Westminster
Issue 23, February 2015
Children first
Turn over to read Edit
Win tickets to see The Railway Children Run the Westminster Mile Free vitamins for your family
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Contents
Dear parent or carer This edition of Children First has some great ideas for parents and families wanting to try something new in 2015.
5 the whole 6 Keep family healthy
Run the most famous mile in the world
Looking to pick up some new skills? Volunteering is the perfect way to do so, while also helping others, building confidence and meeting new people. Or become more skilled on your bike with our free City Cycling courses for Westminster residents. There’s also lots of information about some of the free healthy lifestyle activities in Westminster that the whole family can take part in. Kids can also try their hand at something different this year, with even more free activities at Westminster libraries than ever, including Cantonese classes and computer coding at Charing Cross Library. Or get the whole family signed up to run or walk the Westminster Mile on 24th May – the most famous mile in the world – which is open to all ages and abilities and is a great family day out. And don’t forget to turn Children First over for Edit, our magazine for young people packed with free and low-cost activities for the teenagers in your family.
more about 8 Learn fostering new skills as a 9 Gain volunteer
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Discover what’s on in Westminster
Enjoy great family 1 1 discounts
NHS
Whatever it is you’re interested in trying – from parent and child dancercise classes to classical music for tots – it’s all happening in Westminster.
Pick up free vitamins for your family – Page 7 Soleen Rashed Youth MP Westminster
HEALTHY START children's vitamin drops
NHS
s for vitamin women
HEALTHY START
Win tickets to see The Railway Children – Page 11
Contact Soleen at westminsteryouthmp@ westminster.gov.uk Westminster Children First, Issue 23, February 2015
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The latest news from around Westminster
Get cycling this spring Kids love cycling, but it can be hard to keep up if you feel a bit wobbly on two wheels. Feel more confident on your bike with free one-to-one City Cycling courses for Westminster residents aged 16 and over. Book before 31st March and you could win tea for four at The Ritz. You can also keep the whole family safe on the road with a free bike MOT at a Dr Bike surgery. Find out more at westminster. gov.uk/cycling
Changes to children’s and youth services We need to make some changes in certain areas of children’s and youth services to focus our support on families who need our help the most, as the money we receive from the government is reducing significantly. We’ve been working with families who use our Children’s Centres, services for young people or after-school clubs to shape these services for the future. Find out more at westminster.gov.uk/early-help
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Get Children First straight to your inbox Would you prefer to receive Children First electronically, before copies hit doorsteps? Let us know at childrenfirst@ westminster.gov.uk
Healthy schools Robinsfield Infant School has become the first school in Westminster and only the third school in London to receive a Healthy Schools London Gold Award for its work promoting healthy lifestyles. Almost half of pupils take part in afterschool sports clubs and pupils now take 43% fewer journeys to school by car.
Cantonese and coding for kids Charing Cross Library is running great courses for children in 2015 including PlayCantonese, a free under 5s baby and toddler group with nursery rhymes and stories in Cantonese. There’s also a free new code club for nine to 11-year-olds where children learn to build their own computer games, animations, websites and more. Find out more and book online at westminster. gov.uk/charingcross-library 4
Follow @CityWestminster or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/ WestminsterParents for the latest news, offers and events for families.
Westminster Children First, Issue 23, February 2015
Run the most famous mile in the world The Bupa Westminster Mile is back on Sunday 24th May 2015 and is bigger and better than ever, with even more music and live entertainment on the day. Runners of all ages will start at The Mall, take in St. James’s Park and cross the finish line outside Buckingham Palace where they’ll receive a medal and a goody bag. Don’t worry if you’ve never run before; it’s about having a go and enjoying a great day out.
Alfie and Mabel, both six. It was the second year the family took part. Mark says:“We first heard about the Bupa Westminster Mile through a local newsletter and enjoyed it so much when we first ran that we wanted to do it again. We live in Maida Vale so it was really easy to get to.
“My children in particular Last year, Mark Askew ran with his wife Jane and twins wanted to do it again as they
Sunday 24th May
2015
love being near Buckingham Palace where the Queen lives. “We love the idea of running with our family as it gives the kids a sense of achievement and it’s lovely to get a medal at the end. As parents it’s great to see the excitement in our children in the days leading up to the race and afterwards they talk about it for weeks. We’ll definitely be running again this year.”
ENTER THE BUPA WESTMINSTER MILE There are races for all ages and abilities: juniors, families, elite athletes and wheelchair users. Choose the one that’s best for you and your family when you register at bupawestminstermile.co.uk
The Bupa Westminster Mile is organised by the London Marathon and Westminster City Council in partnership with Royal Parks. Entry for Westminster residents is £7 for adults, £5 for nine to 17-year-olds and free for children under nine.
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Can you make a sugar swap? lds up in It’s surprising how much sugar bui e, in drinks, your family’s diet. At breakfast tim , rse in after-school snacks and, of cou ple sugar puddings. But making just one sim . swap can make a real difference You’d be amazed at how much sugar is in our food. Did you know that 220ml of cola contains the equivalent of seven cubes of sugar? Too much sugar means extr a calories, which cause fat to build up and could
Visit change4life.co.uk for your free guide to eating less sugar, as well as Even food that doesn’t taste weekly emails and texts sweet can contain a lot of packed with tips, advice and sugar, and there are lots of fun ideas to help you swap. to d use ds wor t ren diffe They’ll also send you money for out k Loo it. e crib des off vouchers to make buying , tose fruc , ose gluc , sucrose sugar swaps at your local ch, star sed roly maltose, hyd supermarket cheaper. invert sugar, corn syrup or honey – they’re all different kinds of sugar.
lead to heart disease, tooth decay and type 2 diabetes.
uce the amount of Try these simple swaps to red throughout the day. sugar you and your kids eat in cereal Swap sugary cereal for pla eal e.g. wholewheat biscuit cer to sugar-free Swap from sugary drinks or no-added-sugar drinks
ited teacake Swap from a muffin to a fru -fat, lower-sugar yoghur t Swap from ice cream to low
If your child is a gifted young athlete they may be eligible for financial support, training and mentoring through the Champions of the Future programme. Applications close on 20th February 2015. Visit westminster.gov.uk/champions-of-the-future
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Westminster Children First, Issue 23, February 2015
Get the kids moving
There are lots of ways you can get the kids moving in Westminster, from walks in our 80 parks and open spaces to free swimming and activiti es at leisure centres.
Nicola Walsh from Queen’s Park regularly uses the Beethoven Centre Health Hub in Queen’s Park with her daughter Madison, nine. The centre runs Zumba, creative dance, indoor football and more for children, from just £1.50 a class.
She says: “I’ve used the classes at the centre for 10 years. Madison loves the futsal class and gets really excited about going ever y week. The classes have really helped with her confidence. For me, it helps me lose weight and has improved my overall
health.” To find out more about the Beethoven Centre visit a2dominion.co.uk/ beethoven For more information on leisure centres in Westminster, as well as the many activities and classes on offer visit westminster. gov.uk/active
“The classes have really helped with her confidence.” Nicola Walsh
Free vitamins for your family Healthy Start vitamins are packed with vitamins A, C and D and are now free for all children under five, mothers with a baby under one, pregnant women and women thinking about getting pregnant. Pick up your free vitamins at a Children’s Centre or health clinic. Visit westminster.gov.uk/childrens-centres to find your nearest centre.
Westminster Children First, Issue 23, February 2015
NHS
HEALTHY START children's vitamin drops
vitamins for women
NHS
HEALT HY START
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The foster carer diaries We need more people to come forward to be foster carers to give children a loving and supportive home. Cathy, a foster carer for the council, talks about the mix of emotions she feels when a foster child leaves her care. “My social workers have been great. They are only a phone call or email away and they are very supportive. When a permanent family has been found for the child we have a party with all my family to say goodbye to the child and to celebrate their future with their forever family. “Coping with the foster child leaving and moving to a forever family is the biggest challenge of being a foster carer. However it isn’t as bad as I thought it would be, and what more could you want – they have a great family to go to and I’m glad I got to be part of their life.”
Most people are eligible to foster, so if you’ve been thinking about it, take the first step and find out more. Call 0800 169 3497, email fostering@rbkc.gov.uk or sign up for a fostering information event: 26th February, 10am – 12 midday Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, W8 7NX 26th March, 6 – 8pm Westminster City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, SW1E 6QP
For more information visit westminster.gov.uk/fostering
Thinking about adoption? If you’re considering adoption it can feel like there’s a lot to take in – from understanding how adoption works and the requirements of becoming an adopter, to being matched to a child. Get all your questions answered by the experts at one of our adoption events. Visit westminster.gov.uk/adoption
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Westminster Children First, Issue 23, February 2015
Gain new skills and help other parents as a volunteer Yemah Barlay, 47, from Queen’s Park, volunteers with Home-Start and visits families in Westminster for a couple of hours each week to provide support and guidance for parents with young children. “When I was a new mum I didn’t have anyone to guide or direct me, so it’s really important for me to offer that support to others. I’ve always been interested in working with children and families, and volunteering offered me the opportunity to up-skill after being out of the workforce for so long. “I enjoy the practical side of volunteering and this is the most realistic way for me to learn about working with families. You encounter the things you read about in text books and I have already learnt a lot. “I get great satisfaction out of being able to empower somebody else with my experience. Recently my client was looking at schools to send her children. Having been through that process myself I was able to advise her on some good schools in the area. Sometimes information isn’t always at your fingertips and my role is to make their life easier by helping to provide that information. “Volunteering only takes up about two hours of my week which isn’t a lot of time to sacrifice for what my client gets out of it and the satisfaction that I get from it.”
“I get great satisfaction out of being able to empower somebody else with my experience.” ve Yemah Barlay, pictured abo
To find out how volunteering can help you develop new skills visit westminster.gov.uk/volunteer To learn more about becoming a Home-Start Volunteer and supporting new parents visit homestartwestminster.org.uk Are you pregnant or a new mum? Get expert advice throughout your pregnancy and as your baby grows with free texts, emails and ‘how to’ videos from Start4Life. Visit nhs.uk/start4life
Westminster Children First, Issue 23, February 2015
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There are lots of fun things to do in Westminster this half-term Monday 16th February
Tuesday 17th February
Tuesday 17th – Friday 20th February
Make your own silly mask Time: 10.30am – 12 midday and 2.30 – 4pm Age: All Venue: Maida Vale Library, Sutherland Avenue, W9 2QT Cost: Free 020 7641 6200
Half-term activities camp Time: 10am–3pm Age: 5 – 12 Venue: The Beethoven Centre, Third Avenue, W10 4JL Cost: Free 020 8825 1067
Tennis and football club Time: 10am – 3pm Age: 5 – 15 Venue: Paddington Recreation Ground, Randolph Avenue, W9 1PD Cost: £55.96 for non-residents; £29.28 for Westminster residents for four days 020 7641 3642
Chinese New Year crafts and games Time: 3pm Age: 5+ Venue: Pimlico Library, Lupus Street, SW1V 3AT Cost: Free 020 7641 6200
Parent and child dancercise Time: 10.45 – 11.30am Age: Under 5s Venue: Fitzrovia Community Centre, 2 Foley Street, W1W 6DN Cost: Free 020 7641 4301
For more events find us on Facebo ok facebook.com/ WestminsterPare nts or sign up for our monthly families enewslette r westminster.gov .uk/ families-first
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Wednesday 18th February Crazy collage making Time: 10.30am – 12 midday and 2.30 – 4pm Age: All Venue: Maida Vale Library, Sutherland Avenue, W9 2QT Cost: Free 020 7641 6200 Have your photo taken and decorate a picture frame Time: 10.30am Age: Under 5s Venue: Paddington Library, Porchester Road, W2 5DU Cost: Free 020 7641 6200
Westminster Children First, Issue 23, February 2015
offers and discounts for westminster residents
2 for 1 entry for adults, tots go free at Bach to Baby concerts Offer: Enjoy exhilarating performances by outstanding musicians with your baby in tow. Let your little one dance and roam around at these critically acclaimed concerts especially for babies and tots. How to claim: Present your Westminster City Save card prior to payment. Tickets are cash payment only. Venue: Various across London
35% off Waterbabies classes
WIN
Win a family ticket to The Railway Children, set on board a real steam train All aboard! A stunning adaptation of E. Nesbit’s classic novel has pulled into King’s Cross Station in a show built around a real railway track and a 60-tonne locomotive that steams right into the theatre.
How to enter: For a chance to win, email childrenfirst@ westminster.gov.uk and tell us why Westminster is a great place to bring up a family. Competition closes on 11th February 2015. Terms and conditions: Prize is valid for a family of four for a minimum of one adult and one child. Valid on Tuesday – Friday performances until 27th February 2015. Prize is as stated and cannot be transferred or exchanged. Subject to availability. Tickets also available to purchase online at westminstercc.entstix.com Westminster Children First, Issue 23, February 2015
Offer: Spend some quality time with your baby and help them gain confidence in the water. How to claim: Present your Westminster City Save card when booking. Venue: 223 Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1V 1EL
15% off at Fire and Stone Offer: Located in the heart of Westminster, Fire and Stone is the perfect pit-stop on a day out with the kids. With over 20 different pizzas on the menu, you’re guaranteed to find something to suit all tastes and ages. How to claim: Present your Westminster City Save card before you ask for the bill. Venue: 31 – 32 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7JS
15% off tuition and revision classes Give your child’s learning a boost with courses available at KS3, GCSE and A-Level. How to claim: Quote City Save when booking and bring your Westminster City Save card to your first appointment. Venue: Pimlico Academy, Lupus Street, SW1V 3AT
Apply for your free Westminster City Save card at westminster.gov.uk/citysave or call 020 7641 6000 (Mon – Fri, 8am – 6pm). Terms and conditions apply. Visit westminster. gov.uk/citysave for all offers and more details.
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Adult learning
in the heart of Westminster
We offer courses at over 80 locations across Westminster, and with hundreds of courses from accounting to fine art, you are sure to find a course you’ll love. Visit us for free taster courses at one of our open days – 19 March & 20 June For more information visit www.waes.ac.uk or call 020 7297 7297 You can find us at 219 Lisson Grove London NW8 8LW