Children & Education

Girl Guides

Once Again Girlguiding Rises To the Challenge

The pandemic has been described as being like the war for community spirit and resilience. Girl guides were very active in both World Wars, helping and supporting within communities. In this pandemic, girls in guiding aged from 5-18 have been ‘Doing their Best’.

In Amber Valley units of Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers have kept in contact virtually and through activity packs. They have joined virtual camps and sleepovers, camping in the garden or building indoor dens or pillow forts. In May 2020, Derbyshire Girlguiding organised a countywide virtual camp, with 6000 girls from around the globe participating!

There has been much fundraising for the NHS, the British Legion’s 11/11 Appeal, sponsored miles challenges to help maintain the Guide Garden and for numerous individual charities. Girls have helped to cheer up local communities, from the youngest Rainbows creating daffodil pictures for windows and Brownies making green hearts and painted pebbles to decorate community spaces, through to Guides and Rangers making cards, bookmarks, gifts and tree decorations for Cheer Hampers delivered to local homes. Briefly, outdoor Guiding resumed in the early autumn with socially distanced activities including campfire cooking, archery, tennis, town and country trails, as well as Duke of Edinburgh’s Expeditions. When lockdown returned, girls joined in a virtual camp/sleepover and went back to virtual meetings, enjoying murder mysteries, escape rooms, Window Wonder and recycle challenges. One unit had a goat attend virtually!

Local Guides joined with other girls in the Midlands Region to experience a virtual international activity weekend with myriad activities from line dancing, yoga, Zumba, exploring with the Navy and Army, to cooking and learning how to care for hedgehogs. Adult volunteers also enjoyed sessions including laughing yoga, crafts, advent calendar making and learning to cook an Indian meal via a Zoom link to the International Guide Centre in Pune, India.

Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK, with over 500,000 members. It is great fun for everyone, including the volunteer leaders. If you are looking for a new direction for volunteering as we come out of lockdown, think of Girlguiding. There are currently spaces for girls across all the age groups. For more information go to www.girlguiding.org.uk or message @GirlguidingAmberValley.

Poem

Zoom in for Fitness!

Well computer, so far this year, you’ve felt my frustration and my fear. But there’s laughter and joy too, keeping fit is the thing to do. Online Zumba has me in a spin, with so much exercise, I should be thin!

Warming up to Zumba High, picture perfect I give it a try. Lost the sound for Lovergirl, oh dear, I’m in a whirl!

Back on track with Tell Me Ma but can my legs stretch that far? My favourite, Cha Cha Swing, now what problems will the signal bring? Ah, here comes Jive Bunny and soon I’m feeling Sunny, Sunny! An after Zumba chat? But I’m still muted.

Me and computers just aren’t suited!

Written by Anne Palmer from Little Eaton

The Diary of a Local Mum

Here’s Looking at You, Kid

When you have a baby, everyone seems to want to liken it to either one, or the other, or both of its parents. The little, red, round, bald bundle apparently looks ‘just like you!’ or the ‘spitting image of his/her dad’. Hmm, yes, if you say so… it also bears a striking resemblance to the wrinkled old man who just walked past, but perhaps we shouldn’t go there!

As more and more visitors see your little bundle of joy, these comparisons continue and often become increasingly tenuous – ‘She’s got long fingers like Auntie Annie’, ‘He’ll be tall like Uncle Bert’, ‘Your great Grandpa had that exact same dimple!’. And, while genetically there’s bound to be some family likeness, babies change so much day by day in the early weeks. While one day you’re told they look like one person, the next you’re told they look like someone else…and so it goes on. In truth, unless they’re an identical twin, they have their own totally unique features. They look like themselves.

I’ve often been told that both of my kids look like me – and so has their dad. In fairness, we’ve all got dark hair and dark eyes, so there’s bound to be some similarity! I can rarely see a resemblance, I just see my kids; every inch of their faces so familiar as I’ve watched them grow and change over the years.

Having said that, occasionally I’m floored by a glance, an expression or a photo which suddenly seems to capture something of another family member. Even the way they speak or react to a situation. The similarity can be a look, a gesture or part of their character but all of a sudden you can see what others have claimed to be evident from day one – this unique little person is made up of building blocks from various generations. When they walk just like grandad, or laugh at the exact same things that grandma does on the TV. When they pull the same face that dad does when they concentrate. Or, when your not-so-smart phone’s face recognition technology categorises a picture of you in amongst photos of your son and all of a sudden it’s like looking in a mirror. And then it’s gone again. They’re their own person, but you’ve just caught a glimpse of the small part you’ve contributed.

In many ways, your kids are like an upgraded model – you, Mark II. You can see in them strengths where you have weaknesses, perfections where you have flaws. They love things that you hate (and hate things that you love – the taste for marmite is not hereditary, apparently. My stash of Twiglets is safe!). For every similarity there’s a difference, and that’s great. It really wouldn’t do if we were all carbon copies. While every now and then it’s nice to spot a likeness in my kids, I also love to sit back and watch in wonder at everything that I am not. There may be familiar snippets of other people in there but they have their own unique characteristics, appearances, opinions, likes, dislikes, strengths and interests and watching these emerge as they grow and their character develops is fascinating. So, here’s looking at you, kid. You’re your own person … and you absolutely rock.

By Helen Young

Belper School

Belper School Creative Writers had the task of creating a short story, with little stimulus. They were told to write a short story that included the following, very random, objects in some way of their choice (they could appear in any order and didn’t necessarily have to be connected):

- An old pair of glasses - A lock with no key - A letter that wasn’t meant for you - A lamp with a candle - No access to technology

I hope you enjoy how Rowan Davies in Year 8 crafted his story...

“Jordan, don’t forget to leave your phone at home, you know how particular your grandad is about tech!” My mum was yelling again. It’s Thursday, and I’m going to visit my grandad who has dementia. He doesn’t accept change and we have to leave any tech we have at home. I check on him every Thursday to make sure he’s ok. He never has been.

As I open the door to his house, I catch a glimpse of his forbidden back room, which is strictly off limits as it is a “reminder of his former self.” I’ve always wanted to see what was in that room as it promises to answer my most pressing question… who was my grandad?

After putting grandad down for his afternoon nap, I was burning with curiosity. Grandad would never know if I went in. He always kept it under lock and key but the door was so old I could probably knock it down with a strong sneeze. I had to know what secrets were being held in there. After bullying myself towards the decrepit door, I stared at the keyless lock, preparing to attempt to break in. After two gentle nudges and a thousand large creaks and groans, the beaten door finally gave in. As I sneaked through what appeared to be a poorly lit shrine, I saw a number of odd items on the dust covered desk, including: an old pair of protective glasses, a lamp with a wax candle and a letter with a fancy wax seal coated in a layer of dust. It was apparently dated in 1951. The fancy writing on the letter said…

“Dear Frank Barkley,

I am writing to congratulate you on your meritorious acts at risk of your own safety. Word has reached me of your bravery and I felt it was my duty and honour to reach out to you. Saying that you have saved someone’s life is not something that most people can claim to have done, though I imagine that you wear that statement proudly. I also thought you should know that this award was requested to be delivered to you by Beryl and Margeret Morris, the children of the man you saved from being buried alive in the mining accident. I would also like to inform you that I am putting forward any and all items you require to help you recover from the tragic head injury you sustained saving Alan Morris’ life. Memory loss is no reward for the noble and brave and I wish you a speedy recovery.

Yours sincerely, King George VI.”

So that’s why grandad is ill, he was injured saving a man’s life in the mines. As I put down the letter and started to leave, it struck me, I now know who my grandad was.

My grandad was a miner. My grandad was a hero.

Perhaps he won’t notice I broke his door...

By Rowan Davies, Year 8

Parenting

And so to sleep…

Older children and teenagers need around ten hours of sleep a night. Tell that to a hyperactive nine-year-old who’s still bouncing around the house at 11.30pm, declaring that he’s not even slightly tired…

Wind down

Remember the whole ‘bath, warm milk, story, bed’ routine you tried when they were little? A wind-down routine still helps now they’re older; you just need to adapt it for their age. Make sure they’ve burned off their energy long before bedtime, and help them to calm their mind with a book, meditation app or calming music before bed.

Fresh air

Children need light, air and exercise to thrive. So do teens. My kids always sleep better after a day outdoors or a run through the woods. Those outings are pretty rare these days, but I try to at least drag them out for a walk a few times a week, or chuck them out into the garden to wear off some energy on the trampoline.

It’s easier to get kids to exercise, but teens can be another matter. According to the NHS, teenagers need at least an hour’s exercise every day.

Restrictions allowing, you could encourage them to go for a walk with a friend or head out for a bike ride. They could also start a new activity, such as a martial art or dance now that these activities have resumed for under-18s.

Cut the screen-time

It’s best to have at least an hour away from screens before bed as the blue light can interfere with sleep. Ideally, keep tablets, phones, TVs and so on out of bedrooms. It’s just too tempting to watch another funny video, answer a message or build another Minecraft creation.

Stick to a routine

Most of us enjoy staying up later at the weekend and having a lie in. However, if your child struggles with sleep, it’s best if they stick to a routine – going to bed and getting up at the same time every day.

Keep a diary

Everyone has the occasional bad night’s sleep. But if your child or teen regularly trails into the kitchen bleary-eyed and tetchy, it might be worth keeping a sleep diary. This basically just means noting down what time they fell asleep and woke up, the quality of sleep and anything that might have contributed towards that (e.g. stressed about school, sugary treat after dinner etc.).

You can also note how much time they spent outdoors, how much screen time they had, what they ate for dinner and so on. At the end of the month, look back to see if there are any patterns. If there are, it might be time to make some changes.

Do what works for you

You need to do what works best for you and your child. If I know my kids really need an early night, I cuddle up with them in my bed and we all read together. They fall asleep earlier than usual and then I just take them through to their own beds. Many parenting experts would likely be horrified at this suggestion, but it’s what works for us.

For more tips, visit: www.nhs.uk/live-well/

sleep-and-tiredness.

By Kate Duggan

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/sleep-tips-for-teenagers/

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Ambergate Primary School 01773 852204 Anthony Gell School 01629 825577 Belper Long Row Primary 01773 823319 Belper School 01773 825281 Breadsall CofE VE Primary School 01332 831328 Codnor Community Primary School 01773 742537 C of E Controlled Denby Free C of E Primary 01332 880416 Ecclesbourne School 01332 840645 Fritchley CE (Aided) Primary 01773 852216 Heage Primary School 01773 852188 Heanor Gate Science College 01773 716396 Herbert Strutt Primary 01773 822771 Holbrook C of E Primary 01332 880277 Horsley C of E Primary 01332 880782 Horsley Woodhouse Primary 01332 880403 John Flamsteed Community School 01332 880260 Kilburn Infant & Nursery School 01332 880449 Kilburn Junior 01332 880540 Langley Mill (CE) Controlled Infant School & Nursery 01773 713429 Little Eaton Primary 01332 831471 Mapperley CofE Primary School 0115 9325386 Meadows Primary 01332 840305 Milford Primary 01332 841316 Morley Primary 01332 831295 Pottery Primary 01773 823383 Richardson Endowed Primary School 01332 880317 Ripley Junior School 01773 742281 St Andrew’s C of E Primary School 0115 9324252 St Benedict 01332 557032 St Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary 01773 822278 St John’s CE Primary, Belper 01773 822995 Stanley Common Primary School 0115 9322437 Street Lane Primary 01773 742717 Swanwick Hall School 01773 602106 Turnditch CE VA Primary 01773 550304 William Gilbert Primary 01332 840395

16/04/2021 09:54:13

School Terms 2021/2022

All dates taken from www.derbyshire.gov.uk Term 5: Monday 19 April 2021 to Friday 28 May 2021 Term 6: Monday 7 June 2021 to Thursday 22 July 2021 Term 1: Thursday 2 September 2021 to Friday 22 October 2021 Term 2: Monday 1 November 2021 to Thursday 23 December 2021 Term 3: Monday 10 January 2022 to Friday 18 February 2022 Term 4: Monday 28 February 2022 to Friday 8 April 2022