Film on the programme for outdoor screening
‘THE GREATEST SHOWMAN’ IS SET TO BE SHOWN IN MAY
ONE of the nation’s favourite musicals is set to be screened at an outdoor cinema near Uttoxeter.
The Greatest Showman will be broadcast at Rocester Football Club, in Mill Street, on Sunday, May 2, by which time the UK is expected to be out of lockdown.
Organiser Open Air Film and Chill Uttoxeter says the event will be “easily socially distanced” and safe and the event will be moved if the weather is bad.
A spokesman for the group said on Facebook: “Our open-air cinema experience is such a unique experience, you will never look at an indoor cinema the same way again. We encourage you to bring warm clothing, a torch, extra layers, appropriate footwear depending on the weather for that day. Please note, no barbecues.
“Food and drink can be brought on to site although there will be a bar and vendors on site as well.”
Guests need to bring their own chairs unless they have bought a special VIP ticket, with entry allowed from 7pm.
The Greatest Showman follows the story of circus pioneer PT Barnum – portrayed by Hugh Jackman – who built up his show from scratch to become a worldwide phenomenon in the 1800s.
Tickets are available from £15.87 to £32.73 and more information is available via the Open Air Film & Chill website www.openairfilmandchill.com.
SPOOKY baby dolls have been found nailed to trees near the site of an old war hospital.
A mum-of-two said she had decided to explore a group of trees near her home when she made the startling discovery.
The trekker, who is a hospital theatre practitioner, found the creepy dolls while walking in Cannock Chase.
The 64-year-old waded through the undergrowth and discovered a clearing where a number of trees stood with the dolls nailed and tied to them.
The mum-of-two, who did not want to be named, said: “I’ve had to shield for all of the lockdown, but when I was on my walks I looked a bit further and as I dug through the undergrowth I saw these dolls.
“They were in some sort of order. Their dresses were all raggedy and they were all tied and nailed to the trees. And as I came out of the woods I saw a sign that said that this was the operating theatre for the old Pensions Hospital. It was just a little bit weird considering what I do for my job. I have got a friend who is a spiritual medium and she wants to go and take a look up there to see if she can feel anything.”
She later returned to the site to check out the dolls again. She said: “It wasn’t that scary and I stood in among the dolls. I was saying my prayers. I talked to the dolls and wished the children who used to live in the mining village eternal rest.”
The dolls were found near the site of an old war hospital on Brindley Heath.
The walker also discovered signs revealing that the area was once the Ministry Pensions Hospital, which closed in the late 1920s.
After this, the buildings were acquired by the colliery to house miners along with their families. The site was then known as “Brindley Village” and had a school and working men’s club.
The “village” lasted until the early 1950s, then residents were moved to a new council housing estate on the outskirts of Hednesford.
IT’S every mother’s instinct to protect her baby, and some believe taking it easy is part of that protection. But safe exercise can be good for mums and babies both during and after pregnancy.
The Government recommends pregnant women and new mums get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week and the NHS advises mums-to-be to keep up their normal physical activity or exercise for as long as they feel comfortable – unless advised otherwise due to their individual health.
As well as improving or maintaining fitness, exercise during and after pregnancy can help reduce blood pressure, improve sleep, help lower the risk of pregnancy diabetes and post-natal depression, strengthen tummy muscles after childbirth, and improve mood.
Of course, caution is necessary. Pregnant women are advised, for example, not to ‘bump the bump’ – and to be aware of the potential dangers of sports where there could be a risk of abdominal trauma.
And mums-to-be, who were not active before they got pregnant, should not suddenly take up strenuous exercise.
Similarly, while new mums who have had a straight-forward birth can usually start gentle exercise once they feel up to it, it’s normally advisable to wait until after the six-week post-natal check to start any high-impact exercise, like aerobics or running. Those who have had a more complicated delivery or C-section will have a longer recovery time.
New mums can face a (small) obstacle too – working out how to look after their bundle of joy at the same time. One way of tackling that is to exercise while baby is in a carrier on mum’s chest, following the CARIFIT (carifit.co.uk) workout programme.
CARIFIT’S founder, Vern Hill, says exercising while babywearing helps create a bond between mums and babies, and explains: “Throughout a session they’re next to your heart, warm, safe, secure and engaged or, for the younger babies, asleep peacefully, while you’re enjoying the headspace of a satisfying and peaceful workout.
Other mums will choose to work out solo, while baby sleeps, watches them, or is cared for by someone else.
Charlie Barker, who specialises in pre and post-natal fitness and is the founder of the health and fitness community for mums and mumsto-be Bumps & Burpees (bumpsandburpees.com), says: “Many women ask if it is safe to exercise during pregnancy, and the short answer is: yes, unless it is against medical advice.”
Here Charlie, who’s a new mum herself and has written the pregnancy and post-partum exercise guide Bumps & Burpees, outlines the dos and don’ts of exercising while pregnant and after childbirth.
DO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
Your body is your best guide to knowing what’s wrong and right for you. “Don’t worry about what your heart rate is compared to your friend, or what exercise programme they’re following,” she advises. “See what feels right for you.”
DON’T PUT PRESSURE ON YOURSELF
In both pregnancy and motherhood, there are going to be plenty of days when you don’t feel up for exercising and that’s totally normal, says Charlie.
“You’re probably sleepdeprived, full of hormones and your body is doing an awful lot, so let yourself off the hook when you’d prefer to choose sofa over squats. Whether it’s morning sickness, exhaustion or just not feeling up to it, we all have those days and if you rest when your body needs it, you can feel ready to go next time.”
DO WORK ON YOUR STRENGTH
In pregnancy you’ll be getting heavier and changing shape over the nine months, not to mention welcoming lots of extra hormones.
“If you work on building and maintaining your physical strength,” says Charlie, “your body will cope far better with the change in centre of gravity as your bump grows, the extra kilos it needs to carry around, and most importantly support joints as the ligaments surrounding them become slightly less elastic thanks to the hormone relaxin.”
DON’T PUSH YOURSELF TOO HARD
“As much as I encourage women to continue to exercise throughout their pregnancy if they can, it’s important to remember the intensity might need to change depending on what you’re used to,” she says.
“No more training so hard that you collapse in a heap, struggling to catch your breath – this is not the time for that.”
She advises pregnant women and very new mums to aim for a seven out of 10 effort level, making sure you can talk and breathe comfortably while you’re exercising. New mums should build exercise back up slowly and steadily.
DO
Charlie says: “Imagine your pelvic floor as a hammock that holds up all your organs and your growing baby, it makes complete sense that it might weaken under all that pressure, so remember to do your pelvic floor exercises.”
WORK ON YOUR PELVIC FLOOR DON’T PRESSURE YOUR CORE
During pregnancy it’s important to maintain good core strength to help support your growing bump and stabilise you, explains Barker. But she says mothers-to-be need to swap traditional ab exercises, like planks and crunches, with exercises like Bird Dog or Side Plank Twist.
“There are plenty of ways to keep the core strong throughout your pregnancy without putting too much pressure through it,” she says.
NEARLY all children love animals – usually much more than they love learning. So why not put the two together, to see if animals can help children learn? It’s not a new idea, but it has been gathering pace in recent years and, before the latest lockdown, many teachers had got into the habit of taking animals – like the school rabbit or their own dog – into lessons.
And while creatures, ranging from hamsters, dogs and lizards to larger (not so school-friendly) animals such as horses can boost children’s wellbeing, animal-assisted interventions (AAIS) can also help children’s learning and development.
In science, children can learn about the animals themselves but it goes much further than that. In other lessons, the presence of animals can make children feel more relaxed, and it can also boost their learning in less obvious areas like social and emotional development.
Now the whole area of AAIS has been addressed in a new book, Tails from the Classroom, by Swansea University education specialist Dr Helen Lewis, and education inspector Dr Russell Grigg. Both have been working with animals in schools for years.
“Most children’s animal-loving nature, which stretches back to time immemorial, is a wonderful basis for teachers and parents to build on,” says Dr Grigg.
“Animals don’t worry about your appearance, class or background. In a chaotic world they’re a dependable friend, offering children much-needed emotional security and comfort.”
Dr Lewis adds: “There’s no doubt the presence of an animal can bring immense benefits to many learners. But we must remember not every animal will enjoy being in an educational environment. Animals are capable of feeling complex emotions and they express these in sophisticated ways.
“If we choose to involve them in classrooms we must acknowledge these voices, treating them as equal participants, not merely as teaching resources.”
Here, Dr Lewis and Dr Grigg outline how interacting with animals can benefit children...
Social behaviour
Caring for animals promotes a sense of responsibility, explains Dr Lewis, and children develop empathy as they learn to recognise when animals are thirsty, tired or hot and this is an important step in becoming less self-centred themselves.
“Participating in meaningful, caring activities can promote a child’s sense of confidence and self-worth and may foster a lasting affinity with the natural world,” she says. “Animals can become a non-judgemental friend.”
Children also learn how to take turns caring for animals, and don’t feel pressurised by animals in the same way they may with their peers.
Emotional wellbeing
A relationship with an animal can encourage a sense of security and belonging, says Dr Grigg. “Children who lack confidence in speaking to humans can address this by gaining confidence through talking to animals,” he explains.
“Animals provide very clear ‘biofeedback’ about their emotions via their body language – so when animals like dogs give feedback, whether it’s wagging a tail or moving away, children learn to regulate their own behaviour.
“They learn the importance of being calm around animals and to identify signs of stress. Children with particular anxieties find it comforting to know they’re not alone – to hear that even great big dogs have fears, such as thunder or fireworks.”
In addition, some children with attachment difficulties find it much easier to be around animals, which can help them learn to develop bonds with humans.
“We’ve found lots of schools have used animals to help children return to school after lockdowns, while some have involved them in online lessons,” adds Dr Grigg.
Language, literacy and communication
Children can develop speaking and listening skills through talking about an animal’s needs with its owner, explains Dr Lewis. “They need to listen carefully to instructions on how to care for the animal, or to give simple instructions to the school dog.
“They can become more confident in talking or reading to animals, who are a non-critical audience, and when children go home they can tell their parents about the visit of a dog or other animal to school, creating a conversation.”
Dr Lewis says schemes like the Read2dogs program run by the animal therapy charity Pets as Therapy (currently a virtual service while schools are shut during lockdown), or the John Burns Foundation’s Burns By Your Side reading with dogs scheme, can motivate and engage reluctant readers.
“Burns By Your Side reading with dogs encourages children to improve their reading and literacy,” says Melanie Jones of the John Burns Foundation.
“The child and the dog build up a special relationship which encourages children to want to read because it’s fun and not just because they have to. Over the years we’ve witnessed so much magic between the readers and the dogs.”
Physical development
Simply walking a dog brings huge physical and physiological benefits, Dr Grigg points out. “Studies have shown dog owners are four times more likely to meet recommended physical activity guidelines,” he says.
“And when a child physically stretches out and smooths an animal, it releases endorphins, which can reduce anxiety.”
In addition, through interacting with animals, by grooming or feeding for example, children and young people develop a range of fine and gross motor skills. Those with physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy can benefit from equine-assisted therapy as well, he says.
Imagination, curiosity and creativity
“We should also not forget most children find animals fascinating,” says Lewis. “Animals have many seemingly superpowers – take, for example, a dog’s sense of smell or hearing or a bird’s ability to fly.
“These can capture children’s imaginations and curiosity, generating questions and a desire to find out more.
“They can role-play animal characters, developing a range of social and imaginative skills as they do so.
“Throughout the world, children are busy developing research skills in animal-themed school projects because teachers know the power animals have to inspire and motivate students.”
■ Tails from the Classroom by Helen Lewis & Russell Grigg is published by Crown House, priced £16.99.
IT COULD be a fair assumption that if you’re looking for Lucifer in the modern world, a good place to start would be in a boardroom full of bankers. Satan is probably far more likely to be a corrupt billionaire wearing a Savile Row suit and handmade shoes than a red demon with horns and cloven hoofs.
That’s part of the idea behind this slick new ten-part thriller, set in the world of high-stakes banking and hedge fund billionaires, where the devilish characters include A-lister Patrick Dempsey as Dominic Morgan, the handsome silver fox CEO of one of the most important investment banks in the world.
The Italian and equallyhandsome actor Alessandro Borghi plays his prodigy, Head of Trading Massimo Ruggeri – the biggest and deadliest shark at the bank, who may or may not have been responsible for bankrupting Greece.
When we meet these two, Massimo is flying high and looks set to get a promotion to viceceo, until a scandal involving his ex-wife, who’s just mysteriously arrived back in London, de-rails everything.
Massimo is convinced his rival Ed (played by The Crown’s Ben Miles) is out to sabotage him so, with the help of his team, indulges in a little corporate espionage and stitches Ed up first.
No spoilers, but by the end of the episode Massimo finds himself right at the centre of a situation that’s clearly going to become way more complicated than anyone realises, and is rapidly spiralling out of control.