Your local guide to fun, food and family life.

In this section

• Sizzle this summer
  In association with Waitrose. Photography by Heather Tait.
• Mum s in business: Heather Tait
  I set up Heather Tait Photography two years ago following the birth of my first son, after a lot of encouragement from my antenatal group who had all had pictures of their children taken by me at our weekly meetings.
• Go green, go local
  I am not an eco-warrior but I do believe in looking after the environment and minimising the impact on nature from modern living.
• Nuts to be going green
  I've decided that I need to be greener.
• Divorce: Be Prepared
  Susan Davies, head of family law at Staffordshire solicitors Ansons, offers some valuable advice to anyone currently considering divorce.
• A life on the ocean wave
  If you looked up the definition of 'cruising' in the dictionary, you would probably expect to read: A past time enjoyed by older generations, travelling by sea, formal evening wear, seating plans and dinner served at set times every night after a formal introduction to the captain.

Passport to gold

Since opening in February 2007 Silver Blades Ice Rink has been operating a Learn to Skate Programme, which is used nationally and appointed by the National Ice Skating Association (NISA).

In March 2007 Alicia Thain enrolled in the Skate UK programme and enjoyed it so much her mum enquired about private lessons, and approached Coach Natasha Fennell who teaches for the International School of Skating.

Since April, Natasha and Alicia have managed to work through the Skate UK levels 1 to 10 which includes skating forwards, backwards, turns and other technical elements.

Alicia is also the first skater here at Silver Blades to have also completed the Skate UK passport which includes jumps, spins and spirals along with a 1 minute and 30 seconds routine to music. As Alicia has only been skating for such a short time, this is fantastic.

Alicia is now working on new jumps and harder spins ready for her first competition later this year.

Natasha feels Alicia has a great passion for the sport and would like to take her skating as far as possible and if she continues with the determination she has, we could have a little champion in the making.

We are always looking for new skaters to join the Skate UK programme for child and adults of all ages contact 08700 85 29 29 for more information.