Abandoned at Christmas by Alison Stodolnic
We all know the Dogs Trust slogan: “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas”. But, despite the charity's ongoing campaign, people still give cute pets as Christmas presents without thinking through the long-term commitment and years of care that animals need.
Light Up for Christmas by Nicola Foster
When I was a child, if my memory serves correctly, outdoor Christmas decorations consisted mainly of a holly wreath on the front door and a straggle of mistletoe in the porch. There was a charming simplicity to this. As an adult it seems that mistletoe has been banished to the realms of Christmas past and has been replaced by the outdoor lighting extravaganza.
Horse Power
Can horses really help troubled children? Alison Stodolnic went to Hartford to find out. Every now and then you meet an ordinary person doing extraordinary things. Chantal Cleland and her horses help people struggling with confidence, stress, learning difficulties, behavioural issues or just plain unhappiness. Most of her clients are children, teenagers and war veterans for whom fear and negativity are getting in the way.
The Magnificent Miss Rabbit by Nicola Foster
On a recent journey, once the children had eaten their snack, squabbled and boredom had set in, we managed to spice things up by playing “how many jobs does Mrs Rabbit have?” Mrs Rabbit is a character in the childrens' tv programme, Peppa Pig. To the untrained eye, this may seem a rather short and possibly pointless game; however, it was that kind of journey and passed a very animated 20 minutes. As our game drew to its conclusion (16 jobs were counted but not verified), the 6 year old looked a bit puzzled. Eventually he piped up “who looks after Rebecca and Richard Rabbit when Mrs Rabbit does all her jobs?” I had to confess I had no idea but the thought of having to organise child care when you have at least 16 jobs made my mind boggle.
Little Treasures - Hartford by Alison Stodolnic
The 5,500 residents of Hartford make it pretty big for a village, although it still has a quiet, village feel with its tree-lined streets, tidy fenced gardens and rather narrow selection of shops. Brave explorers (and parents) who are happy trampling through woods in wellies and looking for dragonflies, should go to Hartford's Marshall's Arm Nature Reserve – a lovely place for wildlife spotting, picnicking and dog walking. You will find a large sloped area of woodland – go when the bluebells are in flower and listen out for woodpeckers – and meadows down by the River Weaver. Getting there is not that easy however, and there is no main car park: you can access it from Stones Manor Lane or via a towpath from Hartford's landmark blue bridge on the A556 (a busy dual carriageway).
Dads Eye View on: New Years Eve by John Freeman
Before we had children New Year's Eve celebrations involved a simple set of decisions. The choice was between which party/pub/club we'd attend and the only gripes were about overpriced entrance fees and double-fare taxi rides - if we were lucky enough to bag a taxi. One year was spent in Prague, drinking mulled wine with strangers and ushering in the New Year in the beautiful Old Square, before partying on through the night until we needed to leave for the airport and a cheap-wine-fuelled-hangover-journey-from-hell.
My Day My Life - Charity Star
Sheila Hallas MBE is a dedicated lady, she's the founder and the honorary organiser of the Combined Charities Christmas Shops Association which this year is celebrating its 40 anniversary. Tiffany Henry went to see Sheila to talk to her about the charity, and what life's like at this very busy time of year.
Winter Reads by Sue Steel from Simply Books
Hello again from simply books! This year our Christmas theme at the shop is about wishes and dreams. We are delighted that artist Jackie Morris is helping us with our Christmas window. She has painted us a very special ‘Holly Dragon' (based on her stunning book Tell Me a Dragon) who will fly across the star filled sky, gathering stories from far and wide .. We need lots of help as she needs a sky full of stars in which to fly, so throughout December we will have a star making table in the shop. Do come and see us and make your own star to hang.
Even more opportunity to find some family friendly days out
The recently launched iPhone app Look Bunny Find is great for planning your family days out. It gives you the chance to find child friendly events both locally and nationally at the touch of a button. It's all the idea of Victoria Hatch, mum and business woman who needed to find something to do when she met up with some friends for a day out with their children. Frustrated by the lack of readily available information on child-friendly activities and places in the area she decided to do something about it. As Commercial Director of NYX Digital she was able to develop the Look Bunny Find iPhone app and mobile web application.
A Nativity with a Twist by Alison Stodolnic
Last year – having previously been cast in more traditional roles, like a shepherd or a king – my son was a Christmas tree. In fact everyone in Year 4 was a Christmas tree. They were allowed to wear pretty much whatever they liked, as long as it was green. So when it was their turn to climb onto the stage to sing and boogie-woogie their part in the wonderful Christmas show, they had on an eclectic collection of garments in every shade of emerald green, lime green and, well, Christmas tree green. Most of them had tinsel dangling from somewhere and baubles hurriedly pinned on to chests by an enthusiastic TA, moments before the lights dimmed and the audience held its breath in quivering excitement.
