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Do You Need A CRB Check!

Billy Banana — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:01:23 +0000

Criminal Records Bureau Checks are sometimes requested by parents who want, quite naturally, to protect their children. These checks are done on several different levels, are very intensive, and should not be confused with the ‘police check’.

The so-called police check is simply a check on the criminal record of that person. It does not say the person is suitable to be around children. For that reason it is usually worthless.

There is a lot of confusion about the CRB checks, so I thought I would jot these notes to help clear up some misconceptions.

First of all, a performer does not really need one. He or she will sometimes obtain one as a service for the client. A CRB certificate is issued for one job and so in theory there should be one for each and every booking, which of course is totally impractical.

Generally CRB checks are only useful when a person is to have long periods of time alone with children. Entertainers are not normally left on their own with his (or her) audience; there are usually lots of other people around as well.

The certificate is open ended, in other words, there is no finish date.

The enhanced certificate also covers vulnerable adults and has a far greater depth of information.

Equity, the Actors Union, suggests that entertainers are not left alone with children anyway. This rule is for the protection of the children and the entertainer.

An entertainer cannot apply for the certificate him or herself, they have to be obtained through an agency or an umbrella organisation.

Unless a performer is going to spend periods of time alone with children, it is a waste of time to worry about CRB checks. It is far more sensible for all concerned to make sure a responsible adult (not an older child) is always present. Then everyone will be protected.

Best wishes

www.BillyBanana.com

Super Parkin Cake For Children (or adults)

Billy Banana — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:01:30 +0000

Nice and soft, will not pull your fillings out and will keep for up to three weeks!

Ingredients

100g self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon mixed spice
75g medium oatmeal
175g dark syrup (or 100g golden syrup and 50g black treacle) 100g butter 100g soft brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 dessertspoons milk

Preparation

1. This parkin mix will need a 20 cm (8 in) square cake tin.

Pre-heat the oven to 140 oC/275oF/Gas Mark 1.
Sift together the self-raising flour, salt, ginger, nutmeg and mixed spice.
Mix in the oatmeal.2. The dark syrup (or golden syrup and black treacle), butter and sugar will now have to all be melted in a saucepan together. This can be made easier by first sitting the pan on the scales and weighing it. Now add the dark syrup or golden syrup and treacle. This saves a lot of sticky transferring. Now just add the weighed sugar and butter. Heat together, only allowing all to melt and not simmer or boil.

3. Stir the syrup mix into the dry mix and blend together.
Add in the egg and milk to create a soft, almost pouring consistency.
Pour the mixture into the greased tin.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 ¼ hours until firm in the centre.

4. Once cooked, leave to stand in the tin for 30 minutes before turning out.
Once cooled, the parkin can be served straight away. However, if kept in an airtight tine the cake will, like a good wine, mature with age. It should be left for a minimum of 2 weeks, when a whole new texture will have been created; for best flavour, leave for 3 weeks.

5. Spicy ginger cake enjoyed on Bonfire night.

Enjoy

www.BillyBanana.com

Whats it all About?

Billy Banana — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:17:12 +0000

Hello everyone,

Here is another one of my ramblings about keeping your children amused and happy.

I have been an entertainer for very many years now and over the course of time have picked up on a few ideas, not only for entertaining my own children, but also other peoples as well. Some of this has been on a professional level and some on a personal one. I have thought many times about writing a book about some of the odd things that have happened to me during the course of my professional career. With the ever increasing awareness of the internet and my own personal interest in computers and web publishing, this webblog is possibly a start on that project.

There will be no arty stuff here, it is meant to be purely practical help, there will be no need to consult a dictionary or buy expensive cookery books. It will all be here!

The idea is to impart as much practical and common sense advice as possible. These experiences are gleaned from a lifetime of performing in venues in diverse as holiday centres catering for hundreds of children to a small party with only one child (and yes, I have had that experience!)

Running a birthday party can be a very daunting idea for many parents. The thought of twenty or so little people running around your carefully cleaned home can fill you with horror!

I will start later this week with some hints and tips for holiday amusements for the children. A bit too late for this half term but hopefully you can refer back during the Christmas Holidays which will soon be upon us!

I will appreciate your feedback and please do let me know of any areas you would like me to cover.

Bye for now