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August Newsletter
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Hello!
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Well a photo of the sun is probably as good as it gets at the moment! !
Even so, we hope you and your families are enjoying the Summer holidays.
Lots of news and interesting info below - tell us what you think about this newsletter!
And don't forget to nominate in our awards - your chance to say a big "thank you" to the teacher or organiser of the favourite activity you go to with your little one!
And Finally! Don't be shy! Please mention us if you contact anyone because you've seen them on our site and please tell your friends about us! Thanks x
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We are proud to be associated with ...
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| Do you love the baby and toddler group you go to? |
If you do, then please nominate them for our Most Outstanding Baby and Toddler Group Award! They could win £100 and an Organix hamper!
Visit our awards page to read more about the new awards, to nominate and how they will be voted for! |
| Join our Mums' Network |
If you're a fan of WO4LO would you like to help us spread the WO4LO word?
We're starting to build a network of Mums that love taking their babies and children to classes and activities - and have found WO4LO a useful way of keeping up to date with what is going on!
As a member of our Mums network you will receive a pack of our flyers and our new "Baby not Bored!" car signs which you can give to friends, colleagues and at any activity, class or group that you attend - with their permission of course!
We also want to hear from you if we are missing any activities in your local area - let us know so we can add them to WO4LO!
There is a monthly Mums Network prize draw that all our members will be entered in every month! The first prize will be your choice of Dream Bag baby sleeping bag!
You could also be in your local paper or on your local radio station!
So if you'd like to join our Mums Network please contact us sending your name and address and tell us little bit about you and the sorts of activities you enjoy. We'll then send you your Mums' Network information pack so you can start spreading the word! |
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Mums In Business!
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Claire tells us her story...
"My name is Claire and I am a former Registered Nurse living in Wiltshire with my husband and 4 children. I launched Music Bugs classes in May 2004 primarily to fill the gap that existed locally for fun and friendly music classes. Demand for the classes snowballed and within a few short months I was looking for Class Leaders to help me keep up with the expansion. One thing led to another and the business took a new direction with the franchise opportunity being offered throughout the UK in January 2007.
We now have 3 franchisees in the South West with further areas opening up later this year, so I have been very busy (in the nicest possible way!). My franchisees and myself are all home based so we have the flexibility to fit our businesses in and around family life, which is perfect for achieving that all important work-life balance.
I only ever look forward (never back!) and can't wait to see our network of franchisees flourish throughout the UK."
Good Luck Claire!
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Fun for Dads and Babies in Southampton!
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Joanna Henchy has launched new Baby Sensory sessions for dads. These sessions will run monthly on Saturday mornings in Totton. Joanna, who runs Baby Sensory sessions during the week in Totton, New Milton and Ringwood, was asked to run extra sessions for dads who were unable to attend them during the week.
Dad, Peter Hosking, commented "The Saturday classes are a great idea. I managed to get along to one of Joanna's sessions and really enjoyed the activities with my baby, Evie. I plan to get along to the Saturday sessions every month."
The Baby Sensory sessions include baby activities ranging from signing to fibre optic light shows, amazing light balls, bubbles and bells; there is always something different.
Baby Sensory founder Lin Day commented, "The sessions for dads are a great idea. Some of our class leaders are thinking about running similar events in their areas."
If you would like a Baby Sensory Dads session in your area please contact them on info@babysensory.co.uk.
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Kids know more about food than their parents?
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A recent report from Munch Bunch on childhood wellbeing came up with the follow types of parents! Which o ne are you?!
Gastro Guardians, parents who try to buy organic and prefer
supermarkets like Waitrose and M&S
Dedicates, these academic parents don't care if their child eats a
pot noodle in the car as long as the make it to band practice or science
club
Mean Well's, parents who try to follow the guidelines but give in to
what the kids want with sweets and treat (these make up the
majority)
Vegephobes, favour the beige diet!
Alternafam, cool parents who have had kids but not changed their lifestyles so these kids are happy using chopsticks and digging into
sushi at the conveyor belt
This is just a bit of fun but there is a serious point here. The report also found that 1 in 5 parents felt that parenting was verging on the hysterical. A bit extreme but we can see what they mean! Join the debate about this on the forum!
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In the news!
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 We did it! We're in the final of the Hantsweb awards! The awards ceremony is on 18th Sept so lots of positive vibes please!
Our friends at Signature Balloons also made the final in their category - good luck to Rachel and her team too!
 We delighted that our awards have been in the news already and Sam has been featured on ITV Meridian news, and interviewed for her local radio station Kestral FM, www.mybabyradio.com and she was live on BBC Radio Berkshire!
Wigan and Southport newspapers have featured us and we're in Practical Parenting and Nursery World in October too! |
Time for you, time for them, time for the family...
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 Sounds good doesn't it! That's what the WO4LO co-founder, Sam, thought! So with a semi-significant brithday coming up she decided to test one of the Luxury Family hotels in the von Essen hotels chain.
The idea is that you have luxury grown up surroundings and wonderful food and wine plus children are welcomed and fully catered for.
Sam and her family stayed at The Elms Hotel in Worcestershire for a Friday and Saturday night. The Elms has recently joined the Luxury Family Hotels and it is still finding it's feet with the family spa and some of the grounds still undergoing some work.
However the shiny new creche equipped with all the toys and play equipment you could want certainly was a big hit with Alice (aged 3) and there is a den for older children with bean bags, TV and games. The creche is fully OFSTED registered and included in the stay and the staff made leaving Alice very easy.
Other children-friendly features included a children's high tea (healthy "Nanny" style food), high tech baby listening service, warmed milk brought to your room for little one's bed time (no charge) and children's plates, cutlery and beakers available at meal times.
 The staff were very welcoming to all of us and interacted with the children. All the children seemed to be having a great time and the parents all looked pretty relaxed!
For grown ups there is an award winning restaurant, bar, lounge, luxury rooms and grounds.
Sam's tip - don't stay on the top floor in the Summer, it's too hot!
In summary, it's a very good solution for that special occasion, not cheap but worth it!
You can visit all the hotels online at www.vonessenhotels.com, there are 6 hotels in the Luxury Family Hotels collection across the UK. |
| STOP PRESS
Enter our forum competition. Win £20 in leisure vouchers. Guess how many visits we had on Friday 17th August. Enter by 5pm on Friday 24th August.
ENDS | |
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