Family Matters Summer edition - South Bristol

SOUTH BRISTOL EDITION

ISSUE 44 • JULY/AUGUST 2018

summer prizes to be won!

FORMERLY

family picnic tips

www.familymatters-uk.co.uk

WOW! ACHIEVEMENTS

‘Taking it personally’ is one of our key qualities We are recruiting Support Workers, Shift Leaders, Catering Assistants and Registered Nurses at our Community Resource Centres & Extra Care Services at the following locations:

Avondown House, Twerton The Orchard, Combe Down Hawthorn Court, Keynsham Greenacres, Midsomer Norton

We are recruiting!

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.

For us, it’s about the personal approach; we take pride in what we do and deliver the high standard of care that we’d expect for ourselves and our families.

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

St John’s Court, Bathwick Cleeve Court, Twerton Charlton House, Keynsham Combe Lea, Midsomer Norton

Hourly Pay Rates (Bank) Catering Assistants & Housekeepers: Standard: £8.52 / Enhanced: £12.78 Support Workers: Standard: £9.83 / Enhanced: £14.75 Shift Leaders: Standard: £11.40 / Enhanced: £17.10 Registered Nurse Standard: £15.99 / Enhanced: £23.99 (Enhanced rate inc. nights, weekends and bank holidays)

Annual Salaries (Permanent) Support Workers: £14,812 - £17,618 Shift Leaders: £17,114 - £21,636 Registered Nurse Up to £28,591 basic (not inc. enhanced rates)

For more information or to request an application form, please visit www.sirona-cic.org.uk or call the Recruitment Team on 0300 1245444

WELCOME The summer holidays are stretching in front of us and for some, this is the end of an era, with many children moving to secondary school or changing classes and some others preparing to go to school for the first time.

It’s a sad, but fun time of year for us all as we think back on the past school year and everything that has been achieved and we’re sure we’re all glad to see the end of exam season so we can while away the summer doing something a bit more fun!

Speaking of fun, this is another packed issue for you full of things to do during the summer, including some fun indoor activities in case the good old British weather lets us down! Also in this edition, we have a selection of great children’s books to help with summer reading challenges, some advice for avoiding tick bites while enjoying the countryside and much more!

As always, we hope you’ve enjoyed the magazine over this academic year and we’ll see you again in our Back to School issue, where we can reconnect with those of you moving to a new class and welcome all the new children starting in September! For now though, relax for a few weeks, until the panic buying of school uniforms and stationery begins again of course…

p5 is your child an emotional eater?

p7 lymes disease

p13 benefit of grandparents

p22 be back to school ready

Published by Ignyte Media Ltd - email: info@ignyte-uk.co.uk call: 01761 410141 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.

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@UkFamilyMatters | familymatters-uk.co.uk | 3

Summer Family Fun at The Bishop’s Palace in Wells If the thought of the long school summer holidays is filling you with dread, look no further than The Bishop’s Palace in Wells, which has a huge range of fun-filled activities on offer this year from July through to the end of August!

The first of the weekly “Make it Mondays” Family Craft Activities begins on Monday 30th July with a theme of ‘Animals at the Palace’ when families will be invited to join in the fun crafting activities in the Undercroft, to include making handprint swans, bushy-tailed squirrels and Maisie the cat masks. Other themes over the holidays include ‘Jesters & Fools’, ‘Minibeasts’, ‘Medieval Life’. Each Make it Monday runs from 10:30am3:30pm and is included in standard admission. Also running weekly are Nature Ninjas Family Garden activities every Friday from 11am-3pm.

On Sunday 5th August, the South Lawn will be given over to our Midsummer Mayhem Summer Family Fun Day with fun & games for all ages, This will be the third year that the event has taken place, and last year over 1,000 visitors enjoyed a fantastic day of fun-filled family activities.

This year’s day of fun will include a bouncy castle, a giant inflatable slide, crazy golf, balloon modelling, mini croquet, giant games, dressing up and face painting.

The event will also be attended by Wookey Hole Circus School who will be teaching circus skills all day, so if you’ve ever fancied learning to Stilt Walk, Walk the Wire, Unicycle, Juggle and much more, come along to find out how!

Visitors can make a day of it by bringing a picnic, visiting The Hungry Dragon snack bar in The Dragon’s Lair play area, or heading over to The Bishop’s Table café. There will also be a candy floss and snow cone van available to tempt little taste buds!

To bring the holidays to a dramatic close, why not head along to the Palace during August Bank Holiday Weekend and prepare to be wowed in true medieval fashion by the daring antics of historical re-enactors Bowlore Medieval.

With stunning sword and archery displays, this skilled troupe will keep visitors enthralled, entertained and just a little bit nervous as they demonstrate the ancient art of sword-fighting, weaponry displays and William Tell-type archery skills!

Visitors who are feeling brave can also take part in their ‘have a go’ sessions of long bow archery and sword fighting.

The costumed group will set up camp on the South Lawn of the Palace for the whole long weekend and are always happy to answer any questions, help you to try on authentic heavy chainmail or even let you stroke their tiny owl!

On Bank Holiday Monday (27th August) the Palace Moat is also home to the annual Moat Boat Race, where a whole host of teams from the Wells Community race home-made rafts along the Moat to compete for the honour of being named Champions of the Moat!

OPEN DAILY

5th August "Midsummer Mayhem" 25th-27th Aug Medieval Weekend

Join us this Summer for weekly family trails through the grounds, Monday craft activities and Friday gardening fun!

Make use of The Dragon's Lair Play Area and relax in our family-friendly Cafe.

FAmily Crafts every monday Nature Ninjas every friday New family trail every week!

The Bishop's Palace, Wells, Somerset BAS 2 PD 01749 988111 www.bishopspalace.org.uk

Is your child an

EMOTIONAL EATER?

A new study has revealed that emotional eating is learned rather than inherited – but don’t worry, if your child is an emotional eater, you can help them relearn their relationship with food!

Researchers have found that children who eat more or less when stressed or upset have learned the behaviour rather than inherited it. A study by University College London found home environment was the main cause of emotional eating and this was due to parental behaviours, including giving upset children their favourite food to soothe them.

It is important to point out that the eating-disorder charity Beat, says parents shouldn’t be blamed for children’s eating issues.

Emotional eating “indicates an unhealthy relationship to food”, said senior lead researcher Dr Clare Llewellyn. “Rather than finding more positive strategies to regulate their emotions, they’re using food,” she said. “A tendency to want to eat more in response to negative emotions could be a risk factor for the development of obesity. And emotional over- and under-eating could be potentially important in the development of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or binge-eating disorder.

“Understanding how these tendencies develop is crucial

because it helps researchers to give advice about how to prevent or change them, and where to focus future research.”

The research appeared in the Paediatric Obesity journal and showed the results of looking at 398 four-year-old twins. It found that emotional eating was an enduring trait that could continue through life and the pattern of soothing children, either as a reward or to control behaviour, could be passed through generations.

While it is important to maintain a healthy approach to eating and not encourage disordered eating, parents who are concerned that their children are under or over eating in times of emotion, can address this behaviour by not using food to soothe them while upset or if they’re stressed, helping them deal with this so that their usual diet isn’t disrupted.

ukfamilymatters |

@UkFamilyMatters | familymatters-uk.co.uk | 5

SHERLOCK HOLMES 15 AUGUST Join Chapterhouse Theatre for a unique open-air performance of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic tale.

2010

AUGUST

VINTAGE TRANSPORT DAY

Tickets on sale at www.avonvalleyrailway.org Enjoy a unique trip onboard an historic fire-boat!

1934

FIRE-BOAT

CHILDREN GO FREE MIDWEEK SUMMER SPECIAL

SUNDAY 29 JULY

A special weekend celebrating our rich road, rail and river transport heritage

steam See static buses, vintage vehicles, trains and more! Enjoy a ride behind our vintage and diesel locomotives, take a ride on a vintage bus, see static displays of vehicles at Bitton station and enjoy a short trip onboard historic fire-boat ‘Pyronaut’ from the jetty at the end of the line.

Courtesy of mShed Bristol (small extra charge applies)

Car parking in Keynsham with vintage bus link to Bitton, follow road signs

Y TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY & THURSDA

Trains run 1 – 23 August One child FREE when accompanied by a full paying

conjunction with any other VALID 1 – 23 AUGUST 2018. Not valid in ticket prices or against our offer or with our family, group or season Dining or Santa trains. No cash alternative.

Spaces are limited so reserve your seats today at

0117 932 5538

adult

(up to a maximum of two per voucher)

www.avonvalleyrailway.org

Find us between Bristol & Bath off the A431: BS30 6HD

LYME DISEASE

& ticks

Summer is the ideal time for walks through woodland and frolicking through foliage, but with the recent surge in news about Lyme Disease, many parents might feel a bit apprehensive about letting their children enjoy more rural areas. It is true that there has been much more awareness over recent years about Lyme Disease, a condition brought on by infected tick bites that which left untreated causes all manner of debilitating symptoms, but that doesn’t mean we should be scared of letting the kids run wild in the outdoors.

According to Public Health England, no more than 10% of ticks have the bacteria that cause Lyme Disease, but there is no harm in checking your children or pets to make sure they haven’t got any tell-tell bite signs and to teach them to be aware of areas with long grass.

Ticks live in grass or other grassy plants, typically grass that has been left to grow wild. They grab hold of any animal that brushes past them. Not every tick is infected and not every insect bite you children might receive from playing outside will be from a tick, but to be on the safe side, it is something you can talk to them about before letting them enjoy the outside.

W

h

to ere

check for

In & around the hair and ears

tic k

s

Under arms Around waist & back

To remove a tick safely, use fine tipped tweezers to grab it as close to the head as possible without squeezing its body or twisting, the aim is to get the whole tick. You only need to see a GP if a rash or flu like symptoms develop, like most things, the earlier any infection is treated, the less likely it is that you’ll develop adverse symptoms. The majority of cases can be cleared up with a course of antibiotics and are first spotted by noticing a rash which is often described as looking like a bulls-eye. The most important thing is to not panic and to make sure your children are aware of their environment.

ukfamilymatters |

Inside belly button

Between legs & back of knees

Feet & between toes

@UkFamilyMatters | familymatters-uk.co.uk | 7

Improved mental health care funding for new mums It is no secret that mental health provision across the country varies wildly and there have been several reports of individuals going without the proper care or being moved hundreds of miles from their families due to a lack of beds. There has also been cases of young children being housed in adult care facilities or having to stay at the other end of the country to their parents for treatment. However, that could all be about to change, especially for new and expectant mothers in England.

According to a report from NHS England announced earlier in the summer, new and expectant mothers will be able to access help with mental health problems more easily within the next year. More than £20m has been earmarked to be spent on services in under-served parts of the country.

The announcement follows commitments to improve the help offered to mothers by both the former Prime Minister, David Cameron, and more recently, Theresa May, the funding builds on the £40m announced for these services by the treasury in 2016.

It has been reported that one in five women will experience a perinatal mental health problem, which is a mental health issue that occurs either during pregnancy or within a year of giving birth. The most common problem is depression or anxiety, but perinatal problems include a wide range of 8 |

ukfamilymatters |

conditions. Some expectant or new mothers can also see an increase in symptoms from existing mental health conditions, such as OCD. The NHS advises that if left untreated, depression and anxiety can have significant and long-lasting effects on the woman and her family, as well as long-standing effects on their children's emotional, social and cognitive development.

Despite this, services were extremely patchy in England, with only 3% of the country judged to offer good access to care. In 2016, NHS England announced that £40m would be spent on more nurses, psychologists and psychiatrists to provide help to mothers and families both in the home and in maternity units.

The money would also cover social workers, occupational therapists and nursery nurses who can aid those suffering from mental health problems.

So far more than 7,000 women are believed to have accessed specialist help through new or expanded services.

The Department of Health say the release of a further £23m should mean that by April next year, pregnant women and new mums across the whole of England would have access to specialist care and support.

@UkFamilyMatters | familymatters-uk.co.uk

How to find the right nursery for your child Much like getting the right fit when it comes to your children’s shoes, you also need the right fit when it comes to nursery.

Many parents feel pressured to make a quick decision, they need to get back to work, or have family pressures to have their child attend the same nursery as their cousins. Don’t fret though, millions of children attend nursery in the UK and all of their parents went through the same stress of choosing the right place for them.

The first thing you should do is research what is available in your local area, you can contact your local Children’s information Service, who will be able to offer you a list of nurseries and preschools for you to choose from.

If you have concerns that your child might need additional support, make sure to check which nurseries and playschools in your area have the facilities you desire. Attending nursery can be very beneficial for children, they will be given a wider range of play equipment and toys than they are likely to have at home and will learn essential skills, like sharing and communication.

Children who attend nursery and pre-school have also shown to be better at problem solving, forming relationships with others, more confident and more independent. It will also help for the transition into full time education.

Longwell Green Pre-school New 2 1/2 year old room opening in September 2018.

Spaces are now available

Open from 9am-4pm Monday - Friday Situated within Longwell Green community centre

You could be reading YOUR advert

Spaces also available for 3 and 4 year olds Ofsted rated GOOD

Please call 0117 932 5111 | lwgpreschool@aol.co.uk ukfamilymatters |

01761 410141 info@ignyte-uk.co.uk

@UkFamilyMatters | familymatters-uk.co.uk | 9

Registered charity no. 1121920

y! entr !

Free ing E park COM Free WELase S N ATIO s ple DON o Dog N

Open Days Saturday 11th August & Saturday 20th October 10:30 - 16:00 Live talks & demonstrations Meet the animals Tractor safaris Fun children's trail Tack Sale & much more!

Volunteers Wanted Refreshment assistants, traffic marshals and greeters wanted for these events. Please call 01275 893035 if you can help Thank you

www.horseworld.org.uk/events info@horseworld.org.uk / 01275 832425 Staunton Lane, Whitchurch, Bristol BS14 0QL

www.bapp.org.uk • (01225) 832479

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

Win Prizes

Win 4 unlimited wristbands for The Grand Pier The Grand Pier, Weston-super-Mare, is the ideal destination for indoor family theme park fun. This North Somerset pier, is a truly iconic destination for family days out. Discover everything the Grand Pier has to offer, including: • The very latest amusements - including giant screen Space Invaders • Thrilling rides including: Sidewinder, Freefall and Robocoaster • An amazing two level 300 metre indoor Go-Kart track • Seaside favourites, including: dodgems, house of horrors and helter skelter • A three level soft play area with dedicated adult seating area • A choice of places to eat and drink - we even serve your favourite Costa coffee!

Win a family ticket to see Milkshake! Live at The Octagon Theatre Milkshake! Live, The Magic Storybook, stars Milkshake! favourites Bob the Builder, Little Princess, Noddy, Toyland Detective, Fireman Sam, Shimmer and Shine, Pip Ahoy!, Winnie and Wilbur, Wissper as well as Milkshake!’s very own Milkshake!

Monkey and two Milkshake! presenters at every show. The show will take audiences on a journey through their favourite fairy tales featuring much-loved stories that will be familiar to everyone – young and old. With music, singing and dancing, Milkshake!

Live, The Magic Storybook is the fourth nationwide live tour from Channel 5’s Milkshake! (Tickets are for the 15th Sept.)

WIN a year’s subscription to Whizz Pop Bang – the awesome science magazine for kids!

Bring science to life in your home with Whizz Pop Bang, the awardwinning UK science magazine that makes science fun and engaging for children aged six to twelve (and their parents, who regularly tell us they love it too!).

Each month’s magazine is bursting with hands-on experiments, facts and science news, as well as interviews with real scientists to spark those imaginations and help to inspire a love of science in your child.

Find out more at whizzpopbang.com Competition only open to applicants within the UK.

WIN 10 PARTY-BAGS of chocolate treats from popachoc. Each party bag contains one chocolate moustache, one chocolate-filled test tube, and a coloured chocolate building brick.

Popachoc’s brilliant novelty chocolates are handmade in Somerset and always put smiles on faces.

Using chocolate couveture made from the Cocoa Horizon Foundation’s sustainable cocoa programme, Popachoc chocolate not only tastes incredible, it’s helping scale impact and drive change to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farming communities. Now that’s something to feel happy about.

Bite in to one of their chocolate toy bricks, horseshoes or burgers, enjoy a ‘naked’ praline, and pose for a selfie with some chocolatey accessories. Bow tie or moustache on a stick, anyone?

Visit popachoc.co.uk to shop its choc-tastic treats.

WIN A FAMILY TICKET TO BRISTOL AQUARIUM Head to Bristol Aquarium this summer holidays and get involved with our one-of-a-kind, all-weather, family fun festival - The Festival of the Fishes!

Check out the main stage and get hands on in our rockpool, touch some real shark’s teeth and have a go at our activities too!

Chill out with some traditional festival games and head to the picnic area to have a bite to eat.

All this, PLUS enjoy over 40 naturally themed displays featuring thousands of marine life from pufferfish and stingrays to terrapin turtles and tropical sharks!

Take a look on our website for full details: www.bristolaquarium.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: 24th August 2018

'Tyntesfield time' Add some through colour to kids-only day camp

your weekend this Get out of the house summer and see autumn at this Gibside Tyntesfield through the eyes of its past visitors Select dates in July and August

on this kids-only day camp for 7 -12 year olds.

The day includes following a trail across the Go crunching through fallen leaves and discover a forest estate, finding activities like harvesting and teeming with wildlife and autumn colours, with walking tasting and modelling. routes forfood all ages andclay abilities.

nationaltrust.org.uk/gibside Call 0344 249 1895 to book or for details visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tyntesfield When youvisit, visit,donate, donate,volunteer volunteer join National Trust, When you or or join thethe National Trust, youryour support helpsus usto tolook lookafter after special places theregion> South<like West such support helps special places <ininthe as Dyrham Park, Lacock andZ>Avebury forfor ever, for everyone. property X, property Y andAbbey Proeprty in for ever, everyone. © National Trust 2018. The National Trust is an © National Trust 2016. The National Trust is an independent independent registered charity, number 205846. registered charity, number 205846. Photography © National Trust Photography © National Trust Images\Arnhel de Images.

Serra.

#nationaltrust #nationaltru t

THE BENEFIT OF A BOND BETWEEN YOUR PARENTS AND YOUR CHILDREN The summer holidays are almost upon us and the stress of finding someone who is able to provide adult supervision to the little folk in your family while you try and fit your work life around their holiday time is something we all feel. Some of us are lucky enough to have retired or semi-retired parents who can help take the strain off of childcare, but have you ever really considered how beneficial the bond between a child and a grandparent can be?

A study published in 2016 by Boston College in America found that relationships between grandparents and grandchildren can help reduce depressive and stress symptoms in both age groups. The study found that the connection between the two generations allow both grandparents and grandchildren to be exposed to different views and changes in culture which can help the older generation keep their brains sharp and the younger learn more about socialising with people outside of their age group. An Australian study published in the same

year showed that when postmenopausal women spent time with younger people, especially children, they had a lower risk for developing Alzheimer's and other degenerative conditions.

In addition, children receive different types of interactions with their grandparents as opposed to their parents. Parents are often involved in other aspects of the house hold, keeping it clean and tidy, making sure the children are disciplined etc as well as having to go to work and maintain the house budget. However, grandparents, especially those who are retired can focus solely on the children and let’s face it, whose grandparents didn’t spoil them rotten with sweets and toys that mum and dad would never normally allow?

So, next time you can’t rearrange your shifts and have to ask your parents to keep an eye on the children, don’t feel guilty, it’s actually good for both of them!

what’s on

14th July Music, Theatre & Picnic Day! The Bishop’s Palace will play host to a range of cultural activities designed to entertain and delight visitors of all ages. www.bishopspalace.org.uk

17th July The Adventures of Dr Dolittle Join Illyria Open Air Theatre at Marlborough College for their amazing performance of The Adventures of Dr Dolittle. Suitable for cheeky monkeys aged 5+.

Marlborough College. summerschool.co.uk/entertainment 20th July - 22nd July Bristol Harbour Festival The festival is a 3 day extravaganza of dance, music, theatre, circus, ships and boats, arts and delicious food. The harbour is alive throughout the weekend with entertainment at every turn. Free all day event.

Bristolharbourfestival.co.uk 22nd July ‘The Princess and the Giant’ at Hestercombe Filled with music, puppetry and wonderful characters, this family show is one not to be missed! Bring a picnic and enjoy the show on the Orangery Lawn.

5pm - 7.30pm. Hestercombe Gardens. www.hestercombe.com 26th July Family Fun – Awesome Archaeology Crafts and activities for all the family. 11.00am -1.00pm and 2.00-3.30 pm. Normal admission applies. Somerset Rural Life Museum, Glastonbury.

27th July Family Activity - Dig & Discover How does an archaeologist record what they’ve found. See what you can find in the finds tray, then record and draw it.

11.00am – 1.00pm. Glastonbury Abbey, Glastonbury. www. glastonburyabbey.com

28th July Bowoods Summer Garden Party A fun celebration for all the family to kick start the summer holidays! Located within Bowood House & Gardens. Normal House and Gardens Admissions apply. Bowood House and Gardens, Wilts www.bowood.org/events 31st July - Young Ranger School at Tyntesfield Join the rangers at Tyntesfield for a hands on conservation session. Find out how our rangers protect this special place and help out with some practical ranger tasks. 10.30 - 12.30pm. www. nationaltrust.org.uk/tyntesfield 1st August TYNTESfest A brand new event for 2-5 year olds and their families.There'll be storytelling, events, crafts and games inspired by your favourite nursery rhymes. Booking is essential, morning and afternoon time slots are available. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ tyntesfield 2nd - 5th August Sat in a Field Festival 3 stages of live music and dedicated kids tent. Sat In A Field is a small and intimate family friendly festival with good causes at its heart. It has a real family fun feel and supports local charities in the Somerset. Cheddar, Somerset www.satinafield.com

For further information about each event

2nd - 3rd August Play with clay at Barrington Court Come and have fun at the Clay Club. Using air-drying clay, you’ll be able to take your creations home on the day to dry and decorate later. Barrington Court, Somerset. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/barrington-court 2nd - 4th August Seussical at Frome Memorial Theatre Based on the works of Dr Seuss. A fantastic show for all the family with amazing musical numbers, hilarious characters, show-stopping choreography and, of course, the stunning Spellbound costumes! www.fmt.website 5th August - Midsummer Mayhem Family Fun Day This year’s day of fun will include a bouncy castle, a giant inflatable slide, crazy golf, balloon modelling, mini croquet, giant games, dressing up and face painting. www.bishopspalace.org.uk

6th - 10th August Off the Streets A week of workshops & performance for children, families & youth of Glastonbury & nearby.

See full details at www.facebook. com/childrensworldcharity

12th August Somerset and Dorset Railway Family Fun Day Family Fun Day with sand, water, face painting, train rides and much more with Wansdyke Play Association. Silver St, Midsomer Norton.

18th - 19th August, Diggers and Dumpers at Bowood The perfect day out for all digger and big machine fans!

JCB Antics, Digger World Cup, tug-of-war, tractor & trailer rides, bouncy castle, digger den and much more. Bowood House and Gardens www.bowood.org/events

19th August Trowbridge Soapbox Derby Make you cart and enter, or just watch and have fun. See www. facebook.com/TrowbridgeCarnival for full details Castle Street, Trowbridge.

20th - 29th August Colourscape at Holburne Museum A labyrinth of coloured chambers on the front lawn at The Holburne Museum in Bath. Tickets can be purchased from the entrance of Colourscape for £5 on the day (no advance booking). www.holburne.org/events/colourscape 25th - 27th August Grandparents Weekend Well-behaved Grandparents travel for half price when accompanied by at least one paying child. Bring them along for a fun ride on one of our steam trains! www.avonvalleyrailway.org 8th Sept The Gruffalo at West Somerset Railway The Gruffalo will be making personal appearances at intervals between 10am and 4pm at Minehead Railway Station. West Somerset Railway. www.westsomerset-railway.co.uk/events 8th September Frome Cheese Show The Frome Cheese Show is an incredible day out for all the family. www.fromecheeseshow.co.uk

please visit www.familymatters-uk.co.uk

The summer reading challenge returns this year with the theme of Mischief Makers, the theme changes every year and children can read whatever they like – fiction, graphic novels, picture books, audio books… it doesn’t matter as long as they’re borrowed from the library! They then receive special awards each time they finish a book and there’s a certificate for everyone who completes the challenge!

Children’s reading can dip during the summer holidays, which is where the annual Summer Reading Challenge comes in. The challenge helps get three quarters of a million children into libraries to keep up with their reading skills and to gain more confidence in their abilities before the next term begins. This year’s theme is inspired by the Beano which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, children can explore a map of Beanotown to find the mysterious buried treasure and become ultimate mischief makers! They will be helped on their quest by familiar characters from the Beano, including Dennis, Gnasher and their friends!

The challenge runs between 14th July and 9th September and there are events happening across the library network and events are open to all primary school aged children, the events are designed to be accessible to all, no matter what their ability is.

Make sure to check your local library to find out the full calendar of events and read, read, read!

... Speaking of reading Here are some books to help your child fall in love with reading.

If your child is interested in taking part in a summer reading challenge, either individually or as part of a school initiative, here is a selection of some of the highest rated children’s titles ever!

From classics, to your childhood favourites to some new arrivals, this list has something for everyone and will help awaken a love of reading!

A Series of Unfortunate Events

by Lemony Snickett Tuck Everlasting

by Natalie Babbitt The Turbulant Term of Tyke Tyler

by Gene Kemp A Wrinkle in Time

by Madeleine L’Engle Ella Enchanted

by Gail Carson Levine Charlie Bone series

by Jenny Nimmo Coraline

by Neil Gaiman Oh the Places You’ll Go

by Dr Suess The Chronicles of Narnia

by C S Lewis Charlotte’s Web

by E B White The Hobbit

by J R R Tolkien The Dinosaur that Pooped a Planet

by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter The Secret Garden

by Frances Hodgson Burnett Harry Potter

by J K Rowling Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

by Roald Dahl The Cat in the Hat

by Dr Suess Where the Wild Things Are

by Maurice Sendak

Holes

by Louis Sachar Bridge to Terabithia

by Katherine Paterson Green Eggs and Ham

by Dr Suess Matilda

by Roald Dahl The Giver

by Lois Lowry Pippi Longstocking

by Astrid Lindgren Percy Jackson

by Rick Riordan The BFG

by Roald Dahl Inkheart

by Cornelia Funke The Very Hungry Caterpillar

by Eric Carle The Tiger Who Came to Tea

by Judith Kerr The Gruffalo

by Axel Scheffler and Julia Donaldson Goodnight Mr Tom

by Michelle Magorian Gangsta Granny

by David Walliams Skellig

by David Almond The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

by Joan Aiken Mog

by Judith Kerr

How many books can you tick off the list?

Have we missed any of your child’s favourites? Let us know! Join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.

Livestock & Horse Showing - Arena Acts - Music Stage Jem from CBeebies Swashbuckle - Fun Fair - Shopping Tractor Ted - Cheese - Food & Drink - Country Pursuits

FROMECHEESESHOW.CO.UK

WEST WOODLANDS SHOWGROUND - FROME - BA11 5ES

Colourscape

20 to 29 August £5 (available on the day) A celebration for the senses. An amazing experience of colour, light and music for all ages.

Wolvershill Road, Banwell, Weston-super-Mare

Great Pulteney Street, Bath BA2 4DB

Article supplied by Belling

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a delicious feast the kids? There’s th wi nic ully) pic a er than family, and (hopef What could be nic ty time with your ali out qu ing d ad en re sp sp to ce worse than to savour, a chan ten t, there’s nothing ot Bu rg . fo joy ve en u’ to yo e r ly to discove some sunshin on g ba ur yo ed. ar ing ep unpack re fully pr your blanket and to make sure you’ nt wa ld ll ou u’ sh yo nt so re , nt at every pa something importa essential things th aid e th st u fir d yo ll an , te es ’ll m ga In this article, we , including food, to a family picnic on to learn more. bring with them supplies. Just read

Balance sweet treats with healthy food

Don’t let any mishaps spoil your fun

The main event at any picnic is always the food, so make sure you’ve got an assortment of crowd-pleasing snacks the whole family will like. The simplest option is to go for finger food and deli items that can be served cold and won’t be too messy to eat: classic picnic staples like sandwiches, quiche, sausage rolls, and simple pasta salads are all perfect for this.

Of course, no picnic would be complete without a few chocolates or cakes, but don’t pack too many sweet treats, as letting the kids eat too many unhealthy snacks is only going to end up causing a sugar rush. If you’re looking for something sweet yet healthy that won’t make them hyperactive, Belling's easy recipe for butternut squash hummus is ideal. To make your hummus even easier for little ones to eat, add a few spoonfuls of the finished hummus to a small jar with a lid, and pop in some carrot sticks and other crudités. Then, when the kids start to get hungry, all you need to do is whip them out and they’re ready to eat.

As any parent will know, nothing sours a fun family outing faster than a grazed knee, so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a first aid kit stashed somewhere in your picnic basket. A tube of antiseptic and some bite cream are also a smart move, in case of insect-bites or a run in with some stinging nettles. And of course, as with any outdoor event, you’ll want to make sure that everyone slathers on the sunscreen. Pack some hats and something to cover the kids’ shoulders when the sun is strongest, too.

Lastly, you don’t want to leave a mess behind, so be sure to bring a bag so you can collect your litter and take it with you, or dispose of it in the nearest bin.

Stave off boredom by packing some fun and games Even if lounging around on a blanket in the sunshine is your idea of heaven, you might find that your kids quickly get bored unless you give them something to do. Packing a few cheap and cheerful party games and outdoor activities should stave off boredom: a frisbee, a badminton set, and a trusty football should be enough to keep the kids entertained while you relax. Or, if you’re looking for something the whole family can enjoy, you can’t beat a game of rounders. If you don’t have much outdoor equipment or would rather travel light, you can still keep the kids occupied by playing a few classic games, like tag and duck duck goose. For more inspiration, check out RecycleBank’s list of no-equipment outdoor games.

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easy summer recipes to make with the kids Apple and Yogurt Ice Lollies This does involve a bit of heating and stirring, but the result is a tasty and healthy treat that the kids can help prepare and then demolish!

You will need: 4 apples 2 tbsp lemon juice 100ml water 100g caster sugar 500g Greek yogurt Start with peeling, coring and cutting the apples, put these in a sauce pan with the water, lemon juice and sugar, cover and simmer, stirring ocassionaly until the apples are soft and set them aside to cool.

Then get the kids involved, put the mixture into a food processor and blend until smooth, fold in the yogurt and then pour into lolly moulds. Freeze these for 6-8 hours and then enjoy!

Banana and Strawberry crunch No cooking involved, full of fruit and allows for the fun of bashing biscuits and mixing in cheese!

You will need: Digestive biscuits (as many as you like, depending on how thick you like your biscuit base) Sliced strawberries 3 sliced bananas 250g mascarpone cheese 300ml crème fraiche Chocolate (melted to decorate) First, crush your biscuits – I’m sure there will be a child that will enjoy the process of putting biscuits in a bag and whacking them with a rolling pin! Once the biscuits are crushed, squash them into the bottom of a pie dish, or individual ramekins.

Cover the biscuits with a layer of strawberries and then bananas.

Mix the mascarpone and crème fraiche together and spoon over the fruit.

Melt the chocolate in a microwave so the children can get involved and drizzle over the top and then refrigerate for an hour before enjoying.

Chocolate and Vanilla ice pop Yes, you did read that right – think of this more like an American cake pop than what we Brits would consider an ice pop, these are a low fat treat and perfect for the heatwave we’re all waiting for this summer! Plus, kids love things they think are bad for them!

You will need: 2tbsp cocoa powder 2tbsp sweetner 350g low fat vanilla yogurt 1 tsp vanilla extract

This is a great recipe to get the kids to do while you supervise, though I can’t guarantee how clean the kitchen will be afterwards! First, put the cocoa powder, half the sweetner and 3 tablespoons of water in a bowl and stir. In a jug, put the yogurt, vanilla extract and the remaining sweetner. Swirl the cocoa mixture through the yogurt and pour into ice lolly moulds, insert a lolly stick into each mould and freeze until firm. Et voila!

Made one of our recipes? Share your photos with us on Facebook and Twitter!

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Playday is back!

Playday, the national day for play is held on the first Wednesday in August, right in the midst of the school holidays! It is the biggest play event in the UK and highlights the importance of play in children’s lives – so grab some games and get playing!

To celebrate Playday, there are hundreds of community events across the country ranging from street parties, festivals, mass adventures in woodlands, beach days and games held in village greens and community spaces. These can be small scale events to huge ones, with thousands of children joining in! You can find a Playday event near you by heading to www. playday.org even if you’re not at home this summer, there are events happening all over the country, so perhaps your children can make a few new friends while having some fun!

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If you can’t make it to a Playday event, you don’t have to miss out, you can join in with just about anything!

Grab your kids and find some everyday items to have a good time! Get some blankets and chairs and spend the day making dens to play in, or if you have access to a big outdoor space, some water, some tarpaulin and some washing up liquid will make a great waterslide! Or if you have you some rope, a tug of war challenge with the other neighbourhood children will always result in a good time!

Can't get to the beach? If you have sand and buckets, you can bring the beach to you or just simple bat and ball games will suffice as long as your taking part in play!

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be back to school ready We know it feels like school has only just ended, but before we know it, the new term will roll around again, don’t forget to start prepping your child to get them back into the swing of the school day before the holidays are out.

It’s much less stressful to get ready for the new academic year if you do it gradually instead of waking up in a cold sweat in the first week of September with the realisation that the children have to be at school in three days and you don’t have any stationery, lunch boxes or uniforms in the house. It’s a lot less stressful for the kids as well if you start gradually getting them used to the school routine again.

If the kids have gotten used to sleeping in, make sure to start getting them up a little earlier every day so they can get back into the morning routine, if you can get them used to having lunch at a certain time and going to bed at a certain time too, it will make their transition back into school much easier.

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One good thing about starting your shop for the new school year during the holidays, is that you’ll have the kids with you, no more realising on the morning of their first day that their trousers are now several inches too short or that their school shoes no longer fit their growing feet. You can also get them excited about returning to school by letting them pick their lunch box or pencil case for the new term.

Be sure to encourage them to work on projects throughout the summer so they don’t get overwhelmed with the idea of home work when school starts again.

Some schools will send the kids home with a reading list to be completed over the holidays but getting them involved in the Summer Reading Challenge or learning something else to present to you when you get home from work will get them used to the idea of doing homework again and will keep their productive mindset.

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LATEST SCHOOL NEWS

EVENTS

DIARY DATES

YOUR SUCCESSES

News and Reviews BARRS COURT CELEBRATE THE ROYAL WEDDING Children in FS2 at Barrs Court Primary School had a fabulous day celebrating the Royal Wedding, they made crowns and special biscuits and even held several weddings at the garden chapel.

NEW HEADTEACHER FOR LONGWELL GREEN SCHOOL Darren Brown will be the new headteacher at Longwell Green School following the retirement of Don Sibley. Mr Brown is currently headteacher of St Chad’s in Patchway, having previously been deputy head at Marshfield Primary and a teacher at Barrs Court. He has a wealth of experience as a school leader and is looking forward to his new role.

Due to him being appointed so late in the term, he won’t be taking up the post until January 2019, in the interim, from September until December, deputy head, Mr Simon Brown, will be stepping up as acting head. This will ensure a stable transition from Mr Sibley’s departure and Mr Brown’s arrival.

PENSFORD TRIP TO SING AS ONE

HANHAM’S WINNING FEATHERS MCGRAWS

Pensford School’s Dragonfly class once again represented the school superbly when they took part in the Sing as One event at Saltford Primary School. The school are indebted to Jane Critten for her excellent teaching and piano playing as she prepared the children for the performance and accompanied them on the trip. She and the staff who went were very proud of how all the Pensford children stood out as a well-behaved, focused group of singers.

The children said how much they had enjoyed it too and it was certainly a case of ‘Happiness Dojos All Round!’

Over the past few weeks, children across the Hanham Primary Federation have had the chance to enter a school competition to design a Feathers McGraw, from Wallace and Gromit for each school. The children produced a wide range of creative and technical designs and after much deliberation, Maisie, in Samuel White’s Infant School and Jessica in Hanham Abbots Junior School were the winners.

Both sculptures will be available to see on display in Cribbs Causeway over the summer holidays, so look out for them!

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LONGWELL GREEN’S X-COUNTRY COMPETITION A huge congratulations to all the Year 5 and 6s at Longwell Green Primary School who took part in this year’s CSET X-Country League. Over the last few terms, they have represented Longwell Green in three challenging races against a number of local schools. The league began with a 1000m race at Beacon Rise, where they had their first taste of competition.

The girls’ team, which included Izzy, Carys, Lily, Mia, Jasmine and Molly, had the difficult task of going first, but they rose to the challenge and managed to finish the race with a smile. The boys’ team of Harry, Dom, Fletcher, Alfie, Isaac and Callum, also gave it their all and showed huge determination to complete the race. The courses have been longer and more challenging each time with a 1200m run at Blackhorse Primary and the final 1 mile race at Pomphrey Hill. It has been great to see their running improve race by race and we have been blown away by their drive and commitment. They have represented the school excellently and should be proud of all that they have achieved.

A special mention must go to Elijah in Year 3, who jumped in at the last moment to compete against many children 2 and 3 years older than him at the mile long event at Pomphrey Hill. He did exceptionally well, coming in the top third of all competitors and helped give the boys their highest ranking in the team competition over the 3 races. Thank you to all the parents and supporters who have come along and cheered both the boys’ and girls’ teams on, it has been appreciated, bring on next year’s event!

SCIENCE AND MAGIC FOR WELLESLEY PUPILS Year 5 students at Wellesley Primary School visited Yate Academy for a magic-themed science spectacular.

Mystical potions and concoctions were made; spells were spun and the children explored the magic of science. Staff from YA were very complimentary about the children – they’re a pleasure to teach!

AUTHOR VISITS THE TYNINGS The whole school enjoyed a visit from the author Eamonn Reilly who visited The Tynings Primary School recently. He gave an entertaining assembly to the children which kept them all thoroughly engaged and even came back to sign the books the children had purchased!

ASTON MARTIN VISIT WHITCHURCH SCHOOL To celebrate the school’s recent Formula 1 championship regional final win, Aston Martin sent one of their prestigious cars to the school. Along with presenting resources to the team going to the national final, all children were give a tour and short talk about the car and even enjoyed the engine being revved!

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WHITCHURCH WIN AGAIN! A huge well done to Whitchurch Primary School’s Year 5 pupils who won the Formula 1 Primary Regional Challenge for the 6th consecutive year!

Jaguar Land Rover’s aim is to inspire young engineering talent as early as possible with their Primary School Challenge.

In the children, teams of young children design, make, test and race a miniature car using computer techniques and foundation engineering skills to create a car which is fired along a 20 metre track.

The team from Whitchurch worked well together to construct small model cars and a presentation explaining their work. These were then raced against cars from all over the region.

Whitchurch Primary School won best pit display and portfolio, best engineered car and best verbal presentation! Overall, they can first and second, therefore two teams from the school will be taking part in the final in Warwickshire. Well done Year 5 and well done to Mrs Rich for all your hard work during the project!

WHITCHURCH TAKES PART IN PRIMARY PUPIL PARLIAMENT This year, the Pupil Parliament took place in the Somerdale Pavilion in Keynsham. Four children from Whitchurch Primary attended and took part in lively debates as well as workshops on well-being and mindfulness. Well done to Maddison and Archie in Year 6 and Gracie and Sylvie in Year 2.

OFSTED DECLARES WHITCHURCH A ‘GOOD’ SCHOOL Following the two-day inspection at the end of term five, Whitchurch Primary School are ecstatic to announce that Ofsted graded our school ‘good’ in every area possible! With front page quotes such as ‘pupils have positive attitudes to learning’ ‘pupils behave well’ ‘children receive a good start to their education’ ‘pupils read fluently with enthusiasm and enjoyment’ and ‘children say they feel safe and enjoy school’ the school are all immensely proud of the children’s hard work and achievements.

Kingswood Gymnastics and Trampoline Club Enrolling now for courses in Gymnastics and Trampolining for children 4-12 yrs Holiday fun sessions Tues/Thurs/Fri 10am - 3pm from 24th July to 31st Aug £14 per child No need to book, just come along! (bring packed lunch) Birthday Parties and Pre-school sessions available, 1-1 Trampoline lessons and Rebound Therapy Call 01179476449 or visit

www.kingswoodgymnastics.co.uk

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WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT Evie and her mum took part in a sponsored swim where Evie was the only child on the team.

She swam so well, her determination to keep going was amazing!

We are all very proud of her!

Names: Kimberley, Abigail and Bethany Ages: 9, 10 and 10 Achievement: Participated in the Writhlington sports leader festival 2018.

Well done to Jess who has progressed through all of the Wells City Band Intermediates work sheet and Theory, she is now a full playing Member of Wells City Band and was given her Blazer at Wells Mayors' Concert .

Name: Kayleigh, Age: 6 Achievement: Freestyle Slow 7th Place.

Nme: Chloe Age: 5 Achievement: 5 metres award in swimming and level 5 vaults apparatus proficiency awards.

Name: Lily Age: 6 Achievement: Passing gymnastics levels 8, 7 & 6 and now in a higher level gymnastics group!

Name: Jessica Age: 8 Achievement: Completed Swim England 'Learn to Swim' : Stages 1 and 2.

A huge well done to Olivia who was part of the cast of Titanic at the Memorial Theatre recently. Olivia played the part of one of the children in this fantastic musical performed by Frome Musical Theatre Company.

Name: Tiah Age: 7 Achievement: Tiah is now a brownie and remembered her promise really well.

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