Taaliah

Posts By Taaliah

ASYLUM SEEKERS IN SALE…..THE FACTS.

Taaliah · December 15, 2013 · Local News n Views · Amblehurst, Asylum seekers, news, RAPAR, SERCO, trafford · 7 Comments

Last week it was reported in both the local and national press that there were more than 100 asylum seekers, including families, staying at the Amblehurst Hotel.

It was presented in a very negative light, despite the Messenger having several ‘more favourable’ quotes to choose from, sent by three local community leaders.

Around the same time this post appeared on Facebook, sparking over 100 comments…..

I’ve spoken to the manager at Tesco in Sale and she is horrified by these slanderous allegations. Totally refuting these claims she said:

“ We have had a slight increase in pickpocketing but this is purely seasonal and is nothing at all to do with the asylum seekers. We have had no incidents reported in store and I will be speaking to all security staff in relation to this allegation. If it has been said then it’s wrong and will be addressed accordingly, if it has not then this post is both inaccurate and defamatory.”

It was believed that the asylum seekers were originally from Romania and, with this in mind, I contacted a friend who is fluent in Romanian and we went to the Amblehurst to try and speak to some of the people staying there, in order to get their side of the story.

We arrived unannounced and managed to get in as far as reception. There is a security guard on the door who seemed very interested in why we were there, as was the receptionist who rushed towards us asking what we wanted.

I explained that we wanted to speak to some of the people staying there but it became very apparent that this wasn’t going to happen….

Passing me a business card she said: “Email the manager and if he decides he wants to speak with you he will reply…..”

At this point the security guard showed us to the door, and assisted us through it before we had chance to look around. I did however see that the bar area, on the right hand side near the front door, had been transformed into a playroom of sorts and there were quite a few children in there.

Since this failed attempt other information has come to light – as many of you will already be aware.

SERCO is the Government agency that deals with people arriving in the UK asking for asylum.

They have a marshaling facility in Liverpool and it is from here they make arrangements to disperse the ‘clients’ around the country whilst their claim for asylum is investigated.

They are currently running behind in these investigations and the group in Sale will probably be here longer than the 9 weeks reported.

This has been confirmed by another, reliable source who said it is more likely to be 20 weeks.

The Salvation Army have visited the families and donated some surplus toys that were “gratefully appreciated.” Many of the other local churches have also made contact with them and have offered support if needed.

There are 31 families, 104 people in total and they come from 15 different countries and speak a variety of different languages. It is understood that they have translation and legal support during their stay.

Asylum seekers are given a small allowance for personal expenses, sometimes this is in the form of vouchers.

They are not entitled to, nor do they claim unemployment/disability benefits or housing benefit. They cannot go on housing waiting lists and must live in asylum housing, as defined by the Government.

It would appear that the title Amblehurst ‘hotel’ is rather misleading, a more honest name would be Amblehurst Hostel as it has housed people on benefits for quite some time now. This has only become common knowledge with the recent publicity, and not thanks to the Daily Mail who depicted the hotel as premiership quality.

Please see some images from the Amblehurst that didn’t make the papers, seems they aren’t staying in the lap of luxury after all…..

Local people who have worked at the Amblehurst confirm that the standards had slipped a long time ago, the extension was uninhabitable when it was new and the general upkeep of the property was shoddy.

Rather different than the Mail would have you believe…

There has been much controversy surrounding SERCO and the treatment of asylum seekers, who incidentally were stripped of all tenants rights back in 1999, meaning they must stay in ‘asylum housing’ whilst their claim is looked at.

RAPAR (Refugee and Asylum Seeker Participatory Action Research) is deeply concerned about the current role and activities of SERCO.

Allegations of inhumane treatment towards asylum seekers by SERCO are numerous, here are some other facts that may shock you..

SERCO runs detainee escort services and electronically tag people seeking asylum.

SERCO has been the subject of many claims of abuse and assault by the very people they are supposed to care for:

Testimonies by detainees, many of whom had fled torture, rape and destitution, have revealed that racial, psychological and physical abuse had often been inflicted by SERCO staffSERCO is also taking over the management of an increasing number of public services in the UK, such as health cetres and welfare programmes where it is accused of prioritising profit over quality of service.

There has since been a protest arranged that took place around midday on Sunday 15 Dec, where a small number of the community met outside the Amblehurst with placards saying “Shamblehurst”

Maybe they hoped that the asylum seekers would pack up and leave, head back to whatever horror they fled from. God forbid they settle here and maybe one day claim benefits or get a house.

What I find most strange is that the ones spouting figures relating to tax payers money are often the same people claiming benefits themselves, having paid either very little or no taxes at all.

Seeking asylum is not a crime – being xenophobic should be

Let’s hope that none of us are ever in a situation where we seek the kindness of fellow humans and instead are faced with hatred and misunderstanding……

Here is the link to the Mail story…

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2519280/Dozens-asylum-seekers-luxury-hotel-NINE-WEEKS–costing-taxpayer-300-000.html

Halloween past n present…

Taaliah · October 15, 2013 · Random ramblings of a busy brain... · apple bobbing, childhood memories, fireworks, Halloween, spooky, trick or treat · No Comments

Autumn’s here and it is my favourite time of year – I love crunching through the crispy leaves, collecting conkers with the boys and most of all, Halloween.

Just before the long winter evenings set in, Halloween is a welcome distraction from the chilly mornings and the imminent hustle n bustle of Christmas time.

The celebration doesn’t have to cost much either – costumes can be cheap n cheerful and we’ve often had the most fun making our own at home. Having said that, I’m not the most artistic mum and most of my creations rely on a steady supply of bin bags, safety pins and a gallon of fake blood.

Every year, as we’re busy designing costumes and writing shopping lists involving newts eyes and plastic spiders, it always makes me think back to Halloween past, when my sister Lisa and I were kids.

As youngsters we never went without and were always well fed, clean and nicely turned out. Money was tight, as it was for many in the 80’s, but Halloween was something we always looked forward to as it was one of the many times of year when we would get together with our cousins to celebrate in style.

We often combined Halloween with bonfire night and always took our pumpkin with us to my Aunts house, where we would have a party complete with fireworks and apple bobbing.

I have very fond memories of watching my Uncle Kev race around the garden being chased by a Catherine Wheel that hadn’t been nailed to the fence properly while drinking sneaky snowballs with my cousin when the grown-ups weren’t looking. Apple bobbing was great fun, until I reached about 11 and realised that for years we had actually been dipping in and out of a big bowl of spit as ‘the little ones’ were allowed to go first. One year I bobbed for an apple and came out with a mouth full of dummy – true story.

Costumes were of the homemade variety, sometimes with a shop-bought mask added if Mum was feeling flush. I can still remember the hot and sweaty plastic on my face as I tried to see out of an eyehole more suited to Cyclops. One year I was a Mummy, rocking two whole rolls of toilet paper but my favourite by far was the year I was a punk.

Mum made me a bin bag dress complete with dog chain belt and big, hooped earrings. I felt so sophisticated that I considered adopting the look full time…..until Mum said a stern “No”.

I love the smell of autumn, but on Halloween it’s especially special. Cold, crisp air mixed with the earthy smell of leaves and toffee apples. I do not, however like trick or treaters.

Let me explain; We were never allowed to go trick or treating, Mum always said it was dangerous to knock on strangers doors, whatever the date may be. As a youngster I thought this was the meanest thing ever and every year I would ask again, get the same answer and then sulk.

One year, when I was about 12-years-old I told Mum I was going to my friends for tea and we went trick or treating instead. It was one of the most exciting evenings of my life as we set off with a carrier bag each and a pocket full of eggs for anyone preferring a trick.

We collected loads of goodies from the neighbours and it was only as my bag filled that I realized I couldn’t take them home with me without mum finding out.

My friend and I sat in the local park and, with spooky masks now removed, we ate all the sweets we had collected. Staggering home feeling rather sick and shaky due to sugar rush, this was not the last time I would greet November with a tummy ache. I’m sure Mum knew exactly what we had been up to anyway, we didn’t have the sense to travel further afield, instead calling at the other houses on our street!

My children have inherited a love of all things spooky wooky and they’re looking forward to the Halloween my Mum and Dad throw every year.

For one night only their house is transformed into Spooky Towers – a place not for the weak hearted and where nothing is quite as it seems.

Both my parents are creative and put this to good use as they rig the house and put on a delicious spooky spread.

Mum

Dad has even created a pulley system that he connects to a skeleton strategically sat in the corner of the room – as the kids walk by one of us tug the invisible thread and the said kid never fails to jump, scream and run crying in terror. Fantastic family fun if you ask me.

Dad

Talking of scaring the kids, Halloween is the perfect time to watch some spooky movies. Tim Burton is a firm favourite in our house, Jack Pumpkin Head is slightly chilling but more fun than scary. Personally I like Coraline – released in 2009 it tells the tale of an adventurous girl who finds another world that is a strangely idealized version of her frustrating home, but it has some very sinister secrets.

The reason I like it so much is because, although it is an animated children’s film, it is really dark and my 10-year-old son finds it really scary. Meany mummy.

So, Halloween is almost here and our preparations are well under way. We have a pumpkin fresh from my parents allotment and cant wait to get carving – I find it somewhat therapeutic, so much so that last year I carved faces in all sorts from grapes to butternut squash. The kids were totally spun out when I served them dinner surrounded by an array of spooky vegetables with faces staring at them.

Well, I’m off to find some bat blood before the shops shut – What’s your thoughts on trick or treating? Tweet and let me know @taaliah76

This article featured in the autumn edition of Within magazine…

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Parents fundraise to give baby head start

Taaliah · October 15, 2013 · Local News n Views · Cranial helmet, fundraising, HeadStart4Babies, Justgiving, Manchester, NHS, Plagiocephaly · No Comments

DEDICATED Manchester parents Rebecca Drane and Anthony Leathley are holding a sponsored walk to raise money for HeadStart4Babies, after their youngest son, Ethan was diagnosed with plagiocephaly at just four months old.

Plagiocephaly, also known as flat head syndrome is a condition characterised by an asymmetrical distortion (flattening of one side) of the skull. The condition will sometimes improve as the baby grows, but in many cases, treatment can significantly improve the shape of the baby’s head.

Treatment for plagiocephaly is a cranial helmet – not available on the NHS and at a cost of £1,950.

Anthony, 29 said: ” Babies should be a priority in the NHS regardless of what the condition is and how it affects them.

“The NHS class this as a cosmetic issue, but what is having bigger breasts or a straighter nose?”

Worn for 23 hours-per-day, for between three to six months, the helmet is made to measure by a company called Technology in Motion. Lightweight and adjustable, the helmet works by gently reshaping the baby’s head bones as they grow, allowing it to return to a more natural shape.

Rebecca and Anthony are keen to raise the money as soon as possible so that Ethan can begin the treatment they say dramatically helped his brother, Mason who was also diagnosed with plagiocephaly as a baby.

As a baby, Mason’s condition meant that his head was mis-alligned by 18mm, classed as severe in plagiocephaly terms. Fundraising for treatment, Rebecca organised a social night at Sacred Heart Parish Centre and the couple also received a generous donation from HeadStart4Babies.

Mason was fitted for a cranial helmet and, over time, the mis-allignment of his head has been reduced to a barely noticeable 3mm.

Fundraising for Ethan to be fitted for a helmet is underway and the proud parents have organised a sponsored walk.

On October 19, 2013, they will meet at Wythenshawe Hall at 10.30am and plan to walk to Manchester Airport, raising both much needed funds and awareness. All are welcome and the couple are hoping to reach their target of £1950, the cost of a cranial helmet.

If Ethan doesn’t have the treatment he needs he may develop further disfigurement to his face and this can also lead to learning difficulties later in life.

Rebecca, 24 said: ” It is awful that the NHS don’t help children like Ethan with their treatment as it’s very difficult for families like us to raise this amount of money.

“We are determined that Ethan will get the treatment he needs. I couldn’t live with myself if his condition was left untreated and got worse, and then had to be corrected when he is too old for a helmet. This would mean him having an operation, which if we can avoid, we will no matter what it costs.

“Ethan is such a happy baby and he always has a smile on his face.”

For more information on plagiocephaly and the support offered by HeadStart4Babies visit the website at headstart4babies.org

To help with Ethan’s treatment please go to Rebecca’s JustGiving page, every donation appreciated.

School Days…

Taaliah · September 14, 2013 · Random ramblings of a busy brain..., Uncategorized · 70s baby, back to school, children, Nitty Nora, parenting, school, School days, School term · No Comments

I have been invited to a school reunion.

Since leaving school over 20 years ago I haven’t seen any of my old school mates, except for a brew with a one once, and a couple of chance encounters when I’ve bumped into them while out n about, once literally.

When I say ‘mates’ I should point out that the majority of people I went to school with were not my mates at all – In fact I have very mixed feelings about my time in secondary school, there were some funny times, but on the whole I felt like I never quite fitted in and spent most of my time just trying to get through the day without drawing too much attention to myself .

I only had a small circle of real friends, finding the best way to get through school was to stay out of the way of the ‘cool’ kids whilst trying not to activate the nerd radar.

I did manage to make my way through school mostly unscathed but wasn’t as successful at dodging the nerds. This worked out pretty well though to be fair, many of my memories involve eating my packed lunch in a corner of the playground with a variety of weird and wonderful characters.

Me n my little sister

Speaking to my parents about my time at school it became pretty obvious that education during the ‘swinging sixties’ was rather different to the experience I had, and miles apart from the school kids of today.

Those were the days of ‘proper education’ – Nitty Nora, Big gym knickers, smoking in class (teachers AND pupils, allegedly) as well as cross-country running with the last one to finish punished with the cane…Can you imagine the headlines today?

My mum speaks fondly of board-rubber throwing teachers and playing a friendly game of ‘knuckles’ in the yard, things that would be totally alien to the bubble wrapped kids of today. There’s so much health and safety legislation around playtime that some schools have even banned conkers and football.

Nitty Nora, The Bug Explorer

Me, well I’m a 70s baby so I was at school during the nineties and things had changed dramatically by then.

We still had cross-country running and, although we weren’t encouraged by the threat of a cane, we did have the horror of communal showers when we reached the end.

I’m not sporty, not even a little bit and found the whole PE experience a total nightmare. I’ve never been any good at things that require hand/eye co-ordination so I really struggled to hit/catch/throw a ball, meaning I was always one of the last to be picked for a team. Not so good for your self-esteem when you’re 13.

And what was the craic with communal bloody showers?

Basically, once we had finished whatever form of exercise they deemed fit that day, the whole class had to shower together – supervised by our allegedly female, yet very manly looking teacher.

She would literally stand on a bench in the changing room overlooking the shower and insist that at the ‘very least’ we each walked from one end of the shower to the other while holding your towel above your head.

As an adult I realise just how wrong this was on many levels – I don’t think I’ve ever been so embarrassed by anything else before or since. Think about it – when you’re a teenager the thought of your own mum walking in on you in the shower is enough to send you into a total meltdown, let alone parading your naked body in front of 32 classmates n a teacher.

Eventually, some of us (ok – just me then) developed distraction techniques such as bringing an umbrella, rubber ducks, even armbands. To me it was better to make a joke out of the situation than anyone realise that actually I still wore a vest and had no sign of ever growing boobs.

On a brighter note, I do have fond memories of playing with the gas taps in the biology lab, sneaky cigarettes behind the bike shed and my first ever crush on a teacher who shall remain nameless.

Now I’m an adult and wear my vest with pride – incidentally I also shower alone these days, unless you can count an annoying 7-year-old who always seems to need something urgently as soon as I head for the bathroom.

I also have children of my own with the youngest three still at school.

3 monkeys right there

My daughter is at secondary school herself and is about to turn 15. She’s far more sensible than I was at her age and I don’t have to worry about her smoking or having a questionable crush. Today teenagers are more health conscious – in fact they’re more likely to offer facts and figures about smoking related illness than ask you to buy cigs for them.

As for a crush, my daughter doesn’t have time for that, she’s far too busy practicing the drums with her band or reading some obscure yet amazing literature she’s researched on the Internet. As I said, today’s youth are clued up and, in my experience, it seems that they do learn from our mistakes – if we admit to them that is.

The youngest two are in junior school meaning that a vast chunk of the summer holidays were spent buying uniform, sourcing shoes, choosing bags, naming PE kits and other essential school paraphernalia.

I’m hoping that this year we will still be in possession of (most) these items come October, if last year is anything to go on it’s highly doubtful and I will be losing my shit about the kids losing their shit by Halloween.

My boys have both, on separate occasions, managed to lose a shoe on the school roof. Unbelievable, right? I’ve discovered that this is only possible with a loose shoelace, an amazingly good shot and some determination. I’ve also discovered that while the caretaker is not insured to retrieve shoes from the roof, the wind will blow them back down again eventually.

This September we’re full of good intent. The boys have promised to behave well and work hard. I’ve already set my alarm clock and taken a vow of punctuality – the disapproving looks from the teacher as I signed in late yet again on the last day of term has seen to that. No more ‘late walk of shame’ for me.

Uniform at the ready and school bags packed ready to go, the kids are sorted and I can relax, briefly. Won’t be long until Nativity season, along with letters home asking us to make some obscure costume requiring hours of searching the internet for the strangest of things – like the year school decided to perform a ‘contemporary nativity’ and we found ourselves making alien costumes while all the other (lucky) parents from neighbouring schools picked up a ready made shepherd outfits or Mary ensembles.

With that in mind I’m off to get a head start before they sell out of neon leggings and doody bopper thingys. Now, where did I put that tinsel?………

This was originally written for Within Magazine – September edition….;)

Useful numbers and bogus callers

Taaliah · September 9, 2013 · Local News n Views · bogus callers, SaleWestVoice, trafford, useful numbers · No Comments

I came across some useful contact numbers and thought they would be of use to other Trafford residents, please do pass on this information to anyone who isn’t on our group, SaleWestVoice.

Trafford Trading Standards……………….0161 912 1377

Trafford Care and Repair…………………….0161 873 8666

Age Concern………………………………………….0161 746 3940

CCTV control room for SaleWest………..0161 912 1111

UTILITIES VERIFICATION NUMBERS

The following numbers are to check whether the caller at your door is really from the utility company they say they are from:

Scottish Power……….0800 400 200 / 08452 700700

E-On…………………………0800 056 6278

N Power……………………0845 714 5146

United Utilities…………0845 746 2200

British Gas………………..0845 955 5404

Southern Electric……..0239 262 4050

Fire Service……………….0800 555 815 / 0161 736 5866

Talk Talk…………………….0870 087 2001

TO AVOID RECEIVING COLD CALLS AND JUNK MAIL….

Telephone Preference Service….0845 070 7070

Mailing Preference Service……..0845703 4599

Thanks

Tal

Loan sharks and the spiral of debt

Taaliah · September 9, 2013 · Local News n Views · credit, debt, Loan Shark, loans, Money lenders · 8 Comments

Here’s a true story about a lady whose life has been dramatically affected by Loan sharks. Please take 5 minutes to read her story and if you, or someone you know, are experiencing similar problems there’s a helpline number and advice below.

Pauline

Pauline* from Salford took out her first loan with a loan shark in the run up to Christmas, after her husband was involved in a car accident. With only her wages, it was a struggle to get by. The loan shark was friendly, he was helpful, there was a bit of interest- £210 back for borrowing £150, but the loan was repaid no problem. Following this Pauline went out to take out more loans and the debt began to spiral.

Every time she began to fall into difficulties, the loan shark would suggest she took out another larger loan to pay off the first. He never gave her any paperwork, so she quickly lost track of how much she was paying. In time all of her money was going back to the loan shark and she was left with nothing. She began to fall behind on mortgage repayments as she felt she had to choose between the house and him.

As she struggled to repay she saw another side to the man who’d been so kind before- she now knew he wasn’t a legitimate lender. The loan shark, a former boxer, would turn up at her home, late at night demanding repayment and threatening to take her belongings.

He came to her work on a number of occasions and would ring to say he was outside. When Pauline said she couldn’t leave he threatened to tell her boss about the trouble she was in. As far as Pauline knew he never did but the fear of people knowing and the intimidation was enough, and Pauline would stay at work late until she knew he had left.

Pauline hadn’t told her husband about the loans – she didn’t want him worrying. The loan shark knew Pauline wouldn’t want her husband finding out so to make life difficult for her he took all the TV and DVD remotes when visiting her home, posting them back a few days later.

On one visit the loan shark, stood in her front room and asked unsettling questions about her family, unnerved by what he was capable of, she took all the pictures of her children and grandchildren down from the mantelpiece.

On another, he told her not to let her dogs out in the garden, as they wouldn’t come back. Pauline was terrified, she took this as a threat that her pets would be harmed, and also released he had been watching her home.

The final straw was when the loan shark turned up at her home with two well built men. He held her by the throat against the wall and forced her to hand over her wedding ring, telling her she didn’t deserve luxuries.

The fear and worry took its toll on Pauline, she couldn’t sleep and became ill. She turned to drink and as a result ended up taking time off work. During the ordeal she suffered a heart attack, which she puts down to the stress and worry.

For a long time she was constantly looking over her shoulder, afraid to even go to work alone. When she told her husband, it put a great pressure on their relationship.

The loan shark was reported to the England Illegal Money Lending Team, sentenced to four years in prison, and ordered to pay back almost £270,000 in ill gotten gains. Pauline was one of nearly 900 ‘customers’ to his criminal enterprise. As the loans were illegal, Pauline and his other customers were under no legal obligation to repay.

Having paid back fifteen times the amount she had borrowed, Pauline was relieved to see him behind bars and could begin to rebuild her life. The team provided continued emotional support and referred her to other partner agencies to ensure that she wouldn’t loose her home following late payments on her mortgage.

It is only now that Pauline feels comfortable telling her story, and would encourage anyone else to avoid loan sharks at all costs.

If you think you may be the victim of a loan shark, please contact the team in confidence, as they can help you get back on your feet, just like Pauline.

*Name has been changed.

4 Cheeky Monkeys Family Centre gets a pre-launch makeover

Taaliah · September 8, 2013 · Local News n Views, Uncategorized · 4 Cheeky Monkeys, community, family centre, National Citizen Service, Salewest, Trafford Housing Trust · 2 Comments

A BRAND new Family Centre, set to open in November, has had an amazing make-over, thanks to a youth team from the National Citizen Service.

4 Cheeky Monkeys, located at The Old Scout Hut, Dawlish Road in Sale West, is the brainchild of Jeneane Warhurst, 31 who lives nearby. It will offer a toddler group / play n’ stay as well as music sessions, messy sessions, story time and much more.

Disappointed at the lack of supportive, accessible amenities for families needing extra support within Sale West, Jeneane and her Mum, Lesley began the project to renovate, decorate and reopen the dilapidated building in 2012. Initially using all of their own combined savings, building work began in June of the same year and they made good progress.

Jeneane said: “I was already childminding and knew that there were local people who wanted these sessions available daily.”

“I also had a single dad approach me for advice on potty training and, after speaking to him, we plan to offer a session for dads to come along for support, advice and socialising – a place they can discuss the difficulties they face as single parents.”

It was a massive task, with rubbish piled high outside, windows boarded over and plumbing work needed as well as costly matters like architects and planning fees.

By September their savings had run out and the team had to down tools in order to save and apply for some much needed funding. They set about filling in forms and getting advice on who to approach for support.

Early in 2013 Dan Shelston, Development Lead for Sale West at Trafford Housing Trust, nominated the project for Trafford Housing Trusts Give and Gain scheme. The team went down to the site to make preparations, with the work beginning again in May.

They plumbed the toilets in and began the electrical work, the centre really began to take shape. Trafford Housing Trust, along with local companies ensured that fences were painted and flowers were planted, the access toilet was fitted and a new kitchen installed.

With the building work almost complete thoughts turned to how the centre would be decorated and, with a name like 4 Cheeky Monkeys, it was easy to decide on a theme. The question was how….

Dan Shelston discussed 4 Cheeky Monkeys with his work colleague, Aine Graven who suggested that he introduce Jeanne to The National Citizen Service, a new government scheme encouraging young people to volunteer their time to help communities and their projects.

Running in the spring, summer and autumn, NCS is open to all 16 and 17 year-olds in England and Ireland. The scheme involves a short stay away from home and then taking part in a project to help their community.

The team sent to help at 4 Cheeky Monkeys was made up of teenagers from across Trafford and they did a fantastic job.

Their first week was spent in Anglesey where the team took part in lots of activities such as raft building, canoeing and sea level traversing.

Week two saw the team stay in the halls of residence at Manchester Metropolitan University where they had to live independently, cooking and cleaning for themselves. They also spent time doing team activities and working together on projects like talent shows.

The third week was dedicated to painting a mural on the walls of 4 Cheeky Monkeys – the team first had to bid for funding in a Dragon’s Den style production and then, once successful, they set to work planning and painting the designs.

Mary Timms, 16, attends Loreto Grammar School in Altrincham and was one of the volunteers that took part.

Mary said: “I decided to get involved because it seemed like a great, worthwhile way to spend my summer, as well as an opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills.”

“My favourite part of the week was towards the end when we could see the walls almost finished and how well it had turned out. It was great to see everyone’s designs come together.”

The team were rewarded with a graduation ceremony at the end of the project as well as a certificate signed by the Prime Minister.

Mary said: “I feel I’ve gained a lot of confidence from the whole experience as I am usually quite shy around new people. During this project I have met so many amazing people and I feel that we have managed to make a difference.”

There are still busy times ahead for the 4 Cheeky Monkeys team as they prepare to open later in the year.

Wates Builders have nominated the project as their next ‘give and gain’ day and will be spending a day at the centre next month – possibly flagging or installing a ramp….

It will be great to see this labour of love come together and open its doors to the community. Look out for updates as the date draws closer:)

Contact Jeanne , founder of 4 Cheeky Monkeys on 4cheekymonkeysltd@gmail.com or check out their Facebook page and Twitter.

Sea Life Trafford….a review

Taaliah · August 26, 2013 · Local News n Views · Barton Square, Days out, Sea Life, Trafford Centre · No Comments

A NEW Sea Life Centre has recently opened at Barton Square in the Trafford Centre and, after hearing good reviews, we decided to head over with the children to see for ourselves.

Arriving at around lunch time on Saturday there was a long queue but it moved quickly and we only waited about 10 minutes, even my impatient kids didn’t have time to get bored.

The tour began with a short yet informative talk about turtles, incorporating some great visual effects and lots of interactivity. We took our youngest two boys, aged seven and ten, they were both transfixed as the baby turtles ‘hatched’ before our eyes and scurried towards the ‘sea’.

The Centre is packed with amazing displays throughout as well as lots of tunnels and viewing hidey-holes, which the boys really enjoyed. There are interactive touch screens next to every tank providing facts about the various fish on display, for those that can stand still long enough to read them.

Finding a soft play area about half way round the boys were delighted and shot off, leaving me to catch my breath after the excited sprint around the tanks they had insisted on.

This would have been the perfect time to sit down and have a cup of tea, unfortunately there were no chairs and I had to stand around as they played, my only complaint of the day to be fair.

When they ran out of steam the boys reappeared and we went to look around the rest of the aquarium, my youngest insisting we head back to see the jellyfish again. They were in a huge tank with a dramatic changing light display and we spent quite a while watching them.

On the way out we passed the clown fish, where I explained to the boys that all clown fish are born male with the biggest and strongest turning female…..I found this interesting fact, along with others in the guide book I bought on the way in;)

We ended our time at Sea Life in the gift shop where the boys chose something each to remember our fun day out. There was plenty of choice and it was good to see some pocket money toys too.

I was really impressed with how child friendly the attraction was and we had a fantastic day. The boys were still talking about it long after we returned home.

I would recommend a trip to Sea Life, in fact we upgraded our tickets to annual passes on the way out and are planning our next visit already.

Tickets are £16.20 per adult whilst a family is charged at £14.10 per family member. Children under 3 enter for free. Annual passes are also available as well as combination tickets for Lego Land that offer discounts.

Stressed parenting…

Taaliah · August 26, 2013 · Random ramblings of a busy brain... · children, naughty cupboard, parenting, stress, stressed · No Comments

Are you a stressed out parent?

Remember the days before you had children?

The time of late nights for social reasons, lazy mornings for sleep catch up purposes, and being able to go to a party/holiday/shopping trip on a total whim – often catching a last minute bargain?

This was the period of your life otherwise known as B.C….Before Children.

If, however, like me, you have entered the ‘other’ realm of existence known as W.C…..With Children (no pun intended), life is probably rather different:

The dark times of late nights due to baby/child/teenager being sick, demanding an extra bedtime story or needing a lift home.

Early mornings every morning as the kids seem to work on a time zone similar to that of Narnia and need very little sleep at all.

Never being able to go anywhere on a whim. Ever. This is closely linked with supermarket meltdowns, toddler tantrums and getting totally fleeced for ‘term friendly holidays’.

I have four children aged between seven and seventeen and, due to incredibly poor planning on my behalf this meant that as one little cherub went off to nursery another soon arrived to take their place.

Having a baby at home creates stress unlike any other, especially when you add siblings into the mix.

On more than one occasion the older kids have taken advantage of me being ‘debilitated’ with the baby, especially when I was fresh out of hospital and nursing my youngest, Zain.

Being the resourceful mum that I am, I soon devised a way to wear a baby sling in such a manner that I could still retain order whilst feeding the baby. On a good day I could even bake a cake at the same time, the ingenuity of a mum on the brink is never to be under estimated.

As the children have grown older and are now all in school the challenges have become different. It can seem much more straight forward when you have a baby, after all most problems can be solved with a change of nappy, some playtime or a hug – sometimes a combination of all three.

These days they are more likely to need help with homework or advice on a situation they’re not sure about. This is where it gets tricky – Google is good for homework but not so good when your teenage daughter is broken hearted after being dumped.

All in all parenting is a minefield, full of potential danger and requiring a good sense of direction. The good news is that they will grow up and, if you are lucky, you may just see them run ragged by their own kids one day. Grandma position is far more flexi time than motherhood and you get to hand them back at the end of the day.

Until that time here are some situations

that I am sure fellow W.C survivors will relate to, some more than others….

1. You know the name of every single *Skylander ever created but can’t remember where you put your door keys…again.

*the craze will change yearly and often comes round again, like fashion. I have personally lived through three Pokemon ‘resurrections’.

2. You try to pay for your shopping at the corner market only to find 3 buttons, 1 stone, a fluffy sweet and an elastic band in the pocket where your money used to be.

3. The only similarity your life has with that of a rock star is the flock of whining ‘groupies’ that follow you everywhere you go chanting your name and hanging off your body…

4. Your social life starts to resemble that of a very old nun. A very old, anti-social nun who has taken a vow of silence. In fact you begin to suspect that said nun actually has a better social life.

5. On more than one occasion you have climbed into bed after a successful days parenting (no fatalities and everyone accounted for), only to find that one of your little darlings has beaten you to it, done a wee and then got back in their clean, dry bed…..true story.

6. Having a shower becomes a family event with the kids in and out wanting a ‘number two’ help with a shoe lace or other urgent ‘problem’ that needs immediate action. A soak in the bath becomes nothing more than a distant memory.

7. Helping the kids with their homework consists of opening multiple Internet search windows and bribery on a massive scale.

This can also be bad for your health, the pressure of trying to complete mathematic equations meant for your seven year old really brings home how much you didn’t learn in school.

8. Holiday priorities change from ‘great beach and stunning vista’ to ‘kids clubs and babysitting facilities’ as well as easily accessible.

We took the children to Dubai when they were younger and, whilst the time we were there was amazing, the trip was anything but. Spending seven hours on a plane with small children was something else. By the time we landed I was a stressed out ball of anxiety, the hubby and I had resorted to bickering and the kids were bouncing off the walls, full of pent up energy.

This year we will go camping in the UK….

9. You start to sound more like your mum than she ever did…

10. You arrive at work in your slippers, very scary hair and last night’s bolognaise on your shirt…and it’s only Monday.

If you have yet to experience the joy of parenthood, please don’t let me put you off.

You may just be one of the lucky ones that gives birth to a text book child both well behaved and polite…If on the other hand you are already blessed with children and know the odds of actually being blessed with text book kid are less than 0.01 percent then I salute you. Hang on in there, bedtime is in sight, they do have to sleep at some point…don’t they?

Caring youngsters walk 35km for charity

Taaliah · August 20, 2013 · Uncategorized · auto immune, Charity, chronic pain, donations, fundraising, news, NRAS, rheumatoid, Sale, The national Rheumatoid Arthritis Society · 2 Comments

WHILST most of us were relaxing this Sunday, a team of four Sale children completed an incredible challenge to raise money for The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society.

They joined together at the beginning of the summer holidays to begin fundraising and have already surpassed their own target of £200 with plans to raise even more in a variety of innovative fundraising events.

The four youngsters, three of which live on Exmouth Road, completed 250 laps of the cul-de-sac – an amazing 21.1 miles or 35km.

The walk took 8 hours, 47 minutes and 42 seconds.

Determined to complete the whole distance they completed the challenge despite some minor injuries along the way.

Best friends, Molly Nugent and Emily Marshall, both 10-years-old, decided to raise money for the charity as Emily’s mum, Nicki was diagnosed with the painful disease twenty years ago and the girls wanted to help others in the same situation.

During a sleep-over Molly and Emily discussed ways in which they could raise money and awareness for RA and decided to support the great work offered by NRAS.

Emily said: ” We don’t like to see anyone in pain, especially my Mum. No-one should suffer with the pain caused by this disease and we want to raise money to help people with RA, and to find a cure.”

They were joined by Emily’s cousin, Dani Heywood, 12 and neighbour, Luke Weader, 10-years-old, to become a determined team of four.

Dad even helped out and manned the refreshment table, as well as marking off laps on a very large tally chart.

As a team they organised and hosted a table top sale, selling home-made lemonade, cake and biscuits at a bargain price of 20p each.

Ingenious Emily even began to charge people to enter the house and between them they raised just over £14.

Next up was the sponsored walk, Molly had suggested they do 500 laps of Exmouth Road originally but fortunately their parents thought this sounded rather a lot and it was agreed they would do 250 laps.

This turned out to be a good decision as when Graham, Emily’s Dad, measured the distance of a lap it transpired that 250 would actually total over 20 miles and would obviously take quite some time…

Around the 18 mile point the girls began to struggle, Molly had pulled a muscle and Emily’s feet were swollen. Asked if they wanted to stop the walk Emily replied: “People with RA suffer pain everyday, they can’t just walk away from it. I am going to finish this walk for Mum and others like her.”

Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is a chronic, progressive and disabling auto-immune disease, affecting 690,000 adults in the UK. It is a systemic disease, which means it can affect the whole body and internal organs. RA is more common than both multiple sclerosis and leukaemia although it often is misunderstood as they do not get much publicity.There is currently no known cure.

Nicki, 39, said: “Support from the community was overwhelming. Most of the cul-de-sac were out cheering the children on and I am so proud of all four of them.”

Diagnosed at 19, Nicki has struggled with the pain of RA for many years. Through lack of publicity there are many misconceptions about this disease.

Nicki has agreed to the following pictures to be shared for the first time, in a bid to raise awareness of the reality of living with RA and to dispel the ignorance that sadly surrounds this misunderstood disease that could affect any of us at any time…..

The team are now busy planning a fundraising tea party, to be held during the last week of the summer holidays.

The tea party will be held on Exmouth Road and there will be refreshments and delicious home-made cakes for sale.

Tickets for the event are priced at £3.00 for adults and £1.50 for children, numbers are limited and early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment.

For tickets or to offer a donation to the tea party, please contact: michellekiami@aol.com

Donations can be given direct to the teams chosen charity, NRAS, via justgiving.com/EmilyMollyDani

For more information on Rheumatoid Arthritis see The NRAS website.