Christopher Monks

Founder and Artistic Director of Armonico Consort and AC Academy

It's the belief of AC Academy that every young person in the UK is entitled to a free first class musical education and deserves the opportunity to fall in love with music and learn to perform it themselves

Liz Bayram

Joint Chief Executive of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years

Childcare is again at the centre of a political wrangle thanks to Nick Clegg revealing, albeit indirectly, that he is opposed to ratio changes, which would increase the number of young children that childcare professionals can look after.

Julie Lightley

Early Years Professional, parent and owner of The Village Nursery in Trafford

What many of us who work with young children fear is that this model may lead us to children as young as two being rushed on to tasks they are not developmentally ready for, such as colours, numbers and reading. We need to remember what's at the heart of this issue - and that's the well-being and happiness of our children.

Lindsay Pattison

CEO of Maxus UK & Global Chief Strategy Officer and First Women Awards 2013 nominee

Being super-organised is another essential part of the package. Coordinating school drop-offs and pick-ups and after-school activities around the working day means that working mums have to focus and plan their time precisely.

David Tait

NSPCC Fundraising Mountaineer and Trustee

Above the Hillary one senses success - the approach ridge is guarded by a furious gale, seemingly hidden until this precise moment. It rears, screams in your ears, sears your exposed skin and tries desperately to throw you like an unwanted intruder from your precarious path.

Jessica Ebner-Statt

Avid writer and computer obsessed 11 year old.

As we drove into DisneyWorld, I felt a surge of excitement. I had dreamed of visiting Disney forever and that dream was coming true. However, I was also slightly worried. When I had been begging my parents to take me, I was still in love with Belle, Toy Story and Pluto.

Charli Radke

Freelance lifestyle, fashion and tech writer

Women who choose to donate eggs have made a monumental decision that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. This decision is a great thing, which can benefit them in many ways. Here are some of the things you should know about the egg donation process before you get involved.

Mandy Saligari

Executive Director, Founder and Clinical Director, Charter Day Care, Charter Residential and Charter Adolescents

Yes I think we should divert those busted for minor drug crime into treatment, but I absolutely do not see the point if all we are doing is increasing the users at the other end of the line. We need to contain from both ends - and places like Amazon should be slapped on the wrist.

Grant Feller

Writer, Editor, Media Consultant, Pretend Cowboy, www.gf-media.co.uk

The low point probably came several months ago when I raced upstairs, put on my best suit and pretended to go off to work. It was 5pm and the children were due back from school. The truth that I wasn't able to tell them was that I had lost my job 72 hours earlier and was acting out this increasingly ridiculous charade partly out of shame, embarrassment and, well, I just didn't know what to say.

Adrian Millar

Stay-at-home father of three daughters - with two PhDs and a passion for mindfulness and the beauty of everyday life

How did I ever get into this, I think? How did I ever let my life slide so far? I could have been a political science lecturer, a Japanese language interpreter, a writer who inspired millions, but here I am sorting out arguments between two teenagers. Where did it all go wrong?

Soila Sindiyo

Supporting Families Going Through Changes and Transitions

I'm not going to create a tip sheet for you on what to do to be successful in your co-parenting arrangement because no matter what I or anyone else says, the one thing that you need to constantly keep in mind is your child. That's it.

Natasha Corrett

Gourmet alkaline chef, author and entrepreneur

Spending time with my friends children, my nieces and nephews, makes me much more aware of the kinds of foods that are easy to prepare and that satisfy them, but the biggest question is are they nourishing them from the inside out?

Jonny Harris

Hair Loss Expert and the Managing Director of The Belgravia Centre, the UK'’s most renowned hair loss clinic

It hit the hair loss headlines this week when a boy in Philadelphia with alopecia areata got sent home from school for having hair that violated the school's short hair policy. The incident illustrates the woeful lack of awareness concerning the disease, which is thought to affect around 2% of the population.

Athene Donald

Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Cambridge and First Women Awards 2013 nominee

When I was growing up, Lego bricks came in primary colours and no one told me I couldn't build a garage, a rocket, a pirate ship or whatever took my fancy. Although the choice of bricks back then was severely limited, my imagination did not have to be. Now it seems to be the norm to split the building sets Lego market into those deemed appropriate for boys and those for girls.

William J. Furney

Journalist

An Oxford Dictionary definition of the word "abuse" is to "use or treat in such a way as to cause damage or harm." There is no mistaking the stark facts: childhood obesity leads to horrors such as various cancers, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, depression and many more.

Mike Collins

Senior Press Officer, National Trust

Stone skimming nestles at number five on the new '50 things to do before 11 3/4' list published by the National Trust this week... Stone skimming, that timeless past time that generations have enjoyed. Whether you skim yours on a beach, lake or river the experience and emotions are the same. This is partly about accuracy and technique but it's also about pride and raw emotion.