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Families Suffolk – The local magazine containing useful information for parents of 0-12 year olds

Free

ISS NO UE 8 V/ 201 DEC 2

w w w.ff am a m il i l i e ss s s u ff o lk l k .c c o .u k

IN THIS ISSUE Local News – Sensory Play - Christmas Gift Ideas – Christmas Craft Fairs Christmas What’s On – plus win a Kindle competition and much more I P S W I C H • R U S H M E R E • B E L S T E A D • W H E R S T E A D • P I N E W O O D • K E S G R AV E • H E N L E Y • W I T N E S H A M N A C T O N • H O L B R O O K • S H O T L E Y • C L AY D O N • W O O D B R I D G E • H A D L E I G H • S T O W M A R K E T

3-4 5

Local News

Education

Our Community

8-10

Baby Talk Sensory play

How to learn times tables

Articles from St Elizabeth Hospice and Fabric8

Christmas Feature Gift ideas, Co-op Juniors Christmas Spectacular and Stonham Barns Christmas Week

11 Readers Offers & Competitionss 12 Parents Place What’s On 14-15 Including Where’s Santa and

8-10

14-15

Christmas Craft Fairs

NEXT ISSUE - Jan/Feb 2013 CIRCULATION - 13,000 copies of Families Suffolk are available through nurseries, schools, libraries, selected shops and other distribution points throughout Suffolk. If you would like free copies for your organisation, please contact us.

Registered charity:1093411

CONTACT DETAILS 01473 788546 / 07887 945767 editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk EDITORIAL, ADVERTISING AND ARTWORK editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk

WEAR A HAT DAY Thursday 28 th March

2013

EVENTS, DIARY DATES, OUT & ABOUT editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk DESIGN AND EDITING Richard Jarmy www.richardjarmy.co.uk info@richardjarmy.co.uk 07799 031 820

PRINT Five Castles Press Ltd, Raeburn Road South, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 0ET Telephone 01473 718719 www.fivecastles.co.uk Families Suffolk is part of the Families group, established in 1990 and headed by Families South West. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under license. We take every care preparing the magazine, but the publishers and distributers can’t be held responsible for the claims of advertisers, the accuracy of the contents nor for any correspondences.

Cover picture location Pennikkity Pots, Ipswich.

Chosen by Jessica Tarrant aged 8 years who enjoys spending her time creating colourful ceramics.

www.braintumourresearch.org 02

To contribute to future editions please email editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk @f ili ff lk k or callll 01473 788546

Wear A Hat Day 2013

MamaBabyBliss MamaBabyB Bl Bliss Classes coming to Suffolk

Join the fun on March 28th and help fund the ﬁght against brain tumours

New Baby massage and Baby Yoga classes are coming to Kesgrave N S Stowmarket and Hadleigh. Laura Rimmer is a recently qualified and ffully accredited Baby Massage and Baby Yoga teacher, and fully ssupported by and associated with MamaBabyBliss. These courses will e ensure your baby has the very best start in life – mentally, physically a and emotionally. There are many proven benefits to baby massage and b baby yoga, including helping develop the digestive system, reducing sstress, encourage sleep, develop motor skills and improve coordination; a amongst many others. These classes are designed to provide parent a and baby with a fresh, relaxing atmosphere where new skills can be learnt and are also a wonderful opportunity to make new friends and most of all it’s fun!

‘Wear a Hat Day’ is a fun way of increasing awareness and getting people raising money for an often overlooked form of cancer.

For any further enquires or questions please contact Laura It’s a day every year that we ask people to wear a hat to raise awareness and funds for vital research into brain tumours. A day when we encourage people to make donations in order to wear a hat to school, at work, at social events or even at home.

07729724753 - lauraemilyd@hotmail.com www.mamababybliss.com

From sponsored silences to charity runs and school bake sales, educational facilities around the country are being encouraged to raise money in any way they can. Sue Farrington-Smith, Director of Brain Tumour Research, comments: “Brain tumour research receives less than 1% of national cancer research spending in the UK yet this deadly disease kills more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer so please get involved on March 28th 2013”.

On Sunday 25th December around 500 St Elizabeth Hospice supporters will be taking part in the annual Christmas Day Dip in the sea off Felixstowe.

New, useful website IPscene IPscene is a fantastic new website launched and run by local mum. IPscene provides details of groups, clubs, support, tuition and other useful information for people between IP1 and IP17 (Ipswich, Felixstowe, Woodbridge, Stowmarket, Aldeburgh, Leiston, Saxmundham and Hadleigh and all the villages/towns in between. The website is designed to be useful for adults and children of all ages, abilities and pockets. From Boot Sales to Markets, Fairs to Festivals, Rallies to Shows, or even if you’re looking for a lovely day out or planning an event and needing people that can help - it’s all there.

www.ipscene.co.uk The IPscene website does NOT list events, but if you subscribe to the weekly IPscene newsletter, you will not only receive IPscene news and updates but details of local, known events. Send an email to info@ipscene.co.uk with ‘subscribe’ in message to get yours.

iSwim Babies s Early swimming brings many benefits s for your baby or toddler as well as being a relaxing, bonding time for you u both! The buoyancy y of water helps to exercise erciise and d strengthen stren t gthen th muscles muscles l and and d encourages free movement long before a baby can crawl or walk. With a focus on gentle, fun and interactive activities in the pool, we aim to harness the proven health benefits (better eating and sleeping patterns, increased lung capacity) and developmental progress (co-ordination, balance, confidence and independence) of an aquatic environment for you and your baby.

iSwim 01473 277085 - www.iswim.biz

Take a daring dip on Christmas Day Are you brave enough to have an early morning dip on Christmas Day?

Registration has opened so if you are thinking of taking the plunge, sign up online today! Many find it a good way of starting Christmas Day, which can be a difficult time for someone who is grieving. St Elizabeth Hospice’s events fundraiser Emily Sullivan said: “Christmas is a lovely time of year to give something back and remember a loved one. The Christmas Day Dip has grown in popularity every year and this year we hope it will raise £40,000 to help us to continue to support people in Suffolk and Norfolk who have a progressive illness from which they will not recover. At 10am when the horn sounds everyone will enter the cold sea opposite Manning’s Amusements on Sea Road. Mulled wine and minced pies will be served afterwards. The registration fee is £5 per person and participants are asked to raise sponsorship. Register online at www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk or for more information contact the fundraising team on 01473 723600 or by email fundraising@stelizabethhospice.org.uk.

One less headache for head teachers Anglia Sports Management are a welcome name to many head teachers in Suffolk and North Essex, by offering a range of children’s sports coaching in schools and during school holidays.

PE Sport and Planning, Preparation, Assessment Cover They deliver PE lessons for or with a teacher or can assist with motivational ideas and lesson plans and they provide specialist, dedicated staff to deliver to both Key Stage 1 and Key 2, iincorporating dK ey Sta Stage 2 ncorporati ting th tthe he National Curriculum targets, assessment and lesson plans. Their sports coaches are reliable and enthusiastic and will deliver inspiring games lessons with a mix of skill and technique based practices that can motivate children and encourage them to participate. Coaches are available for the whole academic year or will happily cover gaps in provision.

After school clubs They also deliver before, during or after school clubs at no cost to the school which can often lead to improved academic performance and classroom behaviour.

Sports days Their sports coaches can assist with or organise the whole event for you, designing an exciting and fun day of sport that the children, teachers and parents alike can all enjoy.

To ﬁnd out how they can help at your school, contact Paul Skingley on 07446 214973 or email info@angliasportsmanagement.co.uk

Hypnotherapy I can help you with: Weight loss and problems with food, Stop smoking easily without cravings Fears and phobias, Negative feelings, anger, Obsessive symptoms Anxiety and much more......

Helping children with anxiety with the ‘Blowaway’ www.melaniecollingshypnotherapy.co.uk

07855 798 789

www.familiessuffolk.co.uk

Forest Adventure Anyone? Making forest potions, animal tracking, hunting for mini beasts, weaving spider webs and making tree rubbings are only a few of the fun and exciting Forest Schools activities offered by Rendlesham Day Nursery. Rendlesham Day Nursery working with Suffolk Wildlife Trust recently took 17 of its pre-schoolers, aged from 3 to 5 years, to Rendlesham Forest where the children were given the opportunity to explore the outside world through fun and exciting activities whilst learning about safety and the local environment. The child led and child centred activities encourage children to take risks safely, take care of themselves and others and take responsibility. It has structure but at the same time leaves lots of room for personalised learning opportunities – children are allowed time and space to explore their own evolving learning

interests e.g. digging holes, looking at insects and searching for animals. During the session the children made beautiful crowns, collected lovely items made natural mobiles, painted trees and had fun digging in the mud. The children are now looking forward to more adventures in the coming weeks. For more information on Forest Schools or Rendlesham Day Nursery, please call Jenna on 01394 240581 or view

www.bridgefarmdaynurseries.co.uk

Little Kickers pre-school fun

Sing & Stretch

If you are looking for a fun activity for pre-school a aged children then Little Kickers may have the a answer. As the name suggests Little Kickers offers c children 2-5years old the opportunity to participate in n a fun 45 minute weekly session of age related fo o football based sports activities. The approved presschool football classes assist children in improving in n invaluable social skills like listening, sharing, taking tturns u and teamwork whilst learning concepts lik colours colours l and dn umbers b a nd dd eve like numbers and developing basic balance, agility and co-ordination. This learning all takes place in vibrant group play sessions which include stretches and warm up games, ball work games, and shooting exercises. Classes are held at Kesgrave Community Sports Centre and Brackenbury Sports Centre. If you think that the little person in your family would enjoy Little Kickers please call

New to East Bergholt & Capel, ‘Sing & Stretch’ offers fun music classes for children from 0-5years. With action songs, musical instruments, puppets and parachute, a lively and stimulating morning is guaranteed! The benefits of y introducing your child to music at an early age are huge. Music can help to expand memory skills, problem solving skills and is a great way for children to express themselves creatively which naturally improves self-confidence and self-esteem. It’s not just about the children though! You’ll find a warm welcome at the groups and it’s a great chance to meet other parents as you chat over a cuppa! The East Bergholt class is on Thursdays at the Lambe School, CO7 6SD at 10am. The Capel class runs on Tuesdays at the Methodist church (nr Co-Op) at 10am. £3.50 per child. First session free! (Classes also in Hadleigh on Wednesdays) -please check the website

01394 210016 or view www.littlekickers.co.uk

www.suffolkkidsparties.co.uk for more details.

Kidzone - Family Fun day Kidzone mobile crèche are excited to announce that following some initial discussions with Ipswich sports club they are planning to provide some crèche sessions for members and nonmembers at the Henley road club. There will be an open day on Saturday 1st December from 11am-3pm in the function room at the club,where anned an ned in inclu cludin ding g a re repti ptile le enc encoun ounter ter a great family fun day is planned including reptile encounter 12-2pm, christmas arts and crafts, face painting, bouncy castle ( weather depending), jewellery making, and cake decorating. All children’s activities are free for families to enjoy and you will have the opportunity to view the clubs family sports facilities. Crèche taster sessions are available throughout December on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings and the opportunity for school aged children to join in the fun on a Saturday mornings. Sessions will run from 10am-12pm providing professional childcare in a safe, stimulating and fun environment. Kidzone will be offering flexibility to use the crèche per hour or 2 hourly sessions in order for parents to enjoy the clubs facilities and classes. Discounts will be offered for members and block bookings. There are also plans to cater for 5-12 year olds during school holidays , providing additional activities, crafts, games to keep them entertained so parents can relax and enjoy their sporting activities all through term time and school holidays. Kidzone are running a competition during December where the lucky winner will receive 6 free 1 hour crèche sessions during January 2013, entry forms are available from Ipswich sports club reception, at the open day and from any of the taster sessions during December. Your first crèche taster session in December is free when you pick up a voucher at the open day on Saturday 1st December, all other crèche sessions will be charged at a promotional rate of £2.50 per child throughout December, booking essential, call now for availability. Call Natasha or Samantha for more information about the open day, crèche taster sessions, opening times, booking and price information.

07756535059 - 07724114794 www.kidzonecreche.co.uk enquiries@kidzonecreche.co.uk

Need a taxi ? - CabsSmart

Cabs Smart the family and buggy friendly cab company in Ipswich have now moved to a Town Centre location. So with the upcoming festive shopping season fast approaching if you don’t fancy driving into Town or taking public transport give Cabs Smart a call. Cabs Smart offer excellent fixed fare rates to most villages and are always ready to assist you to carry shopping and/or buggies or prams to your door. The new office at 1-3 Upper Orwell Street, Ipswich offers 24 hour service including walk in fares. Plenty of numbers for you: 01473 252525 - 01473 404142 - 01473 288822 so there is always somebody ready to take your call. Please book early for Xmas and New Year.

www.cabssmart.co.uk

New Daisy Birthing™ coming to Hadleigh and Felixstowe Mama2Mama are bringing the popular Daisy Birthing™ programme to both Felixstowe and Hadleigh in January 2013. Alongside the already popular classes in Ipswich/Kesgrave and Hintlesham, classes are launching in Brackenbury Sports Centre, Felixstowe on a Monday evening and the new Hadleigh Pool and Leisure development on a Tuesday/ Thursday evening. Both these classes start w/c 7th January. Daisy Birthing™ is a gentle, relaxed active birth concept designed by Lazy Daisy. Combining yoga, breathing techniques, selfhypnosis and birth education to bring a class suitable for all. For more details about the class see www.thelazydaisychain.co.uk To celebrate the launch they are offering a FREE TRAIL CLASS at both these venues w/c 17th December. Look out for our posters or contact the venues for details coming soon, or simply email

Shelley@mama2mama.co.uk

Jo Jingles in Stowupland Jo Jingles sessions offer children and parents a structured fun music class. Using percussion instruments and props the classes help development in social skills, working with other children plus language and communication skills which singing and rhyming has been proven to help develop. Jo Jingles sessions also practise colours, counting and many other skills in a fun, fully involved class. Classes are term time and held at Stowupland Village Hall.

Free trial class available. Call Mini 01473 652152 or visit www.ipswich.jojingles.com

To contribute to future issues please email editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk or call 01473 788546

Getting to Grips with Sensory Play By Sue Gascoyne (BA, MA, MRTPI) Being a parent can be one of the most rewarding jobs in the world, yet one of the most demanding! As an early year’s trainer and parent, every day I come across potential conflicts between the glittering ‘ideal’ of parenthood and reality. Take sensory and messy play - most children are hardwired to get the most from resources like mud and water, but as adults we can struggle to appreciate their appeal, as well as finding time in our busy lives and embracing the mess and dirty clothes! Growing up in London, the youngest of three and only girl, mine was a very different childhood to my husband-to-be. With daily adult-free adventures in rural Norfolk, spent exploring in woods, on boats or bikes, his was the childhood of my Swallows and Amazons fuelled imagination. According to the Sensory Play Research project my husband was not alone, with over 60% of adult’s most vivid childhood play memories involving sensory-rich play outdoors, making mud pies, building dens and climbing trees. 82% of adults feel that play has changed, with time, fear of stranger danger and screen-based competition, at the heart of this. Nowadays, adult-free experiences like these are harder to offer, but if we make time for sensory-rich play it reaps rich rewards, being hugely satisfying and good for children as each sensory experience creates vital connections in the brain.

Treasure Baskets – a sensory feast Offer sensory-rich experiences doesn’t just mean play outdoors. A Treasure Basket, quite literally a basket of household and natural objects, can happily engage young babies through to six year olds (and older). The secret lies in the fact that this collection of what adults may see as just everyday objects, becomes a basket of awe and wonder with limitless possibilities. As there are no actual toys, a spoon can be a wand or microphone and a purse a dolls bed, rocket, boat or host of possibilities! Children can explore, problem solve, create and discover to their hearts contents as there are no right or wrong ways of playing.

Daisy Baby™ Postnatal movement, baby massage and yoga. Enjoy baby movement and baby calming with a unique approach and lots of ‘in arms’ time. For more information and classes near you Contact Shelley on 07761 345897 email shelley@lazydaisybirthing.co.uk

www.thelazydaisychain.co.uk

What you will need... •

A sturdy basket, ideally round, straight-sided measuring 26-36cm across and 13cm deep.

•

A collection of interesting objects, e.g. rubber plug, spoons, napkin ring, shell, large pebble, etc. Pick objects for child-size hands and include a mix of wood, metal, cardboard, fabric, shapes and colours to appeal to all the senses.

What to do... •

Clear the area of toys and put the Treasure Basket on the floor. If appropriate, position cushions to support young babies.

•

Sit nearby and watch what your child plays with and how? Depending upon their age they may explore each object one at a time; use two or more objects together, e.g. putting an object in a tin to make a g ary y feast. shaker; use the objects for building towers; or rustle up a fabulous imagin imaginary

•

Simply sit and watch to discover interests and developmental milestones. (Adult supervision is needed.)

How children beneﬁt? •

Increases concentration and focus.

•

Develops muscle strength and skills.

•

Gives meaning to words, e.g. soft, heavy, cold, rough.

•

Encourages problem-solving and creativity.

•

Develops connections in the brain.

What else can I do? •

Once your child/children have had plenty of opportunities to explore the Treasure Basket, you could offer some of the objects next to a container of sand or water to see if and how this changes play. Be prepared for play lasting an hour or more and heaps of problem-solving, discovering, experimenting, pretending and creativity.

Tips for adding sensory interest •

Add dried rice, glitter or sequins to sand to change its texture or appearance. Add natural seedpods and clean recycled pots to give children’s imagination a free reign

Tips for minimising problems •

Where possible play outside so that mess isn’t an issue. This increases sensory appeal and scale, particularly for boys. Provide a dust pan and brush for the children to help tidy-up. Wear old clothes, so that stains aren’t a problem.

The great thing about sensory play is siblings play happily together, each in their own age-appropriate way: A baby will enjoy the feel of sand and objects. A toddler may accidently create patterns and use containers for pouring and transporting. An older child will mix ‘delicious’ concoctions or develop their own games. In our time-stretched lives the biggest boost we can give to play is giving children the time, space and ‘permission’ to discover and explore simple and natural ‘treasures’ like these. Watching sensory-rich play is magical and can be fun for us too! Sue Gascoyne (BA, MA, MRTPI), has designed and run workshops nationally and internationally to help practitioners introduce learning through play. She is a published author who focuses on embedding sensory play experiences in the learning environment. Play to Z provides the Playscope range of quality playful learning resources, award winning training and research. The Playscope products are designed to expand the opportunities of sensory play with children of all ages to meet as many of the EYFS areas of development and learning as possible.

For more information please visit www.playtoz.co.uk

www.familiessuffolk.co.uk

How to learn the times tables By Elisabeth Dolton If there are any topics you would like to see covered in future issues please let us know by emailing editor@familiessuffolk. co.uk

Learning the times tables is an important skill that is the foundation for all maths. With an extensive maths curriculum, and the latest stipulation being that children should master their tables up to 12x12 by the age of nine, teachers need parents help in getting children to learn the basic facts. Finding a pain-free method of learning times tables is not easy, but with these tips and techniques you should help make major progress. Start with explaining the concept

Kumon’s maths and English study programmes work throughout the year to ensure your child is constantly learning and developing their ability. Contact your local Instructor for a Free Assessment. Ipswich Central Study Centre Sangeeta Kumar 01473 614 665 Ipswich South Study Centre Sally Leedham 01206 863 242

If your child understands that multiplication is repeated addition, they will have an easier time learning them. Using objects such as crayons, illustrate a simple times table such as 3 X 2. Make two groups of three crayons, then count the crayons. Continue until they understand that multiplication is just adding a series of numbers, 6 x 4 means 6 added together 4 times (6 + 6 + 6 + 6). Create a number line from 0 to 100. Show them the pattern to working out each multiple, i.e. the three times table answers are every third number. End by encouraging them to write out the times tables on paper, using addition, up to 12.

Show them the tricks of the trade

School stops over Christmas, learning doesn’t have to kumon.co.uk

Fees vary. Please refer to your local study centre.

Suffolk Fostering and Adoption services are appealing for people from all walks of life to come forward and change the lives of Suffolk children in care.

Further ways to help them memorise

Your aim now is to recite memorized facts quickly and in any order. If your child is a visual learner, purchase or make flashcards. Write the problem, like 4 x 9, on the front, and the answer, 36, on the back. Buy or create a times table poster and display key facts. Times tables raps and music CDs are great for an auditory learner. Chant the times tables as multiples 0, 5, 10, 15, etc. and also as sentences 1×5=5, 2×5=10, etc. Say difficult times tables in a funny voice, a squeak or a whisper. Use helpful rhymes to remember really tricky ones, e.g. 8 x 8 = 64 becomes “He ate and he ate and he sticks in the door, eight times eight is sixty-four”.

For a kinaesthetic approach, add actions

g n i r e Fost &

n o i t op

Now they need to start learning the facts, rather than by counting. Learn the tricks of the trade first, e.g. any number times by 10 is the number with a zero on the end, e.g. 10 x 5 = 50. They are all listed on www.mathsisfun.com/tables.html

Children can clap, stamp or jump on the difficult fact. Play ‘Knock, Knock’ –knock your fists twice on the floor, then put out the number of fingers of a times tables. The winner is the first to say the answer.

Games to reinforce the multiplication facts

HEY! ARE YOU READY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

After your child has a basic knowledge of the tables, games will help instil the recollection of correct facts quickly. Multiplication Bingo, Hoo Ha!, Know Your Times Tables and Math Whiz are great board games. There are a whole host of multiplication computer games – multiplication.com, Learn-timestables.com, themathsfactor.com, mathsisfun.com, maths-games.org, and computer apps such as Squeebles, Ghost Blasters, Multiple Wipeout. Another idea is to print off worksheets from Multiplication.com or Enchanted Learning, math.about.com

Keep it fun Hallelujah! Your continued energy and enthusiasm is very important – go at their pace and always praise their efforts. Aim to reward your children with every bit of progress made; it doesn’t have to be material things, just a bit of fun together. Take breaks often, relax, give lots of ‘high ﬁves’, and real compliments.

And keep it up!

For more information about Fostering call 0800 328 2148 or visit: www.suffolkfostering.com For more information about Adoption call 0800 389 9417 or visit: www.suffolkadoption.com

Whichever method you choose, there is never a truly pain-free answer because real fluency requires real practice over weeks and months. That said, it is important for your child to have a secure knowledge of the times tables with instant recall - their future maths skills depend on it. So take the challenge, make it happen, and enjoy it!

After memorising times tables, it can be all too easy to forget them! Don’t give up too soon. It can take six or seven weeks until the facts are truly automatic. Practice quick-fire drilling. There are numbers everywhere, so multiply the digits in number plates or in recipes. Print out a times table square and keep a record of the tables your child knows well, so you know which ones you need to focus on.

885-CYP-111012

To contribute to future issues please email editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk or call 01473 788546

St Elizabeth Hospice We are here for you. Progressive illness are words feared by many, but hundreds of people their families and carers have to face this situation every year. Here in Ipswich St Elizabeth Hospice offers support, guidance and care for many local people. Marketing Team Leader Sarah Crawley explains what exactly the hospice offers and how the local community can help. ‘St Elizabeth Hospice in Ipswich provides invaluable specialist care and free support which aims to improve the lives of people living with a progressive illness, their carers and families within Suffolk, North Essex and South East Norfolk. Patients can be cared for at the hospice’s day units, on the in-patient units or out in the community by the Hospice at Home nurse-led team. A wide range of support is also provided for patients’ families and carers. St Elizabeth Hospice relies on many volunteers who help out across many departments from administration to helping on the ward or in its shops, new recruits are always needed. Without the support of volunteers, the hospice would simply not exist. The hospice is an independent charity which costs around £8.7m a year to run. Around three quarters of that amount is raised every year by the local community through fundraising and gifts in wills for which we are very appreciative.

Scores of fundraising events are organised by the Hospice each year to raise the much-needed funds and there really is something for everyone from sponsored walks, skydiving, a popular Christmas Day Dip in the sea off the Suffolk coast, the mass participation Midnight Walk, to simple family events at home, fundraising in schools or community groups. Support given by local businesses is important and many firms raise funds and/or volunteer to offer their skills for free. There are many corporate schemes available for local businesses to get involved with and the fundraisers offer help every step of the way. The hospice also encourages donations of second-hand clothes and goods to its shops. It also welcomes donations of second-hand furniture, which can be collected from your home six days a week. A wide range of goods are sold in aid of the hospice, including furniture good quality washing machines, dishwashers, fridges and freezers at its shop in Foxhall Road, Ipswich’.

‘However we can help you – or however you choose to help us – together we can help make a difference and help grow local care for local people.’ If you would like to find out more about St Elizabeth Hospice www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk or call 01473 723600.

Fabric8 – Then and Now Established in 1944 Dainty Homes, rebranded in 2009 as Fabric8, has been a key feature of Felixstowe’s retailing scene for over 65 years, employing and serving the local community. Originally offering basic materials, the company is now an established haberdashery outlet, providing top quality products throughout their two stores, offering a full range of fabrics, wools, haberdashery, curtains, patterns and seasonal items. Sadly, in September 2012, one of the original founders, Colin Bamberger passed away. Colin will be greatly missed by not only his family and friends but by local people who frequented his stores over the years, and this article celebrates the great company that Colin built to become the Fabric8 we know and love today. With stores in both Felixstowe and Colchester, Fabric8 caters for customers of all experience levels and interests in crafting, knitting and sewing. Offering specialist knowledge through highly trained staff, the company is well equipped to support customer needs and give experienced advice. The stores offer a welcoming friendly atmosphere that promises not to intimidate the less experienced customers.

The stock held in each store is appropriate for a wide range of interests and crafts. Offering different brands, textures and colours, Fabric8 try to appeal to a wide audience and offer items not easily found in other stores on the high street. Listening to their customers, Fabric8 take into consideration market trends and always try to stay one step ahead of the market to ensure they are fully stocked on products they know are going to be on high demand. Because Fabric8 understand that sewing is a skill that has to be developed, they have established a ‘How to’ section on their website, communicating to people with limited experience, easy ways to make and create a number of basic products such as aprons, quilts and costumes along with basic tips such as how to read patterns. These are step-by-step guides and can be downloaded free of charge. For seasonal gifts, Fabric8 are brimming with ideas, tips and stock that will help you personalise any celebration. Creativity is at the very heart of the business and any chance to help members of the local community explore their imaginations is welcome by Fabric8. Fabrics, accessories and themed materials are all ordered well in advance for any seasonal holiday. Fabric8 was established to serve local customers and today remains a community led business.

www.familiessuffolk.co.uk

We’ve sifted through masses of press releases and here it is: our own selection of toys for Christmas 2012. This year we’ve chosen toys we’d buy ourselves, either because they offer great play value, develop creativity or physical play or because they are made of reusable material. With a recession on, choosing toys that will last

For Toddlers Play, stack, tower and build with the Alphabet Zoo ABC House Blocks. Toddlers will develop their motor skills while creating buildings complete with roofs, windows and doors, before turning the pieces upside down to nest within one another. Made of high quality wood and non toxic paint. Suitable for age 12 mths + RRP £28.00 from www.bibsandstuff.com

For boys and girls Award winning Kiddimoto help children develop their skills of balance and coordination and make a seamless transition to a pedal bike without the use of stabilisers. Wide variety of designs and can be personalised! For 2-6yrs. Available from www.kiddimoto.co.uk £59.99

Wobble Deck Exciting electronic, balance board features four games, tipped to become the latest craze up and down the country. Test skill, memory and agility with hilarious challenges. www.worldsapart.com for stockists. RRP £24.99

Doodle Daysack Comes complete with a special Doodle Pad that can be used for drawing, painting or even playing games. Once your child has finished their masterpiece, the pad can be displayed proudly in the daysack’s clear, front pocket. www.littlelife.co.uk for stockists. Age: 4+ RRP: £19.99

BigJigs Village Shop This brightly coloured shop has a bright yellow counter and shelves that have been decorated with pictures of the kind of products you would expect to see in a village store. It also comes with a clock on the sign so you can display opening hours! Educational yet fun, this is a permanent favourite with children from www.WoodenToyShop.co.uk Age 3+ price £97.95 (groceries and accessories additional)

Darcey ‘Ballerina’ doll. Removable thin knit ballet style cardigan, lycra leotard and satin tutu with mesh underskirt. Wire integrated in arms and legs mean Darcey can hold various ballet positions. Removable ballet shoes and pink satin pyjamas and slippers for bedtime. £35 From Silver Cross

***Editor’s top choice*** Makedo – for those who enjoy the Christmas packaging! Every parent knows that feeling, when you’ve spent a fortune on the latest high-tech toy only to find your children much more engrossed playing with the packaging. Makedo’s brilliant idea is to help those kids make better use of the packaging! It supplies a Safe-saw for cutting and punching through materials safely, Re-clips and Lock-hinges for connecting – the child’s creativity and instinct for building things from boxes, cardboard boxes and wrappings then takes over from there. Check out the website for videos and photos of inspiring creations made by people from around the world. Winner of three of the most prestigious International Design Awards. From £7.99 SRP from www.marbeltoys.co.uk

0 08

To contribute T t ib t to t future f t issues i please l emailil editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk ditor@familiessuffolk dit t @f ili ff lk co uk or o call ca 01 01473 788546

For older children - Solar Mechanics Experiment with green energy using solar cells to build a mini robot, cooling fan and more, from the Science Museum, ages 8+ £17 from www.sciencemuseumshop.co.uk

THE PERFECT PRESENT THREE MONTHS FITNESS MEMBERSHIP JUST £50

Give a garden that recycles as it grows! A keyhole garden allows an African family to grow 3 meals a day. The design, which looks like a keyhole from above, incorporates a central basket where composted waste is put and water from the kitchen is poured. Just £12 will provide training in how to build a Keyhole Garden for one family.

• 4 Profiles gyms • Swimming • 100 fitness classes weekly • Racket sports • Personal training session • Sauna/steam room Call into any sports centre or Crown Pools Offer expires 20th December 2012. Conditions apply.

www.sendacow.org.uk

www.ipswich.gov.uk/sport

Make your own presents! I know, you are too busy, and have no time, … but take a minute to consider whether you might benefit from ‘taking the time’ to do it. Home made presents are always much appreciated! You’ll find recipes/how to on the net. Make your own jam or chutney, (do invest in nice looking labels).

Visit Santa’s Winter Wonderland at Tower Ramparts this Christmas

Make your own raw chocolate from scratch, no cooking involved, just mixing ingredients. Once you’ve discovered this you’ll never eat Cadbury’s ever again! See our recipe on Familiesonline/rawchocolate.

From Saturday 24th November to Monday 24th December Meet Santa and experience the 3D movie magic of

£4 £3

PER CHILD

PER ADULT

£12

Frame a beautiful child’s drawing/painting for a relative.

FAMILY PACKAGE Each child receives a gift

Make your own Christmas decorations for fun. Join us on

Turn our family photos into a collage, calendar, place mat etc. Many options available online or Snappy Snaps.

Paint your own pottery (mug, plate, dish, teapot etc) at our local pottery cafe. Make your own Christmas cards. Those made with family pictures are easy too. Dig out that candle making kit your children never used. It is really easy and results do look good. Knitters will have fun making rattles, jumpers, scarves, dolls etc. There are some great books to show you how. Try a craft kit: they allow you to learn the techniques of a craft by creating a finished item from the supplied components. Many kits available are for mums too, including mosaic, soap making, jewellery, knitting, paint your own cup, mobiles for baby, bath bomb and much more. Free delivery for all orders over £30 with www.makeitnow.co.uk direct.hobbycraft.co.uk has a wide choice of gifts.

Invest in beautiful packaging, it will make all the difference!

www.familiessuffolk.co.uk

Magic in the air for new Christmas show

here’s magic in the air at Snape Maltings Concert Hall this December, with a new musical extravaganza set to wow Suffolk audiences. Featuring a talented young cast of over one hundred, Enchanted - a Christmas Spectacular! is a totally new show with an entrancing story.

The Ipswich-based Co-op Juniors Theatre Company are celebrating their 70th anniversary with a music and dance show more ambitious than they’ve ever staged before. The story features a young girl’s search for her destiny after she’s given an enchanted book. Her quest is to find the book’s missing pages and reveal its secret, helped along the way by a Fairy Godmother and Enigma, a magical sorcerer – who turns out to have some secrets of his own. They time travel through a portal to a world of music, dance and spellbinding adventure so they can discover the secret of the enchanted book before evil can triumph. The group’s famous high-energy dance numbers feature a myriad of musical styles and over 800 stunning costumes. Two specially designed stage sets feature a magical oak tree and castle, backed by huge video panels with the added excitement of some breath-taking illusions. Co-directors Jeannie Ingram and Pauline Walker said “We have more spectacle, more magic, more jaw-

dropping moments than ever before this Christmas!” Alan Ayres, another member of the creative team, wrote the script for the show. He revealed that a professional magician is training the cast for the spectacular illusions. “We’ve been designing the video and stage set special effects for months, and the magic illusions add another dimension. Anyone who saw the Olympics opening ceremony may remember the oak tree which featured during the industrial revolution scenes. Well, we’ve turned that massive Olympic oak into three separate enchanted trees for the show!” “We have ingenious stage tricks that allow three of our cast to travel through time to different locations, all of which have a musical and story theme. We’ve kept all the best elements of the show and sprinkled some magic dust on everything else to come up with something totally original for all the family. It’s a great alternative to panto!”

Enchanted – a Christmas Spectacular! opens at Snape Maltings Concert Hall for 12 performances from December 14-23. For performance times and a preview video, visit www.coopjuniors.co.uk To book, call 01728 687110. Seats from £10 to £24, with group discounts.

Stonham Barns Christmas Week Taking place from Monday 26th November – Sunday 2nd December Stonham Barns Leisure and Retail Complex wish to invite you and your family to experience their Winter Wonderland. This years Christmas celebrations include a spectacular Ice Skating Rink, late night shopping and the Complex being turned into a magical Winter Wonderland for an entire week. The Ice Skating rink is a superbly fun experience to undertake, with skates being provided, all you need to do is wrap up warm and enjoy yourself!! You can also take advantage of one of the Skate & Eat packages on offer during the week, where you can skate for 45 minutes and then have a main meal and drink afterwards at the brilliant restaurant Sweet and Savoury!

But don’t just go for the skating, there’s plenty more to keep everyone entertained; including the retail barns full of Christmas presents to get your Christmas shopping under way, as well as a Christmas Gift and Craft Fair to give you some festive ideas for the Christmas season and a special Owlish Grotto at the Owl Sanctuary for the children to meet Santa!! Each child gets a gift and entrance is just £2.50 per child. So go along to Stonham Barns, and experience all the Christmas and festive fun to be had in their Winter Wonderland leading up to Christmas! Take the kids to see Santa and Ice Skate afterwards for a truly magical time.

For further details on all the exciting things happening please visit www.stonhambarnscomplex.co.uk or contact their Events team on 01449 711111. Time restrictions do apply for each differing day so do please check on opening times and skate times so you are not left disappointed.

Gladwells Pet & Country Store Christmas is coming! Don’t panic! Visit Gladwells Pet & Country Store, Old London Road, Copdock, IP83LA, to ﬁnd that special gift. Now presenting a new 2,500 square foot mezzanine floor, stacked with a large range of new and exciting clothing and equipment. For those with a passion for horse riding, find everything you need upstairs, from Jodhpurs and jackets to riding hats and boots, as well as horse wares such as rugs, head collars, and bridles. They also offer a hat and body protector fitting service. Not into horse riding? See their range of Country Clothing instead. Perhaps you’re an avid dog walker, or just enjoy the great outdoors? Everything you’ll need to keep warm on those cold n wintery days is upstairs on their w mezzanine floor, including; fleece m jackets, waterproof over wear, and j hiking boots. h The complete equestrian and T clothing range includes; Regatta, c Weatherbeeta, Hoggs, Toggi, Tottie, W Caldene, Taurus, Muck Boot, Harry C Hall, Cabotswood, and many more. H

Stuck what to buy for Dad this Christmas? Worry not! Also stocked upstairs is a large range of Fishing Bait and Tackle. Find a complete collection of fishing equipment, bait and tackle that would make the perfect Christmas gift to suit every kind of fisherman, from the amateur, to the hobbyist, right through to the extreme angler. The range includes; Lake Wizard, Shimano, Fox, Middy, JRC, Shakespeare, Mitchell, Plano, Ace, TFG, Eddie Turner, Breakaway, and many more. Together with their existing range of over 3,000 stocked lines of pet food, poultry food, equine and farm feeds, this is truly a store for all those with a love for animals and the outdoors.

Visit on the 15th of December when pupils from Copdock Primary School will be singing Christmas carols and handing out the odd mince pie or two to get us all into the festive spirit.

To contribute to future issues please email editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk or call 01473 788546

Win a Kindle with Metanium Everyday Win a £200 Shopping Spree in time for Christmas!

Reading can be the perfect way to unwind after a busy day with your baby. Metanium Everyday Barrier Ointment is giving away a Kindle which can store over 1000 of your favourite books.

New clothes make any occasion extra special. The Polarn O. Pyret Christmas collection for newborn to age 12 years is now in stores and online. As always, the clothes are geared towards children not just looking good, but feeling comfortable too.

2 runners up will win a specially designed set of 7 baby grows – one for every day of the week. Metanium Everyday Barrier Ointment has a unique double action formula to help guard against nappy rash. It helps seal in the skin’s natural moisture and is gentle enough to use every day. In a Metanium Everyday product test with Mumsnet, most mums said they would be likely to recommend Metanium to other mums. Metanium Everyday, from Boots, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, leading pharmacies and www.boots.com - www.metanium.co.uk To enter visit www.familiessuffolk.co.uk/competitions and answer the question: How often can you use Metanium Everyday Barrier Ointment? Terms and conditions apply. Closing date: 31st December 2012

Cosy cotton PJ’s that will last until next Christmas Eve, a new party dress that can handle spills, or an extra cute outfit for Christmas Day. Enjoy the occasion PO.P style whatever you are planning for the holidays. FREE! Gift wrapping is always available at Polarn O. Pyret stores. For your chances to win enter your details at... www.polarnopyret.co.uk/win by 10th of December. Terms and conditions apply. Winner will be notified via email on 11th December. Nearest Stores: House of Fraser Norwich & Grand Arcade Cambridge www.polarnopyret.co.uk

Buy One Get One Free Each Families Suffolk magazine reader will get a free Peter’s Railway book with every book purchased via the Peter’s Railway website. For any child that just can’t get enough of train stories these books are a must, full of exciting adventures, escapades on the railways, making of a real locomotive and some hair raising tales from the olden days – the perfect gift this Christmas. Please go to www.petersrailway.com and enter the online bookshop, click the book you would like to purchase and in the personalised dedication box type “FAMDEC” and any dedication you would like. We will then send your chosen book and a FREE book from the series to all readers via the website until the end of the year!

www.familiessuffolk.co.uk

Jayne Tarrant is the owner and founder of Ingenious Products Ltd, whose ﬁrst product Medpac, a bag speciﬁcally designed to store and carry medicines to school, nurseries, clubs, holidays or generally out and about was successfully launched into the market earlier this year. Jayne, her husband Steve, and two children George aged 12 years and Jessica aged 8 years have lived in Occold for 9 years.

Favourite children’s club/class?

Most successful recipe/food?

Jessica has just started Brownies at Eye and is loving it.

Banana Bread – a great standby and good for using up mushy banana’s.

Favourite day out and why? Bewilderwood as its not too commercialised and still allows children to use their imagination. I love Mildred the Crocklebog. Favourite child friendly restaurant and why? The Black Horse at Thorndon, it has a great childrens menu available all week and children are always welcome. All home cooked food – yummy ! Proudest eco-friendly moment? I have hippo’s in my toilets ! Best planet saving tip? Hang your washing on the line wherever possible. No parent should be without? A pack of playing cards or Uno, both are small, portable and hours of fun. Favourite family holiday spot and why?

Why you like living where you do? Occold is a lovely friendly village with a pre-school, primary school and pub. It is very active socially with the newly built village hall which is a great venue for many village events. Favourite shop and why? It depends who I’m shopping with !! With Jessica we visit Claires Accessories, Monsoon and Pennikkity Pots, with George we visit GAME, Thorntons and then go home ! Favourite park and why? Thornham Walks is great all year round for picnics and different walks including one which is pushchair and wheelchair friendly.

Centre Parcs at Thetford,Elvedon – its like being a million miles away but its only up the road ! Best children’s book? Harry Potter series by J K Rowling Best children DVD or video? We are big Disney fans from the old classics like Cinderella and 101 Dalmations to Toy Story 3 and Tangled. Most played with toys?

If you would like to visit any of the places mentioned please ﬁnd the contact details listed below: Pennikkity Pots - Crown and Anchor Mews, Ipswich. IP1 3DJ - 01473 216865 www.pennikkitypots.co.uk Thornham Walks - Thornham Magna, Eye, Suffolk IP23 8HH - 01379 788345 www.thornham.org.uk Bewilderwood - Horning Road, Hoveton, Norfolk,NR12 8JW - 01692 633033 www.bewilderwood.co.uk The Black Horse - The Street, Thorndon Eye. Suffolk. IP23 7JR - 01379 678523 www.theblackhorsethorndon.co.uk Centre Parcs Elvedon - Elvedon Forest,Brandon, Suffolk - 08448 267 723 www.centerparcs.co.uk If you would like to speak to Jayne regarding Medpac medicine storage bags you can do so via the website www.medpac.co.uk or call 0845 073 9430

Anything from Build a Bear – the bears,clothes,shoes and accessories. I spend more money on knickers for a bear than I do my own !

A career that delivers lifestyle A great income and the time to enjoy it! by Kay Montadon’

career woman, very business oriented A with a science degree and an MBA, I didn’t think I could afford to have a family as we depended on my very good income to fund our lovely holidays, nice home and my expensive horse hobby! So noone was more surprised than me to find that I became a mother at 38 to my lovely boy. I now needed a rethink career-wise and wanted to find a flexible, well paid role that would allow me to be a mother and have a great job. Nothing fitted the bill until I came across a well established global healthcare business that could help us maintain our standard of living and yet allow me to be a mother. That was over 8 years ago and now, thanks to Forever, we have two beautiful children, a lovely lifestyle near the seaside, and I have been able to keep my horse (and find time to ride her!).

This is a very ethical company, which produces the most amazing natural products that help people and their animals to be healthier. Our growth rate is exceptional – even during this recession, our sales continue to grow year on year – more than 20% growth in the last 3 years and we are experiencing double digit growth this year in the UK compared to last year. The company turnover last year was $2.6 billion in 150 countries and there is a proper career plan in place for you to build a successful career with us even if you want to work part time hours around children and family commitments. When I first looked at the company it was important to me that I believed in these products. So I started to use them on myself, my family and my horse. At the same time, I asked people I knew to take a look at the products. I asked people if they would be willing to do a 60 day trial of the products to see if they noticed a difference in their health. If at the end of the 60 days they were not absolutely delighted with our products, they would get a refund of everything they had spent with us – no questions asked. Many of the people I knew also had problems with their health – similar to the ones we had. My son had eczema, I had debilitating irritable bowel syndrome and arthritic feet. People I knew were permanently tired, or caught lots of colds and coughs, some people had hay fever very badly every year, some

people wanted a safe natural way to lose weight effectively and some people just had sensitive or dry skin. I now had the opportunity to give people a chance to try a natural product that may help them to feel healthier and more vital and help to soothe their skin, joints and digestive system.

y experience has been supremely positive over the years with these products. The returns rate as a company is less than 0.5% - most people find the products very helpful. We have helped lots of animals and people to feel better. It has saved me a lot of money because horses are often hurting themselves and I use our amazing products for everything from wounds to mudfever, and to help keep her joints in good condition following a very full career as an event horse.

Kay says “We provide award winning support and training to our partners in the business. If you have some relevant experience – management or experience running a business, sales and marketing, training or teaching – please do call me to have an informal chat about our career plan.”

Kay: 07791 793924 kay.montandon@foreveruk.biz

To contribute to future issues please email editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk or call 01473 788546

100s

You’ll find

of great deals in store www.eastofengland.coop/store-locator

Valid from 1st November and end on 20th November 2012

£6.99 Was £13.98

£1.75

80p

Was £3.50

Was £1.60

THE CO-OPERATIVE RICH FRUIT CHRISTMAS PUDDING 454G

THE CO-OPERATIVE DEEP FILLED MINCE PIES 6’s

Equivalent to 38.5p per 100g

Equivalent to 13.3p per item

TAYLOR’S SELECT RESERVE PORT 75CL

£2.99 MULLED WINE 75CL

HALF PRICE

£8.00 STELLA ARTOIS BOTTLES 12 x 284ML Equivalent to £2.35 per ltr

Valid from 8th November and end on 27th November 2012

JOHN SMITH’S EXTRA SMOOTH / STRONGBOW CIDER / FOSTER’S CANS 10 x 440ML

£5.00

£2.25

Was £10.00

Was £4.50

THE CO-OPERATIVE ELMWOOD SMOKED / UNSMOKED GAMMON JOINT 1.1KG

CATHEDRAL CITY MATURE CHEDDAR 350G

Equivalent to £4.55 per kg

Equivalent to £6.43 per kg

Equivalent to £1.82 per ltr

Valid until 13th December 2012

when you spend £50 or more in any East of England Co-op Supermaket or Foodstore

at your East of England Co-op Supermarkets and Foodstores

For more news from our Society follow us on...

FAM MAG NOV 12

£6 off

One voucher per transaction. Excludes National Lottery, PayPoint and Tobacco kiosk sales. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other Society offer. Age restrictions apply. In store voucher.

www.eastofengland.coop www.facebook.com/eastofenglandcoop www.twitter.com/eoecoop Validity dates vary please see individual products. Valid at Co-op Supermarkets and Foodstores. All offers subject to availability and valid from 1/11/12 until 27/11/12 unless otherwise stated. It is an offence to sell alcohol to anyone under the age of 18. Anyone appearing to be under the age of 25 will be asked for proof of age and no sale of alcohol will be made until satisfactory evidence is produced that the purchaser is 18 or over. Was price charged at most stores. Certain products may be stocked in larger stores only. Photographs are for illustration only. Information correct at the time of going to print. Offers not available at Co-op Foodstore, Norwich Station and The Tuck Shop, Walberswick.

We try our best to ensure the information listed is correct, but please always check with the venue before setting out in case things have changed.

Theatre Milkshake! Live Sunday 4th November 2012 Spa Pavilion, Felixstowe The all singing, all dancing live stage show starring milkshake! favourites: Little Princess and Scruff, Noddy and Tessie Bear, Roary and Big Chris, Fifi and Bumble and B1 & B2 – the Bananas in Pyjamas, this musical spectacular is sure to have children tapping their toes, clapping their hands and singing at the top of their voices.

Ipswich Choral Society Presents Saturday 15th December The Grand Hall, Corn Exchange Ipswich Choral Society’s annual Christmas community concert returns with a sparkling festive extravaganza! 01473 433100 www.ipswichregent.com

01394 282126 - www.thespapavilion.org

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs- Family Pantomime Friday 21st December – Sunday 30th December Ipswich Regent Hi Ho… Hi Ho… It’s off to panto we go! 01473 433100 www.ipswichregent.com

Ipswich’s Got Talent Saturday 17th November Ipswich Regent Can you recognise star quality when you see it? Could you pick out the next Susan Boyle or spot the new Diversity? Join us for this year’s talent extravaganza and find out! 01473 433100 www.ipswichregent.com

Aladdin Saturday 22nd December 2012 – Sunday 6th January 2013 Spa Pavilion, Felixstowe The best pantomimes are always full of magic and wonder and you can’t get much more magical and enchanting than Aladdin. 01394 282126 www.thespapavilion.org

Sleeping Beauty Thursday 22nd November – Saturday 26th January 2013 New Wolsey Theatre The Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto Suitable for ages 3+ 01473 295900 www.wolseytheatre.co.uk Alice in Wonderland Friday 23rd – Sunday 25th November 2012 Spa Pavilion, Felixstowe The award winning Felixstowe Musical Theatre bring to you Robert Marlowe’s Alice in Wonderland, written for the first time in pantomime format whilst still sticking to Lewis Carroll’s original story 01394 282126 www.thespapavilion.org Spinks The Alien’s Christmas Crash Wednesday 28th November 2012 Spa Pavilion, Felixstowe Jumpstart Performance Group proudly presents ‘Spinks The Alien’s Christmas Crash’. Jumpstart Performance Group is an Ipswich based amateur group of young dancers providing exciting dance performances for all the family 01394 282126 www.thespapavilion.org The Owl who was afraid of the Dark Saturday 1st December 2012 Spa Pavilion, Felixstowe Based on the bestselling children’s classic by Jill Tomlinson, this gentle, reassuring tale is brought to life with an irresistible blend of live music, puppetry and storytelling. 01394 282126 www.thespapavilion.org Waiting for Christmas Sunday 2nd – Saturday 8th December 2012 Spa Pavilion, Felixstowe Waiting for Christmas is a vibrant musical Christmas celebration featuring 200 children from local schools singing on stage with a live 18 piece band, soloists, dance, video & drama 01394 282126 www.thespapavilion.org The Magician’s Daughter Tuesday 4th December – Saturday 5th January 2013 New Wolsey Studio Inspired by Shakespeare’s story of The Tempest, Little Angel Theatre brings their trademark blend of puppetry and song to this captivating story of the adventures of a young girl on a magical faraway island. Suitable for ages 3+ 01473 295900 www.wolseytheatre.co.uk

Visit Santa Tea with Santa Hollow Trees Farm Shop, Semer December – Mon 3rd to Wed 5th, Mon 10th to Wed 12th, Mon 17th to Wed 19th £7.95 per child which includes a ‘Santa Sleigh Tea’ and a present from Santa. £4.50 per adult which includes tea or coffee, cake, slice or mince pie. Entry is by PRE PAID TICKETS ONLY. Please either telephone or visit the shop to book tickets at the Box Office. 01449 741247 www.hollowtrees.co.uk Santa’s Grotto at Blackthorpe Barn, Bury St Edmunds Every weekend from 24th November – 16th December, 11am - 4pm www.blackthorpebarn.com 01359 270091 Visit Father Christmas in his Owlish Grotto The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, Stonham Barnes, Stonham Aspal Mon 26th Nov - Sun 2nd Dec Mon – Fri open 5pm - 8pm, Sat & Sun open 10am – 5pm www.stonhambarnscomplex.co.uk www.owl-help. org.uk The Mid Suffolk Light Railyway Santa Specials Brockford Station, Wetheringsett, nr Stowmarket Trains run on 2nd, 9th, 15th, 16th and 23rd December. Travel by steam train to visit the railway Santa at North Pole Halt, for children up to 10 years old. Every place must be pre-booked. www.mslr.org.uk 01473 890622 Baylham House Rare Breeds Farm Baylham, Suffolk Father Christmas will be visiting the farm on 1st& 2nd, 8th & 9th, 15th & 16th December. www.baylham-house-farm.co.uk 01473 830264 The Magic of Christmas at Colchester Zoo Stanway, Colchester November 24th & 25th, December 1st& 2nd, 8th & 9th, 15th & 16th, 19th to 24th 2012 Meet Santa and his real, live reindeer, visit him in his enchanted grotto, enjoy the staff mini-pantomime plus even more festive fun! www.colchester-zoo.co.uk 01206 331292 Father Christmas at Pakenham Water Mill Pakenham, Bury St Edmunds

Sun 2nd December - Mill opens at 3.00pm; Father Christmas arrives at 4.30pm. Father Christmas has agreed to arrive by boat again and deliver presents. www.pakenhamwatermill.org.uk Father Christmas at Suffolk Food Hall Wherstead, Ipswich Sat 8th and Sun 9th December, 10:30am - 4:00pm Free Event www.suffolkfoodhall.co.uk 01473 786 610 Dickensian Christmas Kentwell Hall, Long Melford Sat 15th December - Sat 22nd December Visitors will find the real Finnish Father Christmas in his ancient cottage, ready to give out presents to good girls and boys. www.kentwell.co.uk 01787 310 207 Father Christmas sails into Snape Maltings, Nr Aldeburgh Sunday 16th December 2012 Join him for music and fun to celebrate Christmas. www.snapemaltings.co.uk 01728 688 303 Santa Weekend Moyse’s Hall, Bury St Edmunds Sat 15th Dec – Sun 16th Dec, 11am - 4pm Come and tell Santa your wishes for Christmas Day. Includes gift. £5 per child www.moyseshall.org Father Christmas plus Carols on Market Hill, Woodbridge Wed 19th December 2012 at 6:00 PM Every year Father Christmas makes a special visit to Woodbridge! www.choosewoodbridge.co.uk 01449 612229 - www.eastanglianlife.org.uk Santa and his Real Live Reindeer at Hearts Delight Lawford, Manningtree Every weekend from 17th November and everyday in the week up to and including Christmas Eve. 10:30am – 3:30pm, *Christmas Eve: 10:30 – 2:30pm. (Opening times are flexible according to demand and Santa may break for 30 minutes to feed his reindeer between 1-2pm.) www.hearts-delight.co.uk 01206 392539

Christmas Fairs / Shopping Handmade Contemporary Christmas Craft and Design Fair The Old School, Long Melford Sat 17th November, 10am – 4pm With 50 stalls, this event will offer shoppers a wonderful choice of beautifully designed and handcrafted gifts for Christmas. www.wearehandmade.co.uk Elveden Festive Fair Elveden, Thetford Sat 17th November, 9:30am - 5pm The fair will be a festive extravaganza of East Anglian food and drink, gifts and Christmas themed entertainment. Plus, ride the traditional Victorian gallopers (carousel) and bounce on the bungees. FREE admission. www.elveden.com Guide Dog Christmas Craft and Gift Fair Brakenbury Sports Centre, Felixstowe. Sun 18th November, 10am - 4pm 07742 330593 St Peter’s by the Waterfront Christmas Craft Fair College Street, Ipswich Sun 18th November, 10am - 3:30pm www.stpetersbythewaterfront.com 01473 225269

To contribute to future issues please email editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk or call 01473 788546

Christmas Shopping, Craft and Pamper Fun Day Royal British Legion, Felixstowe Sun 18th November -11am - 4pm A fun filled day of Shopping, Craft and Pampering including Christmas themed activities for Children and a special FREE Meet and Greet with none other than A-List Celebrity Couple “Mickey and Minnie Mouse” (at 12.30pm and 2.30pm). For more details please email replaytoys@hotmail.co.uk or call 07948 799565. Bury St Edmunds Ninth Annual Christmas Fayre 23rd – 25th November 2012 www.burystedmundschristmasfayre.co.uk Christmas Shopping at RSPB Minsmere Friday 23rd November, 12pm – 4pm Join us for a spot of late night shopping with expert advice, product demonstrations, and tasting of the yummy RSPB Love Nature food. Free entry. (Normal entry fees apply to use the nature trails and hides) www.rspb.org.uk Christmas Craft Fayre Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket, Friday 30th November A great way to get into the Christmas spirit! www.eastanglianlife.org.uk Christmas Craft Market and Lights Switch-On Town Centre and Felixstowe Triangle Canopy Sat 1st December 2012, 10am–5pm Activities should include craft stalls, refreshments, raffle, Santa’s sleigh/ grotto and a Christmas tree at The Triangle. All raising money for charitable causes. Admission free. www.felixstowelions.org.uk UCS Christmas Fayre UCS Waterfront Building, Ipswich Sat 1st December, 10am - 3pm 50 Stalls providing a variety of Gift Ideas, Festive Foods and Stocking Fillers. www.ucs.ac.uk

ACTIVITIES AT HOME WITH

Make this Christmas your own and get creative, putting your own personal touch on gifts to make even the smallest present extra special for your loved ones. At Fabric8, we have everything you need to personalise the whole Christmas season making every aspect of your celebrations unique. Don’t buy cardboard advent calendars that will get thrown away on Boxing Day; visit one of our stores and choose one of our advent calendar panels and make your own that can be used year after year. We love coming up with new ways of being creative and a little different and this year we are encouraging our customers to use vibrant Christmas materials to wrap their gifts. Not only is this a great way to make your gifts stand out from others, it gives the recipient another small gift that they can then use to get creative themselves. Of course Christmas is a time for tradition so we also have in stock our full range of wools for those of you who love to create knitted jumpers, hats, scarves and more. For everything you need and more to make this Christmas your own, pop into one of our stores or visit our website

www.fabric8online.co.uk

Christmas Gift & Craft Fair Stonham Barns, Stonham Aspal, Sat 1st - Sun 2nd December, 10am – 4pm www.stonhambarnscomplex.co.uk 2012 Lavenham Christmas Festival Friday 7th & Sat 8th December www.discoverlavenham.co.uk Festive Market Market Hill, Woodbridge Sat 8th December, 10am – 4pm Unique gifts and foodie treats for the Christmas season. www.debenevents.com Giant Christmas Craft & Gift Fayre The Cameo Hotel, Copdock Sun 9th Dec 2012, 10am – 4pm s there is With over 60 stalls selling locally made crafts & quality gifts ts. s. something for everyone, lots of great ideas for presents to suitt all pocket pockets. Refreshments available all day. Admission fee £1 07950 153149 or email jan@fynn-valley.co.uk

Christmas Lights Switch On Dat Dates attes

Everything you need to make and create

For that personal touch this christmas

WHY NOT TRY

wrapping gifts in fabric instead of wrapping paper, knitting gifts and make your own fabulous advent calendars.

We have all you need in store and more!

Ipswich – Sunday 5th Nov 2012 at around 5pm on the Cornhill. Felixstowe - Saturday 1st December 2012 Bury St Edmunds - Thursday 15th Nov 2012, fun starts at 2 2pm p pm Aldeburgh – Saturday 24th Nov 2012

For more things to do & places to visit in Suffolk during the October Half Term Holiday visit

12-14 Head St. COLCHESTER Essex CO1 1NY 3-5 Hamilton Rd FELIXSTOWE Suﬀolk IP11 7AX telephone: 01394 283186 email: sales@fabric8online.co.uk

Excellent ideas online! www.fabric8online.co.uk Excellen

www.familiessuffolk.co.uk/thingstodoandplacestovisit

www.familiessuffolk.co.uk

Birch Farm Nursery - Quality Assured Full Day Care Nursery

Ipswich High School for Girls aged 3-18

- Varied Sessions from 3hrs to Full day 7:30am - 6:30 pm - Impressive indoor and outdoor facilities - 15 hours a week FREE termly Preschool care for 3 to 4 yrs - Extra curricula activities from Jo Jingles/Swimming/Ballet For more information contact Sarah or Nick 01473 652249 birchfarm@uk2.net www.birchfarm.co.uk

Recommended by friends Open Morning Friday 23rd November 10am - 1pm For further information www.ipswichhighschool.co.uk 01473 780201 Woolverstone, Suffolk IP9 1AZ Top A level and GCSE results 2012 ‘Outstanding School’across all categories, ISI Inspection 2011

For all your pet and country requirements, visit Gladwells Pet & Country Store Copdock. All major horse feeds and supplements stocked, alongside a huge range of poultry, pet and animal feeds and accessories. Now including a large range of Country Clothing and Essential Equestrian Wear, and Fishing Bait and Tackle on our Mezzanine floor—Yes please come upstairs!

With all your pet & country needs under one roof, generous parking available, and help to load (if required), sorting Christmas will be a breeze.

Snape Maltings Concert Hall December 14-23

Copdock Mill, Copdock, Nr Ipswich, Suffolk, IP8 3LA

Book 01728 687110 Visit coopjuniors.co.uk

Tel: 01473 731117 - E-mail: gladwells.copdock@copdockmill.co.uk

with the Co-op Juniors Theatre Company