£10-£30
Own a Pony for a Day, £25-ish
Girls love ponies, and having one of her very own to stroke, groom and ride could be her dream come true, even if it’s only for a day. Many stables run clubs for children, and would provide a voucher for this sort of thing or a few lessons. A great child-friendly stables is Lakefield Equestrian Centre near Camelford in North Cornwall. Call 01840 213279 or visit www.lakefieldequestriancentre.co.uk
Under £10
Elephant purse, Mercy Trading bag, £3.50
Support a good cause with these cheerful little bags. Mercy Trading was founded by Julie Dawson from mid-Cornwall, and her company imports beautiful products supported by Christian ministries. These lucky elephants are not only cute, they’re helping guarantee an income for women in Thai slums. Mercy Trading products are supplied at the Tube Station in Polzeath Community Church, the Mustard Seed in Perranporth, or The Source at Newquay’s Christian Centre. Alternatively, call Julie on 07805 190 296.
Over £30
Voucher for a Cowslip Workshop for two, £45-£75
Located on an organic farm near Launceston, Cowslip Workshops is a farm diversification run by Jo Colwill. Jo is an arts and crafts pro, an expert quilter who runs fun courses for creative types young and old. You could get a voucher for a girl and her mum, or grandmother, to do one of her day-long workshops designed for family fun: sand printing, intro to sewing, the elves and the shoemaker, etc. For ideas, call Jo on 01566 772654.
What Credit Crunch?
Yeti beanbag, Celtic Sheepskin, from £545
If she loves her creature comforts, this is the ultimate beanbag from Newquay institution Celtic Sheepskin. Whether your girl is watching telly, reading, or doing homework, she can snuggle into natural wool three inches long covering a sturdy hide base. This squashy furniture will follow her to university and beyond. It comes in ivory or dark chocolate. Visit www.celtic-sheepskin.co.uk or call 01637 871 605.
