Thursday 10 May 2018

Paw Patrol Live! "The Great Pirate Adventure" Announces UK Tour Dates

My son Riley is a HUGE Paw Patrol fan and last year we had the opportunity to take him to see Paw Patrol Live! "Race to the Rescue" in Manchester. We all had a fantastic time at the show and the whole family found it really entertaining. Everything from the costumes to the music was brilliant and we all agreed that it was a wonderful production.

We were therefore really excited to learn that Paw Patrol Live! will be embarking on another UK tour called "The Great Pirate Adventure". I know that Riley will absolutely love watching the pups again live on stage in their superb costumes, along with their vehicles and packs in this new pup-tastic adventure.


In Paw Patrol Live! "The Great Pirate Adventure", Mayor Goodway is getting everything shipshape for a big Pirate Day celebration in Adventure Bay. However, when Cap'n Turbot falls into a dark and mysterious cavern, it's Paw Patrol to the rescue!

Audiences will join Chase, Marshall, Rubble, Skye, Rocky and Zuma as they save Cap'n Turbot and discover a secret pirate treasure map that will lead them on an epic adventure. The pups will need all paws on deck for this pirate adventure, including help from the newest pup who's all ears.....Tracker! Faced with challenges along the way, the pups will need to use their heroic rescue skills and work together as a team as the pups set sail to save the day. No job is too big, no pirate pup is too small!

Tickets are on sale now and are available to purchase from www.pawpatrollive.co.uk

The current tour dates are as follows:
  • Saturday 28th July - The Playhouse, Edinburgh
  • Thursday 2nd August - Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
  • Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th August - SECC, Glasgow
  • Wednesday 8th August - Echo Arena, Liverpool
  • Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th August - Manchester Arena, Manchester
  • Wednesday 15th August - Fly DSA Arena, Sheffield
  • Saturday 18th August - Arena Birmingham
  • Wednesday 22nd August - Motor Point Arena, Cardiff
  • Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th August - The SSE Arena, Wembley, London
  • Wednesday 29th August - First Direct Arena, Leeds
  • Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd September - Windsor Hall, Bournemouth International Centre
  • Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th September - Brighton Centre, Brighton

Disclaimer: Details provided are believed to be correct at time of writing, but may be subject to change. I would therefore always recommend visiting the companies own website in order to obtain the most up to date information.

Monday 7 May 2018

Our Fun Family Adventure at Inflata Nation Cheshire - A Review

On Friday evening we were invited to a very special launch party, to celebrate the opening of the brand new Inflata Nation Cheshire. I had seen some advertising on social media during the past couple of weeks for the new attraction and thought it looked fantastic, though I was a little unsure as to how the concept would work or how big the inflatable park really was. We therefore jumped at the chance to enjoy a sneak preview of this fun filled venue and learn more about what Inflata Nation could offer for an enjoyable family experience.

Inflata Nation Cheshire is based in Runcorn and using the sat nav we found it with ease. It is ideally located within each reach of Cheshire, Merseyside and also North Wales, with our journey from Flintshire taking only 20 minutes down the M56. There is parking available outside for guests travelling by car, but it is also accessible by public transport, with both a train station and bus stops nearby.


We made our way into the building which had a large reception area, with plenty of room for guests. We were asked to fill in a waiver form prior to entering the arena, which you can also obtain online and print off, if you would rather fill it in beforehand.

Safety is of great importance to Inflata Nation and there are plenty of signs around the building giving guidance on the safe use of the equipment. There is also a safety briefing prior to bouncing and plenty of supervisors in the arena, who all work together to help create a safe environment.

As with any physical activity there is always a risk of injury, but having read the rules and the waiver, I was more than happy to sign and allow my children to participate. I could see that there were plenty of health and safety measures in place, which offered me lots of reassurance.

Anyone bouncing must wear socks and it is also recommended that you wear a long sleeve top and trousers to prevent any friction burns whilst using the slides. My daughter wore a short sleeved tshirt and a long sleeved lightweight shirt over the top that she could easily remove to keep cool when she wasn't using the slides. Ben wore a long sleeved tshirt, but we purposely picked one with loose sleeves, so that he could roll these up when just bouncing so that he didn't get too hot. We found that this worked well for us and ensured that the children stayed cool, but also had their arms and legs protected when needed.


As we entered the arena my children ran over to the inflatable theme park. I had seen some images online of the Manchester venue which opened last year, so I had some idea of what it would look like, though this far surpassed my expectations. Firstly the size was much bigger than what I was expecting and I was shocked at just how large the inflatable was. My children had never seen anything like this before and my youngest son Riley simply kept repeating "Wow,this is amazing!"

Before bouncing we also had the opportunity to speak to one of the owners Michelle Ball, whose enthusiasm and passion for Inflata Nation was clear to see. Both Michelle and her husband Matt are no strangers to creating fun family friendly attractions, having previously been responsible for the Jump Nation trampoline parks. However, the popularity of trampoline parks has soared in recent years and the amount of competition has also rapidly increased. They therefore decided that they wanted to develop something new and exciting for both kids and adults alike and Inflata Nation was created.


As more children arrived, the arena filled with excitement as everyone eagerly awaited to be told that they could begin to bounce. Everyone was waiting patiently on the mats and I think all the guests had an idea of where they were going to go first, because as soon as the signal was given, children ran off in all directions! Now I have mentioned the children at the attraction so far, but the best thing about this place is that it is suitable for the WHOLE family, not just the kids. The majority of adults soon followed the children and it was fantastic to see families having so much fun together, because lets face it, adults want to enjoy themselves too!

Due to there being numerous different areas on the inflatable, there wasn't one individual place that seemed too crowded and all guests appeared to distribute evenly across the arena. Activities included the Inflata Drop, Inflata Wall, Inflata Race and Inflata Duel to name just a few.


My youngest son's favourite was the Inflata Drop, which is Inflata Nation's signature slide that sends you speeding down into a giant ball pool. He absolutely loved this and must have gone down this slide at least twenty times. It was also a lovely moment for me, being able to watch him climb round each time, with such happiness on his face.


My daughter Emma really enjoyed the Inflata Wall, which is a giant multi-person inflatable climbing wall. She liked the fact that she didn't need to wear a harness and could climb both upwards, downwards and sideways to get around the whole wall.

Ben's favourite was the Inflata Challenge, which is where you harness yourself into a bungee and then race a competitor to the end. Once you reach the bottom though, you need to slam dunk a basketball into the hoop before the bungee pulls you back. Ben and his dad had a great time playing on this and it was so funny seeing them race and then flying backwards.


For children under four, there is also a separate inflatable play area which has its very own slide and ball pool on a smaller scale. There were also some bridges and tunnels to climb through and it was a lovely area for toddlers to enjoy.


One aspect of the attraction that I was really impressed with was the staff. Everyone was so chatty and friendly and it was nice to be made to feel so welcome. The supervisors on the equipment worked hard to ensure that the safety rules were being followed, whilst still wearing a smile and also having a good laugh with the guests. On one occasion my youngest son climbed to the larger 5-person slide and then changed his mind once he got to the top. Without hesitation the young lady supervising went to the top of the slide and helped my little boy back down, whilst reassuring him the whole time that it was absolutely fine and there was no problem at all. This was a situation where my five year old could have easily become upset and worried, but instead he was instantly put at ease. Once he was safely back to the bottom he said thank you and happily continued to bounce around in a different direction. Little things like this really matter to a small child (and their parents) so I was very pleased with how well this small problem was handled.


Whilst using the equipment we made use of the lockers which were available to store our shoes and valuables. These cost £1 which is refundable when you return the key to the locker. There were plenty available and we found this facility really useful to be able to keep our items safe.

Obviously all that bouncing can become very thirsty work, so I was pleased to see that there was a cafe on site selling a large range of both hot and cold drinks. In addition to this there was also a very nice menu offering a good choice of meals and snacks. I thought that the prices were reasonable and it was possible to create meal deals too, including a Family Hot Dog Meal Deal for only £12.50 which feeds a family of four.


The cafe and dining area was very clean and tidy and we loved the purple, blue and orange colour scheme that featured throughout. The bright colours helped to create really vibrant surroundings and made it a nice place to relax and enjoy some food. The staff members working on the refreshment area seemed well organised and in addition to serving customers quickly, they were always checking for anywhere that needed cleaning and making sure the area stayed tidy and presentable.


Overall we had an absolutely fantastic time at Inflata Nation Cheshire and it will certainly be a definite contender for my children's birthday parties, later in the year. Everything seemed well managed from the moment we arrived and all the staff worked tirelessly hard to ensure that all the guests had a great time. Inflata Nation is a wonderful idea and I am sure that many families will agree. There is plenty to do for all ages and the fact that adults can have just as much fun as the children, is just brilliant. I had been a little concerned that adults, teenagers and smaller children all playing on the same equipment at the same time could lead to some bumps or falls, but the presence of supervisors on the inflatable ensured that everyone kept to the rules and played safely. We will definitely be returning in the future and I look forward to seeing Inflata Nation expand to more centres during the next couple of years.

Attraction Details

Attraction: Inflata Nation Cheshire
Address: Inflata Nation Inflatable Theme Park Cheshire, Elite House, Shaw Street, Runcorn, WA7 5TZ
Booking line: 0161 710 2360 - Lines open Monday to Thursday 9:30am til 7:30pm and Friday to Sunday 9:30am til 5:30pm.
Events Department: 0161 710 2360 (option 2) - Lines open Monday to Friday 9.30am til 5pm
Opening Times & Entry Prices: Times & prices vary so please visit the attractions own website in order to obtain the most up to date information. Their website and social media channels can be found below.

Website: https://www.inflatanation.com/
Email: info@inflatanation.com
Facebook: /InflataNationCheshire
Twitter: @inflatanation
YouTube: Inflata Nation


Disclaimer: We were invited as guests to the pre-launch party of Inflata Nation Cheshire. All opinions and photographs are my own unless stated otherwise.

Saturday 5 May 2018

Dates for your Diary - The Snowman Tour with Carrot Productions

I know it is only May and Christmas is many months away, but as a parent I have found over the last few years, that the best festive events often sell out very early. I therefore wanted to share details of this wonderful tour with you straight away!

Tickets to Carrot Productions' presentation of the iconic film The Snowman accompanied by a live orchestra are on sale now, for venues throughout the country. It is the sixth annual tour by Carrot Productions, the most prolific performers of The Snowman film with live orchestra in the world. This years tour sees more venues being visited than ever before, including seven cathedrals in Blackburn, Chester, Durham, Gloucester, Lichfield, Liverpool and Winchester. There are 16 venues in total across the country that will be welcoming the production and it is sure to be a magical experience.

 Photo Credit: Tom Bangbala

The Snowman Experience is sure to delight audiences as the beloved movie is made extra vivid with the presence of a live orchestra, drawn from some of the top musicians in the country. Many of whom are members of such orchestras as The Halle and the BBC Philarmonic. In addition to this there will also be a young soloist performing the famous Walking in the Air song. This therefore not only provides a marvellous festive overture, but also acts as a wonderful introduction to the orchestra for children.

Photo Credit: Gareth Widdowson

The programme will also include a second animation that has been specially commissioned by Carrot Productions. This year some venues will be treated to a world exclusive in the form of 'A Donkey's Tale', which tells the heart-warming story of Dillon the Donkey.

Dillon is an ordinary donkey, with an extraordinary dream that takes him on a journey that will change his life. It has been specially written and composed by Daniel Whibley, who is also responsible for the musical score for The Bear and the Piano.

Watching The Snowman on television at Christmas, has been a family tradition for us for many years, so we cannot wait to see this magical delight be performed with a live orchestra later this year.

Tickets are now on sale and are expected to be very popular, so for further information or ticket details please visit: www.carrotproductions.com

A full list of tour dates and venues can also be found here: https://www.carrotproductions.com/the-snowman/

If you would like to get a feeling of an evening with The Snowman, then please watch the video below:


Disclaimer: We are being given 4 complimentary tickets for the purpose of providing an honest review of the tour later this year. All opinions are my own. Details provided are believed to be correct at time of writing, but are subject to change. I would therefore always recommend visiting the companies own website to obtain the most up to date information.

Thursday 3 May 2018

Letterbox Cakes by bakerdays - Review & Competition

My family and I have quite a few special occasions coming up over the next couple of months and it can be a bit of a struggle at times, to try and find the perfect gift for that special someone. I like to buy presents that are personal to the recipient, but also something that I know they will enjoy.

Thanks to the blog, I have been introduced to numerous brands over the last couple of years that offer some amazing gifts, so I know that there are some fabulous presents out there to suit all tastes. However there is one brand in particular that I often find myself returning to and that is....bakerdays.


The company bakerdays create personalised cakes for all occasions in a variety of different flavours. There is a huge selection to choose from in various sizes, which not only look fantastic, but taste absolutely delicious too! My favourite product that they offer is the innovative letterbox cake, which is a wonderful and unique gift idea for friends, family or even work colleagues that you may want to surprise. Measuring at approximately 5 inches in diameter (12cm x 2.5cm) they fit nicely through your letterbox and can provide 3-4 nice sized portions.

The bakerdays website is really user friendly with everything being clearly displayed in corresponding categories. I could literally spend all day browsing through the many different designs that are available and it is easy to navigate through the pages until you find the perfect one. Once you have decided on a design, then you simply need to select the size that you want, choose a flavour and then add a special message of your choice. Some cakes can even feature one of your very own photographs, for that added personalised touch.

My children and I had a little think about who we would like to get a cake for and Emma, Ben and Riley all had the same person in mind.....GRANDAD! My kids are all very close to their grandad and so it was a really easy decision for them all to make.

I initially suggested that we could get one as a Father's Day cake, but my son very rightly pointed out that it doesn't have to be a special occasion to eat cake and that it could simply be a gift to show how much they care about him. So with the recipient agreed, all we had to do now was choose a design.

We didn't want anything that was over complicated and Riley was quite specific in his request that it must have a teddy bear on it as well as lots of lovely colours. It didn't take long to find the ideal design which was exactly what the kids had imagined. We selected our choice and then chose a traditional sponge cake with jam and buttercream filling. There were lots of other flavours available though which included:

  • Traditional Sponge
  • Lovely Lemon Drizzle
  • Rich Chocolate Chip
  • Gluten Wheat Free Sponge
  • Dairy Free Sponge
  • Fabulous Fruit

I think it is great that bakerdays also provide a full list of ingredients for each flavouring, which is ideal if you are buying for someone with an allergy or an intolerance. This way you can be sure that the cake you buy is suitable for the recipient.

We were happy with the design exactly as it was, so we chose not to add personalised names as the example text suited us perfectly. The order was placed and we waited excitedly for our cake to arrive!



The website offers a range of delivery options and bakerdays assures customers that your cake will arrive fresh and in perfect condition. They have created special packaging to protect the cake which makes the product suitable for both national and even international delivery. Our cake arrived in a sturdy cardboard box, which had a lovely card enclosed, along with an advertising leaflet and discount code that could be used against future purchases. It was carefully contained within a miniature cake tin, which made the item look really presentable, which is exactly what you want when buying a gift for someone.


The image and text on the cake was great and we were all really pleased with how it looked. We knew that Grandad would absolutely love it and we weren't wrong. In addition to the presentation the quality of the cake was wonderful with a lovely taste that we all found delicious. The guide states that the cake is ideal for 3-4 slices, but we managed to get 5 decent sized portions between Grandad, Nana, Emma, Ben and Riley.

Overall we were extremely impressed with bakerdays, we have used them on several occasions now and have never been disappointed. The efficiency of the service and quality of the product is fantastic which is always reassuring when buying a gift for someone. My children now want to buy these for their teachers as an end of term gift which I think is a lovely idea, which also goes to show how much the kids enjoy the product too. I think the fact that you can choose the design yourself and personalise it, makes it all the more special and my children really enjoyed being involved. The ordering process isn't only simple, but also great fun too and we look forward to using the service again in the future.


If you would like to purchase your own bakerdays cake, then I have also been given an exclusive discount code for my readers. Simply enter code FAMILYADVENTURE15 to get 15% off your purchase. (Code expires 31st May 2018).

To find out more about the great range of cakes that bakerdays offer, then you can visit their website or social media channels on the links below:

Website - www.bakerdays.com/
Facebook - facebook.com/bakerdays/
Twitter -  @bakerdays
Instagram - @bakerdays

If you would like the chance to win your very own Letterbox Cake from bakerdays, then please read the terms and conditions and enter our competition using the gleam form below. Good Luck!

Win a Letterbox Cake from bakerdays

  • There is 1 (one) prize of a bakerdays Letterbox Cake
  • There is no cash alternative available.
  • Please allow up to 28 days for delivery
  • Competition is open to UK entrants aged 18 or over.
  • No bulk or third party entries.
  • Competition closes 20th May 2018 & the winner shall be drawn at random and contacted within 3 working days.
  • The winner will have 7 days to respond to the winning email to confirm their acceptance of the prize, before an alternative winner is drawn from the remaining eligible entrants.
  • The winners details will be shared with bakerdays, for the purpose of prize fulfilment and the winner's consent will be requested prior to any information being shared.
Disclaimer: We were provided with a complimentary letterbox cake for the purpose of providing an honest review of our experience. All opinions and photographs are my own, unless stated otherwise.

Wednesday 2 May 2018

Cancer Research UK Flower Shop - A Review

Cancer is a subject that is close to many people's hearts. If not experienced personally, then it is likely that you know of somebody who has been affected by it, at some point in their lives. It can be an extremely worrying and daunting time for everyone involved and that is why Cancer Research UK are consistently working hard to fund research, that may one day help to find a cure.

In the past month alone, both of my parents have had to undergo medical procedures, operations and biopsies in order to rule out cancer and ensure that this was not the reason for their health problems. Luckily in both cases, they came back clear, but there are many others out there that are not so lucky. 

Cancer Research UK are the UK's biggest charity and rely on donations, fundraising and awareness to help them continue their work. There are many ways to get involved and help, whether that be by making a donation, volunteering in one of their shops, donating items or fundraising. There are loads of possibilities to help make a difference to the fantastic work that this charity does.

I recently found out that online florist Prestige Flowers have teamed up with Cancer Research UK to open the Cancer Research UK Flower Shop, where 25% of all purchases are donated to the charity. This means that when purchasing a beautiful bunch of flowers for a loved one, family member or friend, you can also be doing your bit for charity and supporting this wonderful cause.

I was therefore delighted to be offered the chance to review one of the bouquets in the range and help to raise awareness on the blog. 

The bouquet I received was called Luxury Delight, which was probably the most ideal name you could have chosen for it. The flowers were absolutely stunning and the arrangement consisted of Stargazer Lillies, Memory Lane Roses and Deep Water Roses. They didn't only look fantastic, but smelt absolutely wonderful too.


They were delivered in a large monochrome cardboard box by Royal Mail and were expertly packaged inside, wrapped in beautiful white paper and water padding around the stems. This ensured that the flowers still received water throughout transportation, whilst also keeping the box and surroundings dry.

There was a white inner box inside the main packaging which when you lifted the top handle, helped to remove the bouquet from the box. It was then that I found some added surprises in the form of a lovely gift card, super-soft teddy bear and a glass vase, which was the perfect size for the flowers. They looked so nice all wrapped up that initially I didn't want to take off the wrapping for fear of spoiling the arrangement, but they had all been secured together at the stems, so I needn't have worried.


My son Riley quickly took the teddy to add to his ever growing collection, whilst I set about removing the bouquet from the packaging and arranging them in a vase. Initially I placed them altogether in the vase provided, but as the selection was so large, I made the decision the following day to split them between two vases so that I could have one on my window frame and another on the table. 


After seeing how lovely the flowers were, I visited the Cancer Research UK Flower Shop website which can be found here: https://flowershop.cancerresearchuk.org/flowers to see what other bouquets and gifts were available in the range.

The website is really user friendly and products are sorted into a variety of different categories which ranged from Birthday Flowers to Fruit Hampers and Congratulations to New Baby Gifts. The bouquets and gifts available for purchase all have very clear images, to give you an excellent idea of what your gift will look like.

A large selection of the items are available for Next Day delivery and this is available 7 days a week. I thought that this was a huge bonus as so many online stores only offer next day delivery Monday to Thursday, so it was great to see a retailer being able to provide this service each and every single day.

The bouquet of flowers I received are actually listed under the Birthday category, but I am sure you would agree that they would actually be suitable for a whole range of occasions.

Overall, I was extremely impressed by both the service received and the bouquet of flowers. They were exactly as portrayed in the online image and looked wonderful. The bouquet I had delivered was much larger than I had expected and I think it was great that in the end I was able to split them between two different vases. This certainly made a lovely display in my living room. My favourite thing about this item though, is of course that a charitable donation goes to such a worthy cause. This means that not only would a gift recipient be receiving a lovely bouquet, but that a percentage of the purchase price would also be going to Cancer Research UK.

You can view the full range of flowers on their website here: Cancer Research UK Flower Shop

To find out more about Cancer Research UK you can also visit their site here: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/


Disclaimer: I received a complimentary bouquet of flowers for the purpose of writing an honest review of the service and product I received. All opinions and photographs are my own unless otherwise stated. The RRP value of the flowers I received is £40 and therefore I will also be making a donation of £10 towards the charity.

Monday 30 April 2018

A Family Ski Lesson with Snozone in Castleford, West Yorkshire! - A Review

Last year we visited Snozone in Milton Keynes to experience a family sledging session. We saw some amazing skiing and snowboarding during our visit and we left extremely impressed with the facilities that were on offer. Before we had even left our sledging session, we had all agreed that we would love to return to Snozone in the future to enjoy a family skiing lesson.

This weekend the attraction launched their Snozone Summer of Snow Party, which provided us with the perfect opportunity to return and put our skiing skills to the test.  The party featured prizes, children's activities, freestyle demonstrations and special offers, as well as some FREE face painting and badge making. If that wasn't enough the restaurant was offering an amazing range of Tapas dishes, food and drink and Snozone had also teamed up with partners Andorra, Tog24 and Crystal Ski to provide both guests and members with some great deals.

Snozone is a family friendly attraction and snow sports facility. It currently has two venues in the UK with one being based in Castleford, West Yorkshire and the other in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Each site provides real snow slopes for skiing and snowboarding as well as offering snow experiences such as sledging and family snow play sessions, making it the ideal place to learn, develop and have some fun. They were also voted the Best Sporting Venue 2017/2018 by the School Travel Awards, for excelling in learning outside the classroom for school children.

We couldn't wait to visit again, though this time we chose to visit their Castleford site instead, which was 1 hour 25 minutes away from our home in North Wales. It was a really easy drive along the M62 and as we got closer, there were plenty of signs to show us where to exit. As soon as we left the motorway, we could see the huge Xscape building in the distance and the kids started to get really excited as we drove nearer.

On arrival, we were surprised to find that it was free parking. The Xscape building also houses many other entertainment venues and restaurants, so we were quite shocked that there was no charge to park. We made our way through the main entrance and followed the overhead signs to Snozone, where we were then welcomed at the reception desk.


We provided our reference number and the Snozone representative brought up our booking details. She told us the name of our instructor and wrote down our clothing sizes so that she could go and get some appropriate warm ski wear for us. You can bring your own ski clothing or you can hire it for a cost of £9.99 per person. Due to hygiene reasons, you must provide your own socks and gloves, but should you forget these, then they are available to purchase from the Snozone shop. This can obviously increase the cost of your visit though, so its best to try and remember to bring them with you.


Once we had collected all our clothing, we made our way over to the changing rooms. There are numerous individual changing cubicles, along with a further two communal changing areas for males and females with toilets. We chose to use the individual cubicles which were located next to the lockers, where you could leave your possessions for safe keeping. These required a £1 coin, but this was refundable.

Now that we had our clothing on, we headed to the equipment hire desk where we were provided with boots. I would recommend going one size up to your usual shoe size for comfort as they are very tight fitting. You are advised to only wear one boot to begin with, as you then return to the desk with your other boot so that the skis can be adjusted to fit. I will be honest, I found the process of getting all my gear on quite a challenge and the instructor ended up helping me fasten my boots in the end. Luckily he was lovely and was more than happy to help.

The booking confirmation advises to arrive 45 minutes before a ski lesson and initially I thought that this was a very lengthy amount of time, but really it was actually extremely accurate. We arrived at 9:45 and were only just ready in time for our lesson start time of 10:30 so I would definitely say that you need to make sure you follow the information provided to ensure that you have plenty of time to get all kitted out.

Our instructor Adam, had already found us at the waiting benches whilst we were getting our boots on and our first impressions of him were great. He introduced himself to all the children and took note of everyones names. He asked a couple of questions about which members of our family had been skiing before and how confident we were. In turn I asked him a couple of questions too about how long he had been teaching for and when he first started skiing. I also explained to him that I had a fear of heights and of hurting myself, so was probably going to be a terrible student to teach. Adam was really reassuring though and rather than just laugh at me, he did his absolute best to encourage me right from start to finish. If I could have hand picked an instructor, he would definitely have been my choice. Great with the kids, patient, knowledgeable and friendly.


We waddled out to the nursery slope, I say waddled and that's because we all took a bit of time to adapt to the heavy boots, as well as carrying the skis. Once we were on the flat, we were shown how to clip into the skis and began with attaching just one ski to the boot. We then got used to them by going up and down on the flat imitating riding a scooter, to get used to the sensation of the skis gliding on the snow. My five year old son Riley had been very nervous prior to the start of the session, but he was absolutely loving it as he slid along the snow.


Our next step was to get clipped into both skis and then slide across the straight. Ben, Emma and Mr F have all been skiing before, but this was a completely new experience for Riley and I. It took a little bit of getting used to, though somehow I managed to maintain my balance. Once we had mastered the fine art of sliding, we were then shown how to open and close the skis in order to add some control to our movement. We were only approximately 20 minutes into the session when we went half way up the nursery slope and made a gentle slide down. The rest of my family found this super easy, but I will admit that I was so worried about taking a tumble.



Once everyone had accomplished that step, it was time to make our way to the top of the nursery slope. Again everyone but me found this remarkably easy, as you simply had to hold onto a rope which then pulled you to the top of the slope. I managed to hold the rope fine, but my release wasn't the most perfect and I needed the help of trusty Adam to get me to the flat section at the top.

Adam then explained that he would go down the slope with each of us one at time, so that we could get a feel for it first. I was amazed at how comfortable Riley was with Adam and was so proud when he made his first attempt to ski down the snow. The smile on his face once he had done this was fantastic and certainly a memory I will treasure.

As our family grew in confidence Ben, Emma and Mr F all made their way down the slope unaided numerous times gaining a little more speed and control on each occasion. Mr F did slightly misjudge one attempt though and ended up in a heap alongside the crash barrier, but this was all good fun and he was able to laugh it off and get straight back up to try again. Practice makes perfect as they say!


Towards the end of the session, Adam lay some cones out on the slope and my family took it in turns to steer around the cones with the skis and control the direction that they wanted to go. Ben in particular seemed to find this really easy and I was amazed when Riley also managed to do this too, with the added help of the instructor. I was so impressed with the skills that all my children showed during just a one hour session, it was definitely a proud mum moment.

The hour lesson had literally flown by and we all really enjoyed it. As we returned our ski equipment to the hire desk, Adam filled in some ski lesson cards and ticked off each skill that we had managed to achieve during the lesson. You can bring this card with you to any subsequent lessons and each time you complete a section it can be signed off by the instructor. I thought that this was a really good idea, as it makes it clear what you are capable of, but also what skills you need to achieve in the future.


We thanked Adam for his time and made our way back to the changing rooms to get back into our normal clothes. Despite the fact it is cold on the slopes, we were all really hot due to the amount of exercise we had just done, so it is clearly a great way to keep fit too! I later learnt that you can burn up to 400 calories an hour on skis or a snowboard. We were all thirsty so went to purchase some drinks before continuing to enjoy some of the other activities that were available.

We made our way up to the restaurant, where a lovely lady called Jill was offering free face painting for the children. She had some pictures available that you could choose from, but Riley had decided that he wanted to be Gecko from PJ Masks. Rather than just say no, Jill very kindly brought up a picture on her phone instead and used that for an idea to paint Riley's face. I thought that this was really kind of her and Riley was absolutely delighted. Emma then opted to have a snake and Ben chose a shark, both of which were fantastic.



Next to the face painting table, there was another area to make some badges. This was being ran by Louise who again was absolutely lovely with the children. Throughout the whole day, we were all made to feel so welcome and my kids really enjoyed doing this activity with Louise. There was a selection of pens, stamps and crayons to help create your chosen design and it was a really fun thing to do to end our day.



The restaurant had a great selection of food and drink on offer and in addition to the normal choices, there was also a fantastic tapas menu, that the chef had put together specifically for the Summer of Snow party. This was £16 for 6 dishes which were designed for two people to enjoy together. We had eaten a large breakfast that morning, so we were not hungry enough to sample this, which is a shame as the food smelt absolutely delicious and we would have loved to have tried this out.

Overall we had an absolutely fantastic day at the Snozone Summer of Snow Party and despite our lesson only being an hour long, we spent a total of four hours there enjoying the surroundings and activities. There is a large picture window in the upstairs restaurant so it was nice to observe some wonderful skiers making their way down the slopes. It is a really family friendly venue and all the staff that we met were brilliant with the children which is always reassuring. Our skiing lesson was really enjoyable and I couldn't have wished for a better instructor.

A lot of people may consider skiing or snowboarding to be a Winter activity only, but if anything Summer is the ideal time to learn, due to it being a quieter season. It is a great way to stay fit and active and due to the fact that Snozone are open 364 days a year, it makes it a great all year round activity to enjoy as a family or as an individual. My children are now keen to progress their skills, so there is no doubt that we will be returning to Snozone very very soon!

Important Information:

Milton Keynes address - Snozone Xscape, 602 Marlborough Gate, Central Milton Keynes, MK9 3XS

Castleford address - Snozone Xscape Castleford, Colorado Way, Glasshoughton, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 4TA.

Telephone number - 0333 0030 520

Website - The Snozone website provides the most up to date information on pricing, lessons, courses, bookings and events. I would therefore always recommend visiting the attractions own website before visiting. Their website can be found here: https://www.snozoneuk.com/

Alternatively, you can follow Snozone on social media. Their social media channels are:

Twitter - @snozone_uk
Facebook - SnozoneUK
Instagram - @Snozone
YouTube - SnozoneVideos


Disclaimer: We were invited as guests to the Snozone Summer of Snow Party Weekend and received a complimentary family skiing lesson for the purpose of writing an honest review of our experience. All opinions and photographs are my own.

Sunday 29 April 2018

New Festival FamFest Brings Fantastic Family Fun to Warrington

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT HAS NOW BEEN CANCELLED

A fabulous new family-friendly festival is coming to Warrington this August.

FamFest Warrington, the brainchild of Wire FM founder Pete Pinnington, takes place at Orford Jubilee Park on Saturday and Sunday 11th-12th August and promises a weekend of amazing activities and events for all the family.

Tickets went on sale via www.famfestwarrington.co.uk at 9am on Friday 27th April, and there is a special early bird offer running for a limited time only.


The action-packed event runs from 11am to 10pm each day and will feature a host of fantastic activity zones, attractions and household names, including Mister Maker and The Basil Brush Show who will be on hand to entertain the little ones.

A packed programme on the main stage will feature top tribute acts playing homage to stars like Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars and Little Mix.

On Saturday 11th August the weekend will kick off in style with live performances throughout the day by tribute artists who will bring crowds all the hits from Will Smith, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, Bruno Mars and Michael Jackson.

There will also be live shows and performances by Beauty & The Beast, The Minions, Mister Maker and Basil Brush, PLUS an extra special performance by Warringtonian - and winner of BBC's The Voice 2017 - Mo Jamil.

Sunday 12th August will include live performances on the big stage by tributes to Jesse J, Katy Perry, Jess Glynne, Taylor Swift, Kaiser Chiefs, The Killers, Lionel Richie, Coldplay, Little Mix, George Michael and Take That. Young festival-goers will also love the live shows and performances from Beauty & The Beast, The Minions and Basil Brush.

Visitors to FamFest Warrington will also be able to meet a vast range of characters throughout the two day festival including Darth Vader and Stormtroopers, Balthazar Bratz and The Minions, Beauty & The Beast, Ironman, Hulk, Mr T (A-Team), princesses and many more!

FamFest Warrington is a ticketed event. Along with regular ticket prices, there are also upgrade options to VIP, family VIP or weekend tickets.

Ticket entry will give visitors access to Sports Zone, Kids Zone and Circus Skills activities, the Basil Brush Show, a Kids Craft Zone with Disney's Art Attack present Lloyd Warbey, Character Zone and a Princesses Pamper Pavilion as well as the main stage tributes. Mister Maker and his live shows are also there, but only on the Saturday.

There will also be food and drink available to buy, including a fully licensed bar, and a VIP Marquee.

Founder Pete Pinnington said: "Since helping to launch Warrington's first commercial radio station, Wire FM, in 1998, I've always wanted to launch Warrington's first major family festival. And why not 20 years later?"

"My event management company Pete Pinnington Presents organises and supports numerous clients events across the UK. We also create and deliver many unique events for our shopping and town centre clients. These include family-friendly half term and summer themed events along with Christmas Light switch ons."

"My company and I have the infrastructure and excellent support team around us to ensure we deliver a truly memorable and enjoyable family festival for all ages to enjoy and Warrington to be proud of."

Listing Details

Event: FamFest Warrington
Venue: Orford Jubilee Park
Dates: Saturday 10th August & Sunday 11th August
Website: www.famfestwarrington.co.uk
Facebook: facebook/famfestwarrington
Twitter: @famfestevents

Ticket Prices

All Under 3's go free

Early Bird Offer - Monday 30th April to Friday 25th May

1 Day:

  • Child (3-15 years) - Half Price @ £12.50 (inc fees)
  • VIP Child (3-15 years) - £22.50 (inc fees) Can only be purchased with a family ticket.
  • Adult - £25.00 (inc fees) £5 saving off general release
  • VIP Adult -  £40.00 (inc fees) £10 saving off general release.
  • Family (2 adults & 2 children aged 3 -15)  - £60.00 (inc fees) £10 saving off general release
  • VIP Family (2 adults & 2 children aged 3 -15) - £90.00 (inc fees) £10 saving off general release
Weekend:

  • Child (3-15 years) - Half Price @ £20.00 (inc fees)
  • VIP Child (3-15 years) - £30.00 (inc fees) Can only be purchased with a family ticket.
  • Adult - £40.00 (inc fees) £10 saving off general release
  • VIP Adult -  £60.00 (inc fees) £10 saving off general release.
  • Family (2 adults & 2 children aged 3 -15)  - £90.00 (inc fees) £30 saving off general release
  • VIP Family (2 adults & 2 children aged 3 -15) - £120.00 (inc fees) £30 saving off general release
Disclaimer: Details provided are believed to be correct at time of writing, but are of course subject to change. I would therefore always recommend visiting the companies own website in order to obtain the most up to date information.