Baby Massage Courses All courses have 5 once weekly sessions starting on the dates shown below Autumn 2026 Sold Out 10 days to the event Walthamstow Course 2 Mon 02 Nov Walthamstow Family Hub Learn how to massage your baby, meet other families and share experiences. This course consists of 5 sessions that run on the same day, weekly for 5 weeks. The date show at the top is the first day of the course. Share Details Sold Out 12 days to the event Chingford Course 2 Wed 04 Nov Chingford Family Hub Learn how to massage your baby, meet other families and share experiences. This course consists of 5 sessions that run on the same day, weekly for 5 weeks. The date show at the top is the first day of the course. Share Details

Apply for a job with Lloyd Park Children's Charity here. How would you rate our Services? Let us know how we're doing and help shape our future plans Click Here All feedback is anoynmous!

Funded Projects Our Funding Partners We are delighted to be working with these major donors to deliver vital community work in East London Family Wellbeing and Support Project We were delighted to be awarded funding to run our early years social prescribing and co-production project by the 'City Bridge Foundation'. Working in partnership we are delivering a 5 year programme offering support to families with a focus on health and welbeing outcomes. The Community Wellbeing Support Worker helps families identify what matters to them and ways to achieve their goals. Families are supported to design and lead activities based on their 'living experiences'. This creates innovative and exciting resources for local children and families. Musical Climbers and Creators Memory Book Youth Music, funded this wonderful project via their Trialblazer programme. It provided unique music-based outdoor learning and sensory experiences in our ' Grow Wild' adventure play space. Activities focus on local children facing barriers in accessing mainstream music and outdoors provisions, particularly those children living with SEND. This fun and uplifiting session was co-produced with Soundcastle musical therapy charity, children, parents and our SEND team. Huge thanks to Youth Music for funding this wonderful SEND music-making project! Grow Active 'Grow Active' was delivered in partnership with the 'London Marathon Foundation'. Waltham Forest is home to a large number of marginalised children, many of whom have little or no outdoor space to explore. ‘Grow Active’ offered children a wide range of opportunities to improve physical fitness and self-esteem in our safe, inclusive Grow Wild outdoors adventure play space. Our aim was to inspire more children to take up physical activity in their early years, helping them to build the confidence to be more active in their future lives. Many Many thanks to 'London Marathon Foundation' for funding this amazing project for a whole year, between November 2023 and October 2024! Community Living Room & Kitchen “My child has been able to develop more social skills and interact with friends". "It’s a warming environment, everyone’s happy, they’re smiling, joking, that’s how it’s been since the beginning". "We’re all able to talk about the same problems”. Enjoy a hot meal, play and socialise Our Community Living Room & Kitchen is run in partnership with London Borough of Waltham Forest and has proved to be one of our most popular community resources over the last year. With our funding we have created a safe, invite only, welcoming space where families, with children ages 0-5yrs, can stay warm, socialise, play and enjoy a tasty hot meal. Our team are on hand during sessions to offer support and advice if needed. Contact us to see if you're eligible to attend using our 'Help Request' form button below. Request Help

See available post from across our charity. We regularlty recruit to positions in childcare, early years learning and developement, family support, and a variety of support roles. Experienced Outreach and Family Support Practitioner Location: Across the London Borough of Waltham Forest Salary: £31,430 Hours: Full Time 36 hour per week Contract: Fixed-term for 12 months, with the possibility of extension until June 2027 Closing date: Thursday, 9th October 2025 Interviews: Week commencing 13th October 2025 Overview At Lloyd Park Children’s Charity, we’re proud to be at the heart of our community, supporting children and families to thrive. We believe every child deserves the best start in life, and we work together to create safe, inclusive, and nurturing environments where children can grow, learn, and flourish. We’re looking for a passionate and committed individual to join our team in a fixed-term role. If you’re someone who shares our values and is ready to make a real difference, we’d love to hear from you. We’re seeking someone who: Has qualifications relevant to early years and experience in working with families. Is enthusiastic, caring, and committed to inclusive practice. Enjoys working as part of a supportive team and engaging with the local community. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore subject to an enhanced DBS certificate; this is a requirement of the DBS code of practice. Job Description Apply Now

Teatime and Holiday Clubs Teatime Club The Lloyd Park Centre offers inclusive Teatime Club until 5.50pm Monday to Friday for primary school aged children. The Lloyd Park Centre collects children from Winns Primary School Apply Here Fees Holiday Club The Lloyd Park and HIgham Hill Centres both offer inclusive holiday clubs for primary school aged children, from 8-5.50pm Monday to Friday during school holidays. See Dates for your Diary page to find out when our holiday schemes run. Bookings for October 2026 Holiday Club open from: 9am, Tuesday 22nd September Apply Here Fees Activities Your child will enjoy a range of activities including arts and crafts, sport, imaginative play, risk taking play and more. Children work together to explore their interests such as creating and performing in talent shows, fundraisers and sports events. There are opportunities to use our Grow Wild adventure play space, and for sporty and messy play, so please dress appropriately. Food Our dedicated catering team prepare our food on-site using fresh ingredients, creating tasty and nutritious meals with an emphasis on providing a wide range of plant-based foods. Meal times are always a sociable and enjoyable part of our day. Our Food

Journal Club Overview This summary brings together learning from a collaborative Journal Club involving staff across Lloyd Park Children’s Charity. It draws on research from multiple disciplines alongside practitioner insight, creating a space to reflect critically on our work with families and strengthen how evidence informs practice. Rather than focusing on a single project, the Journal Club explored a wide body of academic literature in conversation with day-to-day experience. This allowed staff to question assumptions, test ideas, and think more deeply about what works. The overall aim was to review current evidence on early years, family support and wellbeing, while also identifying strengths in our existing work and areas where practice and services could be further developed. At its core, the process reflects our commitment to being a learning organisation, where practice continues to evolve in response to both evidence and lived experience. What Makes This Work Different A key strength of the Journal Club is the way it brings together different perspectives from across teams and services. By combining research evidence with practitioner experience, it creates a richer and more grounded understanding of practice. The focus is not simply on outcomes, but on reflection, learning and continuous improvement. Importantly, it also provides space to identify gaps in the evidence and consider where we can innovate or take a leading role. Throughout the process, a central question has guided discussion: What does the evidence tell us—and how can we do better for families? Key Themes from the Evidence A consistent message across the literature is that relationships are fundamental to change. Approaches that are relationship-based and strengths-focused, such as restorative practice and family partnership models, are shown to build trust, reduce stigma and support engagement. They enable families to take ownership of change, rather than feeling directed or judged. This strongly reflects an existing strength in our work: supporting families through respectful, collaborative relationships. The evidence also reinforces the importance of working with the whole family, not just the child. Children’s outcomes are shaped by parental wellbeing, family relationships and wider environmental factors. Ecological and systems-based models highlight that meaningful support must take account of both family dynamics and the broader community context. Poverty and inequality emerge as a major underlying influence across many studies. Disadvantage affects children’s health, development and long-term life chances, often in ways that accumulate over time. This highlights the importance of accessible and inclusive services that address the wider determinants of health, rather than focusing solely on immediate presenting issues. It also underscores the critical role of early intervention in reducing inequality. Another area of growing interest is social prescribing, particularly in relation to mental health and wellbeing. However, the evidence base for children and families is still developing, with limited established models and ongoing challenges around access and implementation. This presents an opportunity for the charity to strengthen and formalise its approach, while also contributing to wider learning and innovation in this field. The research also emphasises the importance of belonging and community connection. Feeling part of a community is closely linked to wellbeing, yet many families face barriers to participation, including low confidence, anxiety, stigma and practical constraints. Effective group work therefore depends on creating welcoming, flexible and non-judgemental environments, and on designing provision with families rather than for them. This points again to the importance of co-production and strong relationships. There is also growing evidence of the benefits of access to nature for children’s development. Natural environments can positively influence emotional wellbeing, behaviour, attention and cognitive development, supporting the continued development of outdoor and nature-based approaches, especially for families with limited access to green space. Finally, a clear message across the literature is the importance of listening, to both children and families. Services are most effective when they are shaped by lived experience, using participatory and creative approaches, and when they are genuinely responsive to what families say they need. Key Organisational Learning The Journal Club has highlighted important strengths in our current work. In particular, it reflects the consistency of our relationship-based, strengths-focused approach, our ability to work holistically with families, and our success in building trust with those who may not access more traditional services. At the same time, it has identified areas where further development would strengthen our impact. These include improving how we measure and evidence outcomes, especially for children, articulating our model of practice and theory of change more clearly, and developing tools and frameworks to support greater consistency across services. There is also an opportunity to expand our role in research and evidence generation, particularly in emerging areas such as social prescribing. Key Recommendations Taken together, the learning points to a clear set of priorities. These include developing clearer practice frameworks, strengthening data collection and evaluation, and increasing co-production with families so that services are shaped more directly by lived experience. There is also a need to continue expanding community-based approaches, including social prescribing, and to build stronger partnerships that address poverty and inequality more effectively. Underpinning all of this is the importance of maintaining a strong culture of reflection, learning and evidence use across the organisation. Summary The Journal Club has deepened our understanding of what works in supporting children and families, while also providing a valuable space for critical reflection. It confirms that effective services are grounded in relationships, take a whole-family perspective, and actively build connection, belonging and resilience. It also reinforces the importance of early action to prevent long-term disadvantage. Perhaps most importantly, it has strengthened our identity as a learning organisation, one that continues to reflect, adapt and improve in response to both evidence and the experiences of the families we support. Evidence Reviewed The Journal Club drew on a wide range of research across early years, family support and wellbeing, including work on social prescribing, restorative practice, poverty and health outcomes, nature and child development, barriers to participation, and the social determinants of child development. This included: Hayes et al. (2023) – Social prescribing for children and young people Lewing et al. (2020) – Early childhood services and family hubs Williams (2019) – Restorative approaches in family support Sammons et al. (2023) – Equity and Children’s Centres Schickedanz et al. (2015) – Childhood poverty and health outcomes Norwood et al. (2019) – Nature and child development Stuart et al. (2022) – Barriers to group participation Goldfeld et al. (2018) – Social determinants of child development Tabb et al. (2022) – Home visiting and parental mental health Gore et al. (2022) – Family support programmes and wellbeing

Work, training & further education Throughout our five decade history as a grassroots organisation we've always worked alongside and recruited members of our community, bringing their invaluable lived-experience to our work whilst they learn new skills themselves. Some of our longest serving managers started out that way! Creating much needed training and employment offers is incredibly important to us, so we strive to find ways to generate opportunities that both support our mission and give local people a chance. Can you support local people find their place? Whilst we continue to create opportunities flocallly, we are always looking for ways to support our community to find the skills and employment prospects that are right for them. Through our family-centred approach we build trusting relationships with parents meaning we are well placed to introduce them to trusted partners who can offer work experience, training and mentoring opportunties. If your organisation has social impact schemes centred on raising skills in the community we'd love to hear from you to explore possibilities! Email our team We can support your team or students gain experience We've developed a strong culture of continuous professional development, accredited training programmes and work experience opportunities making us experienced in creating opportunities to help people gain experieince and enhance their professional developement. Get in touch with us if you'd like to explore ways that we could support your team or your students to gain new experience, whether that be through direct training, work placements or research projects. Email our team

Newsletter Role play Edition 59. Autumn 2026 Our termly magazine full of interesting local stories, events and campaigns, plus our activities timetable. Important notice relating to activity timings Read View Map Subscribe Please Note: All activity dates and times appearing on the printed and PDF versions of Roleplay are correct at the time of printing and we endeavour to adhere to these. However, occasionally these may change due to circumstances outside of our control. Please always check the Calendar on our 'What's On' page for up to date listings before travelling. Follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram to receive announcements related to our activities. Role play Archive Find past editions here Browse

Find out how to contact us and visit our settings here. Contact Us General Enquiries: 0208 5319522 or info@tlpcc.org.uk Lloyd Park Centre Winns Ave Entrance , Lloyd Park, Walthamstow E17 5JW 020 8531 9522 lpc@tlpcc.org.uk Grow Wild Lloyd Park, Walthamstow E17 5JW (access is via the secret door, opposite the cafe in Lloyd Park) 020 8531 9522 lpc@tlpcc.org.uk Higham Hill Centre 313 Billet Road, Walthamstow E17 5PX 020 8527 1737 hhdc@tlpcc.org.uk The Grow Well Centre 7 Saxon Close, Walthamstow E17 8LE info@tlpcc.org.uk Anchor 1

Early Years Social Prescribing Early Years Social Prescribing: Our Evidence Base Our Commitment to Evidence-Based Practice At Lloyd Park Children’s Charity, our Early Years Social Prescribing Service is grounded in a strong and growing evidence base. We recognise that children’s development is shaped not only by healthcare, but by family wellbeing, relationships, and the wider social factors affecting everyday life. Our work focuses on supporting families experiencing challenges such as developmental delay, financial hardship, parental wellbeing needs, and social isolation. Why the Early Years Matter Research shows that the early years are a critical period for children’s development. Parenting and the parent–child relationship play a key role in shaping children’s emotional, social, and long-term health outcomes. Parental mental health is particularly important: Mothers are around twice as likely to experience depression during childbearing years Children of parents experiencing poor mental health are more likely to develop anxiety and depression Parenting stress can influence how difficulties are passed between parent and child. Importantly, research highlights that many of the risks affecting children are modifiable within the family environment, meaning timely support can make a real difference. What is Social Prescribing? Social prescribing connects families to community-based support, activities, and practical resources to improve wellbeing. Studies show this approach can: Reduce loneliness and isolation Improve mental health and emotional wellbeing Increase confidence, resilience, and coping skills Strengthen community connections and support networks It also helps address the wider determinants of health, such as housing, relationships, and financial pressures, which are often at the root of many challenges families face. Why Social Prescribing for Families? Supporting parents is one of the most effective ways to improve outcomes for children. Research shows that: Parent and child mental health are closely linked and influence each other Interventions that support both parent and child together are more effective Strengthening parenting capacity improves children’s development and life chances By improving parental wellbeing, social prescribing helps create more stable, nurturing environments for children to thrive. The Power of Community and Connection A strong sense of belonging and connection to others is essential for wellbeing. Evidence shows that when people feel part of a community, they experience: Greater emotional support and resilience A stronger sense of purpose and identity Improved overall health and wellbeing This is why our service focuses on building local connections and supportive relationships, not just providing services. Co‑Production: Working Together with Families Our approach is co-produced with families through our CoCo East project. This means parents and community members actively shape the support available. Research shows co-production: Improves engagement and relevance of services Builds confidence, empowerment, and independence Reduces social isolation Leads to more sustainable and effective support It also recognises that communities understand their own needs best, and that tailored, local solutions are more effective than generic approaches. Tackling Inequality Early Children growing up in disadvantaged circumstances experience poorer health and developmental outcomes due to social and economic factors. Social prescribing helps to address these inequalities by: Providing early, preventative support Reducing reliance on crisis services Improving access to community resources and opportunities This approach supports fairer outcomes for children and families. How Our Approach Works Research highlights that effective social prescribing services are: Person-centred and holistic Built on strong partnerships across services Focused on co-producing solutions with families Designed to build long-term resilience and independence Our Early Years Social Prescribing model reflects these principles in practice. Measuring Our Impact We use evidence-based approaches to understand the difference our service makes, including looking at: Sense of belonging within the community Levels of social support Experiences of loneliness or isolation Overall wellbeing and quality of life This helps ensure we are continually improving and delivering meaningful outcomes for families. Summary The evidence is clear, supporting parents, strengthening relationships, and connecting families to their communities can have a powerful and lasting impact on children’s development. Early Years Social Prescribing offers a preventative, holistic, and evidence-informed approach that improves wellbeing for the whole family and helps children get the best possible start in life. Our Evidence Base This work is informed by a range of research, including: Daundasekara et al. (2021) – parental mental health and child outcomes Thomas et al. (2021) – social prescribing and co-production Hassan et al. (2023) – social prescribing systems and implementation Wakefield et al. (2022) – social connection and wellbeing Goldfeld et al. (2017) – social determinants of child development Waylen et al. (2008) – parenting and child health outcomes Kuckertz et al. (2018) – parenting and child mental health

Action Planning The Lloyd Park Children’s Charity Action Planning Working Together to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families 1st July 2026 The Early Years Action Planning Group is a well-established multi-agency partnership committed to improving outcomes for babies, young children and their families across the Waltham Forest. The group brings together professionals and representatives from health services, public health, children's centres, early years providers, outreach services, Early Help, the voluntary and community sector, service leaders, parents and local politicians. By bringing together different perspectives and expertise, the group is able to develop a shared understanding of the needs of local children and families and work collectively to address them. A central part of the group's role is to review local evidence and data. This includes information relating to child development, health outcomes, early education, service access and demographic trends. The group uses this evidence to identify priorities, understand challenges facing families and develop coordinated, evidence-informed responses that can improve outcomes during the crucial early years of a child's life. Our Latest Action Planning Session At our most recent action planning session, partners reviewed local data and explored areas where collaborative action could have the greatest impact. Four key priorities were identified: supporting early language and literacy development, improving engagement with families of younger children, increasing take-up of funded early education and improving childhood immunisation uptake. Supporting Early Language and Literacy The group identified family reading and book-sharing as an important area of focus. Evidence and practitioner experience highlighted several barriers, including family pressures, lack of awareness of the benefits of reading, difficulties accessing books, parental confidence with literacy and the increasing impact of screen time on family routines. Partners agreed to strengthen reading promotion activities by providing families with practical information and support, increasing awareness of local resources such as libraries and book-sharing schemes, and developing engaging reading opportunities within communities. Particular attention will be given to reaching groups who may currently be less likely to engage with literacy activities, including fathers and other underrepresented family members. The group also highlighted the importance of inclusive approaches, including the use of visual resources, translated materials and British Sign Language to support communication and access. These actions aim to encourage more families to enjoy books together, support children's communication and language development and contribute to improved school readiness. Improving Engagement with Families of Young Children The group also examined demographic information relating to children aged 0–2 years. Members identified opportunities to strengthen the use of local data to better understand which families are accessing services and where further engagement may be needed. A particular focus was placed on ensuring services can effectively identify and reach families who may benefit from additional support. Partners agreed to improve the collection and analysis of demographic information, strengthen links between services and outreach teams and make better use of information from Early Years and Public Health partners. There was also a commitment to focus engagement activity on communities experiencing the highest levels of disadvantage and to use local intelligence to support targeted outreach. By improving our understanding of local need, the partnership will be better placed to ensure support reaches the children and families who need it most. Increasing Access to Funded Early Education Access to funded early education for eligible two-year-olds was identified as another important priority. Discussion highlighted several possible barriers, including low awareness of available funding, uncertainty about whether settings can meet children's needs and language or communication barriers that can make information difficult to access. Partners also recognised the influence of wider factors such as housing circumstances, family wellbeing, ethnicity, special educational needs and disabilities, and English as an Additional Language. To better understand these challenges, the group agreed to gather additional information from Early Years services and Speech and Language Therapy colleagues. Partners will review available evidence, analyse patterns of participation and establish a focused action group to develop recommendations that can increase the number of eligible children benefiting from funded places. Increasing participation in high-quality early education can have a significant positive impact on children's learning, development and readiness for school, making this an important area for ongoing partnership work. Improving Childhood Immunisation Uptake The final priority considered by the group was childhood immunisation uptake. Partners identified a number of factors that may contribute to lower uptake, including parental anxiety, misinformation, language barriers and limited opportunities for families to discuss concerns with trusted professionals. Differences in immunisation systems across countries were also recognised as a potential factor for some families. The group agreed that a coordinated, partnership-based approach is needed. Planned actions include improving public awareness of the benefits of immunisation, making information available in a wider range of languages, strengthening professional training and creating more opportunities for families to access trusted advice through community settings, outreach activity and local events. Partners also committed to working closely with Public Health colleagues to better understand local trends and target support where it is most needed. The overall aim is to ensure that families have access to clear, consistent and evidence-based information so they can make informed decisions and children can benefit from the protection that immunisation provides. Looking Ahead The Early Years Evidence and Learning Group will continue to meet termly to review progress, analyse emerging evidence and identify opportunities for further collaborative action. By combining data, professional expertise and the experiences of families and communities, the partnership aims to ensure that services are responsive, inclusive and effective. Through strong multi-agency working and a shared commitment to evidence-informed practice, we will continue striving to give every child the best possible start in life.

See available post from across our charity. We regularlty recruit to positions in childcare, early years learning and developement, family support, and a variety of support roles. Family Support and Outreach Worker Location: Waltham Forest Salary: £31,430 per annum — Fixed Term Contract Hours: 36 hours per week Closing date: Friday 19th June 2026, 12pm Interviews: w/c 29th June 2026 Overview The successful candidate will join our Community Services team and play a key role in delivering a range of services, including: Parenting Programmes Co-production 1:1 Family Support (including home visiting) Targeted group work With Waltham Forest families at the heart of your work, you will collaborate with partners to tackle inequality and promote inclusion, including but not limited to: Early education and child development Health Information and participation Adult education and employment Family support This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore subject to an enhanced DBS certificate; this is a requirement of the DBS code of practice. Job Description Apply Now

Information for parents/carers & families Support for you on your parenting journey Top Tips Blog Sleep Play Behaviour Speech & Language Oral Health Trauma Toileting Attachment Parenting Exploring Foods Activities to do at home Fun and educational weekend and holiday activities for your and your children. Discover Parenting Groups Access our sessions on baby massage, sleep patterns, pre-natal support, post-natal wellbeing and more! Discover

Sleep Support What is Sleep Support? Sleep is crucial for children's growth, development, and overall well-being. Our sleep support offer consists of 1:1 work with parents to agree individualised plans that support safe, consistent bedtime routines for children under 5 yrs. Things we can help with Bedtime routines Bedroom environment Safe Sleeping 1:1 consultations Safer Sleep Creating a safe sleep environment is vital for all children. Consider things like sleeping position, using a cot or crib, creating a smoke/alcohol/medicine-free zone and consistent bedtime routines. Watch this video by The Lullaby Trust for some helpful information (links to YouTube) Sleep Deprivation Sleep deprivation as a new parent can be very challenging. It might seem like everyone else’s babies sleep more than yours or you may worry that you are doing something wrong. Watch this video by The Lullaby Trust from some useful tips and reassurance (links to YouTube) 1:1 Sleep Consultations You can book via the Lloyd Park Children's Charity Eventbrite page Book online

See available post from across our charity. We regularlty recruit to positions in childcare, early years learning and developement, family support, and a variety of support roles. Current Vacancies We employ a range of positions across all of our teams including early years, family support, data and administration, catering, finance and site services. Safer Recruitment Please Read Applying online Please Read Need more help? To find out more about a role please email: recruitment@tlpcc.org.uk Latest Roles PLEASE NOTE: We receive a high number of speculative applications weekly. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to respond to these applications. W e can only respond to applications for positions advertised below. Early Years Educator - Level 2 Early Years Educator - Level 3 Casual Play Assistant Read More Read More Read More

Donate to Lloyd Park Children's Charity. Help fund our vital work to support children and families under extreme pressure brought on by poverty. Make a donation Every donation makes a difference to children and families needing support, often at the toughest times in their lives! One time One time Weekly Weekly Monthly Monthly £10 £10 £20 £20 £50 £50 £100 £100 Other Other Donate £10.29 I'd like to add £0.29 to cover transaction fees. Gift Aid Gift Aid allows us to claim an additional 25% of the value of your donation from the HMRC. It won't cost you a penny but means your donation can go even further! Find out more here How we use your donations Unless otherwise stated your donations contribute to our unrestricted funds which we use to make all of our charitable activities more sustainable. Where we specify that your donations will support a particular campaign or cause they would become restricted funding that can only be used for that purpose. Your donations support children needing help We fight to overcome poverty using your donations to create the support services that families tell us they want, delivered when they need them most! Baby Bank is just one great example of our lifeline services that your donations make sustainable. Some of Baby Bank's day-to-day costs include: Cost-of-Living Support We work with families to link them to services that can help them with the costs of clothing, food and energy. Safer Sleeping Environments Cots Cot matresses Bedding Running Costs Rent Cleaning and m aintenance Salaries Resources and e quipment Refreshments for families Home from Hospital Bundles All the essentials needed for parents to bring newborn babies home from hopsital safely

Our Story Read All About it! Making news since the 80's! 1/8 Our founder, Pauline, talks about starting the charity When I moved to Aveling Park Road in 1977 there was nowhere for people to go with their children, so I opened up my home to friends and other families. Together we set up a range of activities: keep-fit, coffee mornings, play sessions and Halloween and Bonfire parties. We also used the playscheme in a gardener’s shed and double-decker bus in Lloyd Park. In 1981 the bus was under threat of closure, so we formed the Lloyd Park Action Group and started our campaign to improve services for the community. As a result, we were given use of five portacabins in Lloyd Park and in 1984 we formed The Lloyd Park Parent and Toddler Group; with play sessions every weekday afternoon. Since this time we have continued to campaign and develop community-led services to support local families, and there have been so many successes. From raising the funds to employ our first staff members, securing grants of £1.3 million in 2003 for the building in Lloyd Park and in 2016 winning the contract for Children and Family Centres to enable us to support families across Waltham Forest. My fondest memory of the community coming together to support the charity was in 1992 after our building was completely destroyed by a fire. When I first saw the devastation I thought it was the end of the charity, but our community worked together to get services back up and running within a week. It was quite incredible how everyone rallied together to help us. There have been some amazing p eople involved over the years who have helped make this charity so special. The staff are so critical to its success, but because I'm the figurehead I have been nominated for a few awards. It was an absolute privilege to be awarded an MBE by King Charles in 2011 (then Prince Charles) and I accepted it on behalf of everyone involved in Lloyd Park over the past 35 years. Pauline Thomas MBE Founder of The Lloyd Park Children's Charity 1977 Local families meet in Pauline Thomas’ front room on Aveling Park Road. 1981 The group starts using an old gardeners’ shed in Walthamstow’s Lloyd Park and become known as The Lloyd Park Action Group. 1984 The Charity moves into five portacabins and a team of volunteers begin to offer parent and toddler sessions. 1987 Our first paid member of staff is hired and we introduce a playgroup. 1990 We become The Lloyd Park Under 5’s Centre and offer extended daycare for working families. 1992 The centre is destroyed by fire but the local community comes to our rescue to help us reopen. 2003 We raised £1.3 million to build The Pauline Thomas Centre in Lloyd Park. 2007 The Higham Hill Centre opens. 2009 Funded by 'Parents as Partners in Early Learning' and then the National Lottery, we worked in partnership with families to develop and introduce our family support community project, 'You and Your Child'. 2011 Expanding our interest in nature and risk-taking play comes Grow Wild. 2013 Local parents come together to fight poverty. They set up our Baby Bank to provide emergency support to families in crisis. 2016 We are awarded the contract to provide Children and Family Centre services for all families in Waltham Forest on behalf of The London Borough of Waltham Forest. 2018 Families work together to overcome barriers and fight for equality by introducing our Breaking Barriers project. Timeline Key points in our history 2019 Our brand new and exciting play space The Friendship was opened at The Lloyd Park Centre. 2022 Following our co-production partnership with Whitefields, we developed our deaf provision, becoming the first early years setting to offer this specialised service. 2025 We opened the Grow Well Centre, now home to our Baby Bank services.

Wellbeing Support Our aim A parent's wellbeing and that of the wider family is the foundation for a child's healthy development. Parents' and carers' own wellbeing often comes lower down their list of priorities as they putting their children's needs first. Many aren't aware of their own wellbeing needs. With this in mind; we offer a range of services that have wellbeing support at their core. Early Years Social Prescribing Our early years social prescribing team works with families to connect them to community services that meet their practical, health and wellbeing needs. Learn More Flourish Post-natal Support Improving the maternal mental health in safe, group spaces where mothers can talk about how they feel, be less isolated and get support. Learn More How to access our wellbeing support? We accept both self-referrals and professional referrals Request Help or Refer Please note: To be accepted referrals to our Flourish sessions must be made by a health professional and include an EPDS score. For more info. contact our wellbeing coordinator Email Wellbeing Team Telephone: 0208 527 1737

Supporting Our Work We help 1000s of families every year with your support! Baby Bank Wishlist Give newborns and toddlers a better start by gifting essentials to families needing help! Donate now Current Campaign: Baby Bank Appeal We receive no funding for this lifeline service. Your generosity helps to keep our doors open for families in crisis! Please donate to our GoFundMe fundraiser Donate now Make a donation Every penny helps to sustain our work with marginalised children, giving a little more hope for those in urgent need! Donate now Business Partnerships Discover why supporting us can benefit your business, how you can get involved, and the difference we can make together. Explore Other ways to help Volunteering opportunities for individuals and companies keep Baby Bank going! Learn More Your support goes a really long way! There are loads of ways to support us including making a donation, attending an event, fundraising, volunteering or partnering your business with us. Whichever way you choose you'll be helping us to reach thousands of vulnerable children and their families every year!