Brighton Festival - 7th to 29th May 2011

For three weeks this May,  Brighton will come alive with cultural events celebrating the theme of freedom and liberty through many forms including music, dance and theatre etc and there are many free outdoor events for all ages.

Why not attend one of the many events that the Brighton Festival is holding in many venues in Brighton and Hove.

We have highlighted two events:

• Saturday 7th May - 

Childrens Parade (FREE) 

One of Brighton Festival's most enduring spectacles starts at 10.30am from Sydney street and will finish on Maderia drive. This years theme is The Rights of the Child... 
 The festival will be a procession of colour and music parading to the beat of samba.

• 26th-29th May - Shakespears Globe on Tour  

As You Like it
This year a troupe of players from Shakespeare's Globe will bring new life into this play for the Brighton Festival.
Bring a picnic and be apart of the ultimate Shakespeare experience.
Prices are on their website.

For more details and a list of all the wonderful events occurring during those three weeks please visit their website:  www.brightonfestival.org

Anna
New baby gifts

London Marathon - 17th April 2011

Good Luck to all the London Marathon runners

My sister and I wish everyone good luck who are taking part in the London Marathon at the weekend.

We have run it three times and loved the whole experience even though the last 8 miles did hurt!! :)

The support you get from the crowds (especially over tower bridge) is amazing and you will feel like a real celebrity for a few hours.....

Good Luck Everyone

Anna & Cathy
New Baby Gifts
New Mum Gifts

Have fun on an Easter Egg Hunt in Sussex

With Easter half term fast approaching we will all be looking for places to visit with fun activities.
For Easter this year I would like to take the children on an Easter Egg hunt and make a day of it with the family.
Here are a few ideas of places to visit in Sussex:

Michelham Priory    24th April 2011
Easter Egg Hunt - Also card making in the barn and face painting until 3.30pm and much more.....

Borde Hill Gardens    3 - 25th April 2011
Easter Bunny Trail - children can follow the easter bunny to find their chocolate prize

Sheffield Park Garden    2 - 18th April 2011
Wildlife Easter Trail - Goodies for all the entrants and special trails for under-fives.

Tulleys Farm     9th - 25th April 2011
Easter Egg and Bunny Hunt - Meet the easter bunny and do a bit of egg spotting on a wagon ride.

These are just a few ideas, check out your local area for similar events.

Anna
New Baby Gifts
New Mum Gifts

Chinese New Year - 5th February 2011

This Chinese New Year, celebrated on the 5th February 2011, is the year of the Rabbit.

To celebrate the birth of a beautiful baby boy or girl we have a fantastic baby gift to commemorate the year your little treasure was born.

Sigikide HiPP Organic Cotton Bunny Toy - RRP £19.50

A soft and cuddly 100% organic cotton bunny that is:

• Made from 100% organic cotton
• Filled with 100% lambswool
• Free from all harmful substances so ideal for a newborn baby
• Size 21cm and machine washable
• Gift wrapped in ivory tissue paper
• Gift card for personal message
• Order before 2pm (Mon - Fri) and your gift will be sent same day by FREE first class recorded delivery to a UK mainland address (1-2 days delivery)

For the ideal eco-friendly and organic baby present or new mum gift, take a look at our website for all our new baby gifts and baby gift boxes.

Anna and Cathy
New baby gifts

Open Farm Sunday 13 June 2010

On Sunday 13 June 2010, an open farm day is taking place all around the country.

Its a chance for everyone to experience at first hand what it means to be a farmer and taste the produce.

Find out which farms are participating in your area at www.farmsunday.org.

I have five farms to choose from in my area. all offering fun activites for the children, hog roasts and a chance to meet the animals and to buy their produce.

Great fun for all the family!

I think this is a great way of promoting local food and the farmers who are passionate about their products.

Anna

Eco Village at the South of England Show: 10-12 June 2010

Incase you are not aware, the South of England Show is taking place from 10-12 June at the South of England Centre, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, West Sussex.

We have visited this show a few times and would highly recommend it as a great family day out with show jumping & events, area displays, a farming & wildlife area, educational displays, cookery demonstrations, food hall, games, rides... and lots more...

We wanted to highlight that 'The EcoVillage' will be making its debut at the South of England Show in 2010 with over 120 exhibitors and a picnic area. This village will feature almost 100 green’ exhibitors, interactive displays, demonstrations and a picnic area.

Anna

National Family Week 31 May - 6 June 2010

With the next week starting with a bank holiday, it is the UK's national week to celebrate family life... Time to get out and about, and enjoy family life!

Packed with fun for the whole family to enjoy together, National Family Week will see a wealth of events and activites run across the UK to engage, entertain and most importantly provide the opportunity for families to spend quality time together.

Visit national family week to find out what is going on in your local area.

From picnics to fun fairs, story telling to sports days, take your pick from thousands of great events happening across the country.

I am camping in Dorset over this week so shall be looking for events in that area.

Anna

Brighton Christmas Market - Sunday 20th December

Have you bought all your Xmas gifts yet or want to get into the Christmas spirit? Go to Brighton's Christmas Market this weekend from 10am to 4.3opm, at the Brighton Centre.

It is FREE to enter and will provide a range of festive food, gifts, Santa grotto, handmade jewellery, eco-chic and traditional toys.

The Brighton Christmas Market will take place on the opening day of the 'Get Your Skates On' public ice skating on the Heart Winter Ice Rink, one of the county’s major seasonal attractions, welcoming thousands of visitors.

Cathy

The Baby Show - 16-18 October, Earls Court, London

For all you mums-to-be, new mums or mums with toddlers, it is The Baby Show this weekend at Earls Court, London.

This is the largest UK baby show with everything you need for pregnancy, birth, baby and beyond. A great day out for all the family as there will be shopping for mum and entertainment for the children.

Anna and I are attending, as some of our favourite organic and eco-friendly shops are there and Anna's baby is in need of a few treats!

For more details go to www.thebabyshow.co.uk.

Cathy

Organic Fortnight 5-20 September

I want to highlight the Organic Fortnight which takes place from 5-20 September.

This is a national campaign sponsored by the Soil Association and celebrates everything organic. The aim is to increase awareness on why organic is important for our health, animal welfare and the environment. Organic Fortnight runs from the 5th – 20th September.

An organic festival is being held this weekend (September 12-13) at Bristol's scenic Harbourside. It is Europe's largest showcase of the organic community, with hundreds of organic products, cooking demonstrations with Raymond Blanc and other top chefs, childrens taste workshops and a lively Street Food Bazaar and Organic Bar.

If you live close to Bristol I would certainly recommend you go and take a look.

To find out how you can get involved and for more information, visit the Soil Association today.

Anna

Why not run 5km for Tree-Athlon 2009

I started running again on Sunday, 8 weeks after the birth of my son. I did a lot of run/walking which was a bit frustrating as I was quite fit before I became pregnant! :) It shall take a few months to get me back to the standard I was at but I do enjoy getting out in the fresh air and doing some exercise.

If I was fit enough I would have liked to have taken part in the Tree-Athlon 2009 which is a 5km run taking part in London (19 Sept), Leeds (27 Sept) and Manchester (4 Oct).

Tree-Athlon2009

The London race is raising money to:

Create more outdoor classrooms in schools around the capital so that children can learn about and enjoy their local environments.
Plant thousands more street trees at sites all over the capital for residents to enjoy.
Improve London's woodlands for people and wildlife alike.

Please take a look at the website and if you are interested in participating there are still spaces for all races.

Anna

Tulleys Farm - Torch Night Maze Evenings

Looking for something to do this bank holiday or at weekends during September then consider Tulleys Farm Torch Night Evening (located Turners Hill, Crawley)

If you live in Sussex then you will probably have heard or have visited Tulleys Farm.

A great place for children with many attractions from play areas, mini diggers, tractors, farm shop, tea room and maize maze.

Torch Maze Night Evenings will be held on Fri Aug 28 / Sat Aug 29, and in September on Fri Sept 4 / Sat Sept 5 / Sat Sept 12 & Sat Sept 19

The eight acre maize field is transformed as your torch beams dance through and over the crop .... creating an atmosphere that you have to be a part of and will never forget.

Website: Tulleys Maize Maze Torch Nights

The Maze fun park will be open from 7pm until 11pm.
The Maze will be opened as soon as darkness falls (approx 8.30pm)
Please note the fun park activities close after dark just as the maze opens.

BBQ food and Refreshments will be available from 7pm til 8.30pm in the courtyard and then from 8.30pm til 11pm in the centre of the maze itself.

If I was going to be here over the bank holiday I would certainly take my little girl.

Anna

Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Festival - September 2009

I was looking for things to do in my area this summer when I came across the Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival which is taking place in September. It is run to celebration the best of food and drink available in Sussex.

Events are being held every weekend in September please see details on there website:

Brightonfoodfestival

I am planning on visiting the Mermaid Market which is being held every Saturday and Sunday throughout September at the Brighton Marina in the Village Square 11am-4pm

Restaurants are featuring local festival dishes and fresh local fish at the market, plus free Chilli tastings at the Fiery Food shop in the square.

A good excuse to go to Brighton marina and have lunch as there are some great restaurants overlooking the sea and lovely yachts that I will never be able to afford!!

Anna

Chilli Fiesta, 8-9 August, Sussex

This weekend I will be attending the Chilli Fiesta at West Dean Gardens, near Chichester in Sussex. It is now a cult event which is in its 15th year.

With over 250 varieties of Chillies on display and some of the hottest Chilli plants displayed, it is amazing that these are all grown in England.

Food
There will be over 100 exhibitors where you can try sizzling snacks such a hot sausages, chilli sauces, chutneys and jellies but also more unusual products such as chilli ice cream, chilli chocolate and even chilli fruit juices and beers.

Tours
There will be guided tours of the walled gardens, chilli growing demonstrations, and short seminars.

For more information: Chilli Festival

Maybe I will see you there!

Cathy

World Breastfeeding Week 1-7 August 09

As I am currently breastfeeding my son I thought it was worth a mention about World Breastfeeding Week 1-7 August 2009.

The World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is the greatest outreach vehicle for the breastfeeding movement, being celebrated in over 120 countries. This year, WABA teams up with the Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN) and the International Baby Food Action Network-Geneva Infant Feeding Association (IBFAN-GIFA) who represent an international collaboration of United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations (IFE Core Group) concerned with protection and support of safe and appropriate infant and young child feeding in emergencies. Together we call for the active protection and support of breastfeeding during emergencies and the prevention and refusal of donations of breastmilk substitutes1, bottles and teats that, too often, do more harm than good.

Please read more at http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/images/press_release.pdf

If you are on twitter you can also show your support at http://twibbon.com/join/World-Breastfeeding-Week

I appreciate how breastfeeding helps protect your child from illnesses but there is a greater need for mothers to do this in poorer countries especially in emergencies to protect themselves and their children.

Anna

Love Parks Week 25 July - 2 August

I visit my park with my daughter every week and I have found out there is an actual Love Parks Week!!

The perfect excuse to get outdoors and enjoy the summer with your children. They are being held to celebrate all that parks have to offer, so why not visit your local park during the campaign to show what it means to you? They are an asset to every community and this week is held to make sure there is constant investment and support for these parks.

Take a look at http://www.loveparksweek.org.uk to see what events are in your area. Unfortunately there is nothing being held in Sussex but there are quite a few being held in London and other areas of the country.

Eco Village - 17-19 July 2009

If I was not for Cathy's wedding this weekend, we would certainly be visiting the Eco Village Event which is to be held at the Kent County Showground on 17-19 July 2009.

The EcoVillage is an exhibition event. It is a dedicated area for organisations promoting green products, services and initiatives. With a good mix of information and entertainment the organises hope that people attending will try to live a greener life after they have visited the show.

Please take a look at their website http://www.theecovillage.co.uk

Barnardo's Big Toddle in Sussex - 1st July

The Barnardo's Big Toddle is the biggest fundraising event for under fives! It is a short, sponsored walk which last year saw almost 500,000 todders register nationally!

All money raised goes to local Barnardo's projects for children under five based in the UK. Its all about children helping children.

There is an event on 1st July in Brighton and you can register on-line http://www.bigtoddle.co.uk/

I shall not be taking part....I cannot even walk a few yards at the moment....only 7 days to go until my due date!! Anna

"Night to Remember" - Saturday 20 June

"Night To Remember" is a ladies Midnight walk (in Sussex) raising money for St Barnabas House.

1,200 ladies have signed up for the challenge to walk 13.1 miles from midnight!

One of our friends is getting ready as we write this article to do the walk on Saturday...! Is it the lack of sleep or the walk that is the toughest part?

Last year a team of nurses from St Barnabas were named as the best fundraising team - they raised an incredible £3433.49!

For further information: http://www.nighttoremember.org.uk/

Bike Week 2009 - 13-21 June 2009

Want to enjoy this weather?? Bike week is the UK's largest mass participation cycling event.

The aim of the week is to encourage us all to get more out of life by getting a bike and exploring the local community. Hopefully this will make us thinking about walking or cycling short trips instead of getting in our cars.

Please take a look at their website http://www.bikeweek.org.uk to find a number of family rides taking place around the country during this week.