What’s On

What’s On Your family diary for March, April and May

March Fri 20 Mar Pop-Up Community Picnic, Christchurch Green, Wanstead, E11 2RH 2.30-4.30pm. An all age informal get together near the playground. Take along your rug or seating, snacks and friends and join in for ecofriendly games, face painting, litter picking and eco living tips. For more information visit www.redbridge.gov. uk/ourstreets Fri 20 Mar – Mon 13 Apr Great British Spring Clean, Various Locations Take part in the Great British Spring Clean and demonstrate that you love where you live. Pledge to pick up litter while you’re walking the dog or doing the school run, host a clean-up, or join someone else’s clean up. For more information visit www. keepbritaintidy.org Sat 21 Mar Dog’s Life Pet Market and Show, Old Spitalfields Market, E1 6EW This guest market will be packed with 25+ stalls, whilst on the mezzanine level there’ll be doggyfriendly activities, pet photography and portraits, talks and workshops. Throughout the day there’ll be a light-hearted doggy show. For more information visit www. oldspitalfieldsmarket.com Saturday Slime Attack, Valence House Museum, Dagenham, RM8 3HT 11am-12noon, 1-2pm, 2.30-3.30pm. Get messy in this fun workshop for kids as you take part in slime experiments and make your own slime creations to take home. Ages 3-12. Booking essential. For more information visit www. valencehousecollections.co.uk Muddy Matters: Art in the Park, Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, Mile End, E3 4PX 10.30am-12.30pm. Join Artist in Residence, Louise Hildreth for a series of workshops where you’ll be making earthy artworks for the park. She’s been gathering natural materials and needs your help to use them. Free. For more details and to book visit www.eventbrite.co.uk Kids’ Birdwatching Club, RSPB Rainham Marshes, Purfleet, Essex, RM19 1SZ 10am-12.30pm. One for the young wildlife lovers. Explore the reserve through the season, watching and learning about the birds that visit and live there. Charges apply. Drop-in. For more information visit www.rspb.org. uk/rainhammarshes Families Go Wild for The Spring Equinox, Spitalfields City Farm, Shoreditch, E1 5AR 11.30am-1pm. Celebrate the Spring Equinox, the official end of Winter! Light a fire and share some tasty food together. For more information visit www.spitalfieldscityfarm.org World Poetry Day World Poetry Day is an invitation to reflect on the power of language and the full development of each person’s creative abilities. Celebrate in your school by organising poetry readings, or investigate types of poems such as the Haiku. For details visit www. un.org/en/events/poetryday Sun 22 Mar Visit the Conservatory, Barbican, EC2Y 8DS 12noon-5pm. Visit the second biggest Conservatory in London and explore the hidden tropical oasis. Home to exotic fish and over 1,500 species of tropical plant and trees, it’s the perfect way to enjoy a lazy day. Free, no booking required. For more details visit www.barbican.org.uk Mothers’ Day Dining Trains, Epping Ongar Railway, Essex, CM5 9BN Why not treat your mother with a dining experience as you travel through the Essex countryside on board one of the heritage trains. There is a choice of three dining options: brunch, three course lunch, or afternoon tea. For more information and to book visit www. eorailway.co.uk Mothers’ Day, RSPB Rainham Marshes, Purfleet, Essex, RM19 1SZ Enjoy a lovely stroll around the reserve then enjoy lunch in the café or a special Mothers’ Day cake. Buy your mum a gift from the shop – beautiful scarves, smellies, a candle or something to look after the wildlife in her garden. Mums go free. For more information visit www.rspb.org.uk/ rainhammarshes

Our listings are prepared a long time in advance. To make sure you have up to date details do contact the event nearer the time to make sure the information hasn’t changed.

” “ I saw your event in Primary Times.... Please mention you saw the event listed in Primary Times

Mothers’ Day Afternoon Tea, Rainham Hall, Havering, RM13 9YN 12.30-3pm. Treat your mum to a lovely afternoon tea where you will receive a selection of sandwiches, cakes, cream scones and hot beverages in the beautiful surrounding of the Hayloft Gallery. Booking essential. For more information visit www.nationaltrust. org.uk/rainham-hall Mothers’ Day, Lee Valley Park Farms, Waltham Abbey, EN9 2EF 10am-5pm. Take advantage of the ‘one parent goes free offer’ and enjoy all the fun activities on the farm from tractor rides, falconry displays, indoor and outdoor play areas and more. For more details and to buy tickets visit www.visitleevalley.org.uk Fri 27 Mar Drop in Mud Kitchen, Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, E1 8HY 3.30-5pm. You can play with mud and use your imagination to make muddy creations. Make sure to wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Meet at the picnic bench next to the Wellclose Square park entrance. For more information visit www.fothcp. org Pop-Up Community Picnic, Loxford Park, Ilford, IG1 2PL 2.30-4.30pm. An all age informal get together near the playground. Take along your rug or seating, snacks and friends and join in for ecofriendly games, face painting, litter picking and eco living tips. For more information visit www.redbridge.gov. uk/ourstreets Wear A Hat Day, Nationwide Wear A Hat Day is one of the UK’s biggest and most important brain tumour research fundraising and awareness-raising days. Join thousands of people across the UK and organise your own amazing event. For more details and to sign up visit www.braintumourresearch.org

Sat 28 Mar Easter Bonnet Decorating Workshop, Romford Shopping Hall, RM1 3AB 10am-4pm. Enjoy creating an Easter Bonnet, using all your artistic skills. Charges apply. For more information visit www.romfordshoppinghall.com Families Go Wild in the Farmyard!, Spitalfields City Farm, Shoreditch, E1 5AR 11.30am-1pm. It’s that time again – the animals need mucking out, so get your wellies on! For more information visit www. spitalfieldscityfarm.org Family Day: Spirit of Holi, William Morris Gallery, Walthamstow, E17 4PP 1-4pm. The Gallery will be packed full of fun activities for families to make and do together. Join in with some marbling fun to celebrate Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colours. Free, dropin. For more information visit www. wmgallery.org.uk Sun 29 Mar Kids’ Club, Exchange, Ilford, EG1 1RS 11am-4pm. The activity is about Easter. Children will get to decorate Easter Eggs and are invited on an Egg hunt around the Centre with gifts to collect. For more information visit www.exchangeilford.com The Oxford and Cambridge Goat Race, Spitalfields City Farm, Shoreditch, E1 5AR 12noon. Coinciding with the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, two goats (one representing Oxford and one representing Cambridge) go head to head – just a stone’s throw from the Thames. All proceeds go to the farm. For more information and to book visit www.thegoatrace.com London Dog Week Parade, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, E20 2ST 10-11.15am. Dog lovers from all over the capital head to the Park, raising funds for the charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. Enjoy a scenic walk around the beautiful parklands whilst making new furry friends and raising money. For more information visit www.queenelizabetholympicpark. co.uk Family Farm Club, Stepney City Farm, E1 3DG 1-4pm. Whether you opt for a spot of gardening or are more at home with craft activities, enjoying

Publishing Editor: Peter Watson Sales: Andrew Langridge, Gill Pearce Kathy Jordan & Catherine Dillon Listings: Catherine Draisey & Hayley Hughes Production: Alison Watson Office Manager: Chris Blower Administrators: Claire Wood & Tina Love Proof Reading: Christopher Fox Editorial Assistant: Eleanor Getting Social Media: Rachel Benson Primary Times in East London 7 Southbrook Mews London SE12 8LG Tel: 020 8318 0400 Email: office@primarytimes.biz Website: www.primarytimes.co.uk Twitter: @PT_LondonSandE Instagram: @primarytimesse

Primary Times is independently published and distributed free in primary and junior schools throughout the boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. Its aims are to inform families and children of current educational issues, forthcoming events, courses and attractions and to give teachers, pupils and parents the opportunity to participate in the magazine by adding to its contents or joining in the competitions which we run. It is NOT our intention to publish any racist, sexist or politically based material whatsoever. We also undertake not to carry any advertising which we would consider to be offensive to young families or harmful to the best interests of young children. The opinions expressed in either the editorial or advertisements within this publication are not necessarily those held by the editor or publisher. While we take great care with the compilation of information within this magazine, neither the editor nor publisher will accept any liability for the accuracy of the editorial or advertising contained within the publication. We welcome listings being sent to us for inclusion in our What’s On section. Free listings are dependent on available space and we cannot guarantee to print all the listings we are sent. Please send them to listings@primarytimes.biz. Primary Times would like to thank all the schools in the boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest for their assistance in distributing the magazine and for their contributions to its contents. We would also like to thank all the advertisers who have supported this publication and therefore made it possible. Please support their endeavours when and where you can. No part of this magazine, including the advertisements within it may be reproduced, in part or in whole, without the express written permission of the Publishing Editor. Primary Times is currently publishing over 2.5 million copies per issue under franchise licences throughout England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Primary Times East London is operated under franchise licence.

Welcome to our Spring/Easter magazine. I’m writing this letter to you in lovely sunshine, a blue sky, not too much cloud and not so cold that I have to wear a thick jumper. Long may it continue. Spring has a real positive feel to it, with flowers and tree blossom starting, warmer days breaking through and lots of fun days out to look forward to in the school holidays. Do look through all our hundreds of listings. Some of them are free to enter but all include contact details so do check the events before visiting. We prepare our listings a long time in advance and details do change. Spring is a busy time of the year. Mother’s Day or Mothering Sunday is on 22 March. Easter Weekend is 10-13 April. The London Marathon is on Sunday 26 April. Brighton Fringe is from 1-31 May. Then there’s St Patrick’s Day on Tuesday 17 March and St George’s Day on Thursday 23 April. Not forgetting Save the Frogs Day on Saturday 25 April! Don’t forget that the May Day Bank Holiday has changed from Monday 4 May to Friday 8 May to celebrate the 75th VE Day anniversary. Whatever you are celebrating, enjoy the next few weeks. We always have lots of great competitions for you to enter but sometimes we can’t give the prizes out to the actual winner as they haven’t included contact details for themselves. We don’t pass contact details on to any other companies so please do remember to include them with your competition entries. Entries can be sent by post or by email. See our Competitions Page for more details. We’ll be back the week beginning Monday 11 May. Happy Easter! Peter and the Primary Times Team

This magazine is audited by BPA Worldwide 53640 copies - Easter Edition 2019

What’s On.................................2

Local News............................... 4

Family Theatre .........................6

Spring Adventures........................ 9

Out of School Activities ............. 15

Competitions .......................... 19

What’s New ............................ 21

All Your Own Work! ................23

We told you in the last issue about the Laugh Out Loud Awards (“The Lollies”), a set of awards created by Scholastic, to celebrate the funniest children’s books. The winners have now been announced. The award is now in its fourth successful year. The Lollies were awarded in three categories: Best Laugh Out Loud Picture Book, Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 6–8s and Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 9–13s. The winners were selected from a shortlist drawn up by a panel of judges, which included head judge, Michael Rosen, children’s novelist, poet and former Children’s Laureate. Teachers and their classes, parents and children were then encouraged to get involved to read and discuss the books and cast their vote for their favourites in each category to determine the winning titles. Teachers were able to cast votes online on behalf of their class, and children were also able to vote via the PopJam app. Winners of The Laugh Out Loud Book Awards The winners are: Best Laugh Out Loud Picture Book Ten Fat Sausages by Michelle Robinson and Tor Freeman Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 6–8 year olds The World’s Worst Children 3 by David Walliams and Tony Ross Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 9–13 year olds I Bet I Can Make You Laugh by Joshua Seigal and Tim Wesson Head Lollies Judge, Michael Rosen, told Primary Times, “Funny books are a fantastic springboard into reading for pleasure for all children that’s why the Lollies Book Awards are so important. The prize is unique in that winners are selected by children themselves, and as such holds up a mirror for what they are looking for in books and what they really want to read. The prize creates a real buzz and many talking points about humour, children and of course literacy.”