Say it As It Is

Whippersnappers continue to follow our dream of opening a specialist SEND centre in Lambeth and have given ourselves a target of 5 years to implement this long term goal.

We have started fund raising and will keep you posted about successful bids.
Find out more by checking out our full written report and video from our parent-led Early years SEND research project funded by Lambeth ELEVATE Neighbourhood fund and LEAP (Lambeth Early Action Partnership).

Say it as it is – Report 2023
Click on link to watch our” Say it as it is” Video

Hever Pop UP Summer Playscheme

Monday 5th August to Friday 16th August

Summer 2023 saw the successful launch of our innovative Whippersnapper Hever Pop Up playscheme in the grounds of Hever Castle. The experience was a tremendous success, filled with singing, dancing, and the joy of exploring the picturesque Kent countryside. This summer, we are thrilled to return, providing young people with learning disabilities the chance to immerse themselves in the wonders of the great outdoors in a safe and child-led environment. We are also exploring the possibility of offering short residential camping trips.
Join us for another summer of fun and exploration!

Hever Castle – Eco Week Sculpture Competition

This month we are entering Hever Castle’s school Eco week sculpture competition. The brief is to create a sculpture made from sustainable materials. The topic of the sculpture should reflect something historic; for example, a favoured person or place, or a particular event.

Sculptures will be displayed within the gardens during Eco Week and voting will take place on Saturday 10th February.

Above are some sneaky previews of the sculpture we are making with our Saturday club who are young people with disabilities aged from 16 to 25 years

Choose What We Do Social Club

16 to 25 year old with EHCP

Whippersnappers’ Youth Club, funded by Southwark for individuals aged 16 to 25 with EHCP plans, runs until March 2023. Our pilot project empowers participants and families to co-create a social club tailored to their interests, with diverse workshops and activities.

Currently, with 20 members, we’re actively recruiting more. We’ve held 21 engaging activity sessions, including music creation, custom t-shirt design, theatre trips, and communal cooking. Additionally, we’ve hosted 14 online social gatherings, offering opportunities for reconnecting and entertainment.

Every session ends with spirited dancing and disco time. Furthermore, we have several upcoming events, including activity sessions, online socials, and two family fun days. We’re committed to maximizing our time together, fostering lasting bonds and memories within our community.

We are also thrilled to announce the return of our Wednesday Afternoon Session in collaboration with Grove Adventure Playground and Loughborough Junction Action Group. We’re hopeful for the possibility of extending funding beyond 1 April 2024.

To join the club, contact adavey@whippersnappers.org for more information.

In Partnership with;

First 5 Lambeth

Whippersnappers are proud to be working in partnership with ten local organisations to establish a consortium dedicated to offering community activities and support for preschool children and their families in Lambeth. This innovative project has been made possible through the facilitation of LEAP.

First Five Lambeth are kindly funding a term of Whippersnappers SEND Stay and Play Sessions in partnership with the Liz Atkinson Centre.

The sessions will be starting after the Easter holidays.

Whippersnappers have also been working with First Five Lambeth on a SEND Early Years Walcot Trust funding application to employ a family support worker and enhance our Early Years SEND offer.

Fairy and Pixie Land

Exciting news! This year Fairyland is being renamed ”Fairy and Pixie Land.” and we are planning to open by the end of May 2024 ready for summer half term. Mark your calendars for enchanting experiences and magical moments!

Whippersnappers Winter Wonderland

Thanks to everyone who supported our Immersive Theatre Event Winter Wonderland 2024. Over 1152 children and 1020 parent/carers attended across the 8 days.

This is an annual fundraising event and this year we raised £5523 which will be spent on maintaining our College Lodge Building in Dulwich Park paying for our service contracts and ensuring we meet all our legal building compliance requirements.

Behind the scenes we were all presented with an extra challenge this year because Caroline the Director of Winter Wonderland had an unexpected accident whilst in Ghana and broke both her legs. The whole team stepped up and Caroline wrote the film “A Day in the Life of an Elf” from her hospital bed in Ghana and directed the film remotely!!!