Belvoir’s Q2 2020 rental index provides a fascinating insight into the UK rental market during two months of lockdown. Average rents for Belvoir offices in England, Scotland and Wales decreased in in April, May and June 2020 by around 3.5% versus the same period last year, although when comparing Q2 2020 to the 2019 annual average the decrease is just 1%.
\r\n\r\n“Belvoir’s data is extremely robust as we look at advertised rents from our offices that have been trading for 8+ years,” says Belvoir CEO Dorian Gonsalves. “Naturally our offices were advertising less properties during lockdown compared to the same period in 2019, but the overall picture confirms that rents did not fall dramatically, and landlords have not pushed prices up.
\r\n\r\n“It is important to note that there will always be regional variations across the country regarding tenant demand for houses, flats and HMOs, and the rents that are being achieved. Belvoir’s Q2 rental index, which is made freely available on our website, is an invaluable resource for landlords and investors, as it looks at landlord and tenant trends, with predictions for what is likely to happen to the market going forward. If you are an investor it is always advisable to regularly check how rents are performing in your region and note which types of property are in short supply, or where there might be an oversupply.
\r\n\r\n“Belvoir’s Q2 rental index, which is prepared for us by TV property expert Kate Faulkner, is an invaluable free resource, containing in-depth regional information on rents and tenant demand across the country, together with predictions of how these trends are likely to continue for the rest of the year. As well as checking out our rental index we also recommend landlords to a reputable local agent who has expert knowledge of their area.”
\r\n\r\nTo view Belvoir’s full press release about the Belvoir Q2 rental index click here.
\r\n\r\nBelvoir’s Q2 rental index can be viewed here: https://www.belvoir.co.uk/pages/rental-index
\r\n","promo":"Are you wondering how the rental market performed during lockdown, and what is likely to happen next? Check out Belvoir\u2019s Q2 rental index to find out more!","slug":"leaving-lockdown","promo_image":"//mr3.homeflow-assets.co.uk/files/site_asset/image/4095/2085/_x_/AdobeStock_350912824.jpg"},{"title":"Belvoir backs campaign for tenant loan scheme!","date":"Tue 18 Aug 2020","content":"Belvoir, the UK’s largest High Street franchise, is backing a campaign by the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) calling for the Government to introduce a loan scheme to help tenants who have accrued rent arrears due to the impact of coronavirus.
\n\nBelvoir CEO Dorian Gonsalves says that whilst the rental market is robust, and Belvoir’s research confirms that the number tenants falling into arrears due to coronavirus is still very low at 3.34%, a tenant loan scheme similar to the one recently introduced in Wales will help to protect the small minority who may be struggling to make payments.
\n\n“Now that there is official confirmation that the UK has fallen into recession, and the furlough scheme is due to end in October, we believe that it is more important than ever for the Government to introduce a loan scheme similar to the one operating in Wales,” says Dorian. “Such a scheme will ensure that tenants will be able to pay their rent, and landlords can continue providing much needed housing for the PRS. The PRS is entering this recession in a completely different position to the one of 2008, and more people than ever are renting property. Homeowners with a mortgage who have been financially impacted by Covid-19 have already been able to access a mortgage holiday, and we believe it is only fair that tenants have access to a loan scheme similar to the one operational in Wales.
\n\n“Belvoir’s Q2 rental index confirms that the majority of our tenants are choosing to remain in their rental home for between a year and two years, with one office reporting an average of almost four years. Belvoir remains committed to the care of all of our tenants and landlords and we are delighted that the NRLA campaign for the tenant loan scheme in Wales has proved successful. Belvoir is very much behind the campaign to introduce a similar scheme in England.”
\n
\nTo read Belvoir’s full press release click here.
Some of the terminology involved in renting or letting a property can seem a bit confusing at times, but at Belvoir we try to make everything as clear as possible! One thing that can seem confusing to a prospective tenant who is looking to rent their dream home, is seeing property details with the words Let Agreed next to them. What exactly does Let Agreed mean? And if a property is marked as Let Agreed does it mean it is now off the market and no longer available? What is the difference between a Let Agreed and Let property? Read on, and we’ll try and clarify the difference.
\n\nIn simple terms, there most certainly is a difference between a Let Agreed and Let property. Let Agreed means that a tenant has shown serious interest in a property, and has put in a verbal offer to rent it. This initial offer will have been accepted in principle by the landlord or letting agent, and as a demonstration of the tenant’s commitment, the tenant will have been asked to pay a refundable holding deposit to reserve the property, whilst the necessary referencing checks are carried out. A holding deposit is capped at no more than one week’s rent for Assured Shorthold tenancies.
\n\nBefore a Let Agreed can be finalised, the agent will need to conduct all the necessary referencing and credit checks etc to ensure that a potential tenant is who he or she says they are, has the legal right to rent a property in the UK, and is able to afford to pay the rent each month. Once all of those checks have been conducted, the landlord and letting agent are satisfied with the results, and the tenant has agreed to all the terms and conditions associated with renting that property and the agreed let will be able to proceed to completion. A tenancy agreement will then be drawn up, signed by all parties and the keys handed over ready for move-in day.
\n\nIt should be noted that not all lets that have been agreed in principle will proceed to completion, but the majority will do. If a potential tenant notices property details with the words ‘Let Agreed’ next to it, it is better to start looking for another property, or ask the letting agent if it is possible to be put on a waiting list should that particular property come back onto the rental market for some reason in the future.
\n\nFind out more…
\n\nNow that you know what Let Agreed means, you might also enjoy reading our Tenant’s Guide to Renting a Property.
\n\nFor even further information on renting a property, check out the Government’s How to Rent: the checklist for renting in England, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-rent/how-to-rent-the-checklist-for-renting-in-england
\nBelvoir boosts estate agency sales with The Nottingham…
\n
\nYou wait ages for some good news and then two things come along at the same time! Yesterday the Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a very welcome stamp duty holiday to help boost the property market, and today Belvoir has announced a strategic alliance with The Nottingham, which will significantly increase house sales in new locations.
Under the new agreement, most of The Nottingham’s estate agency and lettings activity will transfer over to the Belvoir Group, with The Nottingham ceasing trading for new estate agency and lettings operations at the end of August,
\n\nDorian Gonsalves, CEO of the Belvoir Group said: “This strategic alliance represents an exciting and mutually beneficial opportunity for both the Belvoir Group and The Nottingham, and is expected to pave the way for further joint initiatives in the future.
\n\n“Franchisees within the Belvoir Group, will have an opportunity to offer The Nottingham’s members the benefit of our high quality estate agency services, either from existing building society branches or from Belvoir’s stand-alone offices throughout the UK. This opportunity will initially be extended to a number of our franchisees in up to eleven of The Nottingham’s branches and working together in Nottingham, Leicester and Cambridgeshire.
\n\n“We are confident that this innovative alliance will prove to be a great success, as Belvoir and The Nottingham already share many core principles, including a determination to ensure that the customer remains very much at the heart of all aspects of the business.”
\n
\nTo read Belvoir’s full press release click here.
As lockdown lifts, is now the perfect time for independent agents to consider joining Belvoir?
\n\nWith lockdown restrictions easing, could now be the perfect time for independent agents to consider selling their business, or become part of the Belvoir Group? In this article, we look at the benefits of franchising, and how the strength of the Belvoir business model helped agents to ride out the storm of the recent pandemic.
\n\nLockdown was a challenging time for all business owners, but Belvoir and Northwood agents retained 90% of their lettings income, thanks to the resilience of the franchise business model and a fantastic reputation within the industry.
\n\n“Franchising has proved itself to be the most resilient and successful business model during the recent pandemic, and we are receiving many enquiries from independent agents who are interested in finding out more about the Belvoir acquisition opportunity,” says Belvoir CEO Dorian Gonsalves.
\n\n“Belvoir has an extremely active Assisted Acquisition Programme, which is very much open for business. We have franchisees across the entire Group who are looking to expand their business through acquisition and our dedicated Acquisition Team is working very hard to match those franchisees with the right business opportunity.
\n\n“The timing of an acquisition is important, but when the right acquisition opportunity comes along it can undoubtedly be good for business growth, no matter when it occurs. This was certainly the case for Dave Roberts from Belvoir St. Helens, who completed on the acquisition of shares of JB & B Leach Ltd on 19th March – just days before lockdown was announced.”
\n\n“This is the third, and largest acquisition I have completed in recent years,” says Dave. “It is a sales and lettings agency, that is located next to my other office, making it a perfect fit. The business was founded in 1856 and is regarded as the largest estate agency in St. Helens. For the time being it will be operational under its own name, so as far as the public and staff are concerned there have been no changes. One of the previous partners has now retired, but the other one has an Mortgage Advice Bureau franchise that is physically located within the office so he is still based there. In addition we inherited 12 new staff members, 148 sales properties, of which 80 were sold STC, and 153 managed lettings properties.
\n\n“We completed the acquisition on 19th March and announced it to staff on 23rd March. Lockdown began the following day, so the timing could have been better! Even though lockdown happened, I have absolutely no regrets; in fact there have been some benefits. For example, it was a fantastic opportunity for my wife Tracy and I to review all the procedures and look at how they could be improved.
\n\n“Belvoir’s Acquisition Team worked closely with me on the acquisition and it was fantastic to have their support. Incredibly, although we only had the acquisition for a few days prior to lockdown, the income that it generated was enough to push our business into the top ten of the Belvoir rankings!”
\n\n“If you would like to find out more please visit: www.belvoirfranchisegroup.co.uk or call 01476 570000 for a confidential chat with a member of Belvoir’s Acquisition Team.”
\n\nFor more details on this story visit: https://www.belvoirfranchisegroup.co.uk/news-insights/post-lockdown-expansion
\n\n\n","promo":"","slug":"perfect-timing","promo_image":"//mr0.homeflow-assets.co.uk/files/site_asset/image/4008/5593/_x_/AdobeStock_556625872.jpg"},{"title":"Post Lockdown Research: Properties with outdoor space likely to be at a premium","date":"Fri 19 Jun 2020","content":"
Research from our Q1 Rental Index, and a recent Lockdown survey of franchisees, provides an insight into the changing world of tenant demands. In this article we will talk about the effect Lockdown has had on the housing market, and not surprisingly, how the demand for outdoor space has become more of a priority.
\n\nThe Belvoir Q1 Rental Index was prepared for us by industry expert Kate Faulkner, who began by looking at a breakdown of rental trends by property type. The results confirm very different rental trends between flats and houses with flats not being as popular as houses, particularly in areas where there is an oversupply.
\n\nMost Belvoir offices are predicting increasing demand for properties, with houses being more popular. People have experienced the benefits of being able to enjoy an outdoor space during lockdown, or indeed missed out on outside space and demand for properties with gardens is predicted to increase. Demand for HMOs (House in Multiple Occupation) is likely to remain fairly stable or could fall. Prior to lockdown over half of all Belvoir offices reported unchanged rents compared to Q4 2019. Most offices had anticipated a rise in rents in 2020, with wages expected to rise in excess of inflation, but of course this is now unlikely to happen. A total of 53% of offices reported unchanged rents for flats in Q1, with just over 38% reporting increased rents compared to Q4 2019. On reviewing trends for houses, 50% reported static rents, and just over 44% recorded increases, with just 6% reporting falling house rents. Overall, demand for houses remains slightly stronger than for flats.
\n\nAll Belvoir offices received tenant enquiries during lockdown, with the main reasons being due to a relationship breakdown, a need to downsize, or to obtain more outdoor space. The majority of tenants were looking for two-three bedroom properties. Essential house moves and moves for key workers were allowed during lockdown and 88% of offices managed to conclude lets during this period. 12% of offices recorded no lets during lockdown. A total of 80% of offices surveyed reported that they had between 1 and 10% of void properties during lockdown, but most offices are seeing a gradual increase in business now that restrictions have been eased.
\n\nOver three quarters of Belvoir offices reported zero evictions in Q1 – the highest recorded level since the survey began in 2016. The vast majority of offices (93.5%) reported no problems for their tenants with the eviction extension from two to three months and any problems that did occur were due to an inability to respond to anti-social behaviour, accrued rental arrears, this has meant some landlords have been unable to move back into their own property.
\n\nDuring Q1, there was an increase in the number of offices reporting landlords selling no properties, from 4.5% in Q4 to 20.5% in Q1. There was also an increase in the number of offices reporting landlords selling up to three properties from 56.5% in Q4 to 67.5% in Q1. The main reasons for landlords selling their properties was to free up money, move back into a property or as a reaction to increased regulation and taxes. Where offices did report landlords buying new stock, this was predominantly for two or three bedroom properties.
\n\nWhen we looked at the impact of lockdown, our offices reported that the main challenge to their local market was a dramatic slowing of business. Offices were able to show properties via video/virtual tours so the importance of PropTech increased dramatically, with viewings being extremely limited. Demand remained strong during lockdown, but our franchisees reported that they were only receiving enquiries from tenants who were very serious about wanting to move.
\n\nLooking ahead, three quarters of all offices surveyed predict that the market will be busy after lockdown, and there could well be a boom when the market fully opens. Properties with outdoor space and rural outlook are likely to be at a premium in the post lockdown market. In these turbulent times the role of letting agents is more important than ever, as we work to provide landlords with the protection and support needed during lockdown and beyond.
\n","promo":"","slug":"post-lockdown-research-properties-with-outdoor-space-likely-to-be-at-a-premium","promo_image":"//mr3.homeflow-assets.co.uk/files/site_asset/image/4007/1699/_x_/AdobeStock_55662587.jpg"},{"title":"How to Maximise Your Kerb Appeal","date":"Thu 18 Jun 2020","content":"When it comes to selling your home, as with many things, first impressions count and in property this is what is called kerb appeal. Essentially it is the impression any potential buyer gets when standing on the kerb looking at the property or seeing pictures of the external element of the property, as these tend to be the lead pictures in any on-line property search. If you are thinking of selling your home, you really need to ensure that these first impressions are positive. In this article, we will look in more detail at why kerb appeal is so important and at ways of maximising the kerb appeal of a property.
\n\nThe exterior of a property is the first view a potential buyer will get of a home they potentially wish to buy. This can be at a formal viewing; looking at on-line photos, where the exterior picture is typically the first photo shown, according to Zoopla, or in the course of a quick drive by viewing before even showing any formal interest. If a potential buyer is not excited by the exterior view and gets a bad feeling or impression, then the chances are that they won’t go any further in the process. Take on-line photos for example, if the impression given is poor then the potential buyer will not want to enquire any further no matter how wonderful the interior is and almost certainly won’t look at other pictures of the property. If the kerb appeal on a drive by viewing is poor then, again, it is unlikely that the purchaser will ask for a formal viewing. Good kerb appeal will maximise the interest in your property, so it is arguably one of the most important things to get right.
\n\nWindows and doors are perhaps the most important parts to give some TLC to as these tend to be the first things people notice. If you have wooden frames, give them a good clean and, if you have time, a fresh coat of paint. Fix any damage to the frames and ensure that the glass is in good repair. For uPVC windows and doors give them a good clean. There are specialist polishes out there which restore whiteness. Spend some time polishing letter boxes and handles as well.
\n\nAs any potential buyer approaches your property, they will see your path, drive and front garden. Give your path and drive, if you have one, a good clean with a pressure washer and remove any weeds that might be growing between slabs or in cracks. If you have a front garden give it a thorough weeding, a prune and a mow. Cut back any overgrowing shrubs or trees. It would even pay dividends to put some nice flower pots outside your home to add a splash of colour. Put your bins away and if you are an enthusiastic car restorer, cover your restoration project as not everyone will appreciate the beauty of a part restored vintage car. The important thing is that everything looks neat, tidy and inviting.
\n\nComplete those long overdue maintenance tasks such as sorting that leak on the guttering or repairing that render which has fallen off. If you have a painted house, make sure the paint is fresh and in good condition. Sort out the broken fence and any slipped or broken tiles. You want to give a prospective purchaser the impression, right from the start, that they are looking at a well loved and looked after home. If you have a gate, make sure it isn't stiff or squeaking
\n\nIf you want to go that one step further give the pavement outside your home a sweep and a clean. If your neighbour’s garden doesn’t look great, perhaps ask if you can help them tidy it up a little. Remember that buyers will also be looking at houses near to yours and will make a judgement on the overall area not just your home.
\n\nOne top tip is to make sure that you maintain the outside in that good condition. You really don’t want a buyer seeing lovely pictures and then turning up to something completely difference and less attractive.
\n\nSpending a little time making the outside of your home as appealing as possible will pay huge dividends when it comes time to selling. Purchasers who see that wow factor when they first see your home are much more likely to want to see more and will be in a more positive frame of mind when they do.
\n","promo":"","slug":"how-to-maximise-your-kerb-appeal","promo_image":"//mr2.homeflow-assets.co.uk/files/site_asset/image/4006/4414/_x_/AdobeStock_55662587.jpg"},{"title":"Gardening Tips for Beginners","date":"Fri 29 May 2020","content":"Starting gardening for the first time can be a little daunting, so in this article we aim to give you some hints and tips to get you going and also look at some simple projects to hopefully ignite a lifelong love of gardening.
\n\nBefore you dive in to planting new borders or changing out your existing plants there are a few things to consider:
\n\n1) Buy plants suited to your soil type. Plants definitely prefer a certain soil type and if you plant the wrong ones then they won’t thrive. The RHS has a great guide on how to determine what type of soil you have.
\n\n2) Pay attention to the light suggestions for each plant. If you have a shade loving plant, don’t plant it in an area exposed to the sun all day long and vice versa, don’t plant sun loving plants in shaded areas.
\n\n3) Give your plant the space they need to grow. If you plant too many too closely to each other they will not all survive. Ensure you follow the guidance for each plant species.
\n\n4) Abide by the watering guideline for each plant, under or over watering will kill off your precious plants.
\n\n5) Be gentle with new plants. If you are removing them from an existing pot, gently squeeze the side of the pot to loosen the soil inside rather than pulling on the stem.
\n\n6) Water the roots when you remove a plant. You do not want to plant a dry root ball.
\n\n7) Weed brutally. Your worst enemy is weeds. Dig up weeds and remove the entire root. Don’t throw weeds onto a compost heap as you’ll only reseed them when you use the compost.
\n\n8) If you are planting in tubs, make sure there are drainage holes and layer the bottom of the tub with pea shingle to aide drainage.
\n\n9) Chat to the folk in the garden centre as they will have a lot of knowledge and be able to advise you as to what plants go with what and where to put them.
\n\nTaking these tips into account for any planting that you do will allow you to get the best out of your plants and your garden.
\n\nGetting started with gardening needn’t be difficult and with some relatively minor activity you can really make an impact, you will find as your garden grows you will have a wonderful sense of achievement!
\n\nMore often that not, we have rectangular or square lawns which can all look the same. Using a little bit of imagination, you can change the shape of your lawn to something slightly less symmetrical and give your garden a really unique look. You can choose from a simple circle to a totally free flowing shape simply by marking out the shape you want with string and pegs and then cutting away the extra grass. Better Homes and Gardens has a great article on different styles you could consider.
\n\nIf you want to add some height to your planting, then why not build some raised beds using railway sleepers? Simply decide on where you want the sleepers to go and what shape and size you want your bed to be. Sleepers are relatively easy to buy these days and you can choose from brand new to reclaimed which have a little more character to them. Level out the ground if needed, put the sleepers in place at 90° angles to each other, screw them together and then repeat for however many layers you want. Once you have the structure, attach a layer of plastic sheeting inside to protect the sleepers from the wet soil and then simply fill the bed with soil and plant your plants. Some alpines would be a great addition at the edges as they will fall over the edge towards the floor.
\n\nRockeries can look beautiful and aim to replicate an alpine mountainside so you will need a sunny spot, ideally on a slope with free draining soil. Obviously, you can build a slope and sort out soil with good drainage but don’t put your rockery under a tree or against a wall or fence which would keep it in the shade.
\n\nIf you are building up your rockery to get a slope you will need lots of hardcore and rubble and don’t underestimate the amount of rock you will need. The first thing to do is make a plan, you really don’t want to be lugging all that rubble, hardcore and rocks around more than once. Once you have your plan, starting at the bottom of the rockery, loosen the soil and put hardcore and rubble underneath to improve drainage. Work up your slope as you go until you have the right area and slope. Then start adding your rocks. Amateur Gardening has a great step by step guide to follow. You are now ready to plant your alpine flowers. In this article by David Domoney you can find 10 of the most popular rockery plants. Lay your plants out where you want them and then plant them.
\n\nYou might not be the best gardener in the world but then gardening doesn’t need to be complex or difficult. Make sure you match your plants to your soil and their light preferences and you are more than half way there! There are plenty of other very simple gardening projects which you can do to change your garden significantly and we have covered just three in this article but each one will create a brand new garden with some great talking features.
\n","promo":"","slug":"gardening-tips-for-beginners","promo_image":"//mr3.homeflow-assets.co.uk/files/site_asset/image/3995/3079/_x_/AdobeStock_330341353.jpg"},{"title":"20 Ideas for Keeping Children Busy","date":"Thu 21 May 2020","content":"Lighten the load by spreading it around, assign chores to everyone else in the home. Dependent on their abilities and age this can be loading the dishwasher, hoovering, dusting or washing and ironing. Don’t feel guilty, these are life skills you are teaching them!
\n\nAdd some fresh air to their daily routing by dolling out gardening tasks. A great idea is to get the children planting seeds, give them the responsibility for watering and maintaining them.
\n\nIf you have a mix of older and younger children enlist the help of the older ones to create a treasure hunt. Hide “treasures” around the home and the garden and write clues on how to find them, if you are all feeling particularly creative you can even draw a treasure map!
\n\nAsk your children to have a clear out of their toys, books, games and clothes. Those they have outgrown can be taken to a local charity shop once they are open again or even listed on your local social media page for others to enjoy.
\n\nWhilst we all need to stay at home, we do not need to lose contact with friends and family. Schedule in video calls for the children so they can speak with their friends and family members.
\n\nWhilst the weather is nice, crack open the paints, cover the garden table over, and let them get creative. The Artful Parent has 7 great children’s painting ideas, we love the spin painting!
\n\nAs our circumstances are so unusual why not record it forever with a time capsule? You can create your own family time capsule with a simple story about what is going on and how it affects the family, seal it with some relevant items in an air tight container and bury it in the garden. If you would like to follow a time capsule guide this YouTube video from MooGooPi is a really good visual guide.
\n\nTraditionally Scavenger hunts are all about traipsing through the countryside looking for signs of nature, that is still doable if you are lucky enough to live in a rural location and it can be done during your daily exercise. However, there are a whole host of scavenger hunts you can do. There are 30 printable Scavenger hunts available on the Buggy and Buddy website. How about a recycling scavenger hunt or an emotions one?
\n\nImpart some of your own fond childhood memories and teach the children how to play games like Leap Frog, British Bulldog, Hop Scotch, Mother May I? and the hundreds of other traditional games we all played. With a small amount of online research, you will soon have plenty of ideas and can show them one every day!
\n\nDepending on the age of your children, give them recipes to follow and the ingredients and let them get culinarily creative. You have a “two birds and one stone” scenario here, the children are occupied and you don’t have to worry about dinner preparations!
\n\nWhether this is inside or out, everyone loves to create a den! Inside they can use duvets and blankets, pillows and sofa cushions. Outside let them raid the shed for loungers and chairs, give them old blankets and sheets to drape across the washing line or swing and slide. Let their imagination run wild!
\n\nGive the children a story and get them to create and practice a Play based on the story. Tell them they will need to perform the for the rest of the family (other family members can video call in for this). They will have hours of fun practising and you and the rest of the family will have your evening’s entertainment sorted!
\n\nWhilst we can’t very well go on holiday right now, it could be a good time to let the children experience camping out in the garden! Set up the family tent and airbeds, sleeping bags and duvets, arrange snacks and books and torches. What a fabulous experience they will have!
\n\nDonate some old clothes and shoes, handbags, accessories (and if you are feeling brave make-up) and let them play dress up! Good old-fashioned fun! And great pictures to send to other family members.
\n\nIt is so important to keep exercising, but the options can seem limited. Why not challenge the children to create an exercise circuit. Best compiled in the garden but with care, it can be created indoors. They can include things like running, shooting for a goal, throwing items at a target area, skipping, cycling, rolling or roly polys, cartwheels, crawling under or over things… Then set timers to see if they can beat their personal best!
\n\nA great idea to keep children occupied is to write letters, they can be for friends or family or even to NHS workers, Care staff or any other key workers – how about writing one for your Postie, after all they are still bringing our post. Won’t it be a lovely idea to give them a letter for a change. From a safe distance of course!
\n\nMuseums, Zoos and Art Galleries the world over have created virtual tours. Why not browse the Louvre, or the British Museum? Visit San Diego Zoo – these tours are fascinating and educational!
\n\nKeep the children looking forward and get them to create a mood board of all the things they are looking forward to doing when life returns to normal.
\n\nA lovely idea and one which will make your children feel closer to family is to create a family tree. They can call and ask relatives to fill in the blanks and see how far the family tree can reach. This doesn’t have to be technical, try using blank sheets of paper and as branches veer off Sellotape more sheets to create your sprawling family history.
\n\nDig out all your old Film sets and have a film day! How about a Harry Potter day? Or a Star Wars week? Don’t forget the classics like the James Bond films.
\n\nWe hope you have found some of these ideas helpful. Your only challenge now is going to be carrying on with your work and resisting the temptation to join in the fun!
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