BarclayBlog

Do you have a Waltham Forest library card? Do you have a PC, Mac or tablet device? Then the library service has a great facility for you.

With you library card you can download free eBooks at any time from the London Libraries Consortium web pages. Simply create an eLibrary account on the web site, using your Waltham Forest library card details.

There’s also a Guided Tour about downloading digital media.

Simply install a small piece of free software to your device, when you log in, and you are ‘good to read’.

Titles will automatically expire at the end of the lending period. There are no late fees!

History, drama, teenage fiction, current events, short stories and much more. An electronic library the whole family can enjoy and read together on your own device.

This is a competition, with the support of Waltham Forest Library Service, for artists, writers, poets and photographers – of any age – to submit a piece of original creative work during Black History Month.

As part of Black History Month we are looking for Waltham Forest residents young and old to submit their own original artwork, photos and poetry on the theme of ‘Recognising the Past, Shaping the Future: What Black History Month Means to Me’. Winning entries will be selected from a variety of age groups and reproduction of this work will feature on bookmarks and/or postcards available to the public within Waltham Forest Libraries.

You can find all the details for this competition here on the Waltham Forest web pages… Get creative for posterity!

World Book Day next year will be on March 7th, 2013.

Now is the time for nurseries and primary schools to register their interest in taking part in this great literacy event for children. Eight more great books will be available for only £1 each.

The World Book Day web site has some great resources available for children, schools and parents and carers. You can download resources now from this World Book Day web page here.

Once registered more materials are available to support learning – look out for the ‘sign-up’ link on the resources page – use them in the classroom, at home, or in your library.

You can see the books selected for next year’s event here…and there will be some great events and activities taking place too!

The William Morris Gallery in Waltham Forest has a new web site. You can see it here. Exhibitions and hands-on family activities.

The William Morris Gallery – in Walthamstow, London, the place of Morris’ birth – has been transformed to create a new world-class destination and international centre of excellence for the study of Morris, where visitors can enjoy the most intense and personal encounter with one of the foremost creative artists and original thinkers of the nineteenth century.

The new Waltham Forest web site for the gallery is a triumph. With information, images and some great links to a William Morris Twitter feed and a gallery Facebook page too.

Located near Lloyd Park in Forest Road, the gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday and admission is free. (The major building refurbishment was funded by the Borough and the Heritage Lottery Fund).

Whether you are interested in art and design, in exploring the history of the Borough through Morris’s work or just to visit and have a cup of tea in the refreshed cafe, then the gallery website is a great learning place to start with.

You can find more information about William Morris and his impact on art and culture here, courtesy of Wikipedia…

Waltham Forest are holding two major FREE firework displays on Monday 2nd. January 2012.

You can see the details below, with events at the Marsh Lane Playing Fields and also at The Highams Park.

We are going to be welcoming in 2012 with a bang, as we light up the sky of Waltham Forest with two spectacular firework shows that will be choreographed to music from the movies.

Mark the end of your seasonal celebrations by coming down to Marsh Lane in Leyton or The Highams Park to marvel at the fireworks, while enjoying our fun packed entertainment programme including a fantastic fun fair, fire performers and food and drink stalls for everyone to enjoy.

You can register with the Borough to keep up to date with the Big Six events in Olympic Year, with a chance to get free tickets to events, here.

We’ll be focusing on families, celebrating Eid, doing our make up and learning more about computers – all this month.

Our Eid Party is on the 15th September – why not come along and help us celebrate. You can see more details on our Eid celebration web page here.

Focusing on Families is our new 12 week free course to help support parents and carers. We start on Friday 23rd September and you can see more details on our Centre web pages here

We’ll be doing our level one make-up every Tuesday for 12 weeks. Check out the times and how to enrol here.

Finally, we are starting a new Level 1 computer course, with a crèche, at the Centre. From Monday 26th September – check out the details here.

Barclay Children Centre – working to support our families

Why not come along to our Strawberry Tea Party on 21st July 2011?

We’ll be holding this friendly event, with tea and cake, between 9.30am and 11.30am on that day.

The event is to support Breast Cancer Care – come along and join in, we’d love to see you in our Centre.

You can see more about the Breast Cancer Care work and the tea party project here on the BCC web pages.

You can see our Strawberry Tea poster page on our main web site here…

The Barclay Team

We have just published a new page for Parents & Staff on our main Centre website. Read more here…

Catch up with news about the PSA and see how you can help. Would you like to get involved in our summer fete fund raiser, our biggest event of the year.

Then you can download a poster and letter about the event to help you get started and to support us.

You can also download and view a PSA questionnaire, which you can complete and return to the Centre. What would you like to see the PSA do, how can you help?

Fill in your details and let us know. It will be great to have you along!

You are invited to the opening of our new wildlife learning environment at Barclay Children Centre.

Come along on Thursday 7th July 2011, between 4pm and 7 pm.

Pay a visit to the bug hotel, check out the wildlife garden and see our fantastic recycled materials sculptures.

Every one is welcome and we hope to see you there! See your invitation here.

The Barclay Team

Don’t forget to ring and register for your free smoothie on the day of Le Tour de Waltham Forest – Sunday 26th June 2011.

You can call on 020 8496 3000 and get involved in this great day of cycling, exercise and fun taking place in Walthamstow Town Square.

Why not go along and and check out the great cycle displays and get a free bike safety check?

On the day you can take part in bike rides around the borough. For the really keen try the bronze, silver or gold rides – from 6 to 22 miles.

Is your bike fit enough? See you there…

See the poster online here.