HEY! Magazine Frome and West Wilts edition

FREE • FROME AND WEST WILTS EDITION • ISSUE 37 • DECEMBER 2016

INSIDE New Year, New You Christmas Puzzles Take part in 2017 RSPB Birdwatch HEYMAG.CO.UK

Start a new festive tradition this Christmas at Lacock Thursday 1 - Saturday 31 December You can vote for your favourite Christmas tree in Lacock's annual Christmas tree festival, help yourself to a tasty bonbon in the traditionally decorated abbey Great Hall, meet Father and Mother Christmas in their cosy Christmas kitchen (booking essential) and see how many of their reindeer you can spot around the village and abbey grounds...

There's so much to do at Lacock this December, why not make it one of your Christmas traditions?

Call 01249 730459 for details To book for Father Christmas visit nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock #nationaltrust

When you visit, donate, volunteer or join the National Trust, your support helps us to look after special places like Lacock for ever, for everyone.

Š National Trust 2016. The National Trust is an independent registered charity, number 205846. Photography Š National Trust Images\Brook Smiths Creative.

HEYMAG.CO.UK | 3

WELCOME Director Tina Veater 07834 542955 | tina@ignyte-uk.co.uk Editorial Team Tina Veater info@ignyte-uk.co.uk Advertising Team Zoe Jenkins Theresa Saadeh 01761 410141 | info@ignyte-uk.co.uk Graphic Designer Pamela Evans Published by Ignyte Media Ltd Printed by Flying Colours Ltd, Weare, Somerset Business Address: Ignyte Media Ltd, Unit G5, Second Avenue, Westfield Industrial Estate, Radstock, BA3 4BH 01761 410141 info@ignyte-uk.co.uk While every care has been taken to ensure the data contained in the publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party for loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause.

Ignyte do not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All right reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system in any form without the prior permission of the publisher.

Distribution: We deliver to 9500 families through primary schools and other outlets in Frome and West Wiltshire and surrounding villages.

The next edition is in February 2017 & is filling fast.

It certainly feels as though winter has arrived with the colder mornings and evenings. There has been talk about snow, will we be lucky this year and have a white Christmas?

The winter is always a time when bugs and germs spread. Central heating and a lack of fresh air can be the perfect breeding ground for bugs, so make sure you wash your hands regularly and cover your nose and mouth when sneezing too.

Winter also see’s the launch of the 2017 RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch, so make sure you check out the RSPB website and see how you can get involved. Birdwatch is a survey that helps to track numbers of birds in school grounds, providing an insight into which species are doing well or not so well and inspiring children about nature. There is also a survey which you can do at home in your own garden. The perfect way to spend an afternoon with the children.

I hope all of the children have written their letters to Santa and are excited about the forthcoming celebrations but I hope you aren't getting too stressed about the thought of it all! Read our article with tips about how to deal with stress at Christmas time. There also some alternative Christmas games to liven up the afternoon.

With candles, choking hazards and small toys around at this time of the year, our first aid article should be a must read of why it’s important for your children to learn the basics of first aid. We wouldn’t want any child to have to use it, but first aid could be a life saving skill.

Check out our competition page for fab prizes and also the chance to win an interactive workshop with the British Heart Foundation. The competition is open to all primary schools and is simple to enter.

It is always a good idea to start thinking about your New Years resolutions before Christmas and this way you can be prepared. The support from family and friends will always help you to achieve your goals. This maybe giving up smoking, saving more money or even spending more time with the children, whatever your resolutions are, we wish you good luck and success.

Everyone at HEY! would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Tina

Hey Magazine

@hey_tweeter

www.heymag.co.uk

IT’S ALL ABOUT

SANTA CLAUS! Come and visit Santa at The Shires this Christmas.

Your little ones will get the opportunity to receive a present and have their photo taken with Santa!

Saturday 26th November 10am – 5pm

Sunday 27th November 11am – 4pm

Thursday 1st – Saturday 3rd December 10am – 5pm

Sunday 4th December 11am – 4pm

Thursday 8th – Saturday 10th December 10am – 5pm

Sunday 11th December 11am – 4pm

Thursday 15th – Saturday 17th December 10am – 5pm

Sunday 18th December 11am – 4pm

Monday 19th – Friday 23rd December 10am – 5pm

Saturday 24th December (Christmas Eve) 10am – 3pm

Follow us Facebook & Twitter

shirescentre.co.uk

HEYMAG.CO.UK | 5

DEAL WITH CHRISTMAS STRESS C

hristmas can be a very stressful time of year. For many the Christmas period is a mass of complex social interactions with family or relatives, some of whom you may rather not see. Split families, guilt of not visiting others, the expectation of gifts and cooking lunch can be a minefield for many people.

Don't let the festive season get you down: follow the tips and advice you find here, relax and enjoy yourself.

Plan Ahead - Start making a list of things you need to do for Christmas early: for example, shopping, food and presents, decorations or travel arrangements. Try to prioritise the items on your list: can they be done now, and are they essential?

Do not overestimate how much you can achieve on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Many recipes can be made ahead of time and frozen reducing tasks on Christmas Day. Christmas Cards - Start writing your Christmas cards early too! If you can, write a few cards and envelopes each day keeping them to one side before posting or delivering.

Have a 'Great Escape' Plan! It's a good idea to have some pre-planned excuses to escape from proceedings if they get too stressful. Use things such as leaving the room to make a phone-call to a friend or perhaps checking on a neighbour. Just by having planned a couple of escape routes you’ll probably BORED OF CHARADES? – TRY THESE CHRISTMAS GAMES Once the presents have been open and the dinner eaten and all washed up, Christmas afternoon can be a bit of a bore. If you’re not the kind of family who put a movie on or take an afternoon snooze, why not try some of these Christmas inspired games to play with the family.

Bauble and Spoon Race Rather than balance an egg on a spoon, like the traditional game, this Christmas-themed edition has you balance a bauble.

Penguin Waddle This is a relay race where you put balloons between your legs, waddling like a penguin, racing against another team.

feel less stressed anyway but actually leaving the situation, even for 10 minutes, will help clear your mind and relax you.

Practise Breathing - When we’re stressed our heart beat increases and our breathing shallows, it’s all part of the fight or flight reaction. Work on reversing this process and take time to breathe deeply.

Make Time for Exercise - Christmas is, for many, a time of excessive eating and drinking and exercise can be easily overlooked. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress and helps produce mood-enhancing endorphins. Try going for a walk after dinner as the fresh air and exercise will lift your mood and make you feel better.

Avoid Excessive Alcohol - Avoid excessive alcohol as stressful situations can feel much worse than they are when slightly tipsy! Drink as much water or soft drinks as alcohol as this will help you to stay hydrated, feel better and therefore cope better with stressful situations. You'll also feel better on Boxing Day. Remember it’s your Christmas too so try to relax, have fun and be merry. If you do find others around you difficult then try to rise above the situation. If things don’t go to plan try not to worry, instead laugh about them and make them into fun memories that you can talk about during Christmases to come.

Human Christmas Tree Decorate one representative from each team as a Christmas tree in the most creative way possible. Whoever has the most holiday spirit, wins!

Snowman wrapping contest - Wrap a person as a snowman in toilet paper and decorate. First or best one wins.

Christmas memory game Put Christmas items on a tray and give people one minute to memorize the items. Take the tray away and have them write as many down as they can remember in 30 seconds Holiday ABC's Give each person or team a piece of paper with the alphabet written vertically from A to Z. Have them write a holiday word that starts with each letter. The first one to complete the list wins.

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“Students value the knowledge and expertise of tutors and the opportunities to develop their employability skills” Higher Education Review March 2016

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HEYMAG.CO.UK | 7

IS IT TIME FOR A NEW YOU? W

ith a brand new year just round the corner, the close of the 2016 festive season for many of us marks the start of 2017’s resolutions.

Whether it’s to do with stopping smoking, getting fitter or starting a new career or hobby, making a New Year’s list of resolutions is the easy bit. Sticking to those resolutions is a much taller task.

In fact, recent research by the University of Hertfordshire, which tracked 5,000 people as they attempted to achieve New Year resolutions, found that only one in ten was able to accomplish their goal. The key finding from the report suggested that people are more likely to achieve goals if they are broken into smaller chunks that are specific, measurable and time-based (given deadlines).

Here’s our top tips to setting your goals – and achieving them.

Prioritise your resolutions. The temptation can be to write a long list of goals for the New Year in the hope that a new, more disciplined you will spring out of bed on 1st January. Try and be realistic. Hone in on one or two goals that you can channel your energy into.

Don’t leave your resolutions to the last minute. Give yourself some time out over the festive break to think through what it is you would like to change about your life. What would you ultimately like to achieve? If for example, you would like to feel fitter, you could work back from that goal to consider the steps you need to take to achieve that such as finding time to run or improving your diet.

Hypnotherapy allows people to take better control of what they focus on – their spotlight of attention. All those pesky, distracting

   

 

  

thoughts, all those inner voices tempting you with muffins from Starbucks, can be quietened down with the help of a skilled hypnotherapist. Want to lose weight but need someone to help you focus on positive thoughts and living healthily?. Even habits and addictions which we see as being ‘part’ of ourselves can be dissolved, often as quickly as they began. It’s not a magic wand but if you genuinely want to lose weight, stop smoking, build confidence or enjoy better relationships then Hypnotherapy may well be the answer.

Think deeply about what you want from life, rather opting for ‘standard’ general resolutions. Yes, resolutions like losing weight or getting fit make sense for the sake of your health and wellbeing, but perhaps why not think about life changing resolutions. Would you be happier in a new career path, would taking a new hobby simulate your daily routine.

Enlist your friends’ and family’s support. Flying solo can make a challenging goal even harder to achieve. For example, if you want to cut the amount of alcohol you drink, the last thing you want is to see your partner quaffing wine every evening. Explain your goal to those around you. Your nearest and dearest will probably want to do all that they can to lend support.

Write down your plans – and chart your successes. Just as there are few things as satisfying as ticking off things from a ‘to do’ list, seeing your successes written on paper will do wonders for helping you to keep up momentum.

What ever your resolutions are for 2017, we hope you achieve your goals.

Clinical Hypnotherapy What would you like to change in 2017?

• Reduce anxiety • Manage stress • Overcome low mood • Sleep better • Beat addiction • Quit smoking

• Lose weight/stop binge eating • Combat phobia’s • Enhance sport performance • Improve confidence • Increase motivation • Control exam nerves

Don’t put it off another year!

Book your FREE Initial Consultation TODAY on 07966 517708 Solutions Practices in Butleigh, Glastonbury and Wells.

www.mymind.solutions

8 | HEYMAG.CO.UK

NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS calendar reform restored January 1 as new year's day. Although most Catholic countries adopted the Gregorian calendar almost immediately, it was only gradually adopted among Protestant countries. The British, for example, did not adopt the reformed calendar until 1752. Until then, the British Empire —and their American colonies— still celebrated the new year in March.

T

New Year’s Eve is a day of mixed feelings for many people. On one hand, it is a time to celebrate the end of the year gone by and welcome what is in store in the New Year. On the other hand, some people experience a sense of nostalgia as they reflect on the events that took place in their lives in the past 12 months. Many people start thinking about New Year’s resolutions at this time of the year.

The date changed many times between then in 1582, the Gregorian

Many people go out to pubs and party to celebrate this tradition or have parties at home, but whichever way you celebrate, everyone at HEY! would like to wish you a Happy and Prosperous 2017.

he celebration of the new year on January 1st is a relatively new phenomenon. The earliest recording of a new year celebration is believed to have been in Mesopotamia, c. 2000 B.C. and was celebrated around the time of the vernal equinox, in mid-March.

What’s On

Now until January 1

Ice Skating at Hestercombe Glide about on our skating rink (it’s artificial so you wont get chilly!) in our magical winter marquee. Suitable for all the family with a kids winter craft den and refreshments. Book online at www.hestercombe.com/christmas

Now until January 1

December 17 - 23

Visit Santa in his grotto at Choldertons Charlies Farm 11am, 12pm, 1pm & 2pm (maximum of 5 families per session).

Booking essential.

December 17

Peter Pan at The Octagon, Yeovil Book now at www.octagon-theatre.co.uk

Collett Park Café Xmas Bazaar.

From 11am. Santa’s Grotto and Stocking filler market. Hot food, face painting mulled wine and much more.

See www.collettparkcafe.com

Now until January 15

December 17

Robin Hood at The Egg, Bath Book now at www.theatreroyal.org.uk/the-egg

December 8 -January 8 Alladin at Theatre Royal Bath Book now at www.theatreroyal.org.uk

December 10 -January 8 Cinderella at Bristol Hippodrome Book now at www.atgtickets.com/bristol

December 10-11, 17-20, 22-24

Santa Special – West Somerset Railway The Santa Specials offer a steam train trip along the Exmoor Coast from Minehead to Blue Anchor and back or through the Quantock Hills between Bishops Lydeard Station and Crowcombe Heathfield. This gives a 15 minute train ride to Blue Anchor or Crowcombe Heathfield where you will go in to see Santa and a good blaze in the fireplace in the grotto!

Children will receive a present suitable to their age and gender.

For parents there is a traditional festive drink (or a non-alcoholic drink) and a mince pie to enjoy along the journey as well as the festive atmosphere. Booking is essential.

December 24 - 26

Father Christmas at Hestercombe Enjoy a traditional Christmas visit. Follow the pathway through the winter gardens to find Father Christmas in his little house.

The real log fire will be roaring, lights will be twinkling on the Christmas tree and sacks of presents will be waiting. Book online at www.hestercombe.com/christmas.

December 16 & 22

Christmas Carols & Owls by Moonlight at 7.00pm Join us for an evening of Christmas carols plus a special owl flying demonstration and bird holding session! Tickets: £17.50 includes a glass of mulled wine and a mince-pie. Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. www.hawk-conservancy.org

A Christmas Cracker 2:30pm - 4:30pm. A festive mash up of all your favourite Christmas hits. This variety show is a fun filled extravaganza that will leave all the family in the festive spirit. Advance Discount: £7 Standard Price: £10. Victoria Hall, Church Street, Radstock.

December 18 - 19

Folksy Theatre ‘A Christmas Carol’ 3pm Come and see Folksy Theatre bring this much-loved Christmas tale to life. Using live performers, puppetry and music, this production brings something a little different to the story. Bring the family for a real treat. Bampfylde Hall, Hestercombe. Book online at www.hestercombe.com/christmas

December 18

Somerdale Pavilion will turn into a theatre!

Dick Whittington will be starring in this years Christmas Pantomime. Tickets are available now on reception or call us on 01179 865 787.

December 19 - 21

Festive Fun at Kings Chase Shopping Centre Santa’s magical elf, Xmas decoration station, Santas Grotto, Xmas Cookie decorating and much more. From 10am – 2pm.

December 19 - 23

Christmas Holiday Workshops with Jumping Clay Let the kids get creative and bring home their own masterpiece.

See facebook: Jumping Clay South Bristol or call 07802826553.

December 21 - 23

Join Father Christmas at Farrington Playbarn for a magical breakfast experience this December Cost £12.50 per child. Includes breakfast with our very special Father Christmas, 1 hours Playbarn play, home-made gingerbread man and a gift. Booking is essential! For more details or to book call our Playbarn reception team on 01761 452266 ext 3.

Win a workshop with a British Heart Foundation researcher for your school Sign up to one of the charity’s schools fundraisers to be in for a chance to win

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is offering schools across the UK the chance to win a once-ina-lifetime interactive workshop with a BHF-funded researcher to teach pupils about what the heart does and how it works.

The competition is open to all primary and secondary schools and is simple to enter. All schools need to do is sign up to take part in one of the BHF’s school fundraisers; Jump Rope for Heart or Ultimate Dodgeball before midnight on Tuesday 28 February 2017.

The BHF runs two school fundraising initiatives which show children how keeping fit and maintaining a healthy heart through exercise can be fun. The money raised will go towards the BHF’s life saving research and schools can also keep 20% of the money raised to put towards new equipment and resources to promote a healthy lifestyle for pupils.

Schools can choose to take part in either of the following fundraisers: ULTIMATE DODGEBALL The BHF’s popular sporting challenge provides participating schools with over £30 worth of free dodgeballs when they raise money for the BHF. Schools also receive an organiser’s pack with lesson plans to make it easier for teachers to teach pupils how to play dodgeball and help create a fun and successful event.

JUMP ROPE FOR HEART The BHF’s skipping challenge provides participating schools with over £100 worth of free skipping ropes when they raise money for the BHF. They also receive an organiser’s pack with lesson plans to help teachers introduce skipping either through the PE curriculum, the playground at lunchtime or in after school clubs.

In the UK, one in every 180 babies is diagnosed with congenital heart disease – an average of 12 per day.

The money raised by Ultimate Dodgeball and Jump Rope for Heart goes towards powering research to help prevent, diagnose and treat heart disease.

Jessica Rose, Programme Manager for Jump Rope for Heart and Ultimate Dodgeball at the BHF, said: “Our school fundraisers are a great way to get pupils involved in energetic, heart healthy exercise whilst having fun and raising money for life saving research.

“We’re delighted to be offering a school the chance to win a workshop with one of our BHF-funded researchers, who work tirelessly to help fight heart disease.

“We’re calling on teachers across the country to get involved and sign their school up to Jump Rope for Heart or Ultimate Dodgeball to receive a free organiser’s pack and lesson plans with everything they’ll need to arrange a successful event.

“The money raised will go on to support the 7 million people in the UK living with heart and circulatory disease so we can fund more research to keep more families together.”

By signing up to Jump Rope for Heart or Ultimate Dodgeball before the end of February 2017 you will automatically be eligible for a chance to win. The winners will be notified by email by no later than Friday 31 March 2017 and the workshop will be arranged during the Summer Term.

For more information on Jump Rope for Heart or Ultimate Dodgeball and be in for a chance to win, sign up for free by visiting www.bhf.org.uk/schools

HEY! competitions WIN 12 VANILLA CUPCAKES FROM MINKY KITTEN CAKES! Minky Kitten Cakes, a Gold Award Winning cake making business known for unique, funky, quirky and personalised cakes. They are incredibly proud of the home baking style used and the attention to detail they take in making sure that every cake that leaves their kitchens is of the highest quality and made from the best ingredients.

To win, answer this question: Which top magazine did Minky Kitten Cakes feature in, in May 2013?

WIN FAMILY TICKETS TO NOAHS ARK ZOO FARM With a host of impressive animals, you’ll be amazed at the variety of nature you’ll see. During cold or wet weather you can also enjoy their large warm undercover play barns, now fully heated for all indoor play and eating areas! Bring the family along today to this ‘all day, all weather’ attraction and explore 15 exciting adventure play areas, an indoor Animal Village and covered Animal Show Pens.

To win, answer this question: In what year did the first White Rhinos arrive at Noahs Ark Zoo Farm?

WIN A HORSEWORLD ADOPTION PACK Your animal adoption pack includes: a colourful certificate detailing your chosen animal’s story, a cuddly version of your favourite animal in a presentation gift box (when available if not a keyring of your Adoption Animal and more HorseWorld is an amazing charity that rescues horses,ponies and donkeys. Their vital 365-days-a-year animal welfare work is funded by voluntary donations. See www. horseworld.org.uk for more information and how you can help

To win, answer this question: How old was James the pony when he was recused by HorseWorld?

WIN TICKETS TO SEE THE WARRIOR TREASURE EXHIBITION AT BRISTOL MUSEUM & ART GALLERY (2 ADULT TICKETS WITH ENTRANCE FOR 2 CHILDREN UNDER 16)

Don’t miss the opportunity to come up close to these magnificent treasures and discover how a sword was more than a weapon – it signified a warrior’s status, wealth, family and even religious beliefs.

Bristol Museum & Art Gallery tells the story of our world in every display, from the beginning of time to the present day. World-class collections of art, archaeology, geology and natural history are displayed inside. The museum also has an exhibitions and events programme throughout the year and a shop and cafe.

To win, answer this question: On what floor of the museum will you find the extinct Tasmanian tiger?

WINNERS Sam Tainton Timsbury Hollie Frost Longwell Green Emily Bird Shepton Mallet Phoebe Rose Warminster Nathan Davies Frome Charlie Payne Compton Martin

HOW TO ENTER To be in with a chance of winning these fantastic prizes, simply visit www.heymag.co.uk and click on the Competitions button, complete the form and enter your answers.

It couldn’t be easier!

Closing date for entries: 10th January 2017

PUZZLES Wordsearch

Find the 21 words listed below - they could be written forwards, downwards, back-to-front or diagonally.

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Spot the difference Can you spot the 10 differences?

SNOWMAN COLD WINTER IGLOO ROBIN FROST ICE BOOTS HIBERNATE COAT POLAR BEAR PENGUIN SLED PINE SNOW ANGEL SKI GLOVES STAR HAT FLU SCARF

Colour me i n !

Alphabet challenge Can you come up with a Christmas themed word for each letter of the alphabet

A________________________ B_________________________ C________________________ D________________________ E________________________ F________________________ G________________________ H________________________ I________________________

J________________________ K________________________ L________________________ M________________________ N________________________ O________________________ P________________________ Q________________________ R________________________

S________________________ T________________________ U________________________ V________________________ W________________________ X________________________ Y________________________ Z________________________

BIRD WATCH T

ens of thousands of schoolchildren across the UK will be staring out of their classroom window, with the blessing of their teacher, to take part in the 2017 RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch.

The survey, which takes place during the first half of spring term, is the biggest wildlife survey in schools. It helps to track numbers of birds in school grounds, providing an insight into which species are doing well or not so well and inspiring children about nature.

Over 90,000 pupils and teachers took part last year counting the feathered friends that visit their school grounds.

The blackbird remained the most common playground visitor in 2016. 87 per cent of schools that took part reported seeing blackbirds with an average of seven birds seen per school.

Starlings held onto the number two spot, but for the first time ever wood pigeons made the top three, jumping three places up the list from sixth position last year. Wood pigeons were spotted at nearly three quarters of all schools; the average counted was five.

Since its launch in 2002, the RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch has provided a million opportunities for children and teachers to connect with nature in their school grounds.

More than 70 different species have been recorded in school grounds, ranging from starlings and house sparrows, to red kites and green woodpeckers.

Many schools prepare for the event in advance by taking measures to give nature a home in the playground, such as putting up feeders and nestboxes and making bird cake. Seeing and counting the birds coming to their feeders during the Big Schools Birdwatch is the perfect reward for their efforts.

Rebecca Kerfoot, RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch Co-ordinator said: “This is a fun and educational activity and is free to every school in the UK. It’s flexible enough to fit into a lesson or during lunchtime and links well to the curriculum or project work. It also provides valuable information on how some of our familiar birds are doing and everyone who takes part will be learning about how to give nature a home at their school.

“It also gives children an opportunity to get outside and engage with nature local to them. Research has shown that children are increasingly disconnected from nature, which is linked to poorer physical and mental health. It is crucial we provide young people with as many opportunities as possible to enjoy and understand the natural world, and most importantly, have fun.”

The Birdwatch takes just one hour and teachers can pick any day during the first half of spring term to take part. It works across a wide age and ability range and there's plenty of flexibility to run it as simply as teachers would like either as the centrepiece of crosscurricular studies, project work, or a way to improve their school grounds.

The Big Schools' Birdwatch is the school version of the Big Garden Birdwatch – the world's biggest garden wildlife survey aimed at families and individuals. The event will take place over three days on 28, 29 and 30 January 2017 and further information can be found on the RSPB website rspb.org.uk/birdwatch Big Schools’ Birdwatch and Big Garden Birdwatch are part of the RSPB’s Giving Nature a Home campaign, aimed at tackling the housing crisis facing the UK’s threatened wildlife. The RSPB is asking people to provide a place for wildlife in school grounds, their own garden or outside spaces.

You can register to take part in the 2017 RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch at rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch Everything schools need to take part is available to download from the RSPB website.

THE DUAL FUELLING OF BRITAIN’S CHILDHOOD OBESITY with a study of modern day children, it revealed that the rise in obesity in toddlers was mainly limited to those with obese parents. However, by the time they hit adolescence, other factors clearly come in to play too.

Tackling obesity and weight problems in the present adult generation is therefore crucial.

Around one in four British adults is obese and it is predicted that within the next 10 years this could rise to 47 per cent of men and 36 per cent of women aged 21 to 60.

Overweight parents don’t necessarily have overweight teens – and vice versa. Like so many aspects of life – as children grow up they face all manner of other influences beyond the family home. When children start to gain their independence, parents tend to have less influence on their diet – and they can be swayed by what their friends and peers are doing.

Medication to treat obesity costs the NHS more than £500,000 a year. This cost rose 44 per cent in 2013 – and it is thought this increase could partly be due to the previous shortage of Orlistat, which is one of the commonly used prescription weight-loss drugs for adults.

RECOGNISING THE PROBLEM

A

s a nation we are undoubtedly getting fatter and obesity levels have tripled since the 1980s. But what does the future have in store for our children and is their fate already sealed?

If trends continue, by 2050 more than half the population will be obese. In theory, that means the majority of today’s pre-schoolers could find themselves battling with obesity by their 30s. A worrying proportion of children are already showing signs – around one in six (16 per cent) according to official statistics.

There has been much debate about what’s fuelling the issue, but new academic research published in the International Journal of Obesity, suggested two distinct phases of influence linked to children who become overweight – their parents and their peers.

DOES OBESITY START AT HOME? Perhaps unsurprisingly, the research, which was led by the University of Exeter’s Medical School, found that the parental effect is a major factor.

Comparing data from three decades ago

For an adult, a body mass index (BMI) of 30 would put you on the ‘obese’ scale.

Your BMI is calculated based on weight, height, age and gender – and is meant to be an indication of whether or not you are a healthy weight. It isn’t an exact science, and it will depend on factors such as muscle mass and waist size too.

Patients can be very surprised to discover they are clinically obese or overweight and are putting themselves at risk of associated health problems. This distortion in perception of weight problems extends to parents with overweight children too.

A recent research paper published by the British Journal of General Practice found that parents often underestimate their child’s weight status – many are not aware of the extent to which they exceeded the healthy weight for their age.

TACKLING OUR FUTURE HEALTH CRISIS NOW Obesity brings with it a number of health risks. You’re at least five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and twice as likely to have high blood pressure – the risk is significantly higher for women. Obesity also puts you at higher risk of a stroke, heart attack and possibly some forms of cancer.

None of which we’d wish for our children, or indeed ourselves.

A HEALTHY MESSAGE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION It is important for families to embed healthier lifestyle choices when children are young, but as a society we need greater awareness of the risks of obesity.

Teenagers often live in the ‘here and now’ and rarely think about the long-term consequences of their actions – hitting 30 seems a lifetime away. Like so many things, the implications of what they eat and how active they are has not yet hit home.

So how can we get this important message to our teenagers? Health campaigns, perhaps via social media, can be a good route and we certainly shouldn’t forget the power of a positive role model.

The media and celebrities are hugely influential for the young – portraying healthy body image and lifestyle is crucial.

But the emphasis really does need to be on healthy – not underweight.

Maintaining a healthy weight is largely dependent on striking the right balance between what you eat and keeping active.

Together it’s important we help the next generation avoid a new obesity epidemic before it starts.

Dr Alexandra Phelan is a working NHS GP and member of the Pharmacy2U Online Doctor service. Visit https://www. pharmacy2u.co.uk/onlinedoctor for further information.

CHEAP & EASY WAYS TO DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS R

emember the Christmases where tinsel covered every surface and foil decorations hung from the ceiling but always ended up on the floor every morning!?

Some people love the whole idea of putting up Christmas decorations and relish in fairy lights and glitter adorning the room, others prefer a more subtle approach with just a tree or natural looking decoration Whichever way you like to jazz up the house for the festive season, here are a few great ideas that are not only really easy and effective, but also very cheap • Drape decorative Christmas throws or blankets on sofas and chairs.

• Decorate existing pillows with ribbons or bows.

• Fill a glass bowl with Christmas ornaments to place on coffee tables or sideboards.

• Hang special ornaments from ribbon and suspend on curtain rods to display in windows.

• Cut a Christmas shape - tree, star, wreath - from a sponge and use metallic fabric paint to stamp patterns on a white or cream tablecloth.

• Drape garland and tree ornaments from chandeliers and lights.

• Wrap Christmas ribbon around the backs of dining chairs and affix on the back with large bows or pine cones and fir sprigs.

• Arrange candles on decorative plates and surround with ornaments or greenery as centrepieces.

• Hole punch pretty Christmas cards and suspend in the garland along fireplace or stairs.

• Display Christmas photographs along fireplace mantle.

• Display small Christmas trees in urns or planters on either side of your fireplace.

• Hang Christmas bells strung on ribbon from door handles.

• Decorate oranges with cloves and display in a bowl on your counter top.

• Make Christmas refrigerator magnets by hot gluing craft magnets to flat ornaments.

• Tie ribbons to Christmas cookie cutters and hang them in your kitchen window.

• Suspend mistletoe from ribbon in doorways and arches.

• Fill crystal or glass jars with candy canes or peppermints.

• Wrap Christmas ribbon around existing plant pots and tie with bows.

• Tie bows made of Christmas ribbon around favourite stuffed animals and display on beds, sofas, or stairs.

• Wrap groups of taper candles with Christmas ribbon and display in the middle of a table wreath or on a decorative plate.

• Frame beautiful Christmas cards in similar frames and create a wall collage.

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and encouraging the curious mind. First aid helps young children understand what is happening to their bodies if they are hurt where blood comes from for example or why they get a lump if they bang their head. Reducing the fear can then help little ones understand how a grown up would treat them; so they are not distressed when a pre-school teacher insists on a cold pack and sitting out of an activity for 10 minutes for example.

Add to that some sensible responses to emergencies for little ones – knowing where they live so they can relay their address & knowing the ‘special’ number to call if someone is hurt and the result is young children who are confident in knowing what to do if someone is hurt or in the worst case scenario if they need to call an ambulance. It is often the case that a child may be the only person present in an emergency situation so knowing what to do and acting quickly is vital.

Once at primary school, we believe that every child should and can learn essential first aid skills. Of course first aid is about potentially saving a life in a worse case scenario. But it is about much more than that. Learning about first aid gives young people the skills and confidence to assess danger and to know what to do in a wide variety of situations. In our classes for example, children learn about burns, bleeding, choking, head bumps, breaks and fractures; as well as being trained in CPR, putting someone in the recovery position and how and when to call for an ambulance.

Zoe Hunt from Mini First Aid talks about the importance of children learning first aid.

I

In our experience, children cope incredibly well and enjoy rising to the challenges set.

t is very easy to underestimate what little people are capable of.

If you haven’t already seen it, the recent clip of a four year old’s 999 call saving her Mum’s life (BBC Newcastle, 16th November) is a case in point. Incredible stuff, showing us children absolutely need to know the basics of potentially life-saving first aid.

First aid is a life skill which we can teach children from a very young age. Imagine the impact if every child was given the chance to learn and develop this skill. Confident young people equipped to assess danger, help others and save lives. That has got to be worth it.

Right from 3 years old, children start the building blocks for their own learning. The early years curriculum includes elements for social development including building an awareness of the world

If you are interested in booking a Mini First Aid Early Years or Kids class, go to www.minifirstaid.co.uk.

18 | HEYMAG.CO.UK

News and Reviews LATEST SCHOOL NEWS

A MOST UNUSUAL DAY! It was a most unusual day at Leigh on Mendip First School when all manner of bats, zombies, witches and vampires, arrived at school in the morning. The children held a mufti Halloween themed day to mark the end of term.

The ghostly fun carried on into the evening at a disco organised by Friends of Leigh School at which the PTA raised funds for the children’s activities at school.

EVENTS

DIARY DATES

YOUR SUCCESSES

BITHAM BROOK WALKING BUS Bitham Brook Primary School has started a ‘Walking Bus’ every Wednesday morning. Children meet at the Co-op supermarket and walk to school with parents, governors and school staff. This encourages exercise for the children and reduces traffic and parking at the school.

The Co-op supermarket are fully supporting this initiative with fluorescent tabards, free fruit for the children and tea and coffee for the grown-ups. ‘It was great, I loved my apple’, said Daisy aged 6. Children wrote to the Co-op Manager, Dermott Hackett, to thank him for his support for the school and for encouraging them to be healthier. This is just one of the many things that the school are doing to encourage healthy eating and keeping fit including ‘Tasting Thursdays’ when children try new healthy food, ‘Anyone Can Cook’ sessions with children and parents and raffle tickets for children who are eating healthy lunches. Mrs Annie Brisland, Deputy Head, said ‘We want all of our children to be able to make healthy choices and this is one small step in helping them to learn what this means’.

WESTWOOD & IFORD SCHOOL VISIT BBC RADIO WILTSHIRE Children from Westwood with Iford Primary School were recently given the fabulous opportunity to visit BBC Radio Wiltshire and took part in a live broadcast on Marie Lennon’s morning show. This is all part of their rapidly up and coming radio station, Westwood Radio, which broadcasts online at radio.westwoodwithiford.org each week during term time on a Friday at 2.30pm.

Emma Colman, who works for the Marie Lennon show on BBC Wiltshire 9am - 12pm weekdays, learned of the children’s success with their radio broadcasting and visited the school in October to interview some of the children. Emma was even interviewed for one of their shows whilst she was here! Having had their piece played out live on air following Emma’s visit, the children were then invited to the BBC Wiltshire studios where they took part in a live show with Marie, explaining what they enjoy about their radio station and how they are able to connect with their audience in the community and beyond.

Showing the same level of confidence, respect and professionalism that they do every week on air, the children were superb and a real credit to the school.

Asking technical and inquisitive questions during a tour of the station, the children also got to meet some of the other presenters and the brilliant team behind every programme. Certainly an experience and a day to remember for our budding presenters and our huge thanks to Emma, Marie and the team at BBC Wiltshire for giving us such a wonderful day.

AMAZING ART MURAL During half term a fabulous team of parents and grandparents undertook the major project of revamping Mells C of E First School’s tired looking hall. Mrs. Liz Roberts, grandmother to two children at the school, painted a stunning seasonal tree of life, wrapped around one of the beautiful windows.

She included a selection of the children’s drawings of animals and a cheeky little robot, that she painted onto the art work. The hall has been transformed into a calm, warm and an incredibly visual environment and we’d like to thank all the volunteers.

HEYMAG.CO.UK | 19

EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES

'SPORTS FOR SCHOOLS' FUNDRAISER

On Monday 26th September, it was European day of languages which Westbury Junior School celebrated in style.

Each year group adopted a country and discovered where it was in an atlas; finding the capital city, facts about the country, drawing the flag and working out the neighbouring countries. Year 3 celebrated Italy by food tasting – the children tried mozzarella, ciabatta, salami and many more delicacies. Year 6 were lucky enough to eat a whole range of Polish foods as well as play some Polish games. In Year 5, they made guacamole from scratch as they learnt about the day of the dead through making masks which is celebrated in Mexico. Denmark was the country Year 4 concentrated on and they made some wonderful Danish pastries which were enjoyed by all of the children.

Mrs Vaughan, the school’s French teacher, said “While we teach French across the whole school, it is still fantastic to see so many children trying lots of other languages and becoming inspired to visit different countries”.

David Abrutat is a Paralympic hand cyclist who came into Berkley School to work with the children. He has won 5 gold medals and some of his accomplishments include hand cycling all around Britain, and hand cycling the length and breadth of Britain. The children at Berkley School had a fantastic time meeting and exercising with David. He motivated the pupils through stories and engaged with them with kids’ fitness and fun.

The children had to complete 1 min of 4 different exercises (spotty dogs, mountain climbers, press ups & star jumps) whilst doing this they where cheered on by the rest of their class. All the children really did put in 100% effort, which was fantastic to see!

The children then had an assembly with David where he shared his story; the children listened really well and he then gave really thoughtful and insightful answers to their questions. It really was a brilliant afternoon! They have raised over £1000 for the athletes and their school.

DRAGONESE DAY Sparrow Class at Sambourne CE VC Primary School, Warminster had a fantastic day dressing up as Vikings and dragons. They learnt how to speak and translate Dragonese, they painted dragons with mixed medium and made clay faces using ‘Viking runes’ (Viking alphabet).

20 | HEYMAG.CO.UK

FIRST PLACE FOR MADDIE! Following a very successful Open Day at Frome College, congratulations to Oakfield's Madeleine Noding for being a first prize winner in a map competition organised for the day. Madeleine from Year 8 is pictured receiving her prize from Mr John Robson, Assistant Principal at Frome College. Her prize was a £25 Amazon Voucher! Smiling Maddie said, “I am not sure yet what I am going to spend the money on”.

OAKFIELD ACADEMY SUPPORT CHILDREN IN NEED Pupils at Oakfield Academy supported the annual appeal by paying to wear their own clothes for a MUFTI Day. Year 5 pupils were encouraged to bring in their small change to cover a giant Pudsey drawing. Pictured are Rhianna Cooper and Emmie Norris helping to arrange the coins.

FROME TOWN COUNCIL CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION WINNERS Oakfield Academy were delighted when Cllr Helen Sprawson-White popped in to announce that not only did the school have the winner, but also the runner up in the Council's design a Christmas Card Competition. Maisie Dewings (age 11) won with a pretty penguin design and Isaac Cornish (age 9) was runner up with another festive design. Their category was 9-13 years old, and the council received over 100 entries.

Maisie's card will be printed and available to buy from shops around Frome. She will receive a pack of her printed cards at a presentation ceremony to take place at the Council offices in the near future.

Also pictured, is Kate Stewart, Head of Art at Oakfield Academy.

TRIP TO AFRICA Talented Selwood Academy footballer Tim in Year 7, will be travelling to Africa in November on an educational and fun trip as part of the Bath Wiltshire Boys Football club. The trip will include museum visits and plenty of football.

Tim is delighted to have been chosen for this trip and we hope he has a fantastic time.

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WESTWOOD RADIO GOES LIVE! At Westwood with Iford School we love to be innovative and we are now broadcasting online to the community and beyond! Westwood Radio is our very own online radio station produced and run entirely by the children and focuses on news, interviews and hot topics as well as giving listeners the chance to interact with the show by text and email, voting on a song for the day and getting their shout outs read live on air.

Working closely with Russell Prue of Anderton Tiger Radio, we successfully bid for and received the funding necessary to install a professional, yet completely easy to use and intuitive radio studio that encourages our pupils to develop confidence, resilience and excellent speaking and listening skills. Each week our broadcasting team plan their topics of interest, research them and prepare their own scripts for our live shows, broadcast every Friday afternoon at 2.30pm during term time.

The children also run the entire show, after being trained by Russell to control the microphones, jingles and to use the correct broadcasting techniques. The children’s fantastic ability to connect with their audience and with listening figures growing each week, Westwood Radio has really made an impact within our community.

You can listen live to our radio station at radio. westwoodwithiford.org every Friday in term time at 2.30pm and you can interact with the show by email using radio@ westwoodwithiford.org or by text on 078600 17404.

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FAIR FROME Fair Frome representatives Carole Whittard and Karen Huckle were overwhelmed when they visited Oakfield recently to collect the donations for their Christmas appeal. More than 666 items of Christmas Fayre had been collected by staff and pupils. Emma Wilkes, Headteacher organised a competition where cross-year tutor groups competed with each other to bring in the most items.

From tutor groups A C O R N S, 'S' were the winners and received chocolates to share. Fair Frome would like to say a huge thank you for all the support they have received from the school.

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SELWOOD ACADEMY On Tuesday 18 October 12 Selwood Academy students took part in National training for the Diana Award Anti-Bullying Ambassadors. The 12 students and their teachers, Mrs Hughes and Mrs Farleigh, were delighted to attend the training at The Steiner Academy Frome. Pupils discussed different types of bullying and how they could help their peers to overcome bullying; from being an upstander not a bystander to promoting attitudes of acceptance. Owen from Selwood Academy said that being an Anti- Bullying Ambassador was his proudest achievement. Owen in Year 8 is a passionate advocate for pupils’ rights and has volunteered to lead the Anti-Bullying Ambassadors to promote the zero tolerance anti-bullying policy at Selwood. Pictured are the pupils involved with Mrs Fiona Hughes, Head of Year 6 and Mrs Helen Farleigh, Cover Supervisor.

On the 16 October Selwood Academy took part in the annual Lions Charity Sponsored Swim. We took three teams of year 7 pupils who gave up their own time on a wet and windy evening to raise money for Selwood Academy and local causes. They set off at 6 o’clock and swam in teams of 6 non-stop for half an hour cheered on by their parents, Mrs Travers, Mr Wilkie and other wellwishers. Within their time slot, the pupils swam over a fantastic 300 lengths and raised lots of money at the same time. Well done, great job everyone.

Just before half term, Selwood Academy took a group of Year 5 and 6 pupils to Bruton School for Girls for their annual Girls in Science fair. Whilst there, the girls took part in a range of science activities including: making bath bombs, where they learnt how their sense of smell could trigger memories; pond dipping, where they found among other things dragonfly nymphs and made gliders to investigate aerodynamics. One team won an award for their creativity in physics after coming up with a novel investigation to look into. "It was amazing fun, the bath bombs were the best bit. I learned lots about science."

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