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Celebrating Diversity | Nurturing Potential

Here at The Limes Community and Children's Centre, we provide a fully inclusive, safe space for children and young people – with or without disabilities – to play, learn, develop and achieve.

News

  • gardening, volunteers, community, Walthamstow, e17

    Volunteers needed

    Do you have green-fingers and time on your hands?

    Edible Forest Garden is a space on Mission Grove where disabled young people, age 16-25, learn about horticulture in preparation for employment. We really need volunteers to help us to maintain the garden – don't worry if you don't have the expertise, enthusiasm is all you need. Thursdays are preferable but we're happy to be flexible if that doesn't suit you.

    If you would like to get involved and support an inspiring community project, it would be bloomin' marvellous! 

    More
  • dance, workshops, sessions, creative dance, free

    Dash Dot Dance at the Limes - NEW FILM

    Dance Is Freedom is the newly released film by Waltham Forest Borough of Culture 2019. It shows DashDot/YouthDance working with children and young people at The Limes, alongside the aspirational Stopgap Dance Company. A truly inclusive and inspiring project. 

    Watch the film here: http://youtu.be/Mq0LIseCiNo. It's a thing of beauty!

    If you would like the chance to see #DashDotDance in action, they will be performing at the Walthamstow Garden Party this Sat 13th July 3pm  on the News From Nowhere stage 

    More
  • Lunch, E17, Walthamstow, Eat Local, Community

    #SuperSaladWednesday

    Our Zest Kitchen young people are back with Super Salad Wednesday at The Mill on Coppermill Lane.

    This week it's a rip-roaring Roasted Courgette, Cauliflower & Aubergine salad, served with mushroom rice and... green beans, freshly picked from our very own Edible Forest Garden.

    All for £3.

    12-1.30pm.

    Part of our Creative Journeys programme, preparing young people with disabilities for employment.

    Get there early or you might miss out! 

    #SuperSaladWednesday #EatLocal #LunchE17 #Walthamstow

    More

Our services

Tanz toddlers in E17

Tanz Toddlers – under 5 yrs

Tuesday/Thursday/Friday
(term time): 9.30am to 11.30am
Come and meet other local parents, enjoy our fabulous facilities, planned play experiences, sensory sessions and interactive singing and story time. 

 

Family Playtime – 0-12 yrs

First Saturday of the month:
9:30am-11:30am 
Saturday morning play for all the family. Scoot around our adventure playground, make a mess at our arts and crafts table or chill out in our sensory room. 

 

Splat! – 5-12 yrs

Wednesdays (term time): 3:30- 5:30pm
Come and join us for arts, dance, drama and music making.

 

Play scheme, holiday scheme, school holiday sessions

Play Scheme – 6-12 yrs

Schools holidays and weekends:
Contact us for details
Holiday and weekend scheme for children aged 6-12 years with Special Educational Needs, Disability or Autism

 

schools sessions, play sessions

Play! – 5-12 yrs

Contact us to discuss options
Our Play! Schools Sessions provide fun play time for SEND and non-disabled children from local primary schools. The sessions are facilitated by qualified and experienced members of The Limes Play team. 

 

 

The Club – 10+ yrs

Monday/Tuesday/Thursday 
(term time): 4-6.30pm
The Club is an open access drop in for local young people aged 10-18 to join us, anytime

 

Go For It

Go For It – 10-15 yrs

Friday (term time):
6:30pm-8:30pm
Join our Go For It youth club and you could enjoy going on trips out around London, seeing the sights or catching a film

 

Teenscheme

Teenscheme – 12-17 yrs

School holidays & weekends:
Contact us for details
Activities include trips out, bowling, boating, trampoline centres, events and museums in central London – as well as cooking, outdoor games, survival skills and Nintendo WII tournaments.

 

Top of The Limes – 16-25 yrs

Wednesday (term time):
6:30pm-8:30pm
Join our youth club and you could be going on trips to central London, bowling, trying out activities such as cooking, playing on the Wii or watching films?

 

Zest Kitchen, Walthamstow

Zest Kitchen – 18-25 yrs

16 week programme.
Contact us to discuss options
Zest Kitchen is part of our Creative Journeys project and offers a 16 week programme during which you will be taught barista skills, baking skills and how to run front of house.

 

Edible Forest Garden

Edible Forest Garden – 18-25 yrs

16 week programme.
Contact us to discuss options
Over the 16 weeks you will learn about growing seasons and what to grow for Zest Kitchen, how to market your produce and other important gardening skills.

 

Crafting Sessions

Make & Create 18-25 yrs

16 week programme.
Contact us to discuss options
Over the course of this creative programme you will learn a number of different skills used by artisans such as screen printing and carpentry, as well as other important workplace skills. 

 

Teenscheme

Friends Empowered – 18-25 yrs

Contact us to discuss options
An individually tailored plan gives you the opportunity to develop a plan that centres around your needs.

 

Makers & Shapers – 5-25 yrs

Indivdual dates – to be advised
The Limes has always been shaped by the children we serve, their input and ideas are invaluable. Our Makers and Shapers sessions are divided into groups, by age – under 12’s and 13+.

 

Parent Advisory Group

Individual dates - to be advised
Each term we meet to discuss and plan next steps, consult on new services and offer support on a variety of issues faced by parents of disabled children.

 

Read what children and young people think about The Limes.

The Limes has shown me what I can do and never said I can’t do anything.

Yogesh

 I have been supported to make choices and tell others about my needs. The Limes worked with the people that are important to me to help me make choices.

Chidi

I had such a great time, I loved it. I want to say a special thanks to Elen and Maria for that day.

Qasim

Our mission

Enjoy

Here at the Limes we make our services fun - and many people come back time and time again because they enjoy it.

Achieve

We help everyone at the Limes to achieve their potential - socially, emotionally and educationally.

Participate

We encourage and enable equal participation for everyone. We provide a very wide range of activities and have superb facilities.  

More about us

We are a small community and children's centre in Walthamstow. We  provide opportunities to play and participate for disabled children and young people. Our team of Trustees, Volunteers and Staff work together to support disabled children and young people, along with their able-bodied peers. Through a range of services and activities, as well as special projects we enable children and young people to reach their full potential socially, emotionally and educationally.

Parents believe their child is more independent since coming to the Limes: 65%
Parents believe their wellbeing has improved since their child started accessing services at The Limes: 92%
Agree/ agree strongly that their child is happier since attending the Limes: 84%
Agree/ agree strongly that their child likes coming to the Limes 100%
Believe their child is more confident since attending sessions at the Limes: 83%

Our staff

Liz Fraser

CEO

Liz Fraser

CEO

With over 25 years working in the 'Third' sector, I am passionate about inclusion. ! seek to ensure that the voice of the child or young person is always heard and is genuinely at the heart of everything we do.

The team and I work tirelessly to ensure that real and positive changes are made, that people are listened to and that the services we provide are creative, inclusive and fun!

Beatrice Pickles

Deputy Dog…

Beatrice Pickles

Deputy Dog…

…I'm Top Dog really!

Pareezah Dowlut

Reception/Administration

Pareezah Dowlut

Reception/Administration

I am responsible for administration and reception and am happy to answer any queries about our services. I can also help if you are looking to book a party or hire a room, whether it's for a social event or a business meeting – we have lots to offer.

Feroza Dhuman

Reception/Administration

Feroza Dhuman

Reception/Administration

As receptionist and administrator here at The Limes I can provide information on the services we offer. I can also help if you are looking to book a social event or hire a room for a business meeting, we have plenty of options available.

Abby-Lee Widger

Head of Finance and Facilities

Abby-Lee Widger

Head of Finance and Facilities

I have managed the finances and operations of small charities for over twenty years. I am delighted to now be based in the heart of E17, putting my experience to good use for the benefit of all our children and young people. It is a pleasure to be able to walk or cycle to work every day and be part of The Limes in action.

James Lambert

Finance Officer

James Lambert

Finance Officer

I work in collaboration with other staff to process the sales, purchases and financial information, as well as assisting the Finance and Facilities Manager.

I also work as a Community Support Worker, which gives me the opportunity to work directly with those that attend the Limes. It’s the experience of supporting and encouraging the Young People that makes it such a rewarding and enjoyable job.

Ben Halschka

Head of Services

Ben Halschka

Head of Services

My entire professional life has been dedicated to social change. I have managed various teams in child protection, youth offending services and bilingual educational settings.

Being passionate about community cohesion and the person centred approach, I chose to work at The Limes because of the charity’s commitment to social inclusion in East London and beyond. 

Elena Christodoulou

Creative Journeys Enterprise Manager

Elena Christodoulou

Creative Journeys Enterprise Manager

I am responsible for The Creative Journeys Enterprise programme, as well as our Sunday markets – where our young people sell the products they make and grow. Before I started in this role I was a stay at home mother, a retail manager and a trainee Early Years teacher. I love The Limes because of the way it supports our community and gives a voice to the young people in East London.

Alison Thompson

Interim Zest kitchen Co-ordinator

Alison Thompson

Interim Zest kitchen Co-ordinator

Having started as a volunteer, I am now interim coordinator of Zest Kitchen – part of our Creative Journeys programme. I help our young people gain confidence and independence by working with them to develop cooking and hospitality skills. It’s a pleasure to work with both the young people and the great team here at The Limes. Each day is different!

Kate Rolison

Make & Create Co-ordinator

Kate Rolison

Make & Create Co-ordinator

I am coordinator for Make & Create, part of the Creative Journeys programme, teaching a variety of arts and craft techniques to young people with disabilities. I support participants to sell their wares at our monthly Sunday Market and link them with local creative organisations and practitioners, which develops their entrepreneurship.

Anurag Biswas

Edible Forest Garden Co-ordinator

Anurag Biswas

Edible Forest Garden Co-ordinator

It’s an absolute pleasure working for The Limes, as I share their ethos. I believe in nurturing the potential of children and young adults and enjoy working with all the amazing people involved in achieving this.  Working as Edible Forest Garden Co-ordinator, as well as being a Community Support Worker, is a joy. I learn so much about each service user by working one-on-one, as well as in a group.

 

Ana Ramos

Children's Lead

Ana Ramos

Children's Lead

Working closely with the the Services Director, I'm responsible for planning and delivering services for children from birth to twelve years old. Together we develop fun (sometimes messy) activities for the children attending the Toddler group, Family Playtime, after school creative arts session, Playschemes and short break services.

Gavin Foster

Youth Lead

Gavin Foster

Youth Lead

I have worked for The Limes for many years, first as a Community Support Worker and now as the Youth Lead.  My role is to empower, support and encourage young people to have more control, involvement and choice as they move from childhood into adulthood. I work hard to ensure I support their needs, to facilitate a successful transition.

Birthday parties and venue hire

Birthday parties

Your child can have a fantastic birthday party at the Limes. We have a large hall for eating, playing dancing and entertaining. We have soft play area with ballpit, slide and trampoline, a fantastic sensory room and a unique outdoor playground.We can even organise bouncy castles, entertainers and face painting.Call us on the number below or send us an quick enquiry and we'll call you back. Request call back

Room and venue hire

The Limes in Walthamstow is a great place for meetings of all sorts. We have a hall to accommodate large events, and some smaller rooms for break-out sessions and smaller meetings. We are perfectly placed for public transport and have local free parking.We can provide training equipment like flipcharts, digital projectors and Internet connectivity as well as top class catering Request call back