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SCHOOL CHILDREN ACROSS THE REGION SHOW SUPPORT FOR
THE TOUR OF BRITAIN’S OLYMPIC HEROES
Thanks to a new schools campaign run by energy company E.ON, school children from across the region will be out in force on Wednesday 10 September as Olympic Gold Medallists, Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas compete for their respective teams in The Tour of Britain, the country’s premier road cycle race, in a bid to add to their success in Beijing |
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Leap into 21st Century Reading with LeapFrog TAG
LeapFrog Toys is set to revolutionise the way children read and learn with the launch of Tag, an innovative reading product that truly brings books to life, as words talk, pictures sing and stories live out loud. Tag combines the enjoyment of reading with an interactive learning experience through games and activities. |
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Mansfield to honour Olympic hero
The swimming centre where Olympic gold-medal hero Rebecca Adlington first learned to swim is set to be renamed in her honour.Sherwood Swimming Baths in Mansfield Woodhouse will undergo a £4.5million refurbishment starting in January and is now set to re-open as the Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre in September 2009 |
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Parents For Picnics - Picnic Guide
There is nothing more wonderfully British than a summer picnic, a chance to wallow outdoors in the blazing sunshine with friends and family, whether it's in the beautiful countryside, a park or an impromptu trip to the farthest corners of the back garden, picnics provide a cheap yet fun way to share a meal and some quality time with all the family. |
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Modern Day Mums: ‘We’re too busy to Play!’
New research released today reveals that Britain’s parents aren’t participating in enough sport or physical activity with their children - 42 per cent of parents admitted they only participate in activities once a month. Of those surveyed, it seems that mums are struggling the most. Almost one in four said they never join in with their kids activities, compared with one in five dads, suggesting mums are losing out on valuable time spent with their kids. |
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Children help Paddington celebrate 50th anniversary for charity
Half a century after being found sitting on his suitcase at the railway station, having arrived from Darkest Peru, Paddington’s favourite son, or rather bear, returned to his adopted home to celebrate the momentous anniversary and raise funds for his favourite charity, Action Medical Research. |
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ActionAid’s Child Poverty Day
On Friday 17 October, turn your lunch break into a big school dinner and help children all over the world have theirs. Friday 17 October 2008 is ActionAid’s Child Poverty Day and the international development charity is asking for your lunch money! |
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Yummy Mummy Week
Mums across the UK are being invited to take part in Yummy Mummy Week – 20th – 28th September. It’s a great excuse to get together with friends and family and have fun whilst raising money for CLIC Sargent – the children’s cancer charity. |
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Marie Curie Mini Pots of Care
Marie Curie Cancer Care run a fun and creative fundraising activity called Mini Pots of Care which involves children learning about nature and the work of Marie Curie Nurses while helping to raise funds for the charity |
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The KidsOutdoors Campaign
The KidOutdoors campaign, being led by The Scout Association, aims to inspire a million new outdoor adventures. We want more young people to embrace outdoor activities and find that doing things outdoors is a more attractive alternative to TV and computer games |
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Prince's Trust South East England Fundraiser
Youth charity The Prince’s Trust is challenging 5,000 Berkshire residents to dust off their trainers and take part in two of the largest fundraising events in the South East in the history of The Trust. |
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Camp Bestival
Bestival is one of the UK’s best-loved festivals but this year sees Radio 1’s Rob Da Bank his wife and their partners launch CAMP BESTIVAL, a smaller event for all the family. Now with families of their own it’s a progression of what they want from their lives which involves theirs kids.. |
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The award-winning Drayton Manor Theme Park, which is famed for its amazing rides, including the brand new Thomas Land™, is promising families a season packed with fantastic live entertainment, including shows, concerts and fireworks |
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Victoria Centre and Heart 106 helped Make Chatter Matter last week during the BIG Nursery Rhyme Off in support of children’s communication charity I CAN. Blue Bell Hill Primary and Nursery School performed in style, winning the live singing competition with their unique and exciting version of Robin Hood. |
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'ICE' (In Case of Emergency) Campaign
We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory. If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? |
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Community Sports Fund Initiative
Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell is calling on the public to make a difference in their community and vote for the local sporting initiative of their choice, to help them to win funding of up to £50,000. The Norwich Union Community Sports Fund has made £500,000 available to be distributed between over 200 grassroots sporting initiatives nationwide. |
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Summer events for Meningitis Research Foundation
The skies are clearing and summer is finally on the way. How better to celebrate and raise money for a good cause than by holding one of Meningitis Research Foundation’s fundraising events at your house, nursery or school? |
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Petplan Equine National Riding Festival
This summer, thousands of people across the country will be ‘taking up the reins’ as part of the Petplan Equine National Riding Festival. The Festival, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, runs from May until September and sees UK riding centres. |
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Run for the Children
"Children helping children!" is the message from Run for the Children, a national initiative in association with Nationwide aiming to get everyone off their sofas, into the parks and raising money for charity in 2008. |
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Goodyear search for "tyred" Playgrounds
Leading tyre manufacturer and safety expert, Goodyear, has announced the launch of its 2008 Playground Appeal – an annual campaign which aims to raise awareness of the need for safe play in the UK |
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The Giving Machine
Four dads and a bright idea give schools and charities a regular income without asking anyone for a penny. “It’s like seeing a collection box for your favourite charity or your child’s school and putting in someone else’s money,” says Richard Morris. He’s the member of the quartet who manages the day to day contact with beneficiaries and givers. |
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Video trailers to get kids reading
We've all sat in the cinema, munching our popcorn while watching movie trailers that showcase all the latest blockbusters. The back of book blurb has been the traditional method of capturing the imagination of readers…until now. The launch of the first ever book trailers are set to change the industry for good and bring books to life before they are even published.
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Hop, skip or jump to success in the Kick Asthma mini-marathon
Record Breaker and Asthma UK Ambassador Paula Radcliffe is launching a challenge to schools and groups across the country to each collectively cover 26.2 miles by any means – swimming, hopping, skipping – to raise vital funds to improve the health and well-being of more than a million children with asthma in the UK. |
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Making a difference with the Food Partnership
The Food Partnership is part of the national Food in Schools programme funded by the Department for Children, Schools & Families and supported by the Department of Health. It is managed on their behalf by the Design & Technology Association and British Nutrition Foundation and provides an exciting opportunity for primary teachers to receive free training with a particular emphasis on developing their practical food skills.
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Unlocking Your Child's Creativity
More than two thirds of Brits believe children use their imaginations less than in past generations. Innocent drinks are keen to encourage children to unleash their imaginations by inviting them to have a go at designing new packaging for their smoothies for kids. |
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Could You Help Out the RSPCA?
The RSPCA is looking for ‘pet home checkers’ to help the charity find loving new homes for unwanted animals. RSPCA staff and volunteers work tirelessly to find caring new homes for unwanted, neglected and abandoned animals and part of that process is to visit potential new owners in their homes. |
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Mencap launches anti-bullying campaign
Learning disability charity, Mencap, has launched a campaign to stop the bullying of children with a learning disability called ‘Don’t stick it, stop it!’ Eight out of ten children and young people with a learning disability said that they had been bullied, and six out of ten had been physically hurt by bullies. |
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School uniforms to be tracked by satellite
School uniforms could be fitted with satellite technology to allay parents' fears over child abduction. Trutex, a specialist supplier, is considering putting GPS tracking devices in new clothes amid increasing concerns over safety. The company surveyed 800 parents and found that more than two in five feared their young children were at risk of being snatched. |
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Abolishing VAT on School Wear
Following the results of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) report into the cost of school uniforms, Britain’s best known schoolwear brand, Trutex, is launching a petition which challenges The Chancellor, Alistair Darling, to abolish VAT on all items of school uniform that carry a school badge, regardless of size. |
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| | Parenting Goes Online
Forget parent and teacher evenings or even mothers’ coffee mornings. Parents are going online for help with bringing up their children, according to new figures out today. 64% of mums and dads turn to the internet for advice on parenting issues from disciplining their children and dealing with schools to coping with teenagers and talking to them about alcohol or relationships. | | |
| | NSPCC urges retailers to "work with us and go smack-free"
The NSPCC today called for shops to work with them to do more to support parents shopping in their stores. From going smack-free through to stocking leaflets offering parenting advice, the NSPCC wants shops to do their bit to look after parents and children. | | |
| | Interview with F.E. Higgins
We talk to FE (Fiona) Higgins, first time author and mum of a four year old daughter about writing and how she became “a rising star” of children’s literature. |
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Ireland-specific articles
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President McAleese will today (Wednesday) open the annual conference of the European Network of Ombudsmen for Children (ENOC) which is being held in Dublin for the first time, and which will mark the start of Emily Logan’s tenure as Chair of the Network.
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The Children’s Book Festival 2008 has over 1,500 events expected to take place nationwide to celebrate children’s books and encourage reading amongst children and teenagers. Now in its eighteenth year, the Festival has established itself as a major focus for the children’s books community in Ireland, and is by far the largest cultural event of its kind in the country.
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The idea behind Parenting Week is to celebrate the role of parenting and give information on various aspects of parenting. National Parents Week is organised by Parentline in partnership with the many organisations that are in contact with parents, children and families. Events include: talks in libraries or large places of employment, open days in community centres, parent pampering days, art exhibitions in crèches |
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Fighting Blindness is a charity which funds world-leading research in Irish universities into cures and treatments for blindness and have a unique counselling centre for people with devastating sight-loss conditions. They need to raise €3.5 million each year and as part of their fundraising efforts they run very successful treks each year. The next big trek is to Panama March 13 – 22 & April 10 – 19, 2009. To find out more about volunteering, contact (01) 7093050 or log onto www.fightingblindness.ie |
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Barnardos and the Family Support Agency have produced a series of booklets entitled Parenting Positively that provide information and guidance to parents of children between the ages of 6 and 12. The series covers general parenting skills as well as complex life issues such as coping with bullying, coping with death and coping with separation. There are booklets for parents outlining children’s understanding of the particular issue and how parents can support their children and there are also booklets for parents to read with their children to help the child to better understand what is happening and help the parent to answer any questions he or she might have. They are available to download from www.barnardos.ie or call 01 453 0355 |
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The European Day of Languages (EDL) is a Council of Europe initiative. It is held annually on the 26th September and aims to: alert the public to the importance of language learning; increase awareness and appreciation of ALL the languages spoken in Europe; encourage lifelong language learning |
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The European Commission wants to set up an EU-wide scheme to provide free fruit and vegetables to school children. The scheme could begin at the start of the 2009/2010 school year if approved by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. |
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The Ombudsman for Children’s Office saw a 43% increase in demand for its services with 742 complaints coming to the Office in 2007. For the first time since the Office was established, Education is the dominant complaint category representing 44% complaints to the OCO. |
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The call was made at the launch of the annual ‘Be First Aid Prepared – Accidents Happen’ campaign, which is run by leading first aid antiseptic, TCP in conjunction with Order of Malta Ireland. The campaign aims to encourage families to be prepared for accidents that may occur in and around the home and garden during the summer – statistically the time of year when most accidents will happen.
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Safer Children in a Digital World |
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Dr. Tanya Byron, clinical psychologist and TV presenter has published her independent review commissioned by the UK Government. Dr. Byron investigated the potentially harmful effects on children and young people from inappropriate content on the Internet and video games. More www.webwise.ie/article.aspx?id=9024 |
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Dream Ireland launches new travel websites |
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very successfully selling holidays in more than 3000 self-catering holiday homes, cottages and apartments in hundreds of wonderful locations throughout Ireland. Very successfully selling holidays in more than 3000 self-catering holiday homes, cottages and apartments in hundreds of wonderful locations throughout Ireland. For further details, call 064 41170 or log onto www.dreamireland.com |
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The Waterford & Suir Valley Railway hosted a HB Ice-cream party in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland. The party held on Sunday 18th May from 11am to 1pm was well attended despite the weather. |
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The Back to School Clothing and Footwear allowance is a special support payment to help parents with meeting the cost of uniforms and footwear for children returning to school. Applications are now being accepted for the 2008 scheme |
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Clonmel Childcare, part of the Best Crèche Group - one of Munster’s leading childcare providers, announced today the launch of the Group’s website. Aimed at providing updates on Clonmel Childcare children’s activities, introductions to the team and information events for parents the website is set to become an important source of information for Clonmel parents. |
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