families cheshire issue 9 jan/feb 2011

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In this issue>Nurseries and early

learning>What is your mobile

phone doing to yourchild?

>Take time out for YOU

Edition 09 • January/February 2011 The local magazine for families with children 0-12 years

Covering: Poynton, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Knutsford, Prestbury, Macclesfield, Congleton, Holmes Chapel, Sandbach, Northwich, Crewe, Nantwich and surrounding areas

www.familiescheshire.co.uk

WelcomeHappy New Year! Our resolution this year is to find more time for ourselves – andnot feel guilty about it. It’s perfectly natural to put your children first and ensuretheir happiness and wellbeing, but it’s no good turning yourself into a quiveringwreck at the same time. Have a read of “Whatever makes you happy dear”on page 12 – and let yourself be the priority for a change.Choosing a nursery for your child can be a very emotional decision, and oftenit’s difficult to know where to start. This issue we tell you more about thetypes of nurseries available, how you can get help with the costs, and someadvice from other parents on what to look out for. Many of us are guilty of letting our children play with our mobile phones– with so many smartphones and their apps geared towards toddlers andkids, you can be forgiven for believing it’s a harmless, educational activity.It’s been a huge wake-up call for us to learn more about the damage we’reactually potentially doing to our children – see our article on page 16, andfind other related material online.

All in all, it’s another jam-packed issue full of great reads and advice. Enjoy!

2 Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

Locally speaking

In this issue02: Welcome03: Locally speaking04: News05: The baby page06: Childcare & early learning

11: Travel12: Parents’ place16: Health & safety19: Out & about

Next issue:March/April 2011.

Circulation: 17,500 copies of Families Cheshire areavailable through nurseries, schools, libraries, selectedshops and other points throughout Cheshire. If youwould like free copies for your organisation, please let us know.

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

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

Cover photograph by: teneight, Fence House, 84 Buxton Road, Macclesfield SK10 1JS. Tel: 01625 500488 www.teneightstudios.co.uk

Design: Through Creative, The Old School, Byron Street, Macclesfield SK11 7QA.Tel: 01625 500 939 www.throughcreative.com

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

Families Cheshire is part of the Families group, establishedin 1990 and headed by Families South West. Allfranchised magazines in the group are independentlyowned and operated under license.

We take every care preparing the magazine, but thepublishers and distributors can’t be held responsiblefor the claims of advertisers, the accuracy of thecontents nor for any consequences.

Stockport Grammar School washonoured to receive a visit from HRHPrince Edward The Earl of Wessextowards the end of last year. Prince Edward wanted to meet pupils

taking part in the Duke of EdinburghAward Scheme as the school celebratedits 20th Anniversary of the Award, and

the achievement of the 1000th Award.Children at different stages of the Awarddemonstrated their activities that includedroute planning, volunteering, music,photography, sport, animation, tacticalgames, fencing, dancing and climbing.To find out more about the Award scheme,go to www.dofe.org.

The start ofsomething newWith the fun festive season over,January can feel a little flat for thechildren, so what better time to starta new hobby? Being part of a group away from school

gives children the chance to make a wholenew set of friends as well as the chance toacquire new skills that can last them alifetime. Anna McBride, principal of StarlightTheatre School in Bramhall, suggests danceas a great fun hobby for children, boostingconfidence and fitness. Anna says: “Danceis a fantastic, feel good hobby that can beenjoyed by all ages. Passing exams comessecond to the children enjoying what theydo, however we find when they are havingfun they learn faster and the results show.”Starlight Theatre School teaches Ballet,

Tap and Modern Theatre. With examinationsavailable and the opportunity to star inshows (the next show is set for June 4th atStockport College) the pupils get a realsense of achievement, and they get toshow off their skills to friends and familyon stage!For more information on the school and

the classes they offer visitwww.starlightschool.co.uk or call Annaon 0161 747 4074.

Local Enjoy-a-Ball firmscoops Swift Award

Marlborough Car Boot Sale

Enjoy-a-Ball franchisees Sharon andGary Bassett ended 2010 on a highby celebrating a Swift Award – ascheme that recognises Britishbusinesses who deliver excellentcustomer service and are dedicatedto going the extra mile to make thelives of their customers easier.Based in Pontybodkin, Sharon and

Gary run Enjoy-a-Ball sports coachingclasses for children aged 2½ to 10years in Chester, Ellesmere Port,Wrexham and Mold. In addition to theSwift Award, they were also a doublewinner at the What’s On 4 Awards2010 (Most outstanding activityleaders and Best national activity forchildren aged 5-12).The team also offers children’s

parties focussing on Enjoy-a-Ball funand games with plenty of action andan energy-packed Summer Camp. Formore details on a free introductorysession at a local class, parties orSummer Camp, call Sharon or Gary on07932 182148 / 07796 190169 or e-mail [email protected].

A Royal visit

Jayne Keep Caryl Hall

Following a successful launch in2010, The Marlborough PrimarySchool in Tytherington, Macclesfield(SK10 2HJ) is holding its second CarBoot Sale on Sunday 13 Februaryfrom 11am to 1pm. Pitches cost just£5 and can be booked by calling

Debbie on 07702 171612. It’s a greatway to help you start the year with agood clear out and as the saying goes:“One man’s junk is another man’streasure.” You never know what you’llfind in someone else’s boot!

3www.familiescheshire.co.uk | Families Cheshire

Locally speakingInclusion in our locally speaking section is always FREEget in touch: [email protected]

Cooking up a storm Pupils from Hermitage Primary School in HolmesChapel ended off last year with a 5-week after schoolcookery club run by The Cheeky Chefs.Head Teacher Mrs Jarrold believes it’s important for all

children to learn how to cook. “The children get a greatsense of pride from making something the whole familycan enjoy. The Cheeky Chefs is a popular after schoolclub where children can learn new skills they will go onto use for their whole lives.”The 5 week club saw the children preparing and

baking their own Christmas cakes before decoratingthem with marzipan, icing and creating their own hand-made decorations. The Cheeky Chefs Cookery Club offers After School

Clubs, Day Time Classes and Holiday Cookery Classesfor children aged 4 to 15 years. They can be contactedon 01477 534485.

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...

Success in theSwimming Pool

Not only is Satellites of Macclesfieldone of the friendliest swimming clubsaround, it also boasts a string ofsuccesses against much larger citybased funded clubs. Such as reachingthe Arena Premier League ‘A’ Final thisDecember for the first time in ten years,winning the Deva League against

Cheshire based clubs in October, plusswimmers having success at both Nationaland Regional level last year - a hugeachievement for a club that is selffunded and run by volunteers.The new Head Coach, Lisa Atkinson,

originally from Cheshire and herself anex Winsford swimmer, has brought afresh approach and exciting new trainingregime to the club. 14 year old swimmerIssy said: “We train hard but we also havelots of fun, our coaches really motivate us.”The club offers both competitive

training and swimming lessons and hasbeen running since 1972. Have a look attheir website www.swimsatellite.co.ukor contact their Head Coach Lisa formore [email protected].

Call Anna on 0161 747 4074www.starlightschool.co.uk

RAD Ballet, I.S.T.D. Tap and Modern Theatre classes in Bramhall for children of all ages from 2½ years

Fantastic free monthly Train Club for children

Party with a difference

The Engine Shed is a new free, monthlyTrain Club aimed at children on theautistic spectrum who love trains.The club is the brainchild of local

Cheshire mum Liz Syed, whose 6-year-old son is autistic, and whosegreat interest is trains of any kind. Lizhopes that many other children andtheir families will enjoy it too, andbenefit from mutual support. The first

meeting will be held on Saturday 29January from 2-4pm at the ChorleyVillage Hall, Knutsford Road, WilmslowSK9 7SF. Everyone is welcome,including brothers and sisters of allages – for all, or part of the session. Thanks to the Cheshire Railway

Modellers, there will be large Hornbylayouts for the children to enjoy. Therewill also be train sets of all kinds, for all

ages and abilities, train books, craftactivities, puzzles and other hands-ontrain activities. Free refreshments arealso on offer – please email Liz([email protected]) or call her on01565 872010 to help her in planningand catering if you’re intending to attend.www.engineshedcheshire.com

If you’re looking for a unique venue for a specialoccasion, you’ve just got to try Glo Family’s boutiqueplaycentre in Cheadle. It’s a gorgeous venue for BabyShowers, complete with a Baby Gift List service andchoice of afternoon tea and cakes or champagneand canapés.It’s also perfect for party planning. Many parents find

their stress levels soar as birthdays approach, so GloFamily offer the perfect package to enable you to relaxamidst the chaos. The team are experts in catering forthe kids and their venue, a converted Victorian

church - is a beautiful and atmospheric space, arefreshing alternative to the usual play-centre. You can enjoy delicious home-made food for all ages

with not a turkey twizzler in sight. And while the kids rompon the pirate ship, parents can kick back and enjoy ahome-made cake.There’s a range of entertainers on offer: Princess and

pirate parties, Pyjama Drama, Build a Bear, Star Wars....whatever your requirements Glo Family can probablysource it.This is a really special place and well worth a visit if

you’d like a stress free occasion in a beautiful setting. Goto www.glofamily.com or call 0844 8007380 for more.

Cheeky Chef Isla Brown fromHermitage Primary School,Holmes Chapel


News

Watch those birds

Yes, it’s that time of year again. It’s theBig Garden Birdwatch, and the RSPB areonce again inviting us to get involved. This year the survey takes place over

the weekend of 29 and 30 January 2011,when hundreds of thousands of peoplecan be found with pen and paper in hand,checking out the birds visiting theirgardens. Why not take the time to recordall of the birds that visit your garden thatweekend and join in the world’sbiggest wildlife survey, while having funwith your family without leaving thecomfort of your own home. You couldeven help smash the RSPB’s record ofhalf a million participants - after all, themore results they receive, the clearerthe picture they’ll get of what’s happeningto our garden birds in the UK. Find outmore at www.rspb.org.uk.For more information about exciting

RSPB activities for young people locallyplease contact Tina Hanak on 07870804413 or check out the website atwww.macclesfieldrspb.org.uk.

Soothe their skinA new campaign has been launchedacross the country by the NationalEczema Society to help the 1 in 5children in the UK who suffer fromeczema.Soak and Smooth is aimed at the

39% of mums who admit that they dotheir best to control their child’s eczemabut wish they could do better. Thecampaign deals primarily with emollientsand how to use them, and is supportedby a step by step video tutorial to teachparents how to use emollient treatmentseffectively. The video, plus details aboutthe campaign and more information ondealing with excema can be viewed atwww.eczema.org/emollients___how_to_apply_them

Handy AppAnnabel Karmel, the leadingexpert in feeding babies andtoddlers, has launched her firstiPhone App aimed at parentswith babies from six months through totoddlers. In addition to offering nutritiousand easy recipe ideas and tips, videoswill illustrate a ‘how to’ guide for cookingtechniques as well as guidance on baby’sfirst foods, with voice activated pageturning and an interactive meal planner.“This App will be bringing my recipes tolife,” says Annabel. “Not only will it offerparents 70 of my favourite new recipesbut also advice and guidance on simplecooking techniques to help make theirlives easier and provide good, nutritiousfood for babies and toddlers.” No needfor bulky recipe books any more - getthe App from the App Store for £4.99.

Gruff-tacular Chatterbox Challengecelebrates its 10th Anniversary Year

I CAN, the national children’scommunication charity, has recentlylaunched its 10th Annual ChatterboxChallenge and is calling on all children,families, nursery staff and early yearsworkers to register and get involved.The Chatterbox Challenge, sponsored

by Openreach, a BT Group Business,is a fun activity to put in your diary asit supports I CAN’s work with childrenwho struggle to communicate.Chatterbox Challenge is a mass

participation activity with singing, rhymingand craft activities for children aged 0-5 to develop their communication skillswhilst raising money for I CAN’s workwith children who have speech, languageand communication needs. One in 10children have a communication difficulty,understanding words and communicatingtheir feelings. This year, the ChatterboxChallenge is a key event in the Hellocampaign during the 2011 National Yearof Communication. To celebrate the 10th anniversary, this

year’s Chatterbox Challenge includes aGuinness World Record™ attempt at11am on 1st March 2011 for the

largest game of Head, Shoulders, Kneesand Toes held in multiple venues acrossthe UK. This year’s Chatterbox Challenge is

being supported by cast of The Gruffalostage show, who said, “Children learnbest when they are entertained and theChatterbox Challenge is a great way toengage children in learning whilst havingfun. As actors, we all rely on our abilityto communicate with an audience andwe are thrilled to be supporting acampaign that raises awareness andfunds for a charity like I CAN who helpchildren who struggle to communicate.”Playgroups, primary schools and

nurseries can request a free ChatterboxChallenge activity pack from the websitewww.chatterboxchallenge.co.uk.The pack activities have been developedby I CAN speech and language experts.Around 10,000 children activelyparticipate in the event every year andin the 10th anniversary year, ChatterboxChallenge promises to be bigger andlouder than ever. Thanks to the generosityof Openreach, all the funds raised gostraight to I CAN.

5

The baby page

www.familiescheshire.co.uk | Families Cheshire

Is your baby living in a toxic environment?

Many of us try to be as green as wecan when it comes to our babies. Wedress them in organic cotton babygrows,buy natural sheepskins and some of useven use real nappies. But how greenreally are we? Recently there has beena spate of publicity about the potentiallyharmful toxins in baby toys, nurseryfurniture and cot mattresses, so howpossible is it to reduce these toxins andtruly ‘green’ your baby’s nursery?Raising an eco-friendly baby is not only

safer for baby but also reduces the impacton the environment. Most of us alreadyrecycle, we try to reduce our carbon impactand are aware of wasteful packaging. Webuy fair trade baby products whereveravailable and we choose organic, locallygrown vegetables to reduce our baby’sexposure to toxins like mercury, lead,pesticides and arsenic. And, wheneverpossible, we do our part to reduce airpollution and leave the car at home. Butis this enough? “I already buy organicclothing,” says Alison. “I breast feed mybaby and I use real nappies. What more can I do?” The answer is, a lot more.The eco nurseryNewborns can spend as much as 80% ofthe first part of their lives in their nursery,so it is important to make it as green andnontoxic as possible. In short, to create aneco nursery. The Nesting Project is a recenttesting campaign that invited parents whohad just decorated their babies’ rooms toput samplers in the nursery before sendingthem off for analysis. The results weresurprising, even frightening: the lab pickedup a number of pollutants includingformaldehyde and other VOCs (substancesemitted from everyday products and materials,including household chemicals, solvents,varnishes and paints) arising from newly laidflooring or carpet, soft furnishings, clothing,bedding, textiles and toys. It went on toexplain the harmful effects of VOCs, symptomsof which can include eye, nose, throat andskin irritation and allergic reactions, nausea,

headaches, dizziness and respiratory problems.Knowing the exact extent to which the air

in your newborn’s nursery is polluted maybe more information than you want, or need,to know. But there is no need to panic. Thereare many ways to detox a nursery, particularlyif you’re still at the renovation stage, andwhile some methods require more effortand cash, others are cheap and easy.Floor: As a general rule a hard floor is best,although bamboo and cork are also eco-friendly options. If you do want carpet,choose one made with natural fibers suchas organic wool or cotton and check thatit has not been treated with unnecessarychemicals or glues. Add natural wool rugsfor softness and warmth.Walls:Choose low- or no-VOC paint and naturalpigments made from ingredients such as milkcasein, clay, bee’s wax, and natural mineraldyes. Try www.earthbornpaints.co.ukfor a wide range of colours. If you preferwallpaper you can buy recycled or woodchip paper which is ‘breathable’ anddoesn’t have a negative impact on airquality. Use products made from recycledand reclaimed materials to decoratenursery walls. Lead paint is an age oldproblem, and some older houses may stillhave lead paint on the walls or windowsills. If you are concerned about this getthe professionals in, as stripping leadpaint can release toxins.Curtains: Use natural materials such aswool, cotton, linen or silk. Wash and air thecurtains before hanging them up as evennatural fibres are treated with substancesto make them moth resistant.Electrical: Remove Wi-Fi, cordless phones,mobiles and wireless baby monitors fromthe baby’s room or better from the housealtogether. Children are more susceptible toelectromagnetic waves which can be veryharmful to development, even leading tolong-term illnesses and damage to theimmune system.Open the window and let the fresh air in.Also, reduce unwanted chemicals andpathogens the free and easy way by bringingplants into your nursery. Particularly effectiveplants that remove toxic chemicals fromthe air are areca palm, lady palm, rubberplant, dragon plant, English ivy, peace lily,gerbera daisy, snake plant, spider plant andweeping fig.If you’re pregnant let someone elserenovate! It doesn’t matter how green theproducts you are using are, it is still safer tokeep away from them until the paint has dried.Don’t forget to think green about what you

put inside your nursery, too. Families readerAmy said “I was careful about what I put onmy nursery walls, but I never stopped to

By Joanna Parry

hormone-disruptors that have been linkedto liver and kidney damage. Choose toysmade of natural, non-toxic materials suchas FSC wood, hemp and cotton, and checkthe manufacturer has used non-toxic dyesand natural oil finishes.

Helpful websiteswww.nrdc.org - for information on howto protect your home, health and the planetwww.simplesteps.orgwww.theecologist.orgwww.projectnesting.org/startwww.naturalnurseryblog.co.uk/www.ehow.co.uk/video_2050064_design-functional-baby-nursery.html -for how to design a functional green nurserywww.ecohouseagent.com/green-nurserySuppliersFlooring – www.healthyflooring.orgWalls – www.earthbornpaints.co.uk,www.MyLittleEco.co.uk/4-paintFurniture –www.thegreenfamilia.co.uk,www.kiddisave.co.ukMattresses – www.abacaorganic.co.uk,www.greenbaby.comBathing products – www.greenbaby.comEco-nursery products –www.hellobabydirect.co.uk

think about the furniture.” It’s true, most ofus don’t. We assume anything and everythingwe buy for our nursery will naturally be safe.Even cots can be green. Someconventionally-made cribs in manufacturedwood products like hardwood plywoodpaneling, particleboard and mid-densityfiberboard are sources of VOCs and harmfulflame retardants. Solid wood treated withnon-toxic varnish, oil or wax is best. Avoidchipboard wood (made using formaldehyde)or furniture with a plastic coating as theymay contain harmful softeners. A goodexample of an eco-crib is the adaptableStokke Sleepi baby crib that easilyconverts into a toddler bed. Availablefrom www.kiddisave.co.uk from £514.49.Mattress: Choose a mattress made fromnatural materials from suppliers such aswww.abacaorganic.co.uk orwww.greenbaby.com.Many conventionalmattresses use PVC as the mattress coverand foam treated with potentially toxic flameretardants as filling material. A better optionis a mattress made from natural coir(coconut husk), hemp, organic cotton,natural rubber latex or organic wool,which is naturally fire resistant.Cot linen: It’s not just baby’s clothing thatcan be organic. Cot sheets, sleeping bags,blankets and towels are now available in100% organic cotton. Don’t forget to wash all new linens before use.Toys: Baby toys made fromPVC plastic may containphthalates, the suspected

Childcare & early learning


Apart from you of course, do nurseriesoffer the best childcare? That dependson what would suit your child – andfinding a good nursery. If your childwould thrive on the constant stimulationof other children and adults they trust,using a wide range of toys and outdoorfacilities then the answer is probably yes.Other advantages include year-roundcare and the experience of qualified staff,which can be particularly reassuringfor first-time parents.However, if your child is timid, doesn’t

like competing for attention, preferspeace and quiet or isn’t ready for sucha structured day, then don’t miss ournext issue which will focus on nannies,childminders and other childcareoptions. For now, let’s look at nurseries.When and where to startNurseries with the best reputations

tend to be hot property, and baby unitsare more scarce than places for 2-5year-olds, so start looking well aheadof the time you’ll need a place, and joina waiting list if necessary. Some mothers

start while they are still pregnant; otherswait until their child is a babe in arms andthey have a better idea of what they need.The Families Information Service can

supply a list of registered childcarers inyour area. For Cheshire East, call 0800 408 2013or visit www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/fis.For Cheshire West and Chester, call0800 0852 863 or visitwww.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/familyinformationservice.

Your child’s needsOnce you’ve drawn up a shortlist of

the nurseries you are considering, go andlook around and ask lots of questionsto see if they would suit your child.Although all nurseries follow Ofstedgovernment guidelines, there is roomfor interpretation in the way the childcareand learning are delivered. For example,private nurseries might serve organic,freshly cooked meals or includeadditional activities such as dancing,French and outings.Consider issues such as your child’s

daily routine (nap times, type of foodprovided etc), staff qualifications andexperience, staff to child ratios and whatthe staff turnover is like. Check that youare happy with the range of toys andequipment available, cleanliness of thepremises, security, the policy ondiscipline and late collections. Ask to see

the latest Ofsted report or read it online.Find out if there are any extra charges fornappies, meals, certain activities and thecost of the deposit to go on the waitinglist. Factor in the time it will take you totravel to and from the nursery, probablyduring rush hour. After all this, themost important thing is to absorb theatmosphere and look at whether thechildren are relaxed and happy, andmembers of staff are responsive and caring.

Nurseries in a nutshellDaycare nurseries• A useful option for working parents,day nurseries are typically open from8am to early evening and childrencan stay for all or part of the day

• Some parents feel uneasy aboutleaving their baby in sole care, nomatter how well-qualified that personis. It’s reassuring to know that nurserystaff can safely take breaks, and thatyou are covered if a member ofstaff is off sick

• Consistency - your child can stay inthe same environment from the dayyou go back to work until they startschool

• Social environment - children whoattend nursery find it easier to settleinto school routines when they joinreception classes.

The cons:• Some parents feel uncomfortable

because playtime, naps and meals areat more or less set times. Also you’llneed backup care when your childis unwell or if you’re late to collect.

Nursery classes in schools• A first step into school, although aschool nursery place does notautomatically guarantee a place inreception

• Convenient if you are alreadydropping siblings at the school

• Stimulation - some children areready for school earlier than othersand readily take to structured,educational play

• Age-specific activities are geared tothe school children they are becomingrather than the babies they used to be.

The cons:• Sessions tend to be just three hourswhich is not practical for manyfamilies. Fulltime places are few andfar between.

Pre-schools and playgroups• The Preschool Learning Alliance isone of the largest providers of qualitychildcare in England, offering a widechoice of settings from pre-schoolsand baby and toddler groups to fulldaycare places in nurseries andchildren’s centres

• PLA settings are managed byexperienced and qualified managerswho lead teams of nursery workersand support staff, training them to

Choosing a Nursery By Robina Cowan

Childcare comes in arange of shapes andsizes, including willingrelatives, nurseries,childminders, nanniesand au pairs.

7



Naturally learning through the power of water

Staff and children at a local day nurseryare seeing the benefits of learningthrough play whilst in the water.

kidsunlimited day nursery, which issituated inside the Handforth based TotalFitness Leisure club, participate in aweekly swimming class with a qualifiedinstructor. They are keen to show offtheir achievements by using the soothingmedium of water, to enhance theirlearning. The half an hour class involvestoys, games and songs, which helpsstimulate their learning and confidencein the water. Each class is taught in agentle manner with skills being pacedat each child’s ability.“We have seen the benefits of the

children swimming on a regular basis;parents have noticed improved sleeping

and eating patterns after a swimmingclass.” Deputy Manager AngelaBrandwood-Green comments, “Water isa forgiving healer, children can becomeextremely relaxed and peaceful during alesson. All the children work towardsachieving recognised swimming awardstoo, which they can continue at school.”

kidsunlimited offer a wide range ofactivities for the children in their carethrough their ku:active programme.Swimming is unique to this setting and isonly available due to the close workingpartnership with Total Fitness. Theclasses help develop a healthy sense ofself, confidence in the water and set theprincipals for a future healthy lifestyle.To find out more, call 0845 365 2900

or visit www.kidsunlimited.co.uk.

Growing and winning awards

Award winning childcare chain KidsAllowed has had a lot to celebrate inrecent months. Not only is it due toopen its fourth centre in Spring 2011,it has just won a string of awards.The Macclesfield centre is being built

to the same specification as the othercentres ensuring lots of natural light,separate outdoor play areas off agespecific rooms and a sensory and musicroom. The centre will also offer a conciergeservice to support time-poor parents,including laundry and dry-cleaningcollection and collecting post, andimportantly, providing flexible care in asafe and happy environment for children.Two of the three centres have been

awarded an outstanding status by Ofsted.

Kids Allowed also took home theprestigious Nursery World nursery chainof the year award and more recently theNursery Management Today Nationaltraining and development award, atestament to the commitment of trainingand retaining staff.Kids Allowed Chief Executive Officer

Jennie Johnson said, “Our ethos at KidsAllowed is ‘making children happy’ andwe do this by ensuring we train and retainthe best staff and by giving parents areal choice when it comes to child care.When developing the Kids Allowed ideaI had to take into account what could bedone for working parents to ensurethey would feel really happy aboutleaving their children with us.”

meet children’s individual needs• Parents are encouraged to be activemembers, so you can be moreinvolved in your child’s care

• Small scale settings are lessdaunting for shy children

The cons:• Tend to be community operationsso don’t expect glamorous premises.You may need additional care if youwork fulltime although wrap-aroundhours are available in some settings.

Private nursery schools• Stimulation - by two and a half mostchildren benefit from some kind ofpre-school environment. They learnwithout knowing it while using letters,shapes and numbers, looking at booksand expressing themselves throughmaking things, drawing and singing

• Peer group - the opportunity tomake friends of the same age

• Might be more flexible on theavailability of hours or days you needto fit in with your work schedule

• Often smaller scale with a personaltouch, and the nursery head is usuallyinvolved in the running of the school.

The cons:• Some offer wrap-around care butare generally open only for schoolhours so you will need someone topick up and collect if you are at work.

Help with the costsNursery fees vary greatly, dependingon location, demand and what isoffered, but can be from around £100to over £200 a week.1. Local authorities receive governmentfunding so they can offer 15 hoursa week of early years education toall three and four year-olds from theterm after their third birthday. If youchoose a nursery which costs morethan the funding or need morehours, you top up the difference.

2. Child tax credits and working taxcredits are available to help withchildcare costs. From April 2011,the ‘child’ element of the child taxcredit will be increased for familiesearning up to £16,190 a year withan above-inflation increase. At thesame time though, families earningover £41,400 will no longer beeligible for the full tax credit.

3. Some employers offer childcarevouchers which staff can opt toreceive instead of part of theirsalary. Parents can save up to£1000 a year by reducing theirincome tax and national insurancecontributions.

What parents say about nurseries• Hands-on owners: ‘I would alwaysgo for an owner-run nursery. Thesepeople are not ‘in it for the money’.They are doing the job because theygenuinely like and understandchildren. It’s a vocational thing.’Mary, mother of three under six.

• Looks aren’t everything: ‘Whenyou’re looking around, don’t be fooledby appearances. Some of the shabbiestestablishments are far superior tosome upmarket nurseries in terms ofquality of care. The best childcarewe’ve ever found was in state-runnurseries and playgroups.’ Eliza, motherof four children aged three to eleven.

• Socialisation: ‘Although I’m not atwork, from the age of two I felt itwas important for my son to startlearning to get on with a range ofother children and adults, to helphim when he started school.’ Matt, father of Ollie, three.

• Experienced staff: ‘Look at theages of the staff. Youngsters freshout of college may have moreenergy and I’m sure they know allthe latest thinking on childcare but inmy opinion that’s no substitute forexperience. I would always go for anursery with mature staff, everytime. They have more patience andyou know they have to be doing thisbecause they want to, they reallylove the children.’ Clara, mother ofthree under seven.

• Explore all options: ‘Go and see asmany different nurseries as youcan. Don’t get tied up in the Ofstedand what other people think. Youknow your child better than anyone.’Ramona, mother of Klaus, five.

More information• Read more local childcare articleson our websitewww.familiescheshire.co.uk

• For local nurseries and links to theirOfsted reports, go towww.findmyschool.co.uk

• The National Day NurseriesAssociation provides a lot of usefulinformation including a free checklistto take on your visit, and contactdetails for NDNA member nurseries,www.ndna.org.uk/parents, 0148440 70 40

• The Preschool Alliance website has useful sections for parents and practitioners, including links to find local PLA childcare,www.pre-school.org.uk.



The Foundations of an Excellent Education

An integral part of Stockport GrammarJunior School, SGS Nursery provideschildren from the age of three with ahigh quality of care and education,whilst enjoying the benefits of stronglinks with the rest of the School.Children play and learn in a happy andstimulating environment that encouragespositive self esteem and confidence. Play is highly valued and central to

children’s care and education. Through

carefully guided play activities thechildren are encouraged to explore,experience, discover, practise skills anddevelop ideas.The well resourced Nursery is in a

self-contained building on the JuniorSchool campus with its own designatedoutdoor play area. Nursery children alsohave use of a wide range of schoolfacilities including the playing fields,swimming pool and Junior Schoollibrary, all aiding a smooth transition intoSGS Infants.We want each child to achieve

success in all areas of life; academicstandards throughout the school arehigh, but without undue pressure. Eachchild is encouraged to grow up withconfidence and enthusiasm and tosucceed without fear of failure. Juniorschool pupils enjoy an extensive rangeof extra-curricular activities, with music,drama and sport featuring strongly.Parents and children are warmly

welcomed for regular school day visitsthroughout the year. To arrange a visit orrequest a prospectus call 0161 419 2405,or for more information visit the website,www.stockportgrammar.co.uk.

Terra Nova – more than just a schoolSet in beautiful surroundings, the recentlyrefurbished Nursery and Pre-Prep atTerra Nova School provides childcare ofthe highest quality. The nursery childrendiscover and learn within our range ofclassrooms,as well as creative and musicrooms. Whilst outside they can enjoymany inspirational physical opportunitiesin our various outdoor play spaces,woodland areas and sandpits.We work in partnership with our parents

to encourage and celebrate every child.They are wonderful, unique individuals andit is our privilege to provide a stimulatingenvironment, exciting curriculum andnurturing atmosphere. Above all, the childrenin our care are happy and secure here.Encouraged to thrive and develop at

their own pace, the children experience avibrant and varied exposure to the six areasof learning within the Early Years FoundationStage. And our specialist French and Musicteachers provide exciting sessions eachweek, alongside access to a range ofopportunities in ICT.The Nursery and Reception children

and staff enjoy many activities togetherso when it comes to that all-importanttransition to ‘big school’, the prospect is

no longer quite so daunting. Our Pre-Prep provides outstanding

facilities, fantastic teachers and a broadrange of subjects, enabling children tocontinue their exciting educational journey.We provide a stimulating environment inwhich your younger children are encouragedto have fun whilst learning.The children receive specialist teaching

in Music, Games and French and can alsojoin our after school activities. There aremany to choose from varying fromProfessional Football Coaching to GardeningClubs, and Dance to Circus Skills.Our curriculum is carefully planned to

allow all of the children in the Pre-Prepfull access not only to the Early YearsFoundation Stage and Key Stage One, butalso to a variety of invaluable educationalexperiences both in and outside of school.As with our Nursery, the surroundings

in Cheshire in which our Pre-Prep childrenlearn offer exciting opportunities for themto use their imaginations and first handexperiences whilst developing responsibilityand independence.To see the wonderful opportunities on

offer for your child today, contact theRegistrar on 01477 571261.



You don’t just choose your child’s school.You choose their future.

The Ryleys in Alderley Edge wasestablished over 130 years ago, andhas developed a reputation as one ofthe best independent preparatoryschools in Cheshire, with places atthe School being much sought after.With nine out of ten new registrationscoming as a result of recommendations,what better endorsement of a school’scredentials could you wish for?Starting at age 3, the extremely popular

Nursery gently prepares its pupils forthe start of their educational journey,and provides the boys and girls with theadvantage of familiarity with the schoolwhen they come to take the next step

on to formal education.As the children move through the

school, the small class sizes and subjectspecialist teaching ensures that eachand every child receives the individualattention, motivation and encouragementnecessary to fulfil their potential.The Ryleys provides so much more

than just an academic education; it providesunrivalled opportunities to discover andnurture talents outside of the classroom,including music, sport, art and drama.By the time they leave The Ryleys, pupilsare equipped with the skills, characterand confidence to see them achievetheir future goals.Initially a boys-only school, The Ryleys

has now adopted a co-educationalapproach, providing a fully roundededucation and preparing both girls andboys for life and work in the 21st Century.The Ryleys prepares its pupils for both dayand boarding schools, with all leavers in2010 progressing to schools of their choice.To arrange a visit to see for yourself

what opportunities await your child, call01625 583241.

Little Griffins - where small is great

The Little Griffins nursery wasestablished in 1992 as an extensionto Beech Hall School and offers careand education to children from theage of 6 months. At 5 years of age achild attending the nursery has theopportunity of continuing their educationthrough the school and, as a priority,they will be offered a place in theschool’s Reception class. The nursery is a single storied building

set in a quiet part of the school grounds.It benefits from a private, fenced gardenin which there is a large soft play areacovered by a sunshade sail. For oldernursery children there is a separateinfant soft play area with more challengingclimbing frames and slide. Theseexcellent outdoor facilities allow childrento play safely at all times of the year,and importantly encourage a child’sphysical development. Our nursery children are looked after

by highly qualified, long standing andexperienced staff in a safe and stimulatingenvironment. Children are split, accordingto age, into 5 separated areas and onentry to the nursery each child is allocateda ‘key person’. The ‘key person’ will actas the primary carer for your child, and

will be responsible for mostcommunications with you. In this waywe endeavour to offer continuity of careand develop a strong partnership withparents in achieving what is best foryour child.As children move through the nursery,

staff will record your child’s developmentthrough a personalised ‘learning journey’.As activities become more challengingwith age older children have theopportunity of Music and French lessonswith specialist teachers from the school’sinfant department.As we approach our 20th anniversary

we are proud of the nursery that wehave become - a nursery that hasdeveloped practices and procedureswhich mark it out as an excellentchildcare setting.You will find our nursery a truly

welcoming place – come and see foryourself.Little Griffins nursery is open 50 weeks

of the year between the hours of 7.30amand 6.00pm. Full and part time places areavailable, and a flexible billing systemthat allows for term time only attendance,amongst other benefits, gives parents morechoice in meeting their childcare needs.



The King’s School in Macclesfieldbegins to mould the inquiring youngmind as soon as boys and girls comeinto the Infants. Experienced, dedicated teachers are fully

versed in contemporary educationalphilosophy. They plan role-play, debateand practical experiments into lessonsto encourage creativity, imaginationand ensure each child’s full engagement.The results speak for themselves. At KeyStage 2 in English the pupils enjoy an82% pass rate at Level 5 against the

national average of 47%; in Science, 77%against a national average of 47% andin Mathematics 67% as opposed to35% nationally.King’s is unique in that, following

co-education in the early years, it offerssingle sex schooling from 11 to 16, whenit matters most, bringing the students backtogether once again for a co-educationalSixth Form before higher education.This superb system not only delivershuge educational benefits but alsooffers small school communities

providing the outstanding pastoral carefor which King’s is renowned.The school offers an eclectic range of

opportunities for all pupils from orchestrasto fencing, debating to surfing, a rugbytour to New Zealand to an equestrian club.The school boasts an internationalreputation for cultural, sporting andadventurous endeavour giving pupilsfantastic opportunities to discover anddevelop their talents.To find out more about what we can

offer you, go to www.kingsmac.co.uk.

“Everything the school has provided for our children has been nothing short of outstanding”

Boost your future earnings

A new report claims that having agood nursery teacher can increaseyour earning capacity in later yearsby as much as £10,000. Researchers have found that pupils

with an excellent nursery educationwent on to earn more than their peersfrom similar backgrounds whose early-years teaching was less effective. TheHarvard-based researchers examinedthe long-term effect of a standout early-years teacher working with pupils aged3-5, looking at factors including theimpact these teachers had on the

eventual earnings of their former pupils.The research found that adults whoreceived better early-years educationwere likely to have significantly highersalaries than their poorly educatedpeers. In fact, 5-year-olds who madethe typical improvements to beexpected following a good early-yearseducation would earn an additional£600-700 a year by their late 20s, anamount that could be expected toincrease proportionately throughouttheir working lives. The study alsoshowed that pupils who learnt more atthis early stage were more likely to goon to university than their peers, andless likely to become single parents.Chris Davis, of the National PrimaryHeadteachers’ Association, added, “The influence of early years on achild’s long-term education is crucial.The better the experience of the childpre-five, the better value you will getfrom them post- five.”

Toucan Learn – encourage your childto learn and grow

Toucan Learn is a fantastic onlineresource aimed at parents, carersand childminders who look afterchildren up to the age of five. The website has hundreds of

activities for children that all link in tothe Early Years Foundation Stage soyou know your child is learningvaluable skills through their play. Tomake choosing an activity easy yousimply enter your child’s details andthe site offers suggestions tailored totheir age.

Heidi Robinson, a childminder fromBollington, says “I have frequentlyused Toucan Learn as inspiration forwhat to do with children in my care. Itis an easy to use site with some greatideas. The website allows me to recordwhat activities each child have donewhich is a great tool when you havemore than one child in your care. Plus Ican even complete a Daily Diary onlineto then share with the parents so theycan see what their child has done withme that day.” For more informationvisit www.toucanlearn.com.

Travel


We all need a holiday, but how are wegoing to manage it in the harsh neweconomics of the year into which we’reheaded? Joanna Moorhead sharessome ideas on how to do make it work– whatever your budget (and even ifyou’ve no budget whatsoever!)It’s that time of the year when our thoughts

invariably turn, as we shiver in grey, coldBritain, to warmer climes and sun-kissedbeaches. The kind of places we hope to endup in a few months’ time, when it’s summeronce again, and we’re getting away from itall for those magical two weeks we call ourannual holiday.Of course holidays with kids are always

tricky... and one of the trickiest aspects ofall is always financing them. This yearmore than usual, finding the money to payfor a holiday is, for thousands of families,going to be harder than ever. But chins up– we’re not giving up! There are still waysto do it...and for those who do have somemoney to spend, the bargains are likely tobe hotter than ever.Holiday for free!Yes, you really can go on holiday withoutspending any money at all. Even if you justmanage not to pay for your accommodation,you’ll still be making a huge saving. Hereare a few ways of achieving a relativelycost-free break.Houseswap: The world falls into two campson houseswapping. There are those whoswear by it, who’ve stayed in the best villasaround the world because of it; and thereare those who can’t think of anything worsethan having to leave their house pristine foranother family when they go away, and whofear being palmed off with some tenementhovel while its owners live it up in theirluxury pad. The truth about houseswappingis that it IS hard work... you might not bepaying for your accommodation, but you

need to go to a lot of trouble beforehandto make sure you a) have the perfect swapand b) that your own house is properlyorganised for the incoming family. Toptips from seasoned swappers are to find afamily that’s as much like you as possible,and to ask lots of questions and look atlots of photos of the place you’re goingto. Also, don’t rule out swaps with friendsor relatives – these can be easier to organise,and you can top and tail them with sometogether-time with your mates as you overlapat one or both homes.Wildcamping: it ain’t for everyone, butthose who love ‘real’ camping say theyreally, really adore it. What it means iscamping in the remote wilds – not oncampsites (where you have to pay), but inthe absolute back of beyond, where there’sno infrastructure at all. The downside, ofcourse, is that it’s usually illegal (unlessyou have the landowner’s permission) butif you’re headed to Scotland you’re in lucksince the right to camp on hill land is nowenshrined in public-access law. For moreinformation, see www.outdooraccess-scotland.com.Work for your keep!Working holidays,in fact, aren’t usually free – but they arevery, very cheap. The National Trust, forexample, has holidays from £90 a weekincluding food and hostel-typeaccommodation. No previous experienceis necessary, as you’ll be led by trainedvolunteer leaders and staff. The trust saysit’s a great opportunity for families,especially those with older children, tospend time together as a family... you’ll beinvolved in ‘team activities’ and you’ll behelping to improve the environment.Children must be at least eight years old.For more information, seewww.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-trust/w-volunteering/w-workingholidays.

Holiday for lessIn general, you get what you pay for withholiday spending. But it is possible to makeyour money go further – you just have towork out a strategy, and stick to it.Bargain-hunt: There are bargains aroundon the holiday front this year... and as usual,the trick is either to book well ahead, or towait until the very last minute (and if yourincome is looking dodgy at the moment,the late-booking option could be the best).Uncertainty is tricky when you’ve got kids,but try to keep them happy by promisingthat you will go somewhere, you’re just notentirely sure exactly where...but work out afew basics, so you can tell them it willdefinitely involve a beach, a flight (if it’sabroad) and the chance to play with otherkids (if you’re going somewhere wherethere’ll be other families).Holiday with another family:This can makeyour outlay a lot cheaper, because the costswill be divided in two. If you’re holidaying withanother family, the cheapest thing to do iseither to stay in the UK or to go to France orsomewhere else by ferry, since that’s thecheapest way to travel. Look for bargains likeLa Blanchere in the Vendee region of France– it’s a four-bed farmhouse set in a two-acre garden with a games barn and an above-ground swimming pool. It’s available forjust £700 a week in high season – so fortwo families sharing, that’s quite a bargain.For more information, seewww.recommendedfamilyholidays.com/top25places.htmlHoliday for moreIf you’re going to spend a bit of money thisyear, you’re in luck because there will beplenty of choice – and you should be ableto get somewhere that gives you excellentvalue for money, given that many familieswill be looking for a cheaper option.Shop around: so, you definitely need to

shop around. Tell travel companies aboutdeals you’ve been offered by competitors– and see whether they’re prepared to throwmore into your deal, or to cut the cost. Makeclear from the start that you’re looking fora holiday that’s pricy but also offers greatvalue. For example, Aztec Villas has wonderfulvillas in Cyprus that give you everythingyou’re ever going to need on a family holiday.The resort of Penera has everything on yourdoorstep – cafes, restaurants, beach, waterpark – so although they’re not a cheap option,you won’t necessarily need to hire a car. Plus,the company makes sure the villas are stockedwith all the clobber families with young kidsneed but don’t want to have to lug around...pushchairs, DVDs, toys, balls, inflatables,Wii games. Prices around £1,100 (notincluding flights) for a villa sleeping eightin August. For more information, seewww.aztecvillas.co.ukGo somewhere unfashionable: Forexample, Mexico, with it’s problems, isn’tlooking like the hottest holiday destination– but I was there last summer with myfamily for a fortnight, and those problemsare light years away from your all-inclusive hotel on the Yucatan peninsula.We stayed at Club Med in Cancun, whichwas superlative – it’s got the best positionon the Cancun holiday strip, it’s well awayfrom the business of the town, the food isdelicious and even our older childrenenjoyed the teen hang-out called, oddly,Carwash. Plus watersports, children’s clubsand childcare, pretty views, a great beach.For us, Mexico was a family holiday of alifetime and it wasn’t a let-down – andgiven that the Yucatan is packed with all-inclusive hotels, and that it’s not had a greatpress of late, it should be a great place toget a lot more for your (considerable)outlay in summer 2011. For moreinformation, see www.clubmed.co.uk

Holiday 2011: how to do it for free, for less and (if you’reone of the lucky few who have some cash...) for more!

The NipperGrip is a must for any family going skiingwith young children. Developed by Sussex husbandand wife, James and Katherine, over years of teachingtheir three children to ski, the NipperGrip is a ski

harness for children up to 8 years old. It’s unique inthat it has a handle on the front and the back so youcan pick your child up whichever way they fall. TheNipperGrip makes getting on and off chairlifts easy -no more panics or having to stop the lift while youuntangle your child on the floor. The NipperGrip alsocomes with detachable reins so you can control yourchild’s direction and speed as they ski along in frontof you. But its use isn’t limited to skiing, it’s also goodfor cycle training, roller or ice skating. Order online atwww.nippergrip.com.

Take the effort out of teaching your kids to ski


Parents’ place

We all need something to takeourselves out of ourselves. Somethingthat is about more than just being amum, wife, partner, employee orboss. Getting together with a groupof friends is always cathartic butwith just dinner or drinks there are,as Margaret puts it “always one ortwo people who dominate.” But, asshe says “if there is an activitywhere you can all participate, it is adifferent sort of evening.”To book club or not to book clubWhen book groups first became

popular, I could not have been moreinterested. An avid reader of just aboutanything since I was a child, I had letthings slip after my children were born.Reading breaks had become sleepbreaks or rubbish television breaks orno breaks at all as I tried to catch upon all I needed to do in a day.So when I got the chance to join a

book group I jumped at it. Unfortunately,I joined at exactly wrong time. Afterlooking at To Kill A Mockingbird and aharrowing account of the Holocaust, Ioffered to host the next session. J MCoetzee’s Disgrace was proposed. Itwas another gut-wrenching tale andmaybe I shouldn’t have been surprisedwhen I received phone call after phonecall on the day from mums sendingtheir regrets. In the end it was just meand one other. I like to think that thegroup came to its natural end.However, I never had the nerve to joinanother. Happily most book club mumshave been spared my experience.“The best things about my book club

are that I have a really good time withpeople whose company I enjoy andalso I read more novels than I otherwise

would. I sometimes think we should bea little bit more serious aboutdiscussing the book and I think anyonewho was serious about literary criticismwould find it very frustrating! It is avery cosy book group, with lots of food,wine and chocolate involved!” (Clare)Cultural jaunts If you are at all worried about the

chatter overwhelming the debate takethe example of a group of mums whohave decided to take the idea of a bookgroup one step further. Once a monththey plan a cultural jaunt into town. Itcan be to a gallery, a museum, thetheatre or the cinema. Being right upclose and personal to the topic spursthe debate and distracts the groupaway from, well, distractions. And food,wine and chocolate can still play a part!Finding the calm insideHappiness with a group of friends

can also come in a quieter, more spiritualform. About a year ago, neighboursSue and Ann were chatting about howimpossible it was to take any time outwithout feeling guilty. They thought thatif they could just discipline themselvesto get together and sit in a room quietlyit could help. According to Sue: “Wewanted to keep it simple. The one thingwe could do was to stop our mindsrunning with a million things a minute.“The group gathers around a real fire ina garden or a candle in someone’sfront room. Sometimes they exchangethoughts, sometimes one of the grouptakes the rest through meditation,guided visualisation or breathingexercises. Sometimes they just sitthere and “enjoy the silence.”Sitting still: nothing more but it is

very energising, and it fills us with the

simple joy of being away from the hustleof our daily lives.It is not about religion but it is definitely

spiritual, connecting with spirituality;we all come from different religiousbackgrounds (or none for some).”They are more conscious of “key

times” in the year, of the Equinoxesand summer and winter Solstice. “It isalways special: no TV, no gimmicks,connecting with each other and beingoutdoors; the simple things in life arealways the best!”Often the group will concentrate on

sending out good intentions, thinkingabout others, focusing, for example,on people in war torn countries. Andsometimes one of them has had atough time in her own life. As Ann putsit: “Because we are all mums, we canprovide support and understanding.”From the sublime to the ridiculousnessthat is the karaoke group!But if quieter pursuits are not your

thing and you are more of an exhibitionist,do what I do. And here, I have to blameone friend who, a few years ago,thought it would be fun to get a grouparound the newly purchased SingStarmics for a bit of karaoke. For some ofthe mums it was a fate worse thanwell, childbirth, but the rest of usembraced it enthusiastically.What started off as a disorganised

bit of fun has become slightly moreorganised – core group of eight, get-togethers every six weeks or so andoutings to various karaoke clubs. Singingtalent is not a prerequisite. We don’t takeourselves at all seriously (althoughBritain’s Got Talent beckons.)We have all become closer and

karaoke has seen us through highs and

lows. After I broke my leg, it was myfirst outing. A lift was provided, as wereshoulders to lean on, both figurativelyand literally as I hopped up and downthe steps. Then I sang my heart outdespite an aching leg and swollen feet.Another mum found solace in it after

“a very sad bereavement.” The singingand companionship made her feel“less heavy-hearted.”And it is such fun! When Melanie

had her 40th birthday party, we all, withvery little persuasion, fell in with heridea of putting on a performance at it.Melanie got in Helen Hampton ofPopchoir to coach us and help us withsome (very simple) choreography. (Helenhas worked with Michael Jackson, Queenand Bjork among others and now with us!)I just thought ‘I always wanted to be in

a band and this is the closest I can getto it. And my friends are all going to beappreciative no matter how bad we are.’Well, they were appreciative, very

much so. Even our (blissfully unaware)husbands did not make quick exits as weassembled at the microphones. Theyeven complimented us afterwards.It was one of the maddest and most

joyful things I have ever done. And thatis the whole point. As different as allthese groups are, what connects isthat they are all about being happy andenergised. They are about somethingother than family or working life,(although if you need the support, itwill be there). Ultimately you go homefeeling that, as Margaret explains,“instead of being a mum you aresomeone in your own right with yourown hobbies and interests.”

Whatever makes you happy dear By Kate Birch

Getting started:

- www.bookgroup.info Use this informative web site to track down abook group in your area.

- www.mymumsbookclub.co.uk encourages school mums to formtheir own book club then register on the site and spread the word.

- www.bemindful.co.uk Mindfulness combines meditation, breathingtechniques and paying attention to the present moment. Check out TheMental Health Foundation’s new online course with support from Bupa.

- www.thevocalacademy.com Private singing lessons or monthly adult(16+) group singalongs in Northwich.

- www.orchard-studios.co.uk Let your hair down, get singing andrecord an album – book a party night at Orchard Studios, Congleton

- www.rockchoir.com Pop, gospel and Motown choirs for all ages andabilities in Altrincham/Sale, Chester, Knutsford, NantwichWilmslow/Handforth.

13

Parents’ place


Hanny Bell lives in Adlington with herhusband Steve, and their 3 boys –Austin (11), Bradley (10) and Dexter (6).

Favourite shop: TK Maxx. Big labels atsmall prices!!!Favourite park: Lyme ParkFavourite children’s club/class:Richmond Rovers JFC Favourite day out: Go-Ape!!Favourite child friendly restaurant:Gusto, Alderley Edge . They have a goodkids menu if you go early teatime; myyoungest loves to ‘make your own pizza’.Also, the staff are really friendly.Proudest eco friendly moment:Creating my own small holding where Igrow my own fruit and veg, and havechickens, pigs, sheep and a cow.Best planet saving tip: Rethink bottledwater - nearly 90% of plastic water bottlesaren’t recycled, and they take thousands

Parent2parent of years to decompose. Buy a reusablecontainer and fill it with tap water. It’s a greatchoice for the environment and your wallet.No parent should be without: A sense ofhumour (and a gin and tonic!!)Parenting pet hates: Having to makeunpopular decisions.Most embarrassing moment: Having abikini malfunction after attempting the giantwaterslide on our last family holiday in Egypt.Favourite family holiday spot:Camping in the Lake District (when the sunis shining!) Otherwise, a nice beach in Spain. Best children’s book:My boys have lovedthe Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz.Best children’s DVD: Bedtime StoriesMost played with toys: At the moment it’sPaper! My kids can spend hours, cutting,gluing, drawing, colouring and stapling.Biggest waste of money:My gymmembership. Wish I had time to go!!Most successful recipe/food: Ourhome reared ‘Bell’s Bangers’.Why you like living where you do:I love the space for my animals, and thefantastic views of the countryside.Anything else to share: Just wishingeveryone health, happiness andprosperity for 2011.If you’d like to be our next Parent2parentinterview, just let us know - email yourdetails to [email protected].

Tell us a bit about yourself. I am 39years old (big one next year!!), married toMark and we have an adorable 3 year son,Luke. We also have a 7 year old dog calledFizz and we live in Nantwich. I was a TravelAgent Manager for 14 years, and then Imoved to Sales. To relax I dance with anamateur dance group and put on a show forcharity every year – we do ballet, tap andmodern. I also present my own show calledToddler Talk on an internet communityradio station, www.redshiftradio.co.ukWhat is your business? HullabalooKids, which is Baby Signing classes,Toddler Dance classes, Facepainting andparty entertainment, in South Cheshire.How did you get started? After havingLuke I made the decision to start my ownbusiness and bought Hullabaloo Kids.This started as a franchise but I am now asole trader. I developed Tippy Toes

Mums in businessToddler Dance for walking babies and thenbranched out into party entertainment andin particular Professional Facepainting.What does the future hold for thebusiness? I would like to employ staff inthe future and have people running myclasses, as I’m finding it hard to splitmyself in two these days! I’m also lookingforward to working in more nurseries andpre-schools in the area.What is the best bit about what youdo? Having influence and control overother people’s children. Whenfacepainting, seeing their delight whenthey see themselves in the mirror.Any bad bits? Having no control overmy own child!!!How do you fit work around familylife? I give myself days off to spend withLuke and try not to answer my phone orcheck emails. I work most eveningsmarketing and catching up on paperwork. What advice would you give to othermums looking to work forthemselves? Go for it and give it a tryespecially if you have a supportivehusband like I do.

To find out more about Hullabaloo Kids,go to www.hullabalookids.net.

Sharon Burrows, Hullabaloo Kids

Advertise in Families Cheshire

Call Jayne on: 01625 801801 or email [email protected]


Parents’ place

Want to change your eating habits, feelmore energised and more importantlydo you want to look good naked?Then sign up to Weightloss Bootcamp

- a weekly session running for 6 weeksat Glo Family in Cheadle - and startingon Wednesday 12 January at 7.45pm.It’s run by Ernesto De La Cruz, a CubanPersonal Trainer and professionaldancer whose nutritional expertise andfitness know-how are second to none.In the hourly class you’ll learn how

increase your metabolism, reshapeyour body and change your eatinghabits for good. You’ll be weighed and

measured on weeks 1, 4 and 6. You willalso be exercising under the guidanceof Ernesto who will be able to showyou the most effective types of exerciseto do and how much you should bedoing each week. Motivational emailsand texts during the 6 weeks will helpyou on your way.When you sign up for Weightloss

Bootcamp, you’ll receive a shoppinglist and food diary to help prepare youfor your course.At just £48 for the whole 6 week

course, you have nothing to lose butbody fat! Glo Family members receivea 10% discount on the course. [email protected] or call 0844 8007380 to book. www.glofamily.com

New Year, New You

As the trees and tinsel come down foranother year, thousands of Britonswill face a different kind of new-yearhangover: post-Christmas debt.Estimates suggest that we will have

spent an extra £1.6 billion this pastChristmas, up 1.9% on the previousyear, despite spending cuts and joblosses. In 2009, the averagehousehold spent £665 on presents,food and drink, decorations and travel

during the festive period. Many families pay for the expense of

Christmas using their credit and debitcards and, before they know it, they canrun up debts that last long after the lastmince pie has been eaten. In fact, onethird of personal insolvencies that occurredin March were triggered by overspendingduring the festive season.Katharine Hill, Director of Policy,

Research and Development at Care forthe Family says: “Christmas is a magicaltime for families but buying a tree, toysfor the children and all the trimmings isexpensive. Many parents find themselvesgiving into temptation and putting it onplastic, which can leave them strugglingin January when the credit card bills startlanding on the doormat. If the debtlingers from year to year then they mayfind themselves in real trouble.”If your family has overspent this

Christmas and you need to make cut-backs, consider taking up Care for theFamily’s Cash for the Month challenge.The initiative encourages controlledspending by foregoing credit and debitcards and only using cash throughoutthe month.

“It’s estimated we spend a third morewhen we use credit and debit cards,”continues Katharine. “Using plastic ispsychologically different to paying bycash. With cash we receive tangibleevidence that money is no longeravailable to us. With Cash for a Month we’ve kept

things simple: standing orders anddirect debits stay the same, but cashis used for everyday shopping. Mostfamilies who have already taken partin the challenge have said that theyfound they had spent less and weregoing to be far more careful about howoften they used cards to pay for thingsin future. For some people, it was thefirst time they really noticed how muchthey were spending every week.”To take part in Cash for a Month

sign up by completing the form atwww.careforthefamily.org.uk/cashforamonth.If you’re concerned about debt, Care

for the Family has the following advice:Know the Worst:Work out your income,then your expenditure, on a weekly ormonthly basis to help you see whereyou can cut back.

Check which benefits you may beentitled to: For example, basic ChildBenefit, Tax Credits and Income Support,free milk and vitamins, and help withNHS costs. Visit www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/benefits.htm for furtherinformation on benefits.Make a budget and stick to it: Makinga budget is simpler than many peoplethink. If you need some help to get youstarted, visit www.careforthefamily.org.uk/debtbuster/budgetsheet.asp.Avoid impulse purchases: Always askyourself three questions when makingpurchases: Do I need it? Can I affordit? And, if you are buying anything oncredit, what is the total amount I will berepaying?Finally, don’t ever pay anyone fordebt advice: There are manyorganisations that specialise in debtcounselling and debt management andtheir services are free. For further articles and resources

on money and taking control of yourfinances visitwww.careforthefamily.org.uk/supportnet.

Give post-Christmas debt the elbow with cash for a month

Ernesto De La Cruz


Parents’ place

After successfully operating achildren’s party franchise for the lastthree years, Verity Graham andJackie Johnstone have taken the nextstep and bought the whole company!They are now the proud directors of

Jabberjacks Franchising Limited. Seeingthe opportunities for growth in their ownfranchise, the two entrepreneurs decidedto take over the company and give otherbudding self starters the chance totake a piece of the cake. The company,established for over 10 years, offers funfilled children’s parties and classes,designed to take all the stress away forparents. Now they are looking for otherlike minded people to become Jabberjacksfranchisees and take the company tothe next stage.Verity said “For women looking for a

new challenge, with freedom to designyour own work/life balance, low start

up costs, minimal risk and an excellenttraining package, Jabberjacks is ideal.”According to the British Franchise

Association (BFA), the number of womenin franchising is growing and set to rise.In the late 1990s, just 20 per cent offranchise owners in the UK were women.In 2010 that figure stands at 27 percent,with 34 percent of all new franchiseowners being women.There are many women looking to

return to work after maternity leave orhaving taken time-off to raise children.Juggling work commitments withfamily at home can be difficult and the

opportunity to work from home within theconstraints of their current job is oftenmore limited, so franchising representsan excellent opportunity for women tostart a business, and the children’sfranchises sector is amongst the mostpopular sectors.Verity and Jackie recognise that starting

your own business can be daunting andhave devised a very supportive trainingpackage that guides new franchiseesthrough with hand holding, as well as thepractical aspects of accounting and aninitial marketing strategy. Franchiseescan be up and running (and earning)

within 3 months.Jackie added “The key attributes for

women wishing to become Jabberjacksfranchisees are:- energy, enthusiasm,quick thinking and patience. Clearly youneed to enjoy working with children.”By becoming a Jabberjacks franchisee

you are buying into the opportunity tocreate long lasting memories for a child.What more job satisfaction could youask for?For more information please visit

www.jabberjacks.co.uk or call 01509413873.

Female entrepreneurs seeking female entrepreneurs

Many children are starting schoolhaving never been read a story, arecent survey revealed. More than half of all primary teachers

in the UK have taught children startingschool with no experience of being toldstories at home, and the stories pupils doknow often come from watching Disneycartoons. “Too many children are left towatch TV instead of being read a bedtimestory,” says Pie Corbett, an educationaladvisor to the government. “This isn’tjust an economic thing, it’s across thewhole of society. You get a lot of childrencoming from very privileged backgroundswho’ve spent a lot of time in front of theTV and not enough time snuggled up witha good book. The TV does the imaginingfor you – and it doesn’t care whetheryou’re listening or not.” Research showsthat children who are read to on a regularbasis are most likely to do well at school– being read to boosts language anddevelops creativity and imagination. “The

best writers in the class are always thosewho are avid readers,” says Corbett.“Reading really matters.” So turn theTV off and pull out those books.

Hugless DouglasBy David MellingPublished by Hodder Children’s BooksRRP £5.99 HardbackISBN 978-0-340-95063-0

This bookintroduces us toDouglas who isdue to appear in anumber offorthcoming

Hodder titles and will no doubt becomea hit as he is such a lovable character.Douglas is a big brown, huggable bear,who wakes up one morning in need ofa hug. He sets out to find one and triesto hug just about everything in sightbut some of these hugs just don’tseem right: too big; too small; too

heavy; or even too busy. Finally he isled to a cave where he finds his motherand she gives him the most perfectand warmest hug that he couldpossibly imagine – exactly the sort ofhug that he had been after all day long.This heart-warming story of Douglas’squest for the perfect hug makes aperfect tale to share with little ones.Make sure you give them a big hug atthe end...Reviewed by Emilie Amos

Aunt Severe and the DragonsBy Nick Garlick. Illustrated by Nick MalandPublished by Andersen Press LtdRRP £4.99 PaperbackISBN 184939055X

When Daniel’s explorerparents vanish, he isforced to live with hisstrict and rather strangeAunt Severe. Aunt Severetakes his toys away, feeds

him cold spinach sandwiches andmakes him collect rubbish. Hisproblems only get more complicatedwhen he finds four lost dragons hidingin her garden. Daniel wants to help thetalking dragons but before he can doanything three of them are captured bymean Gotcha Grabber for his zoo. Thisleaves Daniel with the fourth dragon(the not so-seemingly clever one) torescue them.This is a great little chapter book toshare with younger children. Thestoryline, which is highly imaginary,flows well with simple cliffhangers atthe end of each short chapter. It is aneasy and compulsive read with a fewsupporting pen and ink illustrations. Thestory touches on how perseverancewins the day and that everyone iscapable of something good.Reviewed by Louise Turner

Read them a treat today

16

Health & safety

Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

Have you heard that mobile phonescarry health risks, and that childrenare at an even greater risk than adults?Dr Devra Davis, environmental and

public health specialist, researchscientist and grandmother, could notbelieve this, but what she found outalarmed her so much that she wrote abook, Disconnect: The Truth About CellPhone radiation, What the Industry HasDone to Hide It, and How to ProtectYour family, 2010. She writes that,“Contrary to the firmly held beliefs ofmany respected authorities, invisibleradio frequency radiation can alter livingcells and create the same types of damagethat we know increase the risk of cancerand neurological disease. Neither thedanger nor the safety of cell phones is yetcertain. How we manage that uncertaintycould avert a global public healthcatastrophe... children are growing upin a sea of radio frequency radiationthat did not exist even five years ago.”My own concerns about cell phone

radiation and other forms of digitalpulsed microwave radiation had beenaroused a few years ago when I beganseeing an increasing number of childrenshowing symptoms after exposure tomobile phones, mast radiation orwireless radiation. These includedhyperactive behaviour which revertedto normal when the children were awayfrom the irradiated environment, skinrashes and eczemas that did not improvewith treatment, night terrors and moodswings, lowered immunity in previously

healthy children, and sudden nose-bleeds.A major concern about mobile phones

has always been that radiation canpenetrate deep into a child’s skull becauseit is so much thinner and smaller thanan adult’s. Standards for phones are setfor a large, thick-skulled, man, althoughhalf of the world’s four billion cell phonesare used by people under twenty. TheSAR (Specific Absorption Rate) printedon the box relates simply to the phone’scapacity to heat tissue, as manufacturersand standard setters initially refused tobelieve that there could be any otherdetrimental effect from radio frequencyradiation. This is strange as our bodiesrun on electrical currents, which are easilydisrupted by pulsed frequencies, ashas been demonstrated in a study byDr Magda Havas and colleagues, showingheart arrhythmias triggered by DECT(cordless) phones. (tinyurl.com/yfd2dfw).In the digital age this poses new health

risks depending on a person’s susceptibility,the density and intensity of the radiation, andthe length of time they are exposed to it.Children are certainly more susceptiblebecause they are still growing, and theirneural circuitry will not be fully formeduntil they reach their early twenties. Untilthen, they need protection from anythingthat could interfere with their brain’sdevelopment.In France, this research has led to the

decision to ban children in primary schoolfrom using mobile phones, anddiscouraging mobile phone advertisingaimed at children. They are also removing

wireless communication systems frompublic places such as libraries, andhospitals, after workers complained offeeling ill at work.The Bioinitiative Report in 2007 was the

work of a group of eminent, internationalscientists, who examined existing researchinto the health effects of electromagneticradiation, and especially its impact onthe immune system, behaviour, childhoodcancers, breast cancer, and braintumours. This epic work concludedthat the safety standards for exposureneed to be revised downwards.Dr Ronald Herberman, director of the

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institutewas being cautious when in 2008 hedrafted a memo to staff, warning of thedangers of mobile phones, and urgingthem to limit their use because of the riskof cancer. Top of his list of precautionsis that children should use mobiles onlyfor emergencies, in recognition of the factthat their growing brain tissue is likely tobe more sensitive to the electromagneticradiation from mobile phones.Alasdair Philips from Powerwatch, an

independent group that investigates thesafety of mobile phones, revealed thatsafety advice was generally to be foundonly in the small print. Manuals for theBlackberry (The Torch), for example, warnusers to “use hands-free operation ifavailable and keep the device at least25mm from your body (including theabdomen of pregnant women and thelower abdomen of teenagers)” when itis switched on.Dr Davis’s advice is, never carry a

live mobile phone next to your body, andalways use a headset. You can see hervideo for teenagers on her website,www.environmentalhealthtrust.org,or check out the guidance from a groupof concerned parents, who havelooked closely at the science,www.wiredchild.org, which includes:• Keeping calls short or sending texts

• Replacing wireless equipment withnon-wireless

• Changing to a low-radiation oranalogue baby monitor

• Turning all wireless equipment off atnight, in the car, and when nearpregnant women, or children.

Patty Hemingway (RMANM) is a familyhomeopath, with a special interest inelectromagnetic radiation sicknesswww.pattyhemingway.com

Useful Websiteswww.environmentalhealthtrust.org -how to use phones safelywww.wiredchild.org - news andscience for children and their parents.www.bioinitiative.org – for BioinitiativeReportwww.powerwatch.org.uk - the latestresearch, clearly explainedwww.es-uk.info – support to peoplewith symptoms of electrosensitivityBooksRadiation Rescue: 4 steps tosafeguard your family from the otherinconvenient truth – the health hazards ofwireless technology. Kerry Crofton, 2009Disconnect: The Truth about CellPhone Radiation, What the Industry HasDone to Hide it, and How to ProtectYour Family. Dr Devra Davis, 2010

Other related material is published online.www.familiescheshire.co.uk

The Risks to Children’s Health from Mobile PhonesBy Patty Hemmingway

17

Health & safety


‘Safe’, the newsocial networkingsafety programmefor primary schools,is launched thiswinter byDigitalME.

Backed by Childnet International,‘Safe’ is designed to support primaryschool pupils in learning the essentialskills to enjoy social networking, whilstremaining safe online. With childrensharing content online and joining socialnetworks at an increasingly youngerage, there is a greater need to ensureprimary aged pupils are equipped withthe knowledge to understand potentialrisks and the skills to manage their digital

footprint. DigitalME recognises thatwhilst the Internet is an infinitelypowerful tool, it also presents risks.Lucinda Fell, Childnet InternationalPolicy and Communications Manager,says, “‘Safe’ embraces the positiveopportunities afforded by the Internet,encouraging young people when sharingon the web to ask Who? What? Where?These are important messages forprimary pupils to consider.” Theprogramme is free to schools andoptional, paid for training, certificates,badges and other resources supportthe programme further. To find outmore visit www.digitalme.co.uk/safe

Protect your kids

Do the Two Finger Test when usingthick coats or snowsuits this winterA recent poll of 1000 mums has

shown that 76.3% of British parents puttheir children into car seats while wearinga thick coat or snowsuit. Worryinglymore than half (55.9%) are unawarethat this can affect the harness tension,potentially placing their child in danger.The survey conducted by baby

company Morrck with parents of childrenaged four and under, highlights a littleknown safety hazard – that bulky winterclothes can result in car seat harnessstraps being too loose to be effective.“Parents may be very surprised at

the amount of slack a coat or snow suitcan cause. For a car seat harness towork properly, the straps need to betightly strapped against the child’s chest.When a child wears a snowsuit or thickcoat, the straps are usually adjusted tothe thickness of the coat, not the chest.If the car was in an accident, the coatcould compress, making the straps tooloose and reducing the level of protectionfor the child,” explains Isobel Thompson,mum of three and founder of Morrck,creator of the Baby Hoodie.To test whether you have correct

harness tension when using a coat orsnowsuit, Morrck advises you do thetwo finger test:1. Put the coat on the child.2. Strap the child into the car seat andtighten to ensure a snug fit.

3. Remove the child from the car seat– without loosening the straps.

4. Take the coat off the child.5. Strap the child back into the seat –but don’t adjust the straps.

5. Do the Two finger test. If you can fitmore than two fingers underneaththe harness at the child’s shoulderbone, the harness tension needs tobe tightened or avoid using the coatin the car seat.

Morrck’s Baby Hoodie helps keepbabies both warm and safe as it fitsinto a carseat, with slots for theharness straps to pass through. Thebaby is strapped in as normal with thestraps tight against their chest. Thehoodie is wrapped around the baby,keeping him snug and warm, but iseasy to fold open once the car heatsup. As it has no fastenings, clips, zipsor Velcro, it also offers easy access tothe harness release button.Morrck’s Baby Hoodie has been

tested by an independent testingfacility and is certified as havingpassed the relevant elements of theECE Reg R44.04 car seat safety test.Costing from £32.95, they areavailable from www.morrck.com.

Car Seat Safety - Do the two finger test Finally! BPAs banished from baby bottlesThe European Commission has justannounced a ban on the use ofbisphenol-A (BPA) plastics in babybottles, which will come into effectduring 2011.The controversial chemical is still

currently used in some baby bottlessold in the UK, although many brandshave stopped using it, and there isevidence to suggest it can interferewith healthy growth and bodyfunctions, mimicking the effect of thehormone oestrogen in the body, towhich babies are particularlyvulnerable. “We have been calling fora UK ban on selling baby bottlescontaining bisphenol-A plastics forseveral years,” says Belinda Phipps of

the NCT, “and are thrilled their importand sale will soon be outlawed acrossthe EU. When you put hot liquids into abottle containing BPA, particularly asthe bottle gets older and morescratched, the chemical can leach outof the plastic and be absorbed into thebaby’s body. However, now there areviable alternatives and so there is noreason to continue using this chemicalwhen there is concern about potentialrisks to young babies.” She adds, “wewould now like to see BPA plasticsbanned in other products, as thechemical is also used in the linings ofsome formula tins and baby foodcontainers.” Watch this space…www.nct.org.uk.

Be safe, go nut freeIf you have a child with a nut allergyyou’ll know how frustrating it can betrying to find a nut free cake. Butsearch no more! The Just Love Food Company was

set up in 2010 by food manufacturerMike Woods, whose own children havesevere nut allergies. They guaranteethat their products are 100% nut freeand their range is expanding every day.Their nut free birthday cakes are

available in Sainsbury’s and otherproducts are available online. Find outmore at www.justlovefoodcompany.com.

De-stress this New YearIf you’re feeling the effects fromeating too much at Christmas and allthe stress of the season, here are afew tips to help lift you up while youwait for Spring. Cuddle up: The British HeartFoundation has already researched thelinks between cuddling and ouremotional states. Did you know, whenwe get a cuddle, we release Oxytocin,which is the hormone which gives usthat warm fuzzy feeling – so hug yournearest and everyone can be a winner! Positive thinking: Regularly visualiseor write down what you want toachieve, believe that you can do it –and great things will happen. It maysound a little bit airy fairy – but it’strue. Slowly it will creep into yoursubconscious and all will be revealed! Smile: Give yourself a free face lift! Ittakes more than double the amount ofmuscles to frown, so let your face resta bit and you’ll appear younger for longer!Massage: Stay warm with a quickmassage – get the whole family involvedor give yourself a quick pummel by

making a fist with your hands andmassaging your whole body as quicklyas you can. It’s a great way to wakeyourself up, and also helps you get ridof any tension so you can start the daywith a clear mind. Relax and Beat Illness: Relaxing canhelp strengthen your immune system.By actively taking time out to chill, yournervous system learns how to settleitself in all levels of situations fromdifferent weathers to stressful times.This results in it directing the immunesystem to attack viruses developedwith less energy than required bysomeone who does not take the timeto relax and in turn, makes anyillnesses less extreme. We can all become healthier and

happier by consciously making a fewchanges here and there. And beforeyou know it, those resolutions thatseemed so difficult will be a breeze!For more exercises or information, visitwww.relaxkids.com and see how theycan help you.

Health & safety


Choose Well is a national campaign,supported by local doctors, nurses andother healthcare professionals, to ensurethat people choose the right place forhealthcare advice or treatment.The campaign aims to: • Promote self-care for minor illnessesand injuries, such as coughs, coldsand flu, stomach upsets, minor cutsand bruises, backache and minorsports injuries;

• Give people up-to-date informationabout the NHS services available in

their local area, if they do need advicefrom an NHS professional; and

• Reinforce the message that A&E and999 services are for life-threateningand serious conditions such asheart-attacks, strokes, breathingproblems and serious accidents.

Remember:• If you are a normally healthy adult,there are a number of services youcan go to if you need treatment oradvice if you have a minor illness,ailment or injury.

• Your local pharmacist provides aneasily accessible service on your

high-street, and can give confidential,expert, free advice without having to goto A&E or waiting for a GP appointment.Text ‘pharmacy’ to 64746 to receivethree FREE texts with the details ofyour nearest pharmacies.

• A&E and 999 services are for peoplewitha life-threatening or serious conditionthat need immediate attention.

• By choosing the right service, people canhelp to ensure that emergency andurgent care services such as A&E and999 are reserved for people with life-threatening conditions, such as heart-attacks, strokes and serious injuries.

• A&E is one of the most costly NHSservice and the average cost forsomeone who attends A&E andleaves without needing any furtheror follow-up treatment is £124.

Central and Eastern Cheshire PrimaryCare Trust support and run thiscampaign locally and we are asking youto pass the message on to colleagues,patients, family and friends.

For more information visitwww.cecpct.nhs.uk/choose-well.

Choose Well

Recently, the Royal Society for thePrevention of Accidents (RoSPA)announced that it would be expandingits national campaign by launchingnew web content and distributing60,000 safety packs free of charge toanyone who requests one.Both the society and CAPT (Child

Accident Prevention Trust) are workingclosely with the industry body, theBritish Blind and Shutter Association(BBSA) to alert people to the risk of

young children of getting caught up inand strangled by looped blind cords.For more information or to order your

free pack, go to www.rospa.com/about/currentcampaigns/blindcords.You’ll find comprehensive safety

advice on RoSPA and CAPT’s websites:www.capt.org.uk/safety-advice/keeping-your-child-safe-strangulation,but these are the essentials:• If you have blinds or curtains withlooped cords, reduce the risk by:

• Tying up the cords securely out ofchildren’s reach, using one of themany cleats or cord tidies that areavailable.

• Moving your child’s cot, bed,playpen or highchair away from thewindow blind.

• If you can, moving other furnitureaway from the window blind too, asyoung children love to climb.

• If you are choosing new blinds, lookfor blinds that do not have a cord or

that have a concealed cord,particularly if you’re fitting them in achild’s bedroom.

There’s a very good reason CAPT,RoSPA and BBSA are working so hardto raise awareness, and that’s becauseit’s vital the message gets through. Asrecently as 10 October 2010, LeahEdwards, a 17-month-old twin fromChelmsford died in her cot afterbecoming entangled in a blind cord.

RoSPA extends its blind cord campaign with 60,000 free safety packs

19

Out & about


Flamencista - Flamenco for kids aged 6 - 13 1pm – 2.30pm

Sun 23 JanAlderley Edge Festival HallKids Car Boot & Swap Shop10am – 12.30pm, Table costs £10Entrance 50p

Sat 29 JanGlo Family, CheadlePre and Post Natal Pilates10am – 11amFlamencista - Flamenco for kids aged 6 - 13 1pm – 2.30pmChorley Village Hall, Knutsford Road,WilmslowThe Engine Shed - Train club aimed atchildren on the autistic spectrum.2 – 4pm, Free, but please notifyattendance in advance to assist with catering

Sun 30 JanPoolside at The Moor, KnutsfordRSPB Big Garden Birdwatch - Theworld’s biggest bird survey.11am – 12 noon, Ages 6+

Daily throughout FebruaryGlo Family, CheadleCreative Play 11am & 2pm, Free

Sat 5 FebGlo Family, CheadlePre and Post Natal Pilates10am – 11amFlamencista - Flamenco for kids aged 6 - 13 1pm – 2.30pmRode Hall, Scholar GreenFarmers’ Market & Snowdrop Walk

Sun 6 FebThe Kingsway Lower School, CheadleKids Car Boot & Swap Shop10am – 12.30pm, Table costs £10Entrance 50pBrereton Heath, Davenport LaneWinter Welly WalkAges 6 – 11, Booking required (01625 504505)

Sat 12 FebGlo Family, CheadlePre and Post Natal Pilates10am – 11amFlamencista - Flamenco for kids aged 6 - 13 1pm – 2.30pm

Sun 13 FebThe Marlborough Primary School,TytheringtonCar Boot Sale11am – 1pm, Pitches cost £5 (Call Debbie: 07702 171612)The Salt Line (meeting point TBC)Bird Box Making10.30am – 3.30pm, £2 per box. Booking essential (01625 504505) –available from 13 Jan.

Wed 16 FebBridgend Centre, BollingtonBridgend Centre Walk10.30am, Adults £2, Children £1

Sat 19 FebGlo Family, CheadlePre and Post Natal Pilates10am – 11amFlamencista - Flamenco for kids aged 6 - 13 1pm – 2.30pm

Sat 19 – Sun 27 Feb (Closed Mon 21 Feb)Tatton ParkScarecrow FestivalNormal Park Entry Charges Apply

Sun 20Congleton ParkBuild a Bird a HomeBooking essential (01625 504505) –available from 23 Jan.

Sun 20 & Wed 23 FebChurnet Valley Railway, FroghallBarney Buffers & FriendsEntertainment at Froghall & CheddletonStations. Adults £10, Seniors £10,Children £5, Family £25 (2 adults, 2 children)

Thurs 24 & Fri 25 FebSilk Museum, MacclesfieldVicious Vikings - Artwork & jewelleryworkshop.10am – 12 noon, Ages 6 – 11£5 per session (payable in advance).Booking essential and commences 2weeks before event.

Sat 26 FebGlo Family, CheadlePre and Post Natal Pilates10am – 11amFlamencista - Flamenco for kids aged 6 - 13 1pm – 2.30pmChorley Village Hall, Knutsford Road,WilmslowThe Engine Shed - Train club aimed atchildren on the autistic spectrum.2 – 4pm, Free, but please notifyattendance in advance to assist with catering

Sun 27 FebAlderley Edge Festival HallKids Car Boot & Swap Shop10am – 12.30pm, Table costs £10Entrance 50p

ActivitiesDaily throughout JanGlo Family, CheadleCreative Play - Chinese New Yearthemed activities11am & 2pm, Free

Sat 8 JanGlo Family, CheadlePre and Post Natal Pilates 10am – 11am, Free taster sessionFlamencista - Flamenco for kids aged 6 - 13 1pm – 2.30pm

Mon 10 JanUnited Reformed Church Hall,WilmslowRosie Health’s Baby Rhyme and Sign8 week beginners course 1.30 – 2.30pm, For babies & toddlers 4 mths – 2 yrs£35 per family for 8 week course, or £5on the door

Tues 11 JanSt Gregory’s Primary School, BollingtonRosie Health’s Café Maman5 week course for mums with babiesup to 6 months. Baby massage, tastersessions of baby yoga, music andsigning, baby resuscitation, weaning.1.30 – 3pm, For babies 0 – 6 mths£38 for 5 weeks (includes refreshments &massage oil)

Fri 14 JanSt John’s Wood Community Centre,KnutsfordRosie Health’s Café Maman5 week course for mums with babiesup to 6 months. Baby massage, tastersessions of baby yoga, music andsigning, baby resuscitation, weaning. 10.30am – 12 noon, For babies 0 – 6 mths£38 for 5 weeks (includes refreshments &massage oil)

Sat 15 JanGlo Family, CheadlePre and Post Natal Pilates10am – 11amFlamencista - Flamenco for kids aged 6 - 13 1pm – 2.30pm

Wed 19 JanBridgend Centre, BollingtonBridgend Centre Walk10.30am, Adults £2, Children £1

Sat 22 JanGlo Family, CheadlePre and Post Natal Pilates10am – 11am

These listings are for guidance only - please check before you goto include your upcoming event in our listings, email [email protected]

Sun 27 FebThe Lowry (The Studio)Peter And The Wolf

20

Out & about

Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

Thurs 3 FebThe Lowry (The Lyric Theatre)A Midsummer Night’s Dream(Shakespeare 4kidz)

Fri 4 & Sat 5 FebThe Lowry (The Lyric Theatre)Flawless – Chase The Dream

Sun 6 FebBuxton Opera HouseAndy & Mike’s Big Box of Bananas

Tues 8 Feb – Sat 12 FebRegent Theatre, Stoke on TrentHorrible Histories – The AwfulEgyptians and The Ruthless Romans

Fri 11 & Sat 12 FebBuxton Opera HouseThe Wind in the Willows

Sat 12 FebStockport PlazaChris and Pui

Tues 15 Feb – Sat 5 MarRegent Theatre, Stoke on TrentThe Sound of Music

Tues 15 & Wed 16 FebPalace Theatre, ManchesterG*Mania – inspired by the TV Hit Glee

Fri 18 & Sat 19 FebPalace Theatre, ManchesterSleeping Beauty (Ballet)

Sat 26 & Sun 27 FebStockport PlazaChinese New Year Spectacular

TheatresSat 8 – Sat 15 JanDaneside Theatre, CongletonBabes in the Wood

Thurs 20 – Sat 29 JanKnutsford Little TheatreCinderella

Fri 21 JanStockport PlazaDance Extravaganza

Fri 21 & Sat 22 JanBuxton Opera HouseMy Fair Lady

Sat 15 & Sun 16 JanThe Lowry (Quays Theatre)U.Dance North West 2011

Wed 19 – Sat 22 JanThe Lowry (Lyric Theatre)Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Cinderella

Fri 28 – Sun 30 JanBuxton Opera HouseChinese State Circus

Sat 29 JanPalace Theatre, ManchesterTonight’s Gonna Be A Good Night

Sun 30 JanThe Lowry (The Studio)Who’s Been Sitting In My Chair?

Tues 1 Feb – Sat 5 FebRegent Theatre, Stoke on TrentMatthew Bourne’s Cinderella

Contact information:

Glo Family: 0844 800 7380 / www.glofamily.comRosie Health: 07961 614882 / www.rosiehealth.comCheshire East Ranger Service: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangersKids Car Boot & Swap Shop:07748 601248 / www.kidscarbootandswapshop.co.ukThe Engine Shed: Liz: 01565 872010 / www.engineshedcheshire.comRode Hall: 01270 873237 / www.rodehall.co.ukTatton Park: 01625 374 435 / www.tattonpark.org.ukChurnet Valley Railway: 01538 750755 / www.churnet-valley-railway.co.ukMacclesfield Silk Museum: 01625 612045 / www.macclesfield.silk.museum

Contact information:

Daneside Theatre, Congleton: 01260 278481 / www.danesidetheatre.co.ukKnutsford Little Theatre: 01565 873315 / www.knutsfordlittletheatre.comStockport Plaza: 0161 477 7779 / www.stockportplaza.co.ukBuxton Opera House: 0845 127 2190 / www.buxtonoperahouse.org.ukPalace Theatre: 0844 847 2277 / www.manchestertheatres.com/palacetheatreThe Lowry: 0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.comRegent Theatre: 0844 871 7627 / www.ambassadortickets.com/Regent-Theatre

families cheshire issue 9 jan/feb 2011

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