Be My Guest, Jonathan Crown founder of Project Harar

Tell us about Project Harar….

I founded Project Harar almost exactly ten years ago, after a chance encounter with Jemal, a street-child in Harar, eastern Ethiopia. Jemal developed chicken-pox at a young age, which really weakened his immune system. Without a local doctor and without antibiotics, Jemal developed noma – a horrific illness like gangrene that strikes the face.

Jemal who was 12 was among the lucky ones: only one in 10 survives. He did survive, but his family were unable to care for him and he went to live on the streets of Harar. And that was where I found him, begging on the road, ostracised by the other children that were living rough. I just knew I had to help; and I managed to find treatment for him and another, even younger boy Fhami who was only nine. He’d been wounded by a hyena and was in real pain. A hospital ship docked in Gambia agreed to take them and provide reconstructive surgery. You can see how it changed their looks here.

That was just the start. Project Harar has expanded and changed so much over the last ten years, but it still helps children in eastern Ethiopia reach treatment for facial disabilities – including noma, animal attacks, and cleft conditions. We have reached well over 1,600 people now. So far in 2011 we have seen 400 young patients, given them a check-up and referred them for further treatment if they need. It really fills me with pride to see how this organisation has grown and grown.

Tell us about the people you help…

The courage and bravery of the children we work with never ceases to amaze me. Maybe some of you have or know of children with clefts. It's hard enough living with this disfigurement in a wealthy country that enjoys the support of an excellent health system. But in Ethiopia, there's no easy access to treatment, life becomes extremely tough without social acceptance. Children have difficulty eating and speaking, and face terrible discrimination in their communities. Half of our cleft patients are denied the chance to go to school before surgery – happily, after treatment almost all do.

A couple of years ago when I was out in Ethiopia I met an amazing child called Zahir, who had fallen ill with noma at the age of just seven days. It's one of the most serious cases we've ever seen; half his face was completely gone. His father told us that, before treatment, people said he would be better off dead. But despite this, Zahir and his father were always smiling, always cheerful – a genuine inspiration. On my trip to the country this year, we met again and he had already undergone an initial round of treatment, the improvement to his looks was fantastic. We will offer him more surgery in future to give him a new nose.

What’s the best part about going over there and working with the children?

Seeing the transformation to childrens’ lives that surgery brings with my own eyes. Project Harar restores basic, invaluable, human functions – the chance to eat and speak with dignity, and smile again. There’s also the opportunity to meet the patients’ families which is great.

How can we help or get involved?

I'm pleased you asked! We really need to raise awareness of the people we reach, to make sure more people know about facial disabilities, and that the message gets out that help is available in Ethiopia. You can join our facebook page or our sign up to our newsletter through our website. The trustees of the charity will donate a pound for every person who signs up through this link – www.projectharar.org/page/newsletter so please sign up and invite all your friends.

It costs just £250 to help a child get the help they need, so even a small donation would make a big difference. Please consider donating online here. We're also looking for sponsored runners for the 10K in London in July – if you could run and help us raise these funds, or have another idea for a sponsored event, email us on smile@projectharar.org.

The eye of the Storm

Unless you've been hidden in a cupboard for the last week you'll have heard of 4 month old baby Storm, the child of a Canadian couple. Storm's parents say it's none of the world's business to know their baby's gender and so refuse to answer the most instinctive of questions, "is it a boy or a girl?"

Kathy Witterick said her 4-month-old baby should be able to develop its own sexual identity without having to conform to social stereotypes or bow to predetermined expectations associated with gender. "We've decided not to share Storm's sex for now – a tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation," says Storm's father.

So, what I've been trying to fathom is this; are they raising an important issue or just being plain silly?

If Storm's gender can indeed be concealed from visitors and strangers, in these early formative years, what will be the reward (or cost) of doing so? Is gender identity vital or destructive?

My small and un-certain 'gripe' with Storm's folks is that they seem in mild denial of biology. Where we might fight against gender (as in, our perceived roles and stereotypes), sex (that which is prescribed to us and is obvious from our genitals) is absolute and certain and the rejection of this could be viewed as an act of disdain for oneself.

I'd be fooling nobody, least of all myself, if I told you that I treat my children, my boy one and my girl one, identically. I don't, and other people don't either. There's been plenty of fascinating research on this, some looking at how people react once they know a newborn is a boy or a girl.

That said I make a conscious effort to ensure they have the same opportunities and to not presume they'll like something over another based on their gender.

Ever since I did my psychology degree many years ago I've been fascinated with the field of Evolution Psychology. It offers huge insights and at times a fair degree of amusement too. As a student I found nightclubs hysterical once I'd learnt that the reason dancing is a popular 'courting ritual' is because during this activity we can best assess an potential mate. We're looking at posture, buttocks and rhythm. Hmm survival of the fittest, in action right before my very eyes in the raves of the 90s in Brighton.

Fascinating too is the observation of our closest ancestors. A couple of years ago psychologists watched male and female chimps at play with human toys; dolls, trucks and the likes. They found that male chimps liked stuff with wheels, and the females opted for dolls which they nurtured. Sorry but they did.

Thing is, we're animals. I love learning all this because I like being an animal, it's kinda cool and it keeps your feet on the ground if you think about it. Denying sex and gender is saying we're above all that animal stuff and we ain't.

I think Storm's parents are doing a grand job at getting us thinking and chatting about gender; challenging how we treat our boys and our girls, good on them for that. I think in reality though this denial, for Storm will be neither manageable or helpful and I'm sure her/his parents will soon focus their efforts on ensuring Storm has support to become her/his own confident person regardless.

Silent Monday (as well - love it)

Silent Sunday

Be My Guest: Sue Hendra, Children's Author

When did you become aware that you could write/draw?

I remember drawing a lot as a child, hang on, I'm at my mums house today, I'll ask her… she says I was always drawing when I was little. All of my school books had drawings on them apparently, even my english and maths books had pictures down the margins. She's reminded me about a series of books I made about a girl with a horse- 'Lucy and her amazing horses' with chapters and covers and everything- sounds great.

My Dad gave me a great piece of advice when I was at school, 'choose a job you like' (he didn't like his much) so it seemed an obvious choice when the time for further education came to do an illustration degree.

As for the stories, I think I like the writing side of things because I can create the situations that I'll later be drawing, you can make anything happen! It's fun illustrating other peoples texts too though.

How and when did you get published first?

I have to admit to having been a little distracted on my degree course. I studied in Brighton, it was LOTS of fun and my first time living away from home. 

I put up my degree show at the end of the three years and after found a note in my comments book from Bloomsbury books. You could have knocked me over with a feather, I was thrilled to bits! I went to see them and show them my port folio and they let me illustrate a book for them- that was the start of it.

What’s your writing process? Do you plan it or go for it?

I met Paul, my partner, five years ago and we work together making books now, which I love. If I have an idea I think might be good I grit my teeth and describe it to Paul and vice versa. If the idea is met with enthusiasm from the other then we brainstorm it, do little scribbles and have fun thinking about it and try and turn it into a book idea. Sometimes we get a baby sitter, go to our local pub and draw it all out, it doesn't feel like work at all.

What do you love about writing/illustrating for young children?

I'm definitely amused by the same things that small children are. Simple visual jokes that appeal to little ones are the funniest jokes I reckon.

To an extent Paul and I are generally trying to make ourselves and each other laugh with the stuff that we do. It's great if young children enjoy and find it funny too. I think if you're having fun doing something creative it shows in the end product. 

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Be My Guest: Geraldine Taylor, Reading Specialist

Geraldine Taylor MA is a learning and reading specialist, experienced teacher and broadcaster. She has given workshops on Children’s learning for thousands of parents around the country and takes in-service training for teachers on parent support. She is the author of Be Your Child’s Natural Teacher (Impact, 1993) in which she describes her own involvement with her son’s education. Geraldine’s special interests are the emotional factors affecting children’s learning, and the family as learning supporters. Geraldine is also popular children’s author and an award-wining wildlife writer.

Ladybird Live, sounds really exciting – can you give us an outline of what it involves?

On 2nd June, during half term week, Ladybird Books will be getting the nation reading with Ladybird Live - a day-long celebration of storytelling events for children and advice and support for their parents.  This nationwide reading initiative will see bookshops, nurseries, libraries and children's centres across the UK hosting their own storytelling of Ladybird classic, The Gingerbread Man.  Ladybird is also working with Picturehouse Cinemas to launch as Live tour of UK cinemas with a fantastic storytelling extravaganza featuring celebrities reading on screen and live action in the cinema which children will love.  www.ladybirdlive.com for a complete list of cinemas taking part

Throughout the day on 2^nd June Ladybird experts will be staffing phonelines and answering emails to provide parents with advice on all aspects of reading with their children:

*Helpline: 020 7010  Email:  live@ladybird.com *

What do you see as the most crucial reason for promoting story-telling?

It develops such a strong bond between those who are listening and those who are telling, and feeds the imagination in a way that it helps us to make sense of our own lives.  Storytelling is absolutely essential for children, it will promote a love of reading that will turn little bookworms into fully fledged readers.

 

At what age do you think parents should begin reading to their child?

From babyhood!   This gets across the powerful message that books are important because they come with important people, it helps babies to hear our speech patterns, questions and answers and the emotion and drama in our speech.   Reading to babies gives us a rich source of talking.  It doesn’t matter that we ask the questions and answer them, babies need to hear this.  So, from the very beginning and we can make all the noises and sound effects and bring the book to life.   Ladybird’s Baby Touch range is an excellent starting point for reading with babies.

Do you think reading to babies will help them with reading as they grow?

Will it help with reading as they grow?  Yes, although of course the evidence for this is anecdotal, hard to scientifically measure.  As they grow, they will want to do what we do, and that includes reading stories, and they’ll go through a stage of pretend reading where they will hold the book and act like a real reader.  This is great!  They’ll learn early how books work something that actually has to be learned (that the story is the same each time, that we turn the pages not the book, that the pictures work with the words).  Main thing, I think, is that they will have caught our enthusiasm for reading and books and this enthusiasm is so precious while they learn to decode words in order that one day they can read longer stories for themselves.   

Where and when can we come and see Ladybird Live?

Ladybird Live events will be taking place around the UK on 2^nd June.  Every ELC store will be hosting a storytelling session as well as hundreds of libraries, nurseries and independent bookshops. 

Visit www.ladybird.com for more information on the storytelling events and www.ladybirdlive.com for a complete list of the cinemas taking part.

The Obama's visit. What a lovely dress.

So the Obamas have left us. Off they go, they're out of sight. Relax Cameron you can go back to being the toff crap-sexist-joke making dork that you are without a handsome cool president high-fiving you at will.

What I found most annoying about the whole shenanigans was that when I glanced at the tabloid coverage (and it was just a glance I promise, no money changed hands) it was largely overrun with images of Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton and the headlines were totally and utterly focused on their appearance. What else? They're girls. Silly me. 

Kate was wearing a high street dress (albeit one that cost a fair bit) and thus displaying her persistence with the "I'm just like the rest of you peasants" byline. One paper concluded, with some certainty, that Kate had out-shone Michelle. One could suggest that being younger, thinner and erm (shall I say it?) whiter gave her rather a head start for the tabloid press on that one.

Further to my annoyance is the pettiness that we're fed. Two of the most powerful men in the world (depressing perhaps, but true nonetheless)  meet to talk about peace, war and terrorism and we're only deemed fit to care about what dresses people are donning and whose got a flatter stomach. Pah!

Be My Guest: Annabel Karmel

For thousands of parents Annabel Karmel's many books have offered a safety blanket with their clear approach to baby weaning. Here she answers some FAQs just for us... 

When starting to wean their first baby what do you say to parents to try and re-assure them?

Every baby is different, so will respond differently to the experience.  Try not to get stresses or worried about it as babies can sense if you are nervous about something – try to make the experience as positive as you can, for both of you.  And of course I strongly believe that fresh is best.  This is not as complicated as some mum’s think.  Something as simple as mashing a banana or steaming and pureeing carrots makes great food for babies.

What can you try if your baby won’t take anything from a spoon at first?

As I mentioned earlier, if you try to make the experience a positive one, so be tactile with your baby give them lots of cuddles. Your baby might just not like the feeling of the spoon, so try dipping a clean finger into the puree and let you baby suck it.

And as they get older and you’re supposed to move to ‘lumps’ what can you do if baby resists?

Sometimes what they don’t like is a smooth puree with a surprise lump, not a general overall ‘lumpiness’, I used to like mixing small pasta shapes into the child’s favourite puree to encourage them to try a new texture.

For many busy parents cooking from scratch can seem really tricky at times, give us some time saving strategies if you will?

Batch cooking and freezing really is a great way of giving your children your homemade fresh cooking without having to think about cooking something from scratch every meals time.  This is especially good for something like cottage or fish pie.  If you make lots and put them into ramekin or small dish sizes you can just get the single portions out of the freezer as and when you need them.  You can create quick delicious meals by cheating a little so for example buying ready chopped vegetables for stir fry’s.

Annabel now offers new Purees Annabel Karmel’s Organic Chilled Purees that are available in Sainsbury’s 2 x 100g £2.69

Feral (but in a good way)

I really need to be more attentive. This morning I thought 'where's Charles?' he was here a minute ago. Where is that little toddler guy? He's normally around here somewhere.

I found fore mentioned toddler in a corner of the living room gnawing his way through a slab of Parmesan he'd sneakily got from the fridge (which he regularly goes to, opens up the door and stares into, like the insatiable ravenous teenage boy he'll no-doubt become).

So there he is. He'd also randomly took off his top so was sat there in his little vest, his ripped jeans (that are balancing that fine line between chic and cheap) munching away. Initially I tried taking some solace in the fact that it could have been worse. It wasn't cheese strings (which in fact we did have and he'd literally moved out of the way for the expensive French stuff), it wasn't crisps or chocolate or sweets. No it was Parmesan. I couldn't stand that until I was at least 18 so, at the very least he's a classy-palated feral child.

Perhaps working is a false economy whilst he's around. Whilst I'm pitching away, trying my darnedest to earn a crust, he's in the fridge, crust-snubbing, sniffing like one of those posh pigs for truffles.

I've Just Read: Comfort and Joy by India Knight



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 As my previous I've Just Read was the wonderful but immensely harrowing Even the Dogs by Jon McGregor, Knight's tale of Christmas, another Christmas and one more Christmas was the perfect antidote.

Actually at the off it was so much of a contrast to the underclass, heroin-drenched world I'd been inhabiting via McGregor's cleverly cluttered narrative, that it instinctively annoyed. It felt indulgent. I felt guilty at my familiarity with some aspects of this world (alas not the financial one), and non of the poorer place I'd read of.

Our lead Clara is comfortable to say the least. She spends hundreds on presents, food, holidays. She lives in what appears to be a pretty enormous house for near-central London. She's kind to her working class mother-in-law, but the class element is the butt of the joke a fair few times.

Less than 20 pages in though, I was warming. I'd caught myself smiling, relating to loads, and admiring Knight's style and flow. Now finished, I'll surmise by saying I thoroughly enjoyed it - in spite of myself. It was both comfort and joy and a lot more besides. Knight can clearly write humour with poignancy. Clara is funny, chatty and a warm character who I'd like to go for a drink with. She'd be paying though!

We follow Clara through 3 consecutive festive seasons, via 3 parts. In part one, set in 2009, we meet this twice-married mother-of-three, doing last-minute Christmas shopping on Oxford Street and abandoning said exhausting activity for a cocktail at the Connaught. Here she meets a handsome stranger who relights her flame, long gone out with present husband Sam.

Part two we're fast forwarded  to Christmas Day 2010, where we find Clara, now separated from Sam and post an encounter with Connaught Man. 

And in part three, set in 2011, we see Cara transport her large and increasingly complicated family to Morocco for a very different Christmas experience. Full of reflection we see Clara's exception and indeed gratitude of her lot.

Clara's life changes, our liking of her doesn't wane. Despite her lifestyle she ain't smug - she's got issues and she knows it. Knights characterisation of her protagonist is believable and satisfyingly honest; I alone can think of hoards of women who'd relate to this woman who, as her children grow, her life moves on, there remains huge contemplation of the past.

Working on my techno phobia

As in I'm trying to hate technology like I know I should.

One of the many, many, many annyoing apects of that Jamie's Dream School, which I'm still trying to repress the memory of, was the constant texting that went on during takes, I mean lessons.

AAAAGH!!

Rosie cut me down to size the other day though, I'm pretty used to that, but this time it hurt. "Mummy" she said, in her exasperated 5 year old voice, "can you not text, we're talking to you".

"Oh" I manage, in my pathetic-just-been-told-off-by-an-exasperated-5-year-old voice "sorry, er, just erm, getting back to erm someone - sorry."

Pathetic. Even more pathetic than the 17 year olds in the nightmare school texting whilst being taught Biology by Robert Winston. At least they had the excuse of being 17. What've I got?

All I can think is thank God I managed to get my GCSEs long before mobiles were an indespensible human appendage. Else it might have been me sitting there huffing and puffing away shouting "it's not fair" and "for GOD'S SAKE" for no obvious reason.

Rosie, my dear child, I promise not to text whilst you are teaching, I mean talking to me. But please don't go buying a little box I have to put it in at the beginning of the day, that'd be against my human rights - innit!

Our New Bestest Book; Peepo Baby by Sebastien Braun



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 Walker Books have just launched Baby Walker, a new range of books just for babies.

They make a perfect addition to a tiny-one's library. This one Peepo Baby is a traditional and simple lift-the-flap book which I know both of mine would have adored as littlies and Charles at two was giggling away still, as we lifted the bib and pulled back the blanket to reveal baby.

Lovely fresh pictures and clear simple text that Rosie made a good attempt at reading. Thanks Walker, we're safe, as ever, in your hands!

Jigsaws

Charles is a little obsessed with jigsaws. When I say 'jigsaws' we're only just plural. Specifically he likes 2 jigsaws: a Fireman Sam one and the slightly classier Hungry Caterpillar one.

Thankfully the fabulous Orchard Toys have sent us this to review, their Farm Four in a Box puzzles. The pieces are strong so easy for Charles to manipulate and wiggle into place. Being farm-themed is a sure winner too.

It can be bought from Orchard Toys for £7.25

Justin Bieber - we're not ready for you yet

Shit I've turned into Mary Whitehouse again. I can hear words coming out of my mouth - old lady words; conservative in both dull senses of the word.

I was going to be such a cool parent. I was going to let them wear, be-friend, listen to and even (when they're all big and spotty) smoke what they like. I was going to be one hip mama.

Then I had children.

Now I'm some Amish matron, wide-eyed with shock and horror by anything from kids with mobiles to tots with earings. I bore myself sometimes.

The latest is Rosie's (my 5 year old baby) new founded adoration for Justin Bieber, with whom her friends at school have been telling her all about, showing photos and most depressingly teaching her the words of his songs.

I'm not ready for this! Surely the likes of Bieber are for tweens with no taste - OK tweens - to swoon over, like they have done over their popstars for generations. But not my five year old girlie. She still sucks her fingers, has all her baby teeth and hides behind my skirt, well jeans, when venturing to new territory. And frankly, I'm beginning to wish she'd stay there if this is the reward we get for letting her out of our watching eyes.

Wiggles on Tour

Especially for those little people who missed the launch of the Wiggles tour which took place at the top of the BT Tower in partnership with BT Vision, you can view this exclusive content at home through BT Vision Kids www.bt.com/telly for all the Wiggles moments you need.

Also the Wiggles tour can also be found here http://www.thewiggles.com.au/uk/events/71

Happy Campers

At the beginning of our ridiculously sunshiney Springtime I made the decision that this year was the year we would go camping!

Looking out right now at the rain I'm beginning to think "did I say that? Did I really say that?" Well I did. And I've come to notice that, much like an elephant, a 5 year old never forgets. So we're off to camp it up!

I'm slightly calmed though by some of this reassuringly sturdy looking kit.

Easy Camp Toulouse Picnic Table play.com £46.95



Princess trunki £40





Lichfield Lantic 6 Person from play.com £199.99



North Face duffle back from John Lewis £80

Gelert Anodised Aluminium Camping Cookset John Lewis £36.95



Blue Junior Ready Bed from GLTC £40.00



Peter Stom sleeping bag from Millets £19.99

Eurohike boys camping chair from Millets £9.99

ELC have some great kids stuff especially for explorers. We adore the torch - no batteries needed!

Sistema Set of Cutlery in Case from Lunchbox World £4.50

Outwell Hawaii Reef Tent from World of Tents now £799.99

Apatchy Powapatch, solar charged power pack for on-the-go from Lunchbox World £39.99



Splasha from Morrck £19.95

Children's camping chair from Wilkinson's £5



 

Be My Guest: Heidi Grimwood; Nutrition Expert Co Kerry, Ireland

Gluten Free Baby

Research by the UK department of health (March 2006) recommended that "gluten should not be given to babies under six months, and never as a first weaning food for babies with a family history of allergy or celiac disease" The very good reason for this was that "the symptoms of celiac disease are usually first seen in babies between nine and 18 months of age. Symptoms include: diarrhea, weight loss or poor weight gain, malnutrition, anemia, poor appetite and tummy bloating."

This means that by the time a baby has acquired the disease, and obvious symptoms occur, it is too late to reverse the disease. They also suggested that women should continue "exclusive breastfeeding until their baby is six months old. Waiting until six months to introduce solid foods into your baby's diet will help minimize the risk of her developing adverse reactions to foods and allergies, including celiac disease."

At the simplest level they still suggest that weaning from breast milk and the introduction of gluten grains should not occur before six months. But as many celiac already know, "children with a parent or other first degree relative with celiac disease had a one in 10 chance of developing the intolerance themselves." Other sources quote that "Since wheat is an allergen, we are often of the belief that it should be avoided in our baby's diet until after 12 months old. A few sources do say to not introduce wheat until after 1, 2 or even 3 years old. The majority of sources however agree that wheat may be introduced around the age of 8-9 months old. It is best to wait to introduce wheat until you are certain that your infant has no reactions to rice, oats or barley."

The above extract was from the article ‘Do You Want a Gluten Free Baby? You May Need to Remove Gluten (Wheat, Etc) To Avoid Celiac Disease’, by Bruce Dwyer

So what is gluten free baby food?

Simple weaning foods are pureed fruits or sweet vegetables. Baby rice to bulk it up; although my daughter hated it so I added greater variety of fruit and vegetables for her, which she loved). There are baby cereals which are gluten free but be careful with too many pre packed foods, I know the baby food market are gloating their foods are 100% natural and fantastic for your baby but if you get into the routine now of not cooking meals this habit many stick.

There are plenty of baby food containers out there so you can make some foods and freeze them. Try not to mask your baby’s foods with gravies and sauces, allow them to taste the food. Sweet potatoes, parsnips, baby carrots, butternut squash are all favourites for weaning. My daughters favourite when she was a little older was chicken, mango and baby carrot pureed – I even loved it!

Give your baby time to get used to the taste of different foods. Just because they don’t like it one day doesn’t mean they will never like it, they are trying to adjust their little taste buds to some very strange (to them) tasting and lumpy ‘milk’! Plus like you and I some days we fancy a food and some days we don’t. Allow your child to have those days too and you will all enjoy your food a lot more.

For more information please contact Heidi http://glutenzone.co.uk/contact-us/

Part two – how to encourage your baby and toddler to eat well.

25% off Boden and Free Delivery - until Thurs

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The Little Things

I'd like to think we've given our kids some lovely experiences thus far. Ok so we haven't gone on exotic holidays, but we've been away lots, we make, bake (sometimes), paint and the rest. We've also been to lots of National Trust-esque places, been to farms, horse-riding, theme parks and blah blah blah. I think you get the message. We're amazing.

Anyway, non of the above can compare to taking Rosie into the sorting office to collect a parcel yesterday evening. I've usually left her outside whilst I scarper in but I couldn't park close and so, sighing and huffing, took her in too.

Well - farms and the likes have nothing on seeing 30 (we counted) post vans, oggling all the bikes parked up too with their bags ready to go. If all that wasn't enough she got to ring a bell and a nice post-person said knowingly directly to her "yes madam what can I do for you today?"

The child looked like she'd never been out of doors before. She told me herself it was her "bestest place, betterer than ballet achully".

Perhaps we all try a little too hard. We give them National Trust grounds when they want a scrap of dirt to make mud-dinners. Sometimes we're so busy thinking of lovely experiences to offer we become blind to the loveliness of day-to-day stuff. The postal service is pretty cool, recieving stuff (usually books in our case) from London ("where the Queen lives") and especially cool when a smiley man digs it out from other people's soon-to-be-collected stuff and hands it over.

I'm going to buy myself some glasses. Get myself looking at the details in the oft-assumed mundane. Hey, they'll be my Rosie coloured glasses.

Be My Guest: Lara Soetekouw - Big Blue Cuddle

Tell us about The Big Blue Cuddle and how it all began for you?

Big Blue Cuddle is a different online store, it's  a win/win/win concept.  We team up with like-minded brands of children's clothes which are either new to the UK or just not very big, they give us discounts on a small selection of their clothes, we sell them online for their regular price and donate a minimum of 15% of the value of every purchase to a children's charity. The more the customer spends the more we donate, and it can go up to 50% of what the spend. We support 4 charities and customers can select, at check-out, the one they would like to receive the donation on their behalf.

So suppliers have a way of selling their clothes and getting them in the UK market, customers find original clothes for their children or for gifts and have the satisfaction of having helped a charity without having spent a penny more. Charities get some exposure and some much needed funds.

I have 3 young children and I was working part-time as a management consultant in London. I've always longed to start my own business and be my own boss.  So last summer, only a few months after having the initial idea behind Big Blue Cuddle, I left my job and took the plunge.

All I can say is that I'm  surrounded by some great people who put up with me brainstorming with them for months!

How are you finding doing your own venture?

Starting up a business from nothing is hard work.  Even more if you're doing it on your own and taking care of a young family at the same time.  It is NOT the easy option.

I'm working all hours, I'm often tired and stressed and sometimes I wish I just had a normal job.  But I love what I'm creating and I have loads of ideas I want to make happen for the business.  I really believe in the concept and it's potential for growth: who says I can't sell other things this way?

I hope that one day I will look back at this first period as madness, but also with immense pride. And that's the whole point.

What surprised you most?

I was negatively surprised to realise that big charities, some of the well-known ones, were not interested in Big Blue Cuddle.  Not now at least: they'd rather wait until it is raising 4 digit figures for charities!  And I thought that they would welcome every penny.

That is also why Big Blue Cuddle now supports smaller charities.  I've carefully selected each one, speaking to them personally to understand how they spend their money.  I've chosen those that were truly thankful for every penny and where even a small amount could make a big difference.

What do you like best about running your business?

I have complete control to tun my vision into reality. I want Big Blue Cuddle to exceed expectations in terms of customer care and attention to details.  Shopping on Big Blue Cuddle has to be a feelgood experience and I love obsessing about all the details that make that come to life.

... And then of course there is the shopping for children's clothes!!!  I love discovering new brands and then getting to choose what to sell in the store.  I hope all this passion and enthusiasm shows in the end result.
 

What’s the response been like?

The business is still in it's infancy but so far so good!  Brands like it because it allows them to show they care and makes them appear under a good light directly with consumers. The 12 brands I now sell on the website have all been extremely supportive and deserve a lot of credit. 

And there are more brands joining every month! Charities of course are delighted and have been extremely supportive. And people seem to love it too.  Most customers are buying gifts for new babies because not only what they are buying is pretty much unique in the UK, but also the new mother is likely to like the idea that the gift generated a donation for a children's charity (the card says which charity was selected by their friend when buying the gift).  It really seems to strike a chord with people, but it is new and not a lot of people know about it.  So please spread the word!

Where did you get the initial idea from?

I was frustrated by the limited choice of more colourful clothes for children in the UK's high street, and I noticed I wasn't the only one. When my children were wearing clothes we bought in The Netherlands (where my husband is from) people were constantly admiring them and asking me where I bought them.  That got me thinking.  But I was also determined to have a business that would help children's charities, so I had to brainstorm a model that would set my concept apart from all the other online stores and that would create significant donations for charities.  I would have not been satisfied with just a small  % of profit being donated. 

I studied all kinds of online stores around the world, I talked to friends and called up children's clothes brands I liked out of the blue to understand their issues and ask their opinion.  I kicked this idea around until I came up with the current concept.  Everything came together and I knew that was it.

Where can we find you?

You can of course browse the website (www.bigbluecuddle.com).  If you want updates about new brands or new clothes arrivals, hear about our fundraising or just generally be get touch you can sign up to the newsletter (http://bigbluecuddle.blogspot.com/),  like the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/bigbluecuddle) or follow my tweets (@bigbluecuddle).

I'll be setting up shop in a few events this summer, including a pop up sale event on June 10th at Cupcake Parsons Green, in London, and at the Ickle Pickles summer party at Tooting Bec Common on July 31st (http://www.icklepickles.org/Event/The-Ickle-Pickle-Summer-Party.html).

I'm also just an email away (Lara@bigbluecuddle.com) if you have any feedback or suggestions - I'd love to hear from you.

Silent Sunday

Spot on Rainbows

Rosie has started Rainbows. The little pre-Brownies group.

Last week they were learning about healthy eating. As a teacher I covered this many times. It usually involved making homemade soup, discussing growing your own, perhaps even planting something too.

Rosie was learning about healthy eating at Rainbows last week. This involved a somewhat less orthodox approach; they went to the chippie and ate biscuits. Followed by making a fruit kebab. Of course they were learning this is bad food, this is good.

I love it! This is the kind of experience I've no doubt Rosie will always remember, whereas the hard-done-by sprogs I taught will have long-since repressed their sloppy soup memories I'm sure.

As someone who writes predominantly for education magazines, it all just seemed like a light refreshment (if chips and biscuits can be described as such) from the primary world obsessed with political correctness, health and safety and the rest.

Don't get me wrong, most people who say "it's political correctness gone mad" are swiftly crossed off my recycled, charity Christmas card list. 'Political correctness' may be construed in a bizarre way at times (take the singing of 'baa baa white sheep' as the over-quoted example) but doing without it entirely would be unthinkable, and so perhaps suffering it's stupidity a little is worthwhile in balance.

On this occasion though I was delighted that some non-teacher-types had got their hands on these kids, given them such a huge array of grub and seemingly had a merry little time.

NHS 'reform' making me feel poorly

I'm one of the lucky kind. She says touching every trace of wood in the vicinity.

I've only been properly in hospital twice, both times for pushing out babies. Rosie was pretty textbook. I had Strep B with Charles and ended up being induced, but all's well that ends well as a wise man once said, and it did... so it was.

Since then there's been one time really. At nearly 1 Charles developed a prominent ridge on his head and his soft spot was closing too quickly. Cue deep panic and obsessive googling. We had a few visits to paediatricians; lovely, attentive ones, the last of which referred us to Birmingham Children's Hospital.

We've been there a couple of times and our minds have been put at rest. He's fine. Like I said I'm lucky (more wood touching).

During this very brief, relatively minor experience the only thing that made it bearable was the focus, concientousness and manner of the doctors; how they listened, how they said they wouldn't take any chances, how they took the time to make Charles smile before they x-rayed his skull.

You can't visit a hospital or surgery though without seeing people working to their max. They're pretty busy aren't they? Not much room for manoeuvre. Never have I called my Dr's for an appointment and they've said "yes madam when would you like to come?" it's more a case of "6 weeks next Thursday at 8am any good?"

When I had my babies I had several midwives during delivery. With Rosie we were left on our own quite a bit, and it was put to us, quite bluntly I remember thinking, that there were cases more urgent than ours. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there were.

If we are to assume that 'reform' means 'cuts' and I'm pretty certain we can, how will the NHS survive? It's all got me feeling a little queasy, I may need help with this nausea soon, better book an appointment before I'll be asked to wait until Christmas.