I had grand plans to bake this amazing vegan, dairy free chocolate sponge cake recipe over the long Easter bank holiday weekend, only to have my intentions scuppered by illness! Disaster! But the recipe from this rich moist chocolate sponge, topped with creamy caramel sauce and crunchy salty popcorn from Kindling Restaurant in Brighton is far too good not to share with you all. My top tip is to serve with Swedish Glace vanilla soy based ice cream which is my absolute favourite non-dairy ice cream. You can even make the dessert gluten free too!

We are super lucky that Kindling Restaurant is just half an hourfrom us down the M23  in Brighton (one of our favourite places to visit), and if haven't visited you really should as Kindling is about more than just the delicious food created by Chef Holly Taylor, it is a community sharing and celebrating local produce. 

​Based on the fact that you clicked on this article, I am going to assume that you are going to Crete this summer holiday. If I’m correct, congrats! Crete is a beautiful place, and there is no better time to explore it than in the summertime; the sun is always shining, the seas are calm and the whole island is full of travellers, who are equally excited to experience the Greek summer. 

'I'll see you in court!' could be heard across the concourse of Waterloo station as I greeted one of my oldest friends last weekend to see a play I've been dying to see for ages - Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution live in a courtroom setting in the heart of London. It doesn't get much more exciting than that!

2020 has been an extraordinary year and one where, most of us, have had our holiday plans disrupted. If you are thinking of booking a staycation or holiday abroad to get a well earned break from the monotony of coronavirus life, take a look at my top holiday planning tips to help take the stress out of booking a break during the COVID-19 pandemic. ​

My kids grew up watching Paw Patrol, Shimmer and Shine and Dora the Explorer (my eldest spent most of her younger years shouting 'Backpack! Backpack!') so it is safe to say Nickelodeon is a firm favourite in this household. How wonderful it would be if those shows could be brought to life... Enter Nickelodeon Adventure which has just opened at Lakeside, Thurrock. We were very lucky to be invited to celebrate at the launch event of this brand new play space along with our Paw Patrol obsessed nephew Little A.

The health benefits of practising yoga have long been established, and recently there’s been a surge in popularity for taking those weekly sessions one step further; by getting away from the stresses of everyday life by embarking on a longer-term yoga retreat.

Little E turned 8 last month and there was only one thing she wanted to do for her birthday: Go Ape.

We have a Go Ape centre close to us at Tilgate Park, Crawley and the Tree Top Junior course is suitable for children over 1 metre tall. E had chosen two of her school friends, two cousins and her little sister to join her on the course. For every two under 6yr olds one adult is required to participate. As Little I had just turned 5 Husband volunteered to join in the fun. You have to pay for parking at Tilgate Park so make sure you have change and allow plenty of time to find a space as it can be very busy at the weekends and during school holidays.

If you’re looking for somewhere to take the kids for short break away, Bognor Regis may not be your first choice. However, despite its not so glamorous reputation, the town actually has plenty of great family-friendly entertainment. It’s also known to be Britain’s sunniest town.

So, if you’re looking for a staycation idea that’s affordable, family-friendly and which gives you the best chance of enjoying a nice sunny getaway, Bognor Regis is definitely a town to consider. Here, you’ll discover how to enjoy a great staycation in the town on an affordable budget.

If it’s cold, wet, snowy or all of the above outside then your first thought might not be ‘let’s go out!’.

But there are plenty of great winter activities for you and your family to go out and enjoy. After all, we all have happy memories of playing in the snow as children; it’s a fundamental part of growing up.

Picking the right activity is one part but being well-prepared is equally as important. Here are a few things that will help your outdoor adventure go smoothly.

At some point throughout the year, you’ll need a holiday. A time for you and your little people to get away from it all and recharge the batteries. The so-called warmer UK months can often be a bit of a damp squib (this summer was an exception – don’t get used to it!) so an injection of vitamin D is ideal for some all-important rejuvenation.

Now, the idea of a holiday is great – the idea of planning for one, less so! Making sure you have everything you need is nerve-shredding and making sure you get there with all your faculties intact is a mission unto itself. Fortunately, there are a few things that can help ease the pressures of planning for a holiday. Keeping your offspring as happy as they can be on the journey is key to starting things right. If you can beat the travel blues, you’re onto a winner.

Here are three Travel Hacks every single parent should think about…