Baby show a great success

Organisers were ecstatic about the tremendous response the Mother and Baby Show 2009 received as it opened its doors to the island's residents for the first time.

The show was organised by Magnum Events & Exhibitions Management (MEEM) in partnership with Non Stop Promotions Lebanon under the patronage of Her Highness Shaikha Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty the King, and president of the Supreme Council for Women.

Chairman of MEEM, Hisham Al Baradie said: "It was a great success and we are very happy.

"We received many compliments from visiting families which were greatly appreciated.

"The icing on the cake, however, was the kids fashion show - people just loved it.

"Since this was the first year, there are many ideas we still need to work on, especially on creating more awareness among neighbouring GCC countries. We would also like to thank all our supporters including sponsors, exhibitors and the families of Bahrain."

It is believed that nearly 10,000 visitors flocked to the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre in Sanabis where the event was staged over four days.

Housewife Geeta Lakhani, 27, from Juffair said: "I read about the show in GulfWeekly and found the event very informative. We have been able to get some information on pre-schools for our son, Dhruv. He is 18 months old and gets really bored at home."

Ammar Adnan, a field supervisor from Hamad Town, struck lucky as he discovered an ideal activity attraction for his 18-month-old son, Hadi. Mr Adnan, 28, said: "It was nice to see so many companies and manufacturers all under one roof. The show was very useful and I hope it will continue over the coming years."

Mum Yasmin Mohammed, 28, from Juffair, went in search of new products for mothers and children. She said: "I also found out about various educational and fun places I can take my children to during the weekends."

The show featured nearly 60 exhibitors from 11 countries showcasing a range of products including toddler and maternity accessories, toys, baby gifts, prams, childcare and nurseries.

Lebanon-based Hype 'N' Hop welcomed a number of children who got their T-shirts painted. Owner Randa Ghalayini said: "The response has been excellent, far beyond our expectations."

Mrs Ghalayini explained that the concept of her educational and recreational business came from personal experiences bringing up her daughter.

She said: "I wanted my 11-year- old to get acquainted with arts and crafts at an early age.

"We offer a range of activities including ceramics, cooking classes, clay animation, robotics and drawing. We even have an in-house dietician to help get the children to eat healthy."

Businesswoman Jacinta McLean launched two products at the show - Treasures, which features stone sculptures of babies' feet and palms, and a labeling service called MyNameLabel.

Mrs McLean, 31, said: "It has been wonderful. I have got so many bookings! I began my business six months ago at home in A'ali."

Sisters Dalal and Salwa Isa of the 'tuc tuc' stall, offering baby apparel and room decorations, said: "We have been in the market for four years now and we have two stores in A'ali Shopping Complex and Seef Mall. However, we have received many visitors who hadn't heard about us at all."

The show featured talks and presentations on healthcare by doctors, lecturers, specialists as well as businessmen and women.

Alongside the exhibition of products and services, the show also featured a range of activities for children including magic shows, juggling, dances, haircuts, henna painting, face painting, science shows, martial arts demonstrations and a bouncy castle.

The Kid's Fashion Show proved popular too with tiny tots and children walking the ramp showing off their dresses to an appreciative audience. It was sponsored by Lulu Hypermarket, Prenatal, Wenice and Bubs Boutique and organised by Summer Al Baradie and Haifa Yaseen.