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Disclaimer. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this magazine, we make no guarantee that the content will always be current, accurate or complete. We do not approve any of the services or products provided by advertisers in this magazine. Anyone using the products, services or advice from advertisers will need to carry out normal checks to make sure businesses are trustworthy and reliable. LocalReach Ltd 2023.
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Garden View
This month – Watering: balancing need with conservation
a tap. The timer allows you to set specific watering schedules, ensuring your plants receive water even when you’re not around. This is particularly handy for busy individuals or holiday periods. Installation requires some basic plumbing skills, but it is quite manageable for most gardeners. The system needs to be connected to a water source, and the pipes, valves, and sprinklers or drippers need to be positioned accordingly. Personally, I prefer drippers to sprinklers as they are less wasteful. Proper planning and layout are crucial to ensure efficient water distribution. There are lots of helpful videos on YouTube offering great advice.
Keeping our gardens healthy and hydrated can be a challenging task, especially during hot summers or when we’re away from home. The days when gardeners used hosepipes liberally are long gone. An automatic watering system can offer an efficient solution to keeping the garden looking great while not destroying the environment.
Watering systems provide a hands-free approach to watering the garden. They consist of pipes, valves, and sprinklers or drippers strategically placed throughout your garden. They can be connected to a timer and a water source, such as
Calling all businesses!
Watering systems can also be used with stored rainwater from a water butt. This makes them even more eco-friendly. If you’re going to do this make sure to use appropriate filtration and pump system to ensure the rainwater is suitable for distribution through the watering system. Even if you have to use tap water, automatic systems are designed for efficient use. By targeting specific areas and delivering water directly to the plants’ roots, they minimize wastage. Additionally, the use of timers allows for precise scheduling, preventing overwatering, thus further conserving water. Compared to using a hosepipe, which can lead to water runoff and inefficient coverage, automatic systems provide better control use far less water.
Mulching further conserves water by preventing the underlying soil from drying out in warm weather. It creates a protective layer on the soil surface, acting as a barrier to reduce evaporation.
Organic mulch materials include straw, wood chips, bark, leaves, grass clippings, and compost. These materials break down over time, enriching the soil with nutrients while simultaneously retaining moisture. Organic mulch also improves soil structure, promotes beneficial microbial activity, and helps prevent weed growth. It needs to be reapplied as it breaks down.
Inorganic mulch materials such as gravel, stones do not break down and can very decorative. Its more expensive so better suited to small spaces. Apply a layer of mulch that is 2-4 inches thick around plants, leaving a gap around the stem or trunk to prevent rotting. Ensure the mulch extends to the drip line of trees and shrubs to cover the entire root zone. When used alongside an automatic drip watering system, mulching goes a long way towards reducing water usage in the garden.
By Rachael Leverton
Royal Air Forces Association MidSomerset Branch – July Event
On Monday 3rd July, the Branch will hold a Branch Meeting with a Pub Games Session followed by an optional Pub type Menu at the Bell Inn, Bruton Road, Evercreech, Somerset, BA4 6HY assembling at 10:45am. The Branch covers Post Code areas BS25, BS26, BS27, BS28, BA4, BA6, BA16, TA11 & TA10. All events are open to Branch Members, RAFA Members from other Branches, Current and Ex-RAF Service Personnel (Including RAF Reserves), and Members of the “RAF Family”. Contact rafa. midsomerset@gmail.com or 01458 224057.
St Margaret’s Hospice Glorious Open Gardens – Barrington Village Gardens
As part of St Margaret’s Glorious Open Gardens, several delightful gardens in the village of Barrington, TA19 0JB open to the public on Saturday 1st July. Admission: £7.00 for all gardens.
It’s Barrington Day! Much more will be taking place in the village, including a flower festival in St Mary’s church. Gardens of all types and sizes will be open to explore and, for the first time, the village allotments. Refreshments and toilet facilities will be available. No dogs please. Further details phone 01935 709480 or email events@st-margarets-hospice.org.uk
Keep Active in Curry Rivel with Age UK Somerset
The local charity has launched a brand-new dance-based exercise session called Movement to Music in Curry Rivel. This fun, dynamic class is designed for people over 55. Held at Curry Rivel Village Hall, Wednesdays at 10:00am, £5.
Instructor, Becky says, “This new class is a great way to improve your general fitness, have fun, and meet new people. Expect music, laughter, dance and joy! The class will feature a mixture of seated and standing exercises. I look forward to meeting you.”
For more information: 01823 345624, ageingwell@ageuksomerset.org.uk or visit ageuksomerset.org.uk/ageingwell
Eye-Tech open new purpose-built styling room
Have you ever thought of asking for a stylist’s help to create a wardrobe that suits your personality, style and colourways? They are highly skilled individuals who understand body types, shades of colour, are happy to listen to suit your needs.
Did you know, you can have an eyewear stylist, too, who will help you choose the perfect pair of spectacles (or two)?
Eye-Tech opticians in Street are pleased to announce that from April, their new purpose-built styling room will be open and ready to receive existing and new clients.
Our in-house stylist Rebecca has worked for Eye-Tech for 25 years and will be a familiar face to many. She studied with the Eyewear Styling Academy and qualified in March 2020 just before the first lockdown came into being. So unfortunately, no work on the new styling room was able to start until 2022. Things then proceeded at a steady pace and so now we are ready to open for the public.
Are you ready?
Rebecca has been trained in how to assess individual colour analysis, colour psychology, facial features analysis, style personality and eyewear selection.
This individually dedicated consultation service offers clients a unique and bespoke eyewear styling consultation to help them discover their perfect eyewear to suit both their optical and style needs.
Why not treat yourself to a much needed me-time experience?
Other opticians’ prescriptions welcome.
Call our friendly team and ask for a Styling appointment with Rebecca: 01458 442178
A Delightfully Quirky Affair
Pack up a hamper, it’s National Picnic Month!
wasps, bickering kids and the occasional sheep all hell bent on thwarting us in our quest.
Games are compulsory at a British picnic. People whose idea of exercise for the rest of the year is getting up from the sofa to answer the front door, suddenly get all competitive and suggest a game of rounders, or croquet, or French cricket! This quickly descends into arguments about who is on which team, who gets (or shouldn’t get) Grandma, and whether there should be second chances at hitting a ball. But it’s all about the friendly competition and the odd black eye is just part of the fun.
Ah, the British picnic! That delightful tradition combining outdoor dining with unpredictable weather, and an assortment of eccentricities. The main ingredients for a truly traditional British picnic are, a dash of optimism, a splash of stoicism, a sprinkling of humour and a tiny pinch of disappointment.
First and foremost, there is the weather dance. No discussion about picnics in our green and pleasant land would be complete without someone looking upwards dubiously, sucking their cheeks in, and saying, ‘Looks like rain.’ As a nation we have mastered the art of packing for all four seasons in a single picnic basket. From sweltering sun to sudden showers, we have evolved into experts at adaptive picnic planning. If there was an ‘official British Picnic checklist’ it would include sunscreen, insect repellent, a thick sweater an umbrella and a pac-a-mac!
Every Brit is born knowing exactly what a picnic should look like: a wicker hamper, a checked picnic blanket, and an array of finger foods including dainty cucumber sandwiches, iced buns and freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam, all washed down with ginger beer. This is because Enid Blyton and her Famous Five have somehow entered our collective subconscious, but we have been cruelly lied to. In reality it’s usually slightly curled ham and cheese sandwiches dispensed from a Tupperware tub along with a packet of crisps, some soggy custard creams, and lukewarm orange squash or (equally lukewarm) wine for the grown-ups.
Finding the perfect picnic spot is a grand adventure in itself which involves scouting out picturesque meadows, secret gardens, or a sandy beach. With Google maps on our phones, and determined expressions, we brave stinging nettles, cow pats, aggressive swans, persistent
But us Brits know that all the shenanigans is just a warm-up for the main event. As the afternoon rolls on, the time nears for the one British tradition everyone looks forward to, Pimms o’clock. This refreshing cocktail, filled with fruits, herbs, and a splash of gin, is the quintessential picnic libation. As the glasses clink and laughter fills the air, the true spirit of the British picnic finally comes alive. It’s a time to relax, enjoy the company of friends and loved ones, and revel in the joy of this whimsical outdoor affair.
Cheers.
By Kate McCarthyBowled Over
The story of the cricket ball
The smack of leather on willow is the quintessential sound of a British summer. The bright red cricket ball is almost iconic, but its design and construction have undergone significant changes over the course of history.
The earliest cricket balls were made of leather, stuffed with rags. They were heavy, hard to hit, and needed to be replaced after a few overs. In the 18th century, the cork cores were introduced. These were wound tightly with string before they were covered in leather. This went a long way towards improving durability and bounce.
Until the mid-19th century, there was a lot of variation in ball size. It was decided to standardise the balls and the size was fixed at 9 inches (22.86cm) in circumference, with a weight of 5.5 ounces (156g). The ball was also required to be round, smooth, and covered with leather.
In the early 20th century, the introduction of machine stitching improved the quality and
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consistency of cricket balls. The stitching created a more uniform seam, which made the ball easier to grip and allowed bowlers to impart more spin. The use of machine stitching also made the ball more durable, which reduced the need for frequent replacements. Bowlers began to use the seams on cricket balls to achieve different types of movement in the air and when bounced off the pitch, leading to the development of seam and spin bowling.
During the 1960s, the introduction of synthetic materials such as PVC and polyurethane led to the development of the plastic cricket ball. These balls were lighter and more durable than traditional leather balls, but they were mostly rejected by the cricketing community, and their use was eventually banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2000 for having a negative impact on the game.
Today, cricket balls come in a variety of type for different formats of the game. For example, red balls are used in test cricket, while white balls are used in one-day international (ODI) matches and pink balls are used in day-night test matches. The evolution of the cricket ball has been driven by a desire to improve the game, and its design and construction continue to be refined to meet the needs of modern cricket.
By Tom HancockSeam Bowling - When a bowler holds the ball with the seam facing towards them, it is known as seam bowling. This technique is used to achieve lateral movement in the air or off the pitch. By angling the seam towards the batsman, the bowler can make the ball swing towards the batsman or away from them. This movement can make it difficult for the batsman to judge the ball’s trajectory and can lead to wickets being taken.
Finger Spin and Wrist Spin Bowling -
In finger spin, the bowler holds the ball with their fingers, with the seam running perpendicular to their fingers. By rotating the ball with their fingers, the bowler can create spin that causes the ball to turn in the air or off the pitch. Wrist spin is a similar technique, but the bowler releases the ball with a flick of the wrist, which adds extra spin to the ball.
Volunteer Visitors Needed
Somerset Sight is recruiting volunteers to befriend visually impaired people on a regular basis. Would you like to help someone in your local area?
Join our team of volunteers, who help people to remain independent and overcome loneliness and isolation.
All reasonable and out of pocket expenses are paid.
For more information please contact Somerset Sight on: 01823 333818 or email admin@ somersetsight.org.uk
Fl-exciting News from Age UK
Somerset
Bookings are now being taken for our Flexercise Workshops - for people who work with or have an interest in enhancing the lifestyle of the not so young.
Flexercise is a fun, seated exercise session and the workshops provide the necessary information that an individual will require to lead Flexercise sessions so they can help older people in their area stay more mobile, improve mental health and enhance their later years.
The next workshops are in November in Wells, Somerton and Bridgwater and cost £15. Contact 01823 345624 for more information.
Cricket, at a walking pace!
Walking cricket takes place across the CountyWSM, Clevedon, Yeovil, Highbridge, Wellington, Minehead & Taunton.
To find out more, please email mustafa.shaikh@ somersetcricketfoundation.org
Wessex Country Market
Country markets are co-operative social enterprises specializing in selling locally sourced high quality homemade food, locally grown seasonal fruit and vegetables, preserves, pickles and chutneys, unique and unusual craft items and plants for the garden and vegetable plot.
Wessex Country Market is located in the Function rooms of The Unicorn Hotel, West Street, Somerton. Opening hours are 9:00am until 12 midday every Saturday.
This market also sells eggs, cheese, butter, and meat products all sourced from within the area. This is a very popular market with high demand for certain products but can be ordered ahead to guarantee availability.
There is free parking for two hours in Somerton’s main carpark plus good cafes and restaurants for your morning coffee.
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Walking sports are a fun way to keep your energy up, make new friends, and look after your health. Played with a soft ball it’s perfect for people who are older, or less physically able, but who still want to enjoy the thrill of the game. Whether you’re batting, bowling, or fielding, it’s a great form of cardio exercise. Plus it improves both agility and hand-eye coordination.
Then simply go to our web site www.localreach.co.uk and click on the Community Notices page, then fill in the form before 1st of each month. You can also upload a photo or logo. We will then publish in our LocalReach Community Magazines delivered by Royal Mail each month.
Your Community Notice will also appear on our Facebook pages.
Join our growing army of LocalReach Community Editors.
HIGHEST RATED ROOFER IN SOMERSET! (42 ★★★★★ Google reviews)
“Fantastic responsive service. It’s the 2nd time I have used central roofing and on both occasions they turned up on time got on with the job and kept us informed on what was being carried out. Went above and beyond and assisted me in issues around insurance. I would recommend this company to anyone with roofing issues.”
Cat Lady
We used Central Roofing to take down an old flat roof and install another on our business premises at Knight Brothers Garage. The company was very reliable, they turned up when they said they would, the guys that did the work were very tidy and efficient. The work was completed in the time frame they set…we are more than pleased with the finished job.
Karen Anderson
Tell your MP, boys need bins: Tackling the male incontinence taboo
While local incontinence specialist Arelle has been chatting about the subject for some time, they wanted to bring you news of a national campaign aimed at tackling the male incontinence taboo. Launched recently by Prostate Cancer UK in recognition of the fact that 1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer and some men experience bladder and bowel problems as a side effect of their treatment, the campaign encourages a national conversation to tackle the taboo surrounding male incontinence and support the large number of men who suffer in silence.
“ Boys Need Bins ” demands that every public toilet and business across the UK puts incontinence bins in their male toilets, so men can dispose of incontinence pads, stoma products and other hygiene waste items easily, safely and with dignity. This is what they had to say:
“We conducted research to highlight the scale of male incontinence in the UK and found that previous estimates of how many men are dealing with incontinence may be vastly underestimated. More than half (51%) of the men surveyed, of all ages, have experienced symptoms associated with urinary incontinence. This is leaving nearly eight in 10 men anxious to leave the house.
We’re starting a national conversation on male incontinence and calling for bins to be provided in male toilets across the country. We’ve worked with phs Group to create a dedicated male incontinence bin, which businesses across the UK including MOTO service stations and Garric Ltd are already stocking for staff and customers.
But we need to make MPs aware of the scale of this issue and what they can do to make a much needed change. Help build a world where men’s lives are not limited by incontinence. Join our campaign today to say Boys need Bins.”
You can visit prostatecanceruk.org to find out more, and if you or a loved one has been affected by incontinence as a result of prostate cancer treatment, their Specialist Nurses are there for you. Text NURSE to 70004 to request a call back.
Crossword Across
1 Refuse Collector (7)
5 Brown ink (5)
8 Destructive fire, blaze (13)
9 Hand tool (3)
10 Church state (9)
12 Speeding, competing (6)
13 Diverse (6)
15 Freak out, lose it (2,7)
16 Social insect (3)
18 Condition caused by toxic paint and dust (4,9)
20 Inspection, investigation (5)
21 Conference, discussion (7)
Down
1 Aquatic birds (5)
2 Advertising worn by a person (8,5)
3 Hormone produced at night (9)
4 Small lump of gold (6)
5 Ocean (3)
6 Transferring from public ownership (13)
Word Search
Baby Blurple
Capri
Cerulean
Cobalt Cyan Dark
Delft Duck egg Egyptian Electric Iceberg
Lapis lazuli Liberty
Maya Medium Midnight Moroccan Navy Neon Periwinkle
Picotee Powder Royal Sapphire Savoy Sky Steel
Teal Ultramarine Uranian
7 Bothered, miffed (7)
11 Lecture hall (9)
12 Finery (7)
14 Hijinks (6)
17 Big cat (5)
19 Place somewhere (3)
Mindbenders
Solutions: Turn to page 16
Czech Bubble Cake
Its
Servings: 12 generous squares
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
Puzzle Solutions
Mindbender:
1: The upper hand 2: Split second timing
3: Get over it
Ingredients:
240 ml double cream
3 eggs at room temperature
260g plain flour
200g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped.
400g fresh cherries
Icing sugar for dusting
Requires a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33cm) traybake tin.
Method:
Preheat the oven to 170°C / 150°C Fan / Gas mark 3.
Wash the cherries to remove any remaining dirt, then stone them. Leave in a colander or sieve to drain.
Grease the baking tin and dust with flour.
Break the eggs into a large bowl then beat them using a food mixer or hand mixer until they are foamy. Gradually add the caster sugar while increasing the speed. It takes about five minutes to produce a voluminous silky mixture.
Reduce the mixer speed to its slowest setting and sift in the flour and baking powder as you mix, then add the cream, mixing slowly all the time. Finally, add the lemon zest.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin. The batter is thick, which helps to stop the fruit from sinking. Sprinkle the drained cherries over the top.
Place the bublanina into the preheated oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes, until the surface turns golden brown.
Allow to cool, then dust with icing sugar before slicing into squares.
You can substitute most summer fruits for the cherries, including strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
NOTE - Don’t be tempted to substitute the double cream for a ‘light’ version though. There is no other fat in the cake so the fat content of the cream is important (it should be at least 30%).
real name is Bublanina and it is a traditional Czech cake, perfect for a summer afternoon tea
Are you a Wimbledon Winner?! Musings of an OvenGleamer
Wimbledon is running from 3rd-16th July this year and there’ll be some incredible tennis played at varying levels of expertise. But what sort of Chef are you?
Ball Boy? (and about my level!) cooking is one of your life’s simple pleasures and your skill level is simple too. You’re great at using the microwave and can cope with a pan of boiling water for pasta and potatoes. You could cook a 3 course meal with a combi-microwave. Cheat with a ready-made prawn cocktails, then cook a chicken using the grill function and cook ‘steam in a bag’ vegetables to produce a Roast Dinner. For dessert “ping” chocolate sponge puddings with chocolate sauce to finish off…simples!
More budding chefs (most of you) come in at least an Umpire standard. You’re great at using a hob and an oven with several pans boiling away on the hob top whilst a delicious joint is roasting away in the oven. You are classic multi-tasker with better time–management skills than me. My partner falls in this category – she does a mean Roast Beef, Yorkshire puddings and mountains of vegetables – all cooked to perfection and appearing on the table at the same time. For dessert she produces an apple pie out of oven with creamy custard. She then expects me, a professional oven cleaner, to clean our cooker? Does she not understand that it’s my day off?
Wimbledon Cup winners are you BBQ cookers! How anyone can produce an array of succulent steaks, juicy sausages and melt-in-the-mouth burgers as well as foil wrapped salmon from just a metal grid over some hot coals or gas, I’ll never know. You then to serve them with a selection of fresh salads and summer cocktails – a skill level way beyond my reach. My friends do this, invite me over and I can enjoy the fruits of their labours! Then with a messy BBQ, they phone me to clean it – fed and paid – Gold Medal for me on that one!
So where do you fit into my medal parade – are you a Ball Boy, Umpire or Wimbledon Cup Chef? I promise you a Cup level service, call today: Stewart Baldwin, OvenGleamers on 01458 767001
01458 767001
Are your stairs a struggle? Enjoy independence in your home…
Do I need a Stairlift? – If you have difficulty getting up and down stairs you are not alone. The decision to install a stairlift is sometimes a difficult one to take but, when compared with the alternative of moving or living on only one level of their home, many people have found a stairlift to be their preferred solution.
Why choose us? – Suttons Stairlifts aim to provide a reliable and prompt service to their valued customers. Thanks to personal recommendations from satisfied customers referring us to their friends and relations Suttons Stairlifts is now a well-established company committed to providing expert advice with a no-pressure selling policy, guaranteed! Our Products and Services – We offer a range of new or refurbished Handicare stairlifts for either straight or curved stairs throughout the West Country, from Bath & Bristol right down to South Devon. We also offer a rental option for straight stairlifts as well as annual services and safety checks, repairs and removals.
What happens next? – We will visit you to survey the staircase and conduct a user assessment leaving you the leaflets and prices so you can make the decision in your own time. Once you’ve made your decision we aim to install your lift within the week, or even the next day subject to availability.
With our comprehensive 12 or 24 month warranty and 365 day coverage you can be assured of a first-class and personal service from Suttons Stairlifts
Call us on 01749 346 900 for more information.
Tangerine
by Christine ManganTangerine is a gripping psychological thriller set in the 1950s that follows the tumultuous friendship between two women, Alice Shipley and Lucy Mason, and the dark secrets that bind them.
Alice Shipley is a fragile and reclusive young woman who resides in Tangier, Morocco, with her husband, John. She is haunted by a tragic incident from her college days. One day she receives an unexpected visit from Lucy Mason, her former roommate and estranged friend, whom she hasn’t seen in over a year.
Lucy’s arrival triggers a series of unsettling events. Alice is plunged into a state of paranoia and uncertainty over her visitor’s ambiguous intentions and begins to question Lucy’s motives. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that both Alice and Lucy are harbouring secrets and that their past is deeply intertwined.
When something momentous happens under suspicious circumstances, tensions escalate and Alice must confront the truth about her past, the nature of her friendship with Lucy, and the true identity of the people around her.
Mangan skilful storytelling delves into themes of obsession, identity, and betrayal. The intense atmosphere of Tangier serves as a backdrop for the complex relationship between Alice and Lucy. A gripping cat-and-mouse game unfolds, with high stakes, and a shocking revelation.
Tangerine is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that explores the dark corners of friendship and the consequences of deceit.
The Buried Crown by Ally Sherrick
The year is 1940, and George Penny is evacuated from London to live with his Aunt May in the countryside. While exploring the nearby ruins of an old castle, George discovers a hidden underground chamber. Inside, he stumbles upon a medieval crown that belonged to King Alfred the Great, the legendary English king.
But George soon realizes that the crown is more than just a relic. It is rumoured to possess mystical powers and is sought after by a group of sinister individuals, known as the Skull brothers, who are determined to use it for their own nefarious purposes.
With the help of a brave and resourceful girl named Kitty, George embarks on a dangerous quest to keep the crown safe from the Skull brothers. Along the way, they encounter secret codes, ancient riddles, and unexpected allies. Their journey takes them across the English countryside, from hidden tunnels to perilous cliffs, as they race against time to protect the crown and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.
As George and Kitty unravel the secrets surrounding the crown, they uncover a deeper connection to King Alfred and his legacy. The fate of the crown becomes intertwined with their own personal journeys of courage, friendship, and discovering the true meaning of heroism. Sherrick’s fast-paced prose writing will keep her young readers on the edge of their seats.
By Tash DonovanThe Art of the Matter
Children’s Art Week June 29th-July 19th
Children’s Art Week (it’s actually three weeks) is run by Engage - the National Association for Gallery Education. During this time, schools, art galleries, museums and community groups are encouraged to plan and provide art activities and events with the goal of providing opportunities for children, young people, and families to take part in practical activities with artists and art educators.
Artistic activities play a vital role in children’s development, fostering creativity, imagination, and self-expression. Engaging in drawing, painting, sculpting, and music, provides children with a wealth of benefits that extend far beyond the artistic realm.
Creativity and Imagination - Artistic activities encourage children to think outside the box, fostering their creativity and imagination. Through art, children can freely explore and express
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Then simply go to our web site www.localreach.co.uk and click on the Community Notices page, then fill in the form before 1st of each month. You can also upload a photo or logo. We will then publish in our LocalReach Community Magazines delivered by Royal Mail each month.
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their thoughts, emotions, and ideas in unique and innovative ways. This creativity helps them develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking abilities, and the capacity to approach challenges from different perspectives.
Fine Motor Skills – Drawing, painting, and sculpting require precise movements and coordination of the hands and fingers. As children manipulate brushes, pencils, or clay, they develop dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and control over their motor skills. These skills not only benefit their artistic endeavours but also translate to other areas of their lives, such as writing, typing, and playing sports.
Emotional Development - Art provides a safe and expressive outlet for children to process and communicate their emotions. Children can explore a range of feelings and experiences, giving voice to thoughts and emotions that may be difficult to express verbally. Art fosters emotional intelligence, empathy, and self-awareness, allowing children to develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others.
Self-Confidence and Self-Expression - Creating something unique and meaningful instils a sense of pride and accomplishment in children, which boosts self-esteem. Art also encourages selfexpression, allowing children to communicate their thoughts and ideas in a non-judgmental environment.
Cultural Appreciation and Diversity - Through art, children can learn about different art movements, styles, and artists from around the world, expanding their knowledge and understanding of different cultures. This exposure encourages tolerance, respect, and acceptance of diverse traditions and beliefs.
Cognitive Development - Creating art stimulates the brain, improving memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills. Art also enhances spatial awareness, visual-spatial reasoning, and pattern recognition. Engaging in artistic activities allows children to make connections, explore cause and effect relationships, and develop their cognitive abilities.
Participating in artistic activities is a valuable and enriching experience for children. Encouraging and supporting children in their artistic endeavours is an investment in their overall development and well-being. But over and above all the benefits mentioned here art is quite simply FUN! Why not find out what’s going on in your area?
By Louise Addison
