Guest post: Family Fun, ideas and events 28th and 29th June 2014

This weekends round up is brought you once again from the adventurous Nisbah at Fiveadventurers.com

This weekend it appears that our Indian Summer may be replaced with the typical UK summer weather of rain and clouds but here at FiveAdventurers we will not let this deter us from having a fab weekend!  There are loads of family orientated events on over the weekend throughout the north-west so I hope you have a lovely time whatever you decide to do!

Saturday

Lancashire Science Festival (Preston) Lancashire Science Festival is running from (26-28th June 2014). The event is held on the UCLAN, Preston Campus and Saturday is the day aimed at the general public.  The University have lots of activities running throughout the day and my picks are "Joe Blows Stuff up", I think the title is pretty self explanatory and the shows are held at 11,1 and 3pm, meeting Titan the 8ft robot, and the zoo bus, which is a bus turned into a sanctuary for loads of different creepy crawlies and critters.  What a fantastic free event to take the children too and the lovely people at UCLAN have also provided free parking for all visitors on all UCLAN car parks.  It looks like a fantastic day out which should be a fab experience for all the budding scientists out there.

Eureka The National Children's Museum (Halifax)

Visiting the museum is really high on my wish list but we haven't managed to make it yet.  We have realised that if you book on-line your tickets for the day are also annual passes so you can return as many times as you would like throughout the year for free.  I have heard fabulous things about the museum so an annual pass for the price of a single entry seems very worthwhile.  For the bargain hunters out there, here's a code for an extra 10% off code: 125.

However, this weekend the museum have opened the gardens (not the museum) to allow free entry so people can take part in the Halifax Family Festival.  There are a number of things that have been planned including silly street shows by Bell and Bullock and Maynard Flip Flap, pop-up story tent where you can create stories through live animation and a whole host of other activities.  Full details are here.

Eureka have also organised another event in the evening which is a drive in movie, a sing along version of the Lion King.  I have always wanted to go to these events, it is £25 per car, but for a maximum of 4 people, additional passengers or on foot viewers are charged at £6 per person.  If you are walking in, remember to bring your chairs and blankets.  Full details of the event are here.

Brockholes Nature Reserve (Junction 31 M6)

Brockholes is a fantastic day out, any time of the year. We went last weekend to do a mini best hunt.  At the moment, there are tiny baby frogs near the visitor centre which alone deserve a visit.  Our children were mesmerised by them, and they were very cool.  Throughout the Summer months, Brockholes have scheduled pond dipping sessions for all every Saturday.  The sessions are at 11am, 11:30am and 12pm.  The cost is £1 per person.  Having taken the kids to these sessions last year, they are definitely worth it, if for nothing else to let them have a go at a net and try and catch some creatures from the water.  The sessions last for approximately 20 minutes.  I would suggest you pack a picnic, and go for a walk around the fantastic reserve.  There are also three lovely playgrounds for the children to burn off some energy.  Car parking costs are £2 for the first two hours and then 35p for every additional 30 mins.  You should note that the Reserve have a car registration detection system so you will need to know your car registration number in order to pay the money at the machine.  Another thing to note is that the machines only accept coins or cards, no notes.

Parachuting Picnic Teddies (Wigan)

I always like to try out new parks and if this is coupled with an event then its even better.  Haigh Park in Wigan are asking children to bring along their favourite teddies and let the teddies have a go at parachuting.  After this there are a number of additional activities for the children to participate in including party games and a teddy trail.  Bring along a picnic and a blanket it should be a good day.  There is a cost of £2.50 for each child and booking is essential.

Lytham Club Day and Rose Queen Festival

This year marks the 120 years since the crowning of the first queen.  There will be a parade through the town and then the Rose Queens will the process down to Lytham Hall for the crowning and entertainment.  The committee behind the event have this year decided to change their focus as there will now be a number of activities which have all the family in mind, here is further information about the day.  There will be sports events for children, donkey rides and traditional games such as coconut shy's.  It should be a great day out.

Medieval Festival Weekend (Bolton)

Come along and meet a real life settlement from 1311 in the Last Drop Village in Bromley Cross.  There will be knights to tell you tales and even knights having a war or two.  Activities include archery, display of arms and cooking demonstration.  Perfect if any children are studying about knights, medieval times at school.  The event is free to attend and there is plenty of free parking on site.

Teen Rangers (Thornton)

A lot of the things featured on this round up are aimed at families with younger children but I spotted this event for teens.  Young people aged 13-18 years old can help to manage the country and Wyre coast.  No experience is required and its an opportunity to gain new skills.

Horse Riding Lesson (Warrington)

Bring your children along and meet the wonderful ponies at Croft Riding Centre.  Each child aged over 4 years old will be given a free riding lesson with the qualified instructors from the centre. Booking is essential and the contact information is here.  The horse riding session could be coupled with a pick your own fruit side trip to Kenyon Hall Farm 

Manchester Armed Forces Day (Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester)

There is a full day of activities planned to pay tribute to current members of the armed forces and Veterans.  There are many activities that will interest families including a display of military vehicles including a Jet Provost cockpit, a climbing wall and face painting.  There will also be a picnic style eating area.

Sunday

Children's Book Festival

The festival is running for a fortnight and two events which look great and are free are the following:

Ordsall Hall Museum

Ordsall Hall, Salford have an event in which the children will learn to make a book, hear stories from times gone by and if they are really lucky to meet some of the characters who used to live in the hall.  The event is on between 1:30-3:30 and is free to enter and no booking is required.

The Great Story theft (Royal Exchange)

A staged adventure aimed at 2-7 year olds.  The show is meant to captivate the watchers imagination, navigate over wonderful landscapes and discover strange creatures.  There is good availability and the shows are scheduled for 11:30 am and 2pm.  It is free to attend but booking is essential, further details of the show are here.

Omskirk Tennis Festival

As tennis fever grips the nation, there is a one day family tennis event in Ormskirk.  The event lets families have a try at the game, fun 

competitions including testing your cardio tennis but also making things such as a bird feeder from a tennis ball.  There are lots of activities planned so would make a great day out for any budding Andy Murrays out there. Whilst on the Tennis theme, there is again the Great British Tennis weekend as featured on our round up last weekend.  Click here for further details

Caribbean Carnival (Preston)

This year is the 40th anniversary of the Caribbean Carnival and the parade will start and finish at Moor Park in Preston.  The Parade starts at 12 and there are lots of activities planned including arts and crafts and a children's funfair.  More details are here.

We hope the above has given you some inspiration for the weekend.  We would love to hear what adventures you all did!

The Love of Books - Independent Booksellers Week 2014

When I asked my daughter if she wanted a shopping trip ahead of her birthday she asked if we could do a book shop trail. The hours we have spent browsing over the years has fed her love of books well. Across Lancashire we are fortunate to have a great range of independent book shops. We have to put Storytellers Inc in Lytham on our list, it's run by a  mother & daughter partnership with  mum Carolyn looking after the business and general running of the shop and daughter Katie being the creative input with literature knowledge and running outreach schemes with some local schools.

They are a specialist children’s bookshop stocking a wide range of beautiful books for children of all ages including teens and young adults.  Many new titles are added to the stock every week and they search out quirky and unusual books often from smaller publishers to provide a unique range and choice. The book stock is complemented with selected toys, puppets, gifts, cards and wrapping paper.  As well as the main shop area they have a workshop area where  book clubs  are run and story based  events are held on a weekly and monthly basis.  Their ultimate secret weapon that makes us unique is the secret reading den, with bean bags and decorated in an Under the sea theme complete with a cuddly octopus, a crab, a seahorse, a lobster, a stingray and not forgetting the great white shark! 

Storytellers Inc are holding a range of events for Independent book week

• SALLY GREEN at Storytellers Inc. Lancashire

Thursday 3^rd July, 19:00

Debut Author of Half Bad

• JUNIOR BOOK CLUB at Storytellers Inc. Lancashire

Saturday 28^th June, 14:00

Discussing Junes books, Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo and K.G. Campbell

& The case of the exploding Loo by Rachel Hamilton

• DEBI GLIORI at Storytellers Inc. Lancashire

Monday 30^th June, from 11:00

Bloomsbury lustrated Window plus signing and story time with the Author and Illustrator of Dragon Loves Penguins

• MIFFY STORYTIME AND ACTIVITIES at Storytellers Inc., Lancashire

Tuesday 1^st July, 11:00

With Milk Juice and Biscuits!

www.storytellersinc.co.uk

• WE’RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT PARTY at Storytellers Inc. Lancashire

Wednesday 2nd July, 14:00

Celebrating 20^th Anniversary of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury

·         CLARA VULLIAMY at Storytellers Inc. Lancashire

Saturday 5th July, 11:00

Illustrator of th accliamed Dixie O’Day books.

• LAUNCH OF BUILD YOUR BABY LIBRARY at Storytellers Inc., Lancashire

Tuesday 3^rd July, 10:00

For mums with babies under 1

One for the adults

·        LAUNCH OF A NEW FICTION BOOK CLUB FOR ADULTS hosted by Storytellers Inc.,

Monday 30^th June, 10:00, 14:00 & 19:30 at various locations

Reading Life after Life by Kate Atkinson

Win a beach hut for a day

Enjoy the stunning scenery of the picturesque Fylde coast all year round. Enjoy long sunny summer days, bright winter afternoons, and stunning sunsets. Even blustery days can be a treat when wrapped up well in your cosy haven at St Annes, Lytham.

Beach Hut day rental is about spending a day at the seaside with friends and family. It is the ideal family day out and appeals to all ages. Just bring a good picnic and some family and/or friends and you will have a great day.  Mumsnet Lancashire brings you the chance to win a voucher for a day out for more details on this great prize on offer click here 

79% Of Mumsnetters buy a product after reading about it on Mumsnet

I find these figures fascinating: 79% of Mumsnetters read about a product on Mumsnet then go on to buy it, and; 80% of users seek advice or read reviews on Mumsnet when they are planning to buy a child-related product (Stats are from an independent study of on-line parenting forums for the Arts and Humanities Research Council).

This got me thinking - what have I bought after reading about on Mumsnet?


Best priced - The most flattering dress I have ever owned. It was  a similar style from Oasis last summer, I  may have bought an identical one in the sale out of sheer panic over what I'd wear the following year to match it usefulness. 

In searching for an image I have discovered it now has a V neck and more colours in this years range. The photo is not of me, I'm the one wandering around muttering I didn't know it was available in blue.

Soap & Glory Foot buffer
It wasn't the description of a cheese grater for your feet  
 that sold this to me it was the multitude of posters agreeing it was the best product ever for regaining super soft feet.  It was sold out on-line - they were going for triple the £8 approx in store price on ebay - and I went to four Boots stores in my search but I'm glad I did.



Karcher window vac I followed this thread last year. I had read so much about them and spoke to a colleague who had recently bought one specifically for her shower screen. I may have felt compelled to buy one. It does an exceptional job on cleaning windows and is useful in winter for drying the north facing windows which gather condensation resulting in a morning argument over who gets to hoover the windows <proud parenting moment>

A Dyson which I am so pleased with I have even named it. It's the animal model and when the sales person asked about pets I admitted to having a tortoise rather than explain I had children with long hair which seemed to jump out to cover the stairs carpet. 



Wild mice. I read the original thread  which has sadly since departed because it was posted in chat. Many of us thought the poster meant 'wild rice' and auto correct had it's own ideas, she kindly came back to educate us all. If you are in Lidl buy them, try them and if you don't think they are delicious send them to me - please.






Karcher steam cleaner, something else I applied for a product test for. I didn't get one but followed the feedback thread avidly and was persuaded. It does a fabulous job especially on tiles, my kitchen wall tiles shone like when they were new. Not an easy task due to their uneven nature and polished finish. The kitchen floor lost it's sticky residue yet I missed the smell of cleaning products and the size of the steam cleaner combined with the fact I always seem to manage to steam myself (it really hurts) means it is used for spring and pre-Christmas cleaning.

Then there are the shoes - I may have bought in several colours; the great bra intervention threads, and the Waitrose pea & Asparagus risotto which provides fast tasty comfort food. It resides in the freezer and you can use as much or as little as you want. So when you have planned a meal for 4 and suddenly it's only 2 people or 2 extra people arrive it's my easy back up plan.

Thanks Mumsnet for increasing my list of items I didn't know I needed, for talking me into the best buys and warning me against the worst buys so I can convince myself I have actually saved a fortune. 

Guest post: The weekend ahead

We have an really excited to have a guest post from Nisbah at Fiveadventurers.com who writes: 

"I'm not sure when my love affair with travelling began but I have the travel bug in a bad way. Travelling is my passion and my four adventurers are my life.  I want to show my little adventurers the world and I am always looking for new and different experiences to share with them.  I have a strong desire to inspire my little adventurers so they know that the world is a beautiful place and adventures come in all shapes and forms."

Things to do in the North West (Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Cumbria)

This weekend is looking to be a scorcher so below are some ideas to inspire you to get outdoors (but we also have some indoor ideas) to help all of our readers have a fabulous, fun packed family weekend.

Saturday

RSPB Big Wild Sleepout

The RSPB are raising money for their organisation and are holding their annual Sleepout this weekend.  There may still be time to get a hold of their free Sleep out pack here   The event can be held at home or at a campsite, you choose.  The idea behind it is to get families outside in the great outdoors, spending the together and exploring (and most importantly toasting marshmallows).  Across the north west there are a number of organised sleep outs most have a number of activities arranged which are included in their costs.   Places which are holding the event range from Sizergh Castle in the Lakes to Chorlton Water Park.  The Sleep out in Lancashire is at the Scouts headquarters in Flyde.  Details are here  They have loads of activities ranging from bat walks to bush craft.  Just bring along a tent and your other camping gear.  It sounds fab!  I would have loved to have attended as it would be a great atmosphere for the children to experience coupled with great camping weather.  Remember booking is required! The prices are quite reasonable too, e.g. the event mentioned above in Flyde is £27.50 for a family, which includes participation in the activities that have been organised.

Barnaby Festival

This quickly festival has been long-standing tradition in Macclesfield 's history and the event has occurred since the 13th Century. Further details about the event are here.  The actual event runs over a two week period but this weekend is the big weekend and there are lots of different activities and events running throughout the weekend.  The highlight for me are the street science displays, the carnival parade and the trapeze skills displays.  It sounds like a great day out and I believe the wider range of experiences we give to our children, the more well rounded they will be.  Here are the links to the events on Saturday  and Sunday aimed at children.  For a different type of experience which will inspire your children, this event is not to be missed.

Baby Art

Manchester Art Gallery, hold monthly sensory exploration sessions for families with babies who aren't walking yet.  The sessions are free and the Saturday sessions are drop in so don't need to be booked.  Having visited for the art sessions aimed at toddlers, these sessions are great and allow you to really engage in different activities  especially younger children. Details here 

Amazing Fossils

Saddleworth Museum, Oldham have organised a prehistoric fun session between 11am-3:00pm to allow children to have hands on experience with taking part in activities such as making fossils, landscapes, minerals.  The cost is £2.50 per child (money is in aid of the museum) Adults are free, more details here.

Summer solstice

This Saturday marks the Summer solstice and there is going to be a celebration on at Chorlton in Manchester.  The event organisers have said it will be "hands on" affair with guests being invited to take part in music, performance and arts workshops.  There will be circus performers, drummers and live music at night.  The event is running from 12pm - 12am.  with the children's rides and workshops running from midday until 5pm.  There will be BBQ on at the green.  Sounds like fun, especially for the party animals out there read on here

Catch the Wind Kite festival

This events attracts hundreds of people to Morecambe Central promenade ever year and will be running over both Saturday and Sunday. There will be fantastic kite flying displays, street performers, arts and craft activities for children.  Ideal weather for kite flying too which is 1 of the 50 things that children should do before they are 11! Click here for more information.

Lytham Art Festival

There are a number of events occurring across the town over the week long fesitival, further details can be found here and more information here. Even though children are allowed in most exhibitions the events more aimed for families are Sue Allonby telling stories, teaching French to young children (these are on Sunday) and Turbary Woods will be bringing their owls along to Lytham Square for everyone to admire!  A little bit of culture coupled with a picnic and some sandcastles will be a great day out.

Pick your own fruit

We have taken our children fruit picking and they have loved it.  Prices are usually cheaper then the shops and with free entry you only pay for what you buy and it makes for a fab, fun day out.  Farms are usually opened on both days at the weekend but I would recommend getting there on Saturday to make sure that the fruit has not all been picked.  Also I recommend a quick call before you set off as Poynton Farm last weekend they closed the fields on Sunday as so many people visited and picked most of the fruit on Saturday.  There are a number of farms across the north west who do offer the pick your own. The North West options are here But the two I follow on Facebook and we visited the second last year are Poynton Farm, Stockport and Kenyon Hall, Warrigton. Fruit aside the ice cream they sell was really yummy!!

Great British Tennis Weekend

With Tennis fever about to grip the country, hundreds of tennis clubs over the country are holding a number of open days to allow youngsters to have a go at the sport.  It looks like a great event and there's a number of clubs throughout the country who are getting involved.  As it's a free event it would be great to give it a go.  Who knows we may have the next Andy Murray in our midst! Find out more here

  

Sunday

Manchester Day

Manchester Day is an event to celebrate everything that is great about the city.  Having lived and worked in Manchester for 6 years, I love the city and this event promises to be a fab day out for the family.  Over 2000 participants will out in full force, bringing colour, incredible sound and movement to the city centre. The flagship attraction is the fantastic parade which takes place through the city centre.  Last years parade was incredible and had such an array of different floats it really was breathtaking.  There will be lots of side attractions (use the link below to show what other events are on) and going off the success of last years event, this one will be bigger!  Just be aware that this event was really busy last year so make sure you keep the kiddies close by.  Full details here. 

Whatever you get up this weekend we hope you have a great time.  If you do any of the activities, then please share your pictures, we would love to see them!

Why wouldn't you want to have a go at making your very own fancy pants?

Blackpool Mumsnet have an amazing range of courses from The Sewing Sanctuary for adults and children from basic classes, to more advanced skills with one off classes or book yourself on a course, our current favourite asks "Why wouldn't you want to have a go at making your very own fancy pants?"

They also have the chance to meet up, chat and craft with Knit and Natter and a Patchwork Social Join the lovely Linda Pilley every Monday at 6.30pm for our Patchwork Social - professional tutors, learn new skills each week - free car parking and lots of laughs.

You can see the full list of courses >here<  from the lovely people at The Sewing 

Sanctuary 

Miscarriage Care Campaign

Half of women who miscarry wait 24 hours or more for a scan,

and are treated alongside women with healthy pregnancies

Mumsnet calls for manifesto commitment on better miscarriage care

Mumsnet, the UK’s biggest website for parents, is today publishing the results of a survey into patients’ care and experiences following miscarriage. Around a quarter of a million women miscarry in the UK each year1 – about one in five pregnancies ends in miscarriage – but the statistics published today show that the treatment and support women receive fails to meet their needs or measure up to official national guidelines.

A survey of over one thousand women2 shows:

• Half (46%) had to wait over 24 hours for a scan to determine if their baby was still alive, with one in five (18%) waiting longer than three days

“When I asked how much longer it would be, I was told I was taking up their time.” A Mumsnet user

• Half (47%) were treated alongside women with ongoing pregnancies

“I sat with other ladies who were still pregnant and waiting for scans… seeing their happy faces tore me apart.” A Mumsnet user

• A third (31%) of those who miscarried at home following a scan were not offered any pain relief, or adequate pain relief

“I was under the impression that miscarrying at home was the easy option. It certainly is not easy. I have been in agony.” A Mumsnet user

• 58% of respondents wanted counselling, but only 12% were offered it

“I had to wait six months to get counselling and lost six months of my life as I was not   coping with the loss.” A Mumsnet user

• 56% of respondents wanted further medical care but only 26% were offered it

“The hospital said they’d ask a health visitor to contact me. That was two months ago;    nobody has been in touch.” A Mumsnet user

• Only a quarter (23%) spoke of their experience to friends, and only 13% told wider family

“When I felt ready to talk, I didn’t have anyone ready to listen.”  A Mumsnet user

In 2012, NICE guidance on the management of miscarriage stated that miscarrying at home (known as ‘expectant management’) would be the default clinical response for women undergoing miscarriage before the 13th week of pregnancy, but today’s results show this policy is leaving women without the support they need.

• Only 15% of women who miscarried at home following a scan felt they had the right support, information and pain relief to manage

“I was told, over the phone, to ‘just sit on the toilet and hopefully it will all come out’.”

• 11 people were asked to store their foetus at home prior to further tests on the embryo

“[I don’t want to] catch my miscarried embryo in a urine sample pot at home, keep it in the fridge overnight if necessary, then take it on the train (two hours) for genetic testing.”

Mumsnet users have developed a five-point Miscarriage Code of Care, which calls for straightforward improvements in the treatment parents receive:

1. Supportive staff

2. Access to scanning

3. Safe and appropriate places for treatment

4. Good information and effective treatment

5.   Joined-up care

Many of the Code’s points are included in best-practice guidance from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Department of Health, but the research shows that, too often, this guidance is not being implemented.

Mumsnet is now asking the Secretary of State for Health, the shadow Health Minister and the junior Health Minister to commit to improving miscarriage care during the lifetime of the next parliament.

Justine Roberts, Mumsnet Founder, said:

“There’s no escaping the pain of a miscarriage, but for this to be compounded by lack of treatment, pain relief, good care or just plain human kindness is completely unacceptable. We are calling on the three main parties to include a pledge in their manifestos to improve miscarriage care, based on the principles in our code.”

Cathy Warwick, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said:

“The Royal College of Midwives welcomes and supports the Mumsnet code of care which aims to improve care for women at a very difficult time. Midwives and other health professionals have an important role to play in supporting women and families through the physical and psychological impact of miscarriage. Kind, compassionate and empathetic communication around care and treatment is an essential step to support families. It is particularly important that there is effective communication between the hospital, GP and midwife to provide ongoing support or advice, as needed.”

Jane Brewin, Chief Executive of Tommy’s, said:

“Losing a baby is a devastating experience and our helpline hears from people every day who are struggling to make sense of what has happened to them and why. More research is needed to help us understand the causes of miscarriage so we can develop treatments that help save babies’ lives. We want families to know that they are not alone and that Tommy’s helpline is here to support anyone who has been through this heartbreak.”

Susan Seenan, Chief Executive of the national charity Infertility Network UK, said:

"Miscarriage is an extremely distressing, and often frightening experience and sadly even health professionals can underestimate the impact which a miscarriage can have.  Good support and access to counselling from sensitive trained staff who understand the emotional as well as the physical effect of miscarriage on both women and their partners can make an enormous difference to those dealing with the grief of losing a baby.  We hope that this campaign will lead to better care and support for everyone affected by what can be a hugely traumatic experience.”

Practical advice on how to cope with a miscarriage

Mumsnet Miscarriage Code of Care

Mumsnet Lancashire Free for all, almost

If you ask “Do you want to go for a walk?” The answer in our household may be a resounding no, and questions may be asked as to the purpose of the walk, will it involve food etc. However if I ask “Anyone for a Penny walk?” the enthusiasm is instant. If you haven’t heard of a penny walk, fear not, it’s a fairly normal walk in disguise! At the end of each road you flip a coin and determine head for left tails for right and head off in that direction, it leads to diversions beyond your normal walks, possibly a rather circular walk with the focus on the penny determining your path. Parks and playgrounds are listed here

A trip to the library is thankfully not the silent trip I recall from childhood, across Lancashire there are child friendly activities from rhyme time to pirate parties and summer reading schemes, and it’s always worth asking at your local library or looking out for updates on Twitter. Children can also borrow audio books for free which can be useful for longer journeys or as background listening for craft or water play.

I have really fond memories of digging for coins as a child; wherever we went we always seemed to find them in sand dunes, along river beds, pathways.  It was many years later when I was reminiscing the news was broken to me the coins were placed there by my Uncle! It kept us entertained for ages with buckets and spades looking for more treasure which we were sure were just one more dig! It’s easily replicated with loose change or left over currency for variety and mystery, can easily be done in your garden or when out and out about.

A quick baking idea, with limited mess, have you tried cake in a cup? There are many recipes online, the ingredients are measured into the cup, mixed and microwaved, it can be claimed a cake in 5 minutes, personally it takes a bit longer here but provides food and entertainment.  Including children in preparing food can be useful, whisking eggs for scrambled eggs, making salad faces/monsters with shredded lettuce, grated carrot and tomato eyes.  

Mumsnet Lancashire provides local chat, news on local events and reviews join us HERE   we are also on Facebook HERE & Twitter HERE @MNLancashire. We have more ideas on site including 3D hand drawing HERE.

Guest Post Mumsnet Suffolk meets Emma Healey

Nic Miller, Editor for Mumsnet Suffolk and Norfolk met Emma Healey author of Elizabeth is Missing. A moving novel

In her debut novel ‘Elizabeth is missing’, author Emma Healey subverts the commonly held tenet of writing – ‘Write about what you know’ because the central theme of her book, Dementia, is unknowable to all except the person living with it. The condition all too often renders a person unable to adequately express their lived experiences and the essential mystery that lies within the heart of every human becomes ever more so when that human has Dementia. Beautiful, painful and rich, ‘Elizabeth is Missing’ defies easy categorisation based as it is on Maud, an older woman with a fading memory who is convinced that her friend has gone missing and whose concerns are not taken seriously. Echoes of the long unsolved disappearance of Maud’s sister seventy years ago soon merge with the present as Maud refuses to be thwarted in her search for answers and we move back and forth in time alongside her.

At just twenty nine years of age, Emma’s ability to capture the essence of dementia is haunting and masterful, even more so for this reader, having had experience of working with people affected by the disease and its patterns of thought and behaviour; the restless searching, dislocution and their polar opposites- a determined fixation upon things or places or events that are all vividly captured along with the awful awareness that something is wrong but the person knows not what.

You can read more here at Mumsnet Suffolk & Norfolk's Blog

The Secret Life of a Dishwasher

 

When I saw this on Twitter it didn't sound as entertaining as it actually is, I watched it with my daughter and we were bizarrely captivated. If you want to see the secret life inside a dishwasher click to play. Be glad it wasn't filmed in our household where it would be classed as a medical procedure!

The Gruffalo - in Preston!

HIT MONSTER FAMILY SHOW, DIRECT FROM A WEST END SEASON! 

Don't miss Tall Stories' hit musical stage adaptation of the award winning picture book, The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Meet a wheeler-dealer Fox, an eccentric old Owl and a maraca-shaking, party mad Snake! Mouse can scare these hungry animals away with tall stories of the terrifying Gruffalo, but what happens when he comes face to face with the very creature he imagined...? Voted the nation's number one bedtime story by BBC Radio 2 listeners, The Gruffalo has been performed to well over a million people worldwide and has even hit the small screens in a star-studded TV animation. The Gruffalo is the perfect family treat with plenty of songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 3+ and their grown-ups.

More details HERE

Family & Rugby Fun June 2014

  JONATHAN SKOFIC INVITATIONAL SEVENS TOURNAMENT 
Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th June 2014 
Tarleton Rugby Club, Carr Lane, Tarleton 
Sevens rugby tournament with mens, womens and junior colts competitions. 
BBQ and bar. 
Raffle and bottle stall. £2 adults, £1 children

More informationHERE