The website also gives advice for parents and carers on how to help get their child excited about reading.

The new business “came to light” when the Meeks found their own son was finding it difficult to read.

“Going to a bookshop or the library is great, but can also be overwhelming with choice,” said Ms Meek, a lecturer at Norwich City College.

“Our selected books give parents or grandparents a nice option of easy-to-read, fun books for their young person.”

Mr Meek explained that he was himself a “reluctant reader” as a child and teenager.

“One day in lockdown I found a book that looked quite interesting so decided to put the kettle on and give it a go,” he said.

“I finished the first few chapters and my tea had gone stone cold without me even taking a sip.

“I had realised what I was missing: if only I had found a book to capture my imagination at a much younger age, maybe I could have been an astronaut or the prime minister.”

Torchlight Books carefully selects books that are fun and interesting. The majority are dyslexia friendly, which means the line spacing is increased and there are fewer words on a page.

The books are a great option for readers who may be struggling or feeling overwhelmed with other books.

All the books are individually wrapped in tissue paper and presented in an exciting box that can be coloured in, making it a unique gift.

The start-up business said it received excellent advice from Broadland District Council, which resulted in a business grant that allowed the Meeks to convert their garage into an office, packing area and storage unit.

Torchlight Books has many plans for the future and hopes to help as many children as possible foster a love of reading.

Torchlight Books

Email: info@torchlightbooks.net

www.torchlightbooks.net

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Smart Swim School based in Reepham wanted to raise awareness with the children (and their parents) about the effects of plastic in our oceans and how this negatively impacts marine life.

So, over the past few weeks, our swimmer’s parents have been collecting all their plastic recycling for us to put in the pool.

I wanted the children to have first-hand experience of what it might feel like for ocean-going animals to be surrounded by our rubbish.

The lessons have really made a huge impact on the children. We chatted about the importance of each child taking three pieces of rubbish off the beach every time they go.

During the lesson, we went for a little ride in an inflatable canoe and practiced falling in (with our clothes on) and swimming through the rubbish back to the side: our theme this term has been water safety.

We then spent time practicing clearing some of the rubbish out of the pool, to bring home the point of how everyone working together can make a big difference. Training up the next generation is the way to go!

Great fun was had by all and the children learnt a fantastic lesson through this experience.

About Smart Swim

Smart Swim is a small, family-run swim school. The pool is wonderfully warm and clean, and the teachers are all passionate and enthusiastic about what they do.

It offers baby, toddler and after-school lessons from Monday to Saturday. The teachers all teach from within the water and there is a high child-to-teacher ratio, ensuring all children progress beautifully.

The lessons are well planned and fun, focusing on water safety and bonding time with parents in the water.

Owner and instructor Julia de Lucchi also specialises in helping people overcome their fear of water and enjoys working with adult swimmers on a one-to-one basis. Aqua-therapy is also offered.

Unfortunately, the pool is not available for private hire, but feel free to contact Smart Swim regarding lessons for next term.

• Smart Swim School, Little Edgewood, Norwich Road, Reepham, Norfolk NR104NR. Tel: 07795 109291. Email: smartswimschool@gmail.com

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Tiny Beats & Tuneful Tots will be held in the Bircham Centre, Market Place, Reepham, on Thursdays from 10.30–11.15 am.

The classes will be held on 28 September; 5 and 12 October; 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 November; and 7 December.

The group is the idea of Willemijn Slijboom, a mother of 10-month-old Lotte and a music and violin teacher with a BMus (Hons) degree from Birmingham Conservatoire).

The lessons are 45 minutes in duration, followed by 15 minutes to socialise with other parents, carers and children. First sessions for free, afterwards £5 per session; siblings welcome.

The classes are based on the principles of Zoltán Kodály, which encourages parents/carers through play, songs and musical games to bond with their babies.

“We help children to listen, to feel and to prepare for singing,” said Ms Slijboom. “There will be bouncing and tickling rhymes, finger plays, nursery/folk songs, peek-a-boo games, play songs, call-and-response, lullabies, listening and dances.

“Babies will receive a solid musical foundation in a child-centred way and step-by-step will enjoy experiencing and developing their senses of pulse (steady beat), tempo (fast/slow), rhythm (short/long), dynamics (loud/soft) and pitch (high/low), discover new sounds, such as tambourines and bells, build listening skills and develop concentration skills through a variety of musical activities.”

The classes aim to promote babies’ awareness of their bodies as they begin to develop motor skills and co-ordination skills.

With the help of parents/carers, babies will discover their knees and toes and extend their concentration.

Simple percussion instruments from “Eggz” to claves and soft toys will be used to internalise the pulse.

The musical concepts will be introduced in an enjoyable way and presented within the framework of age-appropriate games.

The classes are fun and will aim to share the joy of music. There is plenty of variety in the group, from going round the mountain to blowing candles or listening to a piece of Vivaldi while sitting on a parents’/carers’ lap.

• For more information, email: norfolk12345@yahoo.com

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Next year she will be a teaching assistant in a school in the suburbs of Santiago, helping children improve their English and abilities in other subjects.

“My placement will give me the opportunity to contribute and develop my skills in a new community, as well as experiencing and learning from a new and vibrant culture,” she said.

Project Trust sends more than 300 young volunteers to teaching and care projects in developing areas of Africa, Asia and South America. The Scotland-based educational charity aims to provide young people with an educational experience through living and working with people in communities different to those in which they grew up, having a positive impact, without taking jobs away from local people.

To go overseas with Project Trust, Ellie has the challenge of raising £6,200 by summer 2017. So far she has raised money by holding raffles, doing a sponsored Boxing Day swim, selling refreshments and hosting a live music event.

Her next fundraising event is a race night at Reepham College on Saturday 8 April, followed by a quiz and chips evening on Friday 19 May. She also hopes to organise a Three Peaks Challenge and tabletop sales.

Ellie has a Facebook page that she will keep up to date with ongoing and upcoming events, and a Virgin Money Giving page for online donations.

She is grateful for donations and any recommended contacts that could help with her fundraising. If you wish to get in touch, please call Ellie on 01603 872352 or email

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The police are urging those dropping off and collecting children to allow more time before they leave to park somewhere suitable further from the school entrance.

Alternatively, walk children to school or use a school bus if available.

Broadland Police are working alongside Broadland District Council and Norfolk County Council Highways to address this ongoing issue.

• Police can be contacted on the 101 number.

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As a department of Reepham High School & College, Reepham Learning Community (RLC) aimed to provide local people with new skills and qualifications, offering a wide range of educational and leisure courses and workshops.

RLC was initially funded by the high school for family learning events that linked in with the school’s specialisations in mathematics, science and information technology.

But when this changed several years ago the department was expanded to offer adult education classes and one-day workshops as there was nothing available locally for the community.

RLC director Sandie Athow said: “We have been very successful with some of our courses that have run for more than five years and have employed local people, which has helped promote the economy of the area.

“We have always looked beyond the standard adult education courses and have offered a variety of courses and workshops enabling learners to develop their skills, such as basket making, felt making, bread making, car maintenance and art classes, in addition to the more academic classes, such as Spanish and German.

“Identifying learning needs has been one of our aims and we successfully applied for lottery funding to open an internet café in Foulsham with free computer access and internet help, and ran a succession of computer-based courses.

“We have thoroughly enjoyed working with the community and had some really good times,” said Ms Athow. “We are very sad to see it come to a close.”

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The courses offer practical, certified qualifications that will hopefully provide an advantage when looking for part-time jobs/seasonal work and also full-time employment.

For only £10 (including lunch) you can move a step closer to the job you have always wanted, in childcare, catering, retail or just get your CV to be the one noticed by employers.

Gaining employment workshop

Monday 7 April, 9.30 am – 4.30 pm

Find out how to create an effective CV and learn how even the most nervous of people can really impress from the start of an interview and be confident throughout. You will find out what to do, and what not to do, on your CV and at your interviews.

Level 2 award in Emergency First Aid at Work

Tuesday 8 April, 9.30 am – 4.30 pm

Any career could use an Emergency First Aid at Work award, so add it to your CV and show your potential. You will receive a book to support the course and if you’re successful you will get an Emergency First Aid at Work certificate, valid for three years.

HABC Level 2 award in Food Safety in Catering

Wednesday 9 April, 9 am – 5 pm

If you are heading towards a career in catering, manufacturing or retail where food is prepared, cooked and handled, this award in food safety in catering will show your commitment to the profession. The course will end with a multiple choice examination about what you have learnt on the day.

HABC Level 2 award in Health and Safety in the Workplace

Thursday 10 April, 9 am – 5 pm

Another qualification to add to your CV is the award in health and safety in the workplace, which will ensure you are aware of your own safety, the safety of customers, contractors and the public. This course will end with a multiple choice examination about what you have learnt on the day.

All courses are held at the EcoCube, Unit 31, 1 Ramirez Road, Rackheath Industrial Estate, Norwich NR13 6LR

There are limited places for these courses, so call Matt on 01603 295021 to book your place.

The post Training opportunity for 16-18 year olds in Broadland appeared first on REEPHAM LIFE.

As part of its long-term development plan, Reepham High School & College has revealed proposals to update its sports and leisure facilities.

Since achieving academy status in October 2012, RHSC has sought to improve its current sports hall and gym, which are now considered outdated and too small for the growing student population.

With an estimated cost for the building work of £2 million, the new facilities being proposed include a “four court” sports hall that will be large enough for cricket nets, a weights room, a climbing wall, changing facilities and a viewing platform for spectators.

The school’s proposals follow the closure in December 2012 of the leisure club at the Old Brewery House Hotel in Reepham, which included an indoor swimming pool, gym, squash courts and sauna.

Asked about the possibility of including a swimming pool in the latest plans, RHSC business manager Peter Collins said: “We’d love to have one, and there has been a lot of talk about this, but the reality is that it would be too expensive to run.” (A proposal to include a squash court has also been suggested previously.)

Mr Collins said the school is planning to apply for a government academy maintenance grant in September. If the funding is awarded, the new sports hall could be built within 18 months of a successful application.

Based on preliminary plans already drawn up by Reepham-based Teather + Walls Architects, the 690-square-metre building would be sited to the southwest of the existing College and partially hidden from the road.

RHSC also intends to open the facilities to the public after school hours, as well as over the weekend and during school holidays.

If the plans are approved and building goes ahead, there is a further proposal to turn the current sports hall into a dramatic arts centre, which could include a drama studio and workshop facilities that might also be available for use by community groups.

While donations from the public or any generous benefactors are always welcome, RHSC will be particularly seeking moral support from the community, especially during the lengthy planning application process.

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College director John Randall described them as an inspiration to future generations of students, proving admission to the world’s top universities is within the grasp of children from rural Norfolk villages.

While the College has previously sent one student to Oxford, producing three Cambridge candidates from a group of 80 is quite an achievement.

The three are Hester Fox, who received an unconditional offer to study biological and natural sciences at Girton College; Jessica Cameron-Heffer, who will study natural sciences at Downing College; and Maria Seago, who will study medicine at Gonville and Caius College.

Hester is currently working at the school helping pupils with English and maths during her gap year. She said her letter of acceptance was a pleasant surprise: “I think I had to re-read it quite a few times before I believed it. I was genuinely expecting a ‘no’ so it was a massive surprise, but I was unbelievably happy.”

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