie Spencer, Fran White, Helen Browning, Hanne B CREATIVE ARTWORK: unsplash.com freepix.com all-free-download.com 3
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Contents
Winter 2021
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What's On Fun or the festive season and next year!
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Garland Glory Little Folks Furniture shares some festive bedroom cheer
27 Interior Ideas Festival of Light
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What's in Store Glorious Gifts for the furry ones.
Farming Focus Helen Browning shares her local life in farming
7 Family Ramblings - Hanna B shares her wreath making tradition. 8 & 9, Farming Focus - Helen Browning shares her local life in farming. 11 What's in Store - Glorious Gifts for the furry ones. 12 & 13 Game On - Carrie Spencer looks into the world of online games 14 & 15 Garland Glory - 'Little Folks Furniture, shares some festive bedroom cheer. 17 Food Glorious Food - All about plant-based school dinners. 18 & 19 What's On - Festive events for the season and into next year! 20 & 21 Nuturing Nature - How Does Nature Impact Children’s Well-Being? 23 The Great Outdoors - How to look after your evergreens this festive time. 25 Window Shopping - Country Child pick some cosy cribs for the winter months. 27 Interior Ideas - Focus on festive lighting displays. 29 Baby Driver - A new driving scheme for 10-17 year olds. 30 Top Marks - News from the local schools.
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Family Ramblings... Written by Hanne B
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reath Making – it said on the pretty little calligraphed note at my local coffee shop. ‘Why not?’ I thought and gave Lizzie a call. ‘I do own a forest, you know. You are more than welcome to collect some foliage to stick your front door if that is what tickles your fancy?’ Lizzie clearly was not enamoured with the idea at first, but, a week later, we knocked on the door to a small cottage in Wiltshire and I could tell she was actually quite excited. We each had a bag full of foliage from Lizzie’s forest and while we waited for the wreath-making lady to open the door, Lizzie opened her bag to let me see the contents. ‘I really just picked Juniper branches’ she said with a cheeky smile. The scent of Juniper hit me the way a cleaning product in a spray-bottle does. ‘And look! I got these adorable little ornaments on Etsy.’ she said with added enthusiasm. ‘They are gin-inspired. Or ginspired if you will.’ I looked at her perhaps a little puzzled, but she continued; ‘This one is a little bell and it says “gin-gle bells” on it!’ She laughed heartily. I pulled out a tiny string of bunting from Lizzie’s bag and read the words on each little triangle as I reached it. “La la la la la la la la Gin.”
Even my daughter, waiting just behind us with the dog couldn’t help but giggle. ‘Welcome to wreath making’ chirps the wreath-making lady. She shows Lizzie to one table while my daughter and I are instructed to share another. ‘Please place your foliage under your tables to ensure you have room to make your wreaths’. My daughter and I are eagerly pinning little pine twigs on to a ring made of straw. ‘This is fun, don’t you think? I ask her, loving our mother-daughter bonding moment – those are so few and stolen these days. ‘Move on now, to your decoration foliage’ wreath-making lady instructs in a loud, clear voice whilst clapping her hands and, for a moment, I feel like I am on bake-off. My daughter ducks under the table to grab some of our forest foliage, but when she pops back up her facial expression has changed to one of befuddlement. ‘Mum? Why is it all wet?’ I do what all mothers do, yet what no mother ever should; I lift the moss to my nose and smell it. ‘Oh my god!’ I say and continue in a controlled whisper through my teeth; ‘where is the dog!?’ The dog is taking a nap under Lizzie’s table. Apparently, the pile of juniper twigs is “the napping area”, whereas the space under our table is “the toilet area.” In all the excitement, I had completely
forgotten to walk him after our car journey. Lizzie laughs, my daughter eventually laughs although the expression of disgust takes some time to wear off. Wreathmaking lady is not laughing. ‘You’ll just have to share foliage with your friend,’ She says and hands me an old cloth with which to wipe the floor. ‘Throw that out when you are done, please.’ As we are unpacking the car back home and just as we delicately extract our homemade wreath from the boot, Esther’s teacher walks past us with her dog. ‘I made a wreath’, says Esther ‘Look!’ At first, Esther’s teacher is taken aback by the smell of Juniper. But her head does not move back quite far enough. I know this, because judging from the look she sends me, I know she’s spotted all the little puns that adorn our masterpiece. ‘Let the festivities be-gin.’ I say. I know when I’ve been beaten… Hanne 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.
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Farming Focus
CEO of the Soil Association, Helen Browning shares her local life in farming and how recent changes over the years have impacted the industry.
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hief Executive of the Soil Association, Helen Browning and her family have farmed at Eastbrook Farm in Wiltshire for 67 years. Today the farm produces sustainable meat, using farming methods that actively regenerate the soil, improve their pastures, help wildlife and support British farmers. Helen is proud to share the fruits of her innovative techniques such as their Good Beef range, which as a by-product of the dairy herds, has a much lower carbon footprint than standard beef. And their onsite agroforestry recycles nutrients from deep in the soil as well as other benefits, so all products are Soil Association Certified and arrives in recyclable, chilled packaging. Here is what Helen has to say.
When did your family start farming?
I’ve no idea! I do know that my grandfather was both farming and trading horses for the milk floats in Gloucester and Birmingham, and four of his nine sisters farmed together near Malvern. They were wonderful folk, and inspired me hugely. So I have always thought of myself as coming from a long line of farmers. Did you grow up on the farm and has it always been in your family roots? My father moved to Eastbrook, where I still farm, in 1950, taking a tenancy from the Church of England.
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So I grew up here, and then took on the management in 1986. Are there any differences between the farm now and the farm growing up? Well, it’s still a very mixed farm, as it was when I was growing up here, but in other ways it’s very different. For a start, it’s now all organically managed, so no artificial fertilisers or pesticides; we have added new enterprises, like my fabulous British Saddleback pigs and more recently, lots of fruit and nut trees; and we don’t just farm but sell our food to people both directly and through supermarkets and box schemes like Able and Cole; and we also run the village pub, with it’s own little hotel, right in the middle of the farm…so people can come to experience what we do, tour the farm and eat the produce! So it’s a busier place that when I was growing up, employing over 60 people, and focussed on enabling wildlife to thrive and giving animals a good life. What roles do the members of your family play in farming the business? It’s very much a family business! My daughter and her husband run the new dairy on the downland; my partner Tim Finney runs the pub, hotel and shop, and all the wildlife and farm tours; and my ex, Henry, manages the farm overall as I’m away so much due to my role as CEO of the Soil Association.
What changes have you seen in the business aspect of farming through Covid? The farm hasn’t been too affected, except when staff have had to isolate. Through Covid we just had to carry on. You can’t milk the cows or harvest the crops while working from home! But of course the pub had to close, so we opened a shop, started direct deliveries, revamped our catering vehicles so we could offer food to walkers up on the Ridgeway. And in our marketing business we were flat out as so many people recognised the benefits of eating organically, and many more were keen to buy online rather than trek to supermarkets. So it’s been a very mixed bag, but at least we’ve all survived and are still in business. How have advances in the modern world helped or hindered the farming industry? Many ‘advances’ have taken us in the wrong direction, as far as animal welfare, soil health and nature are concerned. For example, the ever larger and heavier farm machinery has damaged soils; artificial fertiliser and pesticides have both impacted on wildlife directly, and allowed farmers to move away from traditional practices like rotations and use of pollinator friendly leguminous crops; intensive indoor systems are rarely good for the animals in them. But maybe that can change in the future. Some of the newest technologies such as robots and satellite mapping could allow us to tread much more lightly on the soil, and monitor changes to the environment much more accurately. And we are already using a new type of machine that allows us to plant cereals into clover without ploughing….which is the ‘holy grail’ of organic farming.
It seems you have many ideas and new in itiatives to maintain this livelihood, what's new? What’s especially new is our exploration of agroforestry….how we can bring many more trees into our fields so that we grow more healthy and sustainable crops like fruits and nuts, as well as locking up more carbon, providing more habitat for wildlife, and more shade and shelter for our farm animals. We are also testing new ways of grazing our cattle on herbal leys, letting the grass grow taller so that insects thrive and the soils may hold more carbon. We’ve recently launched our ‘good beef ’ range, with around half the carbon footprint of traditional beef. And we are always expanding the range of things we offer to guests coming here, from farm safaris and foraging trips, to secluded picnics around this glorious farm. How do you see your role at the Soil Association and at the farm within the local community? Whether I’m at the Soil Association or at the farm, I’m keen to involve as many people as possible in engaging with the vitally important, but also intensely enjoyable, challenge of getting our food and farming back on track. On the farm, that may start with just feeding people fantastic organic food that can spark their interest in learning why it’s so good, or creating a lovely walk through woodland that allows folk to connect with nature. At the Soil Association, we work with such a huge range of people, from government ministers and civil servants, to businesses, farmers and foresters, school cooks and members of the public. Building an ever larger community who will support all the change we need to see is vital, so if you want to help us, do become a member!
Helen Browning’s Organic Christmas shop is now open providing a selection of awardwinning, sustainable farmed freerange pork and grass-fed beef. helenbrowningsorganic.co.uk
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What´s in Store Gifts for Pets
Wren Rye, Red Santa Paws Personalised Doggy Gift Bag, £25 wrenandrye.com Dobbies, Brussels sprout veggie treat, £1 dobbies.com Settle Beds, NEW Terrazzo Dog Bed From , £124 settlebeds.com 4Prices Candles, Household Odour Eliminating Jar Candle Yellow Scented Candle, £5.25 prices-candles.co.uk Dogrobes Ltd, Dogrobes Camouflage Bandana, £7.95 dogrobes.co.uk Cheshire Wain, The Caspian Caviar Collar, £60 cheshireandwain.com Sophie Allport, Sophie Allport Champagne Dog Toy , £13 sophieallport.com Red Candy, Cat Kong Scratching Post, £19.95 redcandy.co.uk Annabel James, Cats Treats Tin, £11.95 annabeljames.co.uk
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Game On Carrie Spencer looks into the world of online games and with the festive season nearly upon us, here us a reminder on how to keep our kids safe.
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o your children enjoy playing video games? Are you planning to purchase one of the new game consoles for them this holiday season? If the answer is yes, you may find yourself occasionally worrying about their safety. Whether you’re wondering how to set screen time limits or make sure that the games they are playing are age-appropriate, these tips can help you ensure that your kids stay safe while gaming during the most wonderful time of the year.
Invest in Quality Equipment First things first: you want to make sure that your child always has an enjoyable gaming experience, so
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you’ll need to invest in proper gear. Check out online retailers to score deals on popular gaming monitors and tablets - taking advantage of online deals and discounts can drastically reduce the expense. If you’re purchasing a tablet, protect it with a durable and attractive case. If you’re planning to purchase one as a gift, make sure you pay attention to Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales this year.
Internet Safety If your children enjoy playing online multiplayer games, you’ll need to make sure you have a strong Internet connection. Consider updating your service and going for a 5G connection, which will allow for noticeably smoother gameplay and allow your
children to download games at a significantly faster rate. When your children play online games, you’ll also have to consider Internet safety. After upgrading your Internet connection, you may want to set up parental controls for peace of mind. CNET recommends restricting certain websites by blocking them through your router if you have this functionality.
Monitor Game Content Today, there are countless video games on the market and more coming out every year. And as a parent, the choices may seem overwhelming, particularly when you’re faced with choosing which new game your child will like as a gift. There may be times when your children are interested in playing a game with content that you would be uncomfortable with them seeing. How can you tell whether or not a game is right for your kids? And how can you guide them towards educational video games over games that were designed solely for entertainment? In order to choose the right games for your kids, Common Sense Media recommends checking out the difficulty level of a game so that it won’t be too challenging for players their age. You can get a good idea of how tough a game will be for younger players by checking out its ratings. You can also read about the gameplay experience online to see what a game will focus on.
Screen Time Limits Even if your children are playing age-appropriate video games with educational content, you may be worried that they’ll end up spending too much time gaming. What can you do to make sure that they get to enjoy their video games while maintaining healthy screen time limits? It’s important to be clear about your expectations. For instance, you might want to establish that your kids can’t play video games until after they’ve done their homework. You may want to set a one-hour limit, and when this limit is reached, get them to play outside or pick up a book. On weekends, it’s okay to let your kids have a little more time to play video games — just make sure they make room for other fun activities during the holidays, too Playing video games can be a very enjoyable activity for people of all ages, regardless of the time of year. However, as a parent, it’s only natural for you to be concerned about your children’s safety while gaming. With these tips you’ll be able to give your children a safe and enjoyable gaming experience.
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Garland Glory Local retailer Christopher Lusty, founder of Little Folks Furniture, shares his thoughts on how to bring some seasonal cheer to a child’s bedroom this year.
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ome of the easiest ways to sprinkle a little magic are to hang festive banners and garlands around the room. Try making your own snowflake or star garlands from paint and paper cutting techniques. There’s no need to buy special materials – you can often craft wonderful things just from having a look in the recycling box. If you have the space, you could even add some boxes decorated as presents – why not make them together as a festive activity? – and place them by a small tree or under a tree motif on the wall. Alternatively, try creating some stencilled or potato print Christmas wall art to help decorate plain walls. Other ways of adding a festive flair simply and inexpensively, include filling jars with painted pine cones and twigs you’ve collected, and then hanging hand crafted decorations from them.
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An easy touch that’s suitable for all ages would be switching out the duvet cover for something with a festive print, such as stars or reindeers. Layering the bed provides a snuggly space within which to curl up with a Christmas story. Blankets with wintery designs can be used throughout the season rather than just during Christmas itself, and the odd scatter cushion or two can really help change up the space and add some cheer. You don’t have to stick to the traditional Christmas colour palettes for your seasonal styling; instead, work with the interior scheme that already exists in the bedroom and bring in festive themes through shapes and materials.
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et everyone crafting this Christmas with an easy to make paper garland that takes just three simple steps. Festive fun for all the family that you can do again and again!
What you’ll need: Paint Paint brushes or rollers Thin card or thick paper String or wool Children’s scissors A clear crafting space
Completely cover your sheet of paper or card in paint using brushes or rollers. You’re aiming to add texture to the paint finish to achieve a real leaf look, so have fun getting messy and don’t worry if it’s not silky smooth! Mix colours together to add interest or keep it simple and use solid colour.
Once the paint has dried it is time to make your shapes. Choose a combination of different foliage styles and berries, and mix up the sizes to make sure your garland has variety. If you prefer not to cut freehand, there are free leaf templates available online.
Carefully pierce a hole in the top of each leaf, and thread each one onto your piece of string or wool. All that’s left to do now is find the perfect place to hang your new garland. Fargo Study Desk and Chair in Pure White, £410, Little Folks Furniture littlefolksfurniture.co.uk 01985 300 588
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Food
GLORIOUSFood
Plant-Based School Dinners
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eatless Farm is partnering with 13-year-old award winning chef and TV star, Omari McQueen, for its ‘For Kids by Kids’ campaign that aims to educate and drive uptake of plant-based food in school catering and amongst children. The partnership is part of the brand’s foodservice mission to make menus meatless and will be implemented by a two-phase campaign. The first phase will be content driven focusing on education and recipe inspiration and the second phase will engage schools directly, including menu codevelopment. As almost half (42%) of British children are worried about the future and the environment. Meatless Farm is working with McQueen to show school caterers the role that plant-based food can play beyond the all-important functional and cost priorities. For many children, school is their main interaction with food, particularly for the 1.4 million who claim free school meals. The first phase of ‘For Kids by Kids’ will lead with a series of campaign films featuring McQueen and Meatless Farm’s culinary chef, Ben Davy creating plant-based recipes of school dinner favourites and educating on why school dinners and sustainable eating is important. The videos will showcase how tasty and versatile plant-based can be using Meatless Farm products such as its meatballs, sausages and mince to inspire and drive uptake of plant-based food in school catering. The content will be hosted on a Meatless Farm microsite dedicated to the campaign as well as shared on social media channels. McQueen is currently the youngest awardwinning vegan chef in the UK. He has recently landed his own vegan cookery show with the BBC and is about to release his first vegan cookbook. According to his mother, McQueen was inspired to go vegan aged 8 after learning about the suffering
farmed animals face for our food. Omari McQueen, Britain’s youngest TV chef, says: “I am extremely passionate about the sustainability of food and teaching my generation more about where their food is sourced and the long-term environmental impact our food choices can have. I am so excited to partner with Meatless Farm and to be able to share my love of cooking with such a forward-thinking brand.” Michael Hunter, Managing Director of Meatless Farm UK and Ireland, says: “School caterers are playing an increasingly important role in food culture and we are committed to educating children on food from a young age to help them make healthier choices for themselves and the planet. With the help of Omari, we want to achieve a heightened level of support for caterers and a recognition of the role that plant-based food can play in offering nutritional, sustainable and costeffective meals for children.” Meatless Farm will also be sponsoring LACA’s National School Meals Week in November to further its mission of making menus meatless and introducing more plant-based options in schools. To find out more about Meatless Farm’s ‘For Kids by Kids’ campaign meatlessfarm.com/for-kids-bykids and follow @meatlessfarm and @omarimcqueen
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Panto Perfection
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heatre Royal Winchester’s panto favourites, Julian Eardley, Ed Thorpe, and Libby Gore are set to return later this year in the theatre’s traditional family pantomime, Aladdin. The trio have previously performed together at Theatre Royal Winchester in Dick Whittington and last year’s socially distanced panto inspired Christmas show Four Dames in Search of a Panto. This year Julian plays Widow Twankey - his 12th year in Winchester playing a Dame. Julian’s first panto in Winchester was in 2008 when he played Smelle Bottom which he describes as a ‘role close to my heart!’. Aladdin at Theatre Royal Winchester runs from Saturday 4 December 2021 to Sunday 2 January 2022. Tickets are available from theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk or call 01962 840
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What's On
Christmas at Cowdray
Spotlight on Entertainment
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resented by Light up Trails, a unique and mesmerising milelong Christmas light trail will shine bright this festive season bringing the magic of Christmas to Cowdray, a historic country estate set in the heart of the South Downs National Park. At this joyful and exciting time of year, visitors to the magnificent grounds of Cowdray will be able to walk under starry skies while experiencing the wonder of large-scale light and art installations including a trail emblazoned by millions of LED lights. Along the way, visitors and families alike will be captivated by a series of installations created by international artists. Magical scenes include the enchanting Star Drop Wood, a festive Snow Globe, the awe-inspiring Tree of Joy and Written in the Stars, an opportunity to join in and write personal illuminated messages. Visitors will be able to interact with many of the installations as well as enjoy an array of after dark festivities including joyful music and delicious festive delights from hot food and sweet treats to spicy winter warmers. After dark, the imagination comes out to play and Christmas At Cowdray promises to be a joyous, uplifting experience that revels in the stunning location and will enthral people of all ages. 24 Nov to 1 Jan cowdray.co.uk
Digital Delight
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he Watercress Line heritage railway is set to sparkle and shine with the return of the spectacular Steam Illuminations for the festive season - and this year it will be even brighter! The unique Christmas light show, which is scheduled to run from 26 November 2021 through into January 2022, will feature thrilling rides on a digital LED passenger steam train, illuminated inside and out with thousands of fully controllable colour mixing lights creating flashing patterns. Tickets must be pre-booked and for more information, please 26 Nov to 16 Jan watercressline.co.uk/steam-illuminations
Photo Credit: 2020’s Steam Illuminations. Photographed by Tony Storey
The Great Motcombe Santa Run
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fun, fit & fabulous fundraiser: join Motcombe village for a festive 3km run around the beautiful village of Motcombe, Dorset to raise money for Motcombe Primary School. The village of Motcombe really knows how to put on a great show, with the phenomenally successful annual Motcombe Village Fête and the hugely popular Great Motcombe Santa Run in 2018 and 2019 attracting hundreds of visitors and raising thousands of pounds for charity. The streets and lanes of this beautiful Dorset village will be the stage for runners of all ages, speeds and abilities for a 3km run, jog or walk… in a homage to the great man himself, Father Christmas. Yes, fancy dress is very much part of the fun as hundreds of red hats will bob their way around the course. To up the ante, our mysterious Speedy Santa (like a more eco-friendly version of The Stig) will be racing along the course, nipping in and out of the runners - if you manage to catch one of the tags on his belt, you can can exchange it for a prize at the end of the race. There will be some festive favourite tunes to get everyone warmed up and in the mood behind the Motcombe Memorial Hall from 9.30am, before the race gets underway at 10am. For those needing a little breather, why not stop for a selfie with a reindeer or a little refreshment? Buggies and wheelchairs are welcome (although no bikes or dogs, please) and make sure to bring your support team - there will be mulled wine, mince pies and carols to keep everyone’s Christmas spirits soaring. thegreatmotcombesantarun.co.uk
New Year Treat
The Lighthouse Theatre in Poole show Edinburgh Fringe favourite Louis Pearl who explores the breath-taking dynamics of bubbles, combining comedy and artistry with audience participation and enough spellbinding bubble tricks to keep everyone mesmerised.Tickets now on sale. February 23rd 2022 at 2pm For details of Lighthouse Friends visit lighthousepoole.co.uk
Suggestions on this page are in line with social distancing rules applicable at the time of going to press. They may change so please check before travelling.
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Nuturing Nature How Does Nature Impact Children’s Well-Being?
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ow often do you see joyful children playing outside with their peers, swept up in the excitement and jubilantly singing alongside the chirping birds? Unfortunately, that seems to be a less common scene these days. The never-ending games of hide and seek have been replaced by multi-player sessions
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of Animal Crossing. Console games provide a variety of mindstimulating opportunities. But they fail to address the overall well-being of developing children. Thankfully, time spent in nature can counteract the effects of technology and closed-up spaces and make a positive impact on children’s wellness.
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oday, parents want to create a healthy outlet for their children, and nature seems to tick all the boxes. From improvements in mental focus to reductions in aggression and stress, nature might well be the next ‘quick fix’ but with a guaranteed long-term positive effect. Let’s explore the range of benefits that come along with nature activities for children.
Intellectual benefits
Think of nature as a real-life encyclopaedia. It provides children with an interactive learning experience through stimulating all five senses. It’s the perfect accompaniment to indoor lessons, offering an immersive experience of their new knowledge. Outdoor sessions are a swift way of piquing children’s curiosity and thirst for knowledge while elevating their well-being. Time in nature is proven to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills. This is because it stimulates children to enquire about their surroundings. In return, kids are likely to experience a boost in confidence and a desire to continue developing outside of the classroom. A recent study by the Institute of Education at University College London (UCL), commissioned by The Wildlife Trusts, evaluates the impact of nature on children. Through a range of outdoor activities performed by over 450 primary school children, such as identifying plants and trees, they observed an increase in the children’s well-being both in the short and long-term. The children also gained intellectual benefits which span across their wider personal and social abilities: 90% of children felt they learned something new about the natural world. 79% felt that their experience could help their school work. After their activities, 84% of children felt that they were capable of doing new things. 79% of children reported feeling more confident in themselves.
Emotional benefits
The fact that nature on its own can reduce ADHD and anxiety symptoms speaks greatly about its immense ability to improve mental health and emotional well-being in children. A recent study compared the after effects of
49 activities conducted in green outdoor settings versus those in indoor setting on children’s ADHD symptoms. It was concluded that green outdoor activities reduced symptoms significantly more than those conducted in other environments. This is true even when activities were matched across settings. The emotional benefits of outdoor activities affect children of all ages and mental states. The change of scenery that nature provides offers a break in the usual routine, as well as a calmer state of mind. This can be a great learning stimulant and can also open a child’s mind to new perspectives on their lessons.
Social benefits
Outdoor activities are a great way for children to interact with their peers outside of the classroom and learn new social skills. Play dates for both younger and older children give them the chance to collaborate, use their imagination, and have fun with their friends. A group environment teaches children valuable social skills, which include active listening, sharing, creating and following rules, and showing empathy towards a group member who is sad or hurt. 79% of the kids who participated in The Wildlife Trusts study reported better relationships with their classmates after engaging in group outdoor activities.
Physical benefits
As we already mentioned, the health benefits of spending time in nature are immense. When combined with group or individual activities, children have the chance to effortlessly build stronger muscles and bones and exert energy. This results in an overall improvement in health. We all know that things can get quite messy, especially when children are still little and excited about their surroundings, no matter the weather. That’s why stocking up on essentials for all weather conditions, including wellies, a baby puddle suit, hats, gloves, and winter coats, is a must. Let’s not neglect the advantages of natural sunlight, which increases a child’s amount of vitamin D and boosts their immune system. Fresh air and an appreciation of the natural world are also massive bonuses. We tend to take nature for granted, so we often fail to realise its many benefits on our well-being. With children still developing, it’s crucial to make efforts to promote outdoor activities. Then, we can watch the children of tomorrow flourish in wellness.
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The Great
Outdoors
Here's how to look after your evergreens this festive time by fantasticservices.com
W
ith the festive season approaching and Brits look to begin their Christmas decorating, Christmas tree expert Mary Dimitrova from Fantastic Services reveals the top tips for looking after your Christmas tree to keep it fresh all throughout the Christmas period.
What are some quick and easy insider tricks for knowing if a tree is fresh and will last long? A healthy tree should have bright and shiny needles, not dry and dull. If you notice any grey sections, that's a sign of dehydration, which means that the tree is not that fresh. If the tree is fresh, the needles should not break easily and should be hard to pull them off.
What are your best watering tricks to help the tree last longer? Your tree should drink one litre of water per three cm of the stem diameter. That means a fresh cut tree can consume 4-5 litres in 24 hours. Watering is critical, especially for Norway Spruce trees. Check the water levels daily and never let it go below the tree's base. Without water, to the tree's base, it will dry out just in 7-8 days. The temperature of the water is not that important and no, you can’t overwater your tree, it will absorb only as much as it wants.
What are some ways to give a dead Christmas tree new life? You can try to give your tree a good trim which will reduce the number of water-requiring branches. Keep the room as cool as possible and move your tree to the darkest spot of the room.
How do I select the correct height for a tree for my room. You should measure the distance between the ceiling and floor, which is the vertical height limit. Include the height of the tree stand in the overall height. Doing this step will massively reduce the stress of picking the perfect tree.
If the trunk is sticky and there is any sap residue the tree is fresh. Also, the tree should be heavy, which means the tree is freshly cut and still contain all the water.
What trees typically survive in houses for the longest? A Douglas or a Nordmann Fir are the best options - they'll last for about six weeks before withering. Of course, that depends on how well you care for it but lowering the temperature in the room really slows down the drying process and keeps your tree fresher for longer.
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An imposing, charming and beautiful Town House located within the beating heart of Shaftesbury’s Town Centre. Over the years that property has been sympathetically extended to enhance the accommodation both internally and indeed externally with the addition of the double garage to the rear. With six bedrooms, this stunning home is a superb example of a substantial Town House that would suit all manner of perspective purchasers.
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Interior
IDEAS Festival of Light
Illuminated Pine Wreath with Red Berries, £44.99 lights4fun.co.uk NEW Indoor Outdoor Cascading Star Tree Lights, £65 coxandcox.co.uk Blue Prancing Reindeer Hanging Christmas Decoration, £6 dibor.co.uk Festive Brass Robin Bird Garland, £42.50
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Lights4fun, Bannister Lights Lifestyle Christmas Hallway £30 lights4fun.co.uk Talking Tables, Party Porcelain Gold Table Lights. Various Prices talkingtables.co.uk Winter Glamour lighting frm Dobbies. From £69.99 dobbies.com
Aurina, Christmas Tree Candle Lights Set of 4, £22.95 aurina.co.uk Sue Ryder, Set of 3 Light up Christmas Presents WhiteSilver, £29.99 sueryder.org/shop Poundland, Christmas Lights, from £1 poundland.co.uk
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Baby Driver
A new driving scheme for 10-17 year olds launches and is said to reduce accident rates for newly qualified drivers by more than a half
A
specialist driver training scheme, which allows 10-17 year olds to get behind the wheel in a bid to create a new generation of safer drivers, is launching at a new Winchester venue. Young Driver will open at Worthy Down Barracks and will also run its first event at MOD Lyneham on Sunday 27th February 2022, where the car parks will be transformed into a realistic road system so youngsters can work on a range of driving skills and manoeuvres. Events will run on selected weekend dates throughout the year. Young Driver is the UK’s largest provider of pre-17 driving lessons, having sold over 1,000,000 lessons at more than 70 venues across the UK. Youngsters have lessons in new, dual controlled Vauxhall Corsa SE Premium, with highly qualified approved driving instructors. A road system is created, with traffic signs, roundabouts and junctions, along with special areas to practice manoeuvres such as steering control and parking. The emphasis of the lessons is on safety and fun and encouraging youngsters to consider how to drive responsibly, giving them time to perfect driving skills such as gear changes, braking and steering without the pressures of public roads. Shockingly, one in five newly qualified drivers crashes within six months of passing their test. Only eight per cent of drivers are aged 17 – 24 and yet they account for a worrying 30 per cent of people who are
killed in cars every year. But for those who have taken a Young Driver course, the rate of accidents in that worrying first six months drops by more than a half, to fewer than one in ten. Sue Waterfield, head of marketing at Young Driver, said: “We are really excited to be launching at Worthy Down. This is a much larger site than our others in the local area, providing plenty of opportunities for youngsters to try out lots of different driving skills and techniques, whether they’re a beginner or have already had a few lessons at another of our venues. “Clearly something needs to be done to tackle the seriously high accident rates of our young drivers. Training drivers over a longer period of time allows youngsters to have a solid understanding of how to drive a car before they get anywhere near a real road. But the lessons are also lots of fun and they’re a great general confidence boost for teens and pre-teens, who take the responsibility very seriously.” Driving tuition is available for disabled youngsters. Thirty or sixty-minute lessons must be booked in advance and prices start from £44.99. Safety procedures are currently in place to protect both pupils and instructors, including the wearing of masks, social distancing and regular hand and vehicle sanitisation. Should a Young Driver lesson need to be cancelled due to illness, self-isolation or lockdown, it can be rebooked for a later date. youngdriver.com or call 0333 577 9010.
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TOP
Marks
Well Planted
P
upils plant bulbs to boost biodiversity in the grounds of Salisbury Cathedral School Whilst global leaders gathered in Glasgow for COP26, pupils at Salisbury Cathedral School planted 2,500 bulbs in a bid to boost biodiversity across the school grounds. The initiative launches the school’s involvement in the Conservation School Award hosted by the environmental charity, Operation Future Hope (OFH). Participation in the Award involves a five-year commitment to boosting biodiversity within the school grounds by creating natural habitats for native wildlife.
Village, primary, pre prep, private or state we want to know your school news, email: info@countrychild.co.uk
Tatler Schools Awards
T
he Tatler awards have been organised and run for the past 18 years by the Tatler Schools Guide, which provides a definitive impartial guide to the leading independent schools in the UK. Both Sandroyd and Farleigh Schools were nominated but were pipped to the post by S.Anselm’s School in Derbyshire. Other accolades include Best Public School award going to Marlborough College in Wiltshire. Many congratulations to all who were nominated and those that took the top spot.
Hedge Pledge
C
PRE Hampshire, the countryside charity, are delighted to be working alongside Bransgore Primary School to educate the children on the importance of hedgerows in our beautiful Hampshire countryside. Having been invited to attend an assembly with all Key Stage 2 children at the school, Natalie Hargreaves, Hedgerow Heroes Initiative Co-Ordinator for CPRE Hampshire, talked to the children about why hedgerows are so important to wildlife and how they can help reduce the impact of climate change. It was also a great chance to explain the work CPRE Hampshire are doing nearby, in the New Forest, to reinvigorate hedgerows. She got great feedback from the children and lots of interest and questions. A few days later, some of the children were invited to come along to the CPRE Hampshire Hedgerow Heroes initiative, taking place on the Meyrick Estate, just outside Bransgore. Here they came to learn more about the importance of hedges and take part in some handson activities.
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New Science Labs
H
azlegrove Prep School celebrated the start of the new term with the opening of two brand new, state-of-the-art Science Labs. The impressive addition to the teaching facilities at Hazlegrove is as a result of a donation made by a family connected to the School. Over the course of a couple of months, the donors visited the School and met with the Bursar, Louis Tuson. Mr Tuson said, “The passion of the donors for science and education was infectious and energised the team working on the project. To get to know them on a personal level meant we could understand what really mattered to them and draw on their vision for what they hoped could be achieved. By involving them in the project at the design stage we could run ideas past them and get their input which was invaluable.” Head of Science, Mr Zach Brown said, ‘Science is so important at Hazlegrove as we aim to not only develop our pupils’ understanding of the world around us, but to be curious and to seek out more knowledge. To challenge and find new and improved methods and solutions to problems. There has always been a need for scientists, but it has become much more obvious how crucial they are to the future of our planet’.
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Making the right decisions can be stressful at the best of times, but we are here to help. Whatever’s on your mind, just ask.
PETER HARDING WEALTH MANAGEMENT Principal Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management
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The Partner Practice is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the title ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives. Peter Harding Wealth Management is a trading name of Peter Harding Practice Ltd.
