Families Manchester Issue 37 Jan-Feb 2013

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In this issue>Is a nursery right for your child?

>Gluten Sensitivity and Coeliac Disease

>How to have your best family holiday ever

Edition 37 • Jan/Feb 2013 The local magazine for families with children 0-12 years

Covering: Altrincham, Trafford, Salford, Manchester, Bolton, Bury, Rochdale, Didsbury, Stockport, Cheadle, Bramhall, and surrounding areas.

www.familiesmanchester.co.uk

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MANCHESTER

@FamiliesManch

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Welcome

Jayne Keep Caryl Hall

In this issue02: Welcome02: News04: Health & Safety08: Travel

10: Nurseries13: Education news16: Parents' place20: What's on

Next issue:March/April 2013

Circulation: 25,000 copies of Families Manchesterare available through nurseries, schools, libraries,selected shops and other points throughout GreaterManchester. If you would like free copies for your organisation, please let us know.

Contact details: Families Manchester, PO Box 581, Macclesfield, SK10 9FNTel: 01625 801 801 www.familiesmanchester.co.uk

Editorial: [email protected]/artwork: [email protected], diary dates, out & about:[email protected]

Cover photograph: Supplied by Bridgewater School, Manchester

Design: Paul Wilson Graphic Design, Tel: 07743 111 694, www.withpaul.co.uk

Print: Bishops Printers, Walton Road, Portsmouth,Hampshire PO6 1TR Tel: 023 9233 4900 www.bishops.co.uk

Families Manchester is part of the Families group,established in 1990 and headed by Families SouthWest. All franchised magazines in the group areindependently owned and operated under license.

We take every care preparing the magazine, but thepublishers and distributors can’t be heldresponsible for the claims of advertisers, theaccuracy of the contents nor for any consequences.

Happy New Year! Did you know that 2013 is the first year to be denoted by four different

digits in 26 years? The last one was 1987 – in that glorious era of bighair, shoulder pads and legwarmers, with a touch of blue eye shadowthrown in for good measure.

In celebration of this fact, we’ve come up with four New Year’sresolutions that we’re determined to stick to.

1. Make more time for ourselves 2. Make more time for ourselves 3. Make more time for ourselves 4. Make more time for ourselves

Yes, that’s right. With the frantic pace of life and all the challengesthat it throws at us, this year is going to be about US. But while we’rethinking about us, we’ll also be reflecting on how incredibly lucky we areto have such wonderful families, amazing friends and to live in such abeautiful county. And that big hair is a thing of the past (sadly,permanently for our husbands).

We hope that 2013 is a wonderful one for you and your family, andthat you too have the supportive network you need around you for any oflife’s little challenges.

Onwards and upwards!

@FamiliesManch

www.facebook.com/familiesmanchester

Leading children’s disability charityNewlife Foundation is calling on allcrafters to help support disabled andterminally ill children around the UK.

Whatever your craft, getting involved issimple. Either make something and sell itat local sales and donate the proceeds toNewlife or donate your handcrafted goodsand they’ll sell it for you. Alternativelyspread the word or simply donate cash.

Newlife guarantees that 100 per centof all funds received will directly helpdisabled children through its nationalNurse Helpline, equipment grants andemergency loan services, investment inmedical research and campaigningactivity with central and local government.

Here are some examples of what yoursupport can buy:£100 – sensory equipment for children withautism or visual impairment£500 – Specialist car seat£1,000 – Lightweight wheelchair£1,500 – Specialist buggy£2,000 – Medical bed£5,000 – Specialist communication aid

Newlife has funded £8.2million of disabilityequipment for more than 5,400 under-19s andsupports end-of-life children by promptprovision of specialist equipment. This year,the charity invested £1.5million into theopening of the Newlife Birth Defects ResearchCentre at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

To join Newlife in saying ‘yes’ to supportingdisabled children please contact Vicky Jonesor Anna Szymczak on 01543 468 888 oremail [email protected]

Get crafty and support disabled children

Storytelling can be foundenriching lives everywhere:from nurseries and schools tosupport groups and theatricalperformances. The 13th Annual National StorytellingWeek takes place 26 January– 2 February 2013, encouraging allareas of the community to take partin creating and enjoying storytelling,this most ancient of communicativearts. National Storytelling weekhas an audience of around 17,000people, so get involved inworkshops, performances andevents across the country. www.sfs.org.uk/

national-storytelling-week

National Storytelling Week

For the 18th year running, babycharity Tommy’s is calling on parentsacross the UK to recognise the baby-friendly organisations committed tomaking their lives easier, for theBaby-friendly awards 2013!

This year Tommy’s has partnered withparenting club Bounty who will begenerously donating £1 to Tommy’s forevery vote cast. Each voter will also be inwith a chance of winning a fantasticPeppa Pig Theme Park Mega Prize,including an exclusive breakfast meet andgreet with Peppa Pig and George!

Sadly pregnancy complications – suchas premature birth, miscarriage and

Voting now open for Tommy's Baby-friendly Awardsstillbirth – aremore commonthan people think.In recognition ofthis, the awardsceremony alsostrives to recognise some exceptionalpeople with its seven very special awards:the Courage, Champion Children, Hero,Miracle Unit, Angel and – new for 2013 –the Super Sibling and First Hug Awards.

To vote, visit www.bounty.com/tommys-awards2013 between 7 January and 18 February 2013.Winners of each category are announcedat a glittering ceremony in London, in March.

News

3www.familiesmanchester.co.uk | Families Manchester

With more than 50% of the world’spopulation now living in cities, thereis growing concern that generationsof children with little or no contactwith the natural world pose one ofthe biggest threats to the future ofthe UK’s natural environment.

Now, the RSPB is unveiling arevolutionary approach to reconnectchildren aged 8-12 with the natural worldand wildlife, exploring their empathy for

RSPB ‘reconnects’ kids to naturecreatures, responsibility for nature,enjoyment of nature experiences andsense of ‘one-ness’ with nature. “Withoutthe opportunity and encouragement to getoutdoors and connect with nature,children are missing out on so manybenefits that previous generations haveenjoyed, and it’s putting the future of ourwildlife and natural environment at risk,”says RSPB’s Chief Executive, Dr MikeClarke. Rachel Bragg from theUniversity of Essex adds, “It’s vital weunderstand how a child’s experience of nature influences their feelings ofconnection to the natural world as thiswill affect future behaviour towards theenvironment.” Check your family’s level of connection to nature in a simplequestionnaire atwww.rspb.org.uk/getoutdoors.

Having a baby is a life-changing experience, andNCT Trafford is there to offersupport along the way. As theUK’s largest parents’ charity, they’reknown not only for their antenatalcourses, but also for offering a greatway to help you stock up for your newarrival, socialise and gain first aid skills.

Nearly New Sales are a great place tobuy quality baby and children's clothing,toys and nursery equipment at a fractionof the high street costs. Meanwhile,growing families can make extra cash andclear space selling pre-loved children'sgear. NCT Trafford will sell goods for you,taking a 30% commission for the charityor a lesser commission of 25% if youhelp at the sale. Their next sale takesplace on Saturday 16 March at SaleGrammar School, and registration opensonline on 1 February. Doors will open at

NCT Trafford – support from blue (line) to two10am for NCT members withvalid card and 10.30am for thegeneral public. Pushchairs willbe allowed in from 11am.Entry costs just £1.

Knowing what to do in an emergencymakes confident parents and is the aim oftheir new NCT Baby First Aid courses. Apartnership with the British Red Cross, the£25 courses generally include how totreat an unconscious baby or child, choking,bleeding, burns and raised temperatures.Register online for their 28 January (7-9pm) course in Altrincham or forweekend classes on 23 February in Hale.

They’d also love to see you and yourbump/baby or toddler at their socialsaimed at combating parent isolation, withweekly playgroup and coffee meets inSale and Urmston and their monthlyPudding Club evening. Find out more at:www.nct.org.uk/branches/manchester-trafford

Addictive, unwholesome and everywhere: The toxic truth about sugar in our children’s dietBy Elisabeth Dolton

A silent revolutionEssentially, the mass development of acheap, highly sweet, glucose-fructosesyrup, produced from surplus corn, startedin the 70’s, and was soon pumped intoevery conceivable food: pizza, coleslaw,meat. It provides a "just baked" sheen onbread and cakes, makes everything sweeter,and helps to keep foods moist so extendsshelf life from days to years. At the sametime, low fat foods were being embracedby dieters, so as fat was taken out offoods, sugar replaced it to maintain taste.

Unsurprisingly, sugar consumption hastrebled worldwide over the last 50 years,and this purified sugar (known as ‘added’sugar) is now an alarmingly major part ofthe Western diet. As a result, the amountof sugar going into our bodies has beensilently revolutionised.

UnavoidableUK guidelines recommend that addedsugars shouldn’t make up more thanaround 50g a day, equivalent to tenteaspoons of sugar for adults and nine for

five to ten-year-olds. Added sugar is nowfound in almost all processed foods andnot just obviously sweet foods – glucose-fructose syrup is found in everydayproducts, such as cereal, salad dressingand sausages, making it easy to send ourchildren over the recommended limit,sometimes with just one product.

Increasing addictionMoreover, recent research has beenlooking into a worrying trend that themore sugar we eat, the more we want,and concluding that the addictive natureof sugar for our children is much higherthan previously thought. Added sugardulls the brain’s mechanism that tells youto stop eating, by reducing activity in thebrain’s anorexigenic oxytocin system thatgives the body the ‘full’ feeling. Withoutthis, our appetite becomes insatiable,making it very easy to overeat.

The dangers“Sugar is ubiquitous, and the problemwith refined sugar as opposed to naturalsugar,” says Tracey Harper, NutritionalTherapist, “is that this sugar is an emptyfood with the goodness stripped away, sowhen eaten it actually robs the body ofvital nutrients, resulting in a depletedimmune system.” She goes on to explainthat sugar feeds bad bacteria in the gut,the gut lining becomes exposed, sotoxins can enter the blood stream,causing allergens to develop as well asother auto-immune deficiencies. Studies

confirm this, showing that excess sugarscause a 50% drop in the ability of whiteblood cells to fight off bacteria.

The growing problem of obesity in theUK with 31% of children now classified asoverweight and the rising incidence ofType 2 diabetes, once associated withelderly people, also points to theoverconsumption of sugar in our children’sdaily diet. Excess sugar rots teeth andlet’s not forget, poor memory, low moodsand depression have all been linked to theover-consumption of sugar. Therecognisable 'sugar high' you get aftereating sugar resulting in more energy andimproved mood is temporary. After sometime, the body crashes, energy levelsplummet, leaving lethargy and tiredness.Further effects can include hyperactivityin children, crankiness and eczema.

So, as we scratch our heads on howto get our kids to eat less sweets andexercise more, perhaps we also need tostart looking more closely at what weare putting on their plates at meal andsnack times.

So, you sent your child off to school this morning on a full bowl ofcereal and some fresh orange juice. Thinking this is a good start tothe day, you may have already given them over half theirrecommended daily allowance of sugar. This scenario is commonacross many families. Over the past 10 years the use of sugar infoods has undergone a transformation, resulting in us potentiallyproviding a diet for our children that contains much more sugarthan their bodies can cope with.

Health and safety

Check these out:1.5l bottle of Volvic Touch of Fruit Lemon and Lime – 16 ½teaspoons of sugarMcDonald’s milkshake – 16 teaspoonsOrangina 500ml – 13 teaspoonsTesco Pure Orange Juice Smooth, 250ml – 6 teaspoonsDolmio Bolognese sauce, 500g – 6 teaspoonsWalls soft scoop vanilla ice cream, 200ml – 4 ½ teaspoonsServing of Kellogg’s Frosties – 4 teaspoonsTwo McVities Jaffa Cakes – 3 teaspoonsMuller Light Strawberry yoghurt, 175g – 2 ½ teaspoons(Source: Dailymail.co.uk)

How to spot a high sugar foodLook for ‘Total sugars’ on the label which include natural andadded sugarA food with less than 5g ‘total sugars’ per 100g is classified aslow, more than 15g per 100g is high

Reducing added sugar in your family’s diet• Remember, natural sugars are good – soak apricots,

whizz them in a blender, and use that to sweeten foods• Ensure every meal includes protein • Have vegetables or salad with pasta or pizza, so your child

is getting everything for the body to function properly• Eat from scratch. Eat real food not processed food – porridge

with a dash of honey has everything a young child needsto start off the day

• Make your own pasta sauce, stuffed with lots of pureedvegetables (carrots, peppers, greens). Make a large batchthen freeze small portions

• Make smoothies using a hand blender and a jug. Add in avegetable, e.g. avocado and strawberry. Cheaper and asgood as any supermarket brand

• Children eat what is there. Keep sugary snacks and junkfood out of the house; instead offer oat biscuits, hummus,chopped vegetables, Whole Earth peanut butter

Further informationThanks to Tracey Harper for her contribution to the article andgreat tips for reducing sugar in children’s diet –www.traceyharpernutrition.co.uk /[email protected]

www.nhs.uk/livewell/goodfood/pages/sugars.aspx

www.nhs.uk/livewell/goodfood/pages/food-labelling.aspx

www.bbc.co.uk/health

www.myhealthnewsdaily.com

www.telegraph.co.uk/health/dietandfitness

www.nhs.uk/change4life

www.hungryforchange.tv/sugar-is-a-drug (Jamie Oliver’s TED Award speech)

4 www.familiesmanchester.co.uk | Families Manchester

Health and safety


Wireless technology: can you feel the force?

By Helena Foss

As the more powerful G4 network is beingrolled out across the nation, I think it’s wiseto at least question the safety of wirelesstechnology. Especially in light of the recentroll call of unethical activity in once trustedinstitutions: banking (once a paragon ofrespectability); Sir Jimmy Savile (OBE noless); BBC management; abuse in carehomes; corporate tax avoidance (one rulefor the rich, another for the poor); RupertMurdoch’s News International debacle;and prestigious medical journals losingcredibility due to industry funding thatskews research in drug corporations’ favour.An ex-editor of a reputable medicaljournal has estimated that this accountsfor at least two thirds of trials published inmajor journals. (http://bit.ly/QuPaRg)Blimey! Is nothing sacred anymore?

Here is a little basic infoElectromagnetic radiation (EMR) isbasically microwave radiation. Smalldoses, of course, will not kill you. (Infact, I would say microwave ovens arelifesaving at stress o’clock when the kids

are famished and you resort to heating upa frozen ready meal!) But do we want thiskind of invisible energy in our homes all thetime? WiFi and cordless phones, we oftenforget, are all EMR-emitting devices too.

The fact is that telecommunicationsindustry-funded research says that EMRposes less danger than independentscientists say it does. Plus, the effects ofEMR on children, whose skulls are thinnerand whose brains are still developing, is stillnot fully researched or understood. In 2011,the World Health Organisation classifiedEMR from mobile phones as “possiblycarcinogenic” and, according to a DailyTelegraph report in October 2012, a linkbetween heavy mobile use (up to sixhours a working day over 12 years) andbrain tumours, was upheld in an Italiancourt (an employee was suing hisemployer). The Telegraph has alsoreported a link found with hyperactivityand poor memory in adult offspring ofpregnant mice exposed to cellphoneradiation by researchers at YaleUniversity.

OK, so let’s not panic – but let’s notignore the issue either. Whilst the scientificdebate continues, when it comes to erringon the side of precaution, I’m with EdmundBurke who said: “Nobody made a greatermistake than he who did nothing becausehe could do only a little.” It’s likeinsurance, you don’t need it till you findit’s too late.

Simple tips to keep your familysafe (just in case it isn’t) • Always turn your wifi router off at night

(just a switch).• Never put your mobile close to your

baby’s head, nor let them use it as atoy. Think twice about whether yourcordless baby monitor is necessary orplace it as far as possible from baby.These devices also emit EMR; theywork with Wifi after all.

• Carry your phone in your bag, not yourpocket. Manufacturer’s small printwarns users to keep mobiles awayfrom the body, even though advertisingcampaigns show the opposite.

• The NHS advises children andteenagers to text or make short,essential calls only. The further awayfrom the body/ears the better.

• Do not let your teenager sleep nextto their phone at night (andespecially not keep it under theirpillow for secret texting). (See theNHS leaflet onwww.familiesonline.co.uk/radiation).

• Do not use your phone as an alarmclock next to your head.

• Go back to a corded phone. No re-wiring is required, simply buy twoEthernet boxes to plug in computersand laptops to your regular electricitysocket. Radiation from cordless(DECT) phones is intense, and insome cases higher than a mobilephone (models/devices vary inintensity, check SAR levels).

• Get informed. We’ve collated lots ofuseful websites, articles, reports,videos etc. here:www.familiesonline.co.uk/radiation

Further InformationA comprehensive report on controversiesin current EMR research:http://archive.radiationresearch.org/pdfs/15reasons.asp

Can you remember a life before mobiles and texting? I often let my five-year-old son play gameson my mobile. That’s normal, isn’t it? There is wifi in most schools and there are phone masts ontop of the tower block where my son’s school friend lives. In the past, community activistscampaigned against such things. Today, they are simply part of the landscape. But surely thistechnology wouldn’t be allowed if it wasn’t proven to be safe, would it?

Image: ©

Tatya

na Glad

skih - Fotolia.com


Health and safety

Gluten Sensitivity and Coeliac Disease – is your child affected?The prevalence of Coeliac Diseasehas increased five-fold overall since1974(1). Yet testing for the conditionhas been plagued with difficulties andinaccuracies, especially in children.Nutritionist Christine Bailey, whospecialises in digestive disordersand allergies in children, discussesnew tests available and the signs andsymptoms to look out for.

Coeliac Disease (CD) is one of themost common lifelong diseases in bothEurope and the US(2). Its prevalence isestimated at around 1% of the population(3).This equates to approximately 3 millionAmericans and 620 000 people in the UK.The problem is that it is seriously under-diagnosed especially in children.Approximately 78% of sufferers don’trealise they have the disease – in fact only10-20% have been diagnosed(4). What isalso shocking is that there has been anincrease in its prevalence over the last 50years – one study suggested CD hasincreased by up to 400%(5) (elevatedTissue Transglutaminase TTG antibodies).While classic symptoms include diarrhoea,intestinal bloating and stomach crampsthe majority of people including childrendo not experience any digestive symptoms,making detection harder. Left untreated, itcan lead to the malabsorption of nutrients,damage to the small intestine and othermedical complications.

Coeliac Disease is an autoimmunecondition triggered by gluten, which isfound in certain foods (wheat, barley and rye).It is a lifelong condition and requires thecomplete avoidance of all foods and drinkscontaining gluten. If your child hascoeliac disease, eating gluten willcause a reaction in their bodies thatdamages or destroys the villi (smallprojections in the intestines thathelp us absorb nutrients). Whenthis occurs, the surface of thesmall intestine is flattened anda child's body can't absorbvitamins and nutrients fromfood.

You’re not necessarilyborn with coeliacdisease; although thecondition is linked tocertain genetic markers,

there is normally an environmental triggerthat causes the immune system to losetolerance to gluten.

For children it can be particularlydifficult to diagnose – classic blood testsare accurate only when the villi areseverely damaged and in children thismay not have occurred. However, if leftundiagnosed it can lead to developmentof other autoimmune conditions as wellas affecting the growth and developmentand overall health later in life.

If there is a family history ofautoimmune conditions and/or coeliacdisease, then it is recommended you getyour child tested. Until recently thiswould involve a standard blood test fromthe GP to look for a range of antibodies.

(e.g IgA anti-gliadin antibodies, IgGanti-gliadin antibodies, IgA anti-endomysialantibodies, Tissue transglutaminaseantibody and total IgA antibodies). Ifpositive, an Intestinal biopsy is oftenperformed. The trouble is that these arenot particularly accurate(6) and blood testscan be distressing for children. Thankfullythere are new private laboratory tests,involving saliva collection. This is notonly sensitive and accurate but alsoeasier to undertake for young children.There are also more comprehensive bloodtests, which are available privately forolder children. Even if your child does notappear to be showing any symptoms (seelist alongside), if you have a familyhistory of coeliac disease it isrecommended you get your childrentested for the genetic markers (HLADQ2/8). This blood test will identify

whether or not yourchild has thegenetic markersthat make itmore likely theywill develop thedisease if they

continue to eatgluten. Ask yourpractitioner orqualifiednutritionist for themost appropriatetests for yourfamily.

hi-vis items. If you’re walking along thepaths to school or out with the dog youcould use this on its own. It’s a brilliant,innovative safety product that will be wellused by our family in a variety of ways.

Special offer for Families Manchester readers.Help ensure your family members arevisible from all around, whether onbikes or on foot. For a 15% discount,make sure you go towww.movobright.co.uk/familiesYou can also watch videodemonstrations and listen to others’reactions.

In the last issue of Families Manchester,we told you about the MovoBright highvisibility safety device.

Since then, we’ve tried it out ourselves,and were amazed by the intensity of lightemitted from this small, lightweight stick.To see it shine, you have to be behind thelight source that is reflecting back, so wetested it out on the roads. My daughter Lilyrode out on her pony wearing it hanging offthe rear strap of her riding hat. I walkedbehind so I could see the view the driverswere getting as their headlights hit theMovoBright. Lily found it comfortable towear as it was so lightweight (just 22 grams)and flexible that she barely noticed it. Thelight can hit the MovoBright from any angleas it emits light around a full 360 degrees.It’s the brightest, non-powered safetydevice available. Because the MovoBrightis a simple clip on stick it can be used in awide variety of ways: hanging from abicycle, off a dog’s collar, from a belt loop,a rucksack, a saddle, the back of a hat….the options are so varied. The key is tothink about where the light from a car willhit. I think if you are on the road onhorseback, running or cycling, it’s a greatadditional safety aid to complement other

MovoBright: All RoundSafety For Road UsersReviewed by Jayne Keep


Lower speedlimits key tokids’ healthMore than half of parents believelower speed limits would allowtheir kids to walk, cycle and playoutside more often, according to a survey carried out for charitySustrans.

The survey revealed 54% of parentsthought their kids would be morephysically active if speed limits werelowered, with 49% identifying busy and dangerous roads as the mainreason their children don’t walk orcycle to school. Sustrans’ Free RangeKids campaign is calling for a national20mph speed limit in residential areasto help tackle the UK’s growing obesityepidemic – a call backed by Dr MikeKnapton, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation. “It’s atragedy that so many of our childrenare failing to meet recommendedphysical activity levels but littlewonder when parents don’t feel thattheir local streets are safe,” saysSustrans’ Chief Executive MalcolmShepherd. “We urgently need to makeour neighbourhoods safer if we’re toget kids active by walking and cyclingto school and playing outdoors.Parents want to see safer streets – theGovernment must change the standardspeed limit to 20mph on the streetswhere we live, work and play.”

Essential BabyCare GuideBabies may not come with a manual,but the new Essential Baby Care Guideavailable from the Child AccidentPrevention Trust (CAPT), is the nextbest thing. Packed with parentingadvice on Feeding, Care anddevelopment, Sleeping and First aidand accident prevention, the DVD set(4 DVDs) costs £35 from CAPT’sonline store - www.capt.org.uk/shop.Or individual DVDs can be purchasedfor just £10 each.

Health and safety

Signs and SymptomsBecause symptoms in children are oftensubtle and mimic other intestinaldiseases, like Irritable Bowel Syndrome orlactose intolerance, the disease is oftendifficult to diagnose. Some childrenexperience symptoms the first time theyare exposed to gluten, while othersdevelop symptoms later in life.

Typical symptoms include:• Diarrhoea, constipation• Abdominal pain• Poor appetite• A bloated or painful belly, gas,

flatulence• Weight loss or difficulty gaining weight

These symptoms can begin during infancy(between 6 and 24 months), after thechild begins to eat gluten-containing foods.

Additional symptoms, which maydevelop later, include:• Slowed growth, failure to thrive• Iron deficiency anaemia, fatigue, low

energy • Skin rash – dermatitis herpetiformis• Tooth enamel changes• Bone thinning• Joint aches and pains• Headaches• Mouth ulcers• Mood changes, depression• Delay in menstruation

If your child is diagnosed with coeliacdisease it is important they receivenutritional advice to help with planning agluten free diet, ensuring they are optimallynourished and also to ensure their gut heals.In many cases nutritional supplementswill be recommended. While there areobvious sources of gluten such as breads,pastas, flours, cereals, cakes and biscuits, itis often used as an ingredient in manyfavourite foods such as fish fingers,sausages, gravies, sauces and soy sauce.Working with a qualified nutritionist canhelp you plan a healthy gluten free diet.However in some cases simply removinggluten may not be sufficient, as manychildren with Coeliac Disease also reactto other foods such as dairy, so additionaltesting and support may be needed.

For further information about testing,nutritional support, cookery days andrecipes contact Christine Bailey.www.advancenutrition.co.uk

ReferencesAll reference information (1) – (6) is availableonline: www.familiesonline.co.uk

Eleanor was six and John was 38, althoughthey had probably been poorly for a fewyears. Eleanor had a little pot belly, verypale coloured stools, was extremelyirritable and had no energy at all. Shecaught a cold and ended up in hospital afew weeks before Christmas 2005 as I wasso concerned about her lack of energy. Mymother-in-law suggested we have hertested for CD as her oldest daughter hadbeen diagnosed with it at age 2, back inthe 60’s (when it was very rare).

When we had a follow up appointmentin January and I asked for the result of theCD blood test, the hospital admitted theyforgot to do it so they had to take more blood(very distressing) and try again. We foundout in February that the blood had testedpositive so she had to carry on eating gluten(not nice having to keep poisoning your child)in preparation for an endoscopy in the April.

Meanwhile, John had been extremelyunwell for over a year, was having to do24-hour urine samples and stoolexaminations and then we really panickedwhen Carcinoid Syndrome was discussed(a slow growing tumour on the liver). Hehad to go into hospital to have radioactivefluids injected into him so that his movementscould be monitored over the next few days.

All this was happening while we tookEleanor to Staffordshire Hospital for herendoscopy, and it was during our discussionwith Eleanor’s consultant, after she hadlearned about John’s symptoms, that shesaid the most fantastic thing in the world:“I think you might be suffering fromCoeliac Disease too.” We looked at eachother and it all fell into place. We wenthome, John rang the doctors to arrange ablood test and then he made anappointment to have an endoscopy.

So now I’ve got two Coeliac’s to feedand no idea where to start. Althoughelated that John didn’t have cancer, thewhole prospect of feeding them decentfood seemed daunting and eating out feltlike a thing of the past!!

I did loads of research; the internet wasa god send. I joined Coeliac UK and aspart of the membership we got a copy oftheir ‘Food & Drink Directory’ which isinvaluable and I never go shopping or onholiday without it. The time consumingpart is the trial and error of trying lots of

different products to find a replacementfor bread, pasta, biscuits and cakes.Fortunately I like cooking and baking, so Iget gluten-free flour on prescription andmake my own pancakes, breads (rolls,naan, pitta), yorkshire puddings, cakesand biscuits. It really is worth baking freshalthough the quality of bought products isimproving every year. When my sister-in-law was a child, the gluten free breadcame in a tin, was like cardboard andcould only be digested as toast! Now itcan easily be used to make sandwichesand even I occasionally eat it. I make apoint of buying new things all the time forthem both to try as product recipeschange, and I also shop in three or fourdifferent supermarkets as their “free from”ranges are all very different. Theimportant part is to understand whichbase ingredients can contain gluten as alot of professionals in the cateringindustry are very ignorant as to whatgluten is (the protein in wheat, rye andbarley). Foods as diverse as ice cream,chocolate and ketchup can contain glutenso you need to be on your guard all thetime. In restaurants, waiters often make allthe right noises when you explain thesituation – but then offer bread with thesoup! It’s very worrying.

Both John and Eleanor dealt with theirnew diet brilliantly. John’s always beeneasy to feed and with research, I learnt tojust adapt all my recipes by changing oneor two ingredients. It is actually a muchhealthier diet as convenience food isn’t anoption and the fresher the better. The onlything John really missed was his Real Aleso he switched to Cider.

Eleanor’s favourite was SpaghettiBolognaise although the hardest job wasfinding decent spaghetti. I still hatecooking spaghetti as it sticks together likeglue and has to be carefully tended in thepan. Birthday Parties can be tricky, so Iused to speak to the mum in advance andsend Eleanor with an appropriate packedparty lunch so that she didn’t feel left out.The mums were also incrediblysupportive and really made an effort tobuy gluten free food for her. Every sooften Eleanor will have a little moan, butto be able to deal with a disease by dietalone and not medication is fantastic.

Living with Coeliac Disease – Mel’s storyMelanie Toms’ daughter and husband were bothdiagnosed with Coeliac Disease in 2006. Sheshares her experience with us.


Travel

How to have your best family holiday everJoanna Moorhead, who has been planning her family’s holidays for the last 20 years, sharesher insider tips to help you plan for a holiday to remember in 2013

1. Don’t cut corners. To get the rightholiday, you may have to spend a longtime on research. Don’t begrudge thistime, and don’t expect the perfectholiday to fall into your lap without it:after your mortgage, your car and (ifyou’re paying them) your child’sschool or university costs, the moneyyou spend on your holiday is yourbiggest outlay. So doing the homeworkmatters. Start with a list of what sort ofholiday you’re looking for – the locationyou’re after, what facilities you needclose by, what sort of accommodationyou need, how far it needs to be fromthe airport, and so on. Give yourselfparameters, and then get googling.Keep a list of possibleresorts/villas/hotels; whittle it down toa shortlist; and then make a decision.

2. Don’t expect a bargain. After twodecades of planning holidays for myfamily (my children are aged betweenten and 20), I’m sure of one thing: whereschool holidays are concerned, bargainsare as rare as hen’s teeth. Far better tostart from the premise that you’ll getwhat you pay for. Look for the best deal,the best quality that you can possiblyafford: but if somewhere seems a lotcheaper than other places, scrutiniseit very carefully indeed.

3. Space is crucial. You know thoseplaces that say ‘sleeps 4/6’ and turnout, on closer inspection, to have apull-down bed in the sitting room?Avoid them (at full capacity) like theplague. Squeezing as many people aspossible in is fine for students, lessgood for grown-ups. You want a bit ofluxury on holiday – and space is luxurious.

4. Location, location, location. Justas when you’re buying a house, this isyour number one priority. Some of thevillas I’ve looked at for my family’sholiday this year are twice the price ofothers, simply because of where theyare. And guess what: I can understandwhy. On holiday I want a great view andshops and restaurants we can walk to.If you’ve got younger children, a beachwithin walking distance may be yournumber one location priority. Knowwhat you need, and don’t settle for less.

5. Friends matter, so think very carefullyabout who to holiday with. Howeverclose you are, nothing scratches awayat a friendship’s weakest points asmuch as sharing two weeks together.You think you know that couple, andyou think you like their kids? Take itfrom me, you’re going to know a lot moreabout them, and you may have totallyreassessed their kids, by the flight home.

6. Be honest about the sort ofexperience you want. Holidays aren’ttimes to be aspirational, or eyeing upthe Joneses, or following the in-crowd.They’re about being honest about howyou’d really love to spend a fortnightwith your family – and who cares whatanyone else might think. You don’tneed anyone else’s approval, or envy,for the holiday you choose: what thisis about is working out what’s right foryour family, and making it happen.

7. Once you’re there, alternate busydays with quiet ones. Even if you’rea busy, boisterous, action-packed family,everyone needs some downtime. Theeasiest, simplest way to make sure

you get both busy days andmore relaxed ones is simplyto alternate them. If you wentto a water park yesterday,relax by the pool today. If youwent fell-walking yesterday,read a book and have a cream teatoday. Overloading is the enemy ofa good holiday.

8. Don’t over-plan: have ideas, butleave space to be open to what youfind when you get there. It’s wellworth doing some research aboutthe area you’ll be staying in –essential, in fact – but it’s a mistaketo plan every dot and comma of yourstay before you even touch down.You want to explore, to discover, tobe surprised, to make friends – andall these things will only happen ifyou’ve left the space for them tounfold. So, for as much knowledgeas you’ve learned beforehand,always be flexible about what you’regoing to find out, and want to do,when you actually get there.

9. Embrace change: as your familygrows up, be ready to move on tonew destinations and newexperiences. For three yearsrunning my family had wonderfulholidays in a hilltop villa in inland,northern Mallorca. It was perfect forus: but by the third year it wasobvious my older daughters neededsomething more: shops, places tohang out, a beach they could walkto. I was desperately unhappy aboutgiving up the villa: but guess what?The following year I foundsomewhere even better.

Fantastic family holidays don’t just happen. They’re crafted, often by hours of work from one or both parents, who spendendless amounts of time planning, plotting, budgeting and making sure safety nets are in place to stop hiccups becomingdisasters. Of course everyone loves spontaneity – but for spontaneous decision to be possible, especially where a family withchildren are concerned, a framework has to be in place...and getting that framework right is the backbone of every holiday.

10. Set boundaries. It might be aholiday, but rules ensure everyone –especially the parents – get a break.If your children are younger, thoserules might be about bedtime (youneed some time with your partner, soletting your kids stay up all eveningmight not be the best move), or abouttime for the children to go to thecrèche; if your children are older, therules might be about sharing thewashing up, or about how muchcontact you need to have with themthrough the day. But put your rules inplace, because then everyone canrelax and have what they came to do:have a wonderful fortnight away.

So how do you do it? Here are our top ten pointers.

Image: Ski Famille


Travel

Where to go...the AlpsThe Alps are much too good to save foryour skiing holidays – in fact, thosewho’ve tried the area summer and winteroften say summer is the best time to bethere. For a wonderful family Alpineholiday, you’ll be hard-pressed toimprove on the Chilly Powder formula –choose from a luxurious hotel or a villa,all set in a biscuit-tin picture-perfectlocation, complete with in-chaletchildcare and – for the foodies – an in-chalet chef. Sports on offer include whitewater rafting, rock-climbing, trekking,tennis and summer tobogganing (whichis one of the most fun summer sports I’veever tried, and kids adore it). Prices varydepending on what sort of package you’reafter, but as a for-instance, Chalet desAmis (three bedrooms; sleeps up toeight) is £1,200 in the midsummer.More information atwww.chillypowder.com

Where to go...north DevonDevon is one of the UK’s most popularholiday destinations, and for good reason:wonderful beaches, plenty to do (even inthe rain), beautiful scenery and a widechoice of where to stay. Libbear Barton, acountry estate on the north side of thecounty, hits just the right note of luxury(beamed cottages that are beautifully laidout and furnished) and has everything onhand, from stairgates to babysitters, forthe hard-pressed family. There’s an indoorpool, games room, play areas inside andout, fishing lake and woods – all on arolling, 40-acre estate, and with the sea ahalf hour’s drive away. Perfect for bigfamilies or families holidaying together –the farmhouse sleeps up to 14. Pricesvary, but for example Moley’s Place,sleeping eight in four bedrooms, costsaround £1,700 a week in high summer.More information atwww.libbearbarton.co.uk

Ski with an independent tour operator Established 21 years ago, Ski Familleoffers families a range of handpickedproperties in France and Austria. Allchalet holidays include 5 days of freechildcare and all properties are skiin/ski out or very close to the piste.Chris Thompson, managing directorsays: "the business has a high rate ofrepeat business and the majority of newguests choose Ski Famille as the resultof a personal recommendation.” TheSki Famille office team are all keenskiers or boarders with young childrenof their own so they know how toensure families book the rightholiday for their needs.More information atwww.skifamille.co.uk

Stay on a Farm Farm Stay UK is a farmers cooperativethat celebrates its 30th birthday nextyear. All its members are working farms,small holders or rural enterprises andthey offer holiday accommodationranging from B&B in a farmhouse to self-catering in converted barns and even a converted pig sty. Many also runtraditional campsites. Chief ExecutiveAndy Woodward says “In the last fewyears many of our members have begunto offer alternative accommodation suchas pods, wigwams and shepherds huts.Facilities at each site will differ with somebeing part of an established campsite,and others are part of a smaller venue.”For more details visitwww.Farmstay.co.uk and if you areinterested in staying in a pod, wigwam orshepherds hut search for “alternative &camping” in the “accommodation type” field.

Check this out! Arctic Force Crossbow fires snowballsup to 60ft away, faster than youropponents can run! The powerfulcrossbow is fired holding onto thehandle at arm’s length with an easy topull mechanism that blasts snowballswith awesome speed. Cool or what?For ages 8+, RRP £29.99.www.firebox.com


Nurseries

Is a nursery the right choice for you?Studies show, though, that attending nurserycan increase a child's confidence, becauseit involves mixing with adults, and otherchildren, from outside the family group. Itgives children social skills, and experiencefrom an early age of an environment outsidethe home. The nursery 'key worker' scheme,under which each child is allocated aspecial member of staff with whom theycan bond, helps provide security.

Healthy food and menus are anotherbig plus of nursery provision: staff workhard to ensure children are given a balanceddiet. And as your child gets older, playand learning opportunities will be targetedappropriately: staff are trained in what youngchildren can do when, and will be consciousof a child's likely interests and potential.

Nurseries work best for parents whohave regular working hours, because it'sdifficult or impossible for staff to deal witherratic patterns of collection and drop-off:nurseries often open early in the morning andsome close late in the evening, but they are notas flexible as, say, a nanny or a childminder.On the other hand, they have the bigadvantage that only very, very rarely will theybe closed at short notice – so they're morereliable than one carer who may be ill orhave to cope with a sudden family emergency.

They may be prohibitively expensive ifyou have more than one child, although manynurseries do offer a sibling reduction. But ifyou can fit around its opening hours, if yourbudget stretches to the fees, and if you likethe idea of a social environment and a placewith plenty of activities and trained carers,a nursery could be the place for your childand for you.

How to reduce nursery costsThe government is currently consideringcutting staff-to-child ratios in nurseries asa way of reducing what many see asunsustainable prices - but the move iscontroversial, and organisations such asthe Preschool Learning Alliance is warningsuch a change could risk children's safetyand well-being. Under current regulations,there must be one staff member for everythree under-twos, and one for every fourchildren aged two and three.

Most nurseries provide funded placesfor three and four year olds under thegovernment Free Early Education scheme,which will start from the beginning of theterm (1 September, 1 January or 1 April)after your child’s third birthday. If your childis younger, check whether your employercan offer help towards your nursery coststhrough the childcare voucher scheme. Underthis, money is taken out of your pay packetbefore deductions, giving you savings ontax and National Insurance – in return, youare given a voucher or e-voucher that youforward to your nursery, and the amount isdeducted from your bill. So it's a way ofgetting more childcare for your money –though it requires your employer's co-operation.

How to choose the right nurseryStart your nursery search well ahead ofthe time when you're actually going to needto leave your child: the more confidentyou are of the choices you make, thehappier you'll be when it comes to theday you have to head back to the office.Ask around so you get other parents'views on what nurseries are like in your

area. Make a shortlist of ones that mightwork for you (remember to takegeography into account: how easy will itbe for you and/or your partner to do thedrop off/collect?) and don't hesitate to askto visit a second time.

Make sure you read the most recentOfsted inspection report for the nurseriesyou are considering, and ask whether theyhave any awards of excellence. Be guidedby your instincts when looking at anursery: it may seem a cliché to say dothe children look happy, but it is animportant barometer of whether a nurseryis good. Be aware of the quality of bothindoor and outdoor play areas: are thespaces pleasant, bright, welcoming, anddo they seem safe? Ask about meals, howthe food is prepared, and what time mealsare served. Are you able to provide inputfor your child's food – suggestions forwhat s/he would like to eat, or recipes?What kinds of snacks are provided andhow often are they available?

Watch the children while they'replaying, and pay attention to how muchthey're interacting with the staff. How dothe staff come across – do they seemhappy, relaxed, fun to be around? Do youfeel comfortable talking to them? Do theyseem interested in your child and his/herlikes/dislikes and interests?

Ask about organised play sessions –weekly music groups, perhaps, orstorytelling. Are there trips to the library,and to the park? How are these organised,and how often do they take place?

Make sure you understand what thenursery charges, how payment is made,and exactly what the fees include (forexample, do they cover meals, nappies,outings). How many weeks a year is thenursery open? How are parents involvedin the nursery, and are there opportunitiesfor parents to meet up?

Is all well when I'm not there?Some nurseries have webcams whichallow parents to see live images of theirchild at play from their desk at work. Butwhile some parents welcome this idea,others are sceptical – they say they wanttheir child's nursery to know they trust itsworkers, and worry that they'll be seen asa way of spying on careworkers. Others say theylike the idea of watchingtheir child at play somuch that they'd spendtoo much time doingit – and wouldn'tever get any workdone!

As your child

is settling into nursery, trust your instinctsabout how well it's going. You know yourchild better than anyone else, so if yourhunch is that your child is happy andcontented, that's almost certainly thecase. Remember that in the early days, heor she will probably get more tired thanusual – nursery is a big change,emotionally as well as physically. Bothyour child and you need time to adjust tothe new set-up.

Try not to drag out your goodbyes:leaving your child will be difficult,especially at first, but keeping it brief willhelp you both. Remember that your childmay cry every day when you drop themoff (and so might you!) for quite a while;this is a normal part of getting used tothis big change in your lives. Cope with itby emphasising the positives: think aboutwhy you're working (to make money andprovide a better standard of living; toensure you have an interesting life, andincome, in the longer term) and howmuch your child will benefit from a widersocial network.

TroubleshootingFingers crossed, you'll never have aproblem with a nursery your child attends.But what happens when there IS an issue?As every working parent knows, nothingundermines your ability to work morethan a nagging suspicion that your childisn't happy, or isn't being looked after aswell as possible or even – worst scenarioof all – isn't safe.

If you have any worries at all aboutyour child's nursery you must resolvethem, and as quickly as possible. So assoon as something strikes you as 'notright', talk to the nursery manager or yourallocated member of staff – many nigglesare simply down to a lack ofcommunication. Explain what's up, andthe chances are you'll never have tomention it again, and things will all besmoothed over.

But if you're not satisfied that all iswell, put your concern in writing to thenursery manager. All nurseries shouldhave a protocol for dealing withcomplaints – ask to see this if it's notspelled out in the nursery handbook.

Nurseries aren't the cheapest form of childcare – according to the latestfigures, the average weekly cost of a nursery place for a child under two for 25 hours is £103.19. But prices vary dramatically, and in some areasnurseries charge as much as £15,000 a year for 25 hours' care a week.

Is a nursery right foryour child (and you)?By Joanna Moorhead


A Quick Reference Guide to Childcare Vouchers

Busy Bees for charityThis winter Dame Kelly Holmesmet with children, parents andstaff from Busy Bees Nurseries toreceive a giant cheque for awhopping £53,373.62!

Over 136 days, 136 Busy Beesnurseries and 11,500 children raisedthis considerable amount for TheDame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust, acharity giving disadvantaged childrenthe chance to realise their dreamsthrough the inspirational guidance ofParalympic, Olympic, World andCommonwealth champions. This yearBusy Bees created a programmecalled the Golden Mile in order topromote healthy living and raiseawareness of their fund-raisinginitiative, as well as making theOlympics relevant to their children.“Busy Bee”, armed with a child-friendly torch, made his way around136 Busy Bees Nurseries across theUK and the children between themwalked over 20,000 miles to raisemoney and help inspire a newgeneration. “I can’t thank Busy Beesenough for all their support andcommitment to my charity,” saidDame Kelly Holmes. “To raise over£53,000 is an unbelievableachievement and it will make such adifference to our work supportingmore young people.”Busybees.golden-mile.org /www.dkhlegacytrust.org

What are childcare vouchers? A special government scheme operatedthrough employers that allow you to payfor childcare from your pre-tax salary andNational Insurance income.

Who can use them? Parents with children aged up to 15 years.If each parent works, they can both claimfor childcare vouchers, so there’ll betwice as many to use.

Why should I bother? You can save over £1000 a year. A basicrate taxpayer can pay for up to £243 ofchildcare with vouchers each month.

How can I get vouchers? Employers can either give you vouchers inaddition to your normal salary as a perk, orthey may ask you to sign up for a “salarysacrifice” scheme in which part of yourpay is turned into vouchers.MoneySavingExpert.com offers the

following example to explain this: You giveup £1000 of salary (but after tax and NationalInsurance that’s only worth £700ish inyour pocket).

In return, you get £1000 of vouchers (soyou’re £300 per £1000 better off).

The vouchers aren’t specific to each childand can be banked until needed. So if youneed to use more of them to cover theschool holidays, you can store them up.

Where can I use them? They can be used for registered and regulated nurseries, playgroups,nannies, childminders and holidayplayschemes like Super Camps.

Ask your employer if they run a childcare voucher schemethemselves; they might use a vouchercompany to do it for them. Vouchercompanies include: Busy Bees,Computershare, Edenred,Kiddivouchers, and many more.

What if my employer doesn’trun a voucher scheme? Don’t be afraid to ask them to startone. It needn’t cost them anything –and in fact they’ll save money as theywon’t have to pay National Insuranceon wages you use for vouchers. If youare self-employed, ask youraccountant as you too are entitled tochildcare vouchers.

What’s the catch? For most people there isn’t one! If you claim Child Tax Credits, usingchildcare vouchers may affect theamount you receive – so it’s worthchecking if you’ll be better off with the HMRC’s online calculator.www.hmrc.gov.uk/calcs/ccin.htm

How do I pay by childcarevouchers?Once you have signed up to yourcompany’s scheme, their voucheradministrator/company will set you upwith an account. Your vouchers will gointo your account, like a bank balance, atthe end of the month when you get paid.

Log into your account at the end of themonth to check your voucher balance. Ifyou need to make any payments to yourregistered nursery/nanny/childcare provideryou can authorise and make paymentslike a bank transfer. If you’re saving themup, they can sit in your account untilthey’re needed (although do check forexpiry dates).

Make sure that the voucher companyhas your childcare provider listed as oneof your chosen recipients.

At the other end of the chain, oncethe childcare provider has the informationto link the payment to you, your childand your booking, they’ll receive thevouchers as payment.

This article was supplied provided bySuper Camps Ltd, the UK’s largestprovider of holiday childcare – with over80 OFSTED registered venues with CRBcleared staff, offering 40+ activities,sports and arts & crafts.

As Super Camps is an Ofstedregistered provider, those parents whoqualify for Family Tax Credits can claimback up to 80% of the cost of theirbooking. For more information visitwww.hmrc.co.uk/taxcredits.

01235 832222 /www.supercamps.co.uk

Nurseries

Holyrood Day Nurseries have made“A Children’s Promise to learnabout Social Responsibility”through their early years childcare& education.

Every day, staff at the 17 nurseriesacross Greater Manchester encouragethe children to consider how the smallthings they do make a difference toothers in their community. To explorethe meaning of giving at Christmas allthe nurseries took part in a food drive tocollect donations for the FareSharecharity. Each of the nurseries filledcrates full of hot drinks, sugar, jam and

soups which were gratefully collectedby Seb, their FareShare representative,ready to be handed out to those in needover the following weeks. The childrenreally enjoyed sorting out the food andthinking about how they would behelping other people in their communityand the nurseries hope that all theirdonations made a difference to someone.

To find out more about how thenurseries have been learning aboutgiving, visit their charitable activitiesfacebook pagewww.facebook.com/BNG.fundraising.www.bertramnurserygroup.com

Children explorethe meaning ofgiving

®

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Nurseries

So what makes a good settlingin process at a nursery orchild-minder?

Is it one that lasts thirty seconds andyour child is ripped from you like a plasterfrom a wound? Is it one that lasts tenweeks and however much your workplace calls you and tells you that you mustattend now, you tell them “no my child isalmost settled, just a few more weeks?”. Well the answer is that there is no definitiveanswer; what is important is that you andyour child are offered a bespoke settlingin process that suits your needs.

So how can this be achieved?1. Good preparation

Provide the childcare setting with asmuch information as possible on whatmakes your child settled and happy.• Key times• Likes & dislikes• Comforter • Food or dietary needs

2. Good communication“Parents are the most important people intheir children's lives; it is from parents thatchildren learn the most particularly inthe early months and years. The closerlinks between parents and nursery the moreeffective that learning becomes.”(Ball, 1994)

This quote sums up how important therole of the parental communication isat the settle and all points throughoutthe child’s education. If the people whoare caring for your child know as muchabout them as you do, the transition tochildcare life will be a smooth one andwill set a good foundation for life.

• Ask questions. There is no such thingas a silly question

• If something is not working well duringthe settle session, speak to your carer.It is essential for the child carer to getthe settle session right for you andyour child. This will avoid unnecessarychanges and support consistency.

• Communication between you and your child carer is just as important.Knowing that they are honest aboutyour child’s settling in session will bereassuring and help to relieve anyanxiety that you may have.

• There may be some tears (from both ofyou!), but this is not unusual and theperson who is caring for your child willinform you of how your child has beenwhen you return. Knowing that you cantrust this person is important, to relievethat anxiety.

“For parents, particularly mothers, theKey Person Approach ensures thatparents have the opportunity to build arelationship with ‘someone’ rather than‘all of them’ working in the nursery.”(Efler, Goldschmied, Selleck, 2003)

So what will a good child careroffer you?• Time• Reassurance• Support• Communication

What your ‘Settle’ session with yournew child carer might look like:As a rule of thumb a settle will be carriedout over three visits, but this is not set instone. Each setting will tailor the settlingin period to suit you and your child.• Visit 1: The parent stays with the child

and meets the key worker and staff inthe room. This is the time to get toknow each other.

• Visit 2: The child visits their homebase room for 1 hour on their own.

• Visit 3: The child visits their homebase room for 2 hours on their own,perhaps including a mealtime

Staff and your key person will thenreview the settling in with you to decide thenext steps for your child. For the majority offamilies and children, it’s full steam aheadafter these three visits, so Good Luck!

The beginning of a newjourney for you and your childBy John Warren, Early Years Manager atkidsunlimited nurseriesStarting at a nursery or child-minder can be the most traumatic time for any parent or child as it is often the first time they have ever been apart for longperiods and their emotional attachment to each other is very strong. However, withthe right preparation and support it can be a positive experience.

Hale Day Nursery & NurserySchool of Bankhall Lane, Hale,Cheshire, has won the NurseryOutdoor Learning Environment2012 category in the national NMTNursery Awards 2012.

The nursery was also a top fivefinalist in the Nursery Indoor LearningEnvironment category.

Rachael Lyons, Manager of HaleDay Nursery, said: “To be consideredby childcare experts to have the bestoutdoor learning environment in thecountry is national recognition for thequality of the childcare provision byHale Day Nursery and the ElmscotGroup. Our team feel very proud of

what they have achieved and of whatwe are able to offer the wonderful andrewarding children who spend timewith us every day. We aim to offerfamilies a happy homely environmentthat stimulates and nurtures, allowingchildren to learn and develop withconfidence.”

The judges stated, “We havechosen Hale because by using acombination of natural and man-maderesources they have created anenriching and stimulating outdoorenvironment. It’s clearly all about thechildren, of all ages, every day,supported by passionate staff and astrong partnership with parents – noforest school needed!!”

Winners of the NMT Nursery Awards2012 were presented with theirtrophies by Dominic Holland at thehigh profile Gala Night held inNovember at the Hilton LondonMetropole Hotel in London, attendedby 600 guests.

Contact the nursery on 0161 9807019, or visit www.elmscot.co.ukfor more info.

Nursery scoops prestigious award

Education news


Chess is making a dramaticcomeback in primary schools, 30years after it all but disappearedfrom the state school scene.

In the past two years, a total of 175schools, including those serving someof the most deprived areas of thecountry, have reintroduced the game tothe curriculum. Now the charity behindits revival, Chess in Schools andCommunities, is optimistic the take-upwill spread to 1,000 state schoolswithin the next three years. CSC ispushing for all primary school childrenin the country to have the chance tolearn how to play chess, and hasalready taught over 6,000 children inschools, as well as providing schoolswith chess sets, a chess curriculum and

a weekly visit from a chess trainer.Academics are agreed the game is amajor stimulant for improving pupils’concentration and believe it can also beused in other subject areas, such asmaths, to improve skills. It is easy tosee why heads are keen to encourageit – a report by Chessmaster JerryMyers on why it should be encouragedin schools says, “We believe it directlycontributes to academic performance.Chess makes children smarter.”www.chessinschools.co.uk

Chess is back!

Britain’s biggest climate changecampaign runs from 4–10 March thisyear, inspiring a new wave of actionto create a sustainable future.

Culminating in a week of activities,Climate Week showcases real, practicalsolutions to combat climate change fromevery sector of society, with half a millionpeople attending over 3,000 events runby schools, businesses, charities andcouncils. You can help accelerate actionon climate change by making Climate

Week happen where you are – registeryour school for the Climate WeekChallenge, take part in Climate WeekSwap, which highlights the positiveimpact that swapping clothes, books, toysand DVDs can have on our environment,or indulge in some culinary delights inClimate Week Cuisine and eat a lowcarbon meal by using up leftovers orcooking food made from local ingredients.Find out more about Climate Week atwww.climateweek.com.

Sign up for Climate Change Week

From primary to academy400 primary schools judged to beamong the weakest in England andWales are set to become academies,the Prime Minister announced.

David Cameron plans to pair theseschools with sponsors, taking them out of

the control of their local authorities in adrive to improve education in the poorest-performing schools. “The driving missionfor this government is to build anaspiration nation, where we unlock andunleash the promise in all our people,” he

said. “A first-class education system isabsolutely central to that vision. Time andtime again we have seen how academies,with their freedom to innovate, inspire andraise standards are fuelling aspirations andhelping to spread success. So now wewant to go further, faster, with 400 more

under-performing primary schools pairedup with a sponsor and either open or wellon their way to becoming an academy bythe end of next year." At the time of theprevious general election there were 203academies, all secondary schools. There arenow 2,456, with 823 more in the pipeline.

Education news


A great alternative to day nurseries

Bridgewater School offers a secure,warm, safe, caring and stimulatingenvironment where enjoyment andfun are key to successful learning.

Children are encouraged to play, growand develop through a structured pre-school curriculum. Parents can besatisfied with the knowledge their childrenwill be taught by staff that are highlyqualified and carefully selected for theirspecial skills, experience and expertisein this area.

Their EYFS Department provides aspacious, work and play environment forthe Kindergarten and Reception classes

and they deliver outstanding childcareprovision, which offers your child the beststart in life. Children gain a full andpositive experience of school, as theymake the transition from the Early YearsDepartment to Key Stage 1 and beyond.“The overall effectiveness of theEarly Years Foundation Stageprovision is outstanding” Inspection Report – ISI – May 2011

For more information please visitwww.Bridgewater-school.co.uk or call0161 794 1463 to arrange a personaltour. Nursery Education Grants areavailable for qualifying 3 and 4 year olds.

Withington girls – balanced, happy and confident

Withington Girls’ School owes itsethos of excellence to the vision of itsnineteenth century Founders whowanted the same educationalopportunities available for theirdaughters as was already availableto their sons.

In keeping with their wishes, theSchool has remained relatively small.With around 550 girls in the seniorschool, Withington is large enough tooffer a wide range of subject choices andactivities. At the same time, it is smallenough that every girl can be individuallyknown and supported by their strongpastoral team.

Pupils are all extremely academicallyable girls drawn from all backgrounds,cultures, faiths and traditions; bursaries areavailable (according to need) to supportone-in-six of the Senior School pupils.

Through expert teaching and a varied

extra-curricular programme, girls aresuccessfully prepared for higher education,the world of work and adult life in general.Students’ examination results consistentlyplace them amongst the very top schoolsnationally, and the Sutton Trust has placedWithington second nationally in terms ofthe students’ transition to the 30 mostselective universities in the country.

The entrance examinations for entry tothe School in September 2013 are on thefollowing dates:• Senior School Entrance Examination –

Monday 14th January 2013• Junior School Entrance Examination –

Saturday 19th January 2013Applications can be taken right up to

the day of the Examinations but of coursethe earlier they receive applications, thebetter it is for them to plan the day.0161 224 1077 /

www.withington.manchester.sch.uk

Mindfulness for four year olds

By Robert McNeill – Head teacher, StJames Junior School, StockportManagement gurus often extol thebenefits of mindfulness practice to wardoff the apparent stresses of modernsociety, but are such practices reallynecessary, or indeed appropriate, forthe under five year olds?

We believe so. At St James Junior

School, our Reception and Nurserychildren have the opportunity of a quiettime at regular points in the day. Childrenand staff sit in a steady, balanced positionon a chair, become aware of their bodyand their surroundings and enjoy, for aminute or so, the rest that it brings.

Admittedly, young children don’t findsitting still easy at first, but after a veryfew weeks of practice they begin to “letgo” and enjoy. This has some startlingbenefits. It allows the children to regaintheir balance and focus well in the nextactivity with subsequent improvement inbehaviour and in learning capabilities.

However, staff do need to “let go” aswell; otherwise the children will simplypick up the wrong practice. Children arevery “cute” and will see through, “Do as Isay but not as I do”. Everyone, staff andchildren, benefit from these regular shortopportunities to “be present” and enjoythe peace of the moment.

“Taster” days and day-time visits tosee the school in action are welcomed.Simply call to arrange.0161 480 4586 /

www.stjamesschool.org.uk

Telling the time is a life skill that everychild must master but whichdisappointingly comes with a lengthylearning process, often 6 months or longer.

Many teachers feel it to be one of themost frustrating subjects to teach, andparents too will know how illogicallearning to tell the time can seem to a child.

So it’s a relief to discover a new childfriendly method has arrived, accessibleto everyone. Still the best kept secret ineducation, ‘Aramazu’ is now beginningto work its way into homes and classroomsacross the country.

In a recent home trial, 85% of the childrenlearned in one week, 50% in one hour. SoAramazu is doing what it says on the tin (todaythe tin is a website) www.aramazu.com– the quickest and easiest way ever tolearn to tell the time. Currently, Aramazuhas two entry levels, counting to 12 orcounting to 60.

The learning process is deliveredthrough illustrated stories, a three bookpack for younger children and a fasttrack book for those counting to 60. These

can be purchased with a clock and awatch if wanted through the websiteshop, which also offers online versions.

Teachers have their own dedicatedwebsite section where they can trial andsubscribe to Aramazu’s online resourcelibrary, allowing the material to bedisplayed on the classroom interactivewhiteboard.

It may have taken 300 years, but atlast help is at hand to learn to tell the time!

Telling the time is child’s play

Education news



Parents’ place

As we face regular below-freezing temperatures, we can either choose to stayhome and avoid the chill, or we can wrap everyone up and face some outdoorWinter fun. In our house an outdoor life doesn’t stop for the weather, so I havewrapped the gang up in some fab clothes from Polarn O. Pyret, a Swedishbrand that is perfect for a stylish life out in the cold. Here are two of myfavourite buys for the Winter …..

Wrap up warm this winterProducts tested by Jayne Keep

Child Puffa Jacket RRP £65Lily (6) has been sporting this coat throughoutDecember and loves it. It’s so cosy, she has oftenrefused to wear a jumper underneath as she’s sotoasty in there! Filled with a down-like fibre, thecoat is lightweight and still easy to move in. It’sgreat for extreme weathers, it keeps out the rain,snow and wind, even at the hems and cuffs as theseare adjustable for a snug fit. It features thetrademark Polarn O.Pyret thumb grips on the cuffswhich are very popular with my kids and keep littlehands that bit more snug.

Padded Child Winter Trousers RRP £65Izzy (4) has never been a fan of the cold weather sothese trousers have been fab for both her and me;they’ve kept her so snug that she doesn’t mind myrequest for “just another 10 minutes’ run for thedogs” before we go home for hot chocolate!Although these are intended for the snow, we haveused them through the whole of December just tokeep warm. They kept out the wind and rain a treat,plus Izzy found the extra padding really cosy. Thetrousers are very thick yet not bulky as they arefilled with a flexible material that gives kids greatmobility. Braces at the top and foot straps at thebottom keep any draughts well and truly out.

For more details about these products and othersin the Polarn O.Pyret range visitwww.polarnopyret.co.uk

Media Smart launches a new guidefor parents to help them educatechildren about the commercial natureof the online world.

Children may encounter all sorts ofdigital advertising on the internet, fromsearch engine results to advergames, andthis pack, developed primarily for parentsof 6-11 year olds and backed by theMinister for Children and Families,Edward Timpson, provides tips to helpparents explain the intent of onlineadvertising to children. “Parents knowbest how to bring up their children butthey expect businesses to act responsiblyin supporting them to do so,” saysTimpson. “The Parent Information Pack isan excellent example of how the

advertising and marketing industry istaking its responsibilities seriously. As afather myself, I see this as a welcomestep in equipping parents with therelevant information to help them educatetheir children in an increasingly digitalworld.” Download the free Media SmartDigital parent pack atwww.mediasmart.org.uk.

New Parent Pack launched

Start the New Year as you mean togo on – less work, less stress, moreexercise, more support and morequality time with your children.

Work for yourself and run your ownsuccessful franchise business withKiddikicks toddler and child football-themed and football skills classes,sporty merchandise and cool clothing.

Be the Manager or the Coach; if youhave a sporty, supervisory, managerial,

sales, marketing, recruitment or self-employed background and would like towork from home, Kiddikicks could bethe best New Year’s resolution you makeand keep.

Call them on 020 7937 7965, [email protected] or visitwww.kiddikicks.co.uk.

Quote “Families” in your enquiry for a 5% discount.

Fed up of juggling motherhood, workcommitments and personal commitments? Gofor it – join the business Mums!

Pink Spaghetti was started by twobusy Cheshire mums in September2009 when they spotted a gap in themarket for an affordable PA servicethat could support busy professionalpeople who were trying to jugglerunning a home and smallbusinesses around a family.

Pink Spaghetti is a PA service that sellspeople time. A shortage of time in thehome means things end up on to do listsfor weeks, if not months. A lack of timefor small businesses means projects neverget moved forward because people only havetime to concentrate on the day to day jobs.

Vicky Matthews said: “We decided tooffer a non-subscription, use it as andwhen service that people could dip inand out of when they needed us. Ourfeelings were right, and from when westarted in 2009, our business has grownand grown, with over 90% of ourbusiness coming from word of mouth.”

In September 2012 they launchedtheir first two franchisees and they arenow looking to roll this model outfurther to offer professional mums theoption of being their own boss andbuying into a business that has a proventrack record, a strong brand, experience,and has demonstrated steady growthsince it started in 2009.

Caroline said “We feel that growingPink Spaghetti through franchising will ensure that the very high levels of customer service we pride ourselveson are maintained, as only business owners can be guaranteed to offer this.”

A Pink Spaghetti franchise will allowyou to build a business around yourfamily, providing you with the perfectwork life balance. You can choose yourworking hours and the model allows foryour own business to grow as yourchildren grow up.

This franchise is designed to be asecond income, usually for someone whohas come from a good career beforechildren, and now wants a challenge andan income but also time to spend withtheir family.

For further information visitwww.pink-spaghetti.co.uk

Work Life Balance opportunity


Parents’ place

Massage at any time is a wonderfulexperience and has many healthbenefits, but during pregnancy,massage can be especially beneficialto both mother and baby. Karen Stepanova from Eternity Spa in Salehas over 17 years’ experience working asa massage and spa therapist and hasalways loved working with mums-to-be,adapting massage techniques in order togive the best possible treatment to her clients.

Massage during pregnancy can help toreduce swelling in the hands, feet andankles. It has been found to reduce sciaticpain which is common as the babygrows, it will ease discomforts in thelower back, neck, calf muscles and evenhelp to tone the muscles.

Massage will also help with relaxationwhich in turn can aide better sleep. Bloodand lymph flow will be increased whichcan help with the reduction of swellingand as the blood flow is increased it willdeliver fresh nutrients and oxygen to themother and baby.

Endorphins are the body’s naturalpainkiller and as a result of massage willbe released in the body creating a senseof wellbeing. The list of benefits isendless and they are all good!

It is advisable to have a pregnancymassage after the first trimester to ensuremum and baby are both happy and well,and it is essential that the products usedare safe for both too. Only 100% CertifiedOrganic oils that have been given thethumbs up for mums-to-be are used atEternity Spa, and their PregnancyPampering treatment is a wonderful andrelaxing treat for anyone in the secondand third trimester.

Special offer for Families readers: take the advert at the top of this page withyou to receive 20% off the price of yourfirst Pregnancy Pampering Massage.0161 9692040 / www.eternity-spa.co.uk

Pregancy Massage

1.Child Benefit is not beingstopped for high earners. Anyonereceiving Child Benefit, regardless oftheir income, is entitled to carry onreceiving it. But from 7 January 2013,high earners may have to pay a taxcharge on any Child Benefit paymentsthey or their partner receive. Thisapplies whether they’re married or not.

2. The tax charge increases in linewith your income. For every £100 ofincome you or your partner havebetween £50,000 and £60,000, thereis a tax charge of 1% of your total ChildBenefit. Once your annual income is£60,000 or more, the tax charge isequal to the Child Benefit payments.It’s the higher earner who pays the tax.

3. Your income is based on youradjusted net income. Even if you oryour partner have an income of £50,000a year or more, you may find that the taxcharge doesn’t apply. This is becausethe tax charge is based on your adjustednet income. This is your income less anypayments you make to a pension scheme,donations to charity through Gift Aid andreductions due to membership of salarysacrifice schemes (such as childcarevouchers and the cycle to work scheme).You could even consider increasingpayments to your pension, for example, tobring your annual adjusted net income down.

Five things you need to know about thechanges to child benefit

4. You can choose to keep or stopreceiving Child Benefit. If you or yourpartner’s adjusted net income is over £60,000,it could make sense to stop receiving ChildBenefit as the tax charge will wipe out anyfinancial gain to you and you won’t have tocomplete a tax return. But if you don’t knowexactly how much your income will be, oryou’re under the £60,000 threshold, it’s bestto carry on getting it.

5. If you decide to keep Child Benefit,you’ll have to do a tax return. If eitheryou or your partner has an adjusted net incomeof £50,000 or more then the highest earnermust complete a tax return, declaring theChild Benefit as income. It’s that person’sresponsibility to make sure they’re registeredfor self-assessment by 6 October 2013 orthey’ll face a penalty. They then have until31 October 2013 to file their return withHMRC (or 31 January 2014 if filing online).

This information was provided to Familiesby MoneyVista; a free online service thatprovides access to financial experts. Byentering your information, Money Vista worksout what tax and national insurance you pay,your projected state pension and what yoursavings, investments and property mightbe worth in the future. Joining all theseelements together lets you see the impacton your overall plan of financial decisionsyou are considering. Seewww.moneyvista.com


Parents’ place

A career change can seem daunting,especially if you don’t have a cluewhat job you do want to do! Fears offailing don’t help, and you might thinkthat to find the courage to go for it,you’ll have to do things you findscary. But there is another way. Myclients achieve their dreams in a waythat seems effortless, despite theself-doubt that is only natural whenchanging career.

The key to such transformation iscreating a compelling vision of what youreally want to do. With this foundation inplace, confidence can appear like magicas you get carried along by themomentum of your vision. Starting with

small steps, you will soon surpriseyourself at the things you’re doing – youjust won’t be able to help yourself movingtowards what you want.

You can start to do this even if youdon’t know what career you want tochange to – in fact, it’s an effective way tostart finding out what that new directioncould be. Here are some tips to help you createyour vision.• Give yourself permission to dream big

here – put aside ifs and buts, and don’tworry how you would do it. What if youcould have anything you want in yourworking life, how would it be?

• What is really important to you – flexiblehours? being outdoors? helping people?

• If you change career, what would bepossible for you and your family?

• What feeling do you want your work togive you - calmness, excitement,contribution?

• Imagine yourself in your future ‘happyjob’. What are you doing, seeing, hearing?

• What do you love learning about in TVprogrammes or magazines?

• Convert those things you don’t wantinto how you would like it to be instead.

• Remember, this is your dream – no-one else’s. It doesn’t matter if youthink it doesn’t sound ‘impressive’ byother people’s standards.

• To increase your commitment, imagineyourself 5 years in the future,assuming that you haven’t changedanything. What does that feel like?

• If you have a lack of confidence aroundparticular issues, it can also be usefulto access your Future Self. This is theself who did make the change – whatadvice would she give you now?

Sheila Bayliss coaches working mumswho want to reduce stress or changecareer – for more info [email protected]

A Confident Career ChangeBy Sheila Bayliss, Lollipop Coaching

“What I always wanted” is an onlineshop set up in May 2012, selling theproducts of young British gift andhomeware designers. The companyprides itself on selling artisan handmadedesigner ranges, many of which are‘one off’ designs and are made fromlocally sourced materials or can bepersonalised for that individual touch.

The company’s ethos is to support newsmall businesses, many of whom areyoung mums from the North West, whoare passionate to develop their owncreative brands, whilst promoting the ‘buyhandmade’ ‘buy British’ campaigns.

This is a fantastic site for busy mumson the go. Have a browse through theextensive ranges of jewellery and otherbeautiful gifts and homewares forbirthday, Valentine’s, anniversary or newbaby. It’s great if you’re buying for that

person who already has everything, and youwant a truly special gift to show you care.

The pictured appliquéd personalisedcushion featuring your own pet, makes anextra special gift for any horse, dog or catlover. Each one is a unique design, so youcan give this gift, safe in the knowledgethat no one else will have one the same.The shop also has a gorgeous range of softfurnishings to bring new life to your room.

Deborah, co-owner of What I AlwaysWanted, said: “We are really excited tohave launched our new company. Welove tracking down beautiful productsmade by independent designers andhope our customers will love them too!”

So, put your feet up, get yourself anice cup of tea, dip in and take a look!www.whatialwayswanted.com

It’s what you’ve always wanted


With food prices rising and incomesstagnating, many families are lookingto cut their food bill but still eat wellthis New Year. Menus4Mums, theonline family meal planners, havethese 5 tips to help us do just that.Tip 1: Meal Plan:Start by writing a plan of what your familywill eat for the week, allowing forabsences, extra guests, or when you’llneed a quick meal. Plan a suitable mealfor each day, ensuring that you have agood balance of protein, carbohydratesand vegetables. Think about what needsusing up in your freezer or fridge. Then usethis to draw up your shopping list.Tip 2: Stick To Your List! When at the shops, stick to your shoppinglist! Try not to be tempted by extra items,and when you get to the checkout putback anything that’s slipped in (we oftensave a fiver each time we do this!). Don’tshop when you’re hungry – or you’ll endup with a trolley full of junk! If you’reeasily tempted, why not give onlinegrocery shopping a go, preferably lookingfor slots with no delivery charges.Tip 3: Watch The Deals!Check the maths on deals – somesavings are only worth a few pence, andsome aren’t savings at all. Only buy BuyOne Get One Free items if you know youwill use them both. Fresh meat can befrozen for later, but think if you’ll reallyuse up BOGOFs on fruit.Tip 4: Try Discount Supermarkets:An easy way to lower your food bill is totry the discount supermarkets such asAldi and Lidl. Menus4Mums investigatedthese for members in 2012 and were veryimpressed. Some products came withthe Good Housekeeping Institute seal ofapproval, whilst some fruit and vegetables

were organic. Price-wise, most productscame out about 30% cheaper than thestandard supermarket own-brandequivalent, making a great saving onweekly grocery bills.Tip 5: Shop Elsewhere:Try buying your meat at your local butcher– you’ll be impressed by the quality, andyou can buy exactly the quantity youwant, saving money and waste. Seasonalfruit and vegetables are often cheaper atyour local market or farm shop. And ifyou run out of milk mid-week, pop in toyour local corner shop rather than yoursupermarket. That way you’ll just buy themilk rather than spend an extra £20 onitems you didn’t know you needed.

Why not see if you can shave £20 offyour shopping bill this week? Over amonth that is £80 saved, and £960 over ayear……. And if you need any help orinspiration for meal planning, do checkMenus4Mums out. They help busy parentsditch the takeaways and ready meals andserve up tasty, healthy food for their families,saving them time and money in thekitchen. Visit www.menus4mums.co.ukfor more information and to download aFREE one week sample meal plan.

ARE YOU FEELING LUCKY?One Families reader can win a 6 monthmembership to Menus4Mums, whichincludes a new meal plan each week fordinners the whole family will enjoy,together with recipe cards and a handyshopping list broken down intosupermarket aisles. The meals takeadvantage of supermarket special offersto keep grocery bills down.

To enter, just go towww.familiesmanchester.co.uk.Competition closes Thursday 28 February.

Savvy Food Shopping – or How To Cut Your Food Bill!

Parents’ place

Tel: 01925 768188 or 07766 290802Email: [email protected]

• A range of full and part-time childcare services including, nannies, live in/out, babysitting, maternity nannies, emergency care, mothers help, housekeepers & special needs nannies.

• All candidates are thoroughly vetted, interviewed and reference checked

• Home visits, to enable us to fully understand your requirements

Leading Nanny agency throughout Cheshire and North West

Achieving the difference...

What’s on These listings are for guidance only –please check before you go


A grand day out: NationalRailway Museum, YorkBy Caryl Hall

While we love Manchester and allits history and attractions, we recentlyheaded further afield to visit theNational Railway Museum in York.

Fully expecting to be bored witless bymy better half and my sons ogling atbits of machinery, I found myself captivatedby the collection of over 100 locomotivesand other items that tell the railway storyfrom the early 19th century to the modernday. There’s a fantastic display of royal‘Palaces on Wheels’, from the opulentcarriages of Queen Victoria to thearmour-plated war transport of GeorgeVI, as well as The Flying ScotsmanStory, and you can climb aboard theJapanese Bullet Train (Shinkansen) thatwas built in 1976, and travelled at a topspeed of 130 miles per hour.

Children (and adults) will love theminiature 7¼" gauge train in the SouthYard, and there’s a great play areabeside it where the younger ones canwork off some energy.

Fill those rumbling tummies at oneof two restaurants, both offering aquality selection of food and drink, andtake an exhilarating trip in the simulator,with a choice of rides including a KiddieRollercoaster and a Space ShuttleMission. Probably best to do this beforethe food! My six year old declared that“the incinerator” was the best part of theday for him!

There’s so much to do at the museum,you may well run out of time to samplethe other attractions in the historic cityof York – but try if you can. Just a 10minute walk (or catch a ride on themuseum’s land train) will get you into theheart of the city where you can ride TheWheel of York, take a wander down TheShambles and marvel at the beauty ofthe York Minster. The best resource formore kiddie-friendly activities in the areais our sister publication Families Vale ofYork – www.familiesvoy.co.uk.

For more information on the NationalRailway Museum, go to www.nrm.org.uk

Sun 13, 20 & 27 JanImperial War Museum, NorthHotspots2.30pm, Free. Creative session using arange of art and craft materials to helpyou make your own unique souvenir totake home and keep.www.iwm.org.uk

Fri 18 JanThe LowryUnder 5s Doodle Tots10 – 10.45am, 11.15 – 12pmAge 2½ – 4½, £3.50Paint, stick and make your works of art ina friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Don’tworry, aprons are provided!0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Sat 19 JanImperial War Museum, NorthOpen Studio: Shaping Up 11am – 12.30pm and 3pm – 4.30pm,Free. Exploring the Holocaust MemorialDay theme of ‘Communities Together’,this special session follows the tale of agroup of shapes who discover howmuch better things can be when we allget along. This family friendly sessionalso includes a creative activity themedto shapes and patterns.www.iwm.org.uk

Manchester CathedralBe a Chorister for a DayAges 7 – 11, Free. Children must beaccompanied. Limited places, bookingessential. Choral evensong at 3.30pm,sung with the Cathedral Choir.0161 8332220 ex 238 /www.manchestercathedral.org

Bridgewater Hall, ManchesterClassical Guitar WeekendArts Award Discover – 9.30am, Age 7+, £5.Children under 14 must be accompanied. Stringalong – 10.30am, Age 5+, £5.Learn to make your very own guitar, tryplaying a simple song, and take it hometo keep practising!0844 907 9000 / www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk

Sat 19 & Sun 20 JanEast Lancashire RailwayWinter Steam GalaThis popular steam event features an allsteam timetable running locomotivesfrom the ELR home fleet as well as aselection of guest loco’s from further afield! 0161 764 7790 /www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk

ActivitiesEvery Mon in Jan & FebWhitworth Art Gallery, ManchesterToddlertastic10.30 – 11.30am / 11.30am – 12.30pm,Free, for under 5s and their grown-ups.Booking essential. Creative adventuresessions in drama, art, music or dance. 0161 275 7450 /www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

Every Wed in Jan & FebWhitworth Art Gallery, ManchesterArt Baby10.15 – 11.15am / 11.30am – 12.30pm,Free, for babies and their grown-ups.Booking essential. Creative sensory,discovery and play sessionsaccompanied by a musician. Especiallydesigned for babies before they learn to walk. 0161 275 7450 /www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

Every Sun in Jan & FebWhitworth Art Gallery, ManchesterColourful Sundays1.30 – 3.30pm, All Ages, Free, nobooking required.Join friends, family and an artist for fundrop-in creative workshops. There are newarty adventures to take part in every week.0161 275 7450 /www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

Fri 11 JanManchester Art GalleryMini Art Club10.15 – 11.15am / 11.30am – 12.30pm, FreeCreative play for 2 – 5 year olds and theirgrown ups. Please call one week inadvance to reserve your place.0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

Sat 12 & Sun 13 JanManchester Art GalleryImagine12 – 4pm, FreeExperiment and play with the material ofthe month – Paper. 0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

Sat 12 & 26 JanThe LowrySaturday Playhouse 11am – 12.30pm, Age 5 – 11, £3.5012 Jan: Shazam! Alakazam! CelebrateThe Arabian Nights by creating a magicalgiant pop-up book. 26 Jan: Circus Mobiles – The MoscowState Circus is in town, so to celebratewe’ll be use paper and add some glitz to cut,stick and create fantastic circus mobiles!0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Wheel of York

York Minster

The Shambles

What’s on


Tues 29 JanPeople’s History Museum, ManchesterMr Ordinary’s Prize11am – 12pm, £1 per child, adults free,Suitable for under 5s, Booking advisedFun interactive story session with puppets,song, dance and a craft activity. Someonehas stolen Mr Ordinary’s Thinking andDoing! What will he do without them?Join in the adventure as Mr Ordinary andhis friends try to get them back.0161 838 9190 / www.phm.org.uk

Fri 1 FebThe LowryUnder 5s Tiny Tots Tales10 – 10.45am, 11.15 – 12pmAge 2½ – 4½, £3.50A magical journey through books andstories to explore mythical worlds andmeet some interesting characters alongthe way. Explore imaginary worlds throughsound, movement, rhyme and song.0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Fri 1 Feb & Fri 1 MarManchester Art GalleryBaby Art Club10.15 – 11am / 11.30 – 12.15pm / 1.15– 2pm / 2.30 – 3.15 pm, FreeUse all your senses to explore our artist'sspace. For babies who aren't walking yet,with an adult carer. Limited places available,please book one week in advance.0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

Sat 2 FebJodrell BankStar Party – Mars Rover Challenge6pm, Adult £15, Child (7 – 14) £12 Do you have what it takes to create andland a Rover? With Stargazing, funactivities and dinner included.www.jodrellbank.net/families

Sat 2 & 16 FebThe LowrySaturday Playhouse 2 Feb: Pop Star Looks – Design your ownPop Star look based on Peter Blake’s workin our fabulous Pop Art Exhibition.16 Feb: Pop Art Pop Stars! Make andpaint a life size pop art pop star you!0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Sat 2 FebManchester Art GalleryFamily Art Club1 – 3pm, Free. Create together in ourspecial artist led workshops for 6 – 11s.No need to book, but sign-in starts at 12.30pm.0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

Sun 3 FebKingsway School (Lower site),Cheadle SK8 1NPKids Car Boot & Swap Shop10am – 12pm, Pitch costs £15www.kidscarbootandswapshop.co.uk

Saddleworth School, Oldham OL3 6BUKids Car Boot & Swap Shop10am – 12pm, Pitch costs £15www.kidscarbootandswapshop.co.uk

Thurs 7 FebStockport Air Raid SheltersChildren’s Explorer Tours6.45 – 8pm. Age 7+, Adult £3.95, Child£3, Booking essential. Brave the darkenedtunnels as you go back in time andexperience the life of a child during thewar. Children must be accompanied.0161 474 1940 /www.stockport.gov.uk/airraidshelters

Fri 8 FebManchester Art GalleryMini Art Club10.15 – 11.15am / 11.30am – 12.30pm, FreeMake friends, make noise, make a messin our art club specially for 2 – 5s. Joinour artists to explore paper in our specialsensory sessions. Please call one week inadvance to reserve your place.0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

Sun 10 FebManchester Art GalleryChinese New Year12 – 4pm, Free. Kung Hei Fat Choi! HappyChinese New Year! Join the celebrations aswe mark the beginning of the Year of the Snakewith our neighbours in Manchester’sChinese community.0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

Mon 11 – Fri 15 FebThe LowryHalf Term Little Artists: Puppet Masters!11am – 12.20pm, Age 5 – 11, £3.50Be inspired by the characters and ornateartwork of the stories of the ArabianNights and Aladdin and make beautifulshadow puppets out of cardboard,coloured acetate, lace and feathers. Takeyour puppets home and re-tell the tales!0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Tues 12 – Thurs 14 & Tues 19 – Thurs 21 FebThe LowryHalf Term Little Actors11am – 12.20pm, Age 5 – 11, £3.50An energetic, interactive drama sessionplaying games, creating magical worldsand mythical characters from some ofyour favourite stories. This half term wewill explore Aladdin’s cave, the land ofSleeping Beauty and Rapunzel’s Tall Tower.0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Tues 12 & Thurs 14 FebHatworks, StockportCreative Recycling10.3am – 12pm and 1 – 2.30pmAges 5 – 11, £3.50, Booking essentialVisit the Redesigning Fashion exhibitionfor inspiration to make something newand exciting out of recycled materials.0161 474 2400 /www.stockport.gov.uk/hatworks

Wed 13 FebEast Lancashire RailwayChildren’s Craft Workshop –Wonderful Windmills

11am – 3pm, Standard museum entryprice plus £1 per child. Create a workingwindmill, perfect for a blustery February day!0161 764 7790 /www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk

Fri 15 February The LowryUnder 5s Doodle Tots10 – 10.45am, 11.15 – 12pmAge 2½ – 4½, £3.50Paint, stick and make your works of art ina friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Don’tworry, aprons are provided!0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Sat 16 – Sat 23 FebTouchstones, RochdaleHoliday Quiz 10am – 5pm. Drop in.Complete the quiz and get the chance tobe entered into the free prize draw. 01706 924492 /www.link4life.org/touchstones

Sat 16 – Sun 24 Feb People’s History Museum,ManchesterDemon Drink? Craft Table10am – 5pm, Free, Drop in, suitable forall ages. Become the King or Queen ofTemperance and make your ownTemperance Crown to take home with youat our craft table inspired by our fabchanging exhibition, Demon Drink?Temperance and the Working Class.0161 838 9190 / www.phm.org.uk

Tatton ParkScarecrow FestivalVisit Tatton's Scarecrow Festival in theGardens and at the Farm. Over 30scarecrows will be resident in theGardens. Find the farmyard scarecrowsand have a go at making your own.Closed Mon 18 Feb. Normal admissioncosts and park entry charges apply.01625 374428 /www.tattonpark.org.uk

Mon 18 – Fri 22 FebQuarry Bank Mill, StyalAll the colours of the rainbow12 – 4pm, Normal admission applies, 50pper trail. Have a go at tie-dye samples at thedrop-in activity in the Mill and chase thecolours through the Mill with our family trail. 01625 527468 /www.nationaltrust.org.uk/quarry-bank-mill

The LowryHalf Term Little Artists: Aladdin's Cave11am – 12.20pm. Age 5 – 11, £3.50A colourful art and craft workshop inspiredby the fantastic tale Aladdin. There’s achoice of creative activities to try – frommaking your own treasure box to decoratinga magic lamp and even weaving a miniflying carpet!0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Tues 19 FebPeople’s History Museum, ManchesterPauly’s War: Growing Up & theManchester Blitz

1.15 – 2pm, Free, Age 7+, no bookingrequired. Meet Pauly, a young girl growingup in Manchester during World War II,and see archive film and speciallycommissioned animation. Stay arounduntil 2.30pm and meet evacuee TerryPerkins and find out about the effect theBlitz had on him as a child.0161 838 9190 / www.phm.org.uk

Touchstones, RochdaleBugs, Beasties and Beautiful Blooms 10.30am – 1.30pm, Age 5 – 12, Drop in.Children must be accompanied.All things bright, beautiful, wriggling,buzzing and hovering will be the focus ofthis exciting workshop based on what youmight find alive in the garden. Comealong and help artist Cat Jessop create agiant garden mural made up from all thehandmade flowers and bugs you willmake in this fun session.01706 924492 /www.link4life.org/touchstones

Chinese New Year


What’s on These listings are for guidance only –please check before you go

Whitworth Art Gallery, ManchesterArty Picnics11.30am – 1pmBring your lunch and get creative whilsthaving a very special picnic at the Gallery.0161 275 7450 /www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

Tues 19 & Wed 20 FebTatton ParkDeer Feed and Trailer Ride Age 4+, Adult £6, Child £4 per child(Includes park entry), Booking essentialTake a trailer ride with the rangers towatch the daily deer feed. Get a closelook at hundreds of deer feeding in theirbeautiful natural setting. 01625 374428 /www.tattonpark.org.uk

Tues 19, Thurs 21 & Fri 22 FebManchester Art GalleryThe Blow up Lab1 – 3pm, FreeEnlarge your world! Tiny details becomeenormously important as you usemicroscopes and scanners to make artand experiment in our oversizedprojection space. Led by artist Harriet Halland inspired by the work of CorneliaParker that features in our Focal Pointsexhibition. No need to book but sign instarts at 12.30pm.0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

Wed 20 FebPeople’s History Museum,ManchesterStunning Sashes1.30 – 3.30pm, Free, Age 5+, no bookingrequired. Be inspired by the beautifulsashes in our Demon Drink? exhibitionand create your own to wear on a marchthrough the museum.0161 838 9190 / www.phm.org.uk

Quarry Bank Mill, StyalColour Workshop12.30 – 1.30pm, 1.30 – 2.30pm, 2.30 – 3.30pm, Child £3. Print your own colourful bag.01625 527468 /www.nationaltrust.org.uk/quarry-bank-mill

Wed 20 & Fri 22 FebWhitworth Art Gallery, ManchesterArtists' Skills1 – 3pm. Come and experiment withmaterials to create a 3D landscape inspiredby John Piper: The Mountains of Wales.0161 275 7450 /www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

Sat 2 MarManchester Art GalleryFamily Art Club1 – 3pm, Free. Create together in ourspecial artist led workshops for 6-11s. Noneed to book, but sign-in starts at 12.30pm.0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

Sun 3 MarKingsway School (Lower site), CheadleSK8 1NPKids Car Boot & Swap Shop10am – 12pm, Pitch costs £15www.kidscarbootandswapshop.co.uk

Saddleworth School, Oldham OL3 6BUKids Car Boot & Swap Shop10am – 12pm, Pitch costs £15www.kidscarbootandswapshop.co.uk

Fri 8 MarManchester Art GalleryMini Art Club10.15 – 11.15am / 11.30am – 12.30pm, FreeMake friends, make noise, make a messin our art club specially for 2 – 5s. Joinour artists to explore paper in our specialsensory sessions. Please call one weekin advance to reserve your place.0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

FAMILY SHOWSFri 11 – Sun 20 JanWaterside Arts Centre, SaleJack & The BeanstalkSale Nomads Theatre Club’s traditional familypanto. 2 for 1 tickets on selected shows0161 912 5616 /www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

Tues 15 – Thurs 17 JanManchester Opera HouseMoscow City Ballet's Swan LakeMoscow City Ballet is currently at itsoutstanding artistic best – winning newinvitations to perform internationally. Thisis the signature piece of their entirerepertoire. The orchestra, choreography,interpretation, beauty and outstandingvirtuoso performance repeatedly winrave reviews.0844 871 7660 /www.manchestertheatres.com

Sun 20 JanMiddleton ArenaCinderella…ella…ellaPresented by J Star dance Academy. ThePrestwich and Whitefield Academies jointogether for what will be an amazingPantomime.0161 773 7000 / www.jstar-academy.co.uk

Wed 23 JanThe LowryThe TempestShakespeare 4 Kidz presents The Tempest– a mystical, magical, mysterious,musical romantic comedy of revenge, afather’s love for his daughter and themisuse of power.0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Sat 26 JanThe Met, BuryThe NightingaleImagine you could have anything youwanted... the best that money can buy.Unfortunately for the little King, he alreadyhas that, and he still feels something'smissing. That is, until he is enchanted bythe most beautiful sound in the world andfinds friendship in the most unexpectedplace. A sweet, funny and beautiful showfor families based on the story by HansChristian Anderson, brought to you by Horseand Bamboo Theatre Company. For ages 4+0161 761 2216 / www.themet.biz

Thurs 24 – Sun 27 JanThe LowryThe Moscow State Circus – BabushkinSekret

A mammoth cast of Russia's greatest andmost talented circus artistes combinecontemporary and classical circus topresent breath-taking acts.0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Thurs 21 FebTatton ParkBird Brained 10am – 12 noon, Age 8+, £9, Bookingessential. Calling all young ornithologists!Build a bird box to put up in your garden.Help our feathered friends by making somenatural bird-feeders to take home and bringyour binoculars to explore the birdlife. 01625 374428 /www.tattonpark.org.uk

Fri 22 FebTouchstones, RochdaleConstruct a Sculpture 10.30am – 12 noon, Age 5 – 12, Bookingessential. Children must be accompanied.Inspired by Matthew Houlding’s sculptureson display in the Art Gallery, make yourown colourful sculpture to take away.01706 924492 /www.link4life.org/touchstones

Sat 23 & Sun 24 FebEast Lancashire RailwaySteam Weekend and TransportCollectors and Modellers Fair

An all steam passenger service starringstunningly restored locomotives from theELR home fleet alongside guest locomotives.Pick up a Day Rover ticket to get unlimitedtravel all day and free entrance into theTransport Collectors and Modellers Fair atBury Transport Museum. Browse stalls ofmemorabilia, books and models. 0161 764 7790 /www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk

Tues 26 FebPeople’s History Museum, ManchesterBeeing Special11am – 12pm, £1 per child, adults free,Suitable for under 5s, Booking advised.Meet Little Bee, the bee who wants to bedifferent. Join in the busy bee dance,search for flowers in the museum andfollow Little Bee’s adventure to find outhow he becomes the hero of VictorianManchester. Fun interactive story sessionwith puppets, song, dance and a craft activity.0161 838 9190 / www.phm.org.uk

Fri 1 MarThe LowryUnder 5s Tiny Tots Tales10 – 10.45am, 11.15 – 12pmAge 2½ – 4½, £3.50. A magical journeythrough books and stories to exploremythical worlds and meet someinteresting characters along the way.Explore imaginary worlds throughsound, movement, rhyme and song.0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

What’s onSat 26 & Sun 27 JanManchester ArenaThe X Factor Live0844 847 8000 / www.men-arena.com

Thurs 31 Jan & Fri 1 FebManchester ArenaStrictly Come Dancing – The Live Tour0844 847 8000 / www.men-arena.com

Fri 8 FebStockport PlazaDance ExtravaganzaThe very best in live stage entertainment….a perfect family show for all ages!0161 477 7779 /www.stockportplaza.co.uk

Tues 12 FebThe Met, BuryHow To Catch A StarOnce there was a boy and the boy loved starsvery much. Every night he watched starsfrom his bedroom window and wished hehad one of his own. One day, he decidedhe would try to catch a star... but first hehad to think of a plan... Blunderbus isproud to present this funny, gentleretelling of Oliver Jeffers' bewitching storybrought to life with a blend of music,puppetry and storytelling. For small peopleaged 3-7, and grown-up stargazers!0161 761 2216 / www.themet.biz

Wed 13 FebThe Met, BuryUnmythableSet sail with Jason and the Argonauts ashe takes you on his greatest mission: thequest to bring back the Golden Fleece. Alongthe way they narrate, sing and clown theirway through all the Greek myths you've everheard of, and some you never knew existed.0161 761 2216 / www.themet.biz

Thurs 14 FebThe Met, BuryThe Elephant BridesmaidA magical musical about weddings andwombats and the loveliest elephant theworld has ever known. For ages 4 – 104.As an extra treat, popular children's authorSteven Lee will be available to signcopies of his book How The Koala LearntTo Hug and Other Australian Fairytaleswhich will be on sale at a speciallyreduced rate after the show.0161 761 2216 / www.themet.biz

Sat 16 FebThe LowryGuinness World Records: OfficiallyAmazing Science Live!

For the first time ever, direct from its LondonHQ, Guinness World Records arrives onstage with its officially amazing, record-breaking, science mad, all new live show.Join our Official Guinness World RecordsAdjudicator and team of presenters in genuineaudience record attempts; unleash yourinner skills, understand the world we livein and see if you too can be a record breaker!0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Sun 17 FebThe LowryWhy The Lion Danced

All the excitement, colour and sounds ofthe Chinese New Year are brought to youin this inventive production featuring livemusic, song and dance by Yellow Earth,the award winning British East AsianTheatre Company. Suitable for ages 5+.0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Mon 18 – Sat 23 FebZ-arts, ManchesterLes Misérables – School EditionNational award-winning Musical Youth UKwill be bringing the world’s longestrunning musical to life with theirManchester hub’s spellbinding debut,featuring a cast of 60 of the Northwest’smost talented 11-19 year old performerswww.musicalyouthuk.org / www.z-arts.org

Tues 26 FebManchester Opera HouseYamato Drummers

Yamato are master performers. They takethe ancient art of taiko drumming andbring it bang up-to-date in an exhilaratingdisplay of expertise and athleticism thathas thrilled audiences worldwide.0844 871 7660 /www.manchestertheatres.com

Tue 5 March - Sat 9 MarchThe LowryHorrible Histories – Terrible Tudors &Vile VictoriansWe all want to meet people from history –the trouble is everyone is dead! Usingactors and ground-breaking 3D specialeffects, these two astounding shows areguaranteed to thrill as historical figuresand events come alive on stage and hoverat your fingertips.0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Sat 9 MarThe Met, BuryThere's a Monster in my Piano

What do you do when you hear a strangemunching noise inside a piano? Call thePiano Doctor of course! He might be ableto help with his bag full of ears and hiscollection of weird and wonderful tools. Butwhen he looks inside the musical notes arepacking their bags and running away. Whatare they scared of and who is hammeringat the keys? Garlic Theatre delightchildren and adults with this offbeat jazzytale. Puppet theatre for all ages over 4.0161 761 2216 / www.themet.biz


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Families Manchester Issue 37 Jan-Feb 2013