Chantelle Michaux reports on a hub for creativity in Walthamstow
Gnome House
New funding from a local ward forum has helped Gnome House provide free dance, music and art workshops for children at its regular youth club.
The community centre in Blackhorse Lane has been buzzing every Saturday this term with 60 local children aged from four to 14 years.
The workshops are being run by local charity Waltham Forest Arts in Education Network. Every week the youth club includes indoor and outdoor chillout zones; a resident music tutor who brings guitars, electronic drumkit and a keyboard; opportunities to paint, design and draw; games and table tennis.
Documentary filmmaker Linda Mason has also run a filmmaking workshop and a T-shirt printing workshop with a resident printmaker.
Youth club member Lucas attends every week. He said: “They’ve got computers here, you can learn musical instruments and you can do drawing.”
When asked what she particularly liked about the youth club, Morenike said: “The music’s fun, obviously taking pictures, and also playing some of the games.”
Funding for the workshops has come from the William Morris Ward Community Forum. Feedback from parents has also been overwhelmingly positive.
The youth club is offering free drop-in sessions on Saturdays between 11.30am and 3.30pm until 19th March.
To book a place at Gnome House Youth Club’s Saturday workshops:
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