Electra later finds out he left them for a young woman called Candy, ironically named, as she is a dentist. Electra tells the rest of her friends Claudia Barnes, Natalie “Butterface” and “Tammy Two-Names”, Tamara Lennox-Hill. Claudia has always been there, done that, got the t-shirt and almost certainly worn it. Her parents split up before Electra’s (not that that is a good thing!), she started bringing in no-shower-period-notes when she was 11 and has snogged almost every boy in town. Lucy and Electra rate almost every boy they see on the Snogability Scale or the S Scale. 1-5, 5 being the boys only obtainable in your dreams, 1 being a boy you would never kiss. The only person, in Electra’s opinion, who never wavers from a perfect 5 is Javier Antonio Garcia, better known as Jags, or even The Spanish Lurve God. Her crazy stories are continued in all 5  books. Sadly, I am yet to read the fifth, Falling Hook, Line and Sinker, but the other 4 are awesome. I would recommend these to girls who are over 13.  Brilliant.

Posted by Cicely Thomas

A major new fundraising campaign has been launched by the Lowe
Syndrome Trust, the life-giving charity supported by Jonathan Ross, Penny
Lancaster Stewart and many more. The small UK-based charity has so far
raised ￡1m towards finding a cure for the debilitating childhood condition,
Lowe Syndrome. But where the first million took 10 years, the new campaign
and its celebrity supporters aim to raise the second million in just 10
months.

The ‘Celebrity Garden of Hope’ is a web-based fundraiser inspired by the infamous ‘Million Pound Homepage’ – an internet phenomenon in 2005/6. It invites people to choose from a range of celebrities and then help their chosen celebrity’s tree grow leafy online, by donating ￡5 a leaf. The trees will grow day by day as donations come in. Supporting celebrities include not only Jonathan Ross and Penny Lancaster
Stewart but Dame Shirley Bassey, JLS, Melanie C, Nicola Roberts and Tony
Hadley of Spandau Ballet.

The Lowe Syndrome Trust was founded by its chair and tireless campaigner,
Lorraine Thomas, when her own son, Oscar, was diagnosed with the condition
and she could see no hope of a cure or even of arresting the disease’s
progress. It is now the world’s lifeline for those with Lowe Syndrome.

“We took 10 years to raise the first million pounds,” says Lorraine, “and as
a result we’re seeing real advances that could mean a cure. But we can’t
wait another 10 years: the research is on the verge of breakthroughs and it
needs funds now! So we’re going for a million in 10 months!”

Lowe Syndrome is a rare, incurable and degenerating condition that affects
the brain, eyes, kidneys, bones and muscles. All children are born with
cataracts in their eyes, leaving them blind or partially sighted, and sadly
some children never walk or talk, depending on the severity of the disease.

Oscar Thomas was diagnosed with Lowe Syndrome at the age of five and at the
time was not expected to live long. He is now a remarkable 17 but, like so
many others, his future depends on the research funded by the Lowe Syndrome
Trust.

“With further funding,” says Lorraine, “help for Oscar and the thousands of
other children is almost tangible. The Celebrity Garden of Hope could make
it real.”

The plan has the support of Jonathan Ross, who said, “The charity really has
done amazing work in the last 10 years, supporting families affected by Lowe
Syndrome and funding vital research into a cure. I am encouraging everyone
to get involved in the Lowe 10 month campaign to raise one million pounds
and make it a truly memorable year for the charity.”

Patron Penny Lancaster said: “I know I am one of many that realise how lucky
we are to have good health and find it overwhelming when you think of all
the different charities that need help, especially those that need vital
funds for research towards cures for incurable and debilitating disease.”

She continued: “Having healthy, growing children, as I do, my heart goes out
to parents with the challenges of young children with life threatening
illnesses like Lowe Syndrome”.

As well as picking a celebrity and donating a leaf, donors can add their own
message and choose whether to be identified or remain anonymous. Larger
donations are welcome to add more leaves and sponsorship is available. When
the trees between them have 200,000 leaves, all online, the million pound
mark will be reached.

Donors can also follow their donations: rare among charities, the website
enables them to follow their money, see which research project they’re
helping to fund and track its success. People can donate to more than one
tree, giving them the opportunity to be part of several research projects.

Lorraine concludes: “It has been an emotional journey since I founded the
charity, but I am spurred on by the way research is now progressing. If we
can continue to fund the projects, a cure is very near. Having a son
diagnosed with Lowe Syndrome is the most heartbreaking and frightening
experience. No child should suffer in this way. The ‘Celebrity Garden of
Hope’ is designed to replace a future of fear with a future full of hope.”

The Celebrity Garden of Hope is now live at http://www.gardenofhope.co.uk/
and will remain live for 10 months.

Posted by Lucy Cook

The exhibition will provide Essex residents with inspiration for great days out and short breaks throughout Essex and surrounding counties, and with over 20 new exhibitors including Stow Maries Aerodrome (the only surviving 1^st world war aerodrome in the world, and we are lucky enough to have it in Essex!), Leeds Castle, Valentines Mansion & Gardens and The Henry Moore Foundation, the Show is packed full of top class visitor attractions, destinations, hotel groups and coach and tour operators.  Come and see what’s on your doorstep!

The Taste Essex area will also showcase some of the wonderful local produce Essex has to offer, including Wilkins of Tiptree and Hadleys Ice cream.

Priti Patel, MP and local constituent for Witham, will open the Show at 10.00am. Presentations and show around of the Hotel facilities, will also run throughout the day as follows:

11.00am          The Harwich Society – David Whitte

11.30am          Show around of Crowne Plaza Fivelakes

12 noon           Anglia Tours – Dickie Knight

1.00pm            Kentwell Hall, Suffolk – Judith Phillips

2.00pm            Stow Maries Aerodome, Essex – Russell Savory

2.30pm            Show around of Crowne Plaza Fivelakes

A Florida courtesy coach will run from Witham Railway Station to the venue on the hour and half hour, starting at 9.30am from the station.

This year, Visit Essex is supporting The Big Bear Fest, a music festival held in memory of Sam Bearman, a local man who died at the age of 24 of Meningitis. The Same Bearman trust raises money for Meningitis UK and many other charities.

For further information, and FREE tickets to the show, please visit: www.TourismAndLeisureShow.co.uk,  or JUST COME ALONG ON THE DAY!

email: carol.jolly@essex.gov.uk or call Carol on 01245 435152.

Posted by Lucy Cook

Chris Evans has announced on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show that Children’s Writing competition 500 WORDS is to return for the second year running. Last year’s inaugural competition was a great success with almost 30,000 entries from kids across the UK.

The Chris Evans Breakfast Show is once again appealing to listeners aged 13 and under to compose an original work of fiction in no more than 500 words. There are two categories – for children aged nine and under and those aged between ten and thirteen, with three winners in each category.

The Gold Medal winner in each category will win Chris Evans’ height in books (6ft 2”) plus 500 books for their school library; with the runner up Silver Medal winner receiving Chris’s One Show co-host, Alex Jones’ height in books (5ft 6”). The Bronze Medal winner will pick up their own height in books.

The writers of the Top 50 stories (25 from each age category) will be invited to attend a live broadcast of The Chris Evans Breakfast show from Hay Festival on Friday 1st June. The six lucky winners will be announced live on air and read out by celebrities during the show.

Five leading children’s authors will be judging the entrants – Dame Jacqueline Wilson, David Walliams, Lauren Child, Andy Stanton and Charlie Higson. The celebrity judges will pick their six favourites from a short list of the Top 50 from each age group, who will have been chosen initially in the competition by a team of volunteer teachers and librarians. Last year 900 teachers volunteered to help with the initial selection. The National Literacy Trust will adjudicate the second stage of the process.

Judge Dame Jacqueline Wilson said:
“I’m delighted to be a judge for the 500 Words competition once again.  I found it great fun last year.  It’s exciting that so many children are keen writers and it’s great that this competition encourages them.  I’d have entered like a shot when I was a child – though I’m not sure I’d have been short-listed, as the standard is so high.  I’m glad there’s a sensible limit to the number of words, so that reading the long-listed entries is a treat instead of a task.”

Last year’s winners were nine year old Angus Barrett who triumphed in the Under 9 category for his story ‘The Death Channel’, and Olivia Norton, aged 12, who came first in the 10 to 13 years age group for her emotive story ‘Stable’.

Hopefuls can apply via the BBC Radio 2 website http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/500words/2012
which also has full details on how to enter, volunteer as teacher judges and all terms and conditions. Closing date for entries is World Book Day, Thursday 1st March.

Posted by Lucy Cook

Posted by Cicely Thomas aged 12

Win a copy of Little Charley Bear 'Antarctic Charley' on DVD!

Cosy up and keep warm this winter as you step into the imaginative world of Little Charley Bear and friends in the latest DVD from the popular CBeebies pre-school series, narrated by new father James Corden (star of Gavin & Stacey). ‘Antarctic Charley’ features six fantastic adventures and is on sale from 30 January 2012, RRP £12.99.

In these latest stories you discover that Charley loves wrapping up in his winter clothes! The only problem is that it’s summer outside, so he heads out on an adventure to the Antarctic to seek out the cold weather. Playing in the snow, Charley gets scared by a penguin that keeps following him. But the Penguin just wants to play! Elsewhere Charley puts his courage to the test, climbing a mountain to save Midge and coming face to face with a shark whilst fishing!

There are 6 copies of Little Charley Bear ‘Antarctic Charley’ on DVD up for grabs for 6 lucky winners. For your chance win a copy just send your name, address and phone number to comps@kidaround.biz and put Little Charley Bear as the subject of your email.

Competition closes 13th February

Good luck!

Posted by Lucy Cook

The story, set in the near future,  follows a young girl, Katniss Everdeen, who lives with her mother and sister, Prim, and has risked her life since she was 12 and will continue to do so until she’s 18 by having her name put into the ‘Reaping’. Each district of Panem (the country Katniss lives in)- there are 12 in total, but used to be 13- has to give two tributes, a boy and a girl, to The Hunger Games. As Prim is 12 in the first story, it is her first time at the Reaping. Katniss believes there is no chance of her younger sister being picked, when she suddenly hears the terrible words, “Primrose Everdeen”. The 16-year-old girl runs forward and asks to swop with her sister, and volunteers to go into the dangerous arena, where the fight to the death will happen. Peeta Mellark, another 16-year old, is chosen as the male tribute. He is a baker’s son and therefore is not very experienced or good at fighting.

Ever since Peeta and Katniss met, when they were six years old, Peeta has had a crush on her. He was throwing out the old bread to the chickens when he saw her, and threw her a loaf of bread. Their romance features a lot in all three books, and as the first one is about one Hunger Games, guess what? They both survive the first one, but as it was a Quarter Quell (25, 50, 75 etc. Hunger Games) there is a twist.

Every 25 years, there is a special feature of the next Hunger Games. This year, President Snow says that all the districts have to one male tribute who has won and one female tribute. As District 12 have only had 3 winners (each winning district gets the winner back  apart from Katniss and Peeta who both won- you’ll have to read it to find out how), only one of them being
female, Katniss and Peeta are chosen again. Normally, you would be completely safe from the reaping again, but President Snow hates Katniss. The third book is about an uprising that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create. I can’t say any more about it!

I would make every single person in the world read it if I could. They are just so amazing! Read them- Or you will miss out!! I would recommend these books to girls or boys age 12 or older.

Posted by Cicely Thomas, 12

Win a copy of Fireman Sam on DVD

Brave and resourceful Fireman Sam™ tackles problems big and small in his latest DVD adventure Fireman Sam: Help is Here! on sale from 23 January 2012.

In his latest collection of courageous adventures, everyone’s favourite firefighter teaches about fire safety, rescues those in need and demonstrates the importance of fire prevention.

Find out what happens when Norman’s cousin Derek pays a visit and finds himself being rescued from the Pontypandy cliffs. Meanwhile Sam uses some abseiling skills to retrieve Norman from the wishing well, Elvis gets into a spot of bother with a chocolate cake and Sam is paired with Dilys in a three legged race with hilarious consequences!

This DVD features five action-packed adventures, full of excitement and heroic deeds which can be enjoyed by the whole family.

There are 6 copies of Fireman Sam Help is Here! up for grabs for 6 lucky winners. For your chance to win a copy send your name, address and phone number to comps@kidaround.biz with Fireman Sam in the subject heading.

Competition ends Tuesday 31st January.

Good luck!

Posted by Lucy Cook

The Birmingham Stage Company are bringing this brand new stage version of one of Roald Dahl’s funniest stories to Chelmsford’s Civic Theatre from Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 February.

This high quality family production will be enormously popular with all 4 – 12 year olds and grown-ups too! It tells the amazing story of George, a young boy, who makes a marvellous new medicine to cure his grandmother of her terrifying temper. But when his grandmother drinks his special new potion, the most incredible things start to happen. And George’s adventures have just begun!

“Wonderfully witty. Enters into the quirky world of the story with aplomb and enormous glee.”  The Times

The Birmingham Stage Company are justly famous for their wonderful children’s shows. In the past they’ve toured plays adapted from the books of such top children’s authors as Terry Deary, Michael Morpurgo and David Almond. During their 18 year history BSC have also performed seven of Roald Dahl’s stories on stage all of which received great reviews. Most recently they toured, Danny the Champion of the World to great acclaim. George’s Marvellous Medicine is one of their most popular and successful shows – great fun for all the family from 5 to 105!

“A fantastic and funny performance…made us all laugh from beginning to end and would recommend it to anyone with children aged between 4 and 100!” Let’s Go with the Kids website

And we have two family tickets to give away for the performance on Saturday 18 February at 6.00pm. All you have to do is answer the following question and send your answer along with your name, address and daytime telephone number to comps@kidaround.biz

Question:

George makes his marvellous medicine to try and cure the bad temper of which person? 

a) His Brother

b) His Grandmother

c)His Neighbour

If you can’t wait to find out whether or not you have won tickets then ring the Box Office NOW on 01245 606505 or go to www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatre and book tickets to treat your family to a very special outing. Tickets start at just £10.50 for concession and £14.50 (full-price) and there is a special family ticket available for just £45.00.

Performances times are at 2.00pm and 6.00pm

Don’t miss this fizztickling fun and wiz popping magic for all the family – non grumpy grannies are welcome too!

Closing date: Wednesday 1st February 2012

New gallery resources specifically targeted at under 5’s and their families are now available at the Natural History Museum, Colchester!

These resources will encourage families to take a close-up look at the world around them with the new video microscope, birdcam and hands-on activities in the new interactive gallery trolley. We are launching these exciting new resources with our ‘Busy Beetles’ session on Tuesday 17th January.  Busy Beetles is a regular monthly under 5’s session that runs at the Natural History Museum, which are very popular with children and their adults.

The new gallery resources include an interactive video microscope and Resource Trolley. The interactive video microscope and screen, with focus and zoom functions will allow all visitors, from under 5’s to local natural historians, to take a closer look at some of the fascinating specimens in the museums’ natural history handling collection or their own finds. As well as plenty of things to handle and see under the microscope the Activity Trolley also contains a variety of hands-on activities to equip young visitors to actively explore the museum  – from trails and story books, to animal glove puppets, torches and magnifying glasses.

Cllr. Nick Barlow, Economic Development and Sustainability Portfolio Holder for Colchester Borough Council commented, “Getting children involved in visiting and being part of the museum at a young age will encourage them to keep learning throughout their lives.” During our ‘Busy Beetles’ session, on 17th January, the children will have the chance to take a really close up look at Stag Beetles and other insects under the video microscope and then they will make their own ‘magnified’ bug with playdough, pipe cleaners, googly eyes and beads, then they’ll make a special box to collect tiny treasures in, to bring back to see under the microscope another day. They will also have an opportunity to explore the Activity Trolley, using the magnifying glasses and torches as they explore the museum for the biggest and smallest things they can find.

Caroline Hammer, Senior Learning Officer from Colchester and Ipswich Museums says, “Following the success of our monthly under 5’s sessions we have been really keen to provide resources that will inspire families to explore the museum and the world around them. The new activity trolley and microscope provide activities to spark curiosity, conversation, exploration and play, both in the museum and outside.”  A successful bid secured funding of £500 from EnergySolutions and Renaissance funding led to the creation of these new exciting gallery resources especially targeted at this audience to encourage under 5’s and their families to actively explore and engage with the displays when visiting the museum.

The Museum also has a new ‘birdcam’, this will show live pictures, on a screen inside the museum, from the bird feeder or nest box at the back of the museum giving visitors a close up view of wildlife on their doorstep. It may take some time for the nest box to be used so in the meantime we hope to get some good action on the bird feeder.  And that’s not all! A new temporary display ‘Minerals and more…!’ shows some of the eye-catching and interesting minerals from the museums’ collections. You can explore this display and find out which mineral the Egyptians used as eyeliner and which one doctors can use to look at your insides!

It’s definitely time to go on another visit to the Natural History Museum, Colchester!