roots down walls down
New year, new toddler group?
Our Tuesday baby and toddler group is called Little Lambs Library and we run each week in term time 10:00-11:30 here at St Mary’s on Vale Road in Ash Vale, GU12 5JE. All welcome and it’s free / by donation. We start with a cuppa, craft and play, then the bouncy castle goes up, and we finish with story and songs.
We would love to welcome you!
Did you know? At Chapel Kids baby and toddler group we have sensory play after lunch. It’s great fun and superb for developing fine motor skills. we have tried a lot of different things from magic sand to playdough and from pasta to funky foam. We aren’t worried about a bit of mess!
This week we tipped out a whole box of cornflakes into the tuff tray, got out the play kitchen utensils and dived in! The children made ‘pasta and meatballs’ ‘porridge’ and ‘soup’ in their pots and our youngest chef enjoyed munching away on handfuls of cereal! It was great fun and even the grownups joined in to stir the pots and ‘taste’ the delicious dishes.
Would you like to join us? #ChapelKids meets on Wednesdays in term time 11am-2pm at The Chapel on Wharf Road GU12 5AY. We start with a cuppa, story and songs, craft before lunch and then sensory play after lunch. You can bring your own picnic or enjoy the beans on toast (or similar). We welcome children ages 0-4years and we don’t mind who brings you! Parents/Carers/ Childminders… as long as you’re up for joining in and having fun. We are a caring community group and everyone pitches in at tidy-up time too.
ChapelKids is free. If you can, we do ask for donations please to help towards our costs, so we can keep the Chapel open, warm, staffed and full of fun for years to come. https://givealittle.co/c/4J0mRHvQiu8Yr6ZBDDtinf Thank you for your support!
Contact our Project Manager: 07730609446 or pop in any Wednesday and say hello!
Last session this term Wed 13th Dec 2023. First session in the New Year is Wed 10th Jan 2024. We have an open planning session on 3rd Jan – all welcome if you’d like to pitch in some ideas!
#ChapelKids #BabyAndToddlerGroup #SensoryPlay #MessyPlay #Creativity #SongTime #LunchClub #Community #FamilyFriendly
It’s October! The annual Love and Light Party will be on 31st October as always. It’s on a Tuesday this year, after school at 4-6pm at The Chapel on Wharf Road GU12 5AY. If you would like to join us you are very welcome! Text or phone or WhatsApp to book your places please asap so we can be sure to cater! 07730 609446
What’s happening? Join us from 4pm onwards for snacks, crafts and games, Martin will start the disco at 4:30pm, and we will have sparklers at 5pm if the weather permits. Hotdogs and s’mores for tea, and a party bag to take home if you book in advance. Book today! 07730 609446.
What does it cost? We don’t exclude anyone based on their finances. We do ask for donations please – give what you can, to help cover the costs of the event. Some people can afford more than others, and every penny counts. Thank you! https://givealittle.co/campaigns/0e5ae7c4-ccad-4f64-806f-0bdda20b8876
Can we dress up? Yes of course! Nothing too scary please, as there will be little ones about. We have some UV lights for the disco so wear something neon if you want to glow up! You do you – come as you are or dress up as whatever you like.
Volunteers are always needed please for setting up / serving drinks and food / prepping party bags / helping out / welcoming / clearing down. Text or phone us if you can help, or speak to Alex when you see her. Thank you!
Picnic & Play in the Holidays
12:00 -14:00
Wednesdays in August
Outside in the garden at
The Chapel, Wharf Rd, GU12 5AY
Come and join us for a picnic, a chat and a play in the Chapel garden.
Please text Alex to book 07730 609446
Booking is essential so we can manage numbers
& cater for your picnic lunch.
Baby Plus and Toddler Plus at St. Paul’s church, Tongham
Here at St. Paul’s we run multiple groups for families with children of all ages, from babies right through to young adults. Our aim is not only to provide experiences for the children but also to support their parents in every way we can.
As the community worker for St Paul’s church in Tongham, my key role is to support families with children below school age and particularly new parents with babies. I have over 20 years of experience in this area as I worked for the NCT for 12 years, then the local Children’s Centre for another three before moving to work at St. Paul’s church. I also have three adult children of my own but no grand children yet!
We currently run two groups that are totally FREE for mums/dads/grandparents and their children to attend. We are meeting outside, to allow us to accommodate more families and this is likely to remain the case until the end of the summer. We haven’t had to cancel a session yet due to the weather! We are embracing the outside ‘forest school’ nature of the sessions, with messy play an easier option outside and a chance for the little ones to really explore the outside world as well as the parents gaining fresh air and sense of space.
Toddler plus
This group is for those just walking to about 2/2.5ish and is on a Wednesday, 10.30-12. The toddlers can explore and do some messy play, whilst parents chat and support one another. We also do some actions songs and have bubbles to chase.
Baby Plus
Is for the little ones from just days old to once they are toddling around. This is on a Thursday 10.30-12 Again parents can chat and make new friends, whilst the little ones are also learning with some baby sensory experiences, action songs and bubbles.
We meet throughout the year, including the school holidays. We meet in the vicarage garden which is the house right next door to the community centre carpark, so please park there and walk round. The garden is huge, with plenty of lawn for rugs and woodland area to explore.
It is a bit of a DIY experience at the moment, as you need to bring your own picnic rugs and toys (which you are happy to share). Also unfortunately you also need to bring your own and your children’s drinks and snacks.
Both groups are incredibly friendly, supportive and welcoming, so we look forward to seeing you soon. I also run a WhatsApp group for each group which allows you to share questions and organise meet ups throughout the week.
Find us on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2574450836214712/
Although we do not charge for our sessions, donations can be made on our website. www.stpaulstongam.org.uk
Contact Claire B for further details on: communityworker@stpaulstongham.org.uk
or you can call the Parish Office on 01252 783081
Children & Families at St Mary’s & The Chapel
At St Mary’s and The Chapel we are fortunate to have some lovely young families who come to church, and some wonderful friends, of all faiths and none, who join us for the various groups, online chats and live zooms.
For those at home we have a Messenger Chat and a weekly coffee zoom for parents and carers Mondays 11am Zoom ID: 520 880 119 Password: Grownups
For the Summer term 2021 We have opened up carefully and slowly, with an indoor Babies Support Group at St Mary’s on Vale Road on Tuesdays 10am-11am for little ones under 12 months, and an outdoor Chapel Kids “Garden Praise” session for all ages 0-4yrs at The Chapel on Wharf Rd on Wednesdays 11:30am—12:30. Our favourite this term has been planting lots of scrummy edibles for here and home!
Monthly Messy Church is back (book early!) with one family / bubble per table in church at St Mary’s, and we are offering doorstep kits for anyone who prefers to stay at home or isn’t able to book due to the restrictions on numbers. Sundays 4pm:
27th Jun, 18th Jul, 26th Sept, 31st Oct
Picnic & Play—we have exciting plans to open up The Chapel again this summer, every Wednesday in August Keep an eye on Facebook! @AshValeChapel
Come and join the fun!
Phone or text Alex on 07730 609446
Projectmanager@ash-vale.org.uk
We had so much fun with the lost sheep trail at Half Term, we are doing another one for Easter!
Please pop an Easter Egg, Easter Scene, Easter Garden, Easter Wreath or even a knitted Easter Egg in your window or front garden in time for Easter Sunday, and leave it up for 2 weeks, so we can all enjoy finding them during the Easter Holidays. We have our Easter Trail web page ready to go, and will add all your trail locations to our list in time for Easter Day.
Trail link: https://ash-vale.org.uk/easter-trail-4th-18th-april-2021/ Click here to see where to start hunting for Easter windows!
Continue reading “The Ash Vale Easter Trail!”
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who took part in the Sheep Trail! We had a lovely time and we hope you did too. 💕🐑 The trail is now closed, but let us know which was your favourite sheep, we have a little prize for them! 🙂 text 07730609446
Can you find all these sheep? Why not see if you can find them all this half term? We have also hidden 17 sheep in the Parishioner Magazine, you can pick up a paper copy of it at St Mary’s.
Keep them coming – If you’ve got a sheep on display, send us it’s name and location and we will add them to the trail. 07730 609446. The more the merrier, we have all half term to enjoy the hunt for the lost sheep!
Share your photos online with the hashtag #AshValeSheepTrail and tell us who’s your favourite, or why not comment here?
Stay safe and have fun everyone!
#AshValeSheepTrail #LostSheepTrail #LoveWhereWeLive #AshVale #Ash #AshGreen #HalfTermFun #SociallyDistancedFun #LoveYourNeighbours #Community