40,000 copies for Parents, OVER ÂŁ350 School Staff & Children WORTH OF VOUCHERS & PRIZES INSIDE
Sunderland & Durham
Issue 48
Unbeatable Coverage in the North East
26th Nov - 3rd Feb 2013
www.primarytimes.net
The original, largest and still the best network of performing arts schools in the world. Nurturing and developing young peoples potential through dance, drama and singing. For 4 - 18 year olds, after school, at weekends and holiday workshops. Stagecoach & Thornhill School join to celebrate the new Performing Arts Centre Stagecoach Theatre Arts School in Sunderland is credited for 1000's of professional childrens appearances on Stage and Screen, since it launched 10years ago. 2012 alone credited Sunderland students with over 50 Professional Theatre appearances: The King and I; An Inspector Calls; South Pacific; Alice; Madame Butterfly & La Traviata; Billy Elliot - Londons West End; Oliver... TV & Film credits include 'Gently Down the Stream,' 'School Days' - Hype Film Productions, Waterloo Road, Vera-ITV Drama and Wolf Blood... Modelling shoots with Pins, Petal and Powder... Birmingham Symphonia Choral performance. Stagecoach children not only are given tuition in a thriving environment in Dance, Drama and Singing which is open to ALL their professional credits and experiences are second to none.
For further info call 07535 707834 email: stagecoachnortheast@hotmail.co.uk or visit www.stagecoach.co.uk/sunderlandsouth.
Hi Everyone! Ho Ho ! Welcome aboard the Christmas and New Year issue – it gives you 10 whole weeks of festive fun and New Year events for all the family. We are here to help you celebrate the most exciting time of the year, and help you plan so all the super events happening locally can be enjoyed. We also have some absolutely fantastic competitions for you to enter and win loads of goodies, including a holiday for a family of 4 in America! As the year draws to a close it is also a time to say a BIG THANK YOU for making Primary Times your No 1 Choice and to look forward to providing you with as many opportunities to enjoy family life in the forthcoming year – 2013! So, have yourself a Merry Little Christmas and see you again soon in 2013.
With Seasons Greetings from Jan and the Crew at Primary Times.
Contents Page 4
Bees Diaries.
Page 5
Beamish – A Great Winter Day Out.
Page 7
Picture yourself in Durham this Christmas.
Page 10/13
Your 4 Page Guide to What’s On this Xmas & New Year.
Page 12
Santa Claus Xmas Grotto Guide .
Page 14
Competitions Page!
Page 15
Theatre - Your Guide to all the Family Shows.
Primary Times is independently published and distributed free to over 40,000 school children at 167 Primary Schools throughout Sunderland & County Durham. It is also available by subscription at £10 per year. Its aims are to inform families and children of current educational issues, forthcoming events, courses and attractions and to give teachers, pupils and parents the opportunity to participate in the magazine by adding to its contents or joining in competitions which we run. Primary Times would like to thank all schools for their assistance in distributing the magazine and for their contributions to its contents. We would also like to thank all the advertisers. Copyright© Primary Tmes North East. Publishing Editor & Advertising: Jan Stewart Tel: 0191 264 5909 Email: jan@primarytimesne.co.uk. 1 Denehead Cottages, Hexham Road, Walbottle, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE15 9RX. Artwork: Spark Creative Design Ltd Tel: 01429 872291
Visit Santa for FREE in his Grotto with every paid admission. c un 16th De S & th 5 1 t c, Sa . Sun 9th De 11am-4pm c e D th Sat 8th & 4 2 – Mon Thurs 20th
Primary Times Sunderland & Durham
3
Hello my lovely friends!
Brrrrrr! I hope you’re all keeping warm during this chilly weather! As the days get shorter and colder you may not see many honey bees flying around anymore. But don’t worry, we are still awake and looking after ourselves. You see, during the winter, honey bees – unlike bumblebees – don’t hibernate. There are still around 10,000 of us in each hive here in The Alnwick Garden, and we need to keep the temperature of the hive above 20˚C to stay alive. To do this we huddle very close together in a very tight ball and shake our muscles quickly to produce heat – very similar to when your teeth chatter or you rub your hands to keep warm! It’s not too late to give us a helping hand for next year either. We love spring flowers, and now is the perfect time of year that you can plant the bulbs. A bulb is like a little pocket of energy, just ready to give a fantastic show of colour before most other plants. Crocuses, snowdrops, scillas, grape hyacinths and snakeshead fritillaries are our favourites. Remember to plant them roughly three times the depth of the actual size of the bulb. You can get bulbs for all positions in the garden, and you can even plant them in the lawns or under trees and they can give a stunning show year after year. I promise you, you’ll like them almost as much as us… Goodbye, stay warm and think of us in the hive – clustered and cosy! Bonnie. Queen Bee of The Alnwick Garden For full information, please visit The Alnwick Garden website: www.alnwickgarden.com.
BEE FACT OF THE MONTH There have been bees on Earth for over 30 million years – that’s a very long time!
4
Primary Times Sunderland & Durham
Putting on a pantomime with help from the experts. A North East arts venue, renowned for is popular Christmas show, is giving families, schools and community groups across the region free help in putting on their own pantomime – oh yes they are!. The Customs House, South Shields has created a special computer programme, aptly-named Panto Maker, which guides users step-bystep through writing, designing and performing their own festive show.
tackle curriculum-based subjects and achieve key skills across key stages one to four. Many of these resources are free to download with others being offered as part of a small annual subscription charge – which includes all regular updates.
The software is available to download free for PC from ch-arted.co.uk or at a cost of £1.49 as an Ipad app. This is the latest in a series of similar resources created by The Customs House in partnership with Shoofly Publishing, which offer an enjoyable and interactive way for children to For more information visit www.ch-arted.co.uk or call 0191 427 8197/88
Beamish – a great winter day out. Unlike many similar museums and attractions which close during the winter months, award-winning Beamish Museum is open all year and it’s a great place to banish those winter blues and enjoy a family day out in the crisp, fresh air. Every weekend from November through to March, you can take a step back in time and stroll through the Edwardian Town and Pit Village, experience Victorian rural life at Home Farm and explore Georgian times at Pockerley Old Hall. What’s more, your ticket is valid for a whole year, so you can visit as often as you like for the next twelve months. And right through until February half term, visitors with energy to spare can pop on some skates and take a turn on the outdoor real ice rink in The Pit Village (small extra charge applies).
It’s a fun way to burn off Christmas over-indulgence and put some colour in the cheeks! There’s still time to enjoy a funpacked, family Christmas outing to Beamish too. Each weekend, until 30th December, you can experience Christmas as it was in Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian times. Taste delicious festive food, see beautiful decorations and pick up a perfect present from the Edwardian market stalls. Until Christmas Eve,
children can pay a visit to Father Christmas in his magical fireside Grotto, he’ll have a small gift for every child (small extra charge). Until 21st March, Beamish is open from 10am to 4pm, closed Mondays, Fridays and Christmas Day. Admission charges at weekends are £17.50 for adults, £13 for seniors and
£10 for children (under 5s free) – tickets are valid for a whole year for an unlimited number of visits. Half price winter day tickets are available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays when a visit is centred on The Town, Pit Village and Tramway.
Primary Times Sunderland & Durham
5
Picture yourself in Durham this Christmas.
Prince Bishops Shopping Centre is located right in the heart of Durham, just off the historic Market Place. This outdoor shopping centre comes alive with the spirit of Christmas and is the ideal setting to pick up that perfect gift.
Tucked alongside high street favourites you can find hidden gems in some of the divine jewellery shops, treat yourself to some tantalising cakes and chocolates, or simply put your feet up, enjoy a hot beverage and watch the world go by.
It provides the ideal place to get your festive fashion fixes, if you want to look and feel fabulous there is a range of health and beauty specialists at hand, gadgets and gizmos gifts galore, or if you’re looking to escape this Christmas, you will find the right destination with a number of travel agents to choose from. Here you can be sure to find that perfect gift for everyone.
Christmas at Prince Bishops is also a magical time for all the family. A traditional grotto warms the heart of everyone who passes by and you can even pay Santa Claus in his winter wonderland home a visit from Sunday, 25 November; let’s hope you’ve been good this year.
which is open 24 hours a day placing you right in the centre of the city for shopping or enjoying a meal with family and friends.
Getting to Prince Bishops is simple with its 400 space, award winning safe and secure car park
Primary Times Sunderland & Durham
7
Win a fab bike from the new Disney collection Disney fans will be in a spin of excitement as their favourite characters become the feature of the hot new Disney bikes range. Combining the highest quality with great prices, these eye-catching bikes are a ‘must have’ for Disney fan. Cinderella zooms from rags on a bike that’s in exact Cinderella blue. For girls who love pink, the stunning Princess Bike with glitter pink metallic frame is a must. Both bikes feature either Cinderella or all the Disney princesses across stabilizers, carry seat, saddle and roll bar, along with stunning be-jewelled handle-bars. For boys, Disney has created a bespoke new Cars Bikes range. All boldly sporting everyone’s favourite car, Lightning McQueen, who speeds across chain-guards, handle-bar pads and stabilisers. Whatever your favourite character, there’s a Disney bike just for you. Primary Times Sunderland & Durham are giving you the chance to Win 1 of 2 new Disney Bikes by just answering the following question:
Q. What’s the name of everyone’s favourite Disney car? Answer:
Send your answer along with your name, address, telephone number & school details to Disney Bikes Competition, Primary Times, 1 Denehead Cottages, Hexham Road, Walbottle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 9RX or by e-mail to john@primarytimesne.co.uk. Entries must be received by Friday 14th December 2012. The winners will be notified thereafter. The judges decision is final & there is no cash alternative!
8
Primary Times Sunderland & Durham
Enjoy Winter Fun at Gibside.
With Christmas just around the corner, families at Gibside have a lot to look forward to and not just visiting the jolly man with the white beard. This December, Gibside is open for winter walks and outdoor adventures every single day, apart from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. With two festive farmers markets you can get some unique last minute presents from local producers and enjoy a warm mulled wine and some seasonal live music while you’re at it. If you can’t wait until Christmas Day for a festive feast then join us for Christmas
Hog Roast at the Gibside Pub with local real ales, carol singing and log burning fires. When the big day has been and gone and you’re looking to run off some energy (and some turkey!) don’t forget that Gibside is open for a Boxing Day breather AND there’s five days of Winter Adventure Week – free outdoor family fun including den making and toasting marshmallows round the campfire!
Find out more at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/gibside.
Primary Times Sunderland & Durham
9
What’s On We take great care to ensure all this information is correct at the time of going to press. However, we would advise parents to phone and check details prior to making a long trip … or promise!
Sunderland
Durham
Sunderland Thurs 6th – Fri 8th Dec THE ELVES & THE SHOEMAKERS Arts Centre Washington A magical Christmas Tale for children aged 3 & above. Tickets £8.50. Tel 0191 2193455 or visit www.artscentrewashington.co.uk. Sat 8th & Sun 9th Dec 10am-4pm CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS Castle Eden Dene National Nature Reserve, Peterlee SR8 1NJ Do something festive with the kids
10
Primary Times Sunderland & Durham
that won’t cost the earth in the run up to Christmas - bring the family along to this drop-in session at Castle Eden Dene NNR in Peterlee & join in their wonderful Christmas celebration! It’s completely FREE to visit Santa & Mrs Claus in their workshop & there are also some great FREE craft activities for the children too! Tel 0191 5860004. Tues 11th Dec 10am-4pm GIANT VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS MAKERS MARKET Seaburn Leisure Centre A Giant Victorian themed Christmas Makers Market with 150 stalls of handmade goods, gifts & treats, Santa will be there too! Admission Free. Tel 0740 216 6535.
MONKWEARMOUTH STATION MUSEUM North Bridge Street, Monkwearmouth, SR5 1AP Tel 0191 567 7075 www.twmuseums.org.uk/ monkwearmouth. Every Thursday until 20th Dec 10.15-11.30am RAILWAY RASCALS Stories, singing & fun craft activities in the Children’s Gallery for pre-school children & their guardians. Socialise with other families in a fun & friendly environment. Cost £2 per child & 50p per additional child with juice & biscuits provided.
encouraged to not just watch but to stroke and pat him. Appearances are Free but places are limited so booking is essential. Sat 8th & 15th Dec 11am, 1pm & 2pm (drop in) HUG-A-BEAR CHRISTMAS STORYTIME Jjoin Goldilocks at the storytelling tree in the Teddy Bear Story exhibition for fairytales & fun trails. Make a Christmas teddy decoration in the learning rooms from 11am – 12noon & 1pm – 3pm (drop in).
Until Fri 21st Dec POLAR BEAR TRAIL Where are the polar bears hiding? Hunt them out in the museum or SUNDERLAND the Winter Gardens on this fun MUSEUM & WINTER winter-time trail.Collect your free self-led trail from museum GARDENS reception. Claim a prize sticker Burdon Road, SR1 1PP from museum reception when you Tel: (0191) 553 2323 www.twmuseums.org.uk/sunderland hand in your completed trail. Fri 7th Dec 10.30am 12.30pm & 2.30pm BJORN THE POLAR BEAR Come along & marvel at the amazingly life-like animatronic Bjorn the Polar Bear & meet his herder Ursula. Bjorn blinks, sniffs & growls! He is incredibly life-like, playful & interactive & you will be
Durham Sat 1st & Sun 2nd Dec Sat 8th & Sun 9th Dec Sat 15th & Sun 16th Dec Sat 22nd & Sun 23rd Dec A TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS Crook Hall & Gardens, Sidegate DH1 5SZ
Enjoy a magical traditional Christmas celebration: Father Christmas, log fires, carols, presents, Christmas card making, the Elves' treasure hunt, Christmas story telling, Mr Frosty the snowman's snowball fight. A truly magical event for the whole family. Tickets £9.50. Pre-booking essential 0191 384 8028. Thurs 6th & 20th Dec 10.30am-11.45am MINI ARTISTS DLI Museum & Art Gallery, Aykley Heads DH1 5TU Messy Play & Story Time for the Under 5s. Cost £1.35 per parent or carer plus the usual admission charge (under 4's are free). This includes tea or coffee & juice for the mini artists. Booking is recommended. Tel 0191 384 2214. Sat 8th & Sun 9th Dec 10am-4pm TRADITIONAL CRAFTS WEEKEND Botanic Gardens, Hollingside Lane, DH1 3TN Silversmith Les Howe & his wife Vivienne, an artist & card designer, will be demonstrating their skills in the garden. Cost Adult £4.00, Child £1.50. Tel 0191 334 5521.
Sat 8th Dec 2-4pm CHRISTMAS CRAFTING Botanic Gardens, Hollingside Lane, DH1 3TN Get crafty & draw inspiration from the Garden to create Christmas decorations. Cost Adult £4.00, Child £1.50. Tel 0191 334 5521. Sat 15th & Sun 16th Dec 10am-4pm CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL The Bowes Museum Last year’s event attracted over 5,000 visitors, receiving excellent reviews due to its magical atmosphere. This year’s event will be even bigger, held over two days with 100 stalls selling the best in local food & crafts. Santa will be there with his reindeer, & there will be music from local bands & choirs. Tel 01833 690 606.
SELF STORAGE from £10.00 per week FREE MOVE-IN VAN Brewery Lane, Felling, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear NE10 0EY email: info@thestorageplace.co.uk Tel: 0191 438 1616 www.thestorageplace.co.uk
Primary Times Sunderland & Durham
11
The original, largest and still the best network of performing arts schools in the world. Nurturing and developing young peoples potential through dance and singing. For 4-18 year olds, after school, at weekends and holiday workshops.
Stagecoach Durham is now taking bookings for next term
Call 0191 417 5556 www.stagecoach.co.uk
Sat 22nd Dec 2pm CAROLS FOR CHILDREN Durham Cathedral An opportunity for children & their parents to come to the Cathedral to sing well known Christmas Carols. Traditional 30 minute carol service for families. Tel 0191 374 4066. Sat 12th Jan 2-4pm PLAYFUL PUPPETS Botanic Gardens, Hollingside Lane, DH1 3TN Make stick puppets of the wild residents that visit your Garden. Cost Adult £4.00, Child £1.50. Tel 0191 334 5521.
Activities are generally suitable for children aged 5-11 years & drop in between 1 & 3pm unless otherwise stated. Participation in all activities is included in the usual museum admission prices. Sat 1st & Sun 2nd Dec DREADFUL DINOSAURS New species of dinosaurs are discovered all the time. Go along & make your own complete fossilised dinosaur skeleton. Sat 8th & Sun 9th Dec SHIVER ME TIMBERS Find out about shipwreck archaeology & make a treasure chest.
SANTA CLAUS GROTTO GUIDE! Where to find Father Christmas before the big day.
SUNDERLAND Sat 1st Dec 11am - 1pm SANTA IN THE SIDINGS Monkwearmouth Museum Go along & meet a traditional Santa Claus in the sidings area of the museum. There will be Christmas crafts plus a free goodie bag from Santa! No booking required. Admission Free. Tel 0191 567 7075. Sat 1st & Sun 2nd Dec 11am-4pm SANTA’S VISIT Washington Old Hall NT Visit Santa before he fly’s back to the North Pole & prepares for Christmas! Children’s crafts & face painting. Booking essential £10. Tel 0191 4166879.
Santa’s Christmas Cracker Until Mon 24th Dec For a magical experience visit Santa in his Winter Wonderland & receive a bag of magic hay & lolly See the Christmas Fairy & Farm Elves Meet his real reindeer Write a letter to Santa, post it & see Mrs Claus for a reply Free ride on Santa’s Tractor & Trailer Elf School & Mrs Claus’s Bakery (weekends & 24th Dec) Meet the Meerkats Birds of Prey Plus all our usual activities Open daily 10am – 5pm (except 26th Nov & 3rd,10th & 17th Dec)
10% off admission with this advert
12
Primary Times Sunderland & Durham
Sat 1st & Sun 2nd Dec Sat 8th & Sun 9th Dec Sat 15th & Sun 16th Dec Wed 19th – Mon 24th Dec SANTA’S GROTTO Dalton Park, Seaham Visit jolly old Santa in his festive grotto beside the children’s play area at Dalton Park until Christmas Eve. Ticket prices: £4 for a visit & present; £6 for a visit, present & photo. For upto date information on everything happening at Dalton Park, visit www.dalton-park.co.uk. Sat 8th & Sun 9th Dec Sat 15th & Sun 16th Dec Thurs 20th – Mon 24th Dec 11am-4pm SANTA’S GROTTO
OLD FULLING MILL MUSEUM OF ARCHAEOLOGY The Banks, Durham, DH1 3EB. Tel: 0191 334 1823 archaeology.museum@durham.ac.uk
www.durham.ac.uk/fulling.mill Admission: adults £1, children (5-18) and Over 60s 50p, children under 5 FREE, family ticket (2 adults + 3 children) £2.50
Funshack, Seaham Grange Ind. Estate, SR7 0PU Visit Santa for Free in his Grotto with every paid admission. Tel 0191 5214853.
DURHAM Sat 1st & Sun 2nd Dec Sat 8th & Sun 9th Dec Sat 15th & Sun 16th Dec Sat 22nd & Sun 23rdDec 10.30am – 3.30pm SANTA’S GROTTO & CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE Gibside NT, Burnopfield. A festive adventure in search of Santa Claus in his magical woodland grotto. Warm up by the fire with a present as a reward for being so good. Cost £6.00 per child. Tel 01207 541820. Wed 5th, 12th & 19th Dec 10.30am – 3.30pm SANTA’S TODDLER TREATS Gibside NT, Burnopfield. Special visit to Santa just for little ones. Cost £6.00 per child. Tel 01207 541820. Sat 8th & Sun 9th Dec Sat 15th & Sun 16th Dec Sat 22nd – Mon 24th Dec SANTA’S WINTER WONDERLAND Adventure Valley, Brasside DH1 5SG. The highlight of the experience is time with the main man himself in his magical Grotto! The children will be amazed at how much Santa knows about them! PLUS all children get a toy from Santa, too! Children £10.95 Adults £6.95 Under 2s £3.95. Tel 0191 3868291.
Sat 15th & Sun 16th Dec CHRISTMAS IS COMING Get into the festive spirit by making traditional Victorian Christmas decorations & sampling Mrs Beeton's Christmas Negus recipe*. (*non-alcoholic mulled wine, suitable for children).
Sat 5th & Sun 6th Jan THE ROMANS ARE COMING Go along & make a Roman helmet & sword to do battle in. Sat 12th & Sun 13th Jan THE CELTS Who were the Celts? Find out about these mysterious people & make golden mirrors & jewellery Sat 19th & Sun 20th Jan HUNTERS vs FARMERS Find out about the Stone Age Sat 26th & Sun 27th Jan NATIONAL STORY TELLING WEEK To celebrate National Story Telling Week children can read some exciting ancient Greek legends & paint their own story-vase. Sat 2nd & Sun 3rd Feb BRILLIANT BONES Go along for an afternoon of bonethemed crafts, including making an x-ray to take home.
ORIENTAL MUSEUM Elvet Hill, Durham DH1 3TH Tel: 0191 334 5694 www.durham.ac.uk/oriental.museum These activities are suitable for children aged 5-11. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Events are drop in between 1 & 3 pm, unless otherwise stated. Participation in all activities is included in the admission price. Every Wednesday 10-11am LITTLE DRAGON CLUB A fun club for children aged 0-5 years. include songs, story time, crafts, role-play, gallery hunts & object handling. To cover materials, there is a charge of £1 per child per session, payable on the day. Tea, coffee & biscuits are provided free of charge for parents & carers at the end of each session. the last session before Christmas will be Wednesday 12th December (weather permitting).
BEAMISH MUSEUM Beamish Museum, Beamish, DH9 0RG Tel: 0191 370 4000. www.beamish.org.uk
Every weekend until Sun 30th Dec 10am-4pm CHRISTMAS AT BEAMISH Halls be-decked with boughs of holly! Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds & smells of Christmas in days gone by, a whole festive season for everyone. It’s how every Christmas ought to be... Wrap up warmly and experience all the trimmings of a Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian Christmas at Beamish Museum. Fri 7th, 14th & 21st Dec 4-9pm CHRISTMAS EVENINGS Beamish will open its doors for three extra special evenings in the Edwardian Town & Pit Village and the chance to experience Georgian twelfth night celebrations at Pockerley Old Hall. Indulge yourself with roasted chestnuts, mulled wine & entertainment from the times. Take a turn on the Ice Rink & visit Father Christmas in his magical fireside grotto. Admission to Christmas Evenings at Beamish is by pre-paid ticket only. Tickets cost £12 per person (Children under 2 years old are free).
GIBSIDE NATIONAL TRUST Burnopfield, NE16 6BG Tel: 01207 541820. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/gibside Wed 26th Dec 10am-4pm BOXING DAY BREATHER Escape the sales & walk off the turkey with a gentle stroll around our winter wonderland followed by a hot drink in the Potting Shed Café. Free event but normal admission charges apply. Tel 01207 541820. Mon 31st Dec – Fri 4th Jan 11am-3pm WINTER ADVENTURE WEEK An antidote to weeks of Santa wrap up snuggly & burn off the kids' energy with natural outdoor adventures like den building. Warm up indoors at the Mini Gibside Play Hall or in the Potting Shed Cafe. Free event but normal admission charges apply. Tel 01207 541820.
Every weekend until 24th February 2013. ICE SKATING@BEAMISH Put on some skates & take a spin on a real ice rink in The Pit Village.*Small extra charge applies.
COMPETITION WINNERS CHRISTMAS AT BEAMISH COMPETITION Ava Twilley from Hetton Lyons Primary School. CUSTOMS HOUSE PANTO COMPETITION Alex Donaldson from Fulwell Junior School.
Primary Times Sunderland & Durham
13
Competition
Santa Claus will be stopping off at Adventure Valley in his Winter Palace for the entire holiday season, and invites all youngsters and their families to come and enjoy all the festive fun! Whether its Christmas crafts, petting the white Christmas rabbits, storytelling with Mrs Claus or getting up close and personal with Frosty the real-life reindeer, Adventure Valley has it all! Not to mention an exclusive sitting with Santa himself! Primary Times Sunderland and Durham have teamed up with Adventure Valley to give you the chance to Win a Free Entry Pass for a Family of Four (valid until the end of March 2013) by simply answering the following question:
Q. What is the name of Adventure Valley's real-life reindeer?
The big family film for Christmas this year is Parental Guidance which is released on Boxing Day. This is a comedy starring Billy Crystal and Bette Midler who play grandparents tasked with looking after their three grandchildren but they have very different parenting methods to that of their daughter and chaos very quickly ensues in their household. Primary Times Sunderland & Durham has teamed up with Twentieth Century Fox to offer readers the chance to Win 1 of 3 packs of merchandise from the film – consisting of a t-shirt, backpack, notebook & colouring in pencils.– by simply answering the following question:
Q. How many grandchildren do Billy Crystal & Bette Midler look after in the film? Answer:
Answer: Send your answer along with your name, address, telephone number & school details to Adventure Valley Competition, Primary Times, 1 Denehead Cottages, Hexham Road, Walbottle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 9RX or by e-mail to john@primarytimesne.co.uk. Entries must be received by Friday 14th December 2012. The winner will be notified thereafter. The judges decision is final & there is no cash alternative!
Send your answer along with your name, address, telephone number & school details to Film Competition, Primary Times, 1 Denehead Cottages, Hexham Road, Walbottle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 9RX or by e-mail to john@primarytimesne.co.uk. Entries must be received by Friday 14th December 2012. The winners will be notified thereafter. The judges decision is final & there is no cash alternative.
COMPETITION PAGE
Win a Family Ticket to see
ALADDIN at The Theatre Royal, Newcastle. The pantomime this year at The Theatre Royal is Aladdin which runs from Tuesday 27thNovember until Saturday 19th January 2013. Based in the far off city of Newcastle, just north of Peking, the show is an abundance of laughs, spectacular sets & stunning costumes! Tickets start from only £11.00 and are available from The Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21. Primary Times have teamed up with The Theatre Royal to give you the chance to Win a Family Ticket (2 adults & 2 children) to see Aladdin this Christmas by simply answering the following question:
Question: What is the capital of China? Answer: Send your answer along with your name, address, telephone number & school details to Theatre Royal Competition, Primary Times, 1 Denehead Cottages, Hexham Road, Walbottle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 9RX or by e-mail to john@primarytimesne.co.uk. Entries must be received by Friday 14th December 2012. The winner will be notified thereafter. The judges decision is final & there is no cash alternative!
14
Primary Times Sunderland & Durham
ICE AGE 4: CONTINENTAL DRIFT sails into stores this Christmas available in Triple Play, Blu-ray 3D & DVD on Monday 10th December 2012 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Watch in your own home Manny, Diego, & Sid be challenged like never before to become heroes & do the impossible, as they encounter exotic sea creatures, explore a brave new world, & battle ruthless pirates. Scrat’s reunion with his beloved but cursed acorn catapults him to places no prehistoric squirrel has gone before. Primary Times Sunderland & Durham has teamed up with Twentieth Century Fox to offer readers the chance to Win 1 of 2 DvDs of the film, by simply answering the following
Q. Who is reunited with his beloved Acorn? Answer: Send your answer along with your name, address, telephone number & school details to Ice Age DvD Competition, Primary Times, 1 Denehead Cottages, Hexham Road, Walbottle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 9RX or by e-mail to john@primarytimesne.co.uk. Entries must be received by Friday 14th December 2012. The winners will be notified thereafter. The judges decision is final & there is no cash alternative.
Theatre What’s On Guide Family & Children’s Shows
Sunderland Empire Box Office 0844 8713022
Until Sun 6th Jan 2013 PETER PAN Fly away on a magical journey to Neverland with Peter, Wendy, Captain Hook & Lost Boys! The Sunderland Empire’s Christmas panto stars Tom Lister (Emmerdale s Carl King) as the dastardly Captain Hook & children’s TV favourite Katy Ashworth (CBeebies I Can Cook) as Peter Pan, plus spectacular costumes & sets, stunning effects, hilarious jokes, song & dance & lots of audience participation, Tickets from £10.00. Tues 5th – Sat 9th Feb GOODNIGHT MISTER TOM Set during the dark & dangerous build up to the Second World War, Goodnight Mister Tom follows sad William Beech, who is evacuated to the idyllic English countryside & builds a remarkable & moving friendship with the elderly recluse Tom Oakley. All seems perfect until William is devastatingly summoned by his mother back to London. Tickets from £10.00
Gala Theatre Durham Box Office 0191 332 4041
Until Sat 5th Jan 2013 SLEEPING BEAUTY Created in the heart of Durham, Gala’s glittering family pantomime is a hilarious ride through the traditional fairytale story. When fun-loving King Tickle (David Redgrave) forgets to invite a Very Important Wizard to his daughter’s christening, he unleashes a curse which even Fairy Melusine (Samantha Morris) can’t undo. To keep her safe, the young Princess Aurora (Christina Cuttell) is sent away to be brought up as an ordinary commoner by very common but loveable Dame Miriam (Steve Fortune). But the evil Wizard Scorchard (Neil Armstrong) is
determined to use all his magic to find her, despite the best attempts of Dame Miriam & her daft son SillyBilly (Paul Hartley). She is found by the handsome Prince Roger (Ian Curran), who is the only one who can save them all, as he battles the forces of evil to undo the magic snoozing spell. And did someone say d-d-ddragon! Tickets from £6.50
Empire Theatre Consett Box Office Tel: 01207 218 171
Until Mon 31st Dec CINDERELLA Hot on the heels of the hugely successful Dick Whittington, join Leah Bell & cast for a spectacular rendition of the most magical pantomime...Cinderella! Starring Leah Bell, Bionik Funk, & Peter Donegan. This is a fast moving production full of fun, energy & audience participation with a modern feel to the music & script, beautiful costumes & fabulous sets complete with a fairytale ending. Tickets from £11.00.
LAMPLIGHT ARTS CENTRE STANLEY Box Office Tel: 01207 218 899
Tues 11th Dec 4.30pm THE VERY SNOWY CHRISTMAS Based on the best-selling book by Diana Hendry & Jane Chapman, The Very Snowy Christmas tells the story of Big Mouse & Little Mouse on the night before Christmas, in a musical puppet theatre treat for all the family. It’s Christmas Eve & Little Mouse & Big Mouse are at home putting up decorations. But as the snow starts to fall Little Mouse ventures outside... is he as brave as he thinks he is, or does his imagination start to take over again? This is the perfect Christmas treat for children aged 3-7.Tickets £5.00.
Primary Times Sunderland & Durham
15