Future FM Radio Review’s Thorpe is a Judge of Emerging Talent at Glastonbury, so he knows a new star when he hears one. Even when she is only 13 and been singing for just a few months!

Even more astounding is her choice of song and what she has achieved with it. To take on Swedish House Mafia and convert it to a doleful, bittersweet, hauntingly intense melody, as Thorpe concedes, is to twist it inside out in a manner usually only accomplished by established artists. It is the sort of thing you expect to hear on BBC 1′s Live Lounge.

But this is precisely what Anassa Oneill has done with ‘Don’t You Worry Child‘. Where the Swedish House Mafia had created an arm-raising and meaty sing-along chorus, Anassa converts the song into something much more raw, aching and poignant. Comparisons might spring to mind with the wistful, elfin-like qualities of Gabrielle Aplin, Laura Marling or Ellie Goulding, but Anassa is very much her own person already. Even her look is intense and unique and very composed for such a young singer.

Anassa already has nearly 2,000 followers on Twitter (@anassaoneill) and that number is sure to expand exponentially as she gets more airplay. She has also recorded a cover of Nina Simone’s ‘Feeling Good’, which you can catch on YouTube.

Who needs The X Factor, when you already have the x factor?

Hannah Miley World Silver Medalist and European and Commonwealth Champion swimmer is helping support this campaign and highlight the importance of learning to swim.

Kellogg’s have been working with the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) for more many years, helping millions of children learn to swim with certificates of achievement at every stage. New research has revealed that one in three children are leaving primary school unable to swim 25 metres, which is the National Curriculum standard for swimming.

Learning to swim is an important part of improving your health and having fun in the pool, especially at a young age, it can also mean the difference between life and death. Swimming is the only sport that saves lives but the subject is being overlooked by too many schools, which is shocking when you consider the fact that drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death of children in England.

Know your child’s swimming ability. Are you confident your child would be safe in water, and be able to swim to safety if in danger? If you’re not sure, why not visit your local pool and check with the experts.

Many pools offer swimming lessons, so why not enrol your child now. Primary schools are required to ensure that your child has the opportunity to learn to swim by the age of 11 but parents should also supplement school swimming with lessons to ensure your child becomes competent and confident in the water. Think how cool it is when you go on holiday and your child can swim about for hours and completely enjoy themselves, with you knowing this increases their chances of having fun.

Why not enrol yourself and gain confidence too in the pool. One in seven parents are embarrassed to take their children swimming because they can’t swim themselves. If you feel the same, then get down to your nearest pool today and enquire.

This cause is close to my heart as my 5 year old son is learning to swim at the moment and I feel that all children should have this opportunity in schools, especially as their parents may not be able provide them with swimming lessons.

To see how you can get involved in the campaign visit www.swimming.org/learntoswin

Share your views here!

Ramadan is when Muslims fast (refrain from eating and drinking) during daylight hours. Muslims eat before dawn and then not drink and eat all day during daylight hours. The fast is broken at dusk. This year Muslims will fast for over 18 hours a day due to the days being so long in the UK during summer.

They must not only refrain from eating and drinking, but also from backbiting, gossiping and doing and looking at unlawful things. Fasting is a total commitment and a time to practice self-restraint to cleanse the body and soul and re-focus on worshiping god and oneself.

This month of Ramadan brings great peace to the soul and is an important time of year for all Muslims. It’s a time to remember the poor and the hungry, a time to refocus on Allah (God) and refrain from all that is bad for the body and soul.

There are 5 pillars in Islam – fasting being one of them. The five pillars are:

1. Shahadah – to know and believe without suspicion
2. Namaz – daily prayers
3. Zakat – charitable giving by Muslims based on accumulated wealth
4. Sawm – fasting
5. Hajj – pilgrimage to Mecca

For me this is a time when I miss chocolate, crisps, cakes and chips the most. Fasting has a great affect on the physical aspect of your life. As you are not eating for up to 18 hours a day, it can make you feel very weak and tired and all you want after a hard day is a delicious bar of chocolate. So let’s see how it goes.

I remember last year (2011), the first day of fasting was in August. The fast was over 18 hours during the day. By 4pm I couldn’t move and just lay on the sofa waiting for dusk so that I could eat and drink. My son kept asking if I was ok, I couldn’t even speak to reply to him. However I was up before dawn again ready to fast the following day. The next day was a little easier and soon I got into the swing of it and survived the rest of Ramadan. It takes dedication and willpower, I was really proud of myself that I had managed it.

Inshallah (God willing) I will fast again this year whole heartedly and feel the peace. Ramadan Mubaarak to all those who will be fasting during the holy month of Ramadan and to all those who should attempt this and feel the peace.

Do you have any tips to make Ramadan easier this year, especially as it is due to start on the 20th of  July – the day children around the country break up for summer holidays? Any tips to keep the kids entertained which doesn’t require much physical involvement from the parents would be great.

Hope to hear from you all soon!

I still find it difficult to buy a present for my husband and I am currently struggling on what to buy for him. My husband does always say that he doesn’t want a present but I still want to get him something, but it’s just so difficult. I always look at what each anniversary means for guidance, but Bronze or Pottery, that is hard.

Here is a list of anniversaries, use your imagination for gift ideas!

1st – Paper

2nd – Cotton

3rd – Leather

4th – Fruit or Flowers

5th – Wood

6th – Candy or Iron

7th – Wool or Copper

8th – Bronze or Pottery

9th – Pottery or Willow

10th– Tin or Aluminium

11th – Steel

12th – Silk or Linen

13th – Lace

14th – Ivory

15th – Crystal

20th – China

25th – Silver

30th – Pearls

35th – Coral

40th – Ruby

50th – Gold

55th – Emerald

60th – Diamond

I have put together important events for 2012 month by month. If I have missed any please let me know and I will add to them.

Hope you all find this useful.

January

Sunday 1^st – New Years Day

Monday 2^nd – New Years Day Bank Holiday

Monday 23^rd – Chinese New Year

Wednesday 25^th – Burns Night

Friday 27^th – Holocaust Memorial Day

February

Tuesday 14^th– Valentines Day

Tuesday 21^st – Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day

Wednesday 22^nd – Ash Wednesday

Wednesday 29^th – Leap Day

March

Thursday 1^st – St. David’s Day

Thursday 8^th – International Women’s Day

Monday 12^th – Commonwealth Day

Saturday 17^th – St. Patrick’s Day

Sunday 18^th – Mother’s Day (Also Grandmothers Day in France)

Tuesday 20^th – First Day of Spring

Friday 23^rd to Sunday 25^th – Sports Relief

Sunday 25^th – Day Light Saving Time Begins, clock go forward 1 hour

April

Sunday 1^st – April Fools Day and Palm Sunday

Friday 6^th – Good Friday (Bank Holiday)

Saturday 7^th – Passover

Sunday 8^th – Easter Sunday

Monday 9^th – Easter Monday (Bank Holiday)

Sunday 22^nd – London Marathon

Monday 23rd – St Georges Day

Wednesday 25^th – Professionals Day (Formerly Secretaries Day)

May

Monday 7^th – May Day Bank Holiday

Sunday 13^th – International Mothers Day

Friday 18^th – Olympics Torch relay

June

Saturday 2^nd to Tuesday 5^th – Queens Diamond Jubilee

Monday 4^th – Spring Bank Holiday

Saturday 16^th –Queens Birthday

Sunday 17^th – Father’s Day

Monday 25^th to Sunday 8^th July – Wimbledon

July

Monday 20^th – Ramadan (when Muslims fast)

Monday 27^th – Olympics Start

August

Sunday 12^th – Olympics Close

Sunday 19^th – Eid-ul-Fitr

Friday 31^st to 4^th November – Blackpool Illuminations

Thursday 23^rd – Chinese Valentine’s Day

Monday 27^th – Summer Bank Holiday

September

Sunday 16^th to Tuesday 18^th – Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year

Tuesday 25^th to Wednesday 16^th Yom Kippur (Jewish)

October

Sunday 7^th – Grandparents Day (UK)

Friday 26^th – Eid-ul-Adha

Sunday 28^th – British Summer Time Ends, clocks go back 1 hour

Wednesday 31^st – Halloween

November

Thursday 1^st – All Saints Day

Monday 5^th – Bonfire Night

Sunday 11^th – Remembrance Day

Tuesday 13^th – Diwali

Thursday 22^nd – Thanksgiving (USA)

Friday 23^rd – Black Friday

Monday 26^th – Cyber Monday

December

Sunday 9^th – Hanukka Begins

Tuesday 25^th – Christmas Day (Bank Holiday)

Wednesday 26^th – Boxing Day (Bank Holiday)

Monday 31^st – New Years Eve

My son keeps singing this classic Christmas carol we all sang at school, so here goes:

We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Ali was very excited about Elmer’s stay and took him everywhere he went. Elmer helped him tidy his room which took half the time it normally takes and never left his side. When Ali woke in the night and he couldn’t see Elmer he was really worried and came looking for him in our room. Once he had him back in bed he was relieved. He felt he had a sense of responsibility towards him and to make sure he was thoroughly cared for.

Elmer spent all weekend doing everything with us. Elmer watched Ali during his swimming lesson, went Christmas shopping with us, went for a walk and slept with Ali too. Elmer told him lots of secrets and had opinions about everything and got involved in all conversations – he became one of the family.

We had to draw a picture and write about what adventures Elmer had got up to over the weekend. I bet Elmer must have been tired after his stay, I sure was.

Last year we had ‘Take Home Ted’ come and stay with us from nursery, who also enjoyed his stay with us. See the below picture of Take Home Ted playing in the snow.

We never had anything like this in our day at school, we only had homework to take home at the end of the week!

• Take some monkey nuts and shell them. You should have about 2 handfuls.
• If they are raw or taste quite raw then just put them in a frying pan and toast them a little bit. They will release a bit of oil, so dry them with some kitchen paper.
• Grease a baking tray with butter.
• Put some brown sugar in a non-stick frying pan and let it melt.
• Start stirring once you can see the sugar starting to melt at the sides, keep stirring until it’s all melted.
• Let it heat for another minute and add the peanuts. Spread on the baking tray and let it cool down.
• Once cool slightly bend the baking tray and the peanut butter will break.
• Remove and enjoy!

Top Tip: For extra taste, add a little bit of salt to the sugar whilst melting.

Do you have any simple recipes you would like share with us that remind you of your childhood?

Watching the snow falling is exciting for children and adults alike. Children could sit and watch it for hours and then will long to go and play outside. When we were kids, we would have snow ball fights and roll balls of snow until they were so large we could hardly move them to make snow men. We would look for hats and scarves and buttons. I remember we once took a carrot from a neighbour’s house to use as the snowman’s nose, the old lady ran after us shouting for it back, but we had no choice, we needed it!

Nowadays, seeing the snow fall sends other thoughts through our minds, have we got enough food in the house, how will we get the kids to school, will I get to work on time?  Knowing we have to drive in the snow can be quite worrying. Allow yourself plenty of time, warm up your car and make sure all screens and windows are clear before you set off. Take it nice and slow.

Try to enjoy the snow and wrap up warm. Take pictures of the kids in the snow for them to look back on and they will have fond memories of the snow too, like you and me.

Do you have any wintry memories?