Review - Burn Me On

 

Burn Me On is a humble little company with big ideas, set up by a mummy and toddler team with all products designed and burnt in the UK.

With a range of off-the-shelf ready to go and personalised homeware products there will be something to suit everyone. Great for gift ideas or even a treat for yourself they can add any name, message, date you like to produce the most unique gift.

We tested the service and were very impressed, especially as we made a mistake when requesting a name with the wrong spelling, Katy picked this up and we were glad she did! The products are made from good quality wood and made to last a long time, perfect for an anniversary or wedding these personalised boards would make lovely gifts. There are also wooden spoons, hammers, badges and more, something for every budget and something a bit different.

 

Check out the website HERE there are lots of items on offer at the moment.

 



Win a SafeSip Set (worth £38)!

Made in Great Britain, SafeSip is the revolutionary invention from Melissa Edmunds, fitting virtually any drinking vessel. It keeps your drink in (and everything else out). Parents, children, campers, party guests, the elderly and disabled – SafeSip simplifies the world for everyone. Go out and spill no more!

Ideal for:
Families - From soft drink cans in the car to taking some of the drama out of family dining, SafeSip gives you and your children peace of mind. No more juice stains and clean-up panics. Your beige sofa will cringe no more.
Outdoor fun - The problem with the outdoors is the number of wasp and other bugs trying to get into your glass or mug. And if you have small children, there’s the added drama of liquid, gravity and clothes. You say: fishing trip, hike picnic, sporting event or a day at the beach. We say: SafeSip!
Drinking with dignity - By eliminating spills, SafeSip enables everyone to drink with dignity. SafeSip improves care, lowers costs and reduces dehydration. It is less expensive than alternative drinking aids.

The Safesip also has the following benefits:
- Food grade silicone and 100% BPA-free;
- Dishwasher, freezer and microwave safe;
- Designed to fit single and double-handled mugs/beakers;
- Fits virtually every mug, glass, cup or can.

We were sent some SafeSips to try and we have found them really useful. We have lots of picnic style beakers without handles and our youngest child manages to spill her drinks regularly, especially as she likes to use a straw and for some reason tips the cup as she drinks. Popping on a lovely pink SafeSip not only pleased her (especially as everyone has a different colour and she is the only one with pink) but also means we can now use cups we avoided before.

The 9yr old child likes to use the SafeSip as she is now allowed to take her cup in the lounge which I have always banned before due to spills on the carpet, she feels as if she has a grown up takeaway cup having the lid on her drink. Another plus for these is that by using different colours and everyone knowing their own colour we now avoid mixing up drinks.

We love that the SafeSips can be used over cans of fizzy drinks keeping out unwanted pests in summer as well as keeping drinks from spilling all over the teenagers precious technology avoiding costly repairs. The SafeSip comes in a variety of colours including clear so each member of the family can claim their own.

These would be brilliant for an ill or elderly person to avoid them spilling drinks on themselves, it also means they can still use their favourite cup or mug and keep some independence.

A really useful product, you will wonder how you managed without out them!

To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic family-friendly SafeSip Picnic Set (comprising a hessian bag containing  four Safesip,4 Cups, 1 SafeSip Straw Jar and pack of Straws), worth £38, simply check out the website and email us the colours in the Quad pack of SafeSip simple!
dorset@mumsnetlocal.com.

 Terms & Conditions:

1. The closing date is 13th December
2. The prize is subject to availability, and SafeSip reserves the right to replace the prize with an alternative product or colour of equal value if necessary.
3. The prize will only be posted to a UK address.
4. The prize is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative.
5. Entrants must be over 18 years of age.

Free parking for Christmas shoppers

Free parking and the return of the popular Park and Ride service will make Christmas shopping even easier in Poole this festive season.

Residents and visitors shopping in Poole can enjoy free parking in all town centre car parks, courtesy of Borough of Poole, on the run-up to Christmas:

* every Sunday between 10am and 6pm from Sunday 22 November until Sunday 20 December 2015.
* Thursday nights between 6pm and 9pm from Thursday 26 November until Thursday 17 December.

In addition there will be free parking on Monday evening, 21 December between 6pm and 9pm to help shoppers buy any last minute Christmas presents.

People shopping in Broadstone, Ashley Road, Penn Hill, Ashley Cross and Canford Cliffs can also benefit from free parking in district car parks from noon until 6pm on the three Saturdays before Christmas - 5, 12 and 19 December.

Alternatively, for those who want to beat the rush and miss the queues, the council's Park and Ride service will be running from Creekmoor every Saturday from 28 November until Christmas.

Damory Buses will be providing super low floor buses making it even easier for wheelchair users and parents with buggies to get onboard.

The service will leave the Creekmoor Park and Ride site every 15 minutes from 8am until 6pm on 28 November, 5, 12 and 19 December.

The short 10 minute trip to town costs just £1.50 for an adult return, and accompanied children can travel for just 50 pence return. Holders of an English National bus pass can use the service free of charge.

The service drops passengers within easy reach of the shops at the entrance to Falkland Square, where they can then board the bus back to Creekmoor every 15 minutes from 8.15am until 6.15pm.

Councillor Ian Potter, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Transportation, Borough of Poole, said: "Despite significant pressures on council budgets we are delighted to be able to offer people who shop in Poole these opportunities. Poole's shopping centres are busy and vibrant all year but the atmosphere around Christmas time is fantastic. We are sure shoppers and businesses will welcome the benefits that this offer provides."

Ed Wills, Operations Director, Go South Coast, added: "We are delighted to be working once again with the Borough of Poole to help deliver Christmas shoppers hassle free into Poole this Christmas. The Park and Ride site has proven to be extremely popular over the years and we hope this year will be the most successful ever."

For more information please visit www.boroughofpoole.com/christmasandnewyear.

Review - When We Were Babies personalised print and framing service.

 

When We Were Babies

‘When we were babies’ is a unique personalised print and framing service which allows you to create your own beautiful piece of personalised wall décor of family and loved ones in their younger years….whether its everyone as babies, toddlers or teenagers the options are endless!
Alternatively if you are stuck for present ideas or looking for a unique gift, the prints are amazingly special so the range make great gifts for women and great gifts for men.
Everything is handmade and of the highest quality.

We found the ordering process very easy,  just upload your photos to the website and choose your background colour and frame adding any text you like. We used scanned photos and we are very pleased with the finished product. We chose to use baby photos but also like the idea of first day at school and final school year photos. They would make a lovely wall display and lots of opportunities for future gifts!

We were sent the proof so we could check all the details and from start to finish the service was excellent. We received emails and text messages regarding delivery and we were even given a 1 hour delivery time.

 

A great idea and brilliant service, check out more ideas here:  

 

http://whenwewerebabies.co.uk/ 

 

Keep an eye out on our website as we have a discount code and competition coming up!

http://local.mumsnet.com/dorset

 

 

Win! Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs tickets

 

 

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS

BOURNEMOUTH PAVILION THEATRE

SATURDAY 5 DECEMBER 2015 – SUNDAY 3 JANUARY 2016

 

 

Heigh Ho, Heigh ho, it's off to the panto we go! On Thursday 24 September 2015, the cast of Bournemouth Pavilion's much anticipated panto donned their costumes for the first time to kick off the season in style.

 

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is Bournemouth Pavilion's 2015/2016 Pantomime and the cast is undoubtedly the fairest of them all. Eastenders pair Gillian Wright and Matt Lapinskas will be playing The Wicked Queen and The Prince respectively, while kids favourite Milkshake! Presenter Olivia Birchenough plays Snow White.

 

The show also stars Quinn Patrick as pantomime dame, Nursie and Noel Brodie is back by popular demand as Muddles.

 

With spells on Coronation Street, Casualty and most famously as Eastenders' Jean Slater, Gillian Wright is no stranger to the stage and screen. In December 2011, she played the Fairy Godmother in the pantomime Dick Whittington and His Cat at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, starring alongside Jonathan Wilkes and over Christmas 2013, she appeared as (a different) Fairy Godmother in Cinderella at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage.

 

Matt Lapinskas is best known for his character Anthony Moon on Eastenders. Between 2011 and 2012, Matt racked up appearances in over 100 episodes before leaving The Square in May 2012. After leaving Eastenders, Matt was revealed as one of 12 celebrities taking part in the eighth series of Dancing on Ice where he went on to finish runner up to Olympic Gymnast Beth Tweddle.

 

This year we are proud to announce that our pantomime is sponsored by Hot Rocks Restaurant and Bar! To celebrate this; when you buy your panto tickets, Hot Rocks are also giving you a voucher for 'Kids Eat For £1' when purchasing one adult meal. And to top it off, for each kids meal purchased, that £1 is donated to Julia's House.

 

Join us between 5 December 2015 and 3 January 2016, for what promises to be another brilliant pantomime at Bournemouth Pavilion, with close to 10,000 tickets sold already, this year's pantomime is looking busier and better than ever.

 

Buy Tickets

We have 2 Family tickets to giveaway for Tuesday 8th December at 7pm...

 To enter please email dorset@mumsnetlocal.com stating why you would like to win.
We would also love it if you would visit our Facebook page!

Open to UK residents over 18's only.  Competition closes 30th November. Winner will be picked at random and notified by email within 72 hours, we reserve the right to choose another winner if we receive no response.

Win! Christmas Spectacular 2015 at the Regent in Christchurch

 

This year the Glad Rag Production Company will be entertaining everyone when their magical Christmas treat opens on stage at the Regent on Saturday 19 December 2.30pm and 7.30pm.  Bookings are already under way for this seasonal favourite but there are plenty of shows to choose from with a run that includes further 7.30pm shows from Sunday 20 – Thursday 24 December and more Matinees at 2.30pm on Sunday 20, Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 December.  So, if you want to join Benji and Bruce, those fun-loving polar bears, for another show stopping, all singing and all dancing adventure with Santa, Rudolph and Mrs Claus, then early booking for this Christmas Cracker of a family show is essential!

Book here

 

We have 2 tickets to giveaway for Tuesday 22nd December 7.30pm, just send us an email stating why you would like to win. dorset@mumsnetlocal.com

We would also love it if you would visit our Facebook page!


 Open to UK residents over 18's only.   Competition closes 15th December. Winner will be picked at random and notified by email within 72 hours, we reserve the right to choose another winner if we receive no response.

Review - Nutty Putty

 

Crafty kids and creative grown-ups will love the new Nutty Putty for Christmas. Made from silicone, it’s a new modelling putty that you can mould into any shape you can imagine and then bake it in the oven for 10 minutes to create glossy, rubbery models that you can play with.

Nutty Putty is also fantastic to create your own Christmas decorations. It comes in bright inviting colours and your decorations will last for years to come.

Nutty Putty can be played with for hours. Non-drying, hypoallergenic and antibacterial the putty is soft and pliable for little hands to mould and it creates wonderful, brightly coloured models that kids can keep or squash down for more creativity. Kids favourite creations can be baked in the oven for 10 minutes, creating fun, rubbery models (similar in texture to silicone utensils) that can be played with, bounced, used as key rings, jewellery and much more.

Nutty Putty Sets:
Nutty Putty is an award winning- new play putty and is available for prices to suit any pockets. The range comes with a selection of vibrant coloured Nutty Putty, tools, play mat with instructions and a baking sheet.

• The eight colour set - £18 - 8 colours (inc. glow-in-the-dark), 2 tools, 6 shape cutters, 1 roller, 1 baking sheet, 1 play mat
• The six colour starter set - £15 - 6 colours, 3 shape cutters, 2 shaping tools, 1 baking sheet, 1 play mat
• The jewellery accessory set - £10 - 4 colours, 2 tools, 2 glow in the dark bracelets, 1 pair of earrings, 1 hair clip, 1 ring, 1 baking sheet, 1 play mat
• The cake deco set - £10 4 colours, 2 tools, 1 silicone cake mould, 1 baking sheet, 1 play mat
• The zipper packs - £1.90 - 1 colour Nutty Putty packs with baking sheet

We tried out Nutty Putty on a wet weekend and our young testers decided to make their own Club Penguin models completely on their own. We used a 6 colour set.

 

The girls were quite keen to get started and as there were two of them we decided to use the glass chopping boards from the kitchen to work on, but the set does include a playmat for this purpose.

 

The Nutty Putty is easy to work with and a lot less messy and crumbly than the homemade dough we usually play with.

 

 

There are some tools with the set but we also used some of our own tools so both girls could make their own models.

 

The girls were keen to follow the simple instruction sheet and did so without any adult help. They started off with a butterfly each and then spotted the penguin, this gave them the Club Penguin idea and they went on to make some puffles too!

 

We were surprised that we had no mess to clear away at all, this would encourage me to use the product again, sometimes the thought of the mess puts us off getting out this sort of activity so this is a big bonus!

 

One of the finished penguins! The girls went on to make more models, we did use up all of the Nutty Putty in one afternoon but they had lots of fun making the models. It was a no mess easy activity and one we would do again but we would give them a set each so they didn't have to share the colours and instructions.

 

We decided to bake the models following the instructions for 10 minutes and once cool they went on to play a game for the rest of the day with them. The Nutty Putty becomes rubbery when baked and the models held together despite being thrown around and played with.

 

We would recommend the Nutty Putty as a lovely gift idea this Christmas. Here are some of the baked models.

 

 

Win - A Family Ticket to Peter Pan at Lighthouse, Poole

Fly away to Neverland this Christmas with our magical Peter Pan competition!

Starring Christopher Ellison (The Bill, Celebrity Big Brother 2015) as Captain Hook and Jamie Quinn (Bluestone 42) as Peter Pan, J M Barrie’s enchanting story is brought to life by Lighthouse, Poole in an original version of the timeless classic from Friday 4 December – Sunday 3 January.

Travel to a place where no one ever grows up as Peter Pan and Tinker Bell whisk Wendy and her brothers off to Neverland - a fantastical world of cutlass -waving pirates, mermaids and tick-tocking crocodiles - where they must help The Lost Boys battle the villainous Captain Hook.

With live music, pirates, a baddy to boo at, and a hero who can fly, Peter Pan is a real treat for all the family. Lighthouse is teaming up with Mumsnet to offer the chance to win a family ticket (valid for four people, minimum one child) for the 7pm performance of Peter Pan on Tuesday 8 December

http://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/peter-pan

To enter please email dorset@mumsnetlocal.com stating why you would like to win.
We would also love it if you would visit our Facebook page!


 Open to UK residents over 18's only.   Competition closes 30th November. Winner will be picked at random and notified by email within 72 hours, we reserve the right to choose another winner if we receive no response.

Review - Moochies Phone for Kids and Win!

We are testing out the new Moochies phone for kids. The phone uses a pay-a-you-go sim card and is worn just like a watch and allows parents to keep track of their children using the Moochies app.

Many parents dread when their child asks if they can walk to school or the park on their own for the first time or that moment in a busy theme park when you lose site of your child. Although we will always worry about the obvious risks we have come across a new product which is extremely useful in lots of these situations. You can contact your child wherever they are and they can also contact you.

Moochies are simple for a child to use, the two buttons on the side of the phone are pre-set with phone numbers set by the parent or guardian using the Moochies app. To phone the parent the child just holds down one of the buttons on the phone.  There is also a SOS button at the front of the watch which the child can press if they are in trouble. This sends a 15 second recording of noises straight to the parents phone.
The Moochies app is free to download for iOS and Android

 



Using the app the parent can set up safe zones for example visiting a friend's house, and they will be notified if the child strays from this area. Parents can also add the numbers of other contacts who are able to call the phone, these are the only numbers able to call avoiding unwanted calls from strangers.

 

 

We are really impressed with the phone, it's easy for a child to use and because it looks and works as a watch the children are happy to wear it. As well as the designs above there are two new designs in both black and blue which an older child could easily wear. It gives great peace of mind watching the profile of your child moving around the area which has been pre-set as 'safe zone' and at the same time the child feels at ease knowing they can call if they are worried.

What we really liked about this product is how easy to is for the child to use and that it comes without the added risks that a mobile phone comes with. We think it really stands out as a must have phone for children in their 'tween' years. For 9-12 yr olds starting to ask for a bit more independence, going for their first sleepover to taking public transport to secondary school this phone could be very reassuring to all parties.

Moochies for Kids £79.99

 www.moochiesforkids.com

We have one Moochies to giveaway!

To enter please email dorset@mumsnetlocal.com stating why you would like to win.
We would also love it if you would visit our Facebook page!


 Open to UK residents over 18's only.   Competition closes 14th December. Winner will be picked at random and notified by email within 72 hours, we reserve the right to choose another winner if we receive no response.

Charity Christmas Cards

 

Seven Springs Studios in Dorchester are opening their doors for a charity photoshoot day to raise money for Children In Need.

 

Would you like the chance to have some lovely Christmas photos taken and to give out Christmas cards with a personal touch?

 

The studio will photograph whoever or whatever you would like to be on your Christmas card this year. The studio take relaxed photos of you, your family and even your pet and they can print the cards for you. They are asking for a donation to Children In Need so please join the event and give generously to a great cause.

 

The shoot is on 22nd November from 10-6 in Dorchester.

 

Join the event here 

Review - Trolley Bags

The new carrier bag charge is now in place so we were keen to try out the new Trolley Bags from http://www.trolleybags.com/

Trolley Bags are a set of four bags which fit into any sized supermarket trolley for the easiest and most organised packing at the supermarket. The system rolls up into a neat Velcro-fastened package that can be hooked on the back of the trolley whilst you shop. Once at the till and all your shopping is on the conveyor, Trolley Bags spread out in one simple action, with the ‘arms’ resting on the trolley sides, giving you a series of open and upright bags to fill, leaving both hands free for packing and sorting. For customers who ‘Scan as you shop,’ the bags can be racked open into the trolley when you enter the store, allowing you to pack, sort and organise your shopping exactly how you like it as your make your way around the aisles.
Now available in new colours and two sizes, Trolley Bags are the reusable bag system that every shopper needs. Trolley Bags Original for standard deeper trolleys and Trolley Bags Express for shallower trolleys, they are perfect for anyone.

On reading the instructions we noted that heavier items should be placed in the smaller bags so lifting the bags out of the trolley would be easier to handle. Off we went with the bags and a shopping list..

 

The bags all fit together snugly and are easy to pop in the back of the car and onto the back of the trolley. We are testing the deeper bags which are ideal for a big family shop and for using the deeper trolley.

 

We did our shop as usual and placed our items on the conveyer belt. When it was our turn to pack we placed the bags onto the trolley, they rested on the sides of the trolley perfectly and spread across to the end leaving us with four opened bags.

 

 

 

 Having the bags open and ready to place items in is a big difference from using the normal reusable supermarket bags that collapse in the trolley and made packing the bags much faster.

 

We packed the heavier items in the yellow and blue bags at the end of the trolley and used the larger bags for bulkier lighter items like bread and toilet rolls.

 

 

 

We had a lot of admiring comments from the checkout operator and several other shoppers who were impressed at how quickly the bags opened and stayed in place. We left the shop and headed to the car for what we considered to be the ultimate test. Would we be able to lift the deep bags out of the trolley and into the boot of the car without hurting our backs? The bags have a netting at the bottom of them so we also questioned if they would be able to hold the weight of the heavier items.

 

 

 

As you can see, the bags fitted into the car boot well and the netting was strong enough to hold the heavy milk bottles and tins. They were manageable to lift although I wouldn't feel comfortable over packing the bags they are able to hold a weekly shop for a family of 6.

 

We were so impressed that these stay in the car boot now so we have them with us for future shops !

 

Would you like to win a set of TrolleyBags?

 

We have a set to giveaway Enter Here and Here for a second entry

 

 



 

 

Greenwood Grange

 

Welcome to Greenwood Grange, an idyllic setting of seventeen holiday cottages. With fantastic onsite facilities such as our Double tennis courts, indoor heated pool, sauna and games room there is plenty to do for the whole family.

We are fortunate enough to have picked up a few awards for our eco friendly properties sustaining the original features and charm. We have also won a Gold Award in the Dorset Tourism Awards 2014 which we are very proud of and work hard to keep our award winning standards.

Located on the outskirts of Dorchester beside Thomas Hardy’s cottage, we provide relaxing getaways for the whole family. Our cottages range for families from two to twelve, which each cottage beautifully decorated with vintage country features. You don’t have to worry about packing everything and the kitchen sink as they all equipped ready and waiting for you. Our prices include all bills and uses of our facilities (small fee for the sauna) making it a hassle free break.

We know that packing for the whole family can be a stressful and time consuming aspect so we have taken care of for you. For young children we can provide bed guards, high chairs, cots and toys all you have to do is ask and we can provide.

Due to our location we have great walks right on our doorstep and pubs for that special evening out in close distance too.

We are very much pet friendly and have dedicated cottages for them too, as well as the dog exercise area. Our grounds are extensive and are contained so you don’t have to worry about your little one taking a wander as we are a fully secure site. Baby and pet sitters are also available should you want a night off for yourselves.

Our outdoor play area can provide hours of endless fun neighbouring our creative yurt with a fully stocked soft play area. Should you wish, we can arrange tennis and swimming lessons as well as caterers so you don’t have to worry about cooking!

The indoor swimming pool is an all year round attraction, with the bonus of large roman steps perfect for little ones getting to grips the water.  The games room is very well equipped with a pool table, billiards, table tennis, table football and a Nintendo Wii.

Our ethos is great holidays for the whole family, should you have a request we will do our very best to accommodate where possible ensuring the Greenwood Experience provides life long memories.

 

To call and speak to a holiday advisor please call: 01305 268874 or e-mail us: info@greenwoodgrange.co.uk –

 

We have an exclusive offer for you! Check it out here

 

Free Family Fun Day at Upton Country Park

Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Allan Turner-Ward is the host of a free Family Fun Day being held at Upton Country Park, Poole, this Saturday (12^th) from 10am to 5pm.

The event is being organised by Barclays to raise money for Julia’s House. Families can watch Barclays teams compete in a number of wacky challenges including human table football, sumo wrestling and a Segway relay.

There will also be children’s entertainment including face painting, golf, crafts, pets’ corner and an inflatable obstacle course, plus live entertainment, food and a bar. More information at juliashouse.org.

 

WIN!! Family portrait photo shoot worth over £300

We have a great prize for you to treasure the precious time you spend with your family this summer at the Seven Springs Studios in Dorchester. A photo shoot for one family portrait on canvas worth over £300!

We also have 10 runner up prizes for a photo shoot and a 5x7 print.

Competition closes 31st August at 12pm

Click here to enter

WIN!! Roller Coast Roller Rink - Summer Holidays

 

 

Get your skates on for the rockin’, rollin’ Roller Coast Roller Rink, returning in the Summer Holidays. Fun for all the family whatever the weather, zoom around the rink to all the latest chart topping hits.

The Heart FM Angels will be flying in on Friday 14 and 21 August for all to enjoy. Face painting and prize giveaways will be available across all sessions on these days, so roll on down and get in on the action.

Resident DJ, Disco Dave will be bringing the party to the Over 18 DJ nights on Saturday 8, Saturday 15 and Saturday 22 August. 8 - 11pm, £6 per person. 

Roller Rink Party Packages

Roller Coast is the perfect venue for kid’s birthday parties with a package available including a Roller Coast session followed by main course and never ending soft drink at Hot Rocks. Better still, one adult per six children in the party package skate for free!

 

Further Information

Ticket Prices

£5.00 – £6.00

 

 

During busy sessions it is advised to arrive 30 minutes prior to the session time to allow for queues at the Ticket Office.

Under 12’s must be accompanied by an adult on the rink (1 adult may accompany up to 3 under 12’s). No under 4’s allowed on the rink.

Session times stated include getting skates on and off. Session times may vary.

 

BOOK HERE

We have a family ticket to giveaway - NOW CLOSED

 

 

Toyologist Review - Thunderbirds 1

Review - Thunderbirds 1

Thunderbirds 1 to the rescue! Our latest toy review is for the TB1 vehicle which is 10.5cm long. It's just the right size to fit in a child's hand and also fits inside the Tracy Island Playset which can be bought separately. The vehicle was easy to remove from the packaging.  

TB1 has retractable wings and our reviewer found the base easy to turn which activated the wings.

 

This vehicle comes complete with action and rescue sounds and this is what stood out for our reviewer, she counted five different sounds and phrases and pressed the button to hear them as she played with the toy.

 

Our reviewer played with the toy for around 30 minutes before asking to put it away. She didn't sit down to play for long and took the toy with her to fly around the house and garden making her own sounds. She did say that she would like to play with the island too as she spotted it on the back of the TB1 packaging! 

 

 

The toy is easy to tidy away and doesn't take up too much room in a box alongside other vehicles. We recommend this toy for a child from 3 years to around 8 years.

 

 

 

Thunderbirds 1 is on sale at Toys R Us Toys R Us for £9.99

This review is part of the Toys R Us’ Toyologist programme 

 Thunderbirds have landed !!

 

Quomps Splashpark - Christchurch

Quomps Splashpark - Christchurch

 

 

 

The splashpark is situated on Christchurch Quay and is open daily from 9am-7pm . There is a carpark next to the splashpark - Mayors Mead car park BH23 1NY 

 

Charges for 2015 are 1 April - 31 October 2015 and March 2016

 

2 hours	£2
4 hours	£3.30
12 hours	£6

If you don't have much to carry then there is also parking  5/10 minute walk away at Willow Way car park BH23 1NU  which is cheaper.

2 hours	£1
4 hours	£1.90
12 hours	£4

There are toilets nearby and a refreshments stand selling drinks and icecreams. The splashpark is enclosed by fencing and has a small paddling pool and many water features.

 

Outside the splashpark is a children's play park and lots of grass for picnics.





http://local.mumsnet.com/dorset/parks-playgrounds/176425-the-quomps-play-area-and-splash-park

 

Drawing competition!

DRAWING COMPETITION WITH
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN ONE OF TWO I PAD MINIS!!

 

 

Bournemouth Coastal Business Improvement District (BID) has funded and
launched a 'seaside scene' drawing competition for children with the
opportunity to win one of two i Pad Minis. The competition will run
from now until the end of August. There will be two age categories; 7
years and under and 8 - 13years. Competition entry forms can be picked
up from Westbourne Post Office or downloaded from the web site

www.discoverwestbourne.co.uk/summer 

 

Entries can be made by uploading a picture of the drawing to the
Discover Westbourne 'seaside scene' competition post or by dropping
the entry in to the competition box at Westbourne Post Office.

https://www.facebook.com/discoverwestbournebournemouth

Review - Grease at Bournemouth Pavilion

 

Talented local company BBLOC present the blockbuster smash hit Grease this summer at Bournemouth Pavilion.

We went to see this show on it's opening night, it's the third time I have seen the stage show but it was first time for my 17yr old daughter who is also a Grease fan and loves the movie.
I had previously explained to her that this is an amateur production as stated on the Pavilion website.

Everyone who loves Grease the movie will already be familiar with the hit songs from this show and the cast carried them off brilliantly. We were surprised to find Paul from the popular shoe shop Mathews in Christchurch playing Kenickie and a fabulous job he did too!

Rizzo, Danny and Sandy were just a few of the other characters with outstanding voices and very realistic to the movie, although the whole cast were amazing.
We were very impressed with the dance routines, singing and quality of the acting and this certainly did not come across as an amateur performance.

Brilliant set designs although a little slow to change at times, they were worth the wait.
The first night was dress up night and there were lots of pink ladies in the audience which added to the atmosphere.

We recommend this summer sizzler which will appeal to every Grease fan young and old.

The show is on at Bournemouth Pavilion from 21 – 25 July 2015, under 14's must be accompanied by an adult.

You can buy tickets here

Speak out to stop scams

Poole residents are being asked to expose scams and help stop other people from falling prey to clever cons which are aimed at stealing their hard earned cash.

The national Scams Awareness Month, launched on 1 July, highlights how scams continue to flourish when people stay silent. On average less than 5% of victims report scams to the authorities. Poole Trading Standards Officers are encouraging residents to report suspicious activities, get advice if they think they have been conned and to warn others to help stop the scams from spreading.

Scams can come in many forms, from high pressure doorstep sellers to fraudulent online investment offers. Fraudsters may impersonate banks to collect their victim’s bank details, or by bogus companies offering computer services. Online scams include fake job adverts and offers for goods and services that do not exist, while mail scams may ask victims to pay fees in order to claim their winnings from a prize draw they have not even entered. Poole Trading Standards are aware of over 300 local residents who have responded to scam mail during the last few years.

The month long awareness campaign is asking people to keep two things in mind when they receive an unsolicited approach or when they are looking for goods or services: don’t be rushed and don’t be hushed. People should take their time to make a decision and get their facts together before parting with their money or personal information, and speak out when they think they have spotted a scam.

Peter Haikin, Regulatory Services Manager, Borough of Poole, said: “Scams thrive on the silence of victims. Fraudsters know that even if they realised they’ve been conned, victims are often reluctant to share what happened to them, meaning that scams can continue to spread unchecked. As part of this national campaign we’re urging people in Poole to help lift the lid on scams and start talking about suspicious emails, scam mail, online ads or unscrupulous door-to-door sellers operating in their area. We would encourage anyone who has been the victim of a scam approach to report it to Trading Standards.”

The traditional view of scam victims being elderly or vulnerable is not always true. Fraudsters have also recently targeted Trading Standards themselves by trying to scam exhibitors at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute conference in Bournemouth. Exhibitors received letters requesting information, but hidden in the small print was an agreement to sign up for a directory listing costing thousands of pounds.

Peter Haikin explained: “These scams are run by professional con artists who use a different approach to suit their target victim. For example a bogus concert ticket sales website will appeal to a different market than a fake clairvoyant mailshot. We all need to be on guard, regardless of our age, as it can be very hard to know what to look out for. If you’re contacted out of the blue in particular be on your guard, and never give your bank details out unless you are certain you know who the person is and that you can trust them. If you think you have been scammed, contact Citizens Advice on 03454 040506 for help or to report it to Trading Standards.”

Poole Trading Standards are recommending residents follow their top tips for avoiding scams:

●      If it sounds too good to be true it probably is
●      It you haven’t bought a ticket – you can’t win it
●      You shouldn’t have to pay anything to get a prize
●      If in doubt, don’t reply. Bin it, delete it or hang up
●      Contacted out of the blue? – be suspicious
●      Don’t be rushed – resist pressure to make a decision straight away
●      Never send money to someone you have never met
●      Walk away from job ads that ask for money in advance
●      Your bank will never phone you to ask for your PIN or your online banking password ●      Don’t suffer in silence – speak out about scams

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Summer Sunday bus service repeated for 2015

A popular bus route in Poole will once again benefit from a Sunday bus service during the summer.

Route 152 provides a bus service between Rockley Park and Poole bus station stopping at Lower Hamworthy on the way. It has again been boosted with a Sunday and Bank Holiday service throughout the school summer holidays benefitting both local residents and visitors alike.

As well as being a popular service for visitors to the holiday park, the route operates close to Hamworthy Park and Harbour Reach providing local residents with a convenient half-hourly bus service to the town centre.

To improve access to some of Poole's favourite attractions, there will be a minor change to the normal 152 route. During the summer it will follow most of the route normally taken by the Route ONE bus providing easy access to Poole Quay, Poole Park and Poole Hospital, which proved popular with residents and visitors to the town last year.

Councillor Ian Potter, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Transportation, Borough of Poole, said: “This bus service helps residents and visitors get the most out of Poole on Sundays and Bank Holidays by providing easy and convenient access to the town centre and Poole's local attractions. We were really pleased with how many passengers made use of the service last year providing a boost to tourism and the local economy.”

Geoffrey Smith, General Manager at Rockley Park, added: "Rockley Park and its guests are delighted with the resumption of the Route 152 service for the summer season. Poole Quay, local shops and restaurants are a must visit for every visitor to Rockley and this additional service will ensure the experience is hassle free."

Adam Keen, Area Manager for morebus, said: "We are delighted to be running Route 152 on behalf of the Borough of Poole again this year. It complements our other services in the region, and provides customers with further improved connections throughout the summer.”

Councillor Vishal Gupta, Ward Member for Hamworthy East, said: "Service 152 is very popular among the residents of Hamworthy and Tourists at Rockley Park alike. A Half-hourly service to Town Centre boosted with Sunday and Bank Holiday throughout summer holidays is definitely advantageous to all."

Councillor Julie Bagwell, Ward Member for Hamworthy West, commented: "I am delighted that this service is back for the summer, a true asset to residence and visitors."

The route will operate every Sunday and Bank Holiday until 13 September 2015. The service will be operated by Damory and full details can be found on the morebus website www.morebus.co.uk or by telephoning traveline on 0871 200 22 33.