FREE Summer is here, check out eating Al Fresco Stephen Jeffers cooks up a storm for us! Page 22 The paper that families read Issue - SUMMER ‘15 www.familiesfirst-uk.com
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The Awards are back
Check out page 5 to see who is coming and how to nominate others.
What’s on Page 30
Spruce up your Garden Pages 20
PLUS Lots more inside... Things to do, and places to go This summer!
2016 awards now open for nominations, send us who you think should win to jennie@familiesfirstni.com
Private Day Care Nursery & After School Club ... Day Nursery & After School Club ...
“Care & play the
way”
Day Nursery & After School Club ...
WINNER WINNER
NI4Kids Childcare of the
Families First Day Nursery of the Year 2015
Year Award 2013
WINNER Families First Nursery Assistant of the Year 2015
NI’s
WINNER
Highest ivate DayBoost CareBetter Nursery & After School Club ... Rated Breaks Award
Day Nursery
2013
WINNER
WINNER
2014
2014 & 2015
2013, 2014 & 2015
Banbridge Investors in Business Awards People Award (Best Customer Service)
ay Nursery & After School Club ... www.bella-bambinos.co.uk
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SUMMER 2015
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Inside this Month:
Hello again,
Tea and a Chat at the Hub - p4
Summer has eventually arrived, and I am sure you will agree, there is nowhere nicer than this wee province of ours when the sun shines. In this issue we have lots of great crafting ideas for Father’s Day on the 21st June. Dads will be thrilled with some of the idea’s that won’t cost a fortune.
Beat PCOS naturally - p6
Stephen Jeffers hasn’t let us down. In this issue he is cooking up a storm, Al Fresco style. (I hope the weather holds up).
News Flash!!
Fashion for your feet - p12
Also in this issue, we launch out our Short Story competition, brought to you supported by AE Publications Ltd, read all about this on page 5 and also view our next finalists in the 2016 Families First awards.
Do you have an eating disorder - p7
Beauty, fashion, book reviews, along with all things summer in this issue. So, get the coffee on and sit back and enjoy.
From MYKitchen - p24
Isobel Find us on Facebook too! www.facebook.com/FamiliesFirstNI and www.familiesfirst-uk.com
Whats On -p30
Disclaimer: While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication and website. Babyface Marketing Ltd accepts no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation. All liability, loss, disappointment, negligence or other NIBTSfam 132.5x175_Layout 1 05/03/2015 10:51 Page 1 damage caused by the reliance on the information contained in the publications or web site, or in any company, individual or firm mentioned , or in the event of any company, individual or firm ceasing to trade, is hereby excluded.
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Someone like Joshua. He’s 9, but when he was born blood transfusions saved his life.
Text BLOOD to 60081 Call 0500 534 666 Visit www.nibts.org Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service
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4
10 of the best carbs and
their healthy portion sizes 1 Beans and pulses eg chickpeas, kidney beans, baked beans. Slimline portion – half a 400g can (without sugar or salt) 2 Pasta (preferably wholewheat or higher fibre). Slimline portion 4-5 tbsp chilled or reheated pasta. 3 Pearl Barley Slimline portion – tbsp cooked. 4 Brown basmati Slimline portion – tbsp boiled. 5 Wholemeal bread (preferably with added seeds and grains). Slimline portion – 1 1/2 slices. 6 Porridge oats Slimline portion a 45-50g serving. 7 High –fibre cereal (lower sugar sort like All-Bran or natural muesli). Slimline portion – a 40g serving with milk. 8 Potatoes Slimline portion – medium jacket or 4 new potatoes (preferably chilled or reheated) 9 Noodles (preferably wholewheat), slimline portion – 1 nest of noodles. 10 Sweet potato Slimline portion – 220g (raw weight)
GOOD IDEA!!!
The Echo112 – the Pocket Lifesaver app (free, Google Play, iTunes) is a life-saver if you have an emergency abroad. Press the SOS button and it dials the country’s emergency services and the operator will be able to locate you.
2 to 6 cups of green tea a day may reverse the effects of sun damage
42% is how much you can reduce a risk of a stroke by, it you have high levels of vitamin C, so eat plenty of citrus fruits, which improves blood flow to the heart
Curl up with a good book…
Strange but true
HER by Harriet Lane (W&N) £12.99 Emma struggles with life’s demands when Nina breezes into her world and makes it better – but what does she really want? This tense page-turner will make you look at kindly strangers with suspicion.
Do people often say your best friend is like you, or mistake your for relatives? You’re probably more genetically similar to your close friends than you realise. Scientist have found we often have DNA in common and that smell plays a big part in the attraction – possibly because we’re drawn to similar places.
This month we love……PROPORTA CASES Proporta’s new collection of table and smartphone cases includes prints from the V&A’s fabric archive, such as this 1936 charming penguin design. You can also create your own personalised cover by uploading a photograph. Phone case. £19.99 (free delivery) proporta.co.uk
This week, I wanted to test if it was worth splashing out on the new GILLETTE VENUS &OLAY five blade razor £10.99 rather than the similar ASDA PROTECT FOR WOMEN RAZOR SYSTEM, £3. My legs didn’t feel any more stubble-free or smooth using the Venus than when I used the far cheaper Asda version. VALUE FOR MONEY, at nearly £8 less, the Asda razor is by far the best value. Plus its refill heads are only £6 for five, whereas it’s a whopping £10.99 for three for the Gillette ones.
Tea and a chat @ the Hub
IN THE SUMMER TIME by Judy Astley (Black Swan, £6.99) When Clare goes to Cornwall to scatter her husband’s ashes, she is surprised by the emotions that wait to be discovered. Absorbing family drama.
Grab a cuppa and dip into these bite size reads for that kettle-on feet up moment.
SISTERS OF TREASON by Elizabeth Fremantle (Penguin, £14.99) After the execution of Lady Jane Grey, her younger sisters navigate the dangers of being next in succession to Queen Mary. A highly readable historical novel.
The Best way to exercise 28% Walking 3% Cycling 5% Gym session 5% Fitness DVD at home 15% Yoga 18% Swimming 24% Dance/ aerobics/ fitness centre
Boxes and boxes This wooden sewing box is a snip at £15 (theContemporaryhome,tch.net) It’s long lasting and the perfect place to store colourful ribbons and buttons.
Cyberfloating. Three great websites to idle away the minutes. CAKEWRECKS.COM When professional cakes go horribly wrong. Photos of weird, hilarious and just plain inappropriate cakes. Check out the ‘creepy baby’ cake.
HOUZZ.COM
You’ll spend more than few minutes on this vast site which opens the door on amazing homes from the UK to Australia. Great for inspiration – if you need a solution for a room, you’ll find it. You can also post questions to the owner or builder.
ITSYOURSTORY.CO.UK
Make your child the star of their bedtime story by creating a personalised book. Upload a photo and details, such as names of friends, relative’s favourite toys and even your street (from £12.50)
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ONE NIGHT IN ITALY. By Lucy Diamond. MacMilan £7.99 Anna, Catherine and Sophie have things on their mind when they meet at an Italian class. This charming story would slip down well with a glass of Proseccco!
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SUMMER 2015
5
AWARDS2016
Our sponsors
Private Day Care Nursery & After School Club ...
Private Day Care Nursery & After School Club ... Day Nursery & After School Club ...
“Care & play the
way”
Day Nursery & After School Club ...
WINNER
Our awards for 2016, are well under way with many nurseries, restaurants, hotels, attending.
WINNER
NI4Kids Childcare of the
Families First Day Nursery of the Year 2015
Year Award 2013
Last year we had almost 300 attending our Gala event, this year plans to be even bigger, we hope to have over 600 coming to our Gala Dinner.
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
WINNER Families First Nursery Assistant of the Year 2015
NI’s
WINNER
Highest Private DayBoost CareBetter Nursery & After School Club ... Rated Breaks Award Day Nursery
2013
WINNER
WINNER
2014
2014 & 2015
2013, 2014 & 2015
Banbridge Investors in Business Awards People Award (Best Customer Service)
So if you know someone who you think should be nominated please let us know, we would love to invite them along.
✪ Mum of the Year ✪ Dad of the Year ✪ Child Superstar
www.bella-bambinos.co.uk
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✪ Grandparent of the Year ✪ Endeavour Award ✪ Best Teacher
Footprints day care, Belfast
✪ Best School
Oakey Dokey, Holywood
Carers n Kids, Belfast
✪ Best Family Restaurant
Bright Beginnings, Bangor
Start Smart, Belfast
✪ Best Family Bread
Trinity Nursery, Bangor.
Puddle ducks Belfast
✪ Best Family Hotel
Little Piggies North Belfast
An Droichead, Belfast
✪ Best Family Day Out
Petite Feet North Belfast
Wee Muckers, Belfast
✪ Best Activity Provider
Tic Toc Day Nursery Glengormley
Little Friends, Banbridge
✪ Best Visitor Attraction
Ladybird Lane Nursery, Banbridge Poppins Day Care Nursery, Moira Peartree Barn Nursery Lisburn Ashvale Day Nursery, Belfast
t: (028) 9269 3228 | e: info@bella-bambinos.co.uk • 9 Lower Quilly Road | Dromore | Co. Down | BT25 1NL
Little Kingdom Kids , Bangor
Peters Patch Hillsborough
Day Nursery & After School Club ... ✪ Carer of the Year
Here is just a short list of some of the nurseries who are attending this year. (listed in no particular order).
Rockmount nursery Ballynahinch
Bella Bambinos, Dromore
✪ Best Event for Families
Happy children Ballynahinch
✪ Best Family Support Group
Sleepy Hollow Crumlin
✪ Best Soft Play Area
Tiddly Winkers, Antrim
✪ Childminder of the Year
Ladybirds Play Group Ballymena
✪ Teacher of the Year ✪ School of the Year
Rhyme Thyme, Ballyclare
✪ Amazing Act of Kindness
Minor Miracles, Carrickfergus
✪ Best Family Car Business ✪ Best Soft Play Area
Wiggles and Giggles, Belfast
Due to the enormous interest in the Awards, we are now hosting another event on the 26th February, for the South Down area. If you have anyone or any business you feel is worthy of a nomination please send your nomination, to include your full name, email address and contact number in the first instance to jennie@familiesfirstni.com We look forward to receiving your nominations.
SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2016 Families First NI in association with AE Publications are proud to announce their short story competition for 2016. This is a fantastic competition, for children from 7-11 years. We need between 500-600 words, on any subject. Think of this not as school work, this is something just for you and just for fun. Maybe you’ve always had an idea of a tale, maybe it’s based on something you know and you’re just going to exaggerate and elaborate it, it can be anything you want. This is a chance for you to express yourself. As the old saying goes, everyone has a novel in them, but we’re only asking for 500600 words.
We want something original and exciting, something that captures the reader. Think of the books you have read, what really excites or makes you laugh outloud, or, perhaps makes you think differently about the world. The team who will be considering your stories will be announced in the next issue of families First. The winning school will win £400, and there will be £100 for the winning participant. There will be a gold, silver and bronze prize. The winning school will win their
head teachers height in books! And a few other great prizes, and surprises. The competition will run from January 2016 until the end of March, there will be more details in our next issue (out in September) on how you can register as an individual, or as a school or class. AE Publications, our sponsor are supplying lots of help with writing tips and books to help, and aid you or teacher in the writing process. They will be on our website for you to download in the autumn.
Why enter?
As parents or teachers, you may ask: why is it essential for my
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child’s intellectual development that they learn to write creatively? The first thing we would say about learning English is that you can only really develop your ability to speak and write correctly if it is practised. Children participate in conversation a great deal throughout the day but it is only when they write things that they truly engage with the language in all its fullness. They learn how to spell, punctuate, use syntax and grammar correctly, and also how to communicate through the written word in an interesting way. This aids the development of a child’s critical thinking skills, giving them the ability to respond to written questions and provide
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coherent and cogent answers. This development also benefits a child in all other school subject areas, because it is helps them to participate in a subject more fully if they understand what they are reading and they are able to fully comprehend any questions so they can answer them correctly. Creative writing requires a child to develop their imaginative and literary skills simultaneously. They are required to work with story ideas and then find a way to express them in an interesting and engaging way through the correct use of language. For any further information you can contact us on Ann@ familiesfirstni.com
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HOW TO BEAT PCOSNaturally This hormone imbalance affects one in 10 women. Dr Marilyn Glenville reveals how to transform your wellbeing, including fertility. DR MARILYN GLENVILLE PhD is the UK’s leading nutritionist specialising in women’s health. She is the former president of the Food & Health Forum at the Royal Society of Medicine, and the author of a number of internationally best selling health books, including The Natural Health Bible For Women and Natural Solutions for PCOS; marilyn glenville.com Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal condition and a major cause of infertility and insulin resistance. Most women are put on metformin, a drug to improve insulin sensitivity. They may also be given the contraceptive pill to control the effects of high testosterone levels. But, in my opinion, these don’t address the underlying cause. Similarly, many women with PCOS are told they’re infertile and go straight to IVF, but tackling the root cause may mean you don’t need fertility treatment.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS? The term ‘PCOS’ is misleading because there aren’t cysts on the ovaries, but lots of immature egg follicles. Normally, one follicle matures every cycle, but with PCOS, there are lots of follicles that don’t mature. The main symptoms are irregular or absent periods, acne and oily skin, thinning hair on the head, excess hair growth on the body and face, and weight gain, particularly around the middle. Some women just have a few symptoms. The criterion for diagnosis is at least twoof the following: absent/ irregular periods, signs of excess male hormones, and ovaries that look like bunches of grapes on an ultrasound. See your GP if you have any symptoms, particularly absent periods, as this could actually be an early menopause.
Menopause can be a relief for women with PCOS as many hormonal issues stop, but you’ll still be insulin resistant, raising the risk of heart disease and diabetes, so it’s still important to take steps to manage it.
SWAP DAIRY Try to avoid dairy, as milk contains an insulin –like growth factor which can interfere with hormone balance. Look for calcium –enriched alternatives like soya and rice milk.
WHAT CAUSES IT? PCOS starts with resistance to the hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar. The body’s tissues are less able to respond to the insulin, so the pancreas pumps out high levels of it. This affects the ovaries, contributing to the abnormal levels of hormones they produce- in particular, high levels of testosterone, leading to acne and excess facial and body hair. We don’t know exactly why some women develop PCOS. Being overweight and inactive plays a role, but many women with PCOS are a healthy weight. Family history is now thought to play a role, too.
BEAT STRESS Stress makes your body release male hormones. Avoid caffeine, get plenty of sleep, and try tai chi, yoga or meditation to help you relax. Exercise is also important for controlling stress hormones. SUPERNUTRIENT HELP Supplements that can help
include chromium, which stabilises blood sugar and makes insulin more effective. The B vitamins also help with blood sugar and hormone imbalance. Zinc is needed for reproductive hormones, and there’s a link between PCOS and lack of magnesium. Coenzyme Q10 and alpha lipoic acid can be useful as they help balance blood sugar, and fish oils keep cells fluid and receptive. The amino acids N- acetyl cysteine and L-arginine help with insulin sensitivity. Inositol also helps it’s often found in combination supplements.
TREAT IT NATURALLY Tackling the root causes naturally can often lead to better results than drug treatments. GET IN BALANCE Addressing your diet is key blood sugar highs and lows cause insulin spikes, so it’s vital to regulate your blood sugar by eating little and often. Combine complex unrefined carbohydrates such as vegetables, fruit, rye bread, wholemeal pasta and oats, with proteins such as lean meat, fish, nuts and nut butters, seeds and eggs. Avoid refined carbs like white bread and cakes, as these lead to a blood sugar high followed by a crash, which can leave you craving more – a problem for your insulin levels and your weight. WATCH YOUR WEIGHT Women with PCOS gain weight for metabolic reasons, not necessarily because they eat too much. Unfortunately, it can be harder to lose weight if you have PCOS – but being overweight can contribute further to insulin resistance, so it’s important to bet to a healthy weight. Exercise is key.
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‘I tackled P COS without drugs’ Colette Harris, 42 found natural ways to manage her condition ‘I was diagnosed with PCOS after many months of worsening symptoms. I had acne, thinning hair on my head, and increasing amounts of facial and body hair. My periods had become irregular, and then stopped completely. I had mood swings, weight gain and severe fatigue – I once fell asleep at the dinner table at a friend’s house. And my breasts were so tender, I could only sleep on my back. ‘My doctor offered me the contraceptive pill, and told me to come back for treatment when I wanted children. But I knew the Pill would just mask my symptoms, and I wanted to see if I could change things. ‘I started with a naturopathic detox, followed by a vegetarian, low-GI diet, which I still stick to. I also started having acupuncture. Within six weeks, I had a period. A medical herbalist recommended vitex agnus castus to help regulate hormones, so I took that plus chromium to help blood sugar regulation, and vegetarian omega-3 fatty acids from flax seeds and walnuts, to help reduce my breast pain. ‘My periods continue to be regular, and my other symptoms are so much better. Now, I only notice my breast tenderness, acne and hair loss getting worse if I’m stressed, so that’s a warning for me to relax. Whenever my symptoms return, I go back to using agnus castus and book some acupuncture to get me back on track. ‘I also do regular exercise – aerobic, weights, yoga and swimming – which is key for my weight management, stress relief and to help reduce the testosterone levels in my blood.
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SUMMER 2015
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1
Do you think of foods as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ When egg white omelette equals ‘good’ and a bagel equals ‘evil’, you’re setting yourself up for a lifetime of guilt. Inevitably you can’t only eat the things you label ‘good’ (who has time to make an egg white omelette every morning?) and denying yourself the foods you label ‘bad’ just means you’ll crave them more. Then when you do slip up, it could be in a spectacular fashion. Treating yourself occasionally means less risk of binging and is actually better for you in the long term than denying yourself the things you want.
2
Do you eat in response to good or bad news? At some point in our lives, we’ve all wanted to hibernate with a jumbo bar of Dairy Milk, but when your automatic reaction to positive or negative feelings is to seek solace or reward in food, it could be a bad sign. So instead of reaching for a Haribo when you feel low, try a warm comforting drink, a hot bath or even an endorphin-pumping exercise class. And next time you have a success to celebrate, instead of using it as an excuse to gorge, buy yourself something nice – yes, we just gave you licence to shop!
3
Are you always on a diet? Whether we’ve cut all carbs or counted calories obsessively, lots of us have tried strict diets to drop a few pounds in a hurry,
6
Do you find social occasions difficult? Socialising and overindulging go hand in hand, but if you’ve started avoiding nights out for fear of being force-fed pizza and prosecco, you’ve got your priorities wrong. Yes, it’s important to eat well, but it’s equally important for your health and well-being to interact, to laugh and to share. Becoming a hermit is not the answer; addressing your attitude to food is.
Do you have an eating disorder? There’s a fine line between healthy eating and a food fixation, so where are you on the scale? As a nation, we ar more concerned with our diets than ever before. But with all this talk of fasts, cleanses and detoxes; sugarfree, gluten-free, carb-free regimes, are some of us in danger of going too far? Ask yourself these questions and read on to discover if your ‘healthy’ eating habits could be slipping into a dangerous food obsession….. but when dieting becomes a way of life, alarm bells should ring. Setting limits and rules on what you eat every day is not healthy, will make you miserable and hungry, and can thwart your efforts to lost weight by slowing down your metabolism.
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Do you replace whole meals with snacks or smoothies? Starting your day with a fruit smoothie is all very well if you’ve decided to try out a juice cleanse for a
few days. But if your breakfast always takes a liquid form or you regularly forego lunch and try to get through the day on houmous and carrot sticks, you’ve entered dangerous territory. Using things like coffee to suppress hunger means you’re starving your body of the energy lift it really needs.
5
Have you cut a whole food group from your diet? It stared with Atkins and fear of the evil of carbs, and now it feels like we’re told of the evils of a new food group daily – meat, sugar, dairy, gluten – it’s endless. People with a healthy relationship with food will most likely absorb the warnings and make a choice to
Learn to curb your comfort eating, with our top ten tips at goodtoknow.co.uk/ emotionaleating
limit their intake of foods they feel are negatively impacting their health. But there are those who will take it to extremes and banish a food group, even inventing food allergies as a way of avoiding explanation.
NOW DISCOVER THE TRUTH....................... EMOTIONAL EATER
If you answered yes to Q1-2, you may be placing too much importance on your diet as food triggers an emotional response, be that guilt or elation. Laura Thomas, a health coach and nutrition expert, suggest focusing less on removing foods and more on adding healthy foods , as it’s restrictions that leads to binging Sugar is, of course particularly tricky for emotional eaters. ‘If you know it’s a trigger food for you, keep it out of the house’ suggests Laura whose website happysugarhabits.com is dedicated to helping slaves to sugar.
DIET ADDICT
If you answered yes to Q3-4, you are in danger of making dieting a lifestyle choice. ‘ The problem with extreme diets is that they can’t be maintained,’ warns Joanne Henson (joannehenson.co.uk) a health and wellness coach. ‘This leads to a cycle of weight loss and weight gain.’ For lasting results you have to learn healthy eating habits. ‘Don’t aim for perfection,’ advises Joanne. ‘Lose weight slowly to keep it off.’
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ORTHOREXIC
If you answered yes to Q5-6, you could be suffering from ‘orthorexia’, an obsession with eating healthily. ‘It’s great to have a clean diet, but your body will allow the occasional cheat,’ says nutritionist Sarah Flower (sarahflower.co.uk), cook from scrtch and avoid processed food.’
If you think you may have an eating disorder, visit b-eat.co.uk for advice
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Bedwetting Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) can be worrying and frustrating, but it’s common for children to accidentally wet the bed during the night. The problem usually resolves in time. Bedwetting is common in young children but it gets less common as a child gets older. In the UK, it’s estimated that about:
• 1 in 12 children wet the bed regularly at four and a half years old (regularly is defined as at least twice a week) • 1 in 40 children wet the bed regularly at seven and a half years old
• 1 in 65 children wet the bed regularly at nine and a half years old About 1 in 100 people continue to wet the bed into adulthood. Bedwetting is slightly more common in boys than girls. When to see your GP
Bedwetting is only really a problem if it begins to bother the children or parents. Only rarely will this be considered a problem in children under 5 years old. Many families first seek treatment when the bedwetting affects a child’s social life (for example, preventing sleepovers). Medical treatments aren’t usually recommended for children under five (although exceptions can be made if a child finds bedwetting particularly upsetting).
If your child frequently wets the bed and finds it upsetting, speak to your GP for advice. WHY DOES MY CHILD WET THE BED? There’s usually no obvious reason why children wet the bed and it’s not your child’s fault. In many cases, the problem runs in families. Bedwetting could be caused by your child: • producing more urine than their bladder can cope with • having an overactive bladder, meaning it can only hold a small amount of urine • being a very deep sleeper so they don’t react to the signals telling their brain their bladder is full Constipation is frequently associated with bedwetting, especially in children who don’t wet themselves every night. In these cases, bedwetting may happen during the night when the child has not had a poo during the day. Sometimes, treating constipation is all that’s needed to treat bedwetting. Untreated constipation makes
any treatment of bedwetting much harder. Occasionally, bedwetting can be triggered by emotional distress, such as being bullied or moving to a new school. In rare cases, bedwetting may be the symptom of an underlying health condition, such as type 1 diabetes.
TREATING BEDWETTING The recommended plan is usually to try a few measures yourself first, such as limiting the amount of liquid your child drinks in the evening, and making sure they go to the toilet before going to sleep. Reassuring your child that everything is okay is also important. Don’t tell them off or punish them for wetting the bed as this won’t help and could make the problem worse. It’s important for them to know they’re not alone, and it will get better. If these measures alone don’t help, a bedwetting alarm is often recommended. These are moisture-sensitive pads a child wears on their night clothes. An alarm sounds if the child begins to pee. Over time, the alarm should help train a child to wake once their bladder is full. If an alarm doesn’t work or is unsuitable, medication called desmopressin or oxybutinin can be used. Most children respond well to treatment, although bedwetting sometimes returns temporarily. Most children stop wetting the bed as they get older, but in the meantime there are a number of treatments you can try. These treatments may help keep your child dry until they grow out of the problem.
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Your child’s treatment plan The treatment for your child depends on a number of things, such as: • how often they’re wetting the bed • the impact that bedwetting is having, both on your child and on you, your partner and other members of your family • your child’s sleeping arrangements, such as whether they sleep alone or share a room with other children • whether there’s a short-term need to control your child’s bedwetting – for example, if they’re going away on a school trip • how your child feels about specific treatments Depending on your child’s symptoms and how well they respond to treatment, the person in charge of their care will be their GP or a paediatrician (doctor who specialises in treating children). Alternatively, many clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) run bedwetting clinics, also known as enuresis clinics, which your GP can refer you to. There’s no single approach to treating bedwetting that works for everybody, but in most cases the recommended plan is to first try a combination of measures yourself. If these don’t work, a bedwetting alarm is often used. If the alarm is unsuccessful or unsuitable, medication may be recommended. MEASURES YOU CAN TRY YOURSELF Controlling fluid intake Drinking too much or too little can contribute to bedwetting. Ensuring your child gets the right amount of fluid each day is often recommended. Although the amount of fluid your child needs can vary depending on things like how physically active they are and their diet, there are some general recommendations for daily fluid intake. These are: • boys and girls 4 to 8 years old – 1,000 to 1,400ml (1.7 to 2.4 pints) • girls 9 to 13 years old – 1,200 to 2,100ml (2.1 to 3.7 pints) • boys 9 to 13 years old – 1,400 to 2,300ml (2.4 to 4 pints) • girls 14 to 18 years old – 1,400 to 2,500ml (2.4 to 4.4 pints) • boys 14 to 18 years old – 2,100 to 3,200ml (3.7 to 5.6 pints) However, it’s important to remember that these are just guidelines and many children don’t drink this much.
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As well as the quantity, timing is also important. Most of the recommended fluid intake should be consumed during the day, with only about a fifth during the evening. Also, encourage your child to avoid drinks that contain caffeine, such as cola, tea, coffee or hot chocolate, because these increase the need to urinate during the night. Toilet breaks Encourage your child to go to the toilet regularly during the day. Most healthy children urinate between four and seven times a day. You should also make sure your child urinates before going to bed and has easy access to a toilet. Reward schemes Many parents find reward schemes helpful in managing bedwetting. This is because motivating your child can help bedwetting treatments be more effective. However, it’s important to emphasise that these are only effective when they promote positive behaviour rather than punishing negative behaviour. Bedwetting is something your child can’t control, so rewards shouldn’t be based on whether they wet the bed or not. Instead, you may want to give rewards for: • sticking to their recommended fluid intake • remembering to go to the toilet before going to bed It’s important not to punish your child or withdraw previously agreed treats if they wet the bed. Punishing a child is often counterproductive as it places them under greater stress and anxiety, which could contribute to bedwetting. If you have tried using a reward scheme to improve your child’s bedwetting and it hasn’t been effective, there’s little point continuing it as it’s unlikely to be helpful.
Bedwetting alarms If the above measures don’t help, a bedwetting alarm is usually the next step. A bedwetting alarm consists of a small sensor and an alarm. The sensor is attached to your child’s underwear and the alarm is worn on the pyjamas. If the sensor starts to get wet, it sets off the alarm. Vibrating alarms are also available for children
SUMMER 2015 who have impaired hearing. Over time, the alarm should help your child to recognise when they need to pee and wake up to go to the toilet. Reward systems to promote good behaviour may help, such as getting up when the alarm sounds and remembering to reset the alarm. It also helps to make it as easy as possible for your child to go to the toilet during the night, such as using night lights.
The alarm will usually be used for at least four weeks. If there are signs of improvement by this point, the treatment will continue. If there’s no sign of improvement, treatment is usually withdrawn as it’s unlikely to work for your child. The aim of the alarm is achieve at least two weeks of uninterrupted dry nights. If there’s some improvement after three months, but no sign of this goal being achievable, alternative treatments are usually recommended. When bedwetting alarms are unsuitable
ADVICE FOR PARENTS
9 Bedwetting alarms require commitment from both children and parents. There may be some situations where they’re not suitable. For example, if: • more immediate treatment is required, for example because you’re finding it emotionally difficult to cope with your child’s bedwetting • there are practical considerations that make using an alarm problematic, such as if your child shares a room or the alarm disturbs sleep Some children and their parents may also not like the idea of using an alarm to signify when the child has wet the bed. MEDICATION If a bedwetting alarm doesn’t help or isn’t suitable, treatment with medication is usually recommended. The three main medicines used are described below. Desmopressin Desmopressin is a synthetic (man-made) version of the hormone that regulates the production of urine, called vasopressin. It helps to reduce the amount of urine produced by the kidneys. Desmopressin can be used: • to provide short-term relief from bedwetting in certain situations – for example, if you’re going on holiday or if your child is going on a trip with friends • as a long-term alternative treatment in situations where a bedwetting alarm is ineffective, unsuitable or unwanted Desmopressin should be taken just before your child goes to bed. The medication reduces the amount of urine your child produces and makes it harder for their body to deal with
with bedwetting:
excess fluid. Therefore, it’s important they don’t drink from an hour before taking desmopressin, until eight hours after. If your child drinks too much fluid during this time, it could cause a fluid overload, leading to unpleasant symptoms such as headache and sickness. If your child isn’t completely dry after one to two weeks of taking desmopressin, inform your GP because the dosage may need to be increased. Your child’s treatment should be reviewed after four weeks. If the bedwetting has improved, it’s usually recommended that treatment continues for another three months, although your doctor may advise taking desmopressin earlier each night (1-2 hours before bedtime). If there is continuing improvement during this time, the course may continue. If bedwetting stops while taking desmopressin, the medication is reduced gradually to see if your child can stay dry without taking it. If desmopressin or a bedwetting alarm doesn’t work, you will be referred to a specialist. Anticholinergics Another option is to use a combination of desmopressin and an additional medication known as an anticholinergic. An anticholinergic called oxybutynin can be used to treat bedwetting. Oxybutynin works by relaxing and nightclothes before washing them as usual.
the muscles of the bladder, which can help improve its capacity and reduce the urge to pass urine during the night. Side effects of oxybutynin include feeling sick, dry mouth, headache, constipation or diarrhoea. These should improve after a few days once your child’s body gets used to the medication. If they persist or get worse, contact the doctor in charge of your child’s care for advice. Imipramine If the above treatments don’t work, a prescribed medication called imipramine may be recommended. Imipramine also relaxes the muscles of the bladder, increasing its capacity and reducing the urge to urinate. Side effects of imipramine include dizziness, dry mouth, headache, and increased appetite. These should improve once your child’s body gets used to the medication. It’s important that your child doesn’t suddenly stop taking imipramine because it can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as feeling and being sick, anxiety and difficulties sleeping (insomnia). Treatment should be reviewed after three months. Once it’s felt your child no longer needs to take imipramine, the dosage can be gradually reduced before the medication is stopped completely.
You can try taking off pull-ups at night, • Make sure your child has It can be easy for experts to but this should easy access to the toilet at advise parents to remain 1 in 65 be considered a night. For example, if • Avoid waking calm and supportive children trial rather than a they have a bunk bed your child in the if their child is wet the bed treatment. If the 1 in 12 they should sleep night or carrying bedwetting, but in child continues to regularly on the bottom. You them to the children reality it can be a bedwet, wearing could also leave toilet, as these are difficult condition wet the bed at 9½ pull-ups is often nicer a light on in the unlikely to help them to live with. regularly bathroom for them and easier for and put in the long-term. While it’s important the family to manage. at 4½ a child’s seat on the • Following a bedwetting, never to blame or toilet. older children may want to punish your child, it’s • Use waterproof covers change their bedding also perfectly normal to feel on your child’s at night to minimise frustrated. mattress and disruption and 1 in 40 You should tell your GP if duvet. After a embarrassment, children you feel you need support, bedwetting, having clean particularly if you’re finding it wet the bed so use cold water bedding and difficult to cope. regularly or mild bleach nightclothes The advice below may help to rinse your available for them at 7½ you and your child cope better child’s bedding can help. www.familiesfirst.ie
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SYMPTOMS OF BEDWETTING Bedwetting is usually only regarded as a medical issue in children aged five or older who wet the bed at least twice a week. Frequent bedwetting in children under the age of five isn’t usually a cause for concern, unless the child is upset by it. Bedwetting is sometimes classified into two types depending on when the problem develops. These are: • primary nocturnal enuresis – where the child has wet the bed (or their nappy) regularly since birth • secondary nocturnal enuresis – where the child begins to wet the bed after a period of at least six months of persistent dryness Additional symptoms In some cases, a child has additional symptoms related to their bedwetting, such as: • wetting themselves during the day (urinary incontinence) • a frequent need to pee, or not peeing much (fewer than four times a day) • pain or having to strain when urinating • constipation • soiling themselves (accidental loss of bowel control) • feeling very thirsty all the time • high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above • having blood in their urine The medical name for this type of bedwetting is polysymptomatic enuresis. Bedwetting without additional symptoms is known as monosymptomatic enuresis.
COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS Some parents consider using complementary and alternative treatments - such as hypnosis, psychotherapy, acupuncture and chiropractic treatment - to help with their child’s bedwetting. However, these treatments aren’t usually recommended because there’s only very weak evidence, or no evidence, to support their use. Further research is necessary to determine how effective and safe they are for use with bedwetting.
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10 Get steamy to set your makeup It sounds counterintuitive but almost every celeb swears by the ritual of applying makeup and then stepping into a hot bath for 10 minutes (no bathtub? Stand near a hot shower!). The steam sets makeup, while the mega-dose of moisture makes skin look plump, fresh and dewy.
Dodge a double chin Want to get rid of a pudgy chin in a jiffy? Rub a caffeine-rich cellulite cream along the entire jawline. How does it work? Caffeine, being a diuretic, will suck out all excess fluids and reduce puffiness. The effect will only be noticeable for three or four hours but that’s long enough to parade around a party or get through a hot date. Just make sure this stuff goes nowhere near your eyes!
Erase the acne Have you noticed that celebs never look cakey on the red carpet? That’s not because they always have perfect skin – it’s just that they know how to banish even the reddest zit instantly. Instead of piling on concealer, they dab the spots with nasal spray or eye drops. These contain vasoconstrictors, which shrink blood vessels, thereby taking away the redness and bringing down inflammation – the effect is akin to that of a topical steroid.
De-bloat with apple cider vinegar Feeling like a bloated mess and nothing fits? Mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with half a glass of water and drink up! Within 30 minutes, the vinegar’s enzymes will slow down your gastric juice production and start flushing away the bloat.
BEAUTY Rinse Hair With Beer Or Vinegar Rinsing your hair with beer helps restore moisture to your locks while using vinegar will up the ante in shine. Soak your hair in either liquid (not at the same time) for a few minutes, then rinse with cold water. Turn Up The Heat For curlier, flirtier lashes, heat your lash curler with a hair dryer for five to eight seconds before curling them. Use Ice Cubes To Keep Fat, Acne And Wrinkles At Bay Try massaging an ice cube over your face until it melts. Do it every night before bed and keep fat cells, acne and wrinkles under control.
Don’t Neglect Your Elbows
It’s easy to forget about your elbows, but they need just as much protection and care as other parts of your body. Cure dry elbows by massaging Bio-Oil onto them daily. You’ll see and feel softer elbows in at least two days.
Soothe Your Stomach.. And Your Face Apparently Pepto-Bismol isn’t just a stomach soother, it can also be used as a facial mask. It contains bismuth subsalicylate, which is commonly found in facial creams. Try spreading two teaspoons of Pepto-Bismol on your face, then letting it dry for 15 to 30 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water.
Lash booster Forget all those controversyladen lash boosting concoctions – simply dab a bit of flax seed oil on your lash line every night. Flax seeds contain Omega-3, -6, and -9, along with B vitamins and lecithin to repair lash damage and stimulate their growth.
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Lighten Hair With Chamomile Tea And Lemon Juice Popie Poulos, hairstylist recommends rinsing your hair with a mixture of chamomile and fresh lemon juice instead of conditioner to permanently lighten your tresses. Allow your hair to dry while sitting in the sun or use a blow dryer — the heat will lighten your locks. De-Puff Your Eyes With Raw Potatoes In an interview, Dr.Frances Jang, a dermatologist at Skinworks recommends using raw potato slices to soothe your eyes. She says they are astringent which means they help decrease water retention and they also contain the enzyme catalase which helps lighten dark under eye circles. First, wash and peel a potato. Cut two slices and place one on each eye for 10 minutes. Lie down, relax and let the potatoes work their magic. Rinse the eye area gently with lukewarm water when you’re done.
Say Goodbye To Makeup Sponges Makeup sponges help you apply make up, but not without a cost. They usually soak up more liquid foundation than what ends up on your face. The result? You’re wasting foundation and constantly buying new sponges. The fix? Get a foundation brush. You waste less foundation and it allows for a more even and precise application than a sponge would. Lighten Hair With Chamomile Tea And Lemon Juice Popie Poulos, hairstylist recommends rinsing your hair with a mixture of chamomile and fresh lemon juice instead of conditioner to permanently lighten your tresses. Allow your hair to dry while sitting in the sun or use a blow dryer — the heat will lighten your locks.
Countouring Creates Dimension The trick to achieving a chiseled celebrity-like face is to contour (Angelina Jolie cheekbones, anyone?). Your face is three dimensional so applying foundation in a single tone will only make your face appear flat. Add a highlighter to areas of your face that would usually catch light but create enough shadow to emphasize your jaw line and cheekbones.
Keep Misbehaving Brows In Check Spritz an old toothbrush or a clean mascara wand with hairspray, then brush brows and style them as desired. Even the most hard to tame brows will fall in line with this trick.
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Avoid Overly Rosy Cheeks Giving yourself a natural glow avec blush is an in look for spring/ summer. But you’ll want to avoid brushing on too much (lest you look like a clown). So always start your blush line two finger widths away from your nose and only apply it on the apples of your cheeks. This will ensure you create a natural glow without going overboard. Toothpaste Zaps Pimples You’ve heard it before — don’t pop your spots! Why not try applying a bit of toothpaste to a pimple before bed and washing it off with warm water when you wake up in the morning. They say that toothpastes draws impurities out of clogged pores and dries the skin with shrinks the pimple. Opt for organic toothpastes rather than gel toothpastes which don’t work as well. Blot Away Excess Oil Do you start the morning with matte, fresh-looking skin only to find that by the time 5 p.m. rolls in you’re a shiny mess? If you have oily skin then blotting papers are a beauty godsend. Don’t use powder to soak up the oil. Using too much periodically throughout the day will make your skin appear cakey because you’re just layering makeup on top of more makeup. Opt for blotting papers instead. They will soak up all the oil.
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SUMMER 2015
11 No Makeup Remover? Try Lotion Instead If you’re out of makeup remover, use body lotion to get rid of makeup. It works especially well on tough mascara.
Create Fuller Lips If you’re tired of having thin, pursed puckers, extend your lip line using a neutral-toned lip liner. Then apply lipstick over top. Be careful though — don’t extend your lip line too much.
Use Oil On Your Skin.. Even If It’s Already Oily This probably sounds crazy, but using an oil-based product to remove makeup or excess dirt from your skin can actually improve your epidermis’ condition. Why? Over-cleaning stimulates the sebum glands, which causes skin to over-produce oil. Using oil-based products will have the opposite effect. Moisturise Properly Sometimes less is more. Don’t slather your face with moisturizer because it will take 10 minutes or more to be absorbed by the skin before your face is ready for makeup. In an interview, Susan Evans, a dermatologist, said the best way to apply face cream is to blend a pea-sized amount on your cheeks, nose, chin and forehead instead of moisturising heavily. Clean Your Makeup Brushes Make sure you clean your makeup brushes regularly to avoid a buildup of makeup residue and bacteria. You can purchase makeup brush cleaner from a chemist or beauty store, or you can simply use shampoo and conditioner to clean your brushes as you would your own hair. Clean brushes guarantee a super smooth and even makeup application every time. Treat Ingrown Hairs Apply a product containing azulene or witch hazel to help reduce the swelling and redness that’s associated with ingrown hairs. From there, coax the ingrown hair from its location with a pair of tweezers (don’t pull it out, though — this will only make the ingrown hair regrow in in the same way later).
Lashes For Miles Curl your lashes both before and after applying mascara for longer lashes. You may want to re-curl them throughout the day to get some extra lift, just remember to be gentle when you apply pressure with your curler. Don’t Pop It No, no, no! Don’t pop your spots. Not only does it increase the chance of scarring, it’s also likely that you will worsen the blemish and spread bacteria to other places on your face which could give rise to another breakout. Stop Your Hair Colour From Fading If you’ve just had your hair dyed, the last thing you want is for the colour to fade. One surefire way to prevent such a mishap from happening is to use a deep-conditioning treatment once a month. This will help lock in colour and has the added benefit of staving off dry and damaged locks. Exfoliate Your Lips Dry, flaky, chapped lips are the worst canvas for lipstick. To ensure that your puckers are in perfect pout condition, the experts recommend exfoliating your lips. To do this, apply lip balm to your lips, then using a toothbrush or clean mascara wand, scrub your lips (don’t be too rough). Then, use a tissue to wipe away excess flakes and voila! You’ll have a perfect pout in no time. Microwave Lotion Into Luxury Who doesn’t love a spa day? If we could go every day, we probably would, but that would also put a dent in our wallets. A quick, easy and cheaper indulgence is to put your favourite lotion in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Make sure the oils in your lotion don’t separate and that it isn’t too hot. Apply it on to your skin and enjoy!
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Exfoliate Daily Exfoliation is an important and easy way to buff away the dead skin cells that cover up your skin’s natural glow. Use a light exfoliator, like the Daily Microfoliant from Dermalogica, to freshen your face daily. Know Your Shade When choosing a foundation, test a product on the skin near your jawline. And be sure to do it in natural light. This will ensure the foundation tone you choose for your face isn’t too different from the natural shade of your neck. Uses For Old Mascara Wands Don’t throw away your old mascara wand, it’s still got a few uses left. Clean it and use it as a brow brush instead. You might even find it handy around the house — use it to unclog sinks or clean tough to reach areas in your home. Tweezing Tips Before you tweeze, make sure you soften your skin by dabbing a cotton ball soaked in warm water or cream. When you start tweezing, do so in the direction of your hair’s growth. Camouflage Grey Hair If you want to camouflage some strands of grey hair on the go, try using mascara if you have dark hair. For blondes or redheads try dusting your roots with bronzing powder. Cut Back On Pedicures Save money on your beauty routine by taking care of your feet on a daily basis. Simply scrub your foot with a pumice stone each morning in the shower. Once you step out and dry off, apply a moisture cream to your feet. This will increase the amount of time you can go without a pedicure and will keep your toes healthy and fungus-free.
Use Dry Shampoo
We absolutely love dry shampoo. It absorbs excess oil on your strands and scalp and keeps your mane looking clean and fresh. If you don’t have dry shampoo, try washing just the top of your head (or wherever there is oil), with regular shampoo followed by a quick blow dry. Your tresses will look as good as new. Don’t Pump Your Mascara The experts say that you should never pump your mascara (i.e., moving the wand up and down in the tube really quickly) because it will only allow air into the tube which will cause your mascara to dry (and ultimately shorten its lifespan). Apply Bronzer Evenly Before applying bronzer or self-tanning lotion, mix a drop or two of the solution with moisture cream. Blend using your finger or a Q-tip then apply to skin as you would regular moisturiser. This will ensure the cream blends in — and covers skin — evenly.
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Fashion
Fancy Feet for £20 and under!! Mint T-Bar textured strappy shoe £18, Matalan
Tan Tribal strappy sandal £18, Matalan
Coral shoe Marks and Spencer Collection, £19.50
Pale blue jewelled sandals £15.99, New Look
Pink cross over jelly sandals £12, BHS
Natural classic Espadrille wedge £12, Matalan Stacked Heel sandal £14, Primark
Green acid wash lace up plimsole £7.99, New Look
Black Gillie sandal
Silver glitter sliders
£10, Primark
£6, Primark
Gardner Black wedge espadrille £15, Very
Navy and white sandals
Floozie by Frost French £20, Debenhams
Woven X strap espadrille
£12, Primark
Blue sandal £18,
Marks and Spencer
Gold sandals £10, George @ Asda www.familiesfirst.ie
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SUMMER 2015
Pebble noughts & crosses
A brilliant noughts and crosses board – fun to make, fun to give and fun to play.
You will need • Pebbles • Colourful tile • White acrylic paint writer. To make We used a standard 15cm x 15cm square tile. Collect ten small pebbles, about 3-4cm in diameter. Using a ruler and pencil, faintly mark out the lines of the noughts and crosses board onto the tile. Carefully paint over these lines with the white paint writer. Set aside to dry for at least two hours Using the white paint writer again paint noughts onto five of the pebbles and crosses on to the remainder. Leave to dry thoroughly. White acrylic paint writer, Hobbycraft Hobbycraft.co.uk. Tile, B&Q (diy.com).
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Make a Father’s Day card
Dads will love this all the more because it’s handmade. You will need • Scrapbook paper • Scissors • Glue To Make • Cut a piece of scrapbook paper and fold it in half. • Up where the crease is, cut 2 slits into the paper toward the center, like this: • Cut out a tie shape using another piece of scrapbook paper and glue it on, like this: • Then fold the tabs you cut on top over diagonally and glue them down. It will look like the collar of a shirt over the tie, like this: Then when you open it up and write your message inside! Happy Father’s Day!
Hand print tree picture
Tree trunk template sample
Children will love getting their hands messy to create a gift for Father’s Day. You will need • Picture Frame • White card to fit frame • Brown Card • Acrylic paints in various colours To Make Make a template of a tree with 5 or six branches. Enlarge the tree trunk template to the desired size and cut out from the brown card. Position and glue onto the sheet of white card, Paint child’s hand with first colour of acrylic paint. Trial a few prints on a spare piece of paper first. Carefully place hand onto the white card, press firmly and remove hand slowly to avoid any smudges. Repeat handprints with additional colours to complete the tree. Leave to dry, then insert in the frame. Easy peasy!!!
Crafting Happy Father’s Day Help the kids make their dad’s day special with these gorgeous crafts. Or why not make the card for your own dad and see him smile! There are lots of ideas to make for Father’s day so get going... Kids love making these Sharpie mug crafts. The best bit about them? They’re so simple to do.
These cute kids’ bookmarks are the perfect gift for members of your family, particularly relatives who live far away. We’ve used a little cheat by using a laminator to make ours, but don’t worry, these work just as well with a little stickyback plastic too.
You can mark out any design you’d like on your mug, whether it’s a loved ones’ name, your initial or a pattern of your choosing, simply use stickers to decide how you want your mug to look. You can use as many different colours as you like, that’s really up to you. Just remember to make sure you draw a thick line around any letters or stickers you use, so they really stand out from your design. And then it’s the fun part. Unleash your inner doodler and scribble as much as you want all over the mug, using a rainbow of different colours. The results look fantastic! You will need • White mug • Letter stickers • Star stickers in various sizes • Oil-based marker pens Step 1 Peel and stick some letter stickers spelling DAD, DADDY, or whichever word ou would like to write, on the side of a plain white mug. Stick some star stickers at random around the lettering. Step 2 Using oil-based marker pens, scribble around and over the letters and star stickers in different bright colours. Leave to dry, before carefully peeling off the stickers with a pair of tweezers. Step 3 To seal the ink, place the scribble mug in a warm oven at about 160C for 30 minutes, then allow to cool completely before removing. www.familiesfirst.ie
Know a bookworm who’d love to save a page in their favourite novel with one of these cute bookmarks?
It’s really up to you how you want them to look. Spend some time experimenting with different poses with the kids and see which ones make you giggle. We love this idea of making it look like they’re holding on to a balloon, and this just needed a little string and some round stickers to make it work. You will need • A4 photo paper • Scissors • Laminator and laminating sleeves • String • Needle • Foam stickers Step 1 Take some fun photographs of your children stretching their arms up or jumping in the air. Print the pictures onto sheets of A4 photo paper. Step 2 Cut around the photographs of the children and place inside a laminating sleeve. Put through the laminator then, when cool, cut around the laminated children and make a small hole at the top of each with a needle. Step 3 Cut some lengths of string and trap one end of each between two foam stickers. Poke the other ends through the holes of the children bookmarks and tie a knot, leaving the ends hanging loose.
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Revising Tips You only need to Google ‘revision tips’ in order to discover a plethora of advice on how to tackle revision and find strategies to help optimise what has been taught during lessons. Revision always involves a combination of memorisation and the application of all one has learnt to specific questions.
There is a limited amount of information that a typical brain is able to absorb at any one time. Expecting the mind to retain large amounts of information through last minute ‘cramming’ is unrealistic. Excessive short-term bursts of learning activity may be successful for relatively straightforward and simple revision topics but this is not a good strategy for effective and optimum examination performance. It is important to plan your revision on a timetable to ensure that all the relevant subject areas are thoroughly revised and then revisited just before the examination to ensure the detail is retained.
Non-verbal Reasoning Why is non-verbal reasoning an important part of a child’s education, even if it isn’t included in their syllabus? The University of Kent (http:// www.kent.ac.uk/careers/ tests/spatialtest.htm) defines non-verbal reasoning (NVR) as ‘the ability to understand and analyse visual information and solve problems using visual reasoning’. It also states that the development of this particular skill ‘enables students to analyse and solve complex problems without relying upon, or being limited by, language skills’.
computing. Many employers also use NVR testing as part of their recruitment process. Even if NVR does not appear in tests and examinations for which your child is preparing, it may still be worth investing some time in practising NVR tests. This is because acquiring superior NVR skills may indirectly improve children’s literacy and numeracy skills. There are numerous NVR tests available online and these are always useful for practice and familiarisation purposes. However, if your child is sitting a standard NVR test in their eleven plus examination, it is best to prepare them by handling paper-based tests to ensure they have had sufficient practice in this style of testing.
Working through the AE Publications series of non-verbal reasoning workbooks and the testbook is an excellent way to prepare your child for these examinations.
Our Maths ‘how-to’ workbooks are a great way to prepare for the 11+
Below is a list of things that you and your child should do to revise for any exam:
1 2We believe in giving your child the skills to understand a 3 method or concept and solve any 4mathematical problem, helping Eat well: there is substantial evidence to suggest that eating a healthy, balanced diet aids good brain function. You need plenty of energy to work well and remain focused.
Drink well: drinking plenty of liquid helps reduce dehydration. Those that do not drink enough water may find their concentration and energy levels adversely affected.
Build a revision planner: map out how many feasible days are left to revise and all the topics that need to be covered. Breaking down work into manageable chunks helps to make it less daunting and easier to tackle. Allow time for final revision: it is always a good idea to allow enough time at the end of the revision process to go through all the topics one final time. This reduces the possibility of the ‘recency effect’, i.e. only remembering the things most recently revised and forgetting everything else.
Although NVR is not necessarily a skill that can be taught in a conventional sense, children are able to hone and improve their skills in this area, through practice and familiarisation. Some children have more natural ability in this subject area, but all children will benefit from working at their NVR skills. Strong NVR skills help children see how patterns form, and assist in developing their conceptual and imaginative ability. In going through NVR questions children are constantly faced with novel material and, to solve the problem, cannot draw on more conventional knowledge they have previously learnt. Acquiring these kinds of visual reasoning skills is especially useful for geometry in maths, aspects of science, and
them to apply that knowledge both in the classroom and in tests.
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Read it, Recall it, Reproduce it: do not just glance at materials but check you have absorbed the information. It is useful to employ these three ‘Rs’ in your approach to revision. You should read through the material, then try to recall the information in your mind and, finally, see if you can write down the essence of it, or the important details that should be remembered. If it is a methodology or algorithm in maths, it is important to answer a number of questions to ensure you have mastered the technique.
Step-by-step explanations, techniques
Answers in each book to help parents m Preparation for 11+ exams Child and parent friendly Full colour pages
By knowing and applying these traditional www.familiesfirst.ie www.facebook.com/FamiliesFirstNI techniques, your child will gain the
A special feature brought to you by AE Publications
Chris has been using AEP’s books for three years now. We go through them together and the improvement in his work has really been noticeable. Mrs Alison Peters
5–7
WORKBOOK
Maths Numerical Reasoning
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Learning doesn’t have to stop at the classroom door It’s important to me that my son Chris makes the most of his education and has the best resources and opportunities made available to him so that he can succeed in later life. However at times it felt like Chris wasn’t in control of his education. If he found a topic particularly difficult, sometimes there wouldn’t be time at school to make sure he had fully understood. I’d look through his homework, see him struggling and we’d have to go through the whole topic again. That’s why we decided to supplement his studies with extra work, outside of school, to make sure he understood his subjects. With so many different books on the market, it was difficult to know which ones would work best. I heard about AEP’s books from a friend whose child was using them. When she showed me how each topic is broken down into manageable sections and presented, it reminded me a lot of lessons from my childhood, learning the techniques required to get the correct answers before moving on to focus on the ‘hows’ and ’whys’. The organisation of topics and pace of progression impressed me most. The books are well written and the way information is presented is kept consistent. Chris has been using AEP’s books for three years now. We go through them together and the improvement in his work has been really noticeable.
ESSENTIAL LEARNING FOR SATs Attainment Levels 3–6 Quantitative Reasoning for CATs 11+ (CEM/GL Assessment) Tests Common Entrance & Scholarship Northern Ireland Transfer Tests
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ESTE
Ages 9–12
At times the work can be challenging, but this is a good thing, and through AEP’s step-by-step structure, Chris can identify where he’s going wrong and we can make sure he gets to grips with a topic before he progresses further. by Stephen Curran
What he loves most is being able to demonstrate what he’s learned from the books to his teachers at school. They are very impressed with his progression and my husband and I are very proud of him. What’s more, even though he’s now passed his 11+ exam, he still wants to carry on with this extra work. Now my daughter Jade has also started using the books, there’s no stopping either of them! MRS ALISON PETERS About AE Publications All of AEP’s workbooks have been rigorously classroom tested and used in AE Tuition classes for over 15 years. Over 85% of children that have completed the AE Tuition learning programme have gone on to achieve success in the state grammar school 11+ examinations and independent school selection tests. About the author Dr Stephen C. Curran PhD, MA, BA (Hons), B(Mus), PGCE, Dip. RSA, Mcot, has over twenty years of teaching experience in both the secondary and primary sectors. Stephen has written courses for children in Mathematics, English, Verbal Activity, Non-verbal Reasoning and Creative Writing.
For more information on our range of educational books please visit aepublications.co.uk
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Association for Quality Education Limited
COMMON ENTRANCE ASSESSMENT THE ASSESSMENTS THE NEXT NEXTCYCLE CYCLE THE ASSESSMENTS FOR FOR THE (2014/15) (2015/16) TAKE PLACEON ON7TH 8 th NOVEMBER, WILL WILL TAKE PLACE NOVEMBER, nd th 22 NOVEMBER and 29 NOVEMBER 2014. 21ST NOVEMBER AND 28TH NOVEMBER 2015
REGISTRATION OPENED ON TUESDAY 6 th MAY.
FORMS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE AQE SCHOOLS, FROM THE AQE OFFICE OR FROM THE AQE WEBSITE. For further information, including details of the registration process, the list of participating schools, answers to questions parents are asking about the CEA and details of sample questions and past papers, please visit www.aqe.org.uk . The papers will reflect the English and Mathematics elements of the current Primary School Curriculum.
The Association for Quality Education Ltd., Unit 3, Weavers Court Business Park, Belfast BT 12 5GH Telephone: (028) 90224002
Downey and Fullerton House Schools have celebrated significant birthdays over the past years. The name Fullerton was granted to the school nearly 65 years ago in November 1951 in honour of William Fullerton the former Chairman and long serving member of the Board of Governors and one of the main figures behind the founding of Downey House over eighty years ago in 1933. From that time, the staff in the schools have worked hard to ensure that successive generations of children have the best opportunities during their primary school. This is the same today. Over the past six years our AQE average has consistently been 110 or higher. This means that well over 95% of our P7 children are able to transfer to the school of their choice in the following September. Our academic standards are high but both schools also place great value on boys and girls sports, music, drama in addition to a wide range of extra curricular activities, residentials (currently to Holland an skiing in Italy), local visits and other fun events. The successful learning environment created by parents, staff and children is vital to ensure that the success which the children in the school have enjoyed in the past continues into the future. The pastoral care policies and anti bullying practices are important in ensuring that this successful learning environment is maintained and developed. Both Downey & Fullerton House Schools are proud of their diversity. Recent census information revealed that over thirteen different faiths are represented in the schools. Our children are able to attend classes and activities for their religious observances and these are celebrated where possible in school. The school is pleased to received enquires during the year. The maximum class size is 24 and places are limited to please contact the school soon to avoid missing out on a valuable Methodist College Preparatory Department place. Queries can be made to either school as follows – Downey House: 028 9028 6660 info@downeyhouse.belfast.ni.sch.uk Fullerton House: 028 9020 5217 info@fullertonhouse.belfast.ni.sch.uk
Email: aqeoffice1@yahoo.co.uk
Methodist College Belfast
Preparatory Department
Downey & Fullerton House Schools Opportunity Diversity Excellence Now accepting applications for Pre-School and Prep 1 in September 2016, 2017 & 2018 Many of our classes are full but if you are interested in a place for your son or daughter then please contact the school as we operate a waiting list for each year group. Featuring … Quality learning from P1 to P7 Small classes Music / PE / French & Drama Specialist Teachers High Academic Standards Broad Curriculum After School Clubs
www.methody.org All enquiries to Fullerton: 028 9020 5217 info@fullertonhouse.belfast.ni.sch.uk Downey: 028 9028 6660 info@downeyhouse.belfast.ni.sch.uk www.familiesfirst.ie
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Balancing Life and Work How We Can Help
Making it pay to work At Employers For Childcare Charitable Group, we’re all about trying to help parents to get into work, or to stay in work when the pressures of balancing family life and employment come into conflict. Those pressures can take many forms, and we know that the high cost of childcare and the lack of awareness of potential financial support are having a huge impact on families across Northern Ireland. Each year, we conduct research to highlight the struggles of local families in trying to balance work and family life. Last year, over 4,200 parents and almost 1,000 childcare providers contributed to our Childcare Costs Report, which showed that 51% of parents had reduced their hours or left work altogether as result of the high cost of childcare. It also revealed that 58% of
parents struggled with their childcare bill, either throughout the year or at some point during it. Whilst this can have a detrimental impact on family incomes, it can also hamper career progression and place increasing strains on family life, harming parental wellbeing. Just under half of the parents surveyed were unsure whether they were claiming all the financial help they could be entitled to: help which could support them to meet their childcare bills or provide a little more income for their family. Even more worryingly, 22% of parents told us that they regularly used credit cards, loans from family or friends, or even payday loans to pay their childcare bills. We are here to help! We at Employers For Childcare are here to help. We can provide you with advice and
Looking for Childcare Solutions
information on all the forms of help which are available to your family. Our Family Benefits Advice Service is delivered by a team of qualified, expert advisers who can provide free, confidential and impartial information and advice on a range of financial entitlements and support available for parents of dependent children. This can include information from how to manage the costs of registered childcare to flexible working options or information on how to find childcare in your own local area.
our team can give you advice on the basis of your family’s circumstances. The landscape of support is very complex, and it will change significantly over the coming months, but we’re here to help parents to navigate it. Did you know, for example, that:
What type of support could I be entitled to?
• The Childcare Voucher scheme will be closing to new entrants at the end of 2015, and those parents who are not already members could lose out on potential savings of £1,866 for their family on the cost of registered childcare each year;
The best way to ensure you’re getting all of the help that you can is to contact our Freephone Advice Line, so that one of
• Parents of children born after 5 April 2015 are now entitled to decide to share leave within the first year after
their child’s birth, for up to 50 weeks, under the Shared Parental Leave Scheme; and • The pre-existing entitlement to Additional Paternity Leave has now been abolished, as partners are now entitled to share up to 37 weeks of Shared Parental Leave pay? Our message is simple: if you have children, and are amongst the 49% of parents who are not absolutely sure that they are getting all of the support they are entitled to, then you need to contact us. We are here to help all parents right across Northern Ireland, and one quick call could have a huge impact on your family’s income. Can you afford not to make that free call?
For further information on all of our courses, please contact us on 028 9267 8200. email solutions@employersforchildcare.org or visit our website www.childcaresolutionsni.org. Facebook: www.facebook.com/childcaresolutionsni
Advice about Family Benefits
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Information about Childcare Vouchers
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BOOK
9+ years Demon Dentist Hardback) David Walliams
Reviews
5+ years
illustrated by Ben Cort, these bright picture books are sure to entertain your young reader as they follow the Pants Pirates on their quest for the Pants of Gold. A treasure hunt like no other, this is a rip-roaring read just perfect for reading together.
Mustard, Custard, Grumble Belly and Gravy( Othe Michael Rosen -
The original story in the Underpants series, Aliens Love Underpants, shows that even creatures from another planet find pants funny, while the lovable aliens also appear in Aliens Love Panta Claus, a festive story where they put neon pants on Rudolph and tie knickers up in place of stockings!
Stories for 2 Year Olds Various authors Enjoy a day at the zoo, have fun on the farm, go wild on a jungle safari and dive into an undersea adventure - making lots of new friends along the way. With Stories for Two Year Olds, toddlers will laugh along with lovable children’s characters which Mummy and Daddy will adore too. Including stories from Duck Says Don’t! author Alison Ritchie and Jo Brown, author of Where’s My Mummy, the beautiful illustrations and charming poems come together to give little ones aged 2 and above a perfect anthology for sharing at playtime or bedtime - and it’s hardback cover ensures that it will survive even the most-terrible toddler tantrum. Enchanting and engaging, Stories for Two Year Olds is the perfect gift for all two-year-olds as they begin their adventure into the wonderful world of books!
3+ years
There is plenty of prehistoric pantsbased pandemonium to be found in Dinosaurs Love Underpants too, while Aliens in Underpants Save the World finds them becoming global heroes. This picture book collection comes displayed in a beautiful cloth bag, meaning children can laugh their pants off - wherever they are!
Readers who love the dottiness of Quentin Blake’s Mr Magnolia will be thrilled by this crazy collection, which comes complete with a CD in which Michael Rosen reads his poems. This is definitely a must-have collection of poetry for every youngster’s bookshelf. From 5+.
4+ years My First Bible Stories Collection - 12 Books This 12-book collection is perfect for introducing young children to the stories of the New Testament - from the birth of Jesus through to Noah’s Ark and the last supper. Whether children want to read the incredible stories for themselves or share them with a parent or guardian at bedtime, the picture books are colourful, beautiful and written in a style that is accessible and explains what is happening in a clear, easy-to-understand language. A favourite with Book People customers, this is the collection for anyone who wants to introduce Bible stories to children aged 5+. As well as the stories about Jesus, the books also cover David and Goliath, Jonah and the Whale and Joseph’s Colourful Coat.
Aliens Love Underpants Collection 5 Books Pirates, Aliens, Dinosaurs... they all love Underpants - and so will you with this funny five-book collection! Written by Claire Freedman and
Titles in this collection • The Birth of Jesus • Jesus and his Disciples • The Baptism of Jesus • The Miracles of Jesus • The Last Supper • The Easter Story • Noah’s Ark • David and Goliath • Moses in the Bulrushes • Joseph’s Colourful Coat • Jonah and the Big Fish • Daniel and the Lions www.familiesfirst.ie
Bottom of Form Mustard, Custard, Grumble Belly and Gravy is a combination of two books of poetry written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Quentin Blake.
7+ years Barry Loser Collection 5 Books Jim Smith Funny, silly, quirky and perfect for reluctant readers aged 7 and above, fans of Jeff Kinney’s Wimpy Kid books will laugh out loud to the books in our Barry Loser Collection to near bursting point. Barry Loser has never had a problem with his name, because his coolness has always cancelled his name out! That is until Darren Darrenofski - the boy with the oh-so horrible crocodile face - joins the school and starts to ruin his life. Now, Barry must prove to the school and himself! - that he is most definitely NOT a loser... Containing five hilarious diary-format books full of crazy cartoon illustrations, short chapters and ridiculously bad jokes, Jim Smith’s Roald Dahl Funny Prize-winning series is a must-read, wonderfully madcap, set of books for children.
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Following on from the success of Mr Stink, Gangsta Granny and his three other bestselling children’s novels, Little Britain actor, comedian, fundraiser and talented author David Walliams returns with Demon Dentist. Another jaw-achingly funny read, this time a cloud of darkness has come to town. Children who put a tooth under their pillow for the tooth fairy are waking up to find dead slugs, live spiders and earwigs underneath. Someone or something evil is lurking, but who or what is it? With Tony Ross’ hilarious illustrations once again featured throughout and a hint of Roald Dahl-style macabre humour, this is a funny but heartwarming book that will make parents laugh just as much as children.
12+ years Maze Runner Collection 3 Books James Dashner You’ve seen the hit film starring Dylan O’Brien, Will Poulter and Kaya Scodelario; now’s the time to read up on James Dashner’s Maze Runner series you won’t believe what happens next! The film adaptation was one of 2014’s biggest films but we believe the novels are even better! This three-book collection is great for anyone who was left on the edge of their seat by the film’s cliffhanger ending and needs to know what happens next... Starting with The Maze Runner and all Thomas can remember is his name. When the lift cranks open, he finds he’s not alone and has landed up at the Glade - an encampment at the centre of a terrible maze. Surrounding him is an army of boys known as the Gladers... But when a girl arrives with a message, everyone will have to work together to escape the maze - or risk dying! The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure continue the story with even more shocks, thrills and spills... A combination of The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies and Patrick Ness’ Chaos Walking trilogy, these are young adult novels of the highest calibre.
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CLEAR THE CLUTTER. Hate that shrub that’s been growing in your garden since you moved in? Now’s the time to take it out. Tired of the same old terracotta tubs? Donate them to friends or neighbours, or advertise them online. Taking things out of your garden may feel counterproductive when you’re trying to improve it, but getting rid of unnecessary clutter will breathe new life into the space and make way for all your new ideas.
BE BOLD Colour doesn’t have to come from flowers alone. A few eye-catching pots or accessories will go a long way to brightening up the garden – imagine a pastel watering can filled with blooms, or a pair of strategically placed wellies (big supermarkets have a fab budget-friendly options). A pop of colour adds instant interest and contrast to a predominance of green and brown.
A li will ck of pa i g ol ive y nt stapd garde our leasles a nen e of w life-
FIND FREE FURNITURE. Patio tables and chairs are much cheaper (and sometime’s free!) if you get them second hand –check and sites like Gumtree and Freecycle to see if anyone local has a set going spare. Alternatively, you can repurpose old wooden furniture, such as bench seats and dining room tables, from inside your house by weather proofing (stripping and sealing) them and jazzing them up with fat, patterned cushions. START UPCYCLING Wash the labels off old jam or pasta sauce jars (tackling any remaining sticky areas by coating in peanut butter for 10 minutes, then rinsing – yes really), and fill with seedlings to create a mini herb garden. You can also paint tin cans; drill a few holes in them and a tea light and – hey presto! –pretty, flicker lanterns for next to nothing. Who knew the recycling box would turn out to be such a treasure trove?
Spruce up your garden on the cheap! LIGHT IT UP Check last year’s Christmas decorations
and see if the fairy lights you’ve already got are suitable for outdoor use – you can wrap them around tree trunks or umbrella poles, or drape them over fences. But if you want lighting that’s a bit more permanent look for lamps that can be staked in the ground, as this will cut down on the amount of DIY required to install them.
BLITZ YOUR WEEDS An unkempt garden rarely looks pretty. The best time to tackle annual weeds is in dry weather, as the plants are easier to grab and pull when they’re a bit shrivelled, or you can slice through them with a garden hoe. Perennial weeds, on the other hand, are best dealt with when wet – the looser soil means you should be able to pull the whole plant out with roots intact so they can’t come creeping back. Weeding is hard work, but can burn around 200 calories an hour, so it’ll leave you and your garden looking improved!
SCRUB THE DECKS You may not have to clean them as frequently as wooden floors indoors, but decking and paths need TLC, too! Sweep thoroughly, removing anything stuck between the slats, then wash down the entire area with the spray attachment on your garden hose. If you‘ve got access to a pressure washer (or have the budget to rent one for the day), this will be particularly good for shifting stubborn grime.
THINK WITH YOUR NOSE Make your garden smell as good as it looks by growing strongscented plants in key areas, such as near the patio seating. Sweet peas, lavender and roses are top choices flower-wise, while herbs like mint, basil lemon balm will also make their deliciously fragrant presence known.
LOVE (OR LOSE) YOU’RE LAWN.
Lawns require so much maintenance. If you like having a grassy area, great! Take the time to fertilise and mow it regularly – but if you can’t be bothered with the upkeep dig out the turf and replace with slabs. Not only will it look great, it’ll make life a lot easier for in the long run.
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g ovinary m e s R ces ake e unn r will myour te ll clut y for a eas wa ew id n
RETHINK PLANT PLACEMENT I you’re not about to build a whole bank of raised beds, you can often transform your old garden kit into perfect sized planters instead. A disused wheelbarrow, for example, just needs a few holes drilling in the bottom for drainage, and then you can fill it with a rich potting soil, add a sprinkling of seeds and get growing.
GET PAINTING
Whether its fences, a shed or tables and chairs, a lick of paint will give your old garden staples a new lease of life. For a unified feel, opt for neutral shades to complement your colour scheme, or, for family fun go bright and cover a flat section in blackboard paint (you’ll be glad you did come summer, when the kids are outside)
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I
levels of the harmful LDL cholesterol that can block arteries and contribute to the risk if heart disease or stroke.
f you’re looking for a health snack, it’s hard to do better than a handful of mixed unsalted nuts. For if anything warrants the term superfood, they do. So why are they so good for you? It’s though one their main benefits is that they help lower blood pressure. They also raise levels of good cholesterol that are beneficial for health, while lowering
WHICH
“They are also of benefit for those with diabetes or on the verge of being diabetic, as they’ve been found to help reduce and stabilise blood sugar level,” says Priya Tew, a dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association. It’s true that although they are also quite high in calories (a large handful is around 155 calories), eating nuts won’t
sabotage your diet – curiously, it seems to have the opposite effect. A study published earlier this year of 803 adults found that those who ate a small portion of nuts regularly – on average 16g a day- were less likely to become obese. So why would this be?
stomach empties. They are also quite high in fibre, which, again, helps make you feel full. So smacking on a few nuts to quell hunger pains makes you feel fuller for longer,
makes you less likely to snack on something unhealthy and makes it easier to have smaller portions at mealtimes.”
“Nuts are full of protein and beneficial fats,” says Priya. “Protein helps make you feel full quickly, and fat of any kind delays the rate at which the
NUTS
ARE BEST FOR YOU... Bowls of mixed nuts are as much a part of Christmas as mince pies but much better for you. Lucy Elkins cracks the nut health code. BRAZIL NUTS
WHY? We need selenium for a health immune system and to help prevent damage to cells. There has been speculation that falling levels in the soil could be to blame for various diseases, even cancer, although this has not been proven
HOW MANY? A portion of 6-8 nuts (30g) would provide almost all of a women’s daily needs of 0.06mg
CASHEWS
WHY? Iron is needed to make red blood cells, and women especially need to keep their intake.
HOW MANY? Cashews are a surprisingly rich source. A 30g serving – around 20 cashews – contains 20mg, more than a women’s daily needs of 14.8mg
ALMONDS
WHY? This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent cells from damage. Most nuts contain vitamin E but almonds come out best for this vitamin
HOW MANY? A 30G portion of aournd 20 almonds contains around 6.8mg. A women needs 3 mg a day
WALNUTS
WHY? Walnuts contain significant amount of alphalinolenic acid (ALA)- the plant based source of omega-3 fatty acids commonly found in oily fish. These fatty acids can help prevent the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and cut the levels of bad fats in the blood.
HOW MANY? There’s no recommended daily amount yet set for these fats, but a 30g serving of 20 walnut halves contains around 2.4g of ALA
BEST FOR Selenium
BEST FOR Iron
BEST FOR Vitamin E
BEST FOR Omega -3 Fatty acids
POSTACHIOS BEST FOR Copper
WHY? This mineral helps make blood cells and release iron so that it can make haemoglobin
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HOW MANY? A 30g serving – around 50 pistachios-contains 0.4mg. An adult needs 1.2mg daily. You can contact Priya Tew at dietitianuk.co.uk
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When is a nut not a nut? Think nuts and many people might think peanuts. However, strictly speaking, these aren’t nuts at all. The true nuts are the tree nuts – Brazils, hazelnuts, walnuts and chestnuts, for example. What defines them as nuts is that they are all the fruit of a tree in a hard shell. Peanuts are actually legumes – which means they ripen in pods underground. As the true tree nuts come in hard shells, some argue that you don’t need to spend more on buying organic nuts, as they’re protected from any pesticides.
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Lamb chops-grilled aubergine & couscous (serves 4 ) 8 lamb chops (marinated in rosemarygarlic & thyme) Aubergine... • 2 aubergine(crossed) • 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil • Pinch of curry powder • 2 clove of garlic (grated) • Coriander (chopped) Couscous ... • 100g couscous • 150ml vegetable stock
• • • • • • • •
1red chilli diced Pinch of each spice -Turmeric-curry powderChilli powder 1 lemon(juice) 1 tbsp Parsley(chopped) 16 apricots(chopped) 4 tbsp golden raisins 4 tbsp of almonds (toasted) 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
Method... Chops 1. Bring a non-stick pan or BBQ to high heat ,season lamb . 2. Cook 5 minutes in each side & rest before serving. Method.... Aubergine 1. Brush aubergine with oil,rub on garlic & season with curry powder. 2. Place on non -stick pan or BBQ for 7 minutes on each side. 3. Season well and finish with coriander.
Chef Stephen Jeffers...
Hi guys It’s that time of the year to dust down the BBQ and getting cooking al fresco. I think People are so predictable when it comes to BBQ food,so with my take on this fantastic way of cooking I hope this will give you a different way of thinking and a super day with family and friends when the sun comes out. I love fish cooked on the BBQ and as you can see I’ve given you three lovely simple ways to treat fish,have ago at my home hot smoked salmon,you can also try this method with other fish ie trout,bass & cod.my skinny broccoli salad is a delight and the sourness of the yogurt dressing it’s perfect with fish. The yummy baked banana are a must,what you’ll find with this recipe your end up with a sticky toffee sauce and not stir in sight. So what’s stopping you guys get cooking ...
Method... Couscous 1. In a small bowl add couscous,in a pot bring stock & spices to a boil. 2. Cover couscous with stock and cling film tightly for 10 minutes. 3. Fluff with fork add apricots,raisins,chilli,almonds & herbs. 4. Finish with parsley,lemon juice,oil & season well.
Stephen Jef fers
Home smoked salmon (on BBQ ) (serves 4) 1 x 500g salmon (cured for 2 days) Cure... • 400g rock salt • 400g caster sugar • 1 tbsp fennel seeds • 1 tbsp juniper crushed For the home smoke... • 3 tbsp Tea leafs • 1 tbsp caster sugar • 2 tbsp Rice • Wire or wooden rack • Frying pan • Tin foil
Method.... Place greaseproof paper on baking sheet,now add half of cure mix on sheet. Now place salmon on top,and cover with cure mix. Now place in fridge for two days.wash of cure in sink of cold water for a least 30 minutes .
Place a double layer of foil on base of a baking sheet. In a bowl mix sugar,tea & rice. Place this mix on foil. Now set rack on top of foil and heat until smoke starts. Now Place salmon on rack. Now cover with salmon with more foil. Place on a high BBQ for 10 minutes .now leave salmon under foil for another 12 minutes until Cool...
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Prawn & pineapple skewers - mango salsa (serves 4) • • • •
12 tiger prawns(deveined) 2 slices of pineapple(diced) 1 red onion diced) (marinated in lime zest,chilli flakes & coriander)
Method... 1. Marinate skewers for 30 minutes,now bring a BBQ to a high heat,place on heat cook for 2 minutes on each side until caramelised pineapple . 2. Season well & drizzle with chilli oil.
Salsa... • • • • • • •
Skinny broccoli salad... • • • • • • • •
250g broccoli (blanched & refreshed) 80g apricots(dried &chopped) 70g golden raisin(soaked white wine vinegar) 50g red onion (sliced) 20g runny honey 100ml natural yoghurt 1g salt 20g toasted Pumpkin seeds
Method.... 1. Soak raisins in 40ml white wine vinegar,now add drained dry broccoli into a mixing bowl. 2. Add apricots, red onion, honey, yoghurt & salt. 3. Top with toast pumpkins seeds 4. Keeps chilled for 3 days.
1 plum tomato(deseeded & diced) 1/2 shallot(finely diced) 1/2 red chilli (diced) 1/2 lime(juice) 1 tsp chilli sauce Coriander (chopped) 1 mango cheek(diced)
• • • •
Method... 1. In a small bowl place tomato,shallot & chilli. 2. Add chilli sauce & gently mix well. 3. Now add mango,coriander & lime juice -season well
• • • • •
8 banana leafs (dipped into boiling water) 4 whole bream or sea bass (trimmed & descaled) 4 tsp of Ginger(grated) 4 cloves of Garlic (grated) 1 Lemon grass(sliced) 1 lime (juice) 4 tbsp of Soya sauce 4 tsp of Sweet Thai chilli sauce 4 tsp of sesame oil
Baked whole Asian style bream (serves4) Method.. 1. In small bowl combine,soya,chill sauce & sesame oil. 2. Now add ginger,garlic,lemon grass & lime juice. 3. Place banana leaves on board 0ne across the other,now place fish on top and gently cover with dressing. 4. Fold banana leaves over fish & bake in oiled foil on BBQ for 25 minutes. Serve with lime wedges,jasmine rice & cucumber salad
Baked banana-vanilla,rum & clotted cream (serves 4) Method... Banana 1. Mix butter,vanilla,rum & sugar in a bowl. 2. Now add place foil on bench ,add banana on top. 3. Stuff butter inside & bake on BBQ for 20 minutes or in oven @ 200o for 15 minutes. Method... Clotted Cream Simply mix all togheter in a small bowl with whisk, chill before serving. Open foil of banana & fill the middle with clotted cream mix.
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•
4 banana(split & cut deep) • 80g butter • 120g Demerara sugar • 1 vanilla pod(deseeded) • 1 measure of rum Clotted Cream... • 120 ml clotted cream • 4 tbsp of custard • 1 Vanilla pod(deseeded)
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£87m t total va hat’s the lu popco e of the rn mar last ye ket ar.
3 ways with proper popcorn… To make your own: put 60ml oil and 100g corn kernels in a lidded pan, on a high heat and let it pop. TO PIMP YOUR CORN.
1 2 3
Salty Simply toss with 1tsp salt and 40g butter Sweet Sprinkle with 2-3tbsp sugar and a dusting of cinnamon Posh Add 50g grated Parmesan and 2tbsp wholegrain mustard
In Season The taste of summer.
British strawberries are at their sweetest now and available in the shops until the end of July. That gives you the perfect excuse as if you needed one – to whip up a sensational summer pud.
FROM MYKITCHEN
WHAT THE HECK IS WHEATGRASS? Wheatgrass was one of the first superfoods on the scene, and is still going strong. It tastes just as you’d expect, very ‘grassy’ and green Due to the amount of chlorophyll it contains. It’s made from the first, leafy blades of grass from the wheat seed and is available in juice, powder and tablet form. Rich in potassium vitamins and fibre, it’s usually drunk as a shot when the grass juice is extracted.
Strawberry dream layer cake • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
INGREDIENTS eggs 6 golden caster sugar 175g, plus extra to dust self-raising flour 175g vanilla extract 1 tsp butter 50g, melted filling strawberries 400g golden caster sugar 2 tbsp orange 1, zested mascarpone 300g condensed milk 100g frosting white granulated sugar 200g egg whites 2 large vanilla extract ½ tsp
Feel the freeze!
There’s nothing better than a cold snack on a hot Summer day. Fight the smoldering Summer heat by cooling down with these pretty fresh-fruit ice pops. They’re so easy to make that you’ll enjoy making them just as much as tots will enjoy eating them!
RAW CHEESECAKES step 1 Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line a 27 × 37cm swiss roll tin with non-stick baking parchment. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until they are really light and fluffy – this can take about 5 minutes. Fold in the flour, then gradually fold in the butter and vanilla. Spoon the mix into the tin, level and bake for 12-15 minutes until pale but springy and cooked in the middle. Leave to cool. step 2 To make the filling, finely chop 300g of the largest strawberries and sprinkle over the caster sugar. Leave for 1 hour for the strawberries to give up their juice. Drain off and keep the juice, squashing the strawberries lightly against the sieve. Stir the mascarpone, condensed milk and strawberry pulp together. Line a 24 × 11 × 7cm loaf tin with baking parchment. Lay the loaf tin on the sponge and cut a strip just wide enough to fit in the tin, the length should fit as the sponge will have shrunk, but trim it if not. Put this in the base of the tin and brush the top with the strawberry juice. Add half the filling. Cut another strip of sponge a little wider than the last and add this, brush on the remaining juice and the remaining filling. Add the last piece of sponge and freeze the cake for an hour.
These glutendairy-and soya free dessert pots are remarkable. Cheesecakes made from cashews, blended almond milk and coconut oil, they might not be low cal (around 400 per pot), but they’re 100% natural and made from raw ingredients from £2.59 thelivingfoodkitchen.com
step 3 To make the frosting, put the sugar and 4 tbsp water in a pan. Slowly increase the heat and boil until you have a thick, clear syrup. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until stiff, then pour in the hot sugar syrup in a steady stream, beating until the mixture is fluffy and thick and the frosting is cool. Stir in the vanilla. Turn the cake carefully out onto a plate and remove the paper, cover it with the frosting and decorate with the remaining strawberries. Nutritional Info per serving 494 kcals, protein 8.7g, carbs 62.4g, fat 22.8g, sat fat 14.1g, fibre 1.3g, salt 0.4g
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There are two types of strawberry: those that fruit once a year (June-bearers such as Elsanta), and those that give more than on crop (ever-bearers including varieties such as Sweet Eve and Jubilee). Ever-bearers grow well in the UK climate because they don’t need the concentrated daylight hours that a plant with a shorter season does. So they’ll keep growing and ripening throughout the long season, even if June is a washout. Strawberries vary in flavour depending on their variety, and how quickly they grow and pipen. Slower growth can mean a more concentrated complex flavour. Size and colour don’t matter at all – a bigger strawberries are just those that happen to grow on the end of their trusses, and the colour relates to variety. Why not try out our Strawberry dream layer cake. Yum Yum and double Yum….. A HEALTHY TRICK Use Lettuce as a wrapper If you’re making fajitas, wraps, or duck pancakes, there’s a simple way to lower calories and carbohydrate. Peel off the outer leaves of a soft lettuce, keeping them whole, and use to wrap your filling, rather than tortillas or flatbreads.
SUMMER 2015
25
T HE ING L IS T SHOP P
Product
Hovis Medium Sliced Soft White Bread (800g)
£0.50
£0.58
£1.40
Genius Gluten Free Fresh Brown Rolls (4)
£1.50
£2.40
N/A
£3.57 (550g)
£5.00 (600g)
£4.50 (650g)
£2.50
£3.00
£3.15
Bacon Smoked Back Bacon
£1.56 (312g)
£1.50 (300g) Unsmoked
£2.20 ( 8 pack)
Bananas
11.6p (170g)
12.2p (180g)
11.9p (175g)
£0.97 (4)
55.3p ( 170g)
£2.00 (5)
Red Seedless
£1.50 (500g)
£2.00 (500g)
£1.50 (500g)
Clementine
£1.50 ( 600g)
£1.50 (600g)
£1.25 (6)
Muller CornerYoghurt
£0.68
£0.68
£0.70
Yoplait Wildlife Choobs
£1.00
£1.00
£1.00
Petits Filous Big Pots
£1.50 (4)
£1.00 (4)
£1.50
Munch Bunch
£1.50 (4)
£1.59 (4)
£1.70 (4)
£4.00 (300g)
£5.50 (350g)
£5.20 (550g)
£0.97
£1.50
£1.55
Wafer Thin Ham
£2.40 (480g)
£2.00(120g)
£2.50
Milk
£1.30 (3.41l)
£1.00 (2.27l)
£1.00 (2.27l)
Colgate Cavity Protection
£0.88 (75ml)
£0.95 (75ml)
£1.00 (75ml)
£1.00
£1.70
£1.60
£1.49 (8)
£1.50 (8)
£1.50 (8)
£1.47
£1.45
£1.50
Heinz Ketchup
£1.99 (700g)
£2.29 (700g)
£2.40 (700g)
HP Sauce
£1.00 (285g)
£1.15 (285g)
£1.50 (450g)
Hellmann’s Mayonaise
£2.69 (600g)
£2.49 (600g)
£2.50 (600g)
£0.31
£0.34
£0.40
£2.40 (4)
£2.00 (4)
£2.60 (4)
Pataks Mild Korma Sauce
£0.97 (450g)
£1.75 (450g)
£1.00 (450g)
Napolina Spaghetti
£1.38 (500g)
£0.98 (500g)
£1.00 (500g)
Heinz Spaghetti Hoops
£0.48 (400g)
£0.70 (400g)
£0.70 (400g)
Green Giant Sweetcorn
£0.70 (198g)
£0.70 (198g)
£0.65 (198g)
£1.48 (6 bags)
£1.00 (6 bags)
£1.50 (6 bags)
£0.97 *332g)
£1.00 (332g)
£1.50 (300g)
£4.18 (48)
£4.18 (48)
£4.20
Frosties
£2.60 (750g)
£2.00 (750g)
£2.70 (750g)
Coco Pops
£3.98 (800g)
£3.75 (800g)
£3.60 (800g
Jacob’s Cream Crackers
£1.17 (300g)
£0.97 (300g)
£1.00 (300g)
£0.25
£0.48
£0.50
£6.84 (18)
£4.50 (9)
£7.10 (16)
£3.00 (6)
£3.50 (4)
£4.50 (6)
£4.97 (35 washes)
£7.00 (20 washes)
£9.00 (35 washes)
Fairy Fabric Softener
£2.10 (550ml)
£2.00 (550ml)
£2.50 (1.1l)
Domestos 24 Hour Thick Bleach
£1.08 (750ml)
£1.00 (750ml)
£1.00 (750ml)
Mr Muscle Kitchen Cleaner Lemon Fresh
£1.00 (500ml)
£2.00 (500ml)
£1.75 (500ml)
£2.50
£2.50
£2.50
McCains Oven Chips
£1.75 (1kg)
£1.75 (1kg)
£1.80 (1kg)
Birds Eye FishFingers
£2.25 (12)
£2.50 (14)
£2.25 (14)
Chicken Fillet Richmond Thick Sausages (12 pack)
Pink Lady Apples
W
e have seen it on the TV, we have read about it in our daily newspapers, but when it comes right down to it which Supermarket is the cheapest. Here at families first we take the cost of living very seriously, so we put together a typical basked of everyday things, there might have been more we should have added, you might have liked other brands, but, we made a list and compared, as near to it as we could like for like, to really see what supermarket is the cheapest, at the time of going to print. Some items were not available in all the stores, but we have done our best to have as near to it as we can. We did not bring in store promotions into the comparison. I think you will find this interesting reading.
Cathedral City Mature Cheddar Cheese Dairylea Cheese Spread (180g)
Radox Bath Chicken & Beef Stockcubes Very Lazy Garlic
Tinned Tomatoes Heinz Baked Beans
Maryland Mini Cookie Bags McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives Weetabix Cereal
Ambrosia Devon Custard Pots Andrex Classic White Toilet Tissue Thirst Pockets Kitchen Towels Persil Colour Capsules
Goodfellas Frozen Pizza
Totals www.familiesfirst.ie
£16.18
www.facebook.com/FamiliesFirstNI
£15.63
£22.50
Familes First NI
26 Even if you aren’t the DIY type, this is super easy. You only need a few supplies, and about 5 minutes to put this together. Supplies needed: • a half cookie sheet • crayons / markers / colored pencils • a notebook / coloring book • magnetic tape (can be found at any home improvement store) • super glue • scissors.
Instructions • Cut the magnetic tape into 3/4 inch strips • Super-glue to your crayons / markers / colored pencils.* • Super-glue a 2 inch strip of magnetic tape to the back of your notebook / coloring book.* • Stick everything onto the cookie sheet. • Give it to your child to enjoy. *note: Even though the magnetic tape is adhesive, I super-glued it to make sure that little fingers wouldn’t pick it off. Please remember that young children should always be supervised while playing with any toy containing magnets. They get a nice flat, hard surface to color on, and you won’t spend your time picking up dropped crayons off the floor. Everyone is happy!
Kids activity binder
First, you’ll need a binder, folder, or clipboard. I picked up a couple of one-inch binders to get started. In the front pocket are colourful circle stickers from the office supply aisle as well as a dry erase markers. For older kids, you might want a few more colours for the markers. All of the activities are in sheet protectors so that they can be reused. The kids can use the dry erase markers to write directly on the sheet protectors, and then erase and write or draw again. Poundland is the best place or any budget store to pick up mini magnets, erasers for dry erase boards. Next, I used Google Maps to map out our route. When we hit our 100 mile marks, the kids will get a “reward” and I will help them put a sticker on the map to show how far we have traveled.. For some crazy fun, I printed out some pictures of the family members so they can make silly faces. I went into our photo library on the computer, cropped some pictures to get just the faces, and printed 8x10 copies on regular paper. Slide them into page protectors, and doodle.
Occupy the kids on.. ..those long car journeys Envelopes.
Get a bunch of envelopes and fill them with different activities to keep kids busy on the trip. The catch is... that the kids will have to wait 1 hour before they get to open the next envelope. So every hour they will have a new surprise or activity waiting for them that they have not seen before.
Animal detectives
Get the kids unraveling clues to find out what the hidden animal is. One player must think of an animal, while the other players must be the detectives and work out what animal it is. Using questions like ‘has it got four legs?’, ‘does it live on land’, and so on, the players can pit their wits against the main player and discover the hidden identity of the animal. Perfect for kids aged 5+ Boredom buster: 10 minutes per round Watch out for: Little David Attenboroughs who know very obscure and unusual animals.
Number plate fun
Looking at other cars’ number plates to see if they spell out any words is always fun for kids, so why not make it even more exciting and take the last three letters on the number plate and turn them into a silly sentence? So if a car’s number plate ended in the letters GEN you could make the sentence ‘Great English Nose’ or ‘Grapes Eat Nappies’ - the possibilities are endless! Perfect for kids aged 5+ Boredom buster: 10 minutes per number plate
Games to play as a family The idea of going on a long journey with the kids fill you with dread? Yes, us too. That’s why we’ve put on our goodtoknow thinking caps to come up with 10 fun car games perfect for kids of any age. Once the kids know how to play you can say goodbye to the ‘are we nearly there yet?’ cries!
1. Backseat bingo
2. Endings game
Before setting off on your journey, make some bingostyle sheets of things you might expect to see out of the window. To make your bingo sheets, get some plain paper or card and mark out a grid. Your grid can be made up of as many squares as you feel appropriate - less for younger kids, more for older. In your grid draw simple pictures of things your child could spot on your journey - these could include a bridge, sheep, horses, a river, or a lorry. Make each sheet different by using a variety of combinations of these pictures. Once on your journey give out the bingo sheets and pens. Your kids can then look out of the window and try to spot all the things on their sheet, ticking them off as they go. The aim is to mark off all the pictures and be the first to shout ‘Bingo!’ If you make sure the bingo sheets don’t get too covered in pen, you can always reuse the sheets for a new round of backstreet bingo, or alternatively you could cover them in sticky-back plastic so they can be wiped clean. Perfect for kids aged 4+ Boredom buster: A good 30 minutes of bingo fun Watch out for: The driver getting a ‘BINGO’ awright!
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Play this simple word game as a family and keep everyone happy for an hour or two! To play, pick a theme for the game and one person can think of a relevant word. So your theme might be animals, and the first word could be ‘bat’. Using this word as a starter, each player can then take it in turns to think of an animal starting with the last letter of the previous player’s word. So after ‘bat’ could come ‘turtle’ and after that could come ‘eel’ and so on. The game can keep going until you all run out of ideas. And then you can start over again with a different theme. Perfect for kids aged 7+ Boredom buster: Around 40 minutes or less if the theme is tricky! Watch out for: Getting stuck with a ‘x’, ‘u’, or ‘z’
SUMMER 2015
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VOTE NOW! nominate now for the 2016 awards. Something like nominate now for mum of the year, dad, grandparent etc… email your nominations to: jennie@familiesfirstni.com Now taking nominations for South Down Awards 2016! FamiliesFirst:Layout 1 23/04/2015 14:28 Page 1
see page 5
Family Fun Tours Alton Towers & West Midland Safari Park (including CBeebies Land)
Dep: 11 July 2015 5 Days From £299 per adult / £189 per child*
LEGOLAND® Windsor & Cadbury World Dep: 15 July, 1 & 15 August & 24 October 2015 5 Days - From £299 per adult / £189 per child*
Peppa Pig World & West Midland Safari Park Dep: 18 July 2015 5 Days - From £299 per adult / £169 per child*
Disneyland® Paris ~ Magical Fireworks & Bonfire Tour Dep: 28 October 2015 3 Days - From £499 per adult / £279 per child*
More tours available online or call for a brochure!
For more information or to book call or go online quoting Families First
Tel:
028 9045 5030
www.travel-solutions.co.uk
*Prices based on 2 adults sharing. Child Price based on under 12 sharing with 2 adults www.familiesfirst.ie
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2 out of 3 MS sufferers have one thing in common. They’re women. There are around 100,000 multiple sclerosis sufferers in the UK1. In fact it’s one of the 5 most common critical illnesses claimed for2. What’s more, it affects twice as many women as men3. MS is also very difficult to diagnose. That’s why many providers use the standard definition from the Association of British Insurers to make decisions on a claim. But at Bright Grey, the definition is better than that and means you don’t have to wait as long for your diagnosis to be confirmed.
77,000
42
women in the UK have been diagnosed with MS1
is the average age of women who claimed for MS2
Just over
1 in 14 of all women’s critical illness claims paid were for MS2
So, if you’re thinking about critical illness cover, choose an insurer that acts sooner rather than later to help MS sufferers. Sources: 1. www.mssociety.org.uk, June 2014. 2. Royal London UK intermediary protection claims paid, 1 January – 31 December 2013. 3. www.mstrust.org.uk, June 2014.
What’s next? Talk to QUANTUM3 FINANCIAL SERVICES. We'll help you identify your individual protection needs and guide you through Talk to <your company name>. the various types of cover available to make sure you get the right cover at the right price.
We’ll help you identify your individual protection needs and guide you through the types of available to help20702 you get the right cover at the right price. Call various DAVID BANNON oncover : 028 9077 0703 / 077381 QUANTUM3 FINANCIAL SERVICES 644 ANTRIM Call <your ROAD name> on <your number>. BELFAST ANTRIM BT15 company 5GP <your name> DAVIDBANNON.Q3FS@BTCONNECT.COM <your address> <your email address> <your web address>
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SUMMER 2015
29
new school for young children opening in belfast
Dance Dance Act Act Sing Sing in association with Belfast Operatic Company
in association with Belfast Operatic Company
Classes every Saturday during term time for 8-9, 10-12 and 13-16 yearClasses olds every Saturday during term time Classes every Saturday, one hour during term time for young children aged 3 - 6 yrs for 8-9, 10-12 and 13-16 year olds
1 hour of Dance 1 hour of Drama 1 hour of Singing
Dance Act • Sing
And lots of fun while we learn!!•
1 hour of Dance 1 hour of Drama 1 hour of Singing
And lots of fun while we learn!!
And lots of fun while we learn! visit us at
www.thebspa.co.uk or e-mail at info@thebspa.co.uk
The Belfast School of Performing Arts is situated in the home of Belfast Operatic Company’s purpose built rehearsal studio at 22 Heron Road, visit us at Sydenham Business Park, Belfast BT3 9LE.
F: facebook.com/thebspa T: 028 9560 8640 www.thebspa.co.uk @thebspa_uk E: info@thebspa.co.uk T: 028 9266 4594
The Belfast School of Performing Arts is situated in the home of Belfast Operatic Company’s purpose built rehearsal studio at 22 Heron Road, Sydenham Business Park, Belfast BT3 9LE. E: info@thebspa.co.uk T: 028 9266 4594
“BEST NURSERY OF THE YEAR” AWARD, BALLYMENA SECTION, FAMILIES FIRST AWARDS.
Hands Up For Happy Kids
• • • • • • •
Open 5 days a week Children from 6 weeks to 11 years Safe, homely and caring environment Healthy Nutrition Learning through play jollytotsantrim.com Breakfast Club After School Club 6 Steeple Road, Antrim, County Antrim BT41 1AF Tel: 028 9442 8111
Accredited All Ireland Centre of Excellence www.familiesfirst.ie
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Familes First NI
30
WHATS ON...
When: 9th May – 30 August Where: W5 @ Odyssey, Belfast Cost: Free with admission to W5 Time: 10am – 6pm Mon – Fri, 10am – 6pm Saturdays & 12-6 Sundays THE TRANSFORMERS ART OF NICK ROCHE Don’t miss the Transformer art exhibition by the amazing Transformer comic creator Nick Roche. This gallery exhibition of 22 large backlit images will be on display until 30 August. Initially known for his fan-favourite Transformers comicbook work (Death Of Optimus Prime, Last Stand Of The Wreckers), Nick has moved on to working with Marvel Comics on their Death’s Head and New Warriors titles. Nick has recently side-stepped into the hard rock arena, designing the album artwork for The Darkness’ upcoming LP, ‘Last Of Their Kind’, and providing the Vikingthemed comicbook imagery for the video to their song ‘Barbarian’. Nick’s current work can be seen in the comic Monster Motors: The Curse of Minivan Helsing (written by ‘Hop’ and ‘Minions’ screenwriter, Brian Lynch) which is available now from IDW Publishing.
When: 7th June – 6th September Where: The Jungle, Desertmartin Road, Moneymore Cost: £3 each Time: 11am – 4pm For more info check website: www. thejungleni.com The Jungle’s Family Fun Day offers an exciting range of outdoor adventure activities at the discounted rate of £3 each or 6 activities for £15. Available on selected Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays from 11am to 4pm, The Jungle’s Family Fun Day is suitable for ages 3+. With over 15 unique adventure activities to choose from including Archery, Boat Rides, Body Zorbs, Fun Zorbs, Climbing Wall, the Crazy Golf Kart Challenge, Llama Trekking and much more, in addition to Arts and Crafts and Hot Food Stalls all available onsite; there is something for everyone. The Family Fun Day offers great value activities. Advance booking essential. For more information, visit www.thejungleni.com or call 028 8674 8881.
Robots will give you the opportunity to do just that. Robots will be taking over Titanic Belfast from 26 June - 13 September with a collection of robots, cyborgs and androids from some of the most popular films and TV series. There is something for everyone! With over 50 pieces on display including firm favourites R2D2, a Battle Droid, as well as stars such as Sonny from the film I, Robot and Michael Jackson’s bust from Moonwalker – robot fans will be spoilt for choice! Enter into the world of Robots from 10am 7pm daily for an experience to remember! Full details can be found at www. titanicbelfast.com/robots.
THE TALL SHIPS When: 2nd -5th July Where: Titanic Quarter Cost: Free Time: Various – check below From 2 - 5 July 2015, over 50 tall ships from across the globe will anchor in Belfast for the start of The Tall Ships Races 2015. Organised by Sail Training International, The Tall Ships Races will be welcomed by the annual Lidl Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival. This is the third time that Belfast has hosted the races, having previously welcomed the ships in 1991 and 2009.
THE CAT IN THE HAT When: 2nd-4th July Where: Grand Opera House Belfast Cost: Check venues website www.goh.co.uk From the moment his tall, red and white striped hat appears around the door, Sally and her brother know that The Cat in the Hat is the funniest, most mischievous cat they have ever met. With the trickiest of tricks and craziest of ideas, he turns a rainy afternoon into an amazing adventure. But what will mum find when she gets home? Based on the much loved book by Dr Seuss, The Cat in the Hat is a lively and engaging first theatre experience for young children aged 3+. Expect towering hats, mischief and an imagination recharge! Play originally produced by the National Theatre of Great Britain. Adapted and originally directed by Katie Mitchell. Presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Limited on behalf of Music Theatre International of New York.
The 2015 event is expected to attract 500,000 people, with another 500,000 watching the ships arrive and leave along the Northern Ireland and Irish coasts. The ships will be berthed in and around Belfast Harbour and the Titanic Quarter area. The best time to view the ships ‘en masse’ will be on Sunday 5 July (10am – 2pm) during the Tall Ships Parade. For more information, visit www. tallshipsbelfast.com or follow Tall Ships Belfast on social media at www.facebook. com/tallshipsbelfast and www.twitter.com/ tallships2015. Lidl Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival The four-day festival will include: continental market & international bars, family entertainment, musical performances, street theatre, nautical fun and games, water sports, tours, talks, fireworks, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Armed Forces Jobs and Trades Mini Fair
FIREWORKS DISPLAY When: 4th July Where: Titanic Quarter Cost: Free Time: 10.20pm The grand departure of the Tall Ships will be highlighted the night before, on Saturday 4 July at 10.20pm, with a spectacular 10 minute fireworks display that will light up the Belfast Skyline. For more information on Tall Ships Belfast, visit www.tallshipsbelfast.com
Sea Cadets performance - Striking up the Beat ( 2 Jul Donegall Quay 1-1.30pm & Arc 3-3.30pm, 3 Jul Arc 1-1.30pm & Donegall Quay 2.30-3pm, 4 Jul Odyssey Car Park 11.30am-12pm & Donegall Quay 1.30-2pm, 5 Jul Pollock Dock 11.30am-12pm)
THE ROBOTS ARE COMING When: 26th June – 13th September Where: Titanic Belfast Cost: Adult £6 child £3 family ticket £16 Time: 10am – 7pm Ever wanted to come face to face with some of the biggest Robot stars of the big screen? Titanic Belfast’s exciting summer exhibition
Some of the ships will also be open to the public for a unique opportunity to explore on deck and learn about life on board these giants of the sea. The festival timings are: Thursday 2 July: 12 noon - 9pm Friday 3 July: 12 noon - 9pm Saturday 4 July: 10am - 10.30pm Sunday 5 July: 10am - 4pm (Tall Ships Parade). www.familiesfirst.ie
STRANGFORD SEA SAFARI When: 12th July Where: Clearsky Adventure Centre, Castle Ward Estate Cost: £20 Adult, £17 Child, Family £69 (2+2) Time: 9am Everyone loves the sightseeing tour of Strangford Lough with its abundance of nature and wildlife. See the www.facebook.com/FamiliesFirstNI
SeaGen, Angus Rocks Lighthouse, surface whirlpools and some of the many seals at Cloughy Rocks Nature Reserve. You might see a pod of porpoise or even a basking shark! Suitable for age 3 years plus. Trips leave from Strangford Pier and run hourly throughout the day. Time confirmed on booking. Booking essential: Contact Strangford Sea Safari on 028 4372 3933 or email fun@ strangford-seasafari.com
SUMMER YOUTH PROJECT, GREASE When: 24th- 25th July Where: Grand Opera House Belfast Cost: £11-£19.50 Times: check website www.goh.co.uk The Grand Opera House Summer Youth Project returns for its fifth year with the West End and Broadway hit musical, Grease. Since the show’s Broadway premiere in 1972 and the 1978 hit movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John Grease has triumphed across the globe. Join The Pink Ladies and the T-Birds for their last year at Rydell High School and witness the story of teenage love in 1950s America with its irresistible mix of unforgettable songs, dazzling dance moves and 1950s pop culture. Grease will showcase some of Northern Ireland’s newest and best young talent. Bursting with energy, it features all the unforgettable songs from the movie including Summer Nights, Sandy and You’re the One that I Want. Book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide, New York.
FAMILY FUN DAY When: 26th July Where: Mobile Team Adventure,Old Milltown Road, Belfast Cost: £10 Time: 2pm Fun Day for all the family with Highland Games. See who the strongest is in your family by testing your strength by ‘Tossing the Caber’ or see who can ‘Put the Shot’ the furthest. How far can you throw a Wellington Boot? Can you Catch a Haggis? For more info: www.mobileteamadventure. co.uk
SUMMER 2015
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July / August 2015
August Feile When: 30th July – 9th August The 27th Féile explodes into colourful life across West Belfast and beyond from 30 July to 9th August. Ireland’s biggest community festival and summer school will feature over 400 events from live music and comedy to sport, exhibitions, drama, discussions and debates in over 30 venues, including the Féile Big Top in the heart of Falls Park, Clonard monastery, An Chultúrlann and a mix of iconic venues across the City. Last year the Big Top played host to international music stars such as Boyzone and Kaiser Chiefs and organisers promise that this year’s line-up will be “bigger and better than ever before”! Visitors from all over the world flock to West Belfast during Féile and enjoy events and the inclusive carnival atmosphere alongside the local community - making it truly the “people’s festival”! Come join Féile in August, whether it’s in Cultúrlann, Clonard Monastery, St Mary’s University College, Bog Meadows, Divis and Black Mountain, Conway Mill, Gaeltacht Quarter the city centre or Féile Big Top - there’s something for everybody at Féile an Phobail!
THE SOUND OF MUSIC When: 4th – 15th August Where: Grand Opera House Cost: £17.50 - £47.50 Time: check website for times, www. goh.co.uk One of the greatest musicals of all time returns to the stage in a magnificent new production to enchant and enthral the young and the young at heart. Based on Baroness Maria von Trapp’s 1949 autobiography, this wonderfully lavish new staging of The Sound of Music tells the true story of the world-famous singing family, from their romantic beginnings and search for happiness, to their thrilling escape to freedom as their beloved Austria becomes part of the Third Reich at the start of WWII. The unforgettable score features some of the most memorable songs ever performed on stage, including ‘Edelweiss’, ‘My Favorite Things’, ‘Do-Re-Mi’, ‘Climb Ev’ry Mountain’, and of course, the title song - ‘The Sound of Music’. This new production of the classic stage musical coincides with the 50th Anniversary of the film version - the best loved and most successful movie musical in history.
Tickets: Tickets are available online and in store at Visit Belfast Welcome Centre. For more information, visit www. feilebelfast.com
SUNFLOWERFEST When: 31st July – 2nd August Where: Tubbys Farm, Hillsborough Check website for times and prices, www.sunflowerfest.co.uk Sunflowerfest is an excitingly different and magical weekendfestival of great music, arts and entertainment. It nurtures the mind, body and soul through a wide range of superb live music, fantastic fun for the family, performances in the Enchanted Glade, storytelling, poetry, and interactive art, dance and music workshops. Tickets available from Visit Belfast Welcome Centre in person and by calling 028 9024 6609.
BELFAST MELA When: 30th August Where: Botanic Gardens, Belfast Cost: FREE Time: 12.00pm The Belfast Mela returns to Botanic Gardens for a multi-cultural celebration of music, dance, food and visual arts. Mela is an artistically led celebration of culture and creativity, inspired by local and international talent. 12noon - 6pm. Web for more details: www. belfastcity.gov.uk www.familiesfirst.ie
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Lisburn & Castlereagh City Events 2015 May - September
MAY Lisburn City Festival of Orienteering Friday 1st - Monday 4th Lisburn City Centre Daily Mirror May Day Meeting Monday 4th Down Royal Racecourse, Lisburn Spring Gardeners Market Saturday 16th Ulster New Zealand Trust at Ballance House, Glenavy Balmoral Show Wednesday 13th - Friday 15th Balmoral Park, Maze / Long Kesh, Lisburn Barclays Communication Race Evening Friday 29th Down Royal Racecourse, Lisburn All Ireland Italian Motor Club Saturday 30th Lagan Valley Island, Lisburn
JUNE Run Lisburn Half Marathon 10k Road Race and Fun Run Wednesday 17th Lagan Valley LeisurePlex, Lisburn
Summer Festival of Racing Friday 19th - Saturday 20th Down Royal Racecourse, Lisburn
Sunflowerfest Friday 31st July Sunday 2nd August Tubby’s Farm, Hillsborough
Lisburn & Saintfield District Show Saturday 20th Balmoral Park, Maze / Long Kesh, Lisburn
Summer Scheme End June - end August Lagan Valley LeisurePlex, Lisburn
Cooperation Ireland Maracycle Saturday 27th - Sunday 28th Belfast to Dublin and Dublin to Belfast
JULY ISLAND Children’s Arts Festival 2015 July - August (EXACT DATES TBC)
Island Arts Centre, Lisburn Get Ready, Get Set, Go! Summer Activity Scheme Mon 20th July - Fri 14th August Lough Moss Leisure Centre, Castlereagh Magners Race Evening Friday 24th July Down Royal Racecourse, Lisburn Raspberry Tea Saturday 25th July Ulster New Zealand Trust at Ballance House, Glenavy
For more information please contact Lisburn Visitor Information Centre on Tel: 028 9266 0038 or Hillsborough Visitor Information Centre on Tel: 028 9268 9717.
www.visitlisburn.com
All dates are correct at time of going to press and are subject to change.
National Balmoral Championships July (TBC) Maze Long Kesh www.balmoral-park.co.uk
AUGUST The Little Green Allotments Festival & Show Saturday 1st White Mountain Road, Lisburn City of Lisburn Pipe Band Championships Saturday 1st Moira Demesne, Moira International Metzeler Ulster Grand Prix Bike Week Monday 3rd - Saturday 8th Dundrod, Lisburn Triathlon Saturday 9th August Lagan Valley LeisurePlex, Lisburn Hilden Beer & Music Festival Friday 28th – Sunday 30th Hilden Brewery, Lisburn
Musgrave Retail Partners NI Race Day Friday 28th Down Royal Racecourse, Lisburn Northern Ireland Speed Weekend Saturday 29th - Sunday 30th Balmoral Park, Maze/Long Kesh, Lisburn
SEPTEMBER Hillsborough International Oyster Festival Tuesday 1st - Sunday 6th Hillsborough Village Heritage Open Days Thursday 10th - Sunday 13th Various Locations Summer Evening Race Day Friday 11th Down Royal Racecourse, Lisburn Culture Night Lisburn Friday 18th Lisburn City Centre