A race to Castle Combe
Snapdragons are delighted to announce their annual Castle Combe race day event for 2016 for all parents at the nurseries!
Come and join us on this special occasion to race around the circuit at Castle Combe, on Friday 29th July, between 17:00-19:00. We have been very kindly given this opportunity by two of our After-School club parents at Snapdragons Atworth, Tash and Ed Moore, who generously enable us the access to Castle Combe every year.
We will be aiming to arrive at 17:00, where we will be able to take a look at some race cars, before we head out onto the track to do a lap of the circuit! Everyone is welcome to join us for a lap, whether your child wants to run, ride their bike, scooter or pushchair! Once the 1.85 mile lap has been completed, you are welcome to bring a picnic and join us for tea.
This year we will be raising money for the charity CLIC (Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood). We kindly ask for your support by donating £1 per person to access the track. We will also be holding a raffle with some exciting prizes (to be confirmed!), which will be available to buy beforehand and on the day.
Everyone is welcome to join, so if you would like to invite grandparents and siblings - please do!
We can't wait to race you all over again!
Summer menus launch
With summer now upon us, we've now launched our four summer menus for the nurseries, which started with 'week one' on Monday. You can find out when each menu will be running on our healthy eating page, or take a look at all of the menus that are available below.
Pirate action returns to Chillfest
We celebrated the return of Chillfest to Snapdragons for another year of piratey fun this weekend, as families from across the area joined us to fundraise for the Teenage Cancer Trust - the chosen charity of Abbie Dougherty.
Abbie was Head of Babies at Snapdragons Weston and passed away on June 12th, after a battle with cancer. In the weeks before, she showed a desire to raise money for the ward that had supported her so admirably during her care and we wanted to show our respect for her, by supporting them too.
Kerrie Charlton gets sponged for charity.
James Woodman completes his run from Brislington to Bath for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Chillfest was full of fun, excitement, prizes, a Father's Day Tug of War and great food and it didn't disappoint. A rare dry day amongst so many wet ones, we welcomed dozens of families, all out for a worthwhile cause and helping us raise over £2000 on the day.
The Father's Day Tug of War is a hit!
Jamma de Samba appear again, entertaining us all with their incredible music.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and offered their support, especially in the minute's 'noise' for Abbie at the end. Your support is what makes us such a strong community and we thank you again for it.
For now, enjoy the video of the day and we can't wait to see you again next time!
About Abbie
It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Abbie Dougherty on the morning of June 12th 2016. She will not be forgotten.
Abbie was Head of Babies at our nursery in Weston for the past two years, earning her way through the ranks, after joining initially as an apprentice. Through hard work, a kind heart and an approach that was admired by all, she was a figurehead for her team, encouraging them to be the best they could be.
A popular character with the babies, her bubbly nature and positive outlook kept them learning in fun and exciting ways, allowing them to revel in their time at nursery, creating an atmosphere that inspired learning and enthusiasm.
Outside of nursery, she was a keen rugby enthusiast, supporting her local team in Chew Valley and spending time as a volunteer paramedic, once again showing her caring and supportive nature.
Abbie's fight with cancer was a long one, as so many of them always are and she returned to work happily, having been given the all-clear at the end of 2015. She rejoined her team with the same passion and happy spirit that she had always shown, stepping back in as if she had never been away. Unfortunately, it was less than a year after her return that she was told that her cancer had returned and Abbie had to step away from her babies for the last time.
“Abbie was excellent when she looked after my child.”
During her final weeks, Abbie chose to fundraise for the ward that had cared for her so admirably during her treatment. She wanted the money that was raised to be donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust, so that they could continue to help other young girls in her situation and that her fighting spirit would live on through them.
Abbie was loved by many and admired by all at Snapdragons Weston and her absence will be felt at the deepest parts of our hearts. Too young and too kind to leave us all so soon, she will forever be remembered from our youngest babies to our oldest employees.
Sleep tight Abbie. You'll never be gone from our minds.
'Farmyard Fritter' recipe
We recently spent an afternoon at Warleigh Lodge Farm with Tim, foraging for wild garlic, nettles and other foresty treats that might go well in a fritter for tea. The highly successful results can be seen below in our video, but we've also included the recipe in case you'd like to try some yourself, whilst out and about one sunny day.
Farmyard Fritters by Tim Graham
Ingredients
- 5 medium eggs
- 3 spoons of white flour
- A handful of freshly washed foraged leaves (you can also use spinach from the shop)
- A pinch of salt
- Olive oil for frying
Method
- Mix the eggs, flour, leaves and salt in a big bowl until they are covered
- Warm the oil in a frying pan and test its temperature by dropping a small amount of the batter in and seeing if it bubbles. Put a spoonful of the mixture into the pan and allow it to cook for a couple of minutes on each side.
- Lift the fritters out of the pan and set them on a plate to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Join @snap_forest at @WarleighLodgeFa with @snapweston & @snapgrosvenor for some proper farmyard fritters! #foraging pic.twitter.com/oNiORCAkEh
— Snapdragons Videos (@snaps_videos) May 6, 2016