Little Lounge Activities
Outdoor Activities
Little Lounge is proud to promote nature based activities within our local community; whether it’s our fun and messy sessions in the Basement garden or outside on our community allotment. Perfect for children of all ages to explore and discover the wonder of nature with friends! Rain or shine these sessions explore themes such as planting and growing, bug hunting, leaf printing and of course lots of mud pie making!
For those of you that long for a slow morning where you can enjoy nature and have a moment for yourself, our outdoor facilitator Becky hosts regular allotment wellbeing sessions for adults. Whether you use the time to have a cuppa and a chat or you want to potter with the plants and unwind with some gentle gardening, this sessions are open to over 18s. Directions to the allotment.
Keep up to date with outdoor activities by checking our socials and bookwhen.
Community Pantry
In partnership with FareShare Go and Tesco Upper Boat this amazing community initiative emerged during the ‘2020 Lockdown’. The Community Pantry is an eco project designed to reduce food waste and redistribute surplus food into the community.
Currently open Thursdays and Fridays 9am until 4pm and run by a team of dedicated local volunteers. Residents from Cilfynydd and surrounding areas can choose a bag full of fresh food including bakery products, fruit and vegetables for a suggested £2 donation. All proceeds raised go back into community projects. The Pantry is open to all, it is not a food bank or associated with being on a low income.
A recent survey showed that approximately 134 people benefit from the Pantry food each week. Just 5 months of the project between August and December 2020 we redistributed surplus food worth £2000 otherwise destined for landfill; this equates to 1.35 tonnes of surplus food and avoided 3375kg of CO2 emissions about half the average UK household’s yearly emissions, or a dozen return flights to Majorca!
Find Your Voice
Working in partnership with Maggie’s Voice Equestrian Centre and Voyage of Hope Therapy Services, Little Lounge secured funding for ten children living in the CF37 area access to ten hours each of therapeutic horsemanship. As well as this, we offer parents and carers ten hours of advice, signposting and support with qualified therapist Louise Worrall of Voyage of Hope Therapy Services (All on site at Maggie’s Voice Equestrian Centre, where we have created a ‘Well-being room’ with comfortable seating, coffee machine, fully stocked fridge, microwave and toaster.) At Little Lounge we believe that by empowering and equipping parents / carers we are facilitating the future wellbeing of the child.
Therapeutic horsemanship incorporates horses into the therapeutic process. Aiming to build confidence and self-esteem, communication skills, self-awareness, emotional regulation, and empathy. The young people will engage in activities such as grooming, feeding, and leading a horse while being supervised by Elinor Brewer, therapeutic horsemanship facilitator and qualified listener. With the discussion orientating around the needs of the horse, taking pressure off the child, sessions empower children to understand that they can meet the needs of the horse, developing a sense of achievement and self-esteem. Due to their nature as prey animals, horses are wonderful reflectors and are very sensitive to the emotions of those around them. Activities which work through challenges with the horses help participants to see what they project in a clear, calm and non-judgmental environment.
Sessions will not be about any adults’ agenda, but will be centred around what the child chooses to share and work on. Sessions are confidential and the choice to engage remains with the child.
With thanks to 1910 Trust, Arnold Clark Community Fund and Bute Energy for the funding. We are thrilled that this pilot scheme has launched a new working partnership with Pontypridd High School’s Alternative Curriculum department.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have to live in Cilfynydd to come along to Little Lounge events and activities?
No! Generally, we welcome people from anywhere! However, we are passionate about serving our local community as priority so sometimes if we have a limited number of resources, we might say a particular event or ‘giveaway’ is specifically for children who live within walking distance of the Community Centre.
The Community Pantry project is an Eco-focused project, therefore we do encourage people to walk rather than drive to access the Pantry.
How are your prices so cheap?
One of our main aims is to make all our activities accessible and affordable. We are a Charitable Incorporated Organisation so we are not set up to make a profit as an enterprise.
All our profits go back into Little Lounge to do more activities in the community. We rely on grant funding to help us and the generosity of our amazing volunteers who give their time for free!
Can I choose my own food at The Pantry?
Yes, all the food is laid out and you can select what you want to fill your bag. Sometimes we may restrict certain items like berries to one punnet per person.
Can Dads or Grandpas come to the Baby Groups?
Yes! We often have men bring their little ones along, none of the Baby and Toddler events are ‘Mams only’ although the majority of grown-ups are usually women.
Do you have to be receiving benefits to come to The Pantry?
No, the Pantry is for everyone! It is an eco-project with the purpose of reducing food waste. The food we receive would otherwise go to waste and it is perfectly edible. We are really proud to be a leading eco initiative in the Cynon Valley and Pontypridd area!
Do you preach about Christianity at your events?
No, we will never preach about our beliefs unless the event is specifically advertised as ‘Church’. We sometimes run events in conjunction with Lounge Communities like ‘Chilled out Church’ or ‘Muddy Church’ that are family friendly and designed for newcomers.
At all our events however, many of our staff and volunteers are Christians and are more than happy to chat about our faith or answer any questions as best we can. We are also able to pray with you about anything you would like prayer for, just ask!