Where the fun never ends!

My Girl isn't yet of school-age so I haven't done a half-term proper but she is at pre-school five mornings a week. "What do parents do in the holidays?" I've always thought.

If they're a Weston-super-Mum, they wouldn't have been stuck for choices, that's for sure. Half-term was, no other word for it, full-on!

Bank Holiday Monday saw us camped up in Grove Park, watching the very talented Klair singing live at the bandstand. She belted out a fair few numbers, from Shania Twain to Queen to Carole King and Amy Winehouse. Fabulous! Most of us took a picnic and the cafe must have practically sold out of ice-creams. It was a real family affair in the sunshine - friends, food, song and blue skies, what more could a parent wish for?

The kids? They all collected themselves on the steps of the bandstand - as Weston-super-Dad, Mike, pointed out, looking like they were following the Pied Piper, magnetised to the music. And that voice.

Tuesday lead us to Hutton Moor Leisure Centre where Debbie had organised a couple of hours of inflatable fun, more music, lots of bouncing, followed by a buffet-style dinner for the little people. Thanks Debbie :)

Wednesday. Ah, Wednesday. An amazing Funday at the Purple Sheep in Hughenden Road, Milton. This was a laugh a minute: face-painting, an 8 foot hedgehog, more bouncing, garden toys, stalls, pizza and BBQ'ed food and a fire engine. With real-life fire-men. The kids got to sit in the big red truck and put on the yellow helmets, while some of the mums managed to hose down one fireman with particularly big muscles. A treat for all.

It's Friday - slap on the sunscreen and head over to Ashcombe Park with a picnic for hours of play and chatter. Well done to Gin for getting us together for this one.

And then Sunday, a truly magnificent event by the team at North Somerset @Play Forum. There was so much to do up there in Worlebury Woods by the Water Tower. But this deserves a whole blog post on its own - please check into our Weston Mercury Blog sometime later this week to read all about it.

For upcoming events, please check our Events Board on http://www.westonsupermum.com/

All Aboard

Activity is high at Weston-super-Mum, with memebers really making the place home, joining in discussions and organising events. Super Grandmother, Kay Blake, created the group Into the Arena, where we can tell others about those bargains that we have seen around town and household tips that we just can't keep to ourselves. On our Forum you can share tips on how to be green-minded. Some funny comments have appeared on the discussion "Mummy Moments," about those odd times when it really hits home that you're a parent - like when you go clothes shopping for yourself and come back with bagfuls of stuff for your little one instead!

Karen Blake hosted a play-date at Central Weston Children's Centre and Emma Tait organised a super-Mums get together at Milton and Old Worle Children's Centre, while Gin got a few of us together for a picnic at Ashcombe Park, for which, miraculously, the sun shone bright!






















The Arts and Crafts Afternoon at the Purple Sheep Cafe in Hughenden Road brought in a number of colourful entries for our Logo Competition - many thanks to Chris, Claire, Shane and Kayleigh at the Purple Sheep, who all made us feel very welcome, and to all of you who manned the event or who brought your children along. The competition hasn't closed yet, so there's still time to get your entries in!

In fact, it's all gone a bit Competition Loco over on the Community. We're running a blog writing competition for our Weston Mercury online slot. So if you want to be in with the chance of winning a family ticket to Puxton Park, tell us all about a place you like to visit in North Somerset with the kids and mail it to us at info@westonsupermum.com Closing date is 14th March.

At the end of March, one lucky Community member, picked at random, will receive a game of Cluedo, which has been kindly donated by Lloyds Toys in Weston High Street. To enter the draw, simply sign up as a member of Weston-super-Mum :)

We're organising charity events too - Debbie S has brought us together to dress up as superheroes and raise money for Sports Relief on our Toddle from The Grand Pier to Seaquarium with other entrants from all over the region. It's not too late to sign up. Alternatively, if you'd like to sponsor the Weston-super-Mum Team, you can do so here: http://www.mysportrelief.com/TeamPage.aspx?Lang=en-CA&TSID=17280

Please support us!

Exciting news from Weston Hospicecare! Olly Joseph and the team at WH are ready to organise a Family Fun Day in the summer, with entertainers, face-painting and the like. We need as many people to sign up for the group dedicated to Weston Hospicecare so that the event can go ahead. Olly welcomes any suggestions you may have to make this a day designed for YOU and would also like to know whether any of us would like to take a more active role in the preparations and staging of the event. Sign up to the group to ensure that the Fun Day can be staged and tell us your views on it.

In other WsMum news, Kelly has launched her very own website, http://www.notjust4baby.co.uk/, which sells homemade nappy cakes and beautiful wooden gifts, perfect for Mother's Day and beyond. And Claire Palmer aka Klair appeared on HTV news in her role as one of the Dutty Girls and and their excellent work in "encouraging young women to express themselves through music to boost confidence and self esteem." View it here!


If you have any news you'd like us to share with the Community, sign up to our site and tell us all about it.

Happy Parenting in Weston!

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!

The week that was

Well, it's been a lively week!  Since the creation of our on-line Community last Wednesday, over 45 local members have joined, we've had a well attended play date and a Mums' night out.

The site is attracting not only Mums from Weston but aunties, grandmothers, mums-to-be and today, our very first Dad joined the ranks!  And we've expanded a little southwards with a member from Burnham-on-Sea.  Via the forum, our members have discussed places to go in the local area, the swine flu vacination, the 2010 school intake, holidays and work, among some other 11 topics.  They've set up groups dedicated to food, mums-to-be, twins and multiple births and single parents.  Members are also invited to share those things they love about Weston-super-Mare and have debated what's missing from the town.  Hhm, a central swimming pool seems to be quite a talking point.  Funny that!  There is now a group for Mumpreneurs and a place you can go for a good old rant when you've had one of those days.

Karen Blake is in the midst of creating a much needed database of places to visit with children in Weston so that parents can find a suitable group to attend at a glance.   Please help Karen to achieve this by sending her information about activities in the area (see our forum).

Debbie Smith wrote her very first blog, wittily chronicling her family's joy at her eldest's daughter's school allocation by North Somerset Council.  Furthermore, Debbie has bravely volunteered to set up and help run some of our play-dates.

And Clare Kingsbury-Bell's amazing IT skills have been most welcome.

Thank you to every single person who has joined Our Community and a special thanks to all of you who have contibuted to the discussion and group wall - MUA!!


Around 15 of us (plus kids) met at the Purple Sheep Cafe in the H Church in Hughenden Road yesterday.  Quite a turn out!  And, oh, how the children old enough to bonce bounced!  MANIC.  Thanks to Shane, Lorraine and Chris for making us so welcome.  We will be writing about this in the Weston Mercury very soon.

Last night (yes it was a busy day!), five of us enjoyed a gorgeous meal of 7 small courses plus wine/cider/peppermint tea at The Alasia restaurant in West Street (opposite The Playhouse).  Outstanding food and excellent service, revealing chats and some whirring heads.  A couple of us carried it on in the pubs across the road.  Thank you to Michaela and Charlie at The Alasia.


And the future?

On Tuesday, Rebecca Condron is attending a meeting for professionals who work with parents, which is being held at the Central Weston Children's Centre.  It's a chance to promote our Community and to find out more about what going on for parents in Weston. 

We're currently organising a shopping trip to Bristol, brain-child of Emma Tait, while the indefatiguable Debbie Smith is getting us together for an evening of pubbery at the Old Manor Inn in Worle on Feb 18th.

Join us if you can ....


:-)