December 2000 Newsletter

Welcome to our December Newsletter. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Toy Library

The toy library will be closed during the anticipated cold winter months. If you need to borrow something please contact Mary on 378895 to arrange for an appointment.

Morning Meetings

The drop in venue has been revamped especially for our benefit and comes complete with showroom kitchen. Come and see for your self, the‘Drop-ins’ are held at the Youth Centre, Church Road (off wing road), together with the ‘Mother and Toddler Group’, on Wednesday’s between 9.30- 11.30am during term time, for mothers, childminders and toddlers. The cost is 75p for the first child, and 25p for each additional child. This includes biscuits, drinks and some exciting activities including many suited to the larger space a hall provides, ideal now the winter has arrived.

Vacancy List

The Children’s Information Service (CIS) provides a single point of contact, for those looking for all types of childcare. Contact the CIS, on 01234 228 229, with details of your vacancies.

Questionnaires

Those of you who kindly filled in and returned your questionnaire requesting information on special needs have hopefully been contacted. Several childminders are now participating in the special course being run by Spurgeons.

Leighton Buzzard Childminding Association AGM

The 2001 AGM will be held on Thursday 25^th January at 25 Coniston Road Linslade, at 8.00pm. Come along and make a difference. All those turning up will receive a Goody Bag! There should be lots of other childminders attending so it is a great opportunity to swap information and ideas, as well as to see how our group works.

Wine, non alcoholic fruit punch and nibbles will be available. The AGM will consist of a short meeting followed by an opportunity for a social gathering and the drawing of the grand raffle. The agenda accompanies this news letter.

Please come and join us. Nomination slips are attached to your news letter. Please complete and return them if you would like to help your group.

Trick or Treat

The day we had chosen followed the wettest and windiest night of the year. The Fire Engines were out and about when we first arrived. Having scared the Fire Officer we waited inside the Fire Station while an engine returned. The fourteen children were rewarded with a guided tour of a real fire engine and had the chance to sit in the cab. Judging by the volume of the cheers for the fireman the trip was much appreciated.

Chocoholics

A very tasty meeting. Our thanks to Mary Johnson who organised the event and to Jenny Chaplin our star chocolate vendor who sold over £100 worth of chocolate to her workmates prior to the party which helped to swell our funds.

Observation of Children's Learning

This course was offered by the EYDP and six childminders from this area participated. Some very useful free booklets were also provided to those attending.

Childrens Christmas Party

This popular event was enjoyed by the Deputy Mayor, childminders, parents and children. The 26 children who attended received luxurious presents from Father Christmas. A picnic lunch was provided (not a sandwich in sight) and each child received a party bag of goodies to take home. The adults participated in fruit punch and a superb buffet lunch. Father Christmas says ‘see you all next year’.

LBCMA Web Pages - www.lbcma.org.uk

The LBCMA website has now had over 900 visitors, averaging 125 ‘hits’ per month. There are over 70 pages of information to view, including more detailed information on past events and lots of photographs. We have just started a new section for news and articles, if you would like to see your knowledge published why not write an article. It can be on anything to do with children or childcare, from your experience or training courses and everyday lives to how you dealt with a ‘problem child’. If you have visited the website and couldn’t find the information you wanted let us know and we will try our best to add it.

Thanks to those people who have been buying books through the site, please continue, you are helping raise money for the group and ensuring that the web site is self-supporting. Remember, we will receive a donation for any purchase you make from Amazon.co.uk, providing that you go to Amazon through the link on the LBCMA page.

If you have an email address, please email it to Tunja at child.minder@virgin.net so we can contact you easily and more quickly with new information.

Makaton

Do you have or do you care for a child with communication difficulties. Makaton uses a mixture of spoken word and simplified signing. It is very useful for a variety of children including some of those with Downs syndrome. It can also be useful in noisy crowded situations with all children, they can still communicate with you. We have been offered a free introduction to basic Makaton. If you think you might find the Makaton method of signing useful, please phone Tunja to put your name on the list. If sufficient numbers come forward we will offer this as an evening session.

Grand Raffle

This will be drawn at the AGM in January. Enclosed with your news letter are tickets to the value of £3. We anticipate you will support your group by buying the tickets or selling them to minded parents or friends. Tickets are £1 per strip and each counterfoil should be returned with a name, phone number and the money to Maureen Webber 461 Bideford Green, or to Tunja by January 20th Prizes include, a fire blanket, free advertizing, books, tapes, chocolates, teddies, booze, toiletries etc. Additional tickets are available from Tunja, there is a prize consisting of a £10 voucher and a bottle of wine to the seller of the greatest number of raffle tickets.

Story Telling

The event on 16^th February, will be held in the children’s library from 10am to 11am. The children will have the chance to have their favourite stories read to them, and they can have a turn to read if they wish.

Tots Treasure Hunt

This exciting hunt will commence at 10am on the 20^th March, from the children’s section, in Leighton Library. Children will be provided with the first clue at this venue, they can then follow the clues around the town to find the treasure. Consolation prizes will also be provided. All children must be accompanied by their childminder (or parent).

Thanks

I would like to thank all the childminders and committee members who have helped organise and support events throughout the past year. It is pleasing to note that eleven articles about our activities have appeared in various local publications during the year. All have shown Leighton Buzzard childminders in a positive light. Please put your thinking caps on ready for next year events and especially for the forthcoming ‘Picnic in the Park’.

Diary Dates

Jan 25^th 8.00pm LBCMA AGM to be held at, Linslade.
Feb 16^th 10.00am -11.00am Story telling at the library.
March 3^rd 9.00am - 1.00pm Under fives in Beds, Music without Fear, Ampthill.
March 20^th 10.00am Tots Treasure Hunt. Start from the library.