Bluey's Blog

Out with the old and in with the new!

2012-01-02T08:03:00.000-08:00

How did I become a Children's entertainer, it was certainly not a career I had in mind when I started working for myself, who does! Here is a potted list of how I got to where I am, from Brownies to parties.
Michelle Peters CV
2002 - 2006 Brownies
2006 - present Rainbows
2007 Bluey & Baloo starts trading with Saturday Art Club at the Oxton Green Community Shop and we also did recycling crafts at Wirral Play Day and entertainment for children's parties.
2008-2009 Smarties Art Club for preschoolers (Funded by Wirral MBC)
2010 Smarties Play out, free play out sessions. (Finalists at the Spirit of Merseyside Awards)
2010 Clair House Summer Festival
2010 Amy and Friends international retreat weekend.
2011 Wirral Change Women's BAME group, We provided a créche for the groups children.
2012 Minnie's - Self funding all of our previous projects through a not for profit play centre and créche and many more. To get this project of the ground we will be having lots of fabulous events throughout the next year and warmly invite you to our launch event:

WirralSwish

ClothesSwap Party

In aid of Claire House and Minnie's play centre and créche.

Revamp your wardrobe without emptying your purse

Leasowe Community Centre, Twickenham Drive, Leasowe,

Thursday 2^nd February 2012

6 – 9pm

Tickets are priced from £9 in advance on our Eventbrite site and £11 on the door.

The rules of the Clothes Swap are:

Bring your good condition clothes, shoes and accessories.

You can bring up to 5 pieces, which include clothes, shoes and accessories.

All clothes must be in good condition; any clothes with bobbles, stains or from Primark will not be accepted. We do not accept plain t-shirts.

Party guide for 1st birthdays 0

2011-11-23T11:52:00.001-08:00

The battle between Bruised knees and playing safely!

2011-10-31T08:25:00.000-07:00

I was walking past a parent the other day that was saying to their children, "walk sensibly or you will fall over". This made me think about my childhood of adventure, cuts and scrapes and exploration. I also had the problem of having very poor balance due to a hearing impediment.
My parents could have kept me indoors for fear of some terrible accident but thankfully they did not and as a result I have many good memories and certainly gained many valuable skills because I was able to take risks. Would it be the end of the world if a child fell over and hurt themselves?

There always should be a limit to the freedom a child should have, it would be unwise to let a 5 year old go wandering unaccompanied but a 10 year old is certainly capable of following instructions of where not to go and stranger danger etc. I think it is more limiting to restrict your child, they will grow into adulthood having never taken any risks, how scary that must be.
It is a matter of only giving them the trust you know they are capable of handling, it is very satifying to see your children becoming increasingly sensible, accomplished and reliable individuals. I have 3 children aged 18y, 13y and 7 months, I began by giving each of the older ones tasks and responsibilities that would encourage independence such as letting them venture out, tidying up after themselves and making decisions. it's the simple things that work best. Other things worth trying is letting your child wander around the playground without being glued to them, of course you will need to let them know about the dangers (swing in face, slippery floor etc.) or you could encourage them to use equipment that they find slightly scary, like jumping off the fireman's pole or climbing a large climbing frame, you could join in instead of watching!

You may recall the game British Bulldog, it has been banned after the government told schools to stop the game due to fears of compensation claims. check out this BBC article and the comments below it, what do you think about our risk adverse society?

Other interesting articles:
Fair play for children.
Are you allowed to play out?

I don't believe it, parents enjoying events!

2011-10-23T06:22:00.000-07:00

I cannot tell you how many thank yous and various positive comments we have had after entertaining little ones at weddings and christenings. A couple of Mums recently (Sefton Cricket Club, Liverpool) admitted it was the first time in ages they had been able to have a decent uninterrupted conversation.

There is a lot of choice for entertainment options at a wedding or christening, we may entertain the children but they certainly are not the only ones that benefit, gone are the days when a parent is so busy entertaining their children that they don't manage to have a sensible conversation or enjoy an event as an adult. Even those that are not hiring a mobile creche or children's entertainer can do much to help the time pass more enjoyably, check out my article below about good activity ideas.

The mysteries of marketing!

2011-10-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

As you all know, I am trying to promote my first fundraising event for the créche and playcentre. Despite sending information to various networks such as: The Social Enterprise Network, University of Liverpool and T-shirts and Suits creative network, I have had absolutely no response whatsoever.
It occurred to me that maybe e-mailing is not the most effective promotional tool, imagine my surprise when after only a few phone calls I had sold a good number of tickets and many more had promised to look into it. It appears that a personal touch is the ticket.

Another surprising result is how much easier it has been to obtain prizes. I have obtained a lovely swirls Dress from Amanda Seaborne, her range Damsel in a Dress is one of the lines that John Lewis stocks, I have also been given a gorgeous exclusive cheese board and knife set that Angela of ARK Contemporary design has made.

If anyone has any other pearls of wisdom, short of dressing up as a christmas tree and walking round Liverpool

Christmas Party Fundraiser

2011-09-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

Help the team at Bluey's Community raise funds for a very worthy cause - Claire House Children's Hospice and Children's right to play. Whether you're having a girls night out, want to network or are celebrating with colleagues, we can promise a fantastic night.

We have a fantastic menu, great entertainment and lots of auction items.

Bluey's Community Christmas Party

Contemporary Urban Centre

16th December, 7pm - 1am

4 Course Dinner

Entertainment by Annie Long Trio and a disco till 1am

£35 per head

Menu:

To start

Spiced parsnip and apple soup

Ham hock and black pudding terrine with home-made piccalilli

Smoked salmon and Morecombe bay brown shrimp mousse served with artisan bread

Blossom honey glazed goats cheese salad

To follow

Roast breast of Cheshire turkey with all the trimmings

Roast loin of pork with a winter pork and apricot stuffing

Fillet of salmon topped with a herb crust in a pink peppercorn beurre blanc

Stuffed roasted aubergine

All served with seasonal vegetables and potatoes

To finish

Dark chocolate torte

Christmas plum pudding with brandy sauce

Ginger and bourbon trifle

Fresh fruit salad

Coffee and Mince Pies

to secure booking an Initial deposit of £10 per person can be made, (by cheque, payable to Bluey's Community) or BACS, Please contact Michelle Peters on 07724 600211 for account details.

Bluey's Community CIC, 82 Parkside Road, Bebington, CH63 7NR.

Children's Party Activities

2011-08-24T10:33:00.000-07:00

If you are having a celebration that involves children and are considering entertaining them yourself then hopefully this list should make any event run smoothly.

Toys - every family has them, ask friends and family to bring a couple of items that they are happy to share, make sure they are fairly robust to avoid breakages.
Bubbles - these can provide lots of fun for little cost, use cookie cutters, pipe cleaners and hands as well as bubble wands.
Party games - These are as popular now as ever, you could also get an inexpensive parachute.
Arts and crafts - children love glitter glue and painting, colouring with pens and crayons is another option.
Storytime - act out a favourite story.
Treasure hunt - hide anything from clues to prizes, make sure you hide things at the last minute so prizes are not found before the hunt begins.
Fun with Food - Cookie or cake decorating are a popular favourite.

Remember to ask friends and family for assistance, alternatively, hiring an entertainer would enable you to relax and enjoy the celebration knowing the children are catered for.

For activity options please see Bluey & Baloo's arty fun page or our Facebook site

Playtime - Helping poor children have fun and gain valuable skills

2011-06-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

I am a great believer in one person being able to make a difference. My goal to set up a play centre in order to make a difference particularly to the lives of the children of Merseyside.
If you take into account the following facts taken from the Office for National Statistics on national child poverty rates:

Children living in Poverty - percentages according to region:

Living in Northern Ireland 25 per cent;
Living in Scotland 25 per cent;
Living in Wales 27 per cent;
Living in England 28 per cent.

Within England

Living in the South East 19 per cent;
Living in Eastern England 22 per cent;
Living in the East Midlands 25 per cent;
Living in the South West 26 per cent;
Living in the North West and Merseyside 29 per cent;
Living in Yorkshire and the Humber 29 per cent;
Living in the North East 30 per cent;
Living in the West Midlands 32 per cent;
Living in Outer London 34 per cent;
Living in Inner London 51 per cent.

In fact the levels for Liverpool are higher due to the ethnicity of certain groups living within the city.

There is clearly a need for more play provision, due to the high numbers of children living under the poverty line.
Research shows that play has many benefits for children, families and the wider community, as well as improving health and quality of life. Recent research suggests that children's access to good play provision can:

increase their self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-respect
improve and maintain their physical and mental health
give them the opportunity to mix with other children
allow them to increase their confidence through developing new skills
promote their imagination, independence and creativity

for more child poverty statistics and a definition of play please see Play England's website.

A new board of directors

2011-03-09T06:50:00.000-08:00

On Monday 7th March, a small group of prospective board members met up at the Station Restaurant, Hamilton Street, Birkenhead.
The meeting consisted of myself introducing Bluey's Community with regards to progression and plans, I also spoke about my work experience from volunteering as a Unit helper at brownies to becoming the owner of a successful childrens entertainment company.

My prospective board members then introduced themselves and a thoroughly enlightening evening it was.

I also had a meeting the next day with another candidate and I am pleased to announce that I have my new board, with many new ideas and skills, this can only be an enormously positive move in the right direction.

Thanks goes to Certax Accountants and The Station Restaurant for their advice and support

For more information see our facebook page for Bluey's Community CIC

Board Members Wanted

2011-01-17T13:10:00.000-08:00

Bluey's Community is a social enterprise that is committed to children and play, workforce development and women in business.

2011 is to be a very exciting year - we will be opening a play centre in liverpool City centre and we need board members to help us along our journey, so that we can achieve all our objectives of having as much play on Merseyside as possible.

If you care about children's right to play and would like to more information then please go to our facebook page and message Michelle Peters (Chief Executive) or call 07724 600211.

Problems and progression

2010-11-06T04:17:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year I identified a perfect venue for Bluey's Community, it was affordable, the site was also a social enterprise and the costs to set up would be low. Unfortunately one aspect I had not counted on was a comprehensive tenancy application, vague guidelines and elusive staff. It resulted in a failed tenancy which put me back to square one after 5 months and a lot of work.
After a short look, another venue was identified although the costs would be much higher and would result in a delayed opening date as the soonest we could open is February, this would enable us to hopefully open with appropriate funding such as an Awards for All grant which takes 3 months to be awarded.

Despite the problems I have made progress I now have a range of policies, a business plan and have completed my registration with companies house. I have also been receiving help from the Social Enterprise North West Mentoring Scheme, they have paired me up with an excellent mentor from a Liverpool Housing Association.

Setting up my social enterprise "Bluey's Community"

2010-05-11T05:56:00.000-07:00

After reaching the final of a competition, I realised that my idea for a shoppers creche must be a good one, although I didn't win the competition I decided that it was an idea worth pursuing.

So after talking to a few customers and my local college I decided to take the plunge and look into how I might get this business of the ground. My first job was research, I looked into competitors, the closest créche is in Shrewsbury and is not a social enterprise and I was unable to find any evidence on the internet of such a business already existing, so no real competition exists out there. My next tasks included researching suitable venues and funding, I found several venues and viewed 2 premises, the funding that I earmarked as suitable is the social entrepreneur Charity Unltd and their level 1 fund, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Community Foundation Merseyside. These funds all support different aspects such as start up costs, wages and capital costs.

I then met up with Jane from employer services at Wirral Met, we discussed aprenticeships and student training and work experience, generally the meeting was very encouraging and positive feedback was given.

I then met up with Marjorie Fagan, the local early years team daycare specialist, she provided lots of useful information regarding OFSTED registration and EYFS best practice. Again positive feedback was offered. Marjorie also pointed out some useful publications with regards to floor the plan of the créche.

Another meeting with a local Business Link advisor was very useful in that I was given networking links and advice about the best legal form Bluey's Community should take, it was agreed that a Social Enterprise with Charitable Trust status would be a good idea.

Armed with information I am now in the process of applying for a level 1 grant, which will enable me to pay all the costs that will prevent this project from getting of the ground.

My to do list has significantly grown as I now have to register Bluey's community with Company House and the Charity Commission, apply for planning permission, write my governing documents and policies and reach an agreement with Warner Estates, the owners of Birkenhead Grange Centre.

I will be attending a networking event for NFP orgs and charities, hopefully I will gain some useful contacts and information that will help with the process.

Presentations and parties

2010-04-19T06:15:00.000-07:00

After a busy weekend which saw us entertain at an adoption party in Liverpool and a birthday party in North Wales, I began my presentation for the final of the Big Community Idea on the 30th April.
The advice given about the presentation was to have a bit about how I arrived at my current position, as well as information about my plan for Bluey's Community shoppers Créche and Training Academy. It was a shock to the system to write anything down about my journey to becoming a business women, especially since the last presentation that I did was on the subject of the effects of soil degradation on agricultural productivity!
The hardest part was sitting down to start the presentation, what with holiday clubs, family duties and work. When I finally sat down to begin I found it to be easier than expected and I now have 12 slides and many more to come.

Awards, free gifts and competitions

2010-03-31T09:14:00.000-07:00

This has been a fantastic week. On Tuesday I met my fellow finalists for the Big Community Idea (BCI), it was nice to talk to my fellow community workers, what a mostly laid back bunch we are.
The ideas ranged from Community Reporting, Youth Sport Coaching and a Community Cafe all good ideas. None involved a creche or Training Academy, it's nice to have an original idea.
On arriving home more good news awaited me that Smarties had reached the shortlist for project of the year at the Merseyside Spirit Awards.
This afternoon I ventured into Birkenhead with my Daughter, for a spot of advertising of the Play Sessions at Oxton, New Ferry and Wallasey, most people were not rude to me and appreciated that I was not trying to sell anything, only one mother stomped passed me, much to my amusement!

I decided that it would be better to approach the Early Learning Centre to see if they would let me put some of my leaflets on the counter, they not only said yes but also offered me a donation of a smart toy called a Swinx, this jolly little item is an electronic toy that comes with 10 games that the children can have fun doing, this toy is worth £100 so I was very taken aback, it's not often that I go into a shop and come out with a donation without even asking.

I

The Big Community Idea

2010-03-15T10:31:00.000-07:00

Bluey & Baloo shortlisted for the Big Community Idea award

North West Children's Entertainment Company and Community group, Bluey & Baloo have recently received some fantastic News!

We recently submitted a plan for a Shoppers Creche in Birkenhead to this competition and we are delighted to report that our idea is one of the 10 ideas shortlisted for this £10,000 award. See www.connaught.plc.uk/thebigcommunityidea

www.blueyandbaloo.co.uk

My favourite arty projects

2010-03-10T02:21:00.000-08:00

I have been asked many times about the playdough that I use at Smarties, parties and other events, so if you would like to make the softest most child friendly play dough then here is the recipe. The cups I use are children's drinking beakers. This recipe will last for ages, at least a month of constant use.

Are you stuck for an easy activity on the plane, play dough is great you only need a small cup filled with play dough and some cutters, you could even use plastic cutlery although this is slightly messier.

Playdough

1 Cup plain all purpose flour

1/2 Cup of salt

2 tablespoons of cream of tartar

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 cup of water with food colouring added

Put all the ingredients into a large non stick saucepan, stir over a medium/low heat until the mixture is thickened. Wait until dough is cooled, mould into a ball and then put into an air tight container or plastic bag with no holes.

Thornton Manor Wedding

2010-03-04T03:10:00.000-08:00

Off to Thornton Manor, my first Wirral Wedding! Entertainment for 17 kids, the usual kind of entertainment was being offered however, my ball pool turned up from the couriers minus the main section. This has thrown a small spanner in the works as I will now be visiting Wirral Play Council to borrow theirs. I have plans for bubbles, colouring, fabric crafts and play equipment then at the end a spot of balloon modelling.

The room I will be entertaining in is very nice and old, the house itself is spectacular, it is a real pleasure to be working in such glorious surroundings. The children are a treat, it's a joy to be a childrens entertainer at Weddings. The only considerations are enabling the children to visit their parents without causing the waiting staff a problem.
The other thing is how to keep the room as we found it, we have managed very well so far to protect carpets from play dough, one of us has to be constantly watching the floor for spillages.

I have a new lady starting today, she is a childminder that has just moved to Chester. Hope she manages o.k.

Wedding fairs and Smarties Play

2010-02-22T06:19:00.000-08:00

This has proved to be a busy and very satisfying week, on Tuesday I launched Smarties Play, a spin off from my Pre-school art club Smarties. Over 20 children attended the first session, which is more children than I have ever had at Smarties. On Thursday (18th Feb) we had a rather more laid back and easy going session at the Oxton Green community shop, with only 8 children. The biggest turn out was at the Wallasey, St. Hilary's session, at least 25 children attended and their accompanying parents and carers. I cannot put into words how pleasing this was as it revealed how necessary this club is.
After all the funding bids, meetings, planning, preparation and organisation the attendance reflected the amount of work that went into creating this club. The feedback was also very encouraging. Hopefully some of the parents will post their comments and pictures an Arty Bears facebook page.

The weekend was also busy, I entertained at a little boys 2nd birthday, all went well 2 happy parents and a happy boy. Sunday was Wedding creche promotion day, loaded with lots of postcards, I began at Thornton Hall Hotels Fair, I spoke to many of the stall holders most had not heard of anyone offering of such a service and many said what a great idea it is. I had a similar response from the Brides and their families. It was a similar story at Inglethorpe Manor in Ledsham, only one stall holder, English Rose Weddings and Events had heard of a wedding Creche. I handed out many postcards and some stall holders took some cards to put in their shops. Overall a good start to the promotion.

Dodgy customer

2010-02-14T06:19:00.000-08:00

I pride myself on providing a good and honest service, what upsets me is when a customer swindles me for no reason. Yesterday I had a customer that decided at the end of the party, (that went very well i might add) to pay me £50 less than the agreed price, the stated reason was the lack of games provided, unfortunately time went fast and I did not find time to do more than a few parachute games and pass the parcel. By this time I had done the work and was not going to argue with 5 of them. What was most astounding is that I have done parties for the price they paid, they however did not try too haggle or negotiate.
Instead of leaving the party with a sense of satisfaction, I felt incredibly dumbfounded, at one point one of the kids defended me whilst they were ganging up to complain. They made the odd suggestion that they would be happy to recommend us!!!

If any other Childrens entertainers have had a similar experience I would love to know.

Helpful networkers

2010-02-11T13:48:00.000-08:00

I attended a networking event at Oakmere Community College yesterday and was given some very useful information from a member of the Business Link team. It has inspired me to design a postcard and launch my business into the world of Weddings, look out Thornton Hall Hotel!
Another Mum (and fellow networker) allowed me to ask her a few questions about my prices and I was glad to find out that my prices are spot on.