What on earth can we do with the kids over half term? I'll tell you what! There is loads going on in and around Shepton Mallet for a start. We've got Halloween covered for starters. Hullabaloo Soft play centre are holding a disco on Friday 26th October, from 5.30 – 7.30pm. Tickets cost £15 per child, and this includes a free buffet for both kids and adults.
There will be glitter tattoos, face painting, disco music , a fancy dress contest- and a bar for adults! Tickets must be booked in advance call 01749 344433. On Saturday 27th October , there is another Children's Halloween party up at Shepton Mallet Scout hall from 6.30 till 8.30pm. Cakes, drinks and treats will be on sale, entry is only £2 per child with under 2's going free.' Adults wont miss out either. How about grabbing a group of mates and getting chased around a haunted prison, by escaped zombies? Check out 'Somerset' Ultimate scare attraction at Shepton Mallet Jail House ( the prison!) From Thursday 25th till Saturday 27th - slots starting from 7pm- you can take part in scare mazes, zombie archery and other scary pursuits. Then catch your breath in the licensed bar. Buy your tickets for just £10 from Shepton Tourist Information Centre- and while you're there. Book yourself a place on the spooky Halloween Ghost Walk, taking in the haunted dwelling places of our creepy market town. The Undertaker will meet you at 7pm outside St.Peter & St.Paul's Church, on Friday 26th ( provided you have a ticket - £10) you'll be led round some genuinely haunted locations, and there will be a few surprises to really freak you out! My husband and I did this tour last year, and it was absolutely brilliant. You'll be laughing, learning and screaming in equal measure. The perfect 'date night' activity- for paranormal, or history buffs, or anyone who likes a good scare! Later on during half term, there is a Halloween themed 'sensory club' aimed at children with special need or autism, run by Becky Watson from Step4ward-in2growth it runs on Thursday 1st from 10- 2pm call -07737 331174 .There is plenty going on at Bishop's Pallace in Wells too, check out Groupon, for cheaper family tickets. On Saturday 3rd November, Octagon Theatre Yeovil, Ballet Theatre UK put on a magical performance of classic tale, Beauty and The Beast. Suitable for 3 years and over, tickets from £18.50 – matinee showing at 2.30pm, evening performance at 7.30pm. Finally, why not end the half term hols with a 'Family Roller Disco” at Shepton Mallet Leisure Centre – starting at 2.15pm on Sunday 4th November. With skates to hire and entry from just £3, it's bound to be fun for all. Told you we've got it half term sorted ! Looking ahead to next month – Shepton will be going poppy mad for Armistice 100. Get your limited edition carrier bags for just 20p donation up at Tescos, now!
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Autumn has definitely arrived. Despite the odd freak sunny day, the morning frosts and falling leaves are a give away. I've started to get the odd shiver and sniffle, but I'm determined not to catch the kids' back to school' lurgy or even a cold. Not now, I'm too busy! I'm waging a war on illness. Mental & physical. Winter is coming and I'm ready for it. First thing on my list was to get rid of my backache. Thanks to Ben Gait, from Mendip Chiropractic – it's much less painful, and I have learnt some really important strategies to stop it from getting any worse. Ben can perform 'quick fixes' but the real magic happens , when you book a number of sessions over a longer period of time. I've been going twice a week since June. Recovery was a bit of a rollercoaster, as my issues were complex- but now I am much better. I'm also mindful about how I sit, bend over and pick things up! Now my back's working, I can start walking, running and yoga again. The other main things on my 'beat the winter blues' list. Aromatherapy is powerfully healing for me. Lavender, relaxes. Rosemary, revives. Paul Mercer, at Intentions Aromatherapy in Shepton Mallet, gave me a 'root chakra' oil to dab on my wrists before my comedy performances. I have terrible stage fright, and this helps to ground me. The kids also use it if they have nightmares. Other weapons in my arsenel include ; Bach flower remedies, Berrocca and vitamin C tablets, Echinachea and probiotic yoghurt drink 'Kefir' which has more active good bacteria than some expensive tablets. Polish brand 'Mlekovita' is in Tesco for just £1.50 a bottle. Healthy gut, healthy body they say.
My mum swears by good old fashioned cod liver oil tablets and high potency Manuka honey, which she she gets in the Holland & Barrett penny sale. Nothing is guaranteed to fend off winter viruses, but aiming for a healthy body and mind can only be positive. The other thing I must try to do, is not burn out. 'Radio Shepton' is launching soon, thanks to the generosity of the public – via Tesco Bags of help- and a grant from the Town Council. We'd really love people to volunteer - visit fb.me/radioshepton. I've got some more comedy gigs lined up, and will be involved with the huge Armistice 100 and Poppy appeal collections by Shepton Mallet Royal British Legion. Along with the usual stresses and strains of parenthood, I might get exhausted, then no matter how much yoga I do or how much 'kefir' I drink- I will definitely crash and burn! Note to self. It's ok to say 'No'. Unless it's to chocolate. Before the end of the summer we managed to squeeze in one last mini break, kids and dogs came along too. We were so lucky to discover an exclusive and secluded hidden gem of a getaway – that I almost don't want to blog about it. 'Somerset Garden Yurt & Gypsy Caravan' , near Taunton, offer a deluxe glamping experience, to small peaceful groups and families mainly. It isn't a shared campsite, guests actually get exclusive use of a large 6 bed family yurt, a converted barn / indoor lounge area with wood burning stove and bbq, a fire pit, kitchen/shower /toilet and a beautiful traditional gypsy caravan all hidden away in a safe, enclosed orchard – accessed via a magical fairy woodland path. It absolutely took our breath away, and we immediately understood why the place is often fully booked months, sometimes years in advance – with returning guests. It was instagram perfect, but I wont put too many photos up- as I think it might spoil the surprise if you are lucky enough to come here. We struggle to find places which are truly child and animal friendly, but this place was perfect. It's completely enclosed so dogs and children could roam free! Ofcourse children should be supervised around the open fire, but other than that it was lovely to watch them run wild- no ipads, no games consoles. There are plenty of outdoor games in the barn area including giant snakes and ladders, an archery set, and croquet. The boys had fun just playing make believe in the gypsy caravan, hide and seek in the forest and picking apples from the orchard. Once the fire was lit ( all the kindling, wood and fire lighters are provided) hours of fun was to be had, just cooking marshmallows, sausages, apples, twigs and playing 'dodge the smoke' or 'i've gone blind!” We spent a lovely few hours making the place all homely, and preparing our dinner over the fire. Ribs, burgers, sausages – a bit of a meat feast! The hosts are soon to build an outdoor bread and pizza oven too, which will give veggies and vegans more options. Though there is a fully functioning kitchen, so no matter what you like to eat – you'll be able to cook it. In the yurt there is a large double bed, a large single, bunk beds and even a large wooden cot with drop sides, there is also a comfy sofa, and lots of storage, rugs and soft furnishings. We brought torches and flash lights, but these were in fact provided. There is a dining table , another 2 x sofas, wicker chairs and a wood burner in the barn. It was very cosy in the evening as it got a bit colder and darker outside. From the secret yurt hide away - one can walk out the back gate- past the owners horses, and mini pony! Onto the tow path of the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal- where you can walk for miles all the way to Taunton if you want. There are sculptures along the route , representing planets, it's called the 'Somerset Space Walk'. About ten minutes walk along the tow path, is Somerset Boat Centre- which I wrote an earlier blog aout. We decided to book out a little motorised day boat again for a coupe of hours- and take it further than we'd done last time. This time I navigated and opened a swing bridge, and the boys once again opened and closed a lock. The fabulous, family friendly activity centre now has even more water sports to try out including paddle boards, and more one man canoes. Definately check out the website - it's such a great day out! /www.somersetboatcentre.co.uk/ I would highly recommend both Somerset Garden Yurt & Gypsy Caravan and Somerset Boat Centre- for families with children , who love the oudoor life style but crave a little more comfort. Our children both have moderate special needs, and both of these places were very understanding and accomodating. If you are coming from far away, the location of this 'secret' glamping hide-away is perfect for exploring the Somerset levels, Cheddar gorge & caves, the city and catherdral of Wells, the hippy town of Glastonbury and the nearby town of Taunton. Remember back in May, when I attended a weekend comedy course? Since then, I have been writing and rehearsing material in order to build up to a ten minute set . I’ve also been checking out the open mic venues in Bath & Bristol to get an idea of what to expect. Finally on August 13th I performed my first ever gig at The Smoke & Mirrors theatre bar in Bristol- at a new material night called ‘A bunch of Japes’. Most of the other comics, except the headliner , a fab Romanian guy who’d travelled up from London, were local to Bristol, mainly students. I , on the other hand, a 41 year old mum from Shepton Mallet, had set off at 2.30pm. My husband, had to bundle the kids in the car and drive me to Wells bus station, to catch the 376. He was then in sole charge of the boys all night - and had to book time off from his handyman business in order to look after them till I returned the next day. Meanwhile I made the long journey to Bristol ( long if you have claustrophobia, and don't like public transport) booked into a crowded youth hostel, rehearsed in a communal kitchen, walked in on my lovely muslim dorm-mate praying, and spilt my take-away goat curry on her pillow! Later, I vomited with nerves, before setting out to the venue. ' A friend from my comedy course met me, she was also doing her first ever gig. We confessed we were both ‘bricking it’ and felt a bit better. Five minutes before I went on, I almost had a full blown panic attack- but somehow I made it on the stage, and amazingly did a fantastic set! The laughs came thick and fast, I felt like I nailed it. My second gig couldn’t have been more different, an empty room on the lower deck of a barge. My third, went ok - a monthly student gig with some seasoned regular comics, I felt a bit of an outsider. I have loads more lined up, and even the ‘not so good’ gigs I can learn from. You’ll be excited to hear there will be some brilliant comedy acts heading to Shepton Mallet next year - I can’t say more now. But watch this space! Also, when Shepton Mallet Community Radio is up and running later this year, I hope to podcast some pre-recorded and live comedy events, plus interviews with local comedians ( there are more than you may think) For now, I shall keep on writing and keep on gigging, hopefully with less vomiting, and curry spilling. A big thank you to my husband Wayne aka My Big Handyman and my mum- who have been supporting me while I “Go off galavanting to fulfill some kind of mid life crisis fuelled delusional dream” ( I imagine they’re thinking) Nothing like pressure to succeed ! You can watch my first ever gig on Youtube here..... When both boys declared they'd had the 'best day ever'- I got such a buzz. Total parenting win! Then my husband said he hadn't felt this happy since he was running dog sled races in Swedish Lapland. I was gobsmacked. I too felt satisfied, and very very tired..but happy tired! It had truly been an epic day out. So where on earth had we gone, to make us feel so amazing? The Somerset Boat Centre, and it does so much more than it says on the tin! Let me elaborate. Just a few weeks ago, this new business launched on the banks of the Bridwater & Taunton Canal near West Lyng. There are Kayaks, Canoes, Narrowboats and motorised day boats which can all be hired out from an hour to a full day. It doesn't matter if you have no experience whatsoever, the team at 'SBC' will get you trained up and out on the water in no time. The canal itself is not too deep anyway, so it's much safer than going out on a large lake or river. We arrived at 10am with a pre-packed picnic lunch, and spare set on trousers ready for everyone. I knew we'd get a bit damp- so its a good idea to bring a spare set of clothes. If you don't want to bring a picninc - one can be arranged by the company, or you could stop at a nearby canalside cafe for lunch. I adored the scandinavian style wooden boat centre come hire venue with its clean and spacious meeting space, kitchen / lounge area. it would be ideal to hire put for a work team building day, seminar, or school trip. Alongside the pretty landscaped garden and reception area runs a jetty with seating. Moored up next to a pontoon were 2 x 2 seater sea kayaks, a 3 seater canoe , 3 x 4 person motorised day boats and some narrowboats. After a safety briefing and demonstration, wen donned our lifejackets then myself and Rowan - Harry and Wayne slid into the kayaks. Despite Rowan having autism- he was really calm and wasn't scared at all. Maybe it was the instructor Ryan, or maybe it was the water itself. I also surprised myself, as I thought my anxiety would take over- and I wouldnt want to stay in the kayak. After a few minutes however, I felt calm and in control as we smoothly paddled down the waterway. Big blue dragonflies flew past, and water boatmen scuttled across the water. We went quite far up and down the canal, and under a bridge. Time just flew by, and my anxiety melted away. The boys couldn't stop chatting and giggling as we had races, and splashed each other with the paddles. Next, the boys and Wayne went on the canoe, and they kids helped paddle and steer the boat - into some reeds ! I took photos of the boat centre, and ofcourse did a suitably smug instagram story #familygoals lol We took a toilet break, then excitedly crowded round the motor boat as Ryan explained to Wayne how to start the engine, clear weeds from the motor, and showed us all where the first aid kit was. After the talk, we were off on our own. The instructor sent us upstream towards the cafe , and our very first 'lock' to navigate- he followed in another boat. And we all met up at the lock - for a very special demonstration of how to open and close lock gates. We drew quite a crowd of families who were walking along the tow path. Even my youngest, Harry, aged 6 was able to help push the lock gates open- due to their clever 200 year old design. We wound the lock handles and hopped back onboard, into the lock, as the water then began to gush out--and our little boat went down slowly like we were in some kind of ancient aquatic lift! It was so exciting, and everyone waved and cheered as we exited the lock to continue our boating adventure alone. Twenty minutes upstream we moored up by a swing bridge and a field of grazing cows. Everyone grabbed a cushion , and we got cosy to tuck into our picnic. It was so tranquil and calm. Just the odd kingfished swooping down to catch a fish, a cyclist or dog walker passing by, and the munching of crisps ( boys) and chewing of grass ( cows). I felt sleepy and happy, It really was the perfect family outing. Rowan even agreed "It's better than going on the ipad". And Harry decided boats were his favourite transport now. Eventually, we realised it was timeto head back. On our return , both boys took turns to be 'skipper' and sreet the boat..I even took the wheel for a while. We navigated the lock once again, to the pleasure of yet more onlookers. One of the children on the canalside even helped this time. Back at the boat centre we couldn't thank Ryan enough, and vowed to come back again soon. We cannot wait for all the themed narrowboat cruises he has planned. There will be a spooky halloween one, a christmas santa cruise and ofcourse a romantic valentine's one ( we won't bring the kids for that!) Ryan told us he is meeting with a wedding planner to arrange a quirky 'waterway wedding package', he also said they will be hiring out the luxurious 12 person barges for hen & stag parties, birthdays and all kinds of groups. I said I'd love to do a gig on a boat too- so watch out for 'Comedy On The Canal' . Nearby there is glamping and B&B accomodation, so you could spend longer than a day if you wanted- and you will want to ! Check out the website www.somersetboatcentre.co.uk and 'like' them on facebook for latest offers and prices. There are still five glorious weeks left of the school summer holidays, here are my top tips to survive them! I just hope I can take my own advice. Firstly, you are only human. All the glossy brochures sent home in your kids backpack, showing mum, dad and two smiling clean children enjoying a stress free day at a busy
theme park – are set up! Those people are models, I bet they aren't even married and those certainly aren't their kids. A realistic pic would be one worn down and frazzled parent desperately clinging on to his or her sanity, kids dirty and crying from too many 'bribe' sweets – the other parent isn't in the photo as they took the snap. Who hands their smart phone to a stranger these days!? Be kind to yourself, don't put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect, just be good enough. Don't get into debt paying for expensive garden toys, video games or 'special days out'. Longleat, Wookey Hole and other zoos or theme parks can be over crowded, over priced and stressful. It could set a family of four well over a hundred quid for a traumatic day out. Kids enjoy family picnics in the local park, messy play in the garden or rainy day trips to affordable soft play centres just as much in my experience. Maybe I'm just being a cheapskate! In Shepton Mallet, Hullabaloo play centre is offering unlimited entry for the whole summer hols for just £15 per child – what a bargain. Collett Park has free events on throughout the holidays. Grab 'The Fairy Trail' map from TIC or Fairy Godmother sweet shop to give your visit a whole new magical dimension. We have a refurbished skate park and BMX track for older kids up by the football club, and don't forget our outdoor pool. Shepton Mallet Lido is very popular in the hot weather, but they operate a band system so swimmers are guaranteed at least two hours in the pool once you've paid. I'm most excited about Shepton's very own Caribbean Carnival Fun Day & BBQ organised by Jamrock Caribbean Takeaway on 12thAugust. There will be delicious food, face painting, football, kids games and activities. Ska, Reggae and dance hall music with performances by carnival acts and dancers. Back to my list of survival tips, I never go anywhere without a pack of baby wipes in my bag – I know they are controversial, and I'm sure there are similar sustainable alternatives, but my boys cannot eat a burger with sauce or a Mr.Whippy without making a right mess. I also try to take cash with me, especially to small local events. I also decided to set slightly later, but still consistent bedtimes over the holidays for my boys. Weekends I am more relaxed, but it's reading in bed or playtime upstairs after 8pm and lights out at 9pm in our household. It means everyone gets a bit of quiet time. Self care is my ultimate survival essential! Next time you are up at Tesco’s in Shepton Mallet, the cashier might give you a little blue plastic token. You might already know this is to pop in the ‘Bags of Help’ charity collection point by the exit doors..but incase you didn’t know, I’ll explain. Bags of Help is Tesco’s local community grant scheme where the money raised by the sale of carrier bags is being used to fund thousands of local projects in communities right across the UK. This month you’ll see Junior Parkrun, St.Margaret’s Hospice and our very own Shepton Mallet Community Radio station vying for your tokens in a bid to secure either a £1,000, £2,000 or £4,000 grant.
All three are very deserving, but I wanted to explain a little more about how money raised for a local radio station might be used to benefit our community. Around 11 million people are now able to tune into community radio stations across the UK. This figure is up 17% year-on-year according to a report by Ofcom - however, not in Shepton ! Community radio stations typically cover a small geographical area but, especially in rural communities can serve a diverse audience with content ranging from local news and information to religious issues, discussion and debate, music , dramas and entertainment. Phone in’s and competitions can not only promote local businesses but keep geographically isolated listeners connected. SMCR - Shepton Mallet Community Radio would especially like to include content and promote the activities of our small villages, and as well as lot’s of stuff for younger people, we want to provide engaging and interesting programming for more elderly listeners. It sounds ticky, but local radio has been managing this for years - with tried and tested scheduling and formats to suit a wide range of tastes. I started my media career aged just 15, working weekends at BBC Radio Shropshire, physically splicing tape - before the dawn of digital! Later I worked at Galaxy 102.2, Capital Gold , BRMB, Kic FM , and Heart FM before becoming station manager of a community Youth Radio station in Walsall. We got disengaged kids off the street, and trained them to become dj’s and journalists- gaining NVQ awards. That is part of the plan right here in Somerset too. SMCR would love to involve as many volunteers as possible to become presenters, djs, producers, journalists and technicians. We could not only broadcast live from Collettfest, the carnival, the lantern parade ,mid somerset show and Sunday markets but also report from small church fetes, fun runs and open days. Recording interviews with all the local sports clubs, societies, schools, charities, community groups and entrepeneurs. To do this we need funding for equipment, software, licences and legal fees, rent for our town centre premises, marketing and training costs. Every penny we raise will ultimately promote our own community , so please pop a few blue tokens in for us. Glastonbury has Gfm, Frome has Frome FM - now lets have SMCR and put Shepton Mallet on the map! I’m really enjoying this hot sunny weather. It was perfect for the recent World Cup & Caribbean food tasting family fun day held up at Shepton Mallet FC & the scout hut. Jackrock Caribbean Takeaway, who are planning to open a permanent restaurant in Shepton Mallet - served up Jerk Chicken, Curry goat , rice and peas, while the kids played on free bouncy castles. Cheers went up each time England scored- which we did 6 times against Panama. It was the perfect day! Then, this Saturday crowds gathered to watch local lad Ethan Andrews, run a whopping 10k round Collett Park - to raise money for ‘Time Is Precious’ charity. His mother, friends and family were bursting with pride as Ethan flew past the finish line at Shepton Parkrun event - having completed 6 instead of the usual 3 laps. I know this boy personally, and as he is too modest to say. I want everyone to know that this boy chose to raise money for charity, on a boiling hot summers day instead of having a 13th birthday party! He hoped to raise a couple of hundred pounds, but actually managed to smash his target with a £748 total . There is still time to donate, and I know it would mean the world, not only to Ethan , but to all those who have ever used Bristol Children’s Hospital, Frenchay and RUH Children’s ward, which the charity supports. ‘Time is Precious’ is a voluntary run charity which has been running since 2011. It was set up by Neil and Nicky Halford in memory of their son Ben sadly died from cancer in 2010. He was cared for at these local facilities. The website states “The aim of the charity is to help create a more comfortable and relaxed atmosphere for children and their families. We work alongside specialists to purchase equipment and refurbish areas to support not just those children who because of illness or disability find themselves in hospital for treatment but also their families who want to be with them because time is just that precious.” Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ethans10k to donate. Lovely weather for the lido ! How lucky are we to have a lido in Shepton Mallet?! Prices are affordable, and they run adults only sessions as well as aquafit and full moon specials. Local lady Jane Andrews tries to go atleast twice a week for a fitness swim, she is an avid believer that swimming in the open air is a tonic for the body and soul. "I love to feel the fresh air on my face as I swim along, I look at the lovely trees in the park, and listen to the bird song. There is nothing quite like it. I used to enjoy open water swimiing, in lakes or rivers for example- but this is alot safer, and warmer!"
Outdoor exercise is so good for you. There is a big craze at the moment for 'green gyms' and free running in woods for example. Shepton Mallet is way ahead of the times. Prices are vary affordable - under £3 for kids over 5, and under £6 for adults. But buying a fusion leisure membership or season pass is the best value. Go to https://www.fusion-lifestyle.com/centres/shepton-mallet-lido/ You can buy ice-creams & refreshments from the little shop it’s a great day out for young or old. Do check their facebook page before you go during busy times and heatwaves- to avoid disappointment! Shepton Mallet really is the place to be at the moment. We’ve had Collett Fest, the bands night, kid’s day, the brilliant Charles Chipperfield Circus and now the fun fair is on up at the showground. You can, as always, grab money off vouchers from the Tourist Information Centre. While you are there, why not ask for a copy of the “Shepton Mallet Fairy Trail”. It’s a magical map, with beautiful drawings , showing where all 18 secret fairy doors are hidden, around the town. I’m home educating my youngest son at the moment, and it’s been the perfect project.
The trail, leading all round the town centre, market place, Collett Park, passing by the prison and down by Leg square - concludes near the fabulous Fairy Godmother Shop, where you can also ask for hints and clues if you get lost. We took a leisurely 3 days to complete the trail, enjoying the sunshine and hidden places in Shepton, which I had never known about after almost 5 years as a resident! The fairy’s all have names and backstories linking to interesting historical or geographical facts about our local area. The activity ties in well with the new children’s #sheptonrocks phase ( type the hashtag into facebook) where kids paint rocks and hide them round town. Some fairy doors have rocks placed near them, and some rocks feature fairies. Oh it’s all going on in Shepton ! In other news, I’m on a mission to heal myself physically and mentally. I’ve invested in a block of ten sessions with Ben at Mendip Chiropractic. After some serious trauma and two pregnancies, my troublesome lower back was proving tricky to fix, now on my fifth session I’m really starting to get results. My mental health issues have been well documented. And this pesky anxiety disorder has been a thorn in my side for too long. Changing my relationship with alcohol has made a huge difference, so much that I was even brave enough to attend a stand-up comedy course last weekend. It was held at Komedia Comedy Club in Bath. Jill Edwards, who’s graduates include Shappi Khorsandi, Romesh Ranganathan and Jimmy Carr, took no prisoners. She has over 25 years experience in the industry, and she knows her stuff. After writing, rewriting, rehearsing and re-rehearsing our material, all us newbies got the chance to perform our short stand-up set , on stage, to a live audience. My heart was racing, but I had nothing to take the edge off- not even a glass of wine or beta blocker. I got up there, and though it wasn’t perfect, I did it! I got loads of laughs, big cheers and great feedback. I have a long way to go...but I believe I can do it. Open mic nights, comedy clubs, Wells comedy festival and one day the Edinburgh Fringe. That’s the dream. Well, Live At The Apollo, and a guest spot on QI are the ultimate goal. But I shan’t run before I can walk. We’ve just got back from a lovely caravan holiday, near Weymouth. It’s the first time we have stayed at ‘Seaview’ Haven park, and it was really nice. Just a 20 minute walk , through glorious countryside- to a dog friendly stony beach called Bowleaze Cove, and a short drive into Weymouth itself. Bowleaze Cove was perfect for us, as it was less crowded than the main esplanade and sandy beach,but still had a seaside shop, cafe, restaurant, bar and even a mini theme park / funfair called ‘Fantasy Island’. For just £9.99 kids can buy a wrist band allowing them on most of the rides from tea cups to bumper cars- for up to 3 hours! Our two dogs enjoyed meeting other furry friends, throwing seaweed up in the air and splashing in the waves. We all had the traditional fish n chip suppers and the boys enjoyed their first banana split! One day, we all drove up the road to Monkey World ape rescue centre. That was a fantastic family day out. There are about five different adventure playgrounds for kids including wheelchair friendly play equipment, and sensory exhibits for disabled visitors.Also hundreds of apes and gorillas - who despite being rescue animals, are mainly happy to entertain the crowds. Back at our holiday park, there was live entertainment every night. I decided to finally try ‘mindful drinking’ as promoted by alcohol awareness and sober support group ‘Club Soda’ ( www.joinclubsoda.co.uk ) My liver function is now normal, and I’d been feeling really ostracised by both my ‘regular binge drinking’ friends and amazingly by the ‘do good twelve step’ brigade. I don’t have a problem with either, and yet both had a problem with me! Apparently I was too sober for my old ‘party’ crowd, and ‘not sober enough’ for the total abstinence gang. I totally quite booze last August. The most I have had is 0.5% ‘low alcohol’ wine (which is classified as Alcohol free in the UK) Yet people attacked me for ‘cheating’.’ It really annoyed me as there is more alcohol in a glass of orange juice than in a non-alcoholic wine. By law, the drink manufacturers must label products containing less than 0.5 percent alcohol. Many times, the alcohol content is actually less. An average person would need to consume at least forty non-alcoholic glasses of wine in an hour to feel tipsy! My aim is to find a happy medium, a balance, and learn to drink responsibly , occasionally. A glass of bubbly at a wedding, or a pint of cider at a gig. I love not having hangovers, and I still hate the way binge drinking is normalised , even encouraged. Going 100% sober is the best way to kick most unhealthy habits, and having a support network also vital. However, everyone is different, and many people are choosing not to drink for a wide variety of reasons - so let’s support each other rather than judge. Cheers to that! |
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