Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2023 - January 2024 i The Green Parent

Welcome to the last edition of 2023. This year has brought more challenges than I expected and it’s taught me so much about what is really important. I have been to four funerals and a wedding over the last twelve months and what has shone through has been the legacy that we leave. And how valuable it is to be a loving parent. That the value in being there for your kids far outweighs any professional success or financial assets you leave behind. Of course I think I already knew this but it’s taken the losses of this year and the remembering of loved ones to really appreciate that message. That what we do is kind of irrelevant but who we are and how we love is vital. I read…

thegreenparent.co.uk facebook.com/greenparentmag twitter.com/greenparentmag instagram.com/thegreenparentmag DOWNLOAD THE APP Read digital editions of The Green Parent and search all our back issues online. Type 'The Green Parent' on the Apple App Store. WHAT TO DO DURING THE WINTER Sign up for our free (and jam packed) weekly newsletter and you’ll be the first to discover the very best of what’s happening for families across the UK. There’s everything inside from exhibitions to events, recipes to craft projects. Get on the list and make sure you don’t miss this regular hit of Green Parent magic at link.thegreenparent.co.uk/newsletter CHAT WITH US Come and let us know what you’re up to this winter on Instagram. Find out about alternative advent calendars, wintery celebrations and how to have a plastic-free Christmas. Find us @thegreenparentmag.…

inspire INTERVIEW UJU ASIKA “I grew up in Nigeria in a house surrounded by books, and have always loved writing. I came to the UK as a child, studied English literature and graduated thinking I was going to be a professional poet, then spent some time in the States studying journalism at graduate school, spent some time in Lagos, then moved back when I was pregnant. I’ve always written about culture, creativity, ideas and identity. I started my blog, Babes About Town after moving back here, had few friends and wanted to know what I could do with my baby. Without my knowing, one of my relatives sent out a query to agents, asking if they were interested in a book about raising black boys in Britain, and they wanted to see…

Can you tell us a little about your background? “I used to work in the film industry, but in the 90s became a portrait photographer. I was fascinated by the archetypes and iconography of pregnancy. I was told I’d never have children, but I got sober, I met my husband and got married, then I discovered I was pregnant. I had a miscarriage at an airport in India which was not a pleasant experience, but that led me to train as a doula, and an active birth teacher. Along with two midwives, I started The Mother’s Journey; pregnancy yoga training and teaching. I then became a psychotherapist specialising in trauma and addiction anxiety. I’ve always held a place in my heart for pregnant women and what we go through. I’ve…

toddler ASK THE EXPERT Q I am in great need of help. I have a 14 month old and I don't know how I'm supposed to discipline/ set limits and enforce them. I've read a lot of your articles, but it seems they apply to older toddlers, those that can communicate verbally with you. How am I supposed to get through to my son when I say "No, don't touch that" (like the laptop), or "No, that's dangerous" (like reaching up for the stove knobs), or "No that belongs there" (like pulling anything in his reach down like nappies on a shelf, a hanging kitchen towel, or opening drawers and taking everything out), etc. and he just keeps doing it? I know I'm doing it the wrong way (I say no…

Cultivate a Waldorf-inspired home setting Waldorf Education values natural materials, simplicity, and beauty. Create a warm atmosphere by incorporating natural elements such as wood, wool, and cotton, and selecting simple yet elegant items for your home decor. Make an effort to limit screen time and foster a serene, peaceful ambiance. Nurture imaginative play Imaginative play allows children to unleash their creativity and develop social skills. Encourage this by providing open-ended toys like blocks, dolls, and art supplies, and allocating time for unstructured play. Cherish the art of storytelling Storytelling captivates children's imaginations and nurtures their love for language and literature. Integrate storytelling into your family life by reading aloud, sharing stories from memory, or crafting your own tales together. Establish a consistent rhythm and routine This helps children feel secure…

LILY & MEL Created with the desire to reconnect children with nature to awaken their creativity and imagination. Born in Spain, these educational children's toys are made from sustainable materials. Check out the candle making kit, £36.80 babipur.co.uk/lily_mel KOA KOA This French company embraces the culture of making, repairing instead of throwing away. The ethos is to make what you need yourself instead of systematically consuming. We love the Build Animal Vision Glasses kit! €29.90, koakoa.fr ARTFUL ADVENTURES Waldorf teacher Erika wanted to encourage more play and less screentime; Artful Adventures was born, a monthly subscription box, suitable for three to seven year olds. Prices from £17 per month. Follow @simonaugustyn…

Little Fairy's Christmas Daniela Drescher £10.99 Floris Books It's a cold winter's night and Faith is lost in a snowstorm. As the little fairy looks for somewhere warm to stay, she meets friendly birds, a lost young elf and someone else very special! Complete with beautiful gentle watercolour paintings, this is a magical tale. A Family Christmas Alana Washington and Emily Nash £7.99 UCLan Publishing Here’s a heart warming Christmas tale that my daughter loves. It’s a simple rhyming story that carries us along as Christmas Day unfolds. With family, festivities and fun at its heart, it’s a lovely colourful debut from illustrator, Emily Nash. WIN ALL THESE ON PAGE 79! The Nutcracker Steve Patschke and Zanna Goldhawk £11.99 Templar Publishing My daughter is a huge ballet fan so this…

Chigwell Meadows Group This weekly group takes place every Monday morning for children aged over 12 years at Roding Valley Meadows Nature Reserve. A chance to develop a range of practical and social skills, whilst learning about wildlife. essexwt.org.uk Living Seas Group Once a month these nature themed sessions are aimed at home educated families with children aged up to 14 at the Living Seas Centre, Flamborough, Yorkshire. ywt.org.uk Wild Kids Every Tuesday, the woods at Foxburrow Nature Reserve in Woodbridge are full of home educated kids. The older group, aged from 11-16 years often build a fire and cook a snack on it, this can be anything from smores to popcorn, damper dread, seasonal jam, drop scones, brownies to hot chocolate. Find out more at suffolkwildlifetrust.org.…

POSE OF THE MONTH This simple, gentle posture will help to stimulate your digestion system and relieve discomfort. Also helps to calm the mind. 1. Lie on your back with your legs and arms extended. 2. On an exhale, draw your knees into your chest, placing your hands onto your kneecaps, or wrapping your arms around your bent knees. 3. Tuck your chin slightly to lengthen the back of your neck. 4. Root your head and sacrum down towards the ground. 5. On an exhale allow the knees to float away, as you inhale draw them in towards your body. 6. After 10 deep breaths, release your arms and legs and rest for a moment in savasana.…

wellbeing I didn’t pay attention much when my midwife first suggested to try and get our kids outside before noon in order to help them sleep at night. I’d never heard anything like that before - and it also seemed counterintuitive. When March rolled around this year, we were looking for simple strategies to help improve the health of our family and that search took me back down the road toward this concept of morning sunlight exposure. Since first being introduced to the idea I’d read a little bit more about it but we had never committed to it before. Most often, our outside time was in the afternoon after lunch, schoolwork and chores. With life flipped upside down, we gave morning sunlight exposure a go and the results were…

1 Maximise social connection with regular family and community meals. Sharing food together helps to strengthen social bonds and can even promote healthier eating habits. 2 Choose plant based and whole foods. The majority of Blue Zones (longevity hotspots where inhabitants live long, healthy lives) consume foods like vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fruits. 3 Manage your stress. Blue Zones place emphasis on limiting and managing stress through daily routines or rituals. How you feed your body can even play a role in your stress so try to incorporate feel-good foods like dark chocolate, leafy greens or herbal teas. 4 Incorporate healthy fats. Limit saturated and trans fats and instead prioritise healthy fats like nuts, seeds and olive oil. 5 Prioritise movement in your daily routine. Low-effort exercise such as walking,…

LOVING The changing colours of the leaves, the chestnut collecting and fungi spotting. My four year old is an excited companion on our autumn discovery walks! BAKING Nigella Lawson’s Clementine Cake - I love the golden colour of this cake. The smell when it’s cooking is super festive too! WATCHING I just went to see ALOK’s show Biology at Brighton’s Komedia - a treat from my sister. They were brilliant, I laughed so much I cried. READING Everything I can get my hands on. Most recently, Maggie Mortimer’s Maps of our Spectacular Bodies. Blimey!…

Wintery reads Looking for an alternative book to share with your children this December? From Moomin adventures to traditional tales check out some of our favourites. yule books Solstice Winter Solstice is an opportunity to pause, to appreciate the stillness and rest and to reflect on the old year. Find five ways to celebrate here. elebrate midwinter Plant magic Christmas is a time when lots of us practice plant spirit medicine without even being aware of it. Find ways to get a bit witchy with your kids. witchy kids solstice…

“I set up a preloved kids clothes community after recurrent miscarriage” “We lost four babies before Jack, and have lost two since him. Our first pregnancy took just over a year, and resulted in miscarriage. We decided to go down the route of medical management for that, which was horrific. Nothing had prepared me for that. I basically went into labour and birthed what was a tiny baby. It was incredibly traumatic. Looking back, I think the issue we had was holding on to the pregnancies rather than conceiving. Over years, we saw multiple consultants, had pretty much every test under the sun, all the experimental therapies, multiple rounds of IVF. But I think it was perhaps our last two miscarriages, after Jack, that were the hardest. Both during Covid,…

Black women in the UK have more than four times the risk of dying in pregnancy or up to six weeks postpartum compared with white women. Black women are twice as likely to have a stillborn baby than their white counterparts. Black Mothers Matter are committed to supporting and celebrating Black pregnancies across the UK. The charity delivers a range of resources, which have been created to provide relevant, safe information and support. They also work with with professionals in maternity services - so that they are more knowledgeable and better equipped to support Black people giving birth. Get affirmation cards, doula support and a cookbook at blackmothersmatter.org.…

baby MYRTLE AND MAUDE Your body has just gone through one of the most amazing things it will ever do, but also one of the toughest. Your focus will now be on nurturing your new born baby but it is important to take time for yourself While many women feel fully recovered after 6-8 weeks it can take months (or years) to feel yourself again. This Postpartum Recovery Kit uses the best vitamins and herbs to ease and speed up your postpartum recovery process. myrtleandmaude.com TALM A natural and vegan supplement, composed of vitamins, nutrients and minerals, which has been formulated to help slow down hair loss, while stimulating regrowth. This is a strengthening and brightening formula, which can help with the sometimes frustrating loss of hair after birth as…

the Green Parent LOVES 2023 Ali McAleavy is founder of planet conscious footwear brand, Zig + Star. “As a mum of two girls and a boy, I felt frustrated at how the kids wear market directed me to buy one type of product for my daughters and another for my son,” she explains. “An avalanche of pink unicorns on one side of the shop and an army of dinosaurs on the other. This pigeon-holing gives our kids the message that there are limits and restrictions to how they should dress, what their interest should be and ultimately, who they should be. After 20 years working in fashion and footwear, I decided to tackle this head-on. To create the shoes I wanted to buy for my own children. Unisex styles in…

toddler As a single parent, finding the proper education has at times felt overwhelming. I wanted to find an option that nurtured my children's holistic development. And when I discovered Waldorf Education – a distinctive approach to learning that celebrates creativity, imagination, and social-emotional growth I knew that it was the right fit. Waldorf education emerged in the early 20th century, thanks to Austrian philosopher and educator Rudolf Steiner. Steiner passionately championed a holistic approach to education, one that nurtures the whole child – their body, heart, and spirit. It’s grounded in the belief that children have an innate affinity for creativity and imagination, and that learning should be immersive, engaging, and tailored to each child's stage of development. At its heart lies the conviction that education should be interdisciplinary,…

child The Safari Stomp Caryl Hart and Nicola Slater £12.99 Orchard Books The safari stomp tells the story of a young person traveling to the water hole to join in a safari stomp. They meet various animals on the way who invite them to join in movements like hopping, crawling, lunging and roaring. There is some repetitive text throughout which I think would definitely appeal to a younger audience. Elliott enjoyed the story and asked to read it again but would have definitely enjoyed it more when he was younger. A cheerful colourful book that I would recommend for 2-5 year olds. Sharon C Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton £6.99 Nosy Crow We love this book! I hadn't heard of this series of books before…

Winter Wellness Packed with honey, turmeric, ginger, rosemary and cinnamon in addition to elderberries, this tonic can be taken alone or made into a hot tea. £27.99 sweetbeeorganics.co.uk Aromatherapy Essential Oil Blend Breathe in the aromas of caramelised Orange, zesty Lemon, and sweet Davana, to warm and uplift your senses. £28 aromatherapy associates.com Immuno Forte Black elderberry liquid plus vitamin C and zinc for non-drowsy all-year-round immune system support for the whole family, with no added sugar. £10.89 sambucol.co.uk…

wellbeing your tree sign Every part of the elder has medicinal properties; its bark, leaves, flowers and berries can be used for bruises, wounds, colds, hayfever, respiratory illness and fevers. The purplish berries, which appear in late August are particularly potent and the Druids regarded any that remained on the tree in December as a gift from the Earth Goddess. The flowers can be used as a skin cleanser and also made into a potent hay fever remedy, when steeped in local honey. Whistles or flutes were often made from elder and are said to help in contacting the fae folk! In Ireland the witches' broom had a shaft made of elder as opposed to the more traditional ash. In the Celtic Tree Calendar, the elder, which rules the thirteenth moon…

One of the biggest sources of waste during Christmas is wrapping paper and gift bags. Use reusable gift bags or boxes. Wrap gifts in newspaper, fabric, or even old maps or comics. • If you take all the Xmas wrapping paper that ends up in the bin and laid it out flat end to end it would stretch to 238,855 miles – that’s the average distance of the Earth to the Moon! • 1 million rolls of sellotape are used to wrap up presents each year in the UK • In Britain, we send over 5 million tonnes of wrapping paper to landfill every year – 75% of this is during Christmas • Around 50,000 trees are cut down to make the wrapping paper used to wrap Christmas presents.…

Every morning, whatever the weather, I take yesterday’s coffee grounds outside – the nitrates are great for the compost. It’s a small thing, really, but I’m starting my day by getting outside, I’m doing something positive for the environment and I’m about to have a coffee – what’s not to like? My sons love it, too. It can be hard to know how to broach environmental issues with young children – we try and keep things positive, and model small ways to make a difference. We’ve found composting is great for this, because it’s so tangible. In explaining things like recycling and ‘clean’ energy to them, I’ve often realised that I don’t fully understand the mechanics of it all, to be honest. With composting, though, they can see it all…

TickiT® - home of educational play Give the gift of open-ended play this Christmas with innovative and educational toys from TickiT. Let your children create, explore, play and learn in a world powered by their imagination. Wooden Architect range starts from £22, Wooden Enchanted Figures £30. tickit.co.uk/tgp Voxblock Voxblock is the screen-free audiobook player for children 3-12. With no need for Wi-Fi, apps or downloads, kids can listen without distraction. 130+ audiobooks available. 4.8 stars on Trustpilot. 100% plastic free packaging. Starter Pack includes a Voxblock player, three audiobooks and a protective bumper for £59.99. voxblock.co.uk Oscha Slings The Oscha Cairis carrier is a unique and beautiful Mei Dai sling with no compromises. It’s ergonomic, comfortable & easy to use. Made from the finest ethically sourced yarns & crafted in…

Sagittarius NOV 22 – DEC 21 December looks set to be a dynamic and empowering month for you as Mars is in your sign throughout. This is your opportunity to do something constructive, whether it’s tackling projects, working towards an aim or ambition, taking on a challenge or simply being productive and getting lots done. January begins in a blaze of fiery enthusiasm and motivation, and is perfect for setting resolutions and deciding on what you want in 2024. Pisces FEB 19 – MAR 20 December is likely to see you fired up with enthusiasm to get moving in a particular direction, whether it’s to make progress in your work, to change your trajectory or to work towards a goal. With Saturn in your sign you may begin the New…

UJU ASIKA Born in Nigeria, Uju grew up in the UK and is based in north London with her husband Abiye and two teenage sons. In her spare time, Uju is a books and Netflix binger, a kitchen raver, and an Arsenal suffer head. A multiaward nominated blogger, screenwriter and creative consultant, Uju is the author of two parenting books. “I love downtime with my family at Christmas. Checking out the Hackney Empire panto and Southbank Winter market. I eat myself silly and watch Elf every year on Christmas Eve!” She speaks about her latest book, Raising Boys Who Do Better on page 15. CAROLYN COWAN London-based psychotherapist, and yoga and breathwork teacher, Carolyn has spent more than 20 years specialising in psychosexual therapy, trauma and relationships, and working with…

December - Bells ring and choirs sing, time to gather those you love around the fire! DID YOU KNOW? Crackers were first created in the mid 19th century by a sweet maker called Tom Smith who tried selling sweets around Christmas time with a small motto or riddle included in the packaging. We love the embroidered reusable crackers at katesprostondesign.com. WINTER STORY TELLING 1. Settle down in a woodland story circle on 1 Dec to listen to a wonderful tale. Explore the woodland, and get creative with some themed crafts at Roding Valley Meadows Nature Reserve in Chigwell, Essex. Suitable for ages two to six years. essexwt.org.uk 2. Gather in the great roundhouse at Butser Ancient Farm on 8 Dec (pictured), for a festive afternoon of storytelling with Red Phoenix,…

inspire SPOTTER'S GUIDE FOX Four toes - two at the front and one at each side – and a roughly oval-shaped pad at the rear. Claw marks may be visible at the end of each toe. BADGER Look for five toes above a broad rear pad. Claw marks may also be visible. Not to be confused with cat tracks - cats retract their claws when walking. RABBIT A pair of long, thin prints and a pair of shorter prints, as rabbits’ hind feet are much larger than their fore feet. They have four pads on both fore and hind feet. ROE DEER Look out for hooves, which leave two long imprints with a gap in between. For roe deer, these are 5 centimetres long and 4 centimetres wide. FALLOW DEER Similar…

MY FIRST ANIMAL SIGNS A beautifully illustrated dictionary of 48 key animal signs to teach your baby. Adorable illustrations clearly demonstrate the gestures used to sign different animals. little-linguist.co.uk SIGN ABOUT PLAY TIME Introducing signs for a variety of everyday activities, from getting up in the morning to going to the park. Make signing a natural part of your everyday communication. childs-play.com BABY SIGN LANGUAGE BASICS In this book, parents will meet real signing families and learn how to make sign language a part of their everyday interactions with their children, songs and games are also included. hayhouse.co.uk…

WHAT IS THE GROWING AROUND GRIEF MODEL? Growing around grief is a model created by grief counsellor Lois Tonkin. Tonkin came up with the model after speaking to a client about the death of their child. The woman told Tonkin that at first grief filled every part of her life. She drew a picture with a circle to represent her life and shading to indicate her grief. It was all consuming. She had thought that as time went by the grief would shrink and become a much smaller part of her life. But what happened was different. The grief stayed just as big, but her life grew around it. There were times where she felt the grief as intensely as when her child first died. But there were other times…

CURIOSITY CORNER SENSORY DOUGH This handmade, eco friendly sensory dough is silky soft and beautifully scented. Handmade from high quality ingredients, we love the fun, natural playsets, especially the wintery, Christmassy themed ones. Shop the whole range at curiositycorner.co.uk LITTLE ADVENTURES This eco brand uses only food grade ingredients to make their delightfully scented dough. We love the delicious Bakery Adventure Box, which contains two large tins of cherry and custard scented dough, plus wooden accessories. Find more at littleadventureswithdough.co.uk PLAYBERRY Lovingly handcrafted play dough made using only natural ingredients; dyes from vegetables, spices or flowers combined with natural flavourings and pure essential oils. We love their Autumn Collection which has five tins of autumnal colours and five wooden dough tools. More at playberry.co.uk…

Explore local options Begin by investigating kindergartens in your vicinity, delving into their programmes, philosophies, and teaching methods. Visit their websites, attend open days or informational events, and connect with current or former parents to gain insight into their experiences. Evaluate practicalities Consider practical aspects such as ease of transport, after-school care, and tuition fees when selecting a school. Ensure that the school accommodates your family's scheduling and financial requirements. Engage with fellow parents Connect with other parents at the school, participate in parent groups or committees, and establish relationships with teachers and administrators to create a supportive community. Experience the school firsthand Schedule a visit to experience the school's atmosphere and observe teaching techniques. Trust your intuition Ultimately, selecting a setting is a personal choice based on what resonates…

“We recently became reclaimed waste mermaids “washed up” on the shore of Runswick Bay in Yorkshire and Bondi Beach in Sydney to highlight the sheer amount of plastic waste in the sea. It took over 150 hours to create the costume using plastic bottles, an old broken tent, coffee pods and medicine blister packs. You’d need 42 of these tails to mirror the amount of plastic that’s tipped into the sea every second - that’s the equivalent weight of five rhinos or three male orca. For families, it’s important to accept the big feelings around the climate crisis - such as anger, fear and frustration. Once you’ve named the feeling, then you can move into hope and action: What are you going to do about these worries? What works for…

I never thought I’d be one of those parents who strictly monitors screen time and fusses about the quality of what their child is watching. That is until my somewhat highly strung son came along, and all the anxieties of parenting took permanent residence in my brain. The thing with parenting is that, somewhat unsurprisingly, every child is different. Perhaps some kids cheerily call out “OK mum” as they happily switch off the television for dinner. My child is not one of them. My son is funny, energetic, imaginative, smart, and loves to play the clown. Once in front of the television, it’s like someone has pulled his plug out. He’s totally absorbed in what is on screen, deaf to anything going on around him, and zoned out. Sure, everyone…

The Feminist Bookshop 48 Upper N St, Brighton BN1 3FH In 2019, Brighton book club maven Ruth decided to transform her living room into a store. One crowdfunder later, and with donations from around the world, The Feminist Bookshop was up and running. But it’s more than a transactional space. Bookhounds step into a luminous, bright room, with a reading snug downstairs, a vegan coffee shop with coffee from Girls Who Grind and a gem-like garden out the back. Salomée Ornetti who works in the shop says, “We encourage anyone, everyone, to walk in with an open mind and ready to learn or start a conversation on different issues our society faces. We are a coffee shop as well as a bookshop and, historically, coffee shops are a place where…

Grace Cohen’s book Non Violent Communication with Teens. You’ll learn techniques to develop a deeper connection and compassionately resolve conflict. After reading expect to: Understand what your teenager is really trying to say; Gain insight into what motivates your teenager and discover techniques on how to handle arguments and disagreements in a constructive way; Recognise the importance of listening; Understand the fundamentals of nonviolent communication and be able to use non-violent communication approaches to resolve conflict.…

Motherhood is the most complex identity I have ever worn, full of beautiful moments that run concurrently with overwhelm. Our stories of being (and having) children are like fingerprints, they come with us everywhere we go and they are completely unique. Although we will always carry them, something I have learned is that our experiences as children do not have to define us as parents. This is the freedom I am lucky enough to be able to share through EFT. Part of my fingerprint is that I lost my mother when I was young and what relationship we did have was difficult. As a child it felt hard to connect at all but years later I can see things through a different lens. Struggling with a severe mental illness and…

The elder is a very adaptable tree, quite able to regenerate itself in many ways. Born under the elder sign, you are able to live and prosper under any conditions. You will live many "lives" during your time here, and will carry those memories into every new venture. Think of yourself as a traveller and a student, collecting experience and knowledge. Those born under the elder tree are thoughtful and empathetic with a philosophical mind. They have a caring persona and are considerate of others but will be brutally honest if the situation calls for it. They have a wild and extroverted personality and tend to seek out adventure wherever they can. Animal Correspondences Pheasant, Raven and Rook Keywords Transformation, Death, Queen Your Rune Ruis is a single downwards stroke…

Megan Garriott writes for runwildmychild.com. There are so many different fun types of ornaments you can make with salt dough. It’s super easy and guaranteed to be fun for the kids. To make the dough, mix 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of water (add more as needed). Knead the dough till smooth then use a rolling pin till thin. Use cookie cutters to cut desired shapes. Using a reusable metal straw poke holes for string to go through. Bake at 100ºC for 20min then flip over and cook for 10 more minutes. Gather small conifer clippings. Choose the pieces that look the most like a Christmas tree. Cut them to fit your salt dough shape. Place clipping on salt dough and paint with thick…

WE LOVE The rich indulgent chocolate beads from Cocoa Canopy (cocoacanopy.co.uk) are perfect for chilly nights! This plastic free brand is crafted by chocolatiers and there’s a sustainable blend for every family member, from Smooth Milk to Ecuador Dark. Treat yourself this winter! vegan mince pies Ania is founder of @lazycatkitchen and she has some delicious vegan Christmassy treats on her website. Here she shares her fave mince pie recipe. Go online for how to make the filling, or buy a jar! Mix 250g flour, 1/4 tsp salt and 4 tbsp icing sugar in a large bowl. Add 125g chopped coconut oil or vegan butter and cut it into the flour. Start by adding 1-2 tbsp ice cold water and add more if needed – too much water makes more…

1 ECO RETREAT, POWYS Authentic, back-to-nature retreat which aims to rejuvenate weary bodies, minds and souls. These secluded yurts are nestled in a hidden valley and provide a unique peace and seclusion hard to find in our busy, modern world. There are amazing walks with beautiful views, a sparkling river with secret splash pools, ancient forest and plenty of activities within 30-60 minutes drive. Many guests fall in love with the forest and return year after year to rediscover their favourite spots and breathe again. It’s like wild glamping at its best. ecoretreats.co.uk 2 BEDRUTHAN STEPS, CORNWALL Overlooking one of North Cornwall’s most lovely beaches, Bedruthan Hotel and Spa is a hotel that caters for family stays. Activities are run daily during school holidays by the hotel’s Surf Club (you can book…

explore A DAY OUT IN THE CITY HISTORY LIVES Beamish Museum Wander into history at the world-famous open air museum. The acres of Beamish are alive with reallife characters, cars, houses and farms that recreate the area’s past. Climb aboard a train or tram, smell bread being baked in a 1900s town and pit village, meet a landgirl at a 1940s farm, or get your hair cut 1950s style on a 1950s high street. It’s a full-on, immersive dunk into our heritage, and genuinely an experience you’ll all remember for years to come. Tickets are valid for a year, so take a few days to explore at a leisurely pace or return for more next holiday. beamish.org.uk Durham Cathedral Awe-inspiring architecture, dramatic history, and a tower with spectacular views across the…

Finding the right gift for the ones I love is something that brings me great joy. Making gifts takes up many winter afternoons – last year I made chocolate rocky road, fire cider, chilli jam, chai tea blend and felt keyrings. I like to buy goodies made by local craftspeople and ethical companies too. I’ve had so much fun putting together this selection of the most gorgeous green present ideas for you and your family. Take a peek inside to find gifts for the home, snuggly stufffor babies, perfect playthings for toddlers and cool ideas for teens, as well as much much more. I wanted to champion the very best in conscious shopping. Everything inside these pages is produced ethically with a view to creating a better planet for our…