Get Adobe Flash player

Education PR

Nadiya Hussain is supporting ‘Be School Ready’, PTA UK’s national campaign to help families with children starting school in September

Exclusive interview with The Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain

NH Nadiya with Bake Me A Story

Nadiya Hussain is supporting ‘Be School Ready’, PTA UK’s national campaign to help families with children starting school in September. The Be School Ready magazines, produced by PTA UK, which is also celebrating its 60th year, have been distributed providing both practical and emotional support for parents, carers and children so they can start school life with confidence.

http://www.pta.org.uk/BeSchoolReady

Get your kids making their healthy after school snacks as well as eating them! Nadiya’s Bake Me a Story is a book of recipes and stories devised and written by Nadiya herself. Cook up a batch of Carrot and Nutmeg Cookies on a Sunday afternoon and share the story of Rapunzel’s Enchanted Carrots while the cookies bake or read about Ruby-Red and the Three Bears and their Very Berry Muffins while you wait for your own to rise! Nadiya’s Bake Me a Story publishes 8th September 2016 in hardback, priced £14.99

 

photo 8

As a mother of three very lively children it is safe to say that I have had my fair share of ‘mum I’m starving’ ‘how long before dinner?’, I’m so hungry’, ‘please can I have a crisp?’, ‘if I can’t have crisp, can I have a small biscuit?’. Whether you have one child, three like me or more, I know it’s the worst feeling trying to decide whether your child should have a snack or should I just let them have whatever they want. If not to just keep them quiet before dinner but ease your own guilt.

I spent years wondering what the right thing was to do during that very intense time between school pick up and dinner time. I will not lie, there have been times where I have just given the kids the easiest option, a packet of crisps, a small bar of chocolate, a biscuit (or two). But I noticed that the kids were like yoyos. After school the kids slumped, tired and exhausted from the day. They walk through the door and as I rush around they have a quick sweet treat and they are then the polar opposite, high as kites, excitable before the inevitable sugar crash to follow.

A few years ago I decided that I needed to overhaul my eating habits along with the kids. I just couldn’t do the constant peak and trough that come with lots of sugar all day long. Better eating habits didn’t mean taking everything away, it just meant eating sugar in moderation and incorporating more fruit and vegetables where possible. I thought it would be a difficult change to make when in fact the transition was the opposite of our sugar crashes and slumps. The transition was smooth.

One of the first things I knew I had to tackle was the time between school pick up and dinner. Upon picking the children up my first question is always ‘how was your day?’ and all three kids always respond with ‘Great, what’s for dinner?’ One of my first tips is that I always take a bottle of water (not chilled). I find children are weary of drinking chilled water because it’s cold and harder to drink quickly. So I take a bottle of water at room temperature and allow them to drink to their fill as soon as I see them. I never believe my children when I’ve asked them if they’ve drunk lots of water through the day. What I like to address is the fact that they may just be very thirsty.

As a fruitier alternative to plain water I like to have water bottles with wide necks and to this I add slices of oranges, kiwi and strawberries and leave it to infuse during the day and take that with me on the school run. Once they have drunk all the water they can finish the fruit inside too.

In between sorting the children, preparing for dinner, finishing emails and doing laundry, I always have a few snacks that I have pre prepared or snacks that can be quickly made. Here is a list of a few of our favourites:

  1. Frozen Yoghurt – small pots of yoghurt, I just pierce a lolly pop stick through the covering and stick the whole thing in the freezer. When frozen, peel off the top of the yoghurt pot and ease the frozen yoghurt out of its pot.
  2. Frozen Blueberry Yoghurt Sticks – take a wooden skewer and pierce it with about 10 blueberries. Dip the whole stick into yoghurt and place the sticks on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen take them off the sheet and place inside a freezer bag and store in the freezer.
  3. Apple and Peanut Rings – core and horizontally slice a green apple, spread the tops with smooth peanut butter and eat straight away.
  4. Houmous Celery Sticks – cut slices of celery sticks about 2 inches long. Fill the inside with houmous and serve.
  5. Summer Fruit Spring Rolls – take a circle of rice paper and soak for a few seconds till soft. Squeeze off any excess water and place down. Add any fruit, the more colourful the better and wrap like a spring roll.
  6. Boiled eggs – I like to keep boiled eggs in the fridge during the week. They are quick simple and nutritious and very easy to eat.
  7. Turkey Ham wrapped Cheese sticks – take a small stick of cheese and wrap around a slice of turkey ham.
  8. Mini omelettes – whisk up some eggs and add onion, cheese, chives and chopped peppers. Pour the mix into a 12 muffin cupcake tin and bake in the oven. Once cooled these can be stored for a week.
  9. Steamed edamame beans – these are great placed in a bowl, splashed with a little water and the covered in cling. Cooked in a microwave for 3 minutes and then sprinkled with salt and paprika.
  10. Plain popcorn – plain popcorn, quickly popped and a large handful is just enough.

In terms of drinks on a warm day I love to make the kids a quick cold smoothie after school and a nice warm drink on the colder school days.

Cold Drink – in a smoothie maker I like to add ice, mint, 1 green apple, the juice of a lime, half water and half apple juice and whizz.

Hot Drink – in a pan add coconut milk and heat up, to this I like to add unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract and honey, boil and serve.

These are all great ways to give the kids a little something to eat to take the edge off the hunger before dinner. But also a great way of getting some of their 5 a day in too.

This is just enough food to keep them sustained long enough to get on to help cook dinner in the kitchen with me, which is their favourite thing to do after school.

PTA UK marks its 60th year by launching Be School Ready Campaign

 

PTA UK marks its 60th year by launching

Be School Ready Campaign

    • PTA UK launches Be School Ready campaign with a magazine that aims to help mums, dads and kids get off to a great start this September
    • Includes an exclusive interview with The Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain
    • Celebrity words of wisdom from Dom Joly, TV Medic Dr Ranj, TV presenter and author Clare Nasir and BBC6 Music presenter Chris Hawkins
    • Show-stopping snack ideas from this year’s Celebrity Masterchef Champion Kimberly Wyatt
  • The Be School Ready magazine also includes advice from experienced parents on starting school and how to play an active role in a child’s education, some fabulous offers and prizes as well as pull out activity pages for children http://www.pta.org.uk/BeSchoolReady

photo 8

 

Starting school is a huge milestone for children and parents alike. So, with two months to go before hordes of newly-uniformed four-year-olds pass through classroom doors for the first time, what can mums and dads do to prepare their children and themselves for the big day?, and limit the potential for tears – the children’s and theirs – on the big day?

PTA UK, the leading membership body for Parent Teacher Associations and a registered charity, is marking its 60th year by launching ‘Be School Ready’ campaign to support, engage and champion parents in education as well as PTAs. The Be School Ready magazine will be given to new parents nationwide by their school PTAs so that mums, dads and kids can get off to the best possible start and enjoy school life to the full.

The Be School Ready campaign helps to encourage parents to have a voice in strengthening their children’s education. Yet the first day of school can be just as daunting for parents, as it can be for children, especially when they’ve never experienced it before. Getting involved in a PTA is a fantastic opportunity to feel part of the school community and is particularly valuable for parents who have children starting school for the first time giving parents some much needed support, and showing them that no matter how much time they have to offer, their involvement in their child’s education need not end at the school gates.

5998734_startingschool

 

The magazines are set to reach over 100,000 parents and will include a wealth of top tips from parents and an exclusive interview with Nadiya Hussain who won the sixth series of BBC’s The Great British Bake Off. Nadiya shares her secrets for dealing with the hunger gap between pick-up and dinner. Show-stopping snack ideas will also be featured from this year’s Celebrity Masterchef Champion, Kimberly Wyatt, mum to one-year-old Willow. Healthy and nutritious food is certainly one great way to limit the tears – for children and parents alike!

PTA UK asked celebrity parents to share their experiences of school life and provide words of wisdom for new starters. Comedian, writer and TV documentary maker Dom Joly who lives in Gloucestershire with his wife Stacey and children Parker.

Dom Joly image

 

and Jackson gives his advice to parents of children starting school in September – “Dress up as a small child and sneak into your kids’ classroom to spy on the teacher”. While it’s not clear how this approach will do anything other than embarrass the children, it gives us an insight into his approach to parenting. When asked what being a parent means, Dom replied “It forces me to grow up more than I’d like”.

 

TV Medic Dr. Ranj Singh is co-creator and presenter of the pioneering

CBeebies show Get Well Soon and also has a kids’ health segment

on ITV’s This Morning. He is the author of two Oxford Treetops In Fact

books for school children – Food Fuel and Skelebones – and has this to say:

 

Education is hugely important and a wonderful privilege. However, alongside that we need to support children in terms of their emotional well-being and resilience.

Teaching children that it’s OK to talk about how they’re feeling, or when they’re experiencing trouble, is just as important as getting them to achieve.”

 

Emma Williams, Executive Director PTA UK said:

“I am delighted to be running our Welcome Packs initiative again this year. Starting school can be an exciting and nerve-wracking time for children and parents alike. I want parents to know that PTA UK is there to support them through the journey. By being involved in their school and education, mums, dads and carers can make a real and positive difference to how well their child does at school. The Welcome Packs are part of a bigger ‘Be School Ready’ campaign that we are launching this year which provides a wealth of resources to help parents play an active role and start school life with confidence.”

 

The PTA is a perfect way for a parent to engage with their child’s education. John Hattie from Visible Learning said:“The effect of parental engagement over a student’s school career is the equivalent of adding an extra two to three years to that student’s education.”

Media information

Celebrity interviews and food recipes from Nadiya Hussain and Kimberly Wyatt alongside images are available on request.

For all media enquiries please contact Siobhan Connor at Connor PR

Tel: 07966 177025

siobhan@connorpr.com

Full interviews and images are available on request.

Emma Williams, Executive Director PTA UK and mother of four is available for interview. Emma has a child starting reception in September.

Join the conversation:

#BeSchoolReady

@PTAUK

http://www.pta.org.uk/Parents/Be-School-Ready

https://www.instagram.com/pta.uk/?hl=en

About PTA UK

Be School Ready is PTA UK’s 2016 flagship campaign. The Welcome Packs form part of the annual initiative that started in 2015 and was created to introduce parents to their PTA support network when their children are starting school. The Be School Ready packs were sent to 1,667 member associations, reaching over 100,000 parents, across England and Wales.

Established in 1956, PTA UK is the UK’s leading PTA membership organisation. As a charity, PTA UK’s main objective is to advance education by encouraging the fullest cooperation between home and school.

 

 

 

 

TOP BRITISH YOUTUBE CELEBRITY SHAVES HEAD TO RAISE FUNDS FOR DYSLEXIA HELP

TOP BRITISH YOUTUBE CELEBRITY SHAVES HEADTO RAISE FUNDS FOR DYSLEXIA HELPI Shaved My Head

On 19 July 2013, dyslexic singer, artist and make-up artist Klaire de Lys announced on her Youtube channel that she would shave her head if £5000 was raised in bursaries for people with dyslexia and on a limited income to access the Davis Dyslexia Programme.

 

£5035 later, Klaire fulfilled her pledge and shaved her head on 6 August 2013. An account and a short video of the event can be viewed at http://www.klairedelys.com/2013/08/09/i-shaved-my-head/

 

22-year-old Klaire, who lives in Reading, Berkshire, founded KlairedelysArt in January 2009, a YouTube Channel devoted to artistic make-up tutorials. To date, the channel has accumulated over 380,000 subscribers. There have been over 86,000,000 views of the videos on the channel. Klaire was featured in a recent article in the Observer, “YouTube UK: 20 of Britain’s most popular online video bloggers”.

 

After years of going undiagnosed, Klaire underwent a Davis Dyslexia Programme to address her personal challenges with dyslexia. “To say that that experience made a difference is a serious understatement,” says Klaire. “It changed my life completely and gave me the tools to achieve things I could only dream of before.” Klaire has published (in print, and as a video recording) a more detailed account of her experience of dyslexia and the Davis programme at http://www.klairedelys.com/2013/07/19/my-dyslexia-story/ The video version has been viewed 54,468 times.

The Davis Dyslexia Programme was created by Ronald Davis, author of the internationally best-selling book, “The Gift of Dyslexia”. The programme originated out of Davis’ own experience of severe dyslexia and is now provided in over 30 languages and in more than 45 countries. It plays to the perceptual talents inherent in dyslexia and makes innovative use of plasticine clay as a learning medium.

“At present, the Davis Programme receives no state funding,” says Richard Whitehead, Director of Davis Learning Foundation, the non-profit UK arm of Davis Dyslexia Association International. “We are delighted with Klaire’s amazing gesture, which will bring the benefits of the programme to people who could never have dreamt of them before.”

 

A few days prior to shaving her head, Klaire launched her new band, Fenix, with a song called “Paper Wings” which she wrote about her experiences with dyslexia. In the eight days since the song was launched on 3 August, it has been viewed over 20,000 times. The link to the song is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8-RnzXJmTs

 

“I’m hoping that by approaching this project by both shaving my head to raise awareness, and releasing my song Paper Wings, I can really make a difference in the lives of Dyslexics,” says Klaire. “Not only raising funds to help, but also by hopefully creating a song which will continue to raise awareness long after my hair has grown back.”

 

People with dyslexia will not be the only people to benefit from Klaire’s gesture. Klaire plans to donate her hair to Wigs for Kids, a non-profit company providing hair replacement for children who have lost their hair because of cancer treatment, burns and other medical issues.

 

 

Further information:

 

Klaire’s video about the campaign:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VOZ1PPyVZ7k

Campaign web page:

http://igg.me/at/dyslexiahelp/x/3930552

 

Klaire’s dyslexia story:

http://www.klairedelys.com/2013/07/19/my-dyslexia-story/

 

Video and account of Klaire’s head-shaving:

http://www.klairedelys.com/2013/08/09/i-shaved-my-head/

http://www.youtube.com/user/KlairedelysArt

http://www.unlocking-learning.co.uk/

http://www.wigsforkids.org/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/apr/07/youtube-uk-20-online-video-bloggers

Connor PR working with The Davis Dyslexia Programme,, Connor PR speciliases in education PR, Connor PR working with Klaire de Lys,Connor PR Siobhan Connor, Connor PR working with Top British Youtube celebrity who has shaved head to raise funds for Dyslexia help

Connor PR working with The Davis Dyslexia Facilitators Association

IMG_2723TOP BRITISH YOUTUBE CELEBRITY SHAVES HEAD
TO RAISE FUNDS FOR DYSLEXIA HELP

On 1 August 2013, dyslexic singer, artist and make-up artist Klaire de Lys will shave her head to raise bursaries for people with dyslexia and on a limited income to access the Davis Dyslexia Programme.

21-year-old Klaire, who lives in Reading, Berkshire, founded KlairedelysArt in January 2009, a YouTube Channel devoted to artistic make-up tutorials. To date, the channel has accumulated over 380,000 subscribers. There have been over 86,000,000 views of the videos on the channel. Klaire was featured in a recent article in the Observer, “YouTube UK: 20 of Britain’s most popular online video bloggers”.

After years of going undiagnosed, Klaire underwent a Davis Dyslexia Programme to address her personal challenges with dyslexia. “To say that that experience made a difference is a serious understatement,” says Klaire. “It changed my life completely and gave me the tools to achieve things I could only dream of before.”

The Davis Dyslexia Programme was created by Ronald Davis, author of the internationally best-selling book, “The Gift of Dyslexia”. The programme originated out of Davis’ own experience of severe dyslexia and is now provided in over 30 languages and in more than 45 countries. It plays to the perceptual talents inherent in dyslexia and makes innovative use of plasticine clay as a learning medium.

“At present, the Davis Programme receives no state funding,” says Richard Whitehead, Director of Davis Learning Foundation, the non-profit UK arm of Davis Dyslexia Association International. “We are delighted with Klaire’s amazing gesture, which will bring the benefits of the programme to people who could never have dreamt of them before.”

At the same time as shaving her head, Klaire will launch her new band, Fenix, with a song that is all about her experiences with dyslexia.

“I’m hoping that by approaching this project by both shaving my head to raise awareness, and releasing my song Paper Wings, I can really make a difference in the lives of Dyslexics,” says Klaire. “Not only raising funds to help, but also by hopefully creating a song which will continue to raise awareness long after my hair has grown back.”

People with dyslexia will not be the only people to benefit from Klaire’s gesture. After shaving her head, Klaire plans to donate her hair to Wigs for Kids, a non-profit company providing hair replacement for children who have lost their hair because of cancer treatment, burns and other medical issues.

Further information:

Klaire’s video about the campaign:

Campaign web page (for donations):
http://igg.me/at/dyslexiahelp/x/3930552

http://www.youtube.com/user/KlairedelysArt
http://www.unlocking-learning.co.uk/
http://www.wigsforkids.org/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/apr/07/youtube-uk-20-online-video-bloggers

Connor PR runs successful Creative Enhancement event at Lion Hotel in Shrewsbury

Spring is here and the daffodils have finally been brave enough to open their heads and now we are inviting you to dip your toes into a little bit of summer after work and join us for an evening of Pimms, delicious treats, expert advice and lots of great offers to help you get your body gorgeous for summer!

Creative Enhancement Permanent Cosmetics and Cedar House Clinic invite you to join them for an early evening ‘Look Fab, Feel Fantastic’ event at the Lion Hotel, Shrewsbury on 15th May 2013 between 5.30pm -8pm in aid of the Severn Hospice.

Creative Enhancement

Creative Enhancement

You will be able to enjoy the taste of summer with Pimms, strawberries and canapés served to you by the wonderful staff at the Lion Hotel and talk to the experts about treatments you may never have known existed.

You will have a great opportunity to speak with Mr Stewart Good, Consultant at Cedar House Clinic and Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) about surgical and non surgical cosmetic treatments such as, anti-wrinkle injectables, dermal fillers, fat removal with skin tightening, cellulite removal, and facial laser rejuvenation.

Jo Bregazzi-Udakis, a Permanent Cosmetic and Medical Tattooing Specialist Nurse of Creative Enhancement will be on hand to discuss the long lasting and striking effects that her up-to-date Semi-Permanent Makeup techniques using high quality pigments giving you sparkling eyes that can take 5-10 years off your looks. Jo can also advise on how her Semi-Permanent Makeup can increase your self-confidence through camouflaging surgical scars, hair loss, vitiligo and reconstruction of nipples and areolas after mastectomy surgery.

You will also be able to seek advice from a specialist hypnotherapist and Registered Nurse, Maria Fielding, whose expertise is in hypnosis for Behavioural Change, Anxiety, Motivation, Confidence, Presentation/Exam Nerves, Phobias & other Irrational Fears, Weight loss & Hypnotic Gastric Band and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and many other issues.

Acupuncturist, Bronwen Lloyd-Hughes will also be available to advise on the wide range of treatments that she is able to offer using traditional acupuncture techniques She regularly treats clearly defined complains such as neck, back and knee pain through to more general feelings of ill health such as nausea, low energy and stress related problems.

There will also be a perfect chance to experience the fast acting benefits of ‘Remedial Massage’, easing away those aches and pains you may have developed after the long cold winter of driving your car instead of walking or sitting for long periods of time in your office or at home. Many of us feel we can just start the long awaited exercise programme that was on our new year’s resolution list come spring or start heavy DIY or work in the garden without really thinking about how our muscles are going to cope with such sudden workload. Steve Udakis, a Sport and Remedial Massage Therapist, can advise on posture correction, exercise techniques, trigger points (knots in the muscles) and how they can cause increasing chronic pain and minimise movement in the joints if untreated. Steve can also advise on how to treat these trigger points before starting the fitness programme or building the new patio. If however, you have already injured yourself with overzealous DIY, gardening or sport, Steve can also advise on treatment programmes for your injuries.

Media enquiries:
Please contact Siobhan at Connor PR click here Tel 07966177025

Notes to editors:
Guests will be asked to donate £4 for drinks and canapés, all proceeds to go to the Severn Hospice.