Edinburgh – In the News
Mary Erskine School triumphs in national poetry competition
Neve Kennedy from Mary Erskine School in Edinburgh was declared a winner in the Year 4-6 category of the second annual National Children’s Poetry competition, hosted by SG World in support of the Whizz-Kidz charity. Neve’s impressive win was unveiled at the grand finale of the competition, which took place at Old Trafford.
Whizz-Kidz patrons, BAFTA nominated children’s TV presenters and radio favourites ‘Sam and Mark’, and Cheshire’s Poet Laureate, W. Terry Fox were amongst the guests and Lucy was cheered on by her teacher and fellow pupils. The one-day event also saw teachers pitted against each other in a series of X-Box Kinect games, entertaining their pupils by jumping, dodging and kicking their way through a series of adventures set in exotic locations. The winners were presented with an XBox Kinnect games console at the close of the event.
Sam and Mark, added "It was a pleasure to attend and hear some brilliant poetry by some creative school children - especially as it helped raise funds for Whizz-Kidz' fantastic work getting kids independent." Whizz-Kidz supports young people to access the right mobility equipment, including powered wheelchairs at the right time. If you would like to support Whizz-Kidz, go to www.whizz-kidz.org.uk
Enjoy a fantastic family day out at LovePets Scotland
LovePets Scotland is the essential show for pet lovers young and old and makes its debut at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh on 3-4 September 2011.
The event, the first Scottish multi-pet show, will appeal to people and families who are passionate about their pets, from dogs and cats to reptiles and furries. There will be a wealth of animals under one roof to see, touch and interact with. Meet experts from the pet industry, talk to them about your pets, get useful tips and advice; and browse the array of products on sale.
LovePets Scotland 2011 is the ideal show to visit for a great day out with a top class range of presentations, demonstrations and entertainment taking place inside the main arena and hall. Kate & Gin of Britain’s Got Talent fame will be performing routines with dancing dogs on both days. You can also meet Hedwig and Errol, the Harry Potter owls, giant rabbits, Shetland ponies, micro pigs and lots of exciting reptiles. This is a family event not to be missed!
For more information, or to book tickets, visit the Edinburgh page at www.lovepets.me.uk
Looking for a truly unique birthday venue that will make the kids go wild? With party packages to suit every age, interest and budget Edinburgh Zoo is the answer
Each birthday party starts with a guided tour of the Zoo followed by a tasty lunch at the Zoo’s newly refurbished Jungle Café. With all items available to take away you can either eat-in at a reserved table or move your lunch out and enjoy a picnic in the park. Each child receives an invitation and party bag with Zoo themed items. You also have the option for the birthday boy or girl to be surprised with a delicious animal cake after lunch.
With complimentary activities scheduled throughout the day, such as the Penguin Parade, you can plan the day around encounters with your child’s favourite animals. The Zoo also offers a diverse and exciting range of activities that are guaranteed to make your child’s birthday extra special; have them swinging like a chimp on the 4ft high sky trail or testing their nerves handling a range of creepy crawlies in the animal handling sessions.
The Jungle Café is also home to Edinburgh Zoo’s soft play area. So, if your party is for younger children you can enjoy a well deserved cup of freshly ground coffee while the kids work off their lunch.
Party packages include entrance to the Zoo so you can make your party last all day; rates start from only £14 per child.
Call 0131 314 0336 to find out more.
Help build a child’s confidence with speech and language therapy
Speech and language therapy can help to reduce or resolve a number of common difficulties, helping to build a child’s confidence. Talk Tall Therapy offers a professional private speech and language therapy service, tailored to suit specific needs, budgets and interests, making therapy fun and effective. Assessment and therapy are provided at home, nursery or school. Consultation and training services are available for schools and other agencies. Fiona Petrie is an experienced speech and language therapist (specialising in ASD and SLI) and a qualified Signalong tutor. For more information contact Fiona on 07714 287857 or fiona@talktalltherapy.co.uk or visit www.talktalltherapy.co.uk
Are you entitled to Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit?
Tax credits are designed to provide payments of extra money to people who are bringing up children. There are two types - Working Tax Credit (WTC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). You might be eligible for one or both.
The amount you get is based on your circumstances at the time you make the claim, and on your previous year's income. Tax credit claims run for a tax year (from 6 April to the following 5 April), and can only normally be backdated up to three months.
CTC and WTC are made up of different 'elements', and the amount of credit you'll receive depends on how many of these elements you are eligible for. All the elements you are entitled to are added together to make up your maximum award, but whether or not you receive the full award will depend on your income.
Working Tax Credit: Working Tax Credit (WTC) is a payment to top up the earnings of working people on moderate or low incomes. Everyone who qualifies receives the basic element, worth up to £1,920 depending on income. In addition, you can receive extra elements, depending on your circumstances - for example if you are a couple or lone parent (£1,950) or work more than 30 hours a week (£790). There's also a childcare element - an extra allowance for working families who spend money on registered approved childcare. You can claim up to 70 per cent of childcare costs up to £175 a week for one child and £300 a week for two or more children. This means that the maximum help you can get for your childcare through tax credits is £122.50 a week for one child or £210 a week for two or more children.
Child Tax Credit: Child tax credit (CTC) is a payment to support families with children. You don't have to be working to claim it, and any payment made is in addition to child benefit payments. To be eligible you must have at least one dependent child and a joint income of less than £41,300 a year. If you receive only Child Tax Credit (so, no Working Tax Credit) you will be entitled to the full amount until your annual household income reaches £15,860. After that, your CTC award (apart from the basic family element of £545) will be reduced by 41p for every £1 of income above £15,860. The family element of CTC is reduced only when the household income exceeds £41,300.
The Tax Credits Helpline is 0845 300 3900 open 8am to 8pm seven days a week. |
