WALTHAMSTOW TOY LIBRARY AND PLAY CENTRE
Walthamstow Toy Library and Play Centre provides safe and stimulating spaces for children and their adults to play, learn and interact. We run daily play sessions, including a multi-sensory play space and offer a variety of health and wellbeing support services. We run an extensive toy loaning service, enabling families to borrow toys which don't cost the Earth and we provide volunteering opportunities for local students and residents.
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About us
Walthamstow Toy Library and Play Centre (the Toy Library) has been operating in Waltham Forest since 1975. We were established by a group of local Health Visitors, who during home visits, noticed that some children in the community didn’t have toys to play with or books to read and lacked crucial learning and development opportunities. The organisation started small - at first in someone's front room, then a portacabin (which was burnt down - twice), various church halls and finally our own building, which we had to vacate in 2021 (that's another story!). Over the years the organisation has grown from strength to strength into the charity that everyone knows and loves. As the only toy library in East London, we have 2000 family members from across the borough and further afield. When asked, families say that we are a 'lifeline'. Not only are we a popular toy library, we run daily play sessions, a multi-sensory play space for babies and children with special needs, we offer parenting support, a free book library, a clothes and shoe swap and source essential equipment for families in need. We also provide a variety of volunteering opportunities, working with local schools, colleges and residents.
Why we need your support
Sadly our current building on Hurst Road has been sold to developers and our lease comes to an end at the end of September. The good news is we have found a new venue - we will be moving to the William Morris Hall on Somers Road. It's a wonderful space and perfect for our services, however, the site is in desperate need of renovation, both inside and out.
We are seeking funds to carry out this work, to create a toy library for all, including older children. We want families to be able to borrow high quality, educational toys which don't cost the Earth and to donate their unwanted toys and equipment to us so we can put them back into use rather than going into landfill. We want to promote sustainable play - reduce, reuse and recycle.
In addition to creating a purpose built toy library, we are looking for funds to move our multi-sensory play space into its new home and to develop it further with increased soft play, a giant ball pool, a swing and busy boards.