Family Matters Christmas 2018 | Midsomerset edition

MID SOMERSET EDITION

ISSUE 61 • December 2018

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FORMERLY

WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS CHRISTMAS

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YOUR SCHOOL NEWS

WELCOME As Christmas and the end of the year draws nearer, we’re hoping you’ve all had a great few months back at school and are excited for what the new year will bring.

While there is a great deal of joy to be found at this time of year, it can also be a difficult one.

It can be stressful with money worries, family dramas and more, this issue, we’re focussed on the good, but also here to support you when things don’t go quite to plan. You’ll find in this issue some advice for a smooth Christmas if you’re spending it as part of a new family, as well as some ideas on how to be money wise, which will hopefully dispel some of that stress.

Of course, not everyone celebrates Christmas the same way, so we’ve included some fun facts about the festive season around the world, maybe once you’ve learned about different traditions around the world, you can implement a couple of them into your celebrations and see for yourself the different ways families celebrate elsewhere.

Whatever your plans for this festive season, the whole Family Matters team hopes you have a great Christmas and a very happy New Year – we’ll see you in 2019!

p4 don't get into debt this Christmas

p7 'twas the night before Christmas p10 christmas around the world

p17 start your new year resolutions early!

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DON’T GET INTO DEBT THIS CHRISTMAS This time of year can be tough on your bank balance and we can all be tempted to rely on credit cards or loans to see us through. It isn’t just expensive presents, it’s buying food and treats for the family, heating the house and of course, having extra Christmas lights will take its toll on your electricity bill.

While it might be tempting to whip out the credit card to tide you over, you will need to keep in mind that interest quickly builds up, especially if you put off payments which can lead to the debts getting away from you.

To try and avoid falling into the trap of Christmas debts, here are some tips to help you cover all the costs.

Stick to a plan

You may have already started your Christmas shopping but make sure you have worked out a budget of how much you need to pay your usual bills, with a little extra to cover using extra lights and heating, plus food. Then with what you have left over, come up with an idea of how much you want to spend on each person and stick to it.

Set up an awards account

If you don’t already have one, ask your bank about awards accounts. Many banks offer an awards account where if you pay for certain items using your debit card, you can earn cash back or discount vouchers. These can be helpful when it comes to paying your utilities as you’ll earn money for paying your bills which can then be used on something else, plus if you get discounts for high street stores, these can be put towards Christmas presents or items throughout the year.

Use loyalty schemes where you can

Many companies offer loyalty schemes where spending so much over the year will give you money off at Christmas or will reward you with vouchers that you can spend on food or gifts. If you are involved in any loyalty

schemes, make sure you reach the requirements to get the awards as these can really help at this time of year.

Avoid going into your overdraft

If you can avoid it, stay clear of your overdraft, you will get charged for it and that can cause more problems. If you need to go into it, speak to your bank first and see if they have other options for you, like a small loan or a credit card.

HOWEVER! Credit cards and loans can cause their own issues if payments are missed or the monthly payments are too much. If you can keep up with them, make sure the minimum amount at least is paid off each month, otherwise you’ll find yourself being hit with penalty charges. Put payment dates in your calendar or set up direct debits so you don’t forget to pay them.

Compare credit deals

If you are going to use a credit card or loan, shop around and compare interest rates. Some cards have a high interest rates, but offer you discounts or interest free periods, which might work better for you. Don’t grab the first card you see, do your research.

If you do find yourself struggling to make ends meet at this time of year, don’t let it distract you from having a good time with your friends and family. There are plenty of resources available to help you if you get into a sticky situation, including advice on swapping to a better credit card deal or attending a free debt counselling session. Speak to your local Citizen's Advice Bureau or head online to find what is available in your area.

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Spending Christmas together when you’re remarried We’re told that Christmas is a time to be with family, but that isn’t always helpful for the families of today, many of whom have step parents/children or parents who are separated.

How do you keep everyone together without causing upset and how do you integrate step families into your traditions? It can be a difficult thing to negotiate, so we’ve compiled a few tips to help the festive season go as smoothly as possible.

Firstly, before the big day, make sure you get everyone together and talk about it, that way you can be clear on everyone’s expectations and their usual routines and you can come up with a compromise. Perhaps you have children who aren’t sure whether they should split the day between you and your ex, or maybe they have step brothers and sisters that have recently joined the family and they’re worried about it. You might have a whole set of in-laws you’ll need to cater for. Whatever your new situation, it’s important to sit down together in advance of Christmas Day to talk through everything, that way there won’t be any nasty surprises and you can avoid any arguments and disappointments.

slip up and forget some of the things you decided on, there will be niggles but don’t freak out if something goes wrong.

Just let yourself go with the flow and enjoy the day.

Finally, work together to come up with a compromise so you can create your own Christmas traditions. It won’t be possible to do everything you did before, especially if you’re integrating families, but see it as an opportunity to come up with something special.

When the big day comes around, don’t heap massive expectations on the day. Don’t expect it to be perfect.

Much of the stress from Christmas Day comes from pressurising yourself to make it perfect, spending the day in a new situation can be stressful enough so don’t put extra pressure on yourself. You will forget to get things out of the freezer on time, you will

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WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY

s a m t s i r h C ramme prog 2018 Dunster By Candlelight Santa Specials & Expresses Irish Cream and Mince Pie Hot Chocolate and Cookie Carol Trains

Discover more and book online www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk or call us on 01643 704996

All the team at

Dunster Castle & Gardens

wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

A Christmas Castle & Illuminated Garden Walk 9, 15 - 23 Decmber, 11am - 6pm

See the ground floor decorated for Christmas and once the sun goes down follow the illuminated trail through the gardens. Normal admission applies.

#nationaltrust

nationaltrust.org.uk/dunster-castle

Š National Trust 2018. The National Trust is an independent registered charity, number 205846. Photography Š National Trust Images

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Why not take 10 minutes out this Christmas Eve, sit down with the kids and a mug of hot chocolate and read this classic Christmas poem...

'Twas the Night Before Christmas 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN! On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!

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Six tips for helping with eczema Eczema is one of the most common skin complaints, particularly among children and as the winter gets colder and dryer, eczema can flare up, which can be uncomfortable and irritating for young children. Here are some top tips from the National Eczema Organisation to help keep those flare ups under control.

DRESS IN LAYERS

Sweating and overheating can trigger itching and scratching which in turn leads to irritated skin – try sending the kids out in layers, that way they can remove clothing as needed to stop them overheating while also having enough to keep them warm in the changeable British weather.

Put a humidifier in the bedroom

This helps keep skin from drying out, which can stop it becoming cracked and itchy.

Drink plenty of water

When it’s cold out, you won’t want to reach for a nice glass of water or squash, but it is important to stay hydrated as this can help prevent flare ups.

Keep antihistamines to hand

This is especially useful if your child’s eczema is triggered by allergic reactions.

Moisturise regularly

Make sure to do this as often as possible during the winter months. Make sure to do this before and after washing to really keep the moisture locked into the skin.

Avoid wool jumpers

We know Christmas Jumper day is important, but any clothes that make you itchy are not ideal for anyone with irritated skin. Stick to fabrics like cotton instead.

Got any more tips for helping protect your skin during the winter months?

Let us know – you can get in touch with us on facebook.com/ukfamilymatters or twitter.com/ukfamilymatters 8 |

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Enter now at www.familymatters-uk.co.uk

Win Prizes

WIN A FAMILY TICKET TO HAYNES INTERNATIONAL MOTOR MUSEUM As well as being the motoring mecca for the diehard enthusiast, the Haynes International Motor Museum also takes family fun very seriously indeed! We appreciate that entertaining a toddler requires just as much thought as keeping teenagers engaged.

The Museum entices visitors to explore and discover motor vehicles from around the world providing an experience that will create lasting memories for young and old alike that will last a lifetime.

A simply amazing day out!

Win a Beaker Creatures Super Lab After travelling through space in their Reactor Pods from their tiny distant planets, Beaker Creatures uniquely combine the thrill of collecting with hands-on science experiments, building skills and sparking curiosity! By dissolving the Reactor Pods, children can discover, classify, and explore 35 collectible characters from five different families.

Children can create amazing bubbling reactions with the Liquid Reactor Super Lab - simply drop a Beaker Creature Reactor Pod into the chamber, pump in water with the hydroplungers and watch the fizzing, bubbling reaction to reveal the creature inside. RRP £25. Available from www.learningresources.co.uk

Win a family ticket to Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park

2019 marks 30 years of making memories with you all at Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park. From your first spotting of a Fallow Deer or a Red Fox, to facing your fears and sliding down the giant drop slides or taking part in the obstacle course alongside the River Avon. There is just so much family fun to be had with a visit to Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park.

For more information about our plans for 2019, or to book tickets, visit our website www.avonvalley.co.uk

Win a Playfoam Pals Snowy Friends Children will love opening these snowdome-themed pods of Playfoam to reveal their surprise winter-themed collectible this Christmas. Inside the squishy, squashy, award-winning Playfoam, are cute animals waiting to be found! Children can create their own customised creatures as heads and bodies pop apart for mix and match activities as well as sculpting nests, beds and other props for their animals from the Playfoam. There are 13 Snowy Friends to collect - look out for the rare snowman, Sven! RRP: £6.00 each. Available from www.learningresources.co.uk

TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF WINNING THESE FANTASTIC PRIZES, simply visit www.familymatters-uk.co.uk, click on the Competitions button and complete the form. It couldn’t be easier! Closing date for entries: 10th January 2019 ukfamilymatters |

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Christmas around

d l r o w e h t HIDING BROOMS

EATING WHALES

In Norway, Christmas Eve is much like All Hallows Eve to us in the UK. Evil spirits and witches are said to rise on this day, so to protect themselves, families in Norway hide all their brooms before they go to bed.

While you might dread having sprouts spooned onto your plate, spare a thought for the people of Greenland.

Their Christmas delicacy, Mattak, is raw whale skin, complete with blubber. If that doesn’t turn your stomach, Kiviak might. This dish is a small bird wrapped in seal skin which is buried for several months and then dug up and eaten when its nicely decomposed. On second thoughts…. I think I’ll take the sprouts.

DINING WITH YOUR DECEASED LOVED ONES It’s always hard at Christmas when you’ve lost loved ones and the whole day has a bittersweet feel to it. If you find yourself in this situation, inject some Portugese tradition to Christmas lunch – in Portugal, families set extra places at the table on Christmas day for their deceased relatives, this is called ‘consoda’ and is said to bring good luck for the coming year.

THE DEFECATING LOG

ROLLER SKATING In Venezuela’s capital, it is tradition to travel to church for an early morning service while wearing roller skates throughout the whole festive period. They even close the roads so this can be done safely.

This is a Catalonian tradition, in the fortnight leading up to Christmas, families carve a small grinning creature out of a log and place it on their dining room table.

Over the next fourteen days, the log must be fed with fruit, nuts and sweets and then on Christmas Eve, it is beaten with sticks until all the goodies come out.

Every family has their own traditions for this time of year, whether or not you celebrate Christmas, there are certain routines and rituals which you find yourself doing every year. In the UK, where shops, schools and businesses close down to allow Christmas celebrations, there are traditions we’re familiar with, having a tree, going to Christingle, watching a Nativity, cooking and not eating Brussel sprouts.

This isn’t the norm everywhere in the world though, here are some of our favourite festive eccentricities from around the globe...

BURNING A WOODEN GOAT We’re all familiar with the idea of a Yule Log, for us and our neighbours in France, Yule Logs are typically made of chocolate rather than being an actual log, but in Sweden they have the Yule Goat. In Gävle, the residents erect a giant Yule Goat and pretty much every year since its debut, people have tried to torch it.

SCARY BEASTS In the UK and America, we have Santa and his army of elf friends and reindeers, these cute little helpers aren’t universal however.

In Germany and Austria, Father Christmas is aided by Krampus, a hairy hooved beast with large horns that is supposed to punish naughty children during the Christmas period. So kids, if you’re planning on playing up this year, be wary if your folks say they’re taking you on a trip to Germany.

FINDING A FIANCÉE If you’re someone who hates Christmas because you’re always on your own, head to the Czech Republic. Young, single women have their own Christmas tradition, they stand with their backs to the front door and toss their shoes over their shoulder, if a shoe lands with its toe pointing towards the door it’s said the woman will get married within the next year.

SPIDERS ON YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE In the Ukraine, there aren’t baubals and tinsel over the trees, instead trees are covered in fake spiders and webs. This is said to bring luck and stems from a folk story about a poor woman who couldn’t afford decorations and woke on Christmas morning to find a spider had covered it in a glittering web.

FOUR-EYED SANTA Christmas isn’t really a thing in Japan, but there are people there that like to celebrate with the western world.

These people celebrate Santa Kuroshu who has eyes in the back of his head so he can keep an eye on naughty children. Those of you who aren’t fans of the traditional British Christmas cake might want to spend the holidays in Japan, Christmas cake there is made of sponge, whipped cream and strawberries!

what’s on Now til 23rd December Christmas Lunch at Dunster Castle We're now taking bookings for festive lunches. So whether it's the turkey with all the trimmings or the red lentil cottage pie that has taken your fancy, be sure to book early to avoid disappointment. 10am-6pm.

Now til the 22nd December Christmas Carol Festive Fun See Scrooges Office, make crackers, find out about Victorian traditions and see Victorian boots on display. Free admission but donations are welcome. The Shoe Museum, Street. From 10am.

Til the 24th December Breakfast with Father Christmas Father Christmas will be taking time out from his busy schedule to meet you for a yummy cooked breakfast, served with a Rudolph gingerbread biscuit! 8am – 10am Every weekend in December, plus Christmas Eve. £12.95 per child. Limited availability, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

Til the 6th January Festive Family Trail Help Hetty the Hedgehog get ready for her Christmas party and get some fresh air as you follow our trail around the wintry gardens. Open every day from 10am. £2 per child + normal admission. No need to book. www.hestercombe.com Til the 13th January A Christmas Carol at Bristol Old Vic This delightful new adaptation of Dickens’ well-loved comedy.

So sit back in your seats and find out how selfish moneylender Ebenezer Scrooge finally comes to understand the true meaning of Christmas. bristololdvic.org.uk

Til the 13th January Peter Pan at Theatre Royal Peter Pan is a swash-buckling and unmissable Christmas treat that’s got everything – with flying, CGI special effects and all the traditional ingredients that make Bath pantomimes so special.

Til the 6th January Ice Skating at Hestercombe Glide about on our skate rink (it’s artificial so you don’t get too chilly!) in our magical winter marquee.

Perfect family fun. www.hestercombe.com

Til the 13th January The Scarlet Pimpernel Expect witty wordplay, brave women, not-so-brave men, hysterical double disguises, elaborate hoaxes, poodles aplenty and very, very high wigs. Everything a modern day audience could wish for in just under 2 hours of deliciousness.

The Egg Theatre, Bath.

For further information about each event

Til the 24th December Reindeer feeding Come and watch our Reindeer being fed every day at 4pm at our Lacock, Whitchurch & Woodborough Garden Centres. From Saturday 3rd November through until Sunday 24th December. This is a FREE event - no ticket required!

Whitehall Garden Centres. www.whitehallgardencentre.co.uk Til 31st December Lacock's Christmas List Family Trail On this self-led family trail, Father Christmas has lost his list and needs your help matching the presents to who they belong to in the woodland grounds. The trail continues on in the village where local businesses have codes to crack which make up the Christmas dinner shopping list. Lacock Abbey, Lacock.

13 December - 20 January 2019 Snow Mouse Back by huge popular demand for an incredible 4th year!

Come and join two new friends on their adventures in a magical forest full of play, puppetry and music. The Egg Theatre, Bath.

15th - 31st December Winter Trail at Dunster Castle There's discord between two rulers and they need your help to return their lands to peace. Follow the trail around the grounds and solve the clues to help unite the lands of the Swan Queen and River King. Dunster Castle, Dunster.

15 - 23 December A Christmas Castle & Illuminated Garden Walk See the castle's ground floor rooms decorated for Christmas and live festive music learn about some of the Luttrell family's traditions and play some festive games. The garden will be illuminated for an evening stroll. Dunster Castle, Dunster.

19th - 22nd December Supper with Santa Would your little one love to have supper with Santa? This event includes a buffet tea, ice cream, a funky disco and a present from Santa! 6-8pm, Puxton Park.

21st - 31st December Dick Whittington Supported by a very strong cast of top quality theatre professionals plus some fantastic local junior performers this is a show you just won’t want to miss!

The whole Dick Whittington cast will come out after the show to meet and greet the audience as you leave and pose for your photos absolutely FREE of charge. The McMillan Theatre, Bath Road, Bridgwater.

22nd - 1st January Snow White and the Seven Dwarves A fabulous show by Moorlight Theatre Productions.

Adults - £11.50 Senior - £10.50 Children - £9.50 The Meyer Theatre, Millfield School, Street.

28th December - 2nd January 2019 FMTC presents Aladdin Holiday fun for all the family. Traditional family pantomime with live music, fantastic costumes and scenery.

NOTE: Performance times on New Year’s Eve – 11am and 4pm.

Frome Memorial Theatre, Frome.

19th January Wassail at Glastonbury Tor Wassailing is an ancient custom that involves drinking cider, singing to the trees in the hope of a good harvest and scaring away any evil spirits that might be lurking. You can tour the Tor, sing around the trees, hear stories by the fire and sample the fruit of last year's crop.

Booking is advisable at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/glastonburytor however on the day, entry is £3 per adult and £1 per child (ages 5-16): please note cash only.

please visit www.familymatters-uk.co.uk

THE EGG CHRISTMAS SHOW

THURS 6 DEC – SUN 13 JAN

Co-produced by the egg and Pins & Needles Productions

THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL Based on the book by Baroness Orczy Adapted by Christopher William Hill

AGE

Co-directed by Emma Earle & Joe Hufton

Designed by Zoë Squire

Music Composed by Jack Drewry

Sound Design by John Everett

Box Office: 01225 823409 www.theatreroyal.org.uk

6+

Sponsored by

An Edible Gift Idea CHRISTMAS TREE CRACKERS Make Christmas tree shaped crackers and gift them along with a jar of homemade chutney and artisanal cheese.

INGREDIENTS 120 g porridge oats 120 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper 70 g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes 1 medium free-range egg, separated, white only 1 tsp poppy seeds 1 tsp sesame seeds 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds YOU WILL ALSO NEED: 3 Christmas tree cookie cutters METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Whiz the porridge oats in a food processor or blender to make a coarse flour. Tip into a large mixing bowl and stir in the plain flour and cayenne pepper.

2. With your fingertips, rub the butter into the oat mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Use 3 tbsp cold water to create a dough, then lightly knead until smooth.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out to a thickness of about 4mm. Using a small Christmas tree cutter, stamp out 16 biscuits (you’ll need to re-roll the dough).

4. Place on a lined baking tray and lightly brush all over with the egg white. Scatter over the seeds and bake for 30 mins until dry and crisp. Leave to cool on the tray for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

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MM LEARN SOMETHING NEW IN 2019

www.bathcollege.ac.uk

@bathcollege

Kids at school? Want to get back to work in the New Year?

Prepare yourself to return to work with one of our qualifications or apprenticeships*

With us, you can retrain for a career as a Childcare or Teaching Assistant, as a Business Administrator or a Social Care Worker.

You can also get qualifications in Leadership & Management, Maths & English (Functional Skills & GCSEs), Computers & Digital and more!

sslcourses.co.uk #lovessl

Visit our website to see what’s on offer near you or call us on 0330 332 7997 and speak to our friendly advice team.

CHECK OUT OUR GENERAL INTEREST & LEISURE COURSES. BOOKING NOW! (*Apprenticeships are open to those aged over 16 with no upper age limit) SS&L Ad 157 x 115mm.indd 1

27/11/2018 15:22

Start thinking about those resolutions early We’re sure you’re bored of the New Year New You phrase already and it’s only just coming into the winter season! But, the start of a new year is always a great time to make a change in your life that you’ve been gearing up to, whether it is stopping smoking, starting a new career or finally using that gym membership that has been gathering dust, there is no time like the start of a new year to do it!

Research from the University of Hertfordshire suggests that only one in ten people are able to accomplish their New Year goals by the end of the year, but as it is widely believed that you can form a new habit in less than a month, we think it’s possible for everyone to achieve their goals with the right amount of support.

So – you have your resolutions for the new year – now what?

Well, start small, it’s easier to achieve something if it is broken down into manageable chunks, so figure out how to make them measurable and give yourself a deadline to a certain milestone.

For example, if you want to learn a new language, decide that by March you’ll be able to read, write and speak a certain number of sentences. That way, when it comes to March, speaking, reading and writing in another language will be part of your routine, so it’ll be easier to learn more sentences and by 2020, you might be able to wander around a new country speaking the language like a local. Or you could decide to get fit and choose to be able to run a certain amount of miles by a set date, by the end of the year you might be looking into winning an Olympic medal or something.

It’s also important to celebrate those mile stones and award yourself when you’ve achieved something – it’ll make you want to

continue on to the next step and of course, everyone likes prizes!

Enlist some friends and family to support you – this is important, while you will need to dedicate a huge amount of will power to achieving your goals, you will need support from those around you too. Talk to your friends and family about what it is you want to do and ask if they’d help you to get there. You never know, they might create flash cards to help you revise if you choose to learn a new skill or go over interview techniques with you if you’re looking for a new job, they could stop smoking around you if you’re planning on giving up or come shopping with you for gym gear. They might even be willing to be a food taster if your goal is to learn how to cook!

Don’t give up! Failure is all part of learning. Sometimes you won’t succeed straight away and you’ll feel frustrated at not being able to do something, but don’t let that put you off. Stick to your goals and think of it as a tiny set back – you’ll get there eventually! It’s also important not to put too much pressure on yourself, that’s just asking for trouble!

If you don’t fancy learning a new skill or taking on a physical challenge, that’s fine too, New Year New You doesn’t have to be about joining the gym or getting a new hobby, it can be as simple as getting a new hair cut or treating yourself to a new beauty regime. There are so many treatments and options available to anyone wanting to make a change, from eyebrow threading to a massage. Perhaps you want to stop biting your nails and want them to look pretty during your transition – there are lots of different options for nail extensions, paints and more!

What New Year’s Resolutions do you have in mind for 2019?

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LATEST SCHOOL NEWS

EVENTS

DIARY DATES

YOUR SUCCESSES

News and Reviews ASHCOTT MILL ON THE BRUE Children from Years 5 and 6 at Ashcott Primary School have been stepping out of their comfort zone at Mill-on-the-Brue Outdoor Activity Centre this week. During the residential camp, the children took part in a range of exciting activities to challenge them physically, encourage team work and to boost their self-confidence to reach new heights!

Several of the children said that their favourite activity was the canoeing because, for many, this was their first time on the river.

The children also enjoyed the ‘leap of faith’, jumping off the top of the climbing wall with a controlled descent. Many children conquered their fears – having a go on the zip wire, or climbing wall, helping to overcome their fear of heights!

The children really challenged themselves in so many ways and were determined to have a go at all of the activities, despite the wet and windy weather! The residential visit was something completely new for most of the children - one that I am sure they will remember for some time.

The staff who accompanied the children were all very proud of them for their excellent attitude and bravery – well done! We would like to thank Mrs Davis, Ms Frampton and Mrs Speakman for giving up their weekends to support the children, and in particular to Miss Stevens for organising such a fun residential visit!

CELEBRATIONS AT DITCHEAT PRIMARY SCHOOL

CROSCOMBE SCHOOL VET VISIT

Children in year 2 at Ditcheat Primary School celebrated the Day of the Dead. The day is celebrated in Mexico and it focusses on remembering friends and family members who have died. The children were learning about it as part of their topic of celebrations. The children ate pan de muerto (bread of the dead), drank atole (a Mexican corn drink) and made popel picado (Mexican bunting). Teaching assistant, Kate Knowles, said: “It’s fantastic that the children are learning about different cultures from around the world in such a fun way.”

Croscombe School were visited by a vet and a veterinary nurse, who talked about their jobs and how they became vets. This was a thank you from the surgery, for pictures produced by Chestnuts and Conkers class for their new practice’s mural. It was a very interesting assembly and the staff and pupils would like to say thank you to our two guests for their time. They also very kindly donated £100 for the purchase of science equipment for the school, which has been very gratefully received.

The FOCS Halloween Disco also helped raise some money, £294 was raised to go towards the playground fund. Thank you to all who helped organise the evening, the children looked amazing in their spooky costumes and had much fun.

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BOTTLE TOP ARTWORK

‘READING STARS’ EARN BOOKS FOR SCHOOL LIBRARY A group of enthusiastic Year 6 children from Ashcott Primary School have proved to be true ‘Reading Stars’!

The children helped to organise the school’s Scholastic book fair which raised an impressive £527 commission to spend on new books for the school library! The Reading Stars regularly organise activities at the school, promoting reading, as well as supporting younger children with their reading each week. The children have volunteered to champion reading throughout the school and share their enthusiasm for books – clearly they have been successful, as the school’s book fair sold a huge amount of books!

The Reading Stars can be seen here with a selection of some of the books they have chosen to purchase for the school library, using the £527 commission they raised from sales at the book fair.

What better way to start the year than to brighten up your new classroom with some artwork? In the first week of Term 1, Oakhill Church School started the year with a school-wide art project, with the aim of adding some colour, inspiration and identity to the mostly rustic and old classrooms.

The school has just celebrated its 150th birthday and remains a popular and friendly village school with families coming from the village itself and neighbouring towns to attend, and of which children are proud to be a part of.

Their willing: unquestionable. Their task: simple. Create a piece of artwork that embodies the values of Oakhill Church School, such as ‘Creativity, hard work, pride in what we do, community and care for our environment’, just to name a few.

Glow Worms class consists of a mix of Year 1 and Year 2 children. Their theme was ‘bottle top artwork’, which they fully embraced. Children and staff brought in any spare plastic bottle tops and the children decided on 5 different creations: an eye, a tree, a butterfly, a flower and a lizard.

They spoke not just about the artwork itself, but about how recycling their bottle tops into something of value and worth, through creative thinking, hard work and above all else, enjoyment, helps the environment we live in and shows caring for our planet. The artwork is now proudly on display in their classroom for everybody to enjoy and makes a clear statement of what we are about here at Oakhill Church School.

CHEEKY CHIMPS

DINOSAURS AT EVERCREECH Cherry Class pupils from Evercreech Church of England Primary School had some truly amazing visitors recently.

As part of their current topic Stomp, Gobble and Munch, a dinosaur expert and two dinosaurs visited them! This event was very much enjoyed by the children and as you can see these dinosaurs are very realistic!

DITCHEAT VISITS WELLS Last week, children from years 3 to 6 from Ditcheat Primary School visited the beautiful Wells Cathedral as part of their studies about the local area. The children had a guided tour of the cathedral and were lucky enough to see the clock in action at midday.

Jo Crook, teacher at the school, said “The children really enjoyed looking at the stained glass window and were astonished at how beautiful they were.” The children then had a workshop where they made their own stained glass windows and completed a 3D jigsaw of the cathedral.

Children and staff supporting children in need by dressing up this term. ukfamilymatters |

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SOMERSET POPPIES DISPLAY Croscombe pupils with their poppies they had assembled for the Somerset Poppies display at the Bishop’s Palace.

DITCHEAT HARVEST CELEBRATIONS At the end of term, all the children from Ditcheat Primary School made their way to the local church and were joined by their families and friends to celebrate harvest festival. The children brought in food which was taken to the Wells food bank following an assembly where the children found out about who benefits from the food bank.

Each class told a part of the harvest story with Cherry class acting out growing from a seed into a plant. The other classes explained where food comes from, told stories and explained about food miles. Joanna Leru, teaching at the school, said “It was a wonderful celebration of harvest made even better by the community joining us.”

PJ FUNDRAISER! The Children at St John’s Infants School in Glastonbury found it very entertaining to come to school in their pyjamas for Children In Need.

They raised a grand total of £159 for the charity, and held a special assembly featuring Pudsey Bear, along with all of his teddy bear friends who joined them in school for the day! Well done every one!

REMEMBRANCE AT EVERCREECH Pupils from Oak Class at Evercreech Church of England Primary School have made their own poppies and produced some truly heartfelt poems as part of their remembrance. The children were inspired by the poppy display at The Tower of London.

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WINTER WONDERLAND PROJECT AT ST JOHN'S INFANTS SCHOOL The children in Key Stage One at St John’s Infants School, Glastonbury have been planning a ‘Winter Wonderland Event’. They have had a wealth of ideas and are very excited about planning it!

It all began with a video link from Father Christmas requesting a school to host a Winter Wonderland Event, the children wrote back to Father Christmas and won the bid!

The event will have real reindeer, a snow machine and Father Christmas will make an appearance. The children have also organised carol singing and festive food!

As part of the project, children have been studying maps of Glastonbury in geography lessons and writing to Father Christmas to ensure we meet his requests. As part of an enterprise project to raise funds to pay for the reindeer and other desirable features the

children created a trail around Glastonbury, with ten shops in Glastonbury High Street having been invited to take part. Clay animals sculpted by the children featured in shop windows until 30th November. The trail included maps for sale that members of the community could pick up and had codes that needed to be cracked. The children also hosted bedtime stories by candlelight to help raise funds for the event/ Natasha Hopkins, KS1 teacher at the school said: “This is a big project for our 6 and 7 year old children. They have written letters to local residents requesting support. Letter writing is part of our English curriculum and sending and receiving letters is an important objective.

They have also created maps in Geography and completed a lot of fieldwork in the community.

The children have been working hard to raise

DIWALI AT DITCHEAT Children at Ditcheat Primary School have been finding all about Diwali this week. They have studied the story of Rama and Sita and then retold the story using puppets. The children then had a whole afternoon celebrating Diwali through making rangoli patterns with leaves and coloured powered paint. Some children made tea light holders out of salt dough whilst others had mehndi patterns on their hands. Rose Boyce, a teacher at the school, said “The children came up with some wonderful rangoli designs and the mess we made was well worth the depth of learning the children had.”

money to pay for features in their Winter Wonderland and we've invited the newspaper to our event. This is the finale of our topic and has inspired our children to write for many different purposes including posters, letters, stories and newspaper articles. The quality of writing has been high as the children know that they are writing for a public audience and all of their hard work is for a purpose!”

UX2 PROGRAMME FOR EVERCREECH Children from Evercreech Church of England Primary School have started a programme with UX2. The aim of this programme is to help the children to develop key skills and overcome challenges with self-motivation or selfconfidence. The children worked outdoors learning basic survival skills and taking part in team building exercises. Each activity was met with lots of enthusiasm.

A Traditional Family Pantomime

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WOW

UPLOAD YOUR WOW! PHOTOS AND DETAILS TO OUR ONLINE WOW! FORM VISIT WWW.FAMILYMATTERS-UK.CO.UK

WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT Name: Finley Gulliford Age: 4 Achievement: Stage 1 swimming award.

Name: Poppy Marks Age: 9 Achievement: Stage 5 swimming

Name: Mae Parkins Age: 9 Achievement: Streethouse Dance Competition Gloucester, coming 5th in her first under 10's solo competition, 3rd Rugratz crew, 1st Mega Crew.

Name: Ciaran Skidmore Age: 7 Achievement: Gained his Little Puma Black Belt with PUMA DES Schools of Tae Kwon-do.

Name: Scarlett Parkins Age: 7 Achievement: Rugratz Crew came 3rd in under 10's category at Streethouse Dance competition Gloucester on 11th November.

Name: Bethany Wall Age: 10 Achievement: Won Miss Carnival Queen 2018 for Midsomer Norton carnival association.

Bethany took part in the carnival procession in the royalty carriage.

Name: Chloe Wall Age: 6 years Achievement: Chloe won Miss Carnival Princess 2018 for Midsomer Norton carnival association. Chloe took part in the carnival procession in the royalty carriage.

Name: Charlie C Achievement: Well done Charlie who won 2 medals at the Martial Arts British Championships in Swindon. He received Gold for kickboxing and Silver for hand drills.

Name: Amirah Age: 8 Achievement: Amirah has worked hard to earn 5 Brownie badges including her Hostess and Fire Safety badge.

Name: Alistair Combe Age: 8 Achievement: Cycled 25 miles and raised over ÂŁ300 for Children in Need.

Name: Tiah Marsh Age: 7 Achievement: Tiah has achieved 5 brownie badges this month. Well done Tiah.

Name: Beth Gilliam Age: 7 Achievement: Officially becoming a Brownie on 24th October 2018.

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‘Taking it personally’ is one of our key qualities

WE ARE RECRUITING NURSES! Sirona care & health is a Community Interest Company committed to providing integrated health and social care services to people across Bath, North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

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In return we offer an excellent range of benefits including; • Generous holiday entitlement • Paid enhancements (where applicable) • A contributory pension scheme including NHS • Flexible working patterns • In-house physiotherapy support and more!

We are recruiting Registered Nurses and delighted to announce we have extended the registration to include nursing care beds and, as such, are recruiting for Registered Nurses to join us.

Combe Lea & Charlton House Community Resource Centres are currently 30 bed high need residential and dementia care homes based in Midsomer Norton and Keynsham respectively.

Due to this being a new service, there are currently very flexible vacancies available; both day and night shifts, full or part time, which will include weekend and bank holidays on a rostered basis.

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We are truly passionate about delivering care tailored for each of our residents – don’t just take our word for it, you will be joining an organisation which this year has been rated Outstanding for Care and Outstanding for End of Life Care.

For more information or to request an application form, please visit www.sirona-cic.org.uk or call the Recruitment Team on 0300 124 5444 Registered Office: Sirona care & health CIC, 2nd Floor, Kingswood Civic Centre, High Street, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 9TR. Company Number: 07585003If

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