Free Resources
NAPA Activities Calendar – for every Day of the Year
#NAPAActivitiesCalendar features a free activity for every day of the year.
Hear more from our Wellbeing Support Manager , Natalie Ravenscroft
‘ So many lovely creative ideas and very user-friendly. Would have thought any AC (and managers and care staff) would absolutely LOVE this and that it will make their job so much easier. I love the mix of resources – really something for everyone. ‘Make your own tartan’ – I certainly will!’
Alison Teader – Programme Director, Arts In Care Homes, NAPA
‘I would have loved a resource like this when I was an Activities Coordinator! Such a diverse range of resources and this is only month one. The NAPA Activity Calendar is free for all care settings to access, we hope as many care and activity teams access this free resource as possible and look forward to receiving their feedback’.
Hilary Woodhead – Executive Director, NAPA.
Click here to download the calendar for April
Sign up to NAPA News below to receive the next issue of the calendar
Stuck for activity ideas? Look no further….
NEW NAPA Resource-Moving and Grooving
Sponsored by 
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Getting Creative with tech
We are delighted to share our latest FREE Resource , full of tips and activity ideas. Many thanks to our partners Alive Activities and our sponsors OM Interactive for supporting us to develop and offer this as a FREE download available NOW – click the image to download
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Click the image above to download
We are delighted to share The NAPA Lockdown in winter resource that we have just launched. Its is packed full of activity ideas, most of which are one to one, hallway and virtual. We have plenty of other resources available too – scroll down
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NAPA Partners: Unilever Food Solutions, have created a new resource
‘The Roast Dinner Activity Pack’ is full of resources to help create and celebrate the Roast experience.
The pack Includes: bunting, games, pub style quiz and a variety of gravy recipes – all ready to download and use straight away.
Click the image below to download and enjoy.
What is This is home?
Residents wellbeing in action
We believe that elderly care homes should feel just like home. That’s why we’re putting residents at the top of our priority, by providing added value services and be the best in class, preferred Food Solutions partner within the Elderly Care Sector.
To support our efforts, we’ve built the This is Home platform to bring professionals together to discuss important industry matters, connect them with other suppliers, and to be the inspiration of others as Elderly Care experts across UK and Ireland.
Our four core principles are what drives us. MIND means to support the mental and physical wellbeing of the elderly through meaningful activities. HEART means to bring people together to create happy environments and a sense of belonging. BODY means to care for the nutrition of each resident. And GROWTH means to empower, train and inspire chefs through our elderly care specialist culinary team, in the hopes of enhancing the mealtime experiences of residents.
Click here to find out more about This is Home
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We are delighted to share this wonderful resource with you.
Treasury of arts activities for older people
Liz Postlethwaite
50 activities, long and short, for use in any setting with older people
Click on the cover below to view
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We are delighted to launch NAPA’s National Day of Conversation and Connection: Tea Tuesday – August 11th 2020
We invite you to spend a day connecting with family, friends, colleagues, and the people you support. Put the kettle on, put your feet up and chat, in person or virtually, with one person or a hundred! It’s up to you.
Tea Tuesday is all about making time to be together, to enjoy spending time together, to relax together – virtually or in person.
We hope you will join us in celebrating the importance of Conversation and Connection on Tuesday the 11th August and we invite you to support NAPA by organising a fundraising event and helping us to continue our work.
The ‘Get Involved’ NAPA Fundraising Pack will tell you more about NAPA and the work we do. You can find everything you need in there, including come inspirational ideas, tips, and tricks on how to organise a really great fundraiser. The ‘Celebrate Tea Tuesday’ Pack provides ideas for tea themed events and activities and links to recipes and resources to help you plan activities not only for Tuesday the 11th but also for the whole of afternoon week, which runs from the 10th-16th August.
We hope you enjoy planning your events and activities. We would love to hear how you get on. All information about how to donate is included in your ‘Get Involved’ NAPA Fundraising Pack – Click the ” Get Involved ” pack to download.
Our friends at Kent Occupational Therapy have kindly put a ” Lets Talk about Tea” pack together – Click here to download
If you have any questions please contact us at fundraising@www.napa-activities.com
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Families and friends to be reunited with loved ones in care homes as visits restart
Care home residents are set to be reunited with friends and family as visits begin again following the publication of new guidance on 22 July- Click here to read the full guidance
COVID-19
Good Practice Resource Guide:
Engagement, Activity and Social Distancing
The challenge:
How do we isolate people from each other to keep them well, without making them lonely?
This guide is grounded in the principles of person centred care and is in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The emotional and physical well being of those with care and support needs and those who care for them must be our absolute priority at this time. The provision of activity is not the sole responsibility of one person however, the whole home can be fully involved in an activity and engagement-based model of care.
The advice from government for anyone in any setting is to follow these main guidelines:
1.Follow current guidelines on self-isolation.
2.Wash hands more often than usual and for at least 20 seconds using soap and hot water, particularly after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose. Throw away tissues immediately after use, then wash hands or use hand sanitising gel.
3.Clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces using your regular cleaning products to reduce the risk of passing the infection on to other people.
What is social distancing?
Social distancing measures are steps we can take to reduce social interaction between people to help reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) e.g.
•Avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough
•Avoid non-essential use of public transport
•Work from home, where possible. Your employer should support you to do this. Please refer to employer guidance for more information
•Avoid large and small gatherings in public spaces, noting that pubs, restaurants, leisure centres and similar venues are currently shut as infections spread easily in closed spaces where people gather together
•Avoid gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media
•Use telephone or online services to contact your GP or other essential services
Care Homes:
Approximately 400,000 older people in the UK live in care homes and a significant proportion of these are living with dementia, multiple health conditions, physical dependency and many are in their last years of life. Care home residents are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 as a consequence of their complex medical problems and advanced frailty. Care homes are required to have standard operating procedures for each resident with suspected and confirmed COVID-19 infection. Including appropriate infection control precautions to protect residents and staff. All care homes are required by law to notify their relevant public health authority regarding suspected cases of infectious disease, who will provide advice and guidance around infection, prevention and control.
NAPA members:
Approximately 3,000 of our members are care homes, they are facing unprecedented challenges as the Covid-19 outbreak continues to escalate. The government has applied measures to contain the virus and slow its spread.
One of the procedures introduced by the government is that of social distancing. Many of our members are now applying this principle. However, there are challenges to resident engagement and inclusion as well in maintaining safe staffing when care homes support people away from shared areas.
Making the decision to apply social distancing is difficult because it involves restricting people’s movement around the home. Residents may be asked to spend their day and eat their meals in their rooms. Residents living with dementia might become distressed by this change; all staff should ensure that residents are engaged, encouraged and safe.
Government has advised that those who are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures.
Click here to read the full guidance
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Engagement, Activity and Social Distancing
Huge thank you to Park View Care Home for allowing us to share their video of their outdoor exercise session.
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Innovations in Dementia free Covid19 guide, videos and toolkit
“We think that these tips will be very useful for care home volunteers – both during the COVID situation and beyond.”
Briefing for Organisations about
People with dementia help Covid-19 volunteers by creating simple and free guide and video resources
People with dementia have decided to make a difference to benefit other people in the community by sharing their lived experiences, highlighting the unique challenges they face in the new world of self-isolation and social-distancing. Short videos and a simple guide they made enable Covid 19 volunteers across the UK to understand and meet the needs of people living with dementia.
The videos and guide aim to raise awareness of:
▪ the needs and preferences of people living with dementia in the community.
▪ how small actions and a friendly attitude can make big impacts to help people live well with dementia during self-isolation and social distancing.
▪ stigma and stereotypes about people with dementia, how they live and their needs.
Innovations in Dementia are asking community groups and organisations to share these resources through their networks. It’s hoped that volunteers who watch the videos will feel increased confidence about interacting with people with dementia, even without having to go on a longer training or awareness-raising session.
The set of four films covers:
- Setting things up
- Transport
- Delivering things
- Keeping in touch.
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#clapforactivitystaff
Join us on Thursdays at 8pm to say an enormous thank you for the tremendous work of ALL Activity
staff in health, housing and social care settings across the UK.
Many settings may have closed their doors to visitors, but activity and engagement continues to be integral to
the care and support they provide.
At this difficult time their work is more important than ever!
#clapforactivitystaff #activityisvital
Activity Staff, we thank you from all at NAPA
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What is relaxation? 
We thank Revitalyz for this handout.
Relaxation is so important, take 5 minutes each day to relax. This handout will help you do just that. Invite residents and colleagues to join you.
Click here to download the handout
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For family Carers:
1-2-1 Things to Do with your relative at home during Covid-19
The following list offers a wide variety of suggestions of ways to spent time with your relative. Sometimes when a person is very physically unwell or has advanced dementia, it can be hard to find things which can engage their interest and being at home without visitors can make that even more difficult. However, there might be something new in this list which would be worth trying.
- Sort out photos of family & friends – from days gone by or recent snaps
- Create a photo album, frame photos or make a photo collage
- Create a ‘Talking’ photo album with buttons to record and then press which explain the photograph – purchasable online
- Make a special scrapbook or a memory box of significant objects based on personal life history
- Write or record an autobiography/biography
- Share favourite stories and memories
- Dig out old holiday snaps, souvenirs, postcards, even maps and tales of your journey
- Read newspapers & magazines aloud to keep your relative in touch
- Jointly look at magazines with large colourful pictures and invite opinions and comments on the contents whether it is fashion preferences or political views
- Subscribe to your relative’s hometown newspaper and have it delivered or download it for interest
Click here to download the full list
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The Museum of Brands
The Museum of Brands is home to a nostalgic collection of more than 13,000 historic household objects. In our Museum you will find Victorian dolls and biscuit tins, an Edwardian vacuum cleaner called ‘Baby Daisy’, Radio Times covers from the roaring 20s, ration books from the Second World War, Space Age toys and games, Aqua Manda perfumes from the 70s, and many other items you may have seen in your grandparents’ house or used yourself as a child. Our outreach project Brand Memories brings our unique collection to the community through creative reminiscing sessions in our local care homes and hospitals. For those not local to us, we have published online guides for dementia-friendly creative activities you can try with your own group. Try Victorian scrapbooking, have a go at matching brands to their historic mascots, or paint colourful soup tins, in the footsteps of Andy Warhol. Click here to find out more
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BBC Reminiscence Archive
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Short Story Writing Competition
We are inviting you to write a short 500-word story, this can be done individually or as a group. The subject is totally down to you.
All stories will be published to the members only section of our website and the winner will receive a NAPA Goodie bag!
Don’t forget that brilliant inspiration can come from absolutely anywhere. You could be looking out of a window, rummaging through a drawer, or out on a walk. You’ll see something that sparks a thought, which turns into an idea, which turns into a full-blown story in no time! Be as original as possible.
Care setting name
Membership number
Contact name
Contact number
Closing Date 15th May 2020
PLease email your stories to Gianna – project@www.napa-activities.com
* Please see website for terms and conditions*.
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What’s your dream tea party?
We all know that one of life’s great activities is making time to talk – and there’s nothing nicer than having a chat over tea and cake!
So how would you like to win a tea party for everyone in your Care Setting?
For your chance to win a ‘Tea Party In 2020’ with all costs covered up to £500 sponsored by CareShield.
All you need to do is complete the following statement (in 250 words max) and email it to: project@www.napa-activities.com , please include the name of the care setting, a contact number and the name of who to contact should you win! Please do this by the 1st of June 2020
Our dream Tea Party would include ……………………..
Only Connect is a project developed by NAPA Arts in Care Homes. The aim is to encourage more creative writing projects in care homes and develop care home pen pal partnerships. We are encouraging people to get in touch and form Only Connect partnerships with care homes The advice from Royal Mail is that it is safe to keep sending things by post- Click here to see the advice However, there is also the option to send messages electronically via email. The Only Connect resource pack has ideas for creative writing activities and suggestions for poems – Click here to download
In response to the Coronavirus situation and the closing of schools, Arts in Care homes is launching a weekly postcard challenge. School children and their parents will be encouraged to produce postcards on a range of creative themes, which will be sent to nominated care homes. We understand that not all care homes will have the resources to respond to all letters at this challenging time. However, we hope that by forming an Only Connect partnership, both school children and care home residents and staff will feel a little less isolated and anxious. If you are a care provider with homes that would like to receive letters, postcards, poems, artwork and/or video messages, please email alison@artsincarehomes.org.uk.
The Arts & Care Homes website www.artsincarehomes.org.uk has a range of online toolkits, HOW TO guides and other resources to help when planning and organising arts and creative activities.
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“Reading resources by Step Change Design to support you into stepping out into the garden more….
Over the years we have written five articles for NAPA that form a short series of helpful resources to help you, and your residents, enjoy the garden more. We aim to demystify what may be holding back and help you avoid the pitfalls, and gimmicks, that can be misleading in creating greater use of the garden you already have. Our download page forms a library of articles based on our extensive research project on what makes care setting gardens more actively used. These resources range across topics suited to those who are hands on and in activity roles through to strategic managers exploring the role of culture change and the influence on garden design too. Visit this resource here
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Activity Ideas from across the sector
We have been given permission to share this publication with you by ElderSong Publications. It has a huge list of suggestion of activities to do whilst you remain in the home.
Here is a taster:
Below you’ll find a list of one-on-one activities, as well as a few other non-traditional group activities to help you raise morale. (You can also find this list on our website at this link.) Please adapt as needed. Let the other departments in your facility know your activity plans, and then follow your company’s policies and procedures during this emergency.
DAILY BOOST – There are so any good stories happening as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Look for a positive story to share with residents as you visit room to room. Share a video you find on social media, an inspiring quote, or a heart-warming story. Speaking of boosts, be sure to share (with permission) positive stories that are happening in your community. With many people turning to social media, it’s a great time to flood newsfeeds with positive stories and reassure families that their loved ones are doing well.
GO LIVE – Many institutes, celebrities, and programs are taking their talents live on social media in order to boost morale all over the world. Join the going-live movement and interview residents of your community. The senior population has lived through WWII and has a lot of wisdom to offer the younger population. With permission, invite residents to go live with you. Advertise ahead of time so that your audience knows when to tune in. Then, select residents to discuss various topics, such as how they survived WWII, parenting suggestions for multiple children, tried-and-true recipes that use common ingredients, or other advice to help Americans through this crisis.
Here are a selection of themed activity ideas – you will be able to do all of these with ease around the home.
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Here are a selection of activity ideas:
+ Flower Tea Pot
+ Puppetry
+ Sing Song
+ Armchair Yoga
+ Arts
+ Flower Art
+ Name that star
+ Photography
+ Music
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The Lantern Project: shining a light on food in aged care
The Lantern Project aims to improve mealtime and dining experiences for residents in aged care settings, in response to the unacceptably high levels of malnutrition among older Australians, particularly those with dementia. Project founder and dietitian Cherie Hugo explains ……….. Click here to visit The Australian Journal of Dementia Care website & read the full article
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+ Issue 4 – 2020 Click to download
+ Issue 3 – 2019 Click to download
+ Issue 2 – 2019 Click to download
+ Issue 1 – 2019 Click to download
+ Issue 4 – 2019 Click to download
+ Issue 3 – 2018 Click to download
+ Issue 2 – 2018 Click to download
+ Issue 1 – 2018 Click to download
+ Issue 4 – 2018 Click to download
+Issue 3 – 2017 Click to download
+Issue 3 – 2017 Click to download
+ Issue 2 – 2017 Click to download
+ Issue 1 – 2017 Click to download
+ Issue 4 – 2017 – Click to download
+ Issue 3 – 2016– Click to download
+ Issue 2 – 2016 – Click to download
+ Issue 1 – 2016– Click to download
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+ Issue 5 – 2016– Right Royal Special Issue – Click to download
+ Issue 4 – 2015– Click to download
+ Issue 3 – 2015 – Click to download
+ Issue 2 – 2015 – Click to download
+ Issue 1 – 2015 – Click to download
+ Issue 4 – 2014 – Click to download
+ Issue 3 – 2014 – Click to download
+ Issue 2 – 2014 – Click to download
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Airedale Social Movement is a project which encourages community engagement within care homes.
Download the toolkit which will give you guidance on making your care home a part of your local community here:
www.alzheimers.org.uk/carehometoolkit
Download the poster & letter templates which will allow you to advertise for volunteers & activities in their care homes & to write to community organisations:
www.alzheimers.org.uk/carehomeposters
www.alzheimers.org.uk/carehomeletters
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cARTrefu, which means to reside in Welsh, is a four year programme run by Gwanwyn which aims to improve access to quality arts experiences for older people in residential care.
Between 2015 and 2017 Age Cymru recruited 16 professional artists in four different fields: Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Words and Music. These artists each delivered eight 8-week residencies across the length and breadth of Wales, introducing a mix of established art forms and new activities residents may not have had the chance to experience before.
cARTrefu has been a huge success and over the past two years our artists have delivered over 1,000 art workshops in care homes around Wales. Age Cymru was able to offer these workshops entirely for free due to the generous support from the Arts Council of Wales and the Baring Foundation.
cARTrefu has designed an activity pack for care homes, based on the work our first cARTrefu team of artists developed in care homes. The activity pack feature 20 simple but effective activities for care home staff to run with residents and are free to all care homes in Wales.
To obtain your free pack, please get in touch with cARTrefu Project Coordinator Reg Noyes – alternatively, you can download a digital copy of the pack from the Age UK website – Click here to find out more
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NAPA Challenge Ideas
Recipes
+ Trinidad & Tobago Coconut Bake – Click to download
+ Missi Roti – Click to download
+ Masala Mathri – Click to download
+ Maple Scented Canada Day Texture Dough – Click to download
+ Mandazi African Doughnuts – Click to download
+ Louise Cake Slice – Click to download
+ Lamingtons – Click to download
+ Iced Rooibos Tea with Raspberries – Click to download
+ Hokey Pokey Biscuits – Click to download
+ Ginger and Lemongrass Iced Tea – Click to download
+ Crackly Banana Bread – Click to download
+ Coconut Ice – Click to download
+ Cheesy Baked Plantains with Chilli – Click to download
+ Countries in the Commonwealth –Click to download
+ A4-Size-Elephant-Coloring-Sheets – Click to download
+ My Life Now and Then – Click to download
+ Audit Tool – Personal Self Audit – Click to download
+ Audit Tool – Whole Home Audit – Click to download
Australia Day – Friday 26th January 2018
+ Australia Day Welcome – Click to download
+ Australia Quiz – Click to download
+ Waltz in Matilda – Click to download
+ KOOKABURRA SONG- Click to download
+ Horizontal Let’s visit Australia template – Click to download
+ Vertical – Let’s visit Australia – Click to download
+ Wanted poster – Click to download
+ Australia in Words – Click to download
+ Activities for Australia Theme – Click to download
+ 101 things to do – Click to download
+ Create your own Orange Tea light holders – Click to download
+ Herbal Scent Tea Party – Click to download
+ Mini Christmas Cakes – Click to download
+ Poinsettia Serviette Ring – Click to download
+ Mullied Wine – Click to download
+ Chocolate Chip & Ginger Cookie Cups – Click to download
+ Lemon Shortbread Cookies – Click to download
+ Coffee Pecan Pound Cake – Click to download
+ Cheddar & Rosemary Shortbread – Click to download
+ Scrabble Letters – Click to download
+ Sequin Angels – Click to download
+ Snow Globe Cupcakes With Gelatine Bubbles – Click to download
+ Stain Glass Windows – Click to download
+ Sweetie Snowmen – Click to download
+ DIY Painted Feathers – Click to download
+ How to dry citrus fruit – Click to download
+ Scented Gingerbread play dough – Click to download
+ Apple Pie Bites – Click to download
+ Lemon Drizzle Tray Bake – Click to download
+ Apple Pie Sensory Dough – Click to download
+ Cinnamon Apple Crisps – Click to download
Continuing Professional Development
Gaining a qualification is only the start of the journey to continually improve working practices. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is important to support best practice and to develop as an individual.
In this section there are articles that can be used as part of the reading requirement for CPD for all students who have completed their Activity Worker or Activity Leader qualifications and wish to stay on the appropriate registers. The articles also make interesting reading for anyone involved in the care sector.
If you would like more information on how to become a NAPA registered Activity Worker or Activity Leader, or need a record sheet, please contact: info@www.napa-activities.com
+ Pets Make Us Happy – Pets Make Us Happy
+ The Friendly Bench – The Friendly Bench
+ Benchmarking Good Practice Booklet – Click to download
+ Connect with us- Dementia services – Click to download
+ How is that person spending their day – Click to download
+ Non Verbal Communication – Click to download
+ Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained – Risk Guidance for people with Dementia – Click to download
+ Reminiscence and life history – Click to download
+ Reviewing Care Plans in light of recent Care Laws on Deprivation of Liberty Living Life Autumn 2014 – Click to download
+ Soap Box- Doll Therapy Living Life Winter 2014 – Click to download
+ Soap Box- Funded or Fundraising to support Activity Provision Living Life Summer 2015 – Click to download
+ Soap Box- Individual Activities Living Life Autumn 2014 – Click to download
+ Soap Box- Why do we always want something new Living Life Spring 2015 – Click to download
+ Stokes Moments – Click to download
+ Providing Activities for People with Dementia- Click to download
+ Expert by Experience – Living Life Spring Issue 4 (2017)– Click to download
+ How Tribal are you? – Click to download
+ Blue Cow Concept – Click to download
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+ Getting Publicity for your Care Setting- UFS – Click to download
Poetry Corner
These poems have been sent in by NAPA Members, click the title of the poem to download.
+ Somebody Smiled at me Today
+ Spring Poem
+ Summer Poem
+ Poems by Sammy
+ The Queen
+ Successful Activity Ideas for people living with Dementia (Conference 2015) – Click to download
+ Promoting Activity, Independence and Stability in Early Dementia (PrAISED) Click to find out more
+ Filled Brioche Centrepiece – Click to download
+ Getting the Community into Care Settings – Click to download
+ Jelly Bean Juibilee Union Jack Cake – Click to download
+ Make This Sweet Homemade Rose Petal Potpourri – Click to download
+ Mexican Street Food – Click to download
+ Mini Fish n Chips in newspaper cones – Click to download
+ Mini Yorkshire puds with roast beef – Click to download
+ Photo Booth printables – Click to download
+ Photobooth ideas – Click to download
+ Rainbow Button Cake Decorations – Click to download
+ Tea Party Cake – Click to download
+ Union Jack Sponge Cake – Click to download
+ Welsh Rarebit – Welsh Rarebit
+ White peach and elderflower jellies – Click to download
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