Happy New Year! Review and Plans for 2017

Travelling Near & Far in 2016

In April of this year, myself and fellow travel writer Heather Cowper launched Travel Massive Bristol, a community of travel professionals who are passionate about Bristol and the South West of England and want to promote this beautiful and diverse part of the UK. Since our very first event trended on Twitter the Bristol chapter has gone from strength to strength and we’ll soon be hosting our fifth gathering at Bristol’s Hotel du Vin.

I also became a founder member of “Bristol Bloggers & Influencers” which gives me the chance to be a tourist in my own backyard along with a growing 100+ strong community of bloggers and influencers based in and around Bristol. One of the highlights of being a core member of this group this year has been having the chance to go onto the roof of Bristol Cathedral as part of an exclusive VIP tour.

In 2016 Practically Perfect Mums sent us off to review our first family music festival, just up the road in Somerset. Our new Berghaus inflatable tent was put through its paces by some truly appalling weather, but both we and the tent we made it through the rain and wind and you can read all about our Valley Fest experience here.

Valley Fest Family Music Festival

I’ve had the chance to review luxurious hotels like Soar Mill Cove in Devon and the boys independently made their own fun film about the activities they have on offer for kids there. I love the idea that the boys have actually started doing my work for me!

Our family was invited back to Benidorm, this time making a series of videos for the tourist board and a video about the family hotel which hosted us.

The Turkish tourism office invited me on a stunning travel journalists’ trip to Bodrum and I wrote about my experience of security measures and shared how I’d feel safe returning with my family. Our group of British travel journalists has since been featured in numerous local and national newspapers as well as on the radio.

Travel Plans for 2017?

In 2017 I’m very excited that we’re going to be working with Eurocamp, a company we’ve holidayed with many times and who are a perfect fit for travelling with a family of five. We’ll be heading off to France with them this spring. I’m also talking with other European tourist boards and hotels so who knows where else we might end up! I’m hoping Italy might be in the mix so I can practise my rusty Italian.

Theatre Shows with Family Age Guidance

In 2016 I continued to work with the Bristol Hippodrome, reviewing nineteen top-notch theatre shows and sharing my age suitability suggestions.

Some theatre highlights this year were Chicago, Let it Be,  Fiddler on the Roof (by Bristol’s very own BLOC) and the completely amazing Billy Elliot. At the end of the year it felt very special to see Torvill and Dean performing excerpts from their famous Olympic gold winning performance of Ravel’s Bolero in the panto, Cinderella.

Billy Elliot Tour

Theatre Plans for 2017?

I already have the press list confirmed for 2017, kicking off with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Hurrah!

Video Takes a Leap!

Video Plans for 2017?

I plan to do more video production work for clients, more regular uploads to YouTube, more in my “How to Vlog” series and more travel and appliance review videos.

Our very active Bumps, Babies and Beyond Facebook selling group now has over 2350 members in and around Portishead, who are doing an amazing job of buying, selling and gifting second-hand children’s paraphernalia. Who knows how many push-chairs, puzzles and Playmobil people the group has kept out of landfill! Many thanks to my co-admins whose help is invaluable in keeping the spammers at bay and making the group run like clockwork.

Plans for 2017?

More of the same!