The Alphabet Gift Shop

Personalised gift specialist The Alphabet Gift Shop will have a shiny new website by the end of the month making it’s fabulous range of personalised gifts available to a world wide audience.

The new website will provide a shopping experience to rival some of the large retail chains. Mobile and tablet friendly, it has ‘refine by’ search facility, picture zoom, “You may also like” suggestions, best sellers list etc., and stock control linked to its shops. It will give the online shopper all the help possible to make an informed purchase. It also allows customers to buy online and collect from either of the company’s two midlands based shops.

“I’m really pleased with the look and functionality of the new website. I wanted to replicate the feel of our gift shops at Burton-on-Trent and Mickleover and I’m happy that we’ve achieved that.” said owner Sue Dorling

www.thealphabetgiftshop.co.uk

Hoops of fun for your school!

Professional Hula Hooper John the “Hoop Guy” aged 62, and with 12 Grandchildren, has an infectious passion for all things hoop shaped, yet more than that he has a passion for helping the young people of today to get fit and active whilst having fun. Having picked up his first hoop in the 1950s and struggling somewhat, he was shocked when he decided to have another go aged 53 and loved it. “I started out juggling and after founding a juggling club in my local town I met a member who was also a Hula Hooper, she showed me some tricks and that was it! I was hooked on hooping and I have hardly put it down since.” Pretty soon he was sourcing and selling high-quality hoops for adults online, performing routines set to music to entertain and hosting children’s parties which included an array of skilled hoop action, juggling and much more besides.

Not wanting to stop here though, John started to visit schools for special one-off day experiences, armed with hoops for all, plenty of music and an itinerary, he led workshops for students which got them learning to hoop, do tricks, build hoop structures and have heaps of fun which all got them active, taught them fine motor skills, numeracy skills and got them working in teams. Needless to say, schools and students have been thrilled at the workshops and John is now working up and down the country bringing hoop fun and smiles to schools everywhere.

If you would like to see the many benefits that a workshop with Hoop Guy can bring to your students visit www.hooping4schools.org.uk or call 07946 413 452 for more info.

Progressing from a Baby Sleeping Bag

Over 95% of parents in the UK now choose to put their baby to bed in a sleeping bag. Parents recognise the benefits of their baby feeling secure, comforted and remaining at a constant temperature. By simply putting your baby into his sleep sack he is ready for bed without all the fuss of conventional blankets and sheets.
 
However once your child starts to develop into a toddler (from about 1yrs old) and the move from their cot into a first bed comes ever closer parents can find themselves back at square one with disrupted sleep patterns all over again. Not only do children pick up on their parent’s anxiety, they are developing and learning new things every day. Toddlers often display a fearsome strength of character and are keen to become ‘big boys or girls’. They may be learning to walk, to talk, and begin potty training and therefore the transition into a big bed can play a major role in this development. Some children do struggle with a change of environment and like familiarity and many children are reluctant to give up the comfort of their sleeping bag, but no longer want to be treated as, or viewed as a baby. Toddlers can be very wriggly sleepers so conventional bedding ends up on the floor, and your child will wake up cold. By using a specialist toddler sleeping bag, like the toddler Snuggle Sac, your little one can be rewarded with something wonderfully cosy, comforting yet different to a baby sleeping bag.
 
Toddler Snuggle Sacs are the sleeping bag recommended by The Children’s Sleep Charity, to follow on from a baby sleep sack as they combine the appeal of a favourite teddy bear, the security of a sleeping bag and the cosiness of a comfort blanket. The designs are deliberately taken from the older child size Snuggle Sacs to help the toddler feel more independent and grown up. However the toddler size Sacs are designed to fit onto a cot bed size mattress (160cm x 50cm) and with their lovely soft 100% cotton linings they will provide just the right familiarity to your young child.
 
Many children older than three love sleeping in a sleeping bag, so Snuggle Sacs (next size up) are the recommended choice. The designs are really fun, they come with a free tote bag and your child won’t be embarrassed to take them anywhere. There are even adult size Snuggle Sacs now too!

www.snugglesac.com 

Whitestep boutique for baby products to love

For cool, sophisticated and innovative baby products Whitestep is the online boutique for you. With a commitment to help parents find non toxic products which are free from harmful chemicals,their exciting and carefully selected range of baby essentials features stylish products from across the globe.

Their selection of Babyzen pushchairs and its accessories are the ultimate in practical, stylish travel for you and your tot helping you both get from A to B with ease. Check out the YOYO and ZEN models for a small, instant and easy fold, compact style that they will love from 6 months up.

Of course the pushchair is one of the biggest purchases you will make for the little one in the early years, but there are also plenty of other things that you will need to help make the bringing up baby thing a whole lot easier and Whitestep have a great deal of what you need. You can find plenty of innovative designs from Simply Good with a range of baby carriers and nursing pillows to playmats and educational toys, Simply Good designs are wonderfully bold in both how their product looks and how they work.

Their range of exciting and modern products are refreshing in a market of products which are often so similar to each other in design. Whitestep choose items which offer something different in a world where so many things look the same, and hurrah for that fact alone! Shop the range at www.whitestep.co.uk and fill your baby's world with designs both of you will love.

Anna Kennedy...and Three Men and a Little Lady

Anna Kennedy Online is celebrating fathers living with autism this Father’s Day. Adeptly titled ‘Three Men and a Little Lady’, the charity has created a film focusing on the father’s perspective of autism. Featuring three interviews from dads, and an open and honest discussion led by charity founder Anna Kennedy OBE. This never before seen candid footage offers an emotional perspective of a father’s love and dedication.

“There is so much focus on mum’s and how they cope with autism, we wanted to share the father’s point of view. These interviews are rare and the difference in their responses to their female counterparts provide interesting and straightforward reactions.” – Anna Kennedy OBE, Founder of Anna Kennedy Online.

The film, which was filmed at Amba Hotel, London by AKO young patron Ryan Wiggins, focuses on everyday life with children with autism. The dads featured are Sanjay Thapar, Andrew Holmes and Mick Cordwell, all who have had to make huge changes to their lifestyles and careers.

“A father’s love is as important as a mother’s, and we wanted to celebrate the sacrifices and compromises that each man has made for his family. These achievements are not recognised enough and deserve positive attention, and this is what the video is doing.” Anna continues.

Anna Kennedy OBE works closely with families who live with autism to help shine a positive light and help their situations. Anna has helped hundreds of families throughout the UK and globally. This film is a series of events created by the charity to help the public understand the real faces of autism, good and bad.

“Our video is helping to spread an honest message about living with autism. It is allowing us to expand out outreach, raise awareness and continue to support more and more families on a global scale.” – Anna Kennedy OBE concludes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6I0SmR7iIs

Tough Furniture launch new improved website

A specialist design studio has won multiple awards for its forward-thinking advances in special educational needs furniture for the home and the classroom. Tough Furniture specialise in creating funky, functional fixtures and fittings. Each and every product, from mid-sleeper den beds to fish tanks, can be customised to your specific family needs. Their extensive range of strong durable units are designed and manufactured with hidden strengths for the particular requirements of their individual customers. This approach is often how new products first see the light of day!

Commercial Director, Nigel Reaney said: “We’ve always aimed to be, not just a quality specialist supplier, but also the company who will really listen to your needs and can offer standard or bespoke problem-solving furniture at a sensible price.”

Over 70% of their business comes from repeat custom and their products go into a wide and diverse range of environments where many kinds of challenging behaviour can pose a variety of problems.

Deciphering how to effectively manage difficulties encountered in bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms and any other place where children with learning and behavioural difficulties spend their time, is a challenge the Tough Furniture team wholeheartedly take part in.

Investing heavily in CAD and responsive machine technology means the problem-solvers can talk with the customer and assess each case, confident in the knowledge that they can deliver highly specialised solutions.

A longstanding interaction with a wide spectrum of care providers gives the pioneering group consistent opportunities to solve practical problems.

In your own home, the customisation process begins with one of Tough Furniture’s experienced, hands-on designers who can guide you through the elements of developing a safe environment.

The smallest and most simple changes can be made to their existing products but the innovative team enthusiastically welcome change and new ideas. Pairing their knowledge with your experience, you can lead new designs and create a detailed plan to suit your lifestyle.

Whatever your situation may be, there is a Tough Furniture solution and with the new and improved site it all just got even easier! Now you can add your products to basket and the team will email you back with a formal quote. Just like that! An improved search function and extensive product information as well as easier access from your mobile and tablet device make shopping with Tough Furniture a breeze.

Call: 01588 674 340 or Email: design@toughfurniture.com

www.toughfurniture.com

Autism Hero Awards Announced for October 2016

Anna Kennedy Online are one of the most prolific campaigners in Europe for Autism. Their campaigning is tireless in raising awareness of autism, raising funds and raising spirits within the community whilst providing a support network for anyone affected by autism. 2016 has proven to be a busy year so far with the Expo which featured many speakers from all over the country, it has been Autism awareness month, Autism’s Got Talent was bigger than ever before in May and the Autism Hero Awards is now set for October too. Their campaigning is tireless in raising awareness of autism, raising funds and raising spirits within the community.

This year Anna Kennedy Online are hosting the Autism Hero Awards in October 2016. This event provides a wonderful opportunity to recognise individuals and organisations within the autism and SEN community. A night of entertainment and celebration is planned and will include hosts OBE Anna Kennedy, EastEnders star Jake Wood and much more. The awards are all about celebrating YOU, so, if you know of a special person who you think should be nominated then get in touch with Anna Kennedy online to submit your nomination!

“The Autism Hero Awards have been created so that we can showcase and celebrate the excellence taking place in the world of Autism. We hope that the awards will also celebrate the achievements and enhance Autism awareness and acceptance within society.” Anna told us.

Nominations for the different categories are between the 7th May 2016 and 30th June 2016 and the finalists will be announced on the 16th July 2016. This fantastic celebration will be taking place at the prestigious Amba Marble Arch– Bryanston Street, London, W1H 7EH on Saturday 1st October 2016.

Doors open at 6.30pm and the ticket prices are £50 each or £450 for a table of 10, for this fantastic evening. The evening will start with red carpet, welcome drink on arrival, a delicious three-course meal, DJ, entertainment. Carriages at 12.30. Proceeds for the evening will be donated to the Anna Kennedy Online charity to continue its dynamic work in raising Autism awareness within society. Black tie is optional.

Find out more at www.annakennedyonline.com