Mums in the Know

Get Your Wellies On!

2012-05-01T10:12:00.004+01:00

This Sunday, we are inviting all our Mums in the Know families on a "Welly Walk" with Incredible Edible Wilmslow. What perfect timing, with all this rain we have been getting recently.. Plus, its a great way for children to emulate Peppa Pig with some proper puddle jumping!

The walk is a circular, hour long route, with a quiz to complete on the way round. At the end of the walk families can choose to donate a seedling to be planted in the town centre community plots, where the
children can watch their crops grow and show their friends.

Event organiser, Cath I’Anson said, ‘the children had great fun at last year’s walk, it’s a really nice way for them to be involved with the growing that’s going on in town.’

This year’s walk begins at Ned Yates at 11am on Sunday 6th May, they are happy for us to leave vehicles on their overflow car park for the duration of the walk. Also, if you fancy grabbing some food & drink in the Ned Yates cafe, before or after the walk- simply mention Mums in the Know for a 10% discount!

From 2pm volunteers will meet at the community plots to plant out the seedlings from the walk with the children. Incredible Edible are keen to encourage more volunteers to help around town and really get Wilmslow centre looking great whilst sharing the skills on feeding ourselves with local seasonal food. To join them as a volunteer, go to Wilmslow library 2pm, the first Sunday of every month.

Visit www.incredible-edible-wilmslow.co.uk for more information

The Future of Wilmslow in Your Hands

2012-04-27T13:06:00.001+01:00

As a Wilmslow resident, you would have to be living under a rock recently to not have heard about the Wilmslow Vision document outlining plans for future development of the area. And it will come as no surprise that it is sparking a lot of controversy given that the plans could mean up to 1,500 new homes being built on our greenbelt land. Here at Mums in the Know, we have strong concerns about the pressure such developments would put on local infrastructure in particular the already over subscribed schools in the area and impact of increased traffic and pollution on our growing families.
The fact that the plans will turn several safe, quiet 'family friendly' cul de sacs into busy through roads is another key issue. The loss of our lovely pockets of countryside- havens for whiling away the afternoon with our toddlers, and zones of exploration and beauty for us all- is something which we should all stand up and fight against.

There have been complaints that not enough copies of the document have been printed and circulated, and as the consultation period has been extended we are helping to circulate the questionnaire via our social network presence (which is now the highest Wilmslow focused twitter& Facebook feed in the area.)

Please take the time to go through the links below and have your say on this important local issue:

Download a PDF of the document & take the survey here:
http://cheshireeast-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/planning/cs/town_strategies/wts?tab=info

There is also further information on the Wilmslow Town Council site here:
http://www.wilmslow-tc.org.uk/news.php?template=2&id=322

You can also keep track of the debate via social media by following @spaceplanning on Twitter

Mums in the Know & Pizza Express May Event

2012-04-25T19:31:00.001+01:00

We are happy to announce our next Wilmslow Pizza Express & Mums in the Know coffee morning will be on 3rd May from 1030-1130.

This month Milliemoo Parties will host a special Pirates & Princesses party. Each child will be made to feel like a real life Princess or Pirate as they are given the chance to explore the Milliemoo dressing up box and to make/decorate their own magical wand or sword, that can be taken home and kept forever! Each child will also receive a Milliemoo party bag and minimillie cupcake.

We have all the usual treats in store, including unlimited coffee for mums and juice for kids and any Mums who choose to stay for lunch will receive the usual 50% off food. All of this for just £5 per family!

To book your place, simply full in the form here. Places are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment!

Hello Cheshire, This Is Davina

2012-04-21T18:50:00.001+01:00

Local fans of presenter Davina McCall are in for a treat next week as the lady herself will be visiting Alderley Edge & Wilmslow. On 23rd April between 1730-1930 she will opening the private viewing of the Iola Spefford exhibition at Bebb Fine Art in Alderley Edge. Iola, of Wilmslow, was born in 1930 and was a student at the famous Slade School of Art from 1950 – 54. Her painting has led her to a string of accolades- she has been a member of the Royal Cambrian Academy since 1983, she is also a member of the Manchester Academy of Fine Art. Manchester City Art Gallery and Salford Art Gallery hold examples of her work. She has exhibited at the Royal Academy in London, and has had eight solo exhibitions at the Tib Lane Gallery in Manchester.
Bebb Fine Art's Lucy and Roger excited about bringing Iola’s work back into the public eye, and were amazed by the stroke of good fortune when Davina McCall kindly agreed to open Iola’s exhibition on 23 April.

“This is such a special opportunity for Iola; her work is known affectionately and respectfully by many older people in the area, but her pictures are timeless. Davina’s support will bring Iola’s work to a younger audience too.” says Lucy.

Places at Iola’s Private View with Davina on April 23rd are now full but to join the mailing list for future events, please provide your contact details to Lucy, lucy.sekers@bebbfineart.co.uk, or call in at the gallery.

And it isn't just local art lovers who will get to see Davina, as the following day (24th April) she has kindly agreed to be guest of honour at the official opening of the refurbished Lindow Community Primary School of Upcast Lane, Wilmslow. She will be touring the new facilities before unveiling a plaque, sealing a time capsule and delivering a speech to the young students.

We love the support Davina is showing to both local business and local education, and hope to bump into the lady herself in the area next week!

A Stress Free Family Holiday to France

2012-04-19T20:48:00.000+01:00

When you think of a typically French stone farmhouse - this is it! La Domaine de Gigan has been set up specifically with families in mind. The owner's know what it is like travelling with small children and aim to make your holiday experience the best ever.

The fabulous house is set in 6.5 acres of parkland and landscaped gardens. It is approached through electric gates ensuring this is not only a beautiful , but a private enclave. The grounds also include a second
smaller letting property (The Bread Oven) and two rustic barns. This allows up to 3 families to stay together across the properties if you so wish- a great opportunity to holiday with friends.

And its not just the setting that gives these holiday properties the wow factor. The owners have also worked hard to ensure those with young children can travel light and enjoy arriving to find everything ready for you and your little ones. The stair gate will be in place, cots prepared, beds with side guards, high chairs, bumbo ready to pop your little one in, baby alarms, sterilizers and even a baby den – whatever you need it will be waiting.

Furthermore, if you hate the thought of having to stop at the supermarket on the way to your holiday home, they can shop before your arrival! Just email your list and they will have everything waiting for you. And if the thought of having to cook as soon as you arrive weighs on your mind – just let them know and they can organise home cooked meals to be freshly prepared when you get there.

With cupboards full of toys, a great climbing frame, playhouse, badminton, table tennis, bikes for all and, of course, the fabulous 6 x 12 m heated salt water pool, La Domaine de Gigan really does offer you everything to send you home relaxed and happy!

The farmhouse is in the South West in the Lot & Garonne (which is just south of the Dordogne), 40 mins drive from Bergerac airport. In a pretty country location but with great access to loads of holiday activities such as canoeing/boating (15 mins), river beach (15 mins), lake beach with pedalos, cafe, etc (25 mins), kiddies adventure parks, french equivalent to 'go ape' suitable for ages from toddler to brave adult ( 40 mins), great bastide villages with daily markets for a real taste of French life, wine tasting throughout the Bergerac and Bordeaux region, local petting farm (just 15 mins drive), loads of walking and cycling on the doorstep, great castles within easy reach, amazing 'night markets' in July & August and, of course, lots of good restaurants - the list goes on and on!!....

The local village is 4km distance and has a bread shop, general store, good butcher, local hotel with restaurant and a great English owned 9 hole golf course.

The best flights from the North West are Ryanair - Saturday flight from Liverpool to Bergerac (v small airport, so particularly easy to get through with small children). You can book a car and pick it up at Bergerac.

Quite a few people seem to drive down - to give you an idea - if you take the tunnel from Folkestone to Calais the drive down to us is about 9 - 10 hours (people tend to split it and stay half way, to make more of the hol)

‘’We have had an amazing time at Gigan this week. The property is outstanding with every need catered for. Our first ‘abroad’ holiday with our two year old and 10 month old has been a thorough success. A fantastic week spent drinking good wine with great friends. We hope to return soon. Thank you!’’ The Lamport Family 2011

Take a look at their sites below for loads more photos and to check out free dates…..
http://www.frenchholidayhomes.com/show.asp?p=3920

http://www.frenchholidayhomes.com/show.asp?p=2637

http://www.frenchholidayhomes.com/show.asp?p=4127

or just give Prue Murray a call on 01270 665885 or 07770 811757 email pruemurray@yahoo.co.uk
pruemurray@yahoo.co.uk

Late Availability; (30% off!)

The Farmhouse 16 - 30th June £1,100 per week

The Farmhouse 30th June - 14th July £1,395 per week

The Bread Oven 7th - 14th July £720

Both Houses 7th - 14th July £2,095

La Domaine de Gigan appears in Guide and Website.

Packing Your Suitcase Just Got Easy!

2012-04-17T18:10:00.002+01:00

We've all been there- having to make tough decisions about whether to pack more nappies or less wedges in our summer holiday luggage. 'Let's go crazy and just buy nappies in the resort!' doesn't seem such a great decision when you're handing over £18 a pack in the Supermercardo. And what about the inevitable panic about just which liquids are OK to go in your handluggage, and trying to get your tot to down 8oz of milk, before it's taken off you at passport control. Or, our personal favourite of chucking away perfectly good tennis racquets to get bags under the weight limit in a dash to catch our plane.

What about if we told you these issues could be a thing of the past? Have you heard of Travel Tots?
They are a new travel service, which make travelling and holidaying with a baby easier. Parents can simply log onto www.traveltotsuk.com and pre order everything their baby will need whilst away from nappies to formula, sun cream to shampoo, pureed fruit to armbands. Travel Tots UK then pack and deliver so it’s waiting on arrival at the holiday destination.

With no luggage allowance for children under two (which seems a nonsense given the sheer volume of 'stuff' which somes with a mini person), and average baggage allowances 2kg less than the weight of a full suitcase, it’s easy to get hit with excess baggage costs when travelling with children. Add into that the hassle of suitcases full of weaning pouches going missing, cartons of baby milk leaking over luggage or an essential item forgotten, and a relaxing family holiday suddenly becomes quite stressful.

Travel Tots UK delivers to private holiday homes, hotels & apartments, yachts and rented villas across the world, from the Canary Islands to Costa Rica, Nepal to New Zealand. All packages are sent safely wrapped and are tracked at every stage of their journey.

The company offers a wide range of trusted brands including; Pampers, Huggies Aptamil, Cow& Gate, Hipp Organic, Heinz, Ella’s Kitchen and SMA – perfect for sensitive stomachs or children with allergies, and anything else that is a necessity for any child or parent that rely on tried and tested products often unavailable in foreign supermarkets, Travel Tots will happily add items to the website that families require or need to make travelling with children easier.

Travel Tots UK is the brainchild of a former private maternity nurse, Kimberley Berry who offers that personal touch. She says, “The health and happiness of a baby whilst away can make or break a family holiday. With the stress of trying to get everyone ready to leave, it’s easy to over pack or forget the baby milk. This service aims to provide parents with the guarantee that their baby’s key needs have been met before they even leave the house.”

We have in fact used the service ourselves and it was a complete god send, made even greater by the ironic fact that the bag we had packed ourselves containing remaining baby stuff decided to arrive in Dubai 2 days after we did. At least we had food & nappies from Travel Tots, so baby could make do with gift shop t-shirt for a while.

If you are going abroad and don't want to start the holiday off with stressful scenarios, we have a £50 Travel Tots UK voucher to give away.. all you have to do to enter is click here
(competition ts&cs)
and you can also receive a 10% discount on any bookings you make here
To find out more or to place an order, please log onto www.traveltotsuk.com

Wilmslow Mum Spotlight- Deanna Thomas

2012-04-16T19:37:00.005+01:00

www.markwilliamsonphotography.com

Wilmslow is a thriving family community and every day on every street you can see Mums pounding the pavement with their young charges. Often viewed as 'just mums' many of the local mum community have at one stage held high powered positions in a variety of organisations and fields. Many have also gone on to be highly succesful 'Mumtrepeneurs.'

We want to highlight and celebrate the hard work and high skills of our local Mum community, so welcome to our second Wilmslow Mum Spotlight!

Deanna Thomas
I had tried a few different things before having children – my degree is in copywriting and there was even an attempt to become a singer in the music industry.

This was unfulfilling though and eventually I realised that if I could do anything (which in theory I could) it would be to turn my obsession with food into a career and become a professional chef.

I enrolled at South Trafford College before working for local celebrity chef Andrew Nutter. I then set up my own catering service providing anything from wedding catering to home-cooked curries and fancy birthday cakes.

I needed premises and always wanted to run a deli, so in 2003 I opened North Star Delicatessen, Chorlton. Now I could cook every day, and source some really interesting food products. My boyfriend was the architect who had designed such a beautiful space for me to live my dream, I married him (it would have been rude not to.)

In 2006 our daughter was born and our son followed 22 months later. I then realised that my career choice - working evenings, weekends and public holidays, was maybe not such a good idea. The reason there aren’t many top female chefs isn’t because they’re less talented than men, but because of the huge sacrifices they have to make regarding a work/life balance.

My children obviously came first so I no longer run the deli but still have a lot to do with the marketing and also run a monthly supper club, as well as any larger scale catering events.
Spending years at home cooking nothing more taxing than fish fingers stealthily dented my confidence and I began to worry that I wasn’t being challenged creatively enough. Many people still regarded me as an expert and often asked my opinion on where to eat and what I thought of the latest restaurant.
My sanity was unexpectedly saved by Twitter (@DeannaThomas) and writing my own food blog www.foodographic.co.uk. I started ‘following’ food writers, restaurants, magazines and chefs, before seeing who they were following. Conversations developed regarding shared interests, and soon a network of likeminded online friends emerged.

The next stage was to convert ‘virtual’ contacts into real ones and many of those Twitter food friends are now real friends. How long it would have taken me to build up this network without Twitter? Could I call a publisher and say ‘My name is Deanna, I know a lot about food and I’m quite funny’? Through Twitter and my blog they could now make up their own minds.

All the seemingly random things I had done before having children have now resulted in a rewarding career. My ability to write and an obsession with the food scene have now created wonderful job opportunities.

I still cook for people when asked but mainly work as a freelance social media manager and copywriter specialising in food and drink. Thanks to my I-pad I can have several Twitter conversations at once from multiple accounts and generate copy whilst the children don’t even know mummy is working.

I work for Visit Manchester helping to promote local producers (@GreaterMcrEats) http://www.visitmanchester.com/#/discover/food--drink.aspx.
I am also Cheshire Area coordinator for ‘Foodlink North West’, a lottery funded initiative linking local Cheshire producers with restaurants, events and consumers by offering social media support on Twitter @FoodlinkChesh and through Facebook (Foodlink Northwest).

I’m looking for the best of the region to feature in articles for my website http://www.foodlinkcheshire.org.uk/ so if you know any wonderful Cheshire producers, farmers markets or restaurants that use locally sourced ingredients, I’d love to hear about them deanna.thomas@foodlinkcheshire.org.uk

To read other Wilmslow Mum Spotlight's click here

Mums In The Know Take A Natural Retreat

2012-04-11T19:38:00.000+01:00

The lovely Natural Retreats, who specialise in 'idyllic short breaks and family holidays in locations of stunning natural beauty' have recently relocated their head office to Wilmslow, and have very kindly offered Mums in the Know readers a completely FREE holiday to one of their UK destinations!

We decided to go and check out the Yorkshire Natural Retreat, so we could let you know what you can expect if you are the lucky winner.. read on and don't forget to ENTER at the bottom of the page..

We arrived at Natural Retreats on the outskirts of Richmond, on a sunny, blustery afternoon in March. As we dropped down off the beaten path into the dell which houses the Natural Retreat properties, the whole family honestly gasped at the sheer beauty of the setting and the lodges. The properties are all made from natural materials and are basically like mini versions of eco houses you might have seen on Grand Designs. Their positioning is such that they blend in with the environment and they are dotted around the site in such a way that every one seems completely private.

For children it is a dream come true- on stepping out of the lodge there is grassland, a shallow frog filled pond, hillocks, rocks, rabbit holes and a rich variety of local wildlife including very cute and inquisitive brown hares who enjoyed hopping around next to our decking! That is just the outside.

The inside of the lodges manage to strike an incredibly difficult balance- combining being 'family friendly' whilst maintaining an air of luxury. The layout is spacious with a centre piece log burner in the main living area. There is clear attention to detail on fixtures and fittings and all lodges have a state of the art entertainment system & wifi access. They also offer a DVD lending library for those rainy days. A drawer full of kids plates, cups, bowls and cutlery is provided making family dining a hassle free experience- plus the cot and high chair provided on arrival meant more room in the boot of our car for bikes and scooters. Furthermore there is a utility room with a microwave for heating milk and washing machine for this inevitable little accidents, again ensuring less stress!

Natural Retreats have clearly made a concerted effort to make your stay as enjoyable as possible. Even the welcome hamper on arrival was a visual delight- covering all the basics, but also with some naughty treats such as wine and local organic biscuits.

In all honesty, we actually found it difficult to move from our 'retreat' once arrived as it was a real home away from home (with a lot of conveniences we actually don't have at home!) The kids just ran and ran in the safe, natural environment and the parents could relax on the decking with a glass of wine, soaking up the views. Should we have wished to get more energetic there were a variety of activities available including several picturesque walking trails running straight from our doorstep, horse riding and so on.

When we did manage to prise ourselves away from our creature comforts we sampled some of the great attractions of the local area- taking a stroll around the historic Richmond marketplace, seeing Richmond Falls and climbing the Keep of the Castle- which was an inspiring visit for our curious youngsters! We also enjoyed a lovely afternoon lunch in a French bistro.. Venturing further afield we headed to Bedale for a fun morning at Big Sheep Little Cow Farm where an indoor play, outdoor carting zone and fab farm tour kept everyone entertained.

It sounds cliched but we honestly did not want to leave. We returned feeling rested, relaxed and knowing that we had sampled a rather special experience.

Natural Retreat holidays are a great option for a UK family holiday which gives you that little extra something. We are very excited that Mums in the Know readers now have the chance to see for themselves.. You can choose to go to any of the retreats in the following areas: Yorkshire Dales, Llyn Peninsula, West Highlands, John O'Groats, Trewhiddle and Fistral Beach. The holiday is for up to 6 people and can be taken any time between now and 15th December, subject to availability. To enter click here (For Terms & Conditions click here)

For further information on Natural Retreats holidays click here

The Importance Of Being Me!

2012-04-11T19:17:00.000+01:00

Montessori is an educational approach developed by Italian physician and educator, Maria Montessori all the way back in the 1890s. It is practiced in an estimated 20,000 schools worldwide, serving children ranging from birth to eighteen years old. A Montessori education is characterised by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits and respect for a child's natural psychological development. As a result it is a choice made by many parents for their children, in the spirit of nurturing their childs sense of self.

It makes sense. Your child is an individual so has his own likes and dislikes and interests, also they have their own unique personality as well as learning style. In a Montessori environment all of these factors are taken into account and children are developed on a one to one basis.
There is also an understanding of the importance of giving your child time, time to explore the classroom, choose their own activity, repeat it as many times as they chose, return it to the correct place on the shelf before choosing something else.

In Montessori environments children have the opportunity to work by themselves or in groups, pre-school children are developing the social skills required to ‘share’, so allowing them the space to work by themselves on chosen activities which interest them is extremely important.
Children are introduced to new activities only when they are ready and on a one to one basis. This ensures the activity is exactly right for your child’s current level of development and is something they are going to be interested in. Allowing children to develop and learn at their own pace ensures their learning is at the deepest level possible.

Here in Wilmslow, we are lucky to have our very own Montessori nursery- Chapel Grange. Their ethos is as follows:

'At Chapel Grange we believe our role is to assist and support the development of each individual child in our care. We pride ourselves in ‘respecting the children the way in which we wish to be respected ourselves. As Montessori practitioners we are aware of the importance of the rights and feelings of all our children, this consideration is an instrumental part of our role.
Children have the right to the freedom of speech and choice, just as we do. Our carefully structured environment provides these opportunities, allowing children to follow their innate desires and develop into wholesome little people!
An environment such as this develops confidence in children, it broadens their self belief and trust in others. Children need to know they are just as important as we are…, don’t you agree?'

If you're keen to explore the Montessori approach for your little one, Chapel Grange have limited spaces left for 2011 and are now taking registrations for September 2012, please contact Victoria on 01625 532 083 or at wilmslow@chapelgrange.co.uk

Wilmslow Is Cleaning Up!

2012-04-10T08:30:00.001+01:00

Here in Wilmslow, there are many exciting new businesses launching, and we're used to hearing about fashion brands, restaurants and beauty salons on a regular basis. However, when we heard about a new nationally available product, being run from our neighbourhood we were even more interested than usual. It's a cleaning product.. however, this is no ordinary cleaning product. eco2life is characterised as a '21st century product with a 21st century eco conscience and a brilliantly simple refill system' So what makes it so special and what's it all about?

The eco2life range is made up of 4 cleaning products- a multi surface cleaner/ floor cleaner/glass cleaner & bathroom cleaner. They have been endorsed by such brands as Good Housekeeping and the Vegetarian Society. Whilst many products might pay lip service to being 'eco friendly' this product genuinely is:

1) They leave out one of the world's most precious resources…water. Many 'green' cleaning products are mostly water- which is heavy, bulky & hence requires more packaging & higher transport/distribution demands. Instead, they use 'Small Wonders'- little bottles of cleaning solution which you dilute at home with ordinary tap water to create a full spray bottle of product! Clever!

2) The spray bottle is plastic & can be re-used many times & the trigger can take 10,000 sprays

3) They take a less is more approach to packaging, and where card or paper is used they ensure it is fully FsC and PEFC accredited and widely recyclable.

And feeling like you've done your bit for the planet isn't the only consideration for purchasing the range. As parents we are ever conscious of the nasties hiding under the sink- some of those cleaning products are so full of chemicals that the idea of your child getting hold of them is horrifying. With eco2life these worries are no longer an issue as all of the products have no volatile organic compounds, no toxins, no phosphates, no silicate, no caustics, no petroleum solvents, chlorine or parabens and they have low or neutral ph levels.

Finally, we can safely say- as we've actually tried the product ourselves- not only does the product work as well as standard cleaning products on the market, but it actually cleans better and it smells divine!

Eco2life is stocked in Honeysuckle Health Foods on Hawthorn Lane in Wilmslow as well as via a selection of online retailers.

For more information about eco2life, check out the company website here

Ladies Charity Pamper Night

2012-03-31T08:55:00.000+01:00

Lisa from LJ's Natural Solutions is arranging a Ladies Pamper Night In Wilmslow to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

The event will take place at the Slug & Lettuce on Water Lane in Wilmlow, on Wednesday, 16th May from 7.30pm. It's a great location, and they are opening exclusively for the event

The ticket costs £15, with 100% going directly to the MNDA charity via Just Giving. For this you will get a glass of sparkling chilled Cava on arrival, a free 10 minute beauty treat (such as a mini manicure, mini make-over, mini massage, taster hypnotherapy
session etc..) and an amazing goody bag full of treats and offers from lots of really great (and generous)
local businesses. There will also be a chance to buy raffle tickets, and there are some fantastic raffle prizes to be had.

Boutique Babylon of Bank Square, Wilmslow (Ladies British Fashions at affordable prices) are the sponsors of the evening, and will be selling their fab range on the evening. There are also raffle prizes from Boutique Babylon too!

The Slug & Lettuce do great drink deals, house wine is only £10.95 a bottle on Wednesdays, and all cocktails are 2 for 1. There are 100 tickets for sale, and they will sell quite fast so please don't miss the opportunity to come!

Click this link to read more why Lisa is organising this event, donate £15 and then email Lisa at.lj.natural@gmail.com to give your postal address for the ticket. You can also buy tickets direct, so ring Lisa on 07990 598238. It's going to be a really great night for a very very good cause, so make sure you get your ticket ASAP!

Wilmslow Mum Spotlight - Natalie Johnson

2012-03-29T20:29:00.002+01:00

Wilmslow is a thriving family community and every day on every street you can see Mums pounding the pavement with their young charges. Sometimes smiling, sometimes frazzled, but all working their hardest to do their best in bringing up the children. What may be harder to notice is that whilst the wider population might see us all as 'just mums' many of the local mum community have at one stage held high powered positions in a variety of organisations and fields.

Some have given up work through choice, some by necessity and amongst them are many who are carving their own more flexible careers- using skills learnt in the workplace to create their own businesses which fit around their families. We want to highlight and celebrate the hard work and high skills of our local Mum
community, so welcome to the first of many Wilmslow Mum Spotlights!

Natalie Johnson- Physio & Pilates Guru!

I am an experienced Physiotherapist. Initially after qualifying I worked at Salford Royal Hospital (previously known as Hope Hospital). Currently I work at The Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle where I have been for 3 years as a Rehabilitation Physiotherapist and Pilates instructor.

Two years ago my marriage sadly broke down. As a single working mum I am constantly caught between the pressures of providing for my son financially as well as ensuring that I am spending plenty of quality time with him. Since the breakdown of my marriage this has caused me constant psychological conflict.

I want to be able to provide my son with a good quality of life including, a nice home, out of school activities, holidays etc.

Hence I have to work virtually full time. At the same time I also want to be able to spend quality of time with him picking up and dropping him off at school, helping him with his homework as well as attending school events and after school activities. I want to be there for him as he grows up and my son deserves that support. I don’t want to miss these precious moments or for him to feel I wasn’t there to cheer him on!

The psychological and physical stresses that this caused to both my son and me was the catalyst for me to start making changes in my working life to ensure I achieved both. In the New Year I decided to use my skills as an experienced Physiotherapist to start up my own private Physiotherapy and Pilates business.

Natalie offers Physiotherapy and Sports Massage services. She also does one to one Pilates sessions, and has a 6 week course starting on 18th April at 0930, Lindow Tennis Club, Wilmslow (just £45 instead of £55 for Mums in the Know readers.) She can be contacted on 07917 872251 or on email at n.d.johnson@hotmail.co.uk

Mummy Fever is coming to Alderley Edge!

2012-03-22T21:31:00.004+00:00

We are pleased to announce that Mummy Fever is coming to Alderley Edge on 23rd June, at The Festival Hall, and Mums in the Know is going to be there too! See below more information on Mummy Fever, and make sure you put the date in your diary!

Being a Mummy is a precious and wonderful thing. It can be pleasurable, exciting, entertaining, motivating, inspiring and enlightening. It can also be hard work, demanding and at times exhausting.

As mummies we often see adverts for baby fairs and expos - many of us will have attended them. Mummy Fever events are like these but with a twist...these events are all about mummies. Whether that is making life easier for us or just making us feel better about ourselves. All our events are family friendly, our goal being to create Mummy-focused events which have enough to occupy the little ones.

We have an event in Alderley Edge on 23rd June, 11am-3.30pm. There will be stalls with a range of lovely things to buy, activities for children, hopefully some pampering for mums, goodie bags and information and advice – come along and join us.

Also any working mummies out there who may wish to have a stall at the event … we still have some spaces left so get in touch!

You can contact Mummy Fever in any of the following ways.

By Email: info@mummyfever.co.uk
By Phone: 07762 798008
By Post: Suite 73, Westminster Chambers, 7 Hunter Street, Chester. CH1 2HR.

You can follow us on twitter @MummyFever
You can like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/MummyFever

90% Of Us Can't Name An English Fairytale

2012-03-16T08:56:00.005+00:00

We all know the stories of Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood and Snow White, but Macclesfield-based arts organisation Wild Rumpus have revealed in a survey that 90% of people couldn’t think of one fairy tale that they knew to be English. While it’s never in doubt that England has a long history of folklore and fairy tales, few people seem to recognise classic stories like Jack and the Beanstalk and Chicken Licken as English. While preparing for their major family arts event based around English fairy tales, The Spellbound Forest, Wild Rumpus were keen to discover how clued up the general public were on our home grown fairy tales.

It was announced last week that a collection of 500 new fairytales were found in Germany. The collection ranged from alternative versions of well-known classics like Rumpelstiltskin and Cinderella to brand new adventures with witches, princesses, frogs and kings.

This discovery is exciting, but if there is a hunger for fresh fairy tales then people needn’t just look to Europe. A wealth of classic English fairy tales seem to be completely unknown to the British public. Joseph Jacob’s collection English Fairy Tales from 1890 holds nearly 50 tales where classics such as Dick Whittington, The Three Little Pigs and The History of Tom Thumb, lie alongside relatively unknown tales such as Tattercoats or The Earl Mar’s Daughter

Wild Rumpus director Sarah Bird, said, “Once we started reading traditional English fairy tales, we couldn’t believe that we hadn’t come across these amazing, enchanting stories before. The fairy tales that our children hear are dominated by the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson, which are great stories, but we seem to have a blind spot when it comes to traditional English fairy tales”.

Wild Rumpus is working in partnership with the Forestry Commission to bring four English fairy tales to life at Delamere Forest in Cheshire in May. The Spellbound Forest, which has received Arts Council funding, will see forest pathways lined with theatre, music, dance and visual arts. The four fairytales featured have been adapted for the event, and you can read and listen to The Three Heads of the Well, Tattercoats, The Earl Mar’s Daughter and The Magpie’s Nest at www.spellboundforest.org.uk.

For more information about the event, visit www.spellboundforest.org.uk where you can view the programme and buy tickets. Ticket prices are £12.50 for adults, £7.50 for children (3+), or £35 for a family ticket.

A Night In To Remember

2012-03-07T19:47:00.000+00:00

Like most families with young children, here at Mums in the Know, a night out is a relatively infrequent occurence and a glamorous night out is even rarer.

There is the ever present issue of finding a willing relative to help out, and if you don't have that luxury, finding a suitable and trustworthy babysitter. Then on the night itself, rushing round to get kids to bed and yourself ready before shooting out in an invariably late taxi to enter a crowded pub, bar or restaurant- we don't know about you, but often by the time we get there we're ready for bed ourselves!

So, we were very excited to hear about a company that brings the night out to you. Chef In My Kitchen is a Cheshire based organisation who come to your house and basically turn it into a swanky restaurant experience for the evening.

Owner and founder Shokri is a highly experienced chef who has worked in fine dining restaurants and hotels, producing top class dishes from French, Italian and Mediterranean to North African cuisines. Having owned two successful restaurants in the North West, Shokri moved to Cheshire to launch his new venture. He has teamed up with carefully selected, equally experienced chefs to ensure that your dining experience is a outstanding and memorable.

Sounds fab, but as they say in the industry, the proof is in the pudding! We were lucky enough to be treated to a 'chef in our kitchen' recently and can safely say it is a truly memorable evening of fine dining and luxury. The chef arrives before your guests and gets to work, not only preparing all of the food from scratch but also preparing your dining table- with beautiful table decorations, professional looking napkin folding, and lovely glassware. Once our guests arrived, we were all treated to a rather punchy cocktail, which got the evening off to a great start, plus our chef personally served us canapes- ranging from salmon & olive blinis to hummus & rocket stuffed parma ham.

It was a truly novel experience to be chatting and laughing with our friends in our own home, with the kids tucked up in bed, whilst someone else did all the hard work and made it look good!

Next we were invited into the dining room and served a mouthwatering started of seared scallops and thai fishcakes in sesame seeds, followed by a main of rack of lamb and very cute mini shepherds pie.

Everyone could hear each other talking, the wine flowed freely, we could choose own music and take the evening at our own pace.

We had a short break and then.. more food! A wonderful coconut panna cotta with a sticky toffee pudding was both naughty but nice, and rounding off the evening cheese and biscuits followed by good, strong coffee.

With that we all retired to the living room, and relaxed on our sofas, whilst our Chef...wait for it... did all the cleaning up and left the kitchen looking cleaner and tidier than when he first arrived.

Personal dining evenings are often considered to be for the elite, hugely expensive and basically out of the league of the average person. However, we can safely say, that whilst this isn't the sort of thing that you would do once a week, it is definitely the sort of thing which we would now do for a special occassion. Just imagine- organising your husband's 40th- an a la carte dining experience for 10 of your closest friends, where you don't have to organise a night out, cook, clean or tidy up!

The key element that we noticed during our evening, was how relaxed it was and how much we actually got to talk properly with all the people we wanted to speak with rather than the snatches of conversation we have at dinner parties where we are trying to 'host' or on nights out in loud, busy restaurants.

Chef in my Kitchen also cater for cocktail parties and bigger events, and we can safely say they are an excellent, friendly and professional service. If you would be interested in booking a dining experience with Shokri, you can visit his website here: http://www.chefinmykitchen.co.uk/ and just for Mums in the Know readers, the first 10 people to book and mention Mums in the Know get a free bottle of champagne for their evening too!

Style Vs Functionality for Mums

2012-03-07T19:39:00.000+00:00

We have managed to get some expert advice from Nicola Cupples, a Style Expert and owner of My Style Companion based in Cheshire. She has written an exclusive blog for Mums in the Know. Wardrobe issues? Read on, help is at hand!

Style Vs Functionality for Mums

Why is it that so many mums are feeling frustrated, depressed, upset, disappointed and downright fed up when it comes to their wardrobes?

Well for busy mums, practicality becomes paramount when it comes to the wardrobe. It has to be quick to get on, easy to wash and comfortable for all the running around you have to do during the day.

Comfortable clothes are ‘quick’, ‘easy’, ‘practical’ and ‘comfortable’, but on the other hand women refer to themselves IN these clothes as ‘unfeminine’, ‘scruffy’, ‘frumpy’ and even ‘unattractive’. Obviously, a concern when the majority of their wardrobe reflects this, and when you’re a busy mum, this can happen without you realising!

How Becoming a Mum Can Affect Your Wardrobe

I have worked with many mums and often find that when the children get to three or four years old and start school, I receive a call from an exhausted mum, fed up with her wardrobe! One day Mum has come to look in the mirror and all of a sudden feels quite lost as she realises that the majority of clothes she has been wearing are leaning heavily towards practical as opposed to stylish. She reflects that over the last three or four years she has literally grabbed what clothes she could, when she could (common busy mum syndrome).

Admirable the fact is, she has been entirely focussed on her children and like any good parent the wardrobe has dropped a number of places in terms of priorities. No matter what age, shape or size, Mum starts to worry that perhaps she can’t get away with the same styles she used to love before she had children – there’s something about having the title ‘Mum’ that makes us think about this. Plus she just doesn’t really have the time or energy to focus on herself long enough to get to the bottom of the issue and resolve it!

The secret to getting your style mojo back is making some ‘you’ time to find the right style and appropriate garments. Most women can tick the ‘fast’ and ‘easy’ box without my help, but struggle to tick the ‘stylish’ box too; therefore make do with their usual buys that are becoming somewhat uninspiring.

One Mum says...
“I met Nicola (for the first time) for the 4 hour shopping experience today & I can honestly say it was the best decision I have made in a long time....! After the birth of my 1st child a year ago I had lost a lot of my confidence & felt I had no idea any more of what on earth to wear. Shopping trips left me miserable and bewildered - there was too much choice! I had also been sticking to those 'rules' about what apparently 'worked' for my shape, which I'm sure many of us follow, touted in many fashion mags (i.e boot cut only and NO skinny jeans). Within minutes of meeting Nicola, I was trying on things I would have admired but have been scared of wearing, such as my new gorgeous skinny jeans!! I couldn't believe how fantastic & slimming they were. Also not only have I got an incredible new funky wardrobe, I have a much better understanding of what works for me, and my body shape, so I can be much more savvy when shopping on my own in future.
I did worry that this may be an indulgent treat, but Nicola has surpassed my expectations. Every girl should have a Nicola in their life - book a session now - you won't regret it!!”
Emma Pennington, Mum (read more testimonials on our website www.mystylecompanion.com)

This is where I regularly assist mums, often taking just one session, advising how to refocus on quick, easy, stylish wardrobe solutions. Also helping to realise that effortless style can indeed be less effort!

The key is that a bit of ‘wow’ needs to be injected in to the comfort of their practical wardrobe. I’m not saying that doing the school run, nipping to the supermarket or walking the dog needs to be a fashion parade, but in my experience too much of the ‘Practical Factor’ can lead to a woman feeling unattractive, unfeminine and unnoticed, eventually to the point of possibly lowering confidence levels.

My answer to all of these challenges is that we need to start combining both style and function, but if you don’t know where to start....keep reading...

Here are my TOP 3 MUST HAVES FOR SCHOOL RUN MUMS...

1) A Hooded Parka or Jacket
Choose a practical (but stylish) jacket in a capsule colour to throw on with jeans or over tunics when you run out the door. Come rain or shine, you’ll look the part.
Try the Kimbe Jacket from Ted Baker, £159 in Beige

2) Skinny or Straight Leg Jeans
A lot of clients I meet have been told or have read somewhere that bootleg jeans are the capsule piece they should have in their wardrobe. The fact is, these days, most women wear flats when running about during the day, and flats with bootleg jeans make you look shorter and wider!
Try Warehouse or Dorothy Perkins for Skinny Jeans if you are petite, Try Levi’s Curve ID Straight Leg Jeans from John Lewis if you have curves, and straight legged jeans J by Jasper Conran at Debenhams as a general all rounder.

3) Nude patent flat shoes (ballet pumps, loafers or brogues)
A nude flat shoe will work with everything when Spring kicks in and will be your day to day ‘go to’ easy footwear. I usually go for a patent pair as they stay looking new for much longer as opposed to suede or leather.
Lindsy or Lindy Ballet Pumps by Carvella for Kurt Geiger, or Maggie Moc Loafers by Office. Dune also have some nice options.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR MUMS IN THE KNOW

Get 20% discount a wardrobe consultation or any personal shopping service with My Style Companion by entering CODE: SS12 at the online checkout before the 31st March 2012. T&Cs apply.

For further details or articles about style and fashion advice for Mums in Cheshire visit www.mystylecompanion.com, email info@mystylecompanion.com or call 01625 508264

ABOUT NICOLA CUPPLES & MY STYLE COMPANION

Nicola Cupples is a Style Expert and owner of My Style Companion based in Cheshire. Nicola has featured in the Daily Mail, Red Magazine and Weight Watchers Magazine, and The Daily Express recently described Nicola as one of the 'UK's Leading Experts' in fashion and style. Nicola offers her style expertise to local mums in Cheshire from only £45.

STYLE YOURSELF CONFIDENT WORKSHOP
19th March, 10am – 1pm, Broken Cross, Macclesfield £45pp (book online through our website)

Do you find yourself continually uttering the words “I have nothing to wear!” You’re not alone. Women tell me they feel ‘lost, defeated, disappointed, frustrated, depressed and lacking in inspiration’ when it comes to their wardrobes, with many feeling like when they look in the mirror, their expectations of the clothes they purchased are not being met.

If you still struggle to find anything to wear from your wardrobe, then why not take 3 hours out of one day this year to have a chat with me and resolve all of your wardrobe dilemmas by coming along to our Style Yourself Confident Workshop in Cheshire. Book online here

Hullabaloo Goes Up The Beanstalk

2012-03-07T09:49:00.000+00:00

Most Wilmslow parents will have noticed the recent name change to one of our favourite family shops when Little Nut Tree Toys changed to Hullabaloo Toys. In August 2011, Jo Nicholson (owner) took the decision to sell the ecommerce part of her business, which meant also forgoing the 'Little Nut Tree Toys' name. Since then she has stabilized and grown her business in a tough economy.

When asked why she sold the website she makes it quite simple “…we felt that either we had to be a specialist bricks and mortar retailer, or ecommerce. Since a lot of our stock is better when you see it, and you can feel the quality, it was a simple decision to move away from ecommerce.It became untenable, so we are now concentrating on our shop in Wilmslow.”

And this isn't the only change the toyshop has gone through in the past few months. In January this year the Wilmslow branch of Argos shut down and Jo saw this as an incredible opportunity to bring over Argos toy customers to Hullabaloo. “It’s meant a slight shift in what we stock, but we still ensure that whatever is being sold is great value and great quality. We kept our well-loved brands such as Djeco (everybody loves Djeco!) and have introduced new lines such as Sylvanian Familes, Geo Mag, more Lego, Melissa & Doug – basically loads more toys and we have paid particular attention to find more toys for boys as well. To introduce these new ranges we opened up the second floor of the shop which I have to say looks amazing. April (shop manager) is incredibly creative and has really brought the space to life. We’ve been able to introduce play areas on both the ground and first floor and the feedback so far is incredibly positive. So come and check us out!”

To celebrate the additional range and upstairs space, Hullabaloo Toys has teamed up with Mums in the Know to hold an opening of the top floor on Saturday 3rd March. Local children are invited to go 'Up The Beanstalk' and experience the new space for themselves. There will be events running throughout the day;

Starting at 11am with Tumbletots running a free 'up the beanstalk' themed movement and music session, to celebrate the fact that children can now climb to the top of Hullaballoo! If you would like to reserve a place on this, simply register your name here.

The session will be followed by a free 'magic bean' give away courtesy of Mr Simms Old Sweet Shoppe.

Then in the afternoon Create & Play will be popping in to do some balloon modelling

Finally at 1500 Acorn Academy will be doing a Jack & The Beanstalk storytime. To reserve your place click here

There will also be a raffle in aid of Children in Need, tickets will be purchasable throughout the day with the prize being drawn at 1600. One of the prizes is a stunning Dolls House, so well worth entering!
In addition to all of this, if you buy any toys on the day you will receive a 5% discount.
We don't know about you, but Hullaballoo Toys just got that bit more exciting, and we can't wait to see what Jo and April come up with next! Watch this space...

Introducing Children to Cooking

2012-03-06T19:56:00.000+00:00

Thanks to Miriam Brown, the Early Years Manager at KidsUnlimited we get some great advice on how to introduce your child to helping out in the kitchen, and the benefits in doing so....

Helping my mother cook is one of my early memories from my preschool years. She was exceedingly patient! Small children are often keen to do what you are doing. Involve children in the preparation of their food, make this involvement fun and you will be fostering the development of the following positive outcomes:

Providing them the opportunity to begin accepting responsibility for their own eating habits.
Providing them with a wonderful sense of achievement. 
Perhaps even enticing them to try foods they have previously rejected.

Cooking activities are the perfect combination of fun and creativity and are a great way to teach children about the food they eat as well as introduce them to new foods from around the world. Children will eagerly tuck into something they have prepared themselves and take great pride in watching someone else enjoy their food.

Make sure the activities you ask of your child are age appropriate, below is a quick guide but you know your child best and what would be most suitable for them.

2 years  Scrubbing, tearing, dipping
3 years  Pouring, mixing, spreading, shaking
4 years  Wiping, washing, peeling, cutting, rolling, mashing, grating

Cooking is a bit like reading and if you learn the basics first, the rest should fall into place. These are some of the most frequently used techniques, the best ones to aim to teach your child:

Peeling vegetables with a vegetable peeler.
Chopping onions leaving the root intact so that it doesn't fall apart.
Mashing potatoes with a potato masher.
Grating cheese.
Squeezing citrus fruit.
Cracking eggs by tapping the centre of the shell over the rim of a small bowl.
Using a sieve.
Whisking egg whites.
Rubbing in butter and flour for crumble.
Kneading dough.
Rolling out dough using a floured rolling pin and cutting out shapes using cookie cutters.
Greasing and lining cake tins.
How to tell if a cake is cooked by seeing if a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Most importantly have fun and don’t worry too much about the mess!

For more information on KidsUnlimited Nurseries, click here. You can also follow them on Twitter: @kidsunlimited01 and Facebook: www.facebook.com/kidsunlimitednurseries

Relaxed Kids Arabian Adventures New Class!

2012-03-06T19:22:00.000+00:00

Relaxed Kids was our featured class at our Pizza Express event back in January. Jenny Harrison the teacher of this class, is going to be starting a Relaxed Kids class in April here in Wilmslow. Read all about the kids course "Arabian Adventures" below, it sounds great!

Would your child love to go on a magical adventure in their imagination with our fun class aimed at 2.5-4 year olds? For this 6 weeks class we will be meeting Sinbad the Sailor and scrubbing the decks, flying around the room like twinkling stars, finding magical diamonds in the desert that tell us magical things
about ourselves, stretching our bodies like a snake in the desert, practise doing “windy breaths” to sound like a magic carpet when it flies in the sky and relaxing at the end after all of this to listen to a lovely relaxing story to stretch our imagination and relax our bodies.

At this age the class will be very similar each week to give children a feeling of security as they enjoy the repetition and gain confidence each week. There will always be tiny slight twists to keep the excitement alive.

The magic carpet ride begins at Wilmslow Leisure Centre on Tuesday 17th April 10-10.45 am.

There are limited places due to age so please do book in as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

Mums in the Know can join the 6 week class for just £22 (Usually £26). Also inc. a parent’s booklet, activity sheets for kids each week, an A3 purple reward chart to take home and a lovely certificate on completion.

To find out more about relax kids see www.relaxkids.com

Or visit Relax Kids Teacher Jenny Harrison on www.uniquelyyouholistics.co.uk to find out more about her and her background.

ITV Tonight Programme Needs Families!

2012-03-06T18:45:00.000+00:00

Fancy being on TV? We are helping ITV who are looking for families to feature in the Tonight programme. They are currently searching for families where both Mum and Dad work but who –when you build in the cost of childcare/ travel etc vs the benefits they would receive for being unemployed – would be better off not working. Perhaps the family are earning a lower salary due to issues with childcare & lack of flexible working. A salary which would be more than matched if both parents stopped working and received the benefits they were entitled to. However, the family ITV are looking for want to carry on working despite these facts because they have a strong work ethic. If this sounds like you or someone you know send an email to laura.stevens@itv.com .

In The Night Garden Live!

2012-03-04T10:11:00.000+00:00

This summer, the world’s only In the Night Garden live show is back by popular demand! Come and join in the fun of this amazing musical theatre experience for all the family. Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy and Makka Pakka are all beautifully brought to life using full size costumes, magical puppets, enchanting music and breathtaking projections.

In the Night Garden Live! is a sensational stage production specially created in a purpose-built showdome, entirely protected from the elements with

plenty of loos, baby-changing facilities and buggy parking. There are two different shows to choose from and each one lasts just under an hour – will you catch the Ninky Nonk or the Pinky Ponk?

The show is at The Trafford Centre between 18th August and 2nd September.Find out more and book online at here.

Just So Festival 2012 all set for magical family adventures

2012-03-03T19:10:00.000+00:00

The organisers of the Just So Festival 2012 have announced the programme for the 2012 event. Visitors to the only UK camping festival just for families can expect to step out of their day to day lives into a quite enchanting environment, where music, theatre, dance and stories are woven through the woodland at the glorious Rode Hall estate in Cheshire.

The landscape will be transformed by large scale art installations, quirky characters and magical decoration, broken down into different areas for families to explore, from Wild Things to The High Seas to Away with the Fairies, each bursting with workshops, performance and surprises.

Families will be invited to enter the jaws of a giant metal whale to be serenaded by a lovesick submariner, taken on a surreal journey on a fantastical flying machine and charged with saving the world from being gobbled up by the all-devouring piggy bank of doom by theatre companies Talking Birds, Pif Paf and Teatro-saurus. Each evening, Forty Winks will celebrate bedtime with aerial dance performance Fly by Night by the Baretoed Dance Company.

The festival audience will as always be creating marvellous and unusual things. Huge tea sets will be created from mud, babies will be making pots on a potters wheel, impossible photos will be taken in the fantastic photo booth of wonder and confusion and families will have to work fast to create a play in an hour. And that’s before they learn to levitate.

The Telling Tales programme includes authors such as Elen Caldecott, Professor Mark Brake and Michael Buckley who will take to the woods and the parkland and share their stories. Storytellers in gypsy caravans and on story tricycles will be weaving tall tales around every corner, along with the Gruffalo and Babar. Families will Walk the Lines and make the festival ring with poetry on our amazing trail, and read, swap and borrow books at the Bouquiniste Book swap.

From wild barn dancing with Cut a Shine, to Russian Folk with Mazaika, the festival’s music programme will be an eclectic mix to keep tiny feet tapping from dawn til’ the retro discos fade into quiet. Bands include Sheelanagig, Louis Barabas and the Bedlam Six, The Robbie Boyd Band, Fiona Bevan and the Bonfire Band. Families will be singing and dancing their socks off too, with Familyoke, jive, swing and belly dancing workshops and the annual participatory opera.

As a festival just for families, babies will be especially well taken care of in Peekaboo. Programme details will be announced in the next couple of weeks, but practicalities such as a beautiful breastfeeding boudoir, well-stocked baby change area and baby bath time will help the smallest visitors to enjoy their first festival.

This glimpse into the curious and wonderful world of Just So doesn’t even touch on the pillow fights, midnight feasts, trapeze workshops, lantern parades, drumming workshops, dressing up, campfire singing, den building and stone balancing that are on offer.

Early Bird tickets for the event sold out in September and with the festival directors confirming they have no plan to increase the capacity of the festival; families will need to be quick if they want to join in the festivities.

Rowan Hoban, Festival Director, said “We think that we currently have the right balance with a safe and intimate atmosphere so that families can have creative adventures, singing, dancing and playing together without having to queue up or make their way through overwhelming crowds. Our aim is to create spellbinding environments where the audience feel like anything is possible”

Full details of all acts, activities and adventures are available on the website now at www.justsofestival.org.uk where you can also buy tickets.

Local Focus- Ashdene Independent Preschool

2012-02-23T22:16:00.002+00:00

Choosing the right pre school for your child is a decision that no parent takes lightly, especially if it will be your little one's first time away from your care. Here in Wilmslow, we are lucky to have some fantastic childcare resources, which we are going to be taking a more in depth look at over the coming months.

First on our list is Ashdene Independent Pre-School. As the name suggests, although it is in the grounds of Ashdene Primary school, it is independent of the main school.

On first appearances it may not have the most modern exterior of local nurseries but what it lacks in architectural style, is more than made up for in the exceptional care delivered by the staff and the well rounded individuals the preschool consistently develops.

The school consists of two large classrooms, each equipped with a vast array of play equipment, craft materials, books and role play areas. The outdoor area is put to great use, with playhouses, vegetable patches, a variety of ride on toys, slide area and much more. There is a strong ethos of encouraging learning through play, and letting the child set the pace in terms of play themes. Furthermore, the school are committed to developing independence in the childen and encouraging them to self help.

It is an environment where children can flourish and don't just take our word for it, as Ofsted have awarded Ashdene Independent Preschool an 'outstanding' rating (see full report here.) and commented, 'The manager and staff are dedicated, caring and considerate, ensuring each child's individual needs are fully incorporated into day to day planning and routines, enabling every child to develop and progress appropriately throughout their time at the group.'
Children may attend morning sessions in the half term after their 3^rd birthday. All children aged 3 and over may also attend the lunch club and afternoon sessions.

If you're interested in sending your child to Ashdene Preschool, they strongly recommend registering their name with manager Sarah Campbell here as soon as possible. It is hugely popular and places get snapped up very quickly!

The Lion King is Coming to Manchester!

2012-02-18T20:35:00.000+00:00

Great news, Disney’s The Lion King will visit Manchester during December of this year!

Ingeniously adapted from Disney’s classic film, this spectacular production explodes with glorious colours and stunning effects, all set to the enchanting rhythms of Africa.

With dazzling staging and highly imaginative costumes, masks and puppets, The Lion King uses breathtaking theatrical magic to tell the story of Simba’s epic journey to reclaim his kingdom.

To make sure your family doesn't miss this acclaimed production, make sure you buy your ticket quickly. Tickets go on sale Monday, February 27th from 8.30am, with tickets available online from 10am.

More info and to book your tickets , click here

Note: The Lion King is recommended for a general audience. As an advisory to adults who might bring young people, Disney recommends The Lion King for ages 6 and up. Children under the age of 3 will not be admitted into the theatre.

Mr Simms- A Step Back In Time

2012-02-17T08:08:00.000+00:00

Judy O'Brien- the proprietor of Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe gives us a delicious insight into this fab new addition to the Alderley Edge High Street.. we challenge you not to be craving a sweet treat by the end of it!

Welcome to Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe, Alderley Edge where old fashioned values, quality and excellent customer service matters. Our aim is for every customer young & old to leave the shop happier than when they arrived!

My name is Judy O’Brien; I come from a background of retailers, my parents having had several shops in both Wilmslow and Alderley during the period 1945 to 1995. In fact, they had a confectioners shop in Alderley Edge in the 1960’s which I can still remember. I have lived in Wilmslow all my life and went to school in Alderley Edge.

My motivation to open an old fashioned sweet shop came to me after seeing the pretty bow fronted shop on London Road that is now Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe standing empty. I had just been made redundant along with 16 colleagues after teaching for almost 10 years and was seeking a new and interesting challenge. So Mr Simms Alderley Edge was born.  Although a Franchise and one of over 105 Mr Simms on the UK mainland, this is a Franchise with a small “f”.  I have total autonomy to select my own stock and conduct my own marketing activities. You will find items in Mr Simms Alderley that will not be on the shelves in other Mr Simms. For instance, chocolate from the Isles of Scilly and the award winning Chocolate & Love brand and very soon Snugbury’s Cheshire farmhouse kitchen ice cream will be in store, can’t wait!

When you visit us with friends and family a nostalgic trip down memory lane awaits you.  Our shelves are filled with row upon row of shining jars crammed with multicoloured goodies that beckon you from behind the counter. Adults will be transported back to their childhood as their senses are taken on a journey. Children will be fascinated by the wide variety of sweets and chocolate to choose from.

We have over 280 different jars of sweets and over 80 pots of pic ‘n’mix sweets to choose from. Several of the sweets are suitable for vegetarians and many of the pic ‘n’mix are made from natural flavours and colourings too. We also stock a huge variety of fudge, toffee, marzipan specialities, nougat and fine chocolate. If you are a liquorice fan then look no further as we stock a wide variety of salted and sweet Dutch, Finnish, Italian and Australian liquorices. We believe we have something for everyone and a little of what you fancy does you good!

In addition to traditional confectionery we make up bespoke party bags for children (and adults)  to suit your budget and requirements and also cater for wedding favours and sweet tables for weddings. As a local retailer we pride ourselves on old fashioned values, good quality and excellent customer service. All the ladies who work at Mr Simms Alderley love meeting people and enjoy advising customers about which gifts and products to buy.

We hope to make your visit to the shop an enjoyable one. This is certainly not a shop where you hand over your products, pay your money; get your change and go. We like to get to know our patrons and our aim is for every customer young & old to leave the shop a little happier than when they arrived! If you have any suggestions to make regarding products you would like us to stock, we’d love to hear them.

Here is a summary of what Mr Simms Alderley has to offer in February – the month of love!

Mums in the Know February Special
Treat yourself to 2 x 100grams of sweets from the jars and you may have your 3rd 100g at half price! Just mention Mums in the Know to us!

February 4th – Fudge Feasting Frenzy
A try before you buy day - lots and lots of fudge flavours to sample and offers on fine fudge from Cumbria.

February 9th - Champagne & Chocolate tasting at Beb&Sekers Art Gallery.
We are taking part in an evening of culture. Tickets £5 each - proceeds to the NSPCC

February 14th is Valentine’s Day
We have many simply irresistible gifts for your loved ones. Divine chocolates,
romantic hampers and some rather special gifts.

Half term includes;

February 15th - A face painter in store
The brilliant face painter Nicky Miller will be in store to turn you into a grinning tiger, Willie Wonker, lollipop, fairy or anything that takes your fancy!

February 16th - Cup Cake decorating workshop
Ashley will be in store to show you how to decorate cup cakes with jazzies,sweeties and goodies.

11 am to 1pm on both days. Limited spaces so call us to book your places. £1 donation to the NSPCC.

I do hope you have enjoyed an insight into Mr Simms Alderley Edge. Please check out http://www.mrsimmsalderleyedge.com/or better still come and meet us. We shall look forward to it!

Warmest regards Judy

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