FR
Issue 16 • Autumn 2013
EE reflecting modern family living
Featuring My Family’s
Festive Guide
IN THIS ISSUE: Employment Law • Child Safety • Business Holiday & Leisure • Education • Competitions and much more . . . My Family is proud to support annakennedyonline.com www.myfamilymagazine.co.uk
contents 4-5
Employment Law My Family and the law: Legal Solutions by Ronald Clarke and Michelle Ogunlaja, Senior Solicitors at BakerLaw
6-7
Education Reading Scheme Books v ‘Real’ Books? by Liz Walker founder of Reading Chest
8-10
Child Safety Don’t let accidents poison Christmas by The Child Accident Prevention Trust Road Safety Week 2013 Share Safe!! Protecting Your Family's Snaps and Presence Online by Meaghan Fitzgerald Head of Operations at 23snaps
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Business What to avoid when starting your online shop by Helen Lindop
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Wellbeing Empty Nest Syndrome by Helen Stafford
15-38
My Family’s Festive Guide Top Tips to Help You Find the Right Gifts this Christmas COMPETITION – £50 worth Cocobaci Gift Vouchers 11 Ways to make your Christmas Greener COMPETITION – CHOC Chicos Kit Have the Best of British Christmas! COMPETITION – British Christmas Jumpers Gift Inspirations for Tots, Teens and In-betweens COMPETITION – Melody Mix Musical Toy COMPETITION – BundleBean Go! Six Steps to a Stress-Free, Mess-Free Holiday by Carmen Coker, Professional Organiser Highstreet Alternative Gift Inspirations A Splash of Festive Fun by The ASA
DISCLAIMER The information contained in My Family magazine is not meant to replace that of a midwife, healthcare professional or GP. My Family would always recommend that you seek medical information from a qualified health professional.
A note from the editor 39-41
Holiday & Leisure Escape to the Slopes Inspirational Places to Visit in Britain this Autumn
42-48
Autism News Wear It For Autism Give Us a Break!
Hello and welcome to the Autumn issue of My Family magazine. It’s our 4th anniversary issue and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our readers, media partners and advertisers for your support.
AKO is like an iceberg – under the surface it is ALL going on! By Austin Hughes, Training Officer for Anna Kennedy Online
I would also like to introduce you to BakerLaw – our new media partner for law. In this issue Ronald Clarke and Michelle Ogunlaja, both senior solicitors at the firm, offer you advice about employment law.
West London Community College get a visit from Hammers Coach Mark Phillips
As usual the team and myself have been working hard to bring you loads of great features and advice for you and your family.
My Family magazine 75 Elizabeth Court • Wigston • Leicester LE18 2AF Telephone: 0116 2100911 For advertising enquiries email karen@myfamilymagazine.co.uk For subscriptions and distribution information email info@myfamilymagazine.co.uk
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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/pages/My-Familymagazine/178172092255392 Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com @MyFamilyMag Feature images used under license from Shutterstock.com. Other images have been supplied by independent sources.
With Christmas fast approaching, My Family’s fantastic Festive Guide is full of inspiration for the festive season. We have teamed up with some great companies to bring you 24 pages of fabulous fun, festivities and gift ideas for the whole family. With extra special handmade and personalised presents, some of the very best British made gifts and ethical ideas for a greener Christmas, you are sure to find some wonderful gifts to add to your wish list this year. Autumn is a great time for exploring everything that the UK has to offer! From green spaces, cultural riches and natural beauty to luxury family friendly accommodation, there is something for everyone – check out our Holiday and Leisure section for inspirational places to visit in Britain this autumn. As part of our Child Safety section we have included an article by The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) calling on parents, grandparents, friends and family, to ensure medicines and cleaning products are out of sight and reach of young children and to alert families to the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning this Christmas time. Also Meaghan Fitzgerald Head of Operations at 23snaps recommends ways of protecting your family's photos and presence online. In fact, we have so much to offer you, why not grab a cuppa and a mince pie or two, relax, and enjoy the read. Wishing you all a Happy Christmas,
Official media partner to My Family Magazine for Law
Karen x Karen Reddell – Editor
The Team Hazel Alemany Designer
COMPETITION RULES Full details of competition rules are available on our website www.myfamilymagazine.co.uk. Entering a competition through the print magazine or via this website will be seen as acceptance of these rules.
design@myfamilymagazine.co.uk
Petrina Kightley-Jones – Provided the photography at Wear It For Autism Kayjays Photography Kightley.jones@googlemail.com
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FAMILY WELLBEING
My Family and the Law:
illness or injury. This right extends to both male and female employees.
Legal Solutions As My Family Magazine’s official media partner for legal topics, we aim to provide you with guidance as to your rights and your obligations under various laws. In this edition we meet Ronald Clarke and Michelle Ogunlaja, both senior solicitors within our specialist employment law team. If your question is not listed, don’t worry, simply contact us and we will be happy to advise you.
Q I’m pregnant; do I have to tell my employer? A Yes, no later than the end of the 15th week before your expected week of childbirth. You must inform your employer; that you are pregnant, your expected week of childbirth and the date you wish your leave to start.
Q After having a child, can my employer make any changes to my terms of employment, my job role or dismiss me? A Your employer cannot change your terms unless you have consented to them. If your employer changes your job unreasonably or dismisses you unreasonably then you may have a claim for sex discrimination and we urge you to contact BakerLaw as soon as possible. You have a right not to suffer any detriment as a result of having a child.
Ronald Clarke
Michelle Ogunlaja
Q Do I have to use annual leave to go to ante-natal appointments? A No. Regardless of the length of time you have worked for your employer you do not need to take annual leave nor make up the time.
Q Am I entitled to maternity leave and pay? A Yes, you are entitled to 26 weeks Ordinary Maternity Leave (OML). You are also entitled to Additional Maternity Leave (AML) which immediately follows OML and lasts for up to a further 26 weeks regardless of hours worked and length of service. Maternity pay is dependant on several factors. For more information, please visit www.baker-law.co.uk or call us.
Q Is there an entitlement to paternity leave or adoption leave and also pay? A Yes, however this is subject to certain criteria. Please contact us to find out more about your rights.
Q Am I entitled to take time off if my child is ill? A Yes. You have a right to take a “reasonable” amount of unpaid time off work to take “necessary” action to deal with situations affecting your dependants which includes
Q Am I entitled to flexible working? A You must have been continuously employed for a period of 26 weeks at the date the application is made. An application may be made by an employee who is caring for an adult or child. Only one application may be made in any 12-month period.
Q What if my employer refuses my request? A Your employer must provide their decision in writing along with the reasons within 14 days. You are entitled to appeal this decision, however your appeal must be in writing (and dated) and also be forwarded to your employer within 14 days of the date of their refusal letter. Your employer must then arrange a meeting with you within 28 days to discuss the matter.
Q What are ‘reasonable grounds’ for flexible working? A You must establish that you need to change your hours, times or location of work for the purpose of caring for your child. Your employer should carefully consider this application and may only refuse it if they can prove that there will be additional burden of costs, detrimental impact on quality and/or performance or if there will be insufficient work during the periods you have proposed to work. If you require further advice on an employment law matter, or any other law-related matter, please contact BakerLaw today on 01252 733 770 for a free initial consultation. Please note: The information provided in this guide is correct at the time of publication and by necessity, brief. It should not be deemed, by any reader, as full legal advice and should not be relied upon.
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EDUCATION
Reading Scheme Books v ‘Real’ Books? by Liz Walker, proprietor of Reading Chest
A question often debated is whether children should learn to read from ‘real’ books or reading scheme books. I guess the answer to this question is determined by what is a ‘real’ book and what is a reading scheme book? Reading scheme books are central to teaching children to read in most primary schools. A reading scheme is a series of books, which are ordered by difficulty into coloured book bands or stages. The idea is that children gradually move up through the stages as their reading confidence and fluency improves. There are many different reading schemes available – such as Collins Big Cat, Bug Club, Rigby Star, Project X and Oxford Reading Tree. When children are learning to read, it is important that they have access to the right level of difficulty of books. Books should be challenging enough so that children improve their reading skills and develop their vocabulary – yet not too difficult so that they can still read with enough fluency to maintain interest and hopefully enjoy the book. In the past, reading scheme books have received bad press, partly due to the fact that they focus on the same characters and are quite repetitive in their story content. Some argue that reading schemes are not written by real authors, the vocabulary and language is dull and limiting and therefore they do not inspire or excite children. However, there is now such a good variety of reading schemes available, many of which include titles which are written by ‘real’ authors and are indistinguishable from ‘real’ books.
In the Collins Big Cat range for example, the books are purposely different sizes which make them look like more like ‘real’ books. They include fiction, non-fiction and poetry titles, written by a range of brilliant children’s authors such as Martin Waddell, Tony Mitton, Kaye Umansky, Nick Butterworth and Michael Rosen.
it is now much easier for schools to offer a range of reading schemes from which children and teachers can easily select books at the correct level. The idea is that a book at the same colour book band in one reading scheme is the same level of difficulty as a book of the same colour band in another reading scheme. It is then up to individual schools to make their choices and resource their libraries appropriately. The books below are reading scheme books from Bug Club, Project X and Collins Big Cat (at gold and purple book bands).
Another popular new reading scheme is Bug Club, which includes a wide range of fiction, nonfiction and poetry titles by well known authors such as Michaela Morgan, Julia Donaldson and Trevor Baxendale. Some stories are based on popular television programmes such as the Sarah Jane Adventures, Ben Ten and Dr Who. It used to be more common for a school to use just one reading scheme which children would work their way through. However, due to the more widespread use of book bands by publishers, If a school is able to keep their library updated and offer a mix of reading schemes, then the argument against reading schemes seems to break down. Children will be able to read a wide range of material, from a range of ‘real’ authors and will be inspired! For more information on any of the reading schemes mentioned go to
www.readingchest.co.uk
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EDUCATION
Established since 1997, Ladybird Day Nursery provides a friendly stimulating and safe environment where children enjoy challenging activities that stretch their imaginations and help develop a range of new skills. Registered with Ofsted Early Years – all staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications. The nursery also benefits from a large, secure garden and CCTV. Situated next to Edgbaston county cricket ground, opposite Cannon Hill Park, Ladybird Day Nursery offers flexible childcare for up to 29 children from 0-8 years of age – including school holidays and teacher training days. 3
Open Monday - Friday, 7.00am until 6.30pm (excluding bank holidays)
Telephone: 0121 440 5706
www.theladybirdnursery.co.uk
Dyslexia - Processing the Problem Dyslexia can be demonstrated through early childhood behaviours such as struggling to group or sequence. Later in development, children can jumble up words and phrases or struggle to remember numbers in sequence. At school age, children with dyslexia may put letters and figures the wrong way around, struggle to learn to read and spell, or may even have slightly delayed speech development. This broad list of possible symptoms means sometimes children are wrongly labelled dyslexic before being formally tested. Diagnosis by a professional Dyslexia should be diagnosed after testing by a psychologist or specialist dyslexia teacher. Class teachers, family and friends can sometimes raise concerns but this is by no means a diagnosis. Most schools won’t test children until they are 7 or 8 years old. No link to intellect Remember that dyslexia has nothing to do with a child’s intellect. Parents can sometimes feel that the label of dyslexia will hinder a child’s academic life. Research has proven that there is the same range of intelligence with dyslexic children as ‘normal’ children. Noted brain
boxes with dyslexia include the Nobel Prize winner for Medicine, Carol Greider, famous scientist, Albert Einstein and super successful businessman, Richard Branson! Increasing confidence Supporting your child’s learning through additional classes with professionals can really help consolidate what your child has learnt at school. This helps prevent them slipping behind and losing their confidence and motivation to learn at school. As long as this is seen as positive support rather than ‘extra work’ it can have a great benefit to their learning overall.
Maths & English
tuition
Inspiring tuition for 5-14 year olds of all abilities For more information or to book a free trial session call:
01483 447 410 or visit www.explorelearning.co.uk
www.explorelearning.co.uk myfamily
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CHILD SAFETY
Don’t let accidents poison Christmas Christmas is always a busy time for parents with presents to buy, meals to plan and family and friends to entertain. It is an especially joyous time for children. But with so much going on, Christmas can also be an especially hazardous time for young children when it comes to poisoning accidents. Distracted parents may leave cleaning products within reach of small hands and guests, may leave pills in handbags or counted out on bedside cabinets. Every day 15 young children are admitted to hospital with suspected poisoning. Medicines are the most common cause of accidental poisoning, with everyday
painkillers a frequent culprit. Cleaning products such as bleach, oven cleaner and detergent liquitabs are also common hazards. Yet many parents are unaware that safety tops are not child-proof. The risk for carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning peaks in the winter, often caused by unsafe central heating systems, gas cookers or gas fires. Every year 50 children are admitted to hospital from CO poisoning in the home. Children are at greater risk of serious damage or death from CO poisoning, as their bodies are smaller and weaker than those of an adult and therefore they can be overcome by the fumes quicker. The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) is calling on parents, grandparents, friends and family to ensure medicines and cleaning products are out of sight and reach of young children and to alert families to the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning this Christmas time.
l Remember that safety tops slow young children down but are not child-proof.
Alcohol l Clear away any bottles of alcohol and the last dregs of drinks left in glasses, as even small amounts of alcohol can poison young children.
Household Products l If you are staying away from home, check to see where the household cleaners are. If they’re next to the toilet or under the sink, move them out of reach and sight of young children. l Be especially wary of liquitabs. They are bright and attractive to young children who can mistake them for sweets.
Carbon Monoxide l Buy a carbon monoxide alarm for any room with a flame-burning appliance such as a gas boiler, gas cooker, gas fire or an open fire.
Medicines l Ask visitors to your home, such as grandparents, not to leave medicines in places where young children can find them, for example in handbags on the floor or counted out on bedside cabinets.
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For more practical advice on poison prevention go to the Child Accident Prevention Trust’s website:
www.capt.org.uk
CHILD SAFETY
Award winning BuggyTug is rapidly becoming a safety essential for all new mums. With an rrp of just £3.99 have you got yours yet? BuggyTug is available nationwide including from www.buggytug.com, Asda, John Lewis, Jo Jo Maman Bebe & Kiddicare.
Special needs harnesses for vehicle seats, wheelchairs, shower & bath hoists, commode chairs, walking reins and more. Tel: Fax:
01253 852298 01253 821780
www.crelling.com E-mail: jenny@crelling.com We make simple belts and full supportive harnesses for all kinds of special needs, including challenging behaviour.
Road Safety Week 2013 Families and community groups are being encouraged to sign up now to get involved in Road Safety Week 2013 (18-24 November) – the UK’s biggest road safety event, to help make our communities safer for everyone who uses the roads. Road Safety Week – in its 17th year – is supported by headline sponsors Specsavers and Romex, and involves thousands of communities across the UK. It’s an ideal opportunity for community groups, families and schools to take action on local road safety issues, run activities and campaigns to promote safe road use and prevent needless casualties. Last year nearly 6,500 community groups, schools and organisations registered to take part, running activities ranging from interactive road safety presentations, protests against fast traffic and community speed checks to poster design competitions – many in partnership with their local authority, emergency services, or other agencies. Parents and budding community road safety champions can find ideas on getting involved and register by going to www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk and clicking on ‘communities’. Everyone who registers will be sent a free email action pack, with downloadable road safety posters, plus tips, advice and case studies to help plan successful activities for the Week.
Tranter Training Solutions Ltd offer a wide range of First Aid and Health & Safety training solutions. We specialise in all aspects of First Aid for public and private sectors. We are ideally situated in the Midlands, with easy access to all major transport networks and work throughout the United Kingdom. Our trainers work with local councils, health authorities, doctors’ surgeries, nursing homes, schools, colleges, professional football clubs, sporting clubs and community/voluntary groups. We offer affordable, bespoke courses, and a range of services tailored to suit your requirements. So whether you need Basic or Advanced Life Support, Defibrillator or First Aid courses, or medical event cover, please contact us so that we can discuss your particular requirements.
Telephone: 07905 737645 Email: sales@trantertraining.net
www.trantertraining.net
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CHILD SAFETY
Share Safe!
Protecting Your Family's Snaps and Presence Online It is extremely unlikely that your children or family will ever come to any physical harm from someone who discovers your photos online. However it’s still reasonable to take precautions and consider the digital legacy you are leaving for your children when you upload family snaps.
Prevent Privacy Problems While the only 100% guaranteed way to protect your photos is not to share them at all, that’s not a very practical solution. Here are some tips to help ensure your photos stay private. l Use private photo sharing services (like 23snaps) to host the majority of your photos. l For public sites like Facebook and Instagram, add a comment with any instructions for your friends (such as "don't tag anyone in this photo" or "Please don’t share this one!") l Read and understand the Terms of Service of each site you use – make sure you are happy with how your photo content might be used or shared. l Be particularly aware of photos that viewers or brands might want to share – such as particularly cute photos or photos of your family endorsing or using a popular brand. l Provide family and friends with photos you are comfortable sharing – possibly with the face obscured slightly, fully clothed and without any identifying details.
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Article written by:
Meaghan Fitzgerald Head of Operations at 23snaps
www.23snaps.com
l Consider adding a watermark so that anyone who wants to use the photo will need to contact you to get the original.
l Take a deep breath. Photos online get increasingly hard to find. On Facebook alone, over 300 million photos are uploaded each day.
Stay Aware of Your Family’s Online Presence
l Ask nicely to have the photo removed. Most people and websites will be more than happy to comply with a profuse apology.
Whether you want to post photos publicly online or not, the important thing is to stay aware of what content is online so you are always in control. l Google your family’s names every so often. You can also set up a Google alert so that you receive an email if any new web content using your name appears online. l Do reverse image lookups using a service like TinEye. Although these services are limited today, they are getting more powerful all the time and are a great way to discover where your photos appear online. l If you have older kids, be sure to check the internet browsing history to see where they are sharing content. l Ask friends for a heads up if they see any of your photos somewhere unexpected.
What to Do if Your Feel Your Privacy is Compromised Uncomfortable with where a photo of your kids ended up? While your options are limited, here are a couple of tips.
l Report a privacy violation. Here is the link for Facebook’s privacy infringement form: https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/ ?id=144059062408922. l Disconnect from anyone who may have been involved in reposting the photo without your permission if you’re concerned it may happen again. Protecting the privacy of your family and kids’ photos online shouldn’t mean you give up sharing and saving special family moments. With some simple precautions, and using private photo sharing services like 23snaps, you can stay secure in the knowledge that the right people are also able to enjoy your most precious memories.
BUSINESS
What to avoid when starting your online shop An online shop is a popular option for mums who want to work flexibly from home. Whether you sell your own products that you’ve created yourself, sell products you’ve bought wholesale or get commission by recommending products sold by someone else (known as affiliate marketing) your website will be your storefront and will determine how well you actually sell. So, here are 5 things you should avoid when setting up your online shop:
1 Use a free Wordpress or Blogger site Yes, one of the worst things to do is not invest in a self-hosted website or Wordpress site and instead, choose the free but unprofessional looking Blogspot or wordpress.com sites. Remember, customers need to be able to trust you and give you their credit card details. A website that screams, ‘cheap’ will not make them do that.
2 Pick a difficult domain name Your domain name and the resulting URL should be easy to remember and share. You should use keyword research to help you pick domain names that reflect your business and are also easy for a customer to remember.
3 Clutter up your website homepage Cluttered up home pages confuse prospective buyers. Your home page should only have featured products, your mailing list sign-up form, links to contact you and your social media profiles. Don’t put flashy badges, buttons and adverts that will only make it look like a child’s scrapbook.
Helen Lindop Helen helps parents grow businesses around their young families. You can grab her free e-book Running a Business Around a Family: 9 Steps to Success’ at www.businessplusbaby.com/go/9steps
4 Not using keywords to optimize your website Doing business online means targeting customers using search engines and keywords is what will help you get there. So, make sure that your website is optimized for your target keywords but at the same time, don’t write your copy for the search engines, write it for your clients while keeping keywords in mind. This may be tough for some and you may want to hire a professional web copywriter to make the job easier for you.
5 Not providing a way for customers to contact you Finally, we’ve all come across the online shop that doesn’t have a contact email address or a customer service query form. You’ll be surprised at how many online business owners miss this important step. Give your customers multiple ways of reaching you. Not only will that help build trust in you but it will also help a prospective customer to contact you to clarify doubts, and close a sale. So, if you’re setting up a business website or already have one, make sure that you’re not making any of these mistakes and sending sales away!
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Who’s paying for your Christmas? 7KH 3DPSHUHG &KHI LV WKH 8.·V SUHPLHU GLUHFW VHOOLQJ FRPSDQ\ IRU KLJK TXDOLW\ NLWFKHQ WRROV SUHVHQWHG WKURXJK LQ KRPH &RRNLQJ 6KRZV GHPRQVWUDWLQJ VLPSOH UHFLSHV WKDW SURGXFH VSHFWDFXODU UHVXOWV 3DPSHUHG &KHI &RQVXOWDQWV FDQ HDUQ RYHU £500 a month E\ KROGLQJ MXVW FRRNLQJ VKRZV D ZHHN :RUN WKH KRXUV \RX FKRRVH • 3D\ IRU &KULVWPDV • %H WKH EHVW ERVV \RX·YH HYHU KDG *Based on 2012 Cooking Show sales average of more than £320 per show.
How?
As a Pampered Chef Consultant, you’ll show guests how to create simple but spectacular recipes at in-home Cooking Shows, using a range of our fabulous kitchenware and utensils. Everyone gets involved in preparing the recipe and afterwards, your guests enjoy tasting the results whilst shopping from the full range of Pampered Chef products.
7R ÀQG RXW PRUH DERXW EHFRPLQJ D &RQVXOWDQW YLVLW SDPSHUHGFKHI FR XN RU FDOO ThePamperedChefUK @UKPamperedChef
BUSINESS
A rewarding opportunity, more than just financial!
The springboard to confidence for your child Tumble Tots is Britain's leading National Active Physical Play Programme for children from 6 months to 7 years • Using specifically designed equipment your child will learn agility, balance, climbing and co-ordination skills appropriate to their age • A structured programme designed to build self confidence and develop essential listening and language skills • Supervised by trained staff in a fun and caring environment
If you are self-motivated, confident and enthusiastic, you too could develop your own successful Tumble Tots business. With 31 years experience and more than 500 centres nationwide, Tumble Tots leads the way in Active Physical Play for Pre-school children. Since its inception, almost a million children have benefitted from the programme. As part of this established network of around 100 franchised businesses, you will benefit from: • Extensive & ongoing technical training • Business and marketing support from a central team of experienced Tumble Tots personnel • The recognition of the market leading brand in the industry
To find out more about classes or franchise opportunities call 0121 585 7003 or visit www.tumbletots.com
Bibee Dresses Makes PitchUp Finals Business woman and mum of one Nicola Norris has been very busy recently as she was one of twelve lucky British businesses invited to pitch to a team of buyers at John Lewis by PitchUP a national enterprise campaign run in partnership with StartUp Britain.
Nicola’s business Bibee Dresses, an innovative and stylish collection of maternity and nursing wear, beat hundreds of other businesses to a prestigious place in the final round of the national competition, designed to give start-ups a unique opportunity. John Lewis, the much loved retailer is currently searching for iconic and innovative British products to feature in store as part of the
shop’s 150th birthday celebrations in 2014. Each finalist in PitchUP will be offered mentoring from their team of buyers, with a select few being offered the chance to sell their goods across their stores. It’s no wonder Bibee Dresses made it to the final as it truly is an innovative concept for pregnant and breastfeeding ladies. With a Bibee Dress mums to be can create multiple looks with just one core dress. It sits cleverly under the bust, and is then accessorised by buttoning on a Bibee Dress Front. Mums can choose from pretty wrap effects to prints and cowl necklines to truly create the look they need. One dress can take a mum from day to night, making it a staple item for any pregnancy. Later when mum is breastfeeding, it’s easy to unbutton the Dress Front and gain direct skin to skin contact with baby.
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EMPTY NEST SYNDROME
Empty Nest Syndrome
by Helen Stafford
Empty nest syndrome, although renowned, nobody can prepare you for it. It’s impossible to imagine your tiny baby will grow into a toddler, to junior, to teenager and eventually fly the nest in search of new beginnings. All the love and care invested into the small bundle which brings so much happiness (and stress!) has to be somehow readjusted to a level which enables you to ‘let go’. It’s hard, believe me. Having only one child to concentrate on, maybe makes the transition even more so.
making a total of 558,898 applications in 2013, this certainly contributes to many empty nests.
I can still picture waving my son, Damon, goodbye when we left him at university for the first time. I see the back of him casually walking through the gates, reminiscent of other milestones in his young life; staring nursery, school and college. How did it all happen so fast? It seemed inconceivable that technically, he was an adult. With the number of applicants to UK universities rising by 3.5% according to official UCAS figures,
There is plenty to enjoy now and in the future, it’s all a matter of perspective. We should honour the past, value the present and plan for the future, my grandmother once told me, wise old sage that she was. Tennessee Williams put it another way, quoting, “Life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by you so quickly you hardly catch it going.” I consider how happy Damon is with his friends, living the student life and wouldn’t want anything else for him.
Of course being a parent never stops your child from being just that, a child, however frustrating it may be to your offspring. I imagined his eyes rolling at my incessant phone calls. Gradually they became less frequent and by sheer willpower, limited them to once a week. Flashbacks of his childhood constantly crept into focus, like cruel reminders of what I was missing; his first words, steps, teaching him to swim, ride a bike, holidays, films we’d watched, conversations we’d had, laughs we’d shared…then I ‘got a grip’ and realised all these times were not over, life had just changed.
As a mum and for all parents who suffer from empty nest syndrome, I encourage you to grasp this situation as a turning point for you too. With the extra time on your hands, why not do something positive? Is there
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Helen Stafford and her son, Damon something you always wanted to do, but never had the chance? Various hobbies can lead to joining groups, from walking to wine tasting, see what’s on offer in your local area. Enrol on a course, further education is not only self-enhancing, but could better your career, or broaden your circle of friends. Voluntary work is also time well spent. There are always charities in need of your valuable time. The restricted time you share with your child becomes ‘quality time’. As your child grows to be more independent, so do you. Just think, in years to come you will no doubt be counselling them about all this with their children, when your empty nest is suddenly full of little chicks again. Ah, the joys of being a grandparent!
MY FAMILY’S WISH LIST
Top Tips to Help You Find the Right Gifts this Christmas Choosing the right gift for someone can be difficult and as we all go into shopping autopilot this Christmas, it is easy to run out of ideas. Then there is also the ‘tricky to buy for’ recipient, who seems to have everything and needs nothing! At some point we all find ourselves asking ‘What am I supposed to get?’ Each year there is someone on your Christmas list, who proves hard to buy for; and we can often find ourselves heading for the wine, socks or chocolates in order to find a ‘quick fix’ to our gift giving dilemmas; knowing deep down, that we could have chosen better!
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So, if you are facing a gift-giving conundrum, here are a few things to bear in mind when looking for the perfect gift . . . Don’t leave it until the last minute: give it some thought before you go shopping to buy the gift. Ask yourself what would be the perfect gift to buy for the person receiving it. Before you hit the highstreet have a few ideas in mind or you will walk around aimlessly searching for the perfect gift. Decide what kind of gift you would like to give: Sentimental, humorous or breath-taking? Does the recipient have a quirky personality, a favourite colour, or a special interest? When you are buying for a child consider age, ability and personality: Discretely ask the child’s parent what they might like and what others are buying – this will help avoid the disappointment of duplicate gifts. Listen out for hints – has the recipient been hinting about something that they would like to receive as a gift? Do they have a wishlist?
Make enquiries – ask those close to the person you are buying for if they have any ideas or if there has been mention something that the recipient would really like. Be personal: The perfect gift should be personal, after all that is what makes it the perfect gift. Would they prefer jewelery or keepsake – or something that is hand-made? Take a moment to remember something about the person receiving the gift: Perhaps there was an event that you two have shared or a special memory that you could relate to the perfect gift. Be creative and bear in mind that if you have bought the perfect gift in the past, that the perfect gift you bought for one person will not be the perfect gift for everyone. Explore the internet: There is a world of fabulous gift ideas at your fingertips. This will also take the legwork out of gift shopping as your gifts can be delivered directly to your door.
Check out ‘My Family’s Wishlist’ – over the next few pages we have put together some wonderful gift ideas for the special people in your life.
MY FAMILY’S WISH LIST
Bags of Christmas Gift Ideas from Bag Crazy As the Christmas countdown begins, you are probably searching for just the right gifts for everyone on your list this year. Look no further – Bag Crazy is a fantastic company with bags of gift ideas for all your friends and family this Christmas. Here at My Family we love Bag Crazy because you can even create your very own personalised item using Bag Crazy’s simple to use customised tool. After all everyone loves a unique gift that has been chosen and personalised just for them!
If you are looking for a gift for someone who is mad about gadgets and gismos, checkout Bag Crazy’s laptop bags, laptop messenger bags, iPhone cases and iPad Bags – these must have pieces of kit make the perfect gift for gadget lovers of all ages. Little ones will love the colourful character backpacks, gym bags, swimming bags and Neoprene lunch bags – add a fun character like Bang on the Door, picture and name, the choice is yours!
For the person on your list that is proving to be a little trickier to buy for, take inspiration from Bag Crazy’s selection of retro flight bags, messenger bags and wash bags – with designs to suite all tastes, you are sure to find something that will please. Know someone who plans to ‘shop ‘til they drop’ in the Boxing Day Sales? – A reusable shopper makes an ideal gift. Bag Crazy has a fantastic range of designs and slogans to choose from or you could design your own shopping tote for that extra special touch. Start your Christmas shopping today – visit
www.bagcrazy.co.uk
Funky Gifts for Friends and Family Make your Christmas gifts a little bit funky this year with help from Funky Living, a quirky online boutique that caters for all the family! Funky Living specialise in great quality gifts, room accessories and furniture for children, as well as offering a wide range of homewares and gifts too. Some great gift choices include handbags, washbags, and make up bags from Disaster Designs, as well as exquisite phone covers, and ipad covers, made in Northern Ireland by ‘Made Pretty’ and up and coming designer.
expect to find would include Pink Lining Changing Bags, Bopita furniture, Bloom highchairs and baby loungers, along side Gisela Graham homewares, fab kitchenwares from Koziol with a modern edge and much much more – definitely worth a browse . . . go on be funky!!
If you’re looking for a gift for a little one, their fairtrade wooden name plaques go down a storm, as would their cute little rocking chairs. Some of the brands you will
www.funky-living.co.uk myfamily 17
MY FAMILY’S WISH LIST
Unique & Luxurious Gifts from
A beautiful and unique gift for family, friends and loved ones – Cocobaci’s Fabric Memory Bears and Quilts are lovingly handmade from your treasured articles of clothing such as outgrown baby grows or blankets and are a lovely way to use fabric that is full of happy memories!
Christmas is a magical time of year for families to come together, an occasion to strengthen relationships and show our appreciation for the people we care about. Many of us mark this by giving a special gift as a symbol of our affection for someone special.
If you have any special requests or ideas, Cocobaci will take great care to incorporate lots of little trims and extra details for you. Because your Memory Bear will be a one of a kind and unique to you, it makes the perfect keepsake gift.
With Christmas just around the corner, a collection of fabulous gifts from new luxury online boutique Cocobaci make a festive debut on My Family’s Wishlist. Cocobaci are passionate about supporting British manufacturers and homegrown talent and have worked closely with craftsmen, designers and artists to develop a unique and high quality range of gifts made with love, care and attention. There’s even an edited list of great gifts for under £50. So, if you are looking to give someone a treasured gift this Christmas – here are some of our personal favourites to suit every taste and budget…
concept created by leading massage and body worker, Katie Whitehouse. The products are hand blended in Devon by the caring team at Natalia, using the very best organic and natural raw materials. These luxury skin products are beautifully boxed and make a perfect gift this Christmas. Create your very own piece of memory jewellery – Cocobaci have teamed up with a British maker to bring you an exclusive collection of Silver Keepsake Jewellery. Each piece is handcrafted in the UK and can be personalised with either, a name, birthstone or imprint. Beautifully presented in a cream gift box, the range caters for tots to teens, mummy and daddy too!
For more gorgeous Christmas gift inspirations visit
www.cocobaci.com WIN! ++ WIN! ++ WIN! Wrap your little prince or princess in a touch of luxury, with a beautiful baby shawl from wonderful British maker GH Hurt & Son. The choice of the Royal Family and a real heirloom, each shawl is hand finished and knitted in the heart of England, using only the finest cashmere, wool and cotton yarns. A gift that really is fit for royalty and the perfect festive gift for a newborn baby. Bringing a positive touch into everyday life – treat someone to a wonderful skincare collection made from 100% natural and organic products for mind, body and soul. A
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T’is the season to be jolly and to celebrate Cocobaci are giving you the chance to win £50 worth Cocobaci Gift Vouchers. Treat yourself or someone you love – striking, simple & presented in a beautiful white & gold gift card with envelope. You can choose from £10, £25 and £50 denominations. To enter simply email your name, address and daytime contact number to info@cocobaci.com (Closing date for entries is midnight on 15th December 2013)
MY FAMILY’S WISH LIST
Win Green – Making Christmas Dreams Come True! There isn’t an adult among us who doesn’t cherish a childhood Christmas memory. Whether it be the excitement of discovering the stocking at the foot of your bed, the memories of fun and laughter in a family-filled home or the enjoyment of hours spent playing with new toys.
Selected playhouses can be personalised with a child’s name for that extra special touch, and each range includes coordinating accessories of Toy Bags, Bean Bags, Aprons, Decorative Hangings and Cushions … great to complete the range or as beautiful Christmas gifts, just on their own!
With a range of products designed to motivate, inspire and encourage children to create a world of memories all of their own, we believe that Win Green should take pride of place in ‘My Family’s Christmas Wishlist’. Beautifully hand embroidered and appliquéd, Win Green’s collection of 100% cotton children’s playhouses and accessories not only make the most adorable
mini-ginghams and decorated with fairies, butterflies, flowers and cupcakes.
Christmas gifts, they have all the ingredients required to create lasting memories of imagination and make-believe. For boys playhouses include a Garage, Fire Station and Barn; fun and colourful, trimmed with bright ginghams and adorned with cars, fire engines and tractors.
Brimming with character and traditional charm, Win Green products recreate the qualities of the old-fashioned toy, where detail was the key ingredient; encouraging children to explore their own imaginations and create their own Christmas memories. To explore Win Green’s charming collection of playhouses and accessories visit
www.wingreen.co.uk
Playhouses for girls include a Fairy Cottage, Butterfly Cottage and Gingerbread Cottage; beautiful and delicate, trimmed with pretty
Mathical, Magical Fun for Kids from Mathstraks Games This Christmas, your child can enjoy an enchanted journey of mathematical play with three new numeracy card games by Mathstraks Games.
and monsters, to teach and reinforce key numeracy skills. This much-loved game will help your child practise and improve their mental arithmetic, and improve their maths confidence through play.
As part of My Family’s Wishlist; Mathical Creatures, Monster Maths and Fairy Tables offer hours of educational, festive fun for 2-4 players.
A Magical realm of fire-breathing dragons, handsome princes and beautiful princesses awaits your child this Christmas. Fairy Tables is an ingenious card game to help kids aged 7 and above practise and learn multiplication tables. Using their times tables knowledge, the race is on to place fairy tale characters in stories.
Mathical Creatures is an enjoyable, mathematical card game for children aged 7 and above which uses the fun theme of myths
Your little monsters are sure to love Monster Maths – an exciting card game for children aged 5 and above. Due to hit the shops this October – Monster Maths will help your youngsters practise and improve addition skills for 1 and 2 digit numbers. Using simple sums, the aim of the game is to be the first player to make a monster.
For supplier information, check out Mathstraks Facebook page www.facebook.com/mathstraksgames or visit
www.mathstraks.co.uk myfamily 19
ETHICAL CHRISTMAS
11 Ways to make your Christmas Greener Christmas doesn’t have to be a time of excess; there are a few things that you can do to make it a more environmentally friendly time of year. From recycling your tree and used batteries to sending ecards, the simple choices you make can save you money and help the planet.
Decorations & Lights l Natural decorations like holly and mistletoe look and smell gorgeous. They will give your home a more traditional festive feel and you can compost them afterwards. l LEDs are up to 90 per cent more efficient than traditional Fairy Lights.
Christmas Food & Drink l By getting portion sizes right you’ll not only cut down on waste but you’ll save money and your waistline too.
Christmas Trees l If you’re choosing a real Christmas tree try to buy one that is grown locally. If you are buying from a retail outlet or garden centre, choose one grown sustainably in the UK. l If you have a garden, consider getting a living tree in a pot with the roots still attached. You can plant it in your garden after Christmas and reuse it the following year. l The British Christmas Tree Growers Association can help you find a local supplier, for more information visit www.christmastree.org.uk
Greener Gifts l If you’re buying electrical goods, choose those that can run off the mains and have an Energy Saving Recommended label – you’ll save the recipient energy and money too! l Instead of a gift item, give a special experience like theatre tickets. l Try to buy gifts made from recycled or recyclable materials, and look for Fair Trade alternatives.
l Try to buy locally produced in-season food – in December these foods include sprouts, pumpkin, parsnips and red cabbage. l Check for food labels that tell you food has been produced with consideration for the environment. Visit
www.leafuk.org, www.soilassociation.org and www.msc.org.
Love chocolate? Make chocolate! CHOC Chick makes it easy for anyone to be a CHOColatier and make delicious raw chocolates that are super simple to make and CHOCfull of goodness. Our CHOC Kits contain organic cacao ingredients, a low GL natural sweetener made from fruit, mini baking cases and simple recipes to make chocolates and truffles that are free from dairy, gluten, processed sugars, soya, additives and guilt!
Our new CHOC Chicos – Cheeky Chocolate Kit for Kids is a fun and interactive chocolate making kit with everything needed to make raw chocolates; organic and natural ingredients, a simple recipe booklet with recipes and fun facts about chocolate, as well as mini baking cases with real cocoa beans (some say they may be magic beans!).
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WIN! ++ WIN! ++ WIN! CHOC Chicos is the ideal gift for any occasion and we have a lovely CHOC Chicos Kit to give away to a lucky My Family reader! Just email your name, address and daytime contact number to info@chocchick.com with the subject line CHOCtastic to enter. (Closing date for entries is midnight on 31st December 2013) CHOC Chick is also offering a 10% discount* exclusively for My Family Readers. Simply enter voucher code CHOCMYFAMILY (all caps) when ordering online at www.chocchick.com to enjoy CHOCalicious raw chocolate making. *Valid until 31/12/2013.
ETHICAL CHRISTMAS
Ethical Gift Inspirations from Daisy Daisy At Daisy Daisy Ethical Gifts, we specialise in bringing together a fabulous collection of Fair Trade and Ethical gift ideas from around the world. All of our gifts and goodies are lovingly chosen for their unique style and ethical credentials. We have a wide range of handmade products, many of which make creative use of recycled materials. The majority of our products are sourced from accredited Fair Trade suppliers and we are proud members of the British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers. If you are looking for fun, fashionable and affordable ethical gifts for Christmas 2013, here are a few of our favourites…
Cutwork Heart Box – This beautiful wooden box with cutwork heart detail and intricate floral decoration is perfect for storing little treasures! Fair Trade from India £18.75
Hammered Aluminium Tealight Holder – Light up your Christmas with this stunning rich red, enamel tealight holder. Made from recycled aluminium. Fair trade from India £15.99
Monkey Mug – A brilliant gift idea for that hard-to-buy-for person! A lovely chunky ceramic mug with hand painted design and novelty handle. Hand painted in Thailand. Ethically Traded £7.99
Felt Roses Wedding Bag – We call this the 'wedding bag' because it reminds us of a beautiful frothy bouquet of flowers! Embellished with felt flowers, ruffles and tassels, it is a truly lovely bag! Hand made in Nepal. Fair Trade £25
To order today or for even more beautiful, quirky and unusual gift ideas visit www.daisydaisyethicalgifts.co.uk
Celebrate with a T-shirt from ILY Life If you want to give a truly original gift this Christmas check out ILY Life a brand new concept in organic baby and children’s wear. Inspired by the idea that the UK is brimming with culture, Mum and Dad team Tejinder and Sarvjit Nanra wanted to create a range of clothing that helped children celebrate traditions from across the world. Keen to develop an entire range to represent as many countries, languages and traditions as possible, the debut collection in the ILY Life
range is inspired by Punjabi culture. Colourful and bright, it features beautiful Gurmukhi script delicately printed on children’s t-shirts and baby-grows. Each t-shirt comes with a keepsake tag explaining exactly what each symbol means and also how to pronounce the word properly. Wearing an ILY Life t-shirt is a fantastic way to promote crosscultural learning at the same time as looking very stylish. Best of all everything is made from fair trade organic cotton! Prices start from £15.
www.ilylife.com
Traditional jointed bears handmade from 100% Shetland organic wool. Currently applying for Soil Association Certification.
www.shetlandfudge.co.uk myfamily 21
BEST OF BRITISH CHRISTMAS
Have the
Best of British
Christmas! Over the last couple of decades there has been a decline in British producers as cheaper overseas labour, products, and materials have encouraged companies to outsource production. Although beneficial in many ways globalisation has resulted in the decline of buying British. However, ethical issues often associated with working conditions abroad, the global financial crisis and increased awareness of climate change is encouraging more consumers to be aware of the origin of their purchase. With the
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development of better labelling, the growing awareness of food miles and the favouring of organic food, more of us are committing to buying British produce. Today the ‘Made in Britain’ tag is a powerful piece of branding to the ethical and environmentally savvy shopper.
© VisitBritain – Britain on View
Buy into a Great British Christmas and you can help to make this year a prosperous Christmas for those businesses who are carrying on a proud British tradition of making outstanding British products in studios, workshops, factories, and farms throughout the British Isles. In Britain, we are fortunate to have an abundance of home-grown industry and innovations right on our doorstep. Buy British and you will have access to some of the best gifts, decorations, tableware, food, and drink for Christmas 2013.
BEST OF BRITISH CHRISTMAS
Win a British Christmas Jumper The Winter Chill is upon us and the countdown to Christmas has begun. It is now time to celebrate the Festive season with our fantastic range of British Christmas Jumpers.
The long tradition of quality textiles in the UK is something we have been proud to have been a part of for 27 years (and counting) and our factory has been producing garments for more than 110 years. Between us we have created a range of Christmas Jumpers which is not only perfect for showing off your Christmas spirit.
Everyone loves Christmas – it is the time of the year when we eat too much, drink silly amounts of eggnog, socialise with our friends and
British Christmas Jumpers is a celebration of good old British Design, mixed with quality craftsmanship and with great excitement this wonderful factory brings together this stunning novelty brand for Christmas 2013.
family and of course, it is the time our favourite jumper make it out of the bottom drawer. Over the last few years, the Christmas jumper has been making a welcome comeback in the fashion pages and all of us are loving the nostalgic feel which comes from a great looking jumper – even if it might be just a little kitsch! Here at British Christmas Jumpers we specialise in perfect Christmas creations. Our fantastic team of knitters and sewers design and make our jumpers ? with every little stitch being imbued with the kind of love reserved for a quality garment.
britishchristmasjumpers.com
WIN! ++ WIN! ++ WIN! This Christmas, we are offering 3 lucky My Family readers a chance to win a British Christmas Jumper – a perfect gift for yourself or someone special. To enter, email your details to myfamily@britishchristmasjumpers.com with the subject header My Family Competition. (Closing date for entries is midnight on December 14th 2013.
Made in Britain by
SweaterOnline Great Britain was the birth place of the knitting and textile industry as we know it today. The damp valleys of the north saw the use of water during the industrial revolution to power the big cotton and silk weaving mills. Anyone who loves to knit will tell you about what a joy it is to have excellent quality wool running through their fingers. As they wrap the wool around their needles and complete the purl, they know that the finished garment will reflect the time it has taken to produce. It will ooze comfort and quality and be a timeless classic. Not all of us have the dedication, time or ability to produce a sweater which is perfect in this way – but we can always invest in one which has been lovingly created on our behalf.
British made woollen goods are the best in the world and without a doubt have a reputation which is far beyond anything you will buy on the High Street or in your local supermarket. Sweateronline is a collection of British Manufacturers and Designers selling their lovely collections around the world. We ensure all items are Made in Great Britain and all factories follow strict British Ethical Standards. We want to protect Britain’s Textile Heritage!
www.sweateronline.com
Sweateronline is one company which is trying to bring back the joy one feels when wearing a sweater which reflects quality and more importantly shows the world that you have thought carefully about the origins of your clothes and your commitment to ecology and fair trade.
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BEST OF BRITISH CHRISTMAS
Festive Favourites from
Cherish & Cherubs
If you are looking for a gift that is just that little bit different this Christmas, Cherish & Cherubs is a new online store created to provide a fresh approach to gift buying. With an ethos of quirky, different and quality, Cherish & Cherubs strives to provide products that aren’t stocked on the highstreet, to ensure British homes retain the much-loved quirky nature we’re renowned for. Cherish & Cherubs provides an exciting collection, designed to ensure gifts for little ones and mums have the x-factor this year. No little boy’s room would be complete without a train! This personalised wooden train with front and rear carriages is just the ticket – all aboard! For just £3 for the pair of carriages and £1.25 per letter, this special little train is great value for money too. Everyone should have a special top to wear at Christmas – especially little angels. This personalised T-shirt is available in navy, pink, khaki, red or grey for £20. This festive
Gorgeous loose top luxury alpaca ribbed bed socks are very soft and warm A perfect gift for any age. 90% Alpaca 10% Nylon
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www.alpacaannie.com 01303 870527
favourite is also available in reindeer and Christmas pudding design – get them while they’re hot! All boy racers should have pyjamas sporting the mini car with a Union Jack roof for £26.99. Soft and cosy, made from 100% cotton jersey – also available in London theme, with buses and guards design. For more great gift ideas that kids will love visit
www.cherishandcherubs.co.uk
BEST OF BRITISH CHRISTMAS
Meet the Tweedies
Spinning Ltd in Shetland and Trefriw Woollen Mill in Wales. Both mills have been family owned since the late 1800’s and complete all the processes of yarn and cloth production under one roof, starting with fleeces from local native flocks.
Introducing Tweedies, a collection of wonderful little creatures created by Patricia Clanzy-Hodge right here in the British Isles. The collectable teddy bears and mice are handmade using genuine Welsh and Shetland tweed. Tweedies have their own unique character, name, edition number, and come with a request to the new owner to look after it.
To order a Tweedies bear or mouse in time for Christmas Telephone Patricia on 07917-264237 or visit:
The cuddly little bears can sit unaided but their legs go floppy when picked up making them easy to hug.
www.tweedies.biz embroidered features give each bear it’s very own personality. The bears come in two sizes large 13inch high huggies priced £30 or smaller 10-inch high bears at £20.
They have colourful felt feet and a snuggly hand knitted hat and scarf in complementary woollen yarns. Their beautifully
Each cute mouse has large bright ears, tail and paws in plaited yarns, cute hats and aprons made in the softest felt and embroidered features. The mice stand 6-inches high and have a flat pebble in the base so that they can act as a paperweight. The tweeds used by Patricia come from two mills – Jamieson's
Handmade Gifts from
SHETLAND
The Shetland Fudge Company is a small family business, making delicious handmade fudge and truffles on the remote Shetland Islands, in the North Atlantic. The award winning company are the only chocolatiers and fudge-makers in Shetland using their own additive-free recipes to make a
The charming little family of Teddy Bears are handmade from 100% pure Shetland Wool, which is grown, spun, woven and knitted on the island. By purchasing from The Shetland Teddy Bear Company® you will be helping to sustain and preserve a way of life lived by the crofters and crafters of these islands for generations. Each cuddly bear wears either a chunky hand knitted scarves or lace scarf or shawl, and has a unique numbered certificate, signed by the artist.
variety of tasty, handmade fudge temptations. Small batches are made fresh every day using the finest ingredients and local produce, to ensure that you get the best tasting, finest quality confectionary available!
So, for the taste of Shetland delivered to your door, or to find the perfect Teddy Bear companion in time for Christmas visit
www.shetlandfudge.co.uk
The company also offer a range of luxury willow hampers, containing a collection of The Shetland Fudge Company’s finest products, and other carefully selected Shetland-made goodies that are sure to please. Although best known for their sweet treats, The Shetland Teddy Bear Company® is also part of the family business, making an adorable collection of traditional jointed heirloom teddy bears.
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TOTS TO TEENS
Gift Inspirations for Tots, Teens and In-betweens We are a nation in love with technology and that includes our kids too. This is not surprising when big companies bid for our business with a stream advertising that is so effective that some kids will ask for an iPhone as soon as they can talk. Hungry for the latest gadgets, many of us are prepared to wait in line for hours to get our hands on the latest computer game, console, tablet or phone, as soon as it is launched. Of course these products have their place in our homes but most parents agree that we don’t want our kids glued to the latest device 24/7. Flashing lights and fast-paced gameplay captivate kids and it can be difficult to drag them away from their favourite electronic device. But in an era where it is common for kids to own an iPad, blackberry, PlayStation or Xbox (or all of the above) it is important
Explore our wonderful world of children’s toys, clothes, and accessories at www.loubilou.com
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to stimulate their imaginations in other ways every now and again. To help you find an alternative to the electronic gadgets that flood the market at Christmas, our gift guide is packed with wonderful gift ideas for your child. From Baby’s 1st Christmas to early teens, there is something to suit every child including a fabulous collection of games and puzzles, smart new clothes and toys that will entertain, engage and inspire young minds for years to come!
TOTS TO TEENS
Awaken Your Child’s Imagination with a Gift from
Let’s Play Fair If you are looking for an imaginative gift for your little one this Christmas, you’ll be spoilt for choice at Let’s Play Fair! Now celebrating their 6th year, the family-run company has blossomed into a reliable, easy to use online store; sourcing toys from around the world, to offer you something different from the usual High Street options.
Let’s Play Fair have hand-picked their range to include a fabulous selection of musical toys, craft kits, jigsaws and puzzles, handmade rag dolls and wooden toys, that will last through the whole family for years to come. With a fantastic selection of brands including Believe You Can, Crafty Kids, EcoChums, Imajo, I'm Toy, Lanka Kade, Lilliputiens and many, many more – you are sure to find an exciting gift that will stir your child’s imagination this Christmas. When you buy from Let's Play Fair, you will be safe in the knowledge that all of their products are either Fair Trade certified or ethically produced, with the guarantee that there was no use of child labour during the manufacturing process. With customer service second to none, your order will be with you in just 3 days and orders over £100.00 are delivered free of charge (UK delivery only). If you need help choosing a gift or would like a gift delivering abroad, Let’s Play Fair are on hand to give you advice; just give them a call on 01279 815508 or email karen@letsplayfair.co.uk
WIN! ++ WIN! ++ WIN! With 2014 just around the corner, Let’s Play Fair is celebrating by giving you the chance to win a Melody Mix Musical Toy. To enter email your name and contact number to karen@letsplayfair.co.uk under the subject MFCOMP, along with the answer to the question:
What is the name of the owner of Let’s Play Fair? You can find the answer at www.letsplayfair.co.uk (Closing date for entries is midnight on 30th December 2013).
So, why wait – log on to Let’s Play Fair’s brand new website
www.letsplayfair.co.uk and start your Christmas shopping today!
The award winning company dedicated to making children Feel Good about themselves and their world.
Headz and Handz is a one-stop shop offering a comprehensive range of toys and games for parents seeking wholesome, child-centred activities for their children.
Our products are fun, vibrant and appeal to both girls and boys alike, from birth to teen. They are durable and won’t go out of fashion as trends and brands change.
Visit our online store to view our full range of puppets, creative goodies, puzzles, science activities and much more. Stockists of: Orchard Toys, Puppet Company, Fiesta Crafts, 4M, The Green Board Company and Melissa and Doug
10% off when you spend £25 or more – use code MFMX13.
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Fun, educational products that help to build confidence and self esteem. Encouraging children to feel happy, creative, magical and special. Contact: Charlotte Mitchell
07708 350541 www.headzandhandz.co.uk info@headzandhandz.co.uk
Bring the Feel Good factor into your home!
For more information visit
www.feelgoodfriends.com
TOTS TO TEENS
Smart Festive Kids Clothing from Swedish favourite The much-loved kids clothing brand Polarn O. Pyret – fondly known as PO.P – have launched a super-stylish collection of kids’ clothes and accessories including matching hairbands, braces and ties for Christmas. With the Swedish twist on special occasions and festive fun for children being functionality . . . their classic designs are easy to wash and care for and they stay looking good wash after wash after wash.
So spill the juice, crush the mince pies and slop on the turkey gravy . . . PO.P clothes are beautifully carefree clothes designed specifically with children and busy parents in mind. Enjoy the season!
Available from
www.polarnopyret.co.uk • Westfield London • Westfield Stratford City • • Brent Cross Shopping Centre • House of Fraser Oxford Street • King Edward Court Windsor • House of Fraser Guildford • Grand Arcade Cambridge House of Fraser Norwich • High Street Tunbridge Wells • Westfield Derby • House of Fraser Manchester • • Jenners Edinburgh • House of Fraser Glasgow • • Arnotts Dublin • House of Fraser Dundrum • House of Fraser Belfast
Too Much Kit? Bundlebean Has it Covered! Introducing the award winning BundleBean Go! a universal and easy to fit travel cover invented by mum Emily Goodall, to keep little ones warm and dry on the move. Mums are choosing BundleBean Go! over traditional cosytoes and footmuffs as it extends to fit all ages and offers total versatility in one product. Endorsed by car seat safety experts, BundleBean Go! fits car seats, pushchairs and bike seats.
The waterproof shell is backed with cosy fleece and be used as playmat/picnic rug and rolled up for easy storage. BundleBean Go! is available in four beautiful colours: red star, pink spot, blue spot and plain black RRP £29.99-32.99 So, if you are planning a trip and want to minimise the kit that you take with you visit www.bundlebean.com.
WIN! ++ WIN! We are giving you the chance to win a BundleBean Go! in a colour of your choice. To enter, email the name of the mum who invented BundleBean Go! along with your name and daytime contact number to mail@bundlebean.com under subject MFCompetition. (Closing date for entries – midnight on 30th December 2013).
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TOTS TO TEENS
Gift Inspirations for Tots, Teens & In-Betweens Whether you are looking for a special gift to celebrate a baby’s first Christmas or a present that will stretch a child’s imagination, here are a few items that we think you will love . . .
FAIR TRADE KENANA COTTON MONKEY These wonderful little Kenana critters are hand knitted in Kenya using organic cotton. CE marked and suitable for all ages. £16.50 www.daisydaisyethicalgifts.co.uk
THE PIRATE SHACK FROM WIN GREEN This sets the scene perfectly for little Pirates to embark on untold adventures this Christmas. Beautifully hand embroidered and appliquéd, 100% cotton from £200.00 www.wingreen.co.uk
BRAINBOX FOOTBALL A kickabout through the English football leagues passing out the best facts about your favourite teams. A fun card game for ages 8+, play in large groups or as a 1-person game. £10.00 www.headzandhandz.co.uk
MUMMY PENGUIN AND HER CHICK This beautiful picture of a mummy penguin and her chick, is lovingly hand felted using a mix of carded and merino wool. The merino wool gives the penguin her soft black shiny plumage, whilst the chick is gorgeously round and snuggles into his mummy. A gorgeous gift for a child's room, for a loved one, or if you just love penguins. Price: £149.99 www.giftwrappedandgorgeous.com
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TOTS TO TEENS PERSONALISED CUPCAKE APRONS These make an extra stylish gift for little bakers, cooks and chefs. Sizes from 18months to adult, can be personalised with up to 12 characters. From £12.00. www.cherishandcherubs.co.uk
SWIM FIN The world’s only vertical buoyancy aid – the modern alternative to the traditional bulky armbands and rubber rings. Suitable for ages 2 and above. £21.99 www.swimfin.co.uk
HAPPYHOPPERZ XL A much anticipated addition to the HappyHopperz family. The HappyHopperz XL measure approximately 80 by 80 cms and are recommended for ages 5 to 55!
There are 5 fantastic designs from which to choose – Red Horse, Blue Bull, Red Dog, Orange Deer and Green Caterpillar. Not just for Christmas . . . or the kids! 49.99 www.loubilou.com
PINGY FAMILY WOODEN PULL ALONG A cute little wooden pull along toy with three members of the Pingy family all waddling along together on colourful little wheels. Suitable: 12 months+ Price: £18.95 www.peanutandpip.com
SKRIBBIES CUSTOMISABLE HIGH TOPS Customisable footwear that can be drawn on over and over again thanks to their unique wipe clean surface. Simply drawwipe-draw to create a different pair of shoes every day! Price: £35.95 www.skribbies.com
RUDOLF SHOES Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer... complete with soft funky antlers and the famous large red nose. Designed and handmade in the UK. Sizes: 0-6, 6-12, 12-18 & 18-24 months and 2-3, 3-5 & 5-7 years. Prices from £18 www.funkyfeetfashions.co.uk
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FESTIVE HOME
Six Steps to a Stress-Free, Mess-Free Holiday by Carmen Coker, Professional Organiser
At Christmas it’s very easy to lose sight of the ho-hoho amid all the ho-ho-hum that comes with hassles, hard work and heavy expense. We can forget the festive season is also meant to be fun. Parents can find it particularly difficult with the kids on holiday and demanding attention, but with some clever planning you can cut down on the holiday angst. Preparing food ahead and freezing it is a no-brainer, but here are six more strategies that will help you get organised this Christmas.
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1 Star turns: Get friends and family organised before the school holidays start to make sure you have people on hand to keep the little ones occupied when you need time alone to shop, get things ready or just take five. Store puzzles, games, and other activity ideas in a "Fun Zone" so everyone knows exactly where to find them. 2 Christmas cards: Do you really need to send so many? Think of all the time and money you’d save by cutting back. Or send New Year cards instead, when the pressure’s off. 3 Gift knowledge: Do you end up wandering the High Street on Christmas Eve still stressing over what presents to buy? Before you step out, write a list of who you’re buying for, then write down all their likes, from favourite TV show to hobbies and food. Take the list with you. It’ll help you choose the right thing. 4 Dear Santa: Are you fed up with receiving gifts you don’t want and have nowhere to keep? Ask for gift vouchers or store gift cards only – or maybe tickets to the local panto. You’ll not only get what you want, you’ll cut the clutter, too.
5 Party time: Too late for a full house clean and tidy? Cordon off party no-go areas with decorative bits, like a row of LED candles to block stairs or rows of red ribbon across a doorway, and just focus on those rooms you’ll welcome guests in. No-one need see the hidden mess and you can tidy there another day. 6 Cook’s aid: In charge of a full family Christmas dinner? Use post-it notes to remind you of everything from when the turkey needs to come out to when to pick up granny or the children. Use different colours for different tasks and put them in order on a board or the fridge door where you can easily see them.
Carmen Coker is a former U.S. Air Force officer turned professional organiser. To learn how to purify your space and your life, be your most productive self, and find the serenity you seek, go to www.cluttercleanse.com for her FREE video how-to series.
FESTIVE HOME
Gift Inspirations for the Home Whether you are looking to add a splash of festive cheer to your home or a gift that is a bit different to the highstreet alternatives, here are a few items that we think you will love… Animal Nesting Dolls We love these gorgeous nesting dolls featuring the distinctive artwork of Ingela P Arrhenius. Presented in a nice gift box, each set contains six animals of decreasing size made from durable plastic: an owl, fox, polar bear, black cat, monkey and little piggy – all nesting neatly inside one another like traditional matryoshka dolls. Suitable for children 3 years+ (contains small parts) PRICE £19.95
Christmas Tree Jar These gorgeous Glass jars in the form of a Christmas tree are ideal for storing all the festive goodies and for that special ‘merry’ decoration.
www.peanutandpip.com
Spike Jr Tin Dog Lantern Sure to raise a smile! Spike-Jr is grrrrrrrrrreat as a low maintenance guard dog or can be used as a tea light holder! These guys never hang around for long so be quick if you want to give one a home. Hand crafted tin lantern from Indonesia. Hand crafted tin lantern from Indonesia. Fair Trade. PRICE £22.
Our glass jars are available in two sizes (small and large). The top tier of the tree detaches to access your yummy treats or create a fabulous decorative centrepiece for Christmas. Use them for storing or just simply displaying family favourites like biscuits or seasonal fruits. You can also fill them with baubles or water for flower displays. Why not turn them into the ideal Christmas lamp by filling them with fairy lights? PRICE £15 www.notonthehighstreet.com
www.daisydaisyethicalgifts.co.uk
Green Crocodile China Gift Set A gorgeous fine bone china gift set decorated by hand in the UK with a wonderful bold green crocodile design – gift set includes a plate, bowl and beaker in a beautifully designed gift box with quirky cut out features that your child will love to reuse. Green crocodile's friends are pink elephant, orange lion and blue monkey. Our crocodile loves a good wash in the dishwasher and a nice ping in the microwave! PRICE 24.99.
Christmas Tree Wall Sticker Add a touch of contemporary Christmas wall decor to your home with this beautiful decal – a large Christmas tree wall sticker measuring 100cm high!
www.loubilou.com
Plaid Alpaca Throw These beautiful plaid throws are rich and colorful soft and warm, and will grace any home furnishings with elegance and style this Christmas. Available in Ivory, Camel, Coral and Purple they are lightweight and wonderfully soft. Size approx 174 x 170 cm – PRICE £75. www.alpacaannie.com
Spin Collective Christmas wall decals are made from high quality matt vinyl and are easy to apply. They also provide a quick and cost effective way of adding a touch of glamour or just a cool statement to any plain wall. Available in 20 colours (white, golden yellow, orange, red, dark red, burgundy, pink, violet, brown, aqua green, green, forest green, pastel blue, medium blue, ultra blue, dark blue, grey, black ,silver and gold) and complete with free applicator and instruction sheet. PRICE £20 www.notonthehighstreet.com
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FESTIVE HOME
Put a Label on It! When we think about labeling at Christmas, it’s usually gift labels that spring to mind. But have you thought about the gifts coming into your home?
Don’t feel that you have to spend hours labeling stuff - by choosing stick on labels or tags in bright colours and fun designs, labeling becomes a fun activity for kids to get involved in to. Easy2name produce a wide range of products including waterproof stickers for labeling shoes, lunchboxes and equipment and several types of iron on labels for clothes.
If you have more than one child around the same age or sex, chances are that they will receive matching or similar gifts, and once the gift tags are removed it is easy to forget who’s is who’s. A simple solution to hearing cries of ‘that’s mine’ or ‘I can’t find…’ is stick on a label.
made. Check out their starter packs online for great value bundles. Furthermore Easy2name have a ‘no iron no sew’ range to make labeling even quicker and easier than ever before, so as soon as the gift tag is off you can stick a label on. Easy2name can help with all of your labeling needs. Give them a call on 01635 298326 or visit www.easy2name.com to place your order in time for Christmas.
The stickers will withstand the dishwasher, sterilizer and microwave, and come in bright colours or a choice of ‘Fab and Funky’ designs. They have a great choice of name labels for clothes from the traditional sew on woven tapes to the unique white transfers ideal for socks. Personalised shoe bags and bag tags can also be
Get Crafty and Visit Crafts for Christmas, Hobbycrafts and Art Materials Live For all the latest information or to book tickets please visit www.ichfevents.co.uk. Alternatively, phone the Ticket Hotline on 01425 277988.
Do you dream of a beautiful handmade Christmas? Then visit Crafts for Christmas, Hobbycrafts and Art Materials Live at the NEC, Birmingham from 7-10 November where you will find everything you need to make your Christmas extra special this year.
Follow us on Twitter @thecraftshows or like us on Facebook – ICHF Events.
With three shows for the price of one, visitors can embrace the magic at Crafts for Christmas with a huge selection of handmade gifts and crafts from hundreds of exhibitors. At Hobbycrafts, you can stock up on all the latest innovations and supplies from the world of creative craft or take part in one of the many free demonstrations and workshops at Art Materials Live where leading professional artists are offering the very latest in art supplies, ideas and innovations.
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FESTIVE HOME
Win a Covered Roaster from The Pampered Chef Christmas is all about sharing food, fun and quality time with your friends and family. With The Pampered Chef’s thoughtfully designed range of products that will allow you can relax in the knowledge that your festive entertaining is in safe hands, meaning less time in the kitchen and more time with the ones you love.
When it comes to the main course, use the new Covered Roaster (£75.00, above right) to cook a succulent roast. Three rivets on the pan edge stabilize the lid, lifting it slightly to release excess steam. The lid can also be used as a baking pan to cook a side dish at the same time as your roast. The Pampered Chef is the UK’s premier direct selling company for high-quality kitchen tools, presented through in-home Cooking Shows, demonstrating simple recipes that produce spectacular results. Pampered Chef Consultants can earn over £500 a month by holding just 2 cooking shows a week!
Products can be bought online at www.pamperedchef.co.uk or through inhome cooking shows and catalogue shows. Call 0800 9 555 888 to find out more about becoming a Consultant.
WIN! ++ WIN! ++ WIN! For your chance to win the new Covered Roaster, tell us how much Pampered Chef Consultants can earn over each month. Please email your answers to yournews@pamperedchef.co.uk (Closing date for entries is midnight on 2nd December 2013).
Welcome to the Magical World of Win Green! Beautifully hand embroidered and appliquéd, Win Green’s collection of 100% cotton Christmas decorations and accessories, create the perfect backdrop for a joyful Christmas full of fun and make-believe! Little ones will love Win Green’s generously sized Christmas stocking, ready to hang at the end of the bed ready for Father Christmas to fill with gifts! Available with blue or pink gingham trim with gorgeous appliqued and embroidered designs, including a cheerful snowman, a present, a Christmas pudding and snowflakes. Deck the halls and dress the tree with gorgeous vintage Gingham Hearts, generously padded and finished with a rustic string tie. Add a festive touch with colourful, 100% cotton bunting – ideal for decorating bedrooms or playrooms and perfect for Christmas parties.
For under the tree, an Heirloom gift that will last for years. Win Green’s beautifully designed Christmas sack with drawstring top, is trimmed with pretty gingham and is hand appliqued and embroidered with Christmas images. Lightly quilted and padded to keep the shape and plenty of room for Santa to fill with presents!
For additional Christmas décor and gift inspirations visit
www.wingreen.co.uk
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FESTIVE FUN
A Splash of Festive Fun! As we approach the winter months and thoughts turn to Christmas, present-buying and planning time off with friends and relatives, here’s a few ways that swimming can bring festive fun to your family this year, and every year! Give the gift of swimming If you are stuck for present ideas this Christmas – maybe struggling to find a gift for someone who loves original ideas – why not consider offering to pay for a term of swimming lessons? What better present from a grandparent, auntie or close friend than the opportunity to gain a life skill. Location and timings would need to suit everyone so it’s a good idea to take a look at swimming.org/poolfinder to locate the nearest pool and find out what’s on offer. Look for centres near you that deliver the British Gas ASA Learn to Swim Pathway, the national syllabus to assist and support the delivery of swimming lessons from the ASA, the national governing body for swimming in England. It takes non-swimmers from their first splash to full competence and confidence in the water.
Plan ahead for warmer times Once the colder weather and dark nights bring us all indoors much more, swimming offers the perfect opportunity to stay active. The winter months are an ideal time for your child to begin learning to swim if they haven’t yet
enrolled in lessons. If they start lessons now, by the summer time when you are ready to go on holiday, they will be much more confident splashing around in the hotel pool or in the sea, and more importantly, safer!
Beat the boredom over the Christmas break With so much chocolate, cakes and party food on offer, getting down to your local pool is an ideal way to keep active and healthy during the Christmas and New Year break. The great thing about swimming is that it gives everyone a full body workout – every major muscle is activated, from neck muscles, shoulders, lats, lower back, every aspect of the leg, every aspect of the arms, it really is across the board. Because you are working such a range of muscles there is a high energy demand on the body which raises the metabolism. So when you get back from the pool, energised and refreshed, maybe you won’t be so inclined to flop in front of the TV! Or at least not feel quite so guilty about indulging in festive treats if you’ve had a good workout. And if you’re the one tasked with preparing all those huge meals, swimming can take you away from it all and give a welcome break from peeling vegetables! Escape the stress of all the preparations and enjoy the refreshing, relaxing psychological benefits of being in the water.
2014 here we come Research shows that 1 in 10 parents do not take their child swimming because they cannot swim themselves*, so why not make a resolution to learn to swim in 2014. There are so many reasons why it’s a great activity for adults – as well as giving you a fun time with the family in the pool, swimming is a fantastic way to stay healthy and keep fit. Not only can swimming improve your mood, help you sleep better and manage your weight, it is the only sport that can save your life. Swimming can support up to 90% of the body’s weight in the water, meaning that those with disabilities, injuries or illnesses can take part in a comfortable and safe environment. It keeps your heart and lungs healthy, improves strength and flexibility, increases stamina and even improves balance and posture. Turn 2014 into the year you become a swimmer! Many pools offer specialised adult swimming lessons in a friendly and supportive environment, based on the British Gas ASA Adult Swimming Framework.
Want to find out more? The ASA are the experts in all things swimming and have lots more information and guidance on our website at swimming.org/go/parents/swimmingfor-parents. Look here for information on learning to swim, how to increase water confidence and supporting your child through their aquatic journey, including a bite-sized Parents Guide, videos about taking your child swimming, a pool checklist and a handy Poolfinder. *The ASA and Kellogg’s research ‘Learning the Lesson – The Future of School Swimming’ which surveyed over a thousand parents of primary school children.
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FESTIVE FUN
It’s a shark, it’s a whale, it’s a
SwimFin!
The team behind SwimFin, the world’s only vertical buoyancy aid, are excitedly gearing up for Christmas! SwimFin is the truly innovative swimming accessory that has taken pools across the globe by storm. All year round children having fun splashing in the sea or the pool, but safety is key, especially as little ones learn to swim and gain confidence in the water. Wearing a SwimFin is the modern alternative to the traditional bulky armbands and rubber rings. Not only are they a lot of fun, the SwimFin’s unique design gives children the freedom to move their arms and legs about without any restrictions, allowing them to tackle all four strokes from their first dip! SwimFin is worn on the back and cleverly works in harmony with the body to provide a more natural position in the water, that supports balance. SwimFin will never slip off, and it won’t tip a child forward or backwards either so little ones will enjoy their new found stability. They can be used from as young as two years old to nurture little ones from their very first swim and, thanks to their adjustable straps, the SwimFin can be used for years and years by the whole family.
Introducing Swimtots TotsBots are undoubtedly the Kings of Cool when it comes to designing cloth nappies, so it came with great excitement when the brand launched Swimtots a funky range of reusable swim nappies that are sure to be an essential for trendy bums!
serious poolside cred, they have been expertly designed and manufactured in the UK to keep the little ones comfortable and protected. RRP: £9.99 Stockists: www.totsbots.com
Swimtots come in two fabulous and original prints: Beach Bums for the boys and Knickerbocker for the girls! Not only do they give tots some
Spotty Drawstring Kit Bags
from Lucy Lilybet's This fantastic drawstring kit bag made from wipe clean oilcloth is perfect for school, swimming kit and storing your child's school gym kit in. As with all Lucy Lilybet's oilcloths, it is made right here in the
UK and is super-soft and wipe clean. Children's gym bag, swim bag, laundry bag, nursery bag, ballet bag, take your pick, its uses are endless. Available in red spot, navy blue spot or pink spot it can be personalised to include your child's name and with its extra bold print, it will stand out on the school peg making it harder to lose!
www.lucylilybet.co.uk
It won’t be a struggle to get children to wear a SwimFin either as they will adore being ‘little sharks’. They’ll instantly gain confidence – who wouldn’t want to be a shark – and parents can relax safe in the knowledge that their kids are completely safe in the water. Swimming teachers and parents across the world love using SwimFin and once little ones have mastered swimming, they can also use it to aid swimming underwater, perfect stroke technique and also for those who want try their hand at snorkelling but not stray too far from the water’s surface!
Visit www.swimfin.co.uk to order your SwimFin today.
Cuddledry launch limited edition Cuddledeer toddler towel for Christmas Cuddledry, makers of the award-winning baby apron towel, will be launching their limited edition Cuddledeer Toddler Towel just in time for Christmas. The adorable reindeer themed towels feature a dotty back and cute antlers on the hood, they also come with a foam red nose so little ones can really get into character this festive season! The towels are made from Cuddledry’s
signature blend of pure cotton and bamboo making them twice as warm and snuggly as regular towels. Cuddledry’s towels are world renowned for their super softness and absorbency, they are 60% more absorbent than cotton towels with an incredible lasting silky softness – perfect for young skin. With these adorable towels being a musthave for the Christmas list Santa will definitely be needing Rudolf’s help with all his deliveries this Christmas!
The Cuddle Deer will be available from the end of October for £29.99 from Mothercare and www.cuddledry.com
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FESTIVE FUN
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ arrives in the UK Your private family journal. 23snaps lets you build a beautiful collection of photos, videos and thoughts. Privately share precious moments with family and close friends all over the world. GET THE FREE APP NOW. SEARCH FOR 23SNAPS ONLINE OR IN:
British children and their families are invited to discover the magic of Christmas aboard The Polar Express™ this winter. Inspired by the hit Warner Bros. film The Polar Express and book by Chris Van Allsburg, the officially licensed train rides are coming to the UK from November 2013 through to January 2014.
Two rural heritage railways have been selected for the UK launch in keeping with the atmosphere of this iconic Christmas adventure – County Durham’s Weardale Railway in the North and Devon’s Dartmoor Railway in the South. Advanced booking is required and tickets are on sale now. For tickets and event information, call 08000 23 23 83 or visit www.UKPolarExpressRide.com
Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, pyjama-clad passengers will relive the magic of the story and see their favourite characters come to life as they are whisked away aboard The Polar Express on a magical round trip to the North Pole. During the journey, the Conductor will punch tickets and Chefs will serve hot chocolate, just like in the film. Passengers will also enjoy a sing song and a special reading of the Van Allsburg classic. At the North Pole, Santa will board the train to greet the children and will be giving a special sleigh bell to all those who believe.
There’s MORE to SEE, TRY, TOUCH, TASTE, ENJOY . . . and BUY at THE FESTIVE GIFT FAIR Join in the fun as the fabulous FESTIVE GIFT FAIR, the biggest and best Christmas Shopping Fair, returns to the NEC for four days from 21–24th November. The run up to Christmas Day involves lots of planning! The hardest and often most time consuming part is buying the presents. There’s no need
to be stuck for ideas, Festive Gift Fair makes it so easy. From the moment you arrive, you’ll get into the Christmas spirit, and be caught up in the excitement of browsing round over 325 stalls hunting for your perfect gifts. And when your bags are full, you can drop them off at the Present Crèche and continue to shop, stop for a bite to eat and enjoy some great Christmas music by bands and choirs. It’s no wonder this is one of the most popular events at the NEC! Find out for yourself why so many people come every year – BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW and prepare for some GREAT Christmas Shopping and a FUN day out. For more information on Exhibitors and Visiting the Fair, visit www.festivegiftfair.co.uk. Book by phone – The Ticket Factory on 0844 581 0808/0809 or book online at: ww.theticketfactory.com
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Discover the Secrets of Baking at Cake International Cake International – The Sugarcraft, Cake Decorating & Baking Show is returning bigger and better than ever to the NEC, Birmingham from the 8-10 November. Baking legend Mary Berry and cake decorator extraordinaire Mich Turner, will be opening the show and demonstrating their amazing skills. They are joined by over 100 exhibitors offering cutting-edge cake decorating and baking supplies; Competition Classes for all ages and abilities; three Demonstration Theatres; recipes galore in The Cake International Theatre; a series of informative workshops at The Renshaw School; National Cupcake Week Championship finals live at the show; Chocolate Workshops; A Taste of Sugar Mini-Workshops for newcomers to sugarcraft and much more!
For more information or to book tickets visit www.cakeinternational.co.uk or phone the Ticket Hotline 01425 277988. Follow us on Twitter @thecakeshows or find us on Facebook – Cake International
HOLIDAY & LEISURE
Escape to the Slopes
Skiing will give the whole family the chance to get out in the fresh air and escape the stresses of everyday life but most of all it is fun. Learning to ski can help your child’s confidence and build independence. Also Kids will love the challenge – especially if they turn out to be better than Mum and Dad!
As summer fades into a distant memory and the weather becomes cooler, many families have already started thinking about the possibility of a winter ski trip. Children love the snow and as soon as your kids are able to strap on some skis, a holiday on the slopes may be just what you are looking for.
All your needs catered for with
six-day lift pass and in-resort transport throughout your stay. In-house massage is available, whilst ski equipment hire and lessons can be arranged at your request. Prices for a week stay with Above All start from £750 per adult, per week. However, if you book your winter getaway for eight people or more before October 31st 2013, one person will go FREE.
Above All
Situated above the village of Les Gets on the western edge of the Portes Du Soleil ski area, this stunning renovated farmhouse, offered to you by Above All Chalet Company, makes a wonderful base from which to enjoy a ski and snowboarding break this winter.
But there is much more to a skiing holiday, with the off piste aspect offering so much too! Whether you choose to simply find a place to take in the beautiful views or absorb the local culture. Whether you enjoy snuggling up with a mug of hot chocolate in a luxurious chalet after a day on the slopes or heading out to sample the local cuisine and nighlife is your thing, heading for the slopes is something that the whole family can enjoy.
Ferme Des Platons boasts five en-suite bedrooms, an open-plan lounge/diner with log fire, an outside terrace with hot tub and an unparalleled view of Mont Blanc and the village below, offering ample opportunities to enjoy beautiful sunrises and a stunning starlit panorama at night. The property also benefits from free Wi-Fi and complimentary bathrobes, slippers and Molton Brown toiletries. Nestled between Samoens and Morzine, Les Gets offers a superb experience for everyone. As well as access to 650km of Europe’s finest slopes, Les Gets (named as Sunday Times’ favourite family ski resort in France) also has opportunities for snow-shoeing, parapenting and dog-sledding.
“We offer our guests top quality customer service and exceptional accommodation and we’re happy to cater to all your need, whether they’re simply dietary requirements or you want to make your holiday extra special, including arranging birthday parties, champagne dinners and day trips. We want you to come here to relax, so we will take care of everything.” For more information, go to
www.aboveallchaletcompany.com or email Zara direct at
aboveall@hotmail.co.uk
As well as the exceptional accommodation and fantastic food and drink, a stay with Above All includes return transfers from Geneva airport, a
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HOLIDAY & LEISURE
Inspirational Places to Visit in Britain this Autumn Unique, traditional, cutting edge, refreshing, imaginative, surprising . . . whatever you're looking for there are so many things to do in Britain in Autumn.
As far north as the Scottish Highlands, gardens like the 50-acre Inverewe Garden are incredibly exotic. Inverewe lies in the path of the warming Gulf Stream, allowing over 2,500 species of colourful sub-tropical plants to flourish, including Tasmanian eucalypts, Olearia from New Zealand and Himalayan rhododendrons. For thousands of years of history and soaring architecture, explore the great cathedrals of Durham and Canterbury and the largest monastic ruin in Britain, Fountains Abbey. To follow in the footsteps of Roman invaders, a trip to Hadrian's Wall is a must, and if you're interested in our industrial heritage don't miss Derwent Valley Mills, Saltaire, Ironbridge or the Cornwall and West Devon mining landscape from where mining technologies spread across the world.
Explore Britain's green spaces Britain is a nation of garden lovers and we have some of the most famous green spaces in the world. And from the 18th-century formal creations of Capability Brown to the space-aged biomes of the Eden Project, in Britain there’s a garden for everyone. Cornish gardens such as the idyllic Trebah Gardens, rated one of the 80 finest gardens in the world, will transport you to a sub-tropical jungle with stunning coastal views. In nearby Bodelva, the Eden Project looks as if it has landed from another planet. Inside its two 50metre biomes you’ll experience recreations of some of Planet Earth's most fertile environments. You can wander through the world's largest rainforest in captivity here, home to one of the biggest flower species – the tenfoot tall Titan Arum plant.
In southwest London, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew steal the show with over 2 million visits per year. Kew is home to 30,000 different kinds of plants, a herbarium with over seven million plant specimens, plus beautiful attractions such as the Japanese Gateway, the Great Pagoda, the Princess of Wales Conservatory and Kew Palace, the smallest of the British royal palaces. Kew was awarded World Heritage Site status in 2003.
Cultural riches and natural beauty London has some of the most iconic sites in the world, many of which are protected by World Heritage status. Step back in time at William the Conqueror's imposing Tower of London and see the Crown Jewels. Discover Westminster Abbey, the burial place of scores of great Britons from Charles Darwin to Charles Dickens and discover Maritime Greenwich, home of Christopher Wren's baroque masterpiece, the Old Royal Naval College and the Cutty Sark – the world's last surviving tea clipper ship.
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And if you want to explore one of the world's biggest mysteries, head to Stonehenge, the most famous megalithic (literally meaning ‘big stone’) monument in the world. Dating back an amazing 50,000 years, it’s drawn visitors for literally millennia. Elsewhere, The Dorset and East Devon Coast, also known as The Jurassic Coast was the first ever site to be inscribed as a 'natural' World Heritage Site. It spans 95 miles of dramatic coastline that's exposed to provide an almost continuous geological 'walk through time' spanning 185 million years of the Earth's history. Scottish castles Harlech, Conwy,Caernarfon and Beaumaris stand out for their sheer scale and sophistication. Well-preserved, atmospheric and enormous they represent the pinnacle of medieval military architecture. The Giant's Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the rugged Antrim coast of Northern Ireland. This intriguing rock formation is made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea and has been shrouded in myth and legend for centuries. For more great ways to enjoy our green and pleasant land visit www.visitbritain.com.
HOLIDAY & LEISURE
Set in a countryside location the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. With a welcoming home from home feel, there are 11 cottages or apartments all comfortably furnished, with well equipped kitchens.
Luxury cottage holiday accommodation in the beautiful south Norfolk countryside, this sympathetic eightbarn conversion retains many original features. Each barn boasts its own private outdoor seating area and is situated on a working dairy and arable farm in a peaceful rural setting. All Properties are well equipped for a real home from home feel. Linen and towels are included, full central heating throughout, cooking and washing facilities, cots and highchairs for the little ones. Enjoy full use of the new fitness room, relax and unwind in the shared hot tub or have fun with the kids in the onsite games room and soft play area. Perfect for families and those who enjoy walking, fishing, golf and cycling, the local area has much to offer for guests of all ages.
contact Joanna Burroughs on 01502 677208 or visit
www.wheatacrehallbarns.co.uk
The ideal place to relax and unwind with our indoor heated swimming pool, spa and sauna. Out in the garden you will find sun loungers, barbeques and plenty of garden furniture. There is a games room with children’s area. Your family pets are also welcome. The perfect getaway – a great base for families who wish to explore the many attractions that Cornwall has to offer. Close to Looe, Polperro Fowey, and the Eden Project also well located for families who enjoy golf, horse riding, cycling or walking along the beautiful coastal footpaths, the beach of Lansallos is about a mile away.
Telephone: 01726 870115 email: foxvalleycottages@btconnect.com
www.foxvalleycottages.co.uk
NEXT ISSUE . . . Pick up the next issue of My Family in January or visit
www.myfamilymagazine.co.uk Set in the quaint and picturesque conservation village of Egleton in Rutland, St Monica's Cottage provides luxury, wellequipped self-catering accommodation for up to 6 people. The predominantly stone built, single storey, thatched cottage is ideal for families wanting a home from home feel. The welcoming, recently renovated cottage overlooks scenic farmland to the rear, beyond which is the well-known Rutland Water and the romantic new wedding venue Normanton Church is a short drive away. This peaceful retreat is perfect for guests who just want to relax and unwind. Families and those who like to get out and about can be sure there is plenty to do – cycling, sailing, walking, fishing, bird watching and windsurfing available to enjoy locally.
Find us on Facebook – Rutland Holiday Cottage Telephone: +44 (0) 7771 610668 or +44 (0) 1572 722749 Email: info@rutlandholidaycottage.co.uk www.holidaylettings.co.uk/95665
to view online completely free of charge! The next issue will be jam-packed with fantastic articles, competitions, reader discounts and to celebrate the start of a new year, we will be announcing My Family's 'Loved by Parents' award winners for 2014. For more information or to advertise your business, email karen@myfamilymagazine.co.uk or call 0116 2100911. Deadline for bookings and artwork is 5.00pm on Friday 6th December.
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AUTISM NEWS
Wear It For Autism
Behind the Scenes with My Family Editor, Karen Reddell
Just a week before the first models stepped on to the catwalk at London Fashion Week, I was privileged to get a glimpse behind the scenes at charity fashion show ‘WEAR IT FOR AUTISM’. Organised by autism campaigner Anna Kennedy OBE, the show not only raised muchneeded funds for autism charity Anna Kennedy Online but also highlighted the demands faced by those caring for a family member with autism. Anna told My Family Magazine, “The idea behind Wear It for Autism was to spoil those who usually never get a chance to treat or even think of themselves. Living with autism can be challenging and extremely demanding so we wanted to create a special event that would be fun for all involved – as well as raise vital funds to campaign for the rights of those with this disability.”
Behind the Scenes I arrived with photographer Trina KightleyJones at The Vinyl Factory, Soho, around 11.30am. The venue was already a hive of activity as the busy AKO team dressed chairs, filled goodie bags, provided refreshments and organised the models. Scissors at the ready, Mahogany’s hairdressers Colin Greaney, Harry Connors and Anthony Licata gave each model a glamorous new hairstyle, while freelance makeup artists Candy Cofie, Katrina Balogh and Rebekah Campbell beautified each of the winners using MAC cosmetics. Back stage Phill Tarling helped the models choose outfits from collections by New Look, Burton Menswear London, BHS, Evans, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Startrite, In Love With Fashion and Miglio Designer Jewellery, whilst model Samantha Tomlin took time to share secrets of the catwalk, making sure each of the models were at ease as they strutted their stuff for their catwalk debut.
Let the Show Begin! A mix of excitement and nerves filled the air backstage as guests started to make their way along the red carpet including I’m a Celebrity winner Joe Swash, actresses Simone Lahbib and Jennifer Belander, X Factor’s Melanie Masson and Kitty Brucknall, Big Brother’s Ben Duncan, The Apprentice star Jason Leach, Jazz Fm DJ Nigel Williams and Big Brother’s Bit on the Side favourite, Dr Pam Spurr.
Anna’s sons – Angelo & Patrick Kennedy
Taking centre stage with Anna and her sons Patrick and Angelo, were fourteen models nominated by friends and family to receive a top-to-toe makeover and styling by celebrity favourite Phill Tarling. Winners were selected by a panel of judges including Rich Clarke from musiceyz, Gail Porter, Adele Silva and Pineapple’s Maggie Paterson, from 6 categories – mums, couples/families, grandparents, champions of Anna Kennedy Online, carers and children with autism.
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Presenter Olley Edwards
With everyone seated, dancers from Pineapple Performing Arts School exploded onto the stage, back flipping and leaping down the catwalk, to the delight of the audience. It was an emotional scene as each of the winners’ stories of selflessness and devotion was presented to the audience whilst Laura Rawlings, Wendy Mills, the McInernay Family, Rhiannon and Lloyd Thomas, Carys Surbey, Eileen Kelly, Hannah Assefa, Mala Thapar, Mick and Vicky Cordwell and Adrijana Owen, sashayed their way down the catwalk. Actress Olley Edwards gave us an insight into growing up with Asperger Syndrome, presenting a short film about her own experience as a young girl with the condition. Olley recently launched a female Aspergers
book "Why aren’t normal people normal?" and is currently campaigning for every health professional to have a FEMALE profile of Asperger Syndrome, and that EVERY time they see a young woman with eating problems, OCD, anxiety, bi polar and addictions, they ALWAYS screen for Asperger Syndrome as practice. Throughout the evening there were live performances by Kitty Brucknall, whose best friend has an autistic son, Autism’s Got Talent’s Maria Gorton and James Mason, who performed a song about autism that he had written specially for the show. The event also carried a special message from Anna Kennedy who encourages parents to ‘TAKE 5’. Anna explained ‘’All parents and relatives of those on the spectrum do amazing things and yet you rarely tell yourselves that. I know as parents you can’t just say ‘Oh excuse me for 5 minutes’ and walk away, but when you can take a few small minutes to do whatever you like – cry, scream, feast on ice-cream. Do whatever it is that helps, but DO pat yourself on the back and say well done!’’.
The Finale In an emotional end to the show all of the makeover winners took to the catwalk for a final time. The debut of Wear It for Autism was over and as the curtain came down on this extremely special event, I found myself hoping for its return next year.
AUTISM NEWS
Winners Eileen Kelly, Laura Rawlings with Colin Greaney & Harry Connors from Mahogany Hairdressing
Winners, the McInernay Family
Celebrity Presenters
Anna Kennedy OBE with Joe Swash Singer/songwriter James Mason
(l-r) Winner Vicky Cordwell, Stylist Phill Tarling, winner Mick Cordwell, Anna Kennedy OBE and winner Mala Thapar The Winners Finale: Anna Kennedy OBE with Hannah Assef, Patrick Kennedy, Carys Surbey and the McInernay Family
Celebrity guests join dancers from Pineapple Performing Arts School
Pineapple Performing Arts School
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AUTISM NEWS
AKO is like an iceberg – under the surface it is ALL going on! By Austin Hughes, Training Officer for Anna Kennedy Online In our bid to keep the ‘Awareness of Autism’ a very current thing, it is important for us to always be showing the bigger news items because THEY are what attracts attention. If we achieve something, we let you know! If we come across something we don’t like, such as an attitude within a service or professional setting, then again, we let you know! People want to see the BIG positive stories and also want to know when something needs our attention. Those stories and articles such as Anna winning an Award or Austin pointing out a failing, catch peoples eye and as word is spread, so awareness is raised. When Anna, Sean or Austin are out speaking somewhere be it from Westminster to a front room in Wellingborough, you can bet it is being done for a GOOD reason. When all of our faithful followers and supporters like or share something we have written or said, then the word is spread. This is a positive on two levels – the first being, that some people outside of autism see these things and wonder what the fuss is about. As they look deeper into what is being talked about, they slowly start to pick up and learn things. Right there, is awareness in action. The second positive is that awareness is also spread and grown WITHIN the autistic community. Each week parents/families already touched by autism, who have been battling alone, suddenly discover that there ARE other families like theirs out there, and they find a support network to welcome them in, where they thought there was none. So, people see all this and good things come of it. But, is that it? Is that all the AKO team do?
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Well let me tell you – NO! Away from our events and campaigning there is a LOT going on. There are two MAJOR elements to the Anna Kennedy Online charity that unless you are being directly touched by them tend to be unseen. With the AMAZING funding that we have received from supporters such as West Ham United we are able to offer our very own Helpline 07710 597457 (monfri, 9:30am – 16:00). This helpline is there for ALL to access, we endeavour to answer all autism related questions, offer support, and if you ask us to call you back it is FREE! Sometimes it can just be a case of a parent wanting a question answering or even just looking for some comfort and reassurance at a tough time – other times the service becomes more than this, and the full weight of our Behavioural Support and Legal advice swings into action. For example – at the beginning of January, a mother desperate for help made the call and has now become a full working case with our Advocate and Behavioural Support Officer. Not only is he there to advise, but he has been attending meetings and has now worked to push for a thorough diagnosis and statement for the child. That one call, has now transformed that mother and child’s lives, and right now a much brighter and positive future open to them. This is an example of just ONE call of the many calls received not just weekly but daily. There are set hours for the more general
The AKO team – Austin Hughes with Lisa Robins, Anna Kennedy OBE and Tally Nothey enquiries, outside those hours we urge callers to leave a message, but our operative (through his own dedicated choice) always leaves the phone in reach and has answered and advised people such as a mother who needed help at 11pm one Sunday evening. Autism doesn’t stop for everyone at home, so we try to ensure we don’t either. The second main element is that of our dedicated Training Services, which are targeted at – well everyone! Parents come to learn more and better understand the things that they see happening in front of them. Yes, they already have a great deal of experience but it is amazing how a little more understanding of WHY certain things happen and how best to deal with them can make a big difference.
The same applies to all professionals, from teachers to social workers and ANYONE that comes into contact with someone on the Spectrum. Our training is very much about sharing information and changing the way people think about and perceive autism. As a charity we try to subsidise our training services to a low price that EVERYONE can afford. We are looking to SPREAD the word and cover the costs, not make money! So there you have it! A lot more going on than we maybe let on. Oh, and that is without mentioning conference talks, parent/support group visits, school talks, legal advice on SEN and social care, Autism Dance Day, Autism’s Got Talent . . .
For any enquiries or information about training services email lisa.robins@thevines.org.uk or visit www.annakennedyonline.com Follow us Facebook for daily news and info https://www.facebook.com/Annakennedyonline
AUTISM NEWS
Give Us a Break! In 2013 the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) and Anna Kennedy OBE launched their Give us a break campaign, to raise awareness of bullying of children with autism in schools and colleges.
l Let someone know what is happening as soon as possible. Talk things through with a friend, your family, or your teachers.
Surveying 200 parents and carers of children with autism they found that:
l Keep a note or a diary of what is happening.
l 70% of parents report that other children react negatively to their child
l Be confident – you have done nothing to deserve this.
l 42% of parents report that their child often tells them they are bullied at school l 74% say their child finds break or lunch times particularly difficult or frightening l 88.9% said structured break and lunchtime activities help children with autism feel safer The campaign aims to: l Raise awareness of bullying of children with autism – particularly during break times in school and college. l Highlight the need to make sure children with autism feel safe during break times by providing opportunities to take part in positive activities l Encourage schools and colleges to share examples of their break time activities and the ways in which they keep all children safe and improve social skills. For children and young people with autism, break and lunch times in schools and colleges can be particularly daunting, and can put them at risk of bullying. The ABA and Anna Kennedy OBE are calling on all schools and colleges to provide positive activities during break times that support children and young people with autism to feel safe, have fun and build relationships with their peers.
Advice for children/young people and parents In the lead up to National Anti-Bullying Week, 18th – 23 November, The Anti-Bullying Alliance offers the following advice about bullying for children/young people and parents: Bullying is not your fault. It is always wrong and you do not have to put up with it.
l Do not do or say anything in response to the bully. Stay calm and remove yourself from the situation wherever possible. If it is happening through your phone or the internet, keep a copy of the messages or images but do not reply or respond.
l Be assertive. l You could say ‘This is not funny. This is bullying. This is wrong.’ l Think who can help you – young people or adults. l Seek help from other young people e.g. school might have a peer mentor or buddy scheme l Say to someone ‘Please would you watch what is happening here’ and ask them to help you report the incident. Sometimes it can help to talk to someone outside of the situation – you could call Childline on 0800 1111.
Help for Parents If you think your child is being bullied, don’t panic – try to keep an open mind – your key role is listening, calming and providing reassurance that the situation can get better when action is taken. Provide a quiet, calm place where they can talk about what is happening.
Assure them that the bullying is not their fault and that you are there to support them; remind them that they can also have the support of family and friends. Find out what the child or young person wants to happen. Help them to identify the choices available to them, the potential next steps to take and the skills they may have to help solve the problems. Discuss the situation with your child’s school. The law requires all schools to have a behaviour policy which sets out the measures that will be taken to encourage good behaviour and respect for others and to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils. Parents can get advice and support from the Family Lives Parentline on 0808 800 2222 or at www.familylives.org.uk or call AKO’s Autism Helpline number 07710 597457 For further information about National AntiBullying Week visit www.antibullyingalliance.org.uk or to find out how your school can get involved with Give Us a Break visit www.annakennedyonline.com.
Listen and reassure them that coming to you was the right thing to do, it may not be easy for a child to talk about being bullied so it is important to try to find out how they are feeling; what has happened, when and where – though at this stage it is not so much about establishing a set of facts as encouraging, talking and listening.
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AUTISM NEWS
West London Community College Get a visit from Hammers Coach Mark Phillips West Ham United Academy Coach, Mark Phillips was welcomed with great excitement recently when he visited the students and staff at West London Community College. The students, who are all on the autistic spectrum, put their best foot forward and participated in a spot of training usually reserved for the Hammers rising stars.
show with his family and has also arranged a coaching session at Hillingdon Manor School for children with autism, which was founded by Anna Kennedy OBE.
All the staff and students who attended enjoyed working with Mark to develop their footie skills but particularly players from WLCC football team – which is made up of students from the college and adults from the surrounding borough.
West Ham United began their support for Anna Kennedy Online, when Joint-Chairman David Sullivan celebrated his teams return to the premiership with a generous five-figure donation to the charity.
Autism charity Anna Kennedy Online, arranged the coaching session with Mark, who has a son on the spectrum a similar in age to Anna Kennedy’s own son Angelo, a students at the college. This was not the first time that Mark has demonstrated his support for the charity – he recently attended the Anna Kennedy Online’s – Wear it for Autism fashion
WLCC is an established specialist provision for adults with autism spectrum conditions including Asperger syndrome. Providing a 44-week service with sessions including. Social Drama • Functional Skills • ICT Vocational Skills • Work Experience Placements Horse Riding Classes • Art as Therapy Life Skills • Image in Action and Independence Sessions are carefully geared towards each student’s level of ability. GCSE’s and ASDAN can be incorporated into the timetable. For information call 01895 619700 or visit the NEW WEBSITE
www.autismconsultants.org
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AUTISM NEWS
Hillingdon Manor School to host Anna Kennedy Online Charity Autism Conference On Saturday 9th November 2013, Hillingdon Manor School will host the Anna Kennedy Online Charity Autism Conference. The conference is for parents, professionals, carers and families, who want to increase their knowledge and skills, on behalf of children and young people affected by an autism spectrum condition.
Jan Lane will be speaking about her son Luke, who was diagnosed with autism at 10 years old and has since gone on to face many challenges head on, including a 5 day trek across the Arctic for a BBC Documentary, and Simon Tobin who will speak about My Life with Autism – how it affects me, my strategies and sensory needs.
The founder of Hillingdon Manor School, Anna Kennedy OBE will be joined by speakers Austin Hughes, Behavioural Support and Training officer for Anna Kennedy Online and Chief Superintendent Simon Humphreys from North Wales Police, who will share his experiences both as a senior police officer and as father of an autistic child, to offer a view and hopefully useful pointers to help make children and young people with ASD safer.
Doors open at 9.00am and the cost to attend for the Conference is £20 for Professionals and £10 for Parents. If you would like more information or to book a place, telephone Lisa Robins on 01895 619736 or email lisa.robins@thevines.org.uk Follow the latest news and information about the event at https://engb.facebook.com/events/13787608823 60062/
Baston House School Present the First Autism’s Got Talent Roadshow The hit show Autism’s Got Talent is due to take to the road for the first time on Saturday 16th November 2013, at Baston House School in Bromley. The NEW Autism got Talent Roadshow which is produced by Anna Kennedy Online, brings together a diverse group of people who are all on the Autistic Spectrum, to show everyone just how talented they are. The show at Baston House School – a specialist independent school for children aged between 5 and 16 who are on the autistic spectrum, is set to raise awareness about
Joseph Ferris
taking to the stage to raise awareness of Asperger Syndrome in girls, is actress and author of Why aren’t normal people normal? – Olley Edwards. Everyone is welcome but tickets are limited, so if you want to attend please do not delay in contacting Lisa Robins on 01895 619736 or email lisa.robins@thevines.org.uk. Tickets are £10 Adults and £5 children. Follow the latest news and information about the event at https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/5 23956874352133/?fref=ts
Autism Spectrum Conditions in Bromley and surrounding areas of Kent.
Marie Gorton
All too often people make the mistake of thinking that anyone with a disability is capable of very little – HOLD THE PRESS . . . on this evening performers will be showing everyone just what they are capable of, and just how good they are!!
Anna Kennedy & Callum Abbiss
Star acts from Autism’s Got Talent 2013 who will be performing at the Autism’s Got Talent Roadshow include classical singer Marie Gorton, singer Callum Abbiss and 12-yearold singer/songwriter Joseph Ferris. Also
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Baston House School • Bromley Specialist independent day facility for children diagnosed with autism aged between 5 & 16 years l A centre of excellence in education and development. l Local Authority referrals welcome l Admissions now being taken for Primary and Secondary School The following open morning is planned for parents and carers wishing to find out more about Baston House School Thursday 17th October • Tuesday 3rd December (starting at 11am) For admissions and information about upcoming events call 020 8462 1010 or visit www.bastonhouseschool.org.uk Baston House School Baston Road • Hayes • Bromley • Kent BR2 7AB
Hillingdon Manor The largest school for children with autism, in the UK & Europe Specialist independent day education for children aged between 3 and 19. The following open mornings are planned for parents and carers wishing to find out more about Hillingdon Manor school:
Yiewsley Grange (Lower School) Tuesday 22nd Octber • Tuesday 26th November (starting at 10.30am)
Tel: 01895 420315 for further information
The Manor (Upper School) Thursday 24th October • Thursday 28th November (starting at 11am)
Tel: 01895 813679 for further information Local Authority referrals accepted. • Access to the National Curriculum. For more information about admissions, open days and events, visit www.hillingdonmanorschool.org.uk or contact the Head Teacher, Akinyi Dulo on 01895 813679