Friday 19 February 2010

Gaining momentum

It’s been another busy week for the Weston-super-Mum community. The site keeps gaining momentum, with another twenty members joining this week.

We have had lots of involvement from our very active members on the site. Kate R has set up a breastfeeding support group where members can share their thoughts, feelings and experiences of breastfeeding. Already, members of the group are starting to share their thoughts on places in Weston that are breastfeeding friendly, but so far it looks like Weston-super-Mare is a pretty welcoming place for breastfeeding mums!

Apes has also set up a Health Support Group online this week. This supportive and friendly group is already helping members to share experiences and gain support from others who are experiencing physical or mental illness.

Lucy F has been keeping our community up to date with what is happening with the campaign to save Weston museum. A protest was held this week at the museum, and the story can be seen in this weeks Mercury.

Kay B has posted a heart-warming account of her experiences of being a new grandparent in the blogs section of this site. Its great to see that we have lots of super grandparents and aunties joining our community too.

Lots of members had news to share this week. Debbie S’ sister Angie is opening up a brand new hair salon in Clevedon Road called ‘Angie’s Hair Obsession’. The salon opens on Saturday 20th Feb, so why not pop along and see her? Not only will you be supporting a Super-mum, but you could have a bit of pampering time too, and we all know how important that is as a busy mum!

Shane Dean has had an article published in this weeks Mercury where he talks about his experiences of young people with antisocial behaviour problems. He wants to spark a debate with local and national politicians to come up with positive solutions to the problems faced.

Also, congratulations go to Maxine, who passed her driving test this week, and was telling us about the freedom this will bring her in getting out and about with her children.

This week has been another busy social one for the Super-mums. On Wednesday, a play date was held at Court Farm. Although the weather was against us and kept some of the mums with prams away, a few brave souls still met and enjoyed a day out with the kids. Thursday night saw an altogether more adult gathering, as around twenty of us had drinks, food, giggles and good conversation at The Manor Inn in Worle. Thanks to Debbie S for organising the night so we could let our hair down without a child in sight!

Next week is looking busy, with a Monday morning knitting group organised by Camilla, an arts and crafts afternoon on Thursday at The Purple Sheep café for your little ones to design a logo for our competition, and then a play date at Weston Childrens centre on Friday afternoon. For more information about these events, pop over to Weston-super-Mum and see us!

Have a good week.

Saturday 13 February 2010

Bumper Week at Weston-super-Mum

We are delighted to welcome the 50 or so new members who have joined Weston-super-Mum this week and, phewie, what an active and interesting bunch they are! 

Lucy Frampton has added the "Save our Museum" group, in protest of the threatened closure of our Burlington Street Museum (the one and only museum in Weston) and is continuing to post updates - supporters of the museum will be meeting at there on Weds 17th Feb admist much fanfare: the local press and news channels will be on site.  Please go along if you can to show support and keep our museum where it is!

Natasha Sykes is furious about the state of her local park in Walford Avenue, Worle, and through a discussion dedicated to this subject, "Get our park Fixed!" finds that she is not alone in her wish to improve facilities there.

Everyone's getting excited about the new Water Park promised for June of this year at a sea-front location, while the new inflatable centre due to open in March on the Oldmixon, Bounce!, is still creating much positivity.

Magdelena H is our first member from Poland and she shares with us her new blogs: http://czteryrece.blogspot.com/  and  http://www.do-jasnej-anielki.blog.pl/. At the top right hand of these blogs, google will translate from Polish into English for you, just click.  And self-confessed History geek, Melanie, has a stunning blog, "Kill them all, God will know his own" all about the French Revolution: it's well-worth a look.

Groups have now been set up for those living in Milton, in Weston Village and in the Oldmixon, so if you live in these areas, please join your respective group and meet others living very close to you.  Also Karen Hoodinott has created a supportive group for all working mums.

Our Friday play date at Central Weston Children's Centre in Meadow St, Weston, was so popular that Health and Safety dictated that we couldn't have squeezed any more parents and children in!  We were also thrilled to see 2 dads at the event.  Another has been arranged for Friday 26th Feb, 1-3pm.

We're collaborating with dad and WsMum member, Shane Dean, to bring you a special event called "Arts and Crafts Afternoon: Design a Logo" at the Purple Sheep Cafe in Hughenden Road on Thurs 25th Feb, 1-5pm.  The cafe and all facilities at the Purple Sheep will be open as usual, so you have a cup of tea while the kids get arty or bounce around on the castle.  Winning entries will receive either a family ticket for Court Farm Country Park or Puxton Park or film passes for the Odeon.   If you are unable to attend the afternoon, you can still bring your child's entry along to any other one of our playdates or email us on info@westonsupermum.com.

And ...

We've just announced a blog writing competition.  Write a blog about where you like to take the kids in North Somerset for Weston-super-Mum to be published at the Weston Mercury and enter into a draw to win a family ticket to Puxton Park. All entries can be posted to info@westonsupermum.com before the closing date of Fri 12th March.  The lucky winner will be picked at random and announced on our site on Mothering Sunday.

DON'T FORGET our Sport's Relief Toddle on March 21st, brainchild of Debbie S, where we will be walking with the children from the Grand Pier to the Seaquarium with the rest of the town.  Our fancy dress theme is superheroes.  Sign up here.


Look out for our exciting March draw in conjunction with Lloyds' Toys on Weston High Street!!


Happy parenting in Weston!! :-)

Monday 8 February 2010

Winter Draws to a Close

Is it really only two weeks since the last post?  If so, two weeks is a long time in the world of Weston-super-Mum. 

More mums, dads, aunties and grandparents have been getting involved in the Community and we are almost 100 strong.  Discussions and groups are multiplying: Made in Milla asks us about Child Trust Funds and Lady Martina informs us of a new play centre, Bounce, that will soon open in the Oldmixon.  Our chat room is now open, the hours of 8-10pm being reserved for general chat each evening, a natter en masse if you like. 

We've had a play-date at the Central Weston Children's Centre, Meadow Street, where it was great to see new faces and some, it has to be said, adorable babies. We will be meeting there again this Friday 12th 1-3pm.  It's a comfortable and safe area for all those with children under 5 and you are most welcome to join us.

We launced our Logo Competition in the Weston Mercury this week (page 18) and we have secured prizes from some of the top attractions in the area so it's getting very exciting.  Entries designed by the budding young artists in the family can be emailed to us at info@westonsupermum.com.  We'll also be organising some arts and crafts play-dates based around our Logo Design very soon - we'll let you know.

Debbie S is busy rounding up entrants for our mile walk for Sports Relief, for which we'll be promenading the seafront in (non-obligatory) super-Hero costumes on March 21st, 2pm, joining other entrants from Weston-super-Mare at the Grand Pier and then heading down to the Seaquarium on our toddle.  Join us if you can and help raise money for this worthwhile charity; sponsorship forms can be downloaded and attendance confirmed on our discussion board. 

Karen B has written a humourous and heart-warming blogpost for Weston-super-Mum at the Weston Mercury about how her gorgeous baby girl has helped her to fall in love once more with her home town. 

That just leaves me to tell you about upcoming events ('What's On' downloadable posters and leaflets are now available on the discussion board).



Friday 12th Feb, 1-3pm  - Play-date at Central Weston Children's Centre, Meadow Street.  Under 5s

Weds 17th Feb, 10am-2pm - Play-date at Court Farm Country Park, Banwell. All Welcome (half-term week)

Thurs 18th Feb, from 7:30pm - Girl's night out at The Old Manor Inn, Queensway Worle. Child-free!