Just relocated to Reading and in serious need of a life!!!

[Holly2007]

HELP!!
I moved to the Caversham/Emmer Green area 2wks ago with my husband and 3 young children and I am suddenly feeling horribly lonely and isolated.
All was fine until Thursday when my husband started his new job and my 2 older children started school, and all of a sudden I am on my own in the house with a 2yr old and no where to go!!!
Can anyone please suggest any local friendly toddler groups or activities I can do with my little girl before I go mad with home sickness Thanks Holly

Thanks Princess Toadstool,
I had called the central CIC but I didn't realise there was a Caversham Childrens centre! any idea how to access it?
Think I'm going to be brave and try a couple of the toddler groups and maybe rhyme time although I have just read that you need to book as so popular (oh well maybe next week)
Just need to find the local brownies for my 7yr old now! thanks again Holly

If you can get to Wokingham on a Tuesday morning 10-11.30 there's a big toddler group called the 4321 club in the Baptist church on Milton Road. I went for the first time yesterday as I am also new to the Reading area and was surprised by how many mums and kids were there, about 100 kids, but as the place is huge and has a number of different areas it didn't feel too packed. This might be a nice way to meet lots of new people, they have helpers there to show you round if you're new and lots of people were friendly there. Hope you find some good groups near you soon!

hi holly i may as well hav written this myself, im from caversham , have 4 kids, there quite a bit to do round here,
rivermead bounce and theres swimming group, cav libary rhyme time is fab, mad academy classes in st barnabus church hall in emmer green, kindermusic in cav town, lots of baby groups, theres lots listed on netmums local site xx

just seen ur after brownies aswell, my dd goes to st johns group, can get number for u if u like?

Thanks f1nut, where is the St Johns group, is it near Emmer Green as I don't drive.
I have heard there is one by mickylands, is that the same one? Hx

st johns is down by reading bridge, they have one at micklands aswell, thats the one i put dd's name down for but there was quite a long waiting list, where abouts in caversham/emmergreen r u? think there may b one in st barnabus church in emmer green.

where is it u moved from?
we moved here 2 years ago, wasnt to keen at first but loving it now

my friend is starting a new toddler group, starts this thurs called the natural parenting group, aimed at mum who like babywearing, cloth nappies, who breast feed or healthy food, that sort of thing, if that would interest u?

or if you fancey a cuppa, frindly ear, im a sahm so lots of time on my hands, lol xx

once again forgot to add, new hope toddlers is a fab group, everyone so frindly, its clean, they do activities for older kids, song time, tea and bics, here a link-
www.newhopeweb.org.uk/parenttoddlers.htm

Ho Holly

Welcome to Emmer Green/ Caversham.

Caversham library does several rhymetime and storytimes, they are good fun, you do need to book, booking for the Tuesday rhymetime opens the Thursday before, for Wednesday on the Friday. Don't know about storytime. Also the library has some new leaflets about everything that is going on for children in the area, it listed all the toddler groups.

My DD is a little young for toddler groups, but I know there is Escape at Mapledurham on Monday and Thursday mornings, there is also an Emmer Green toddler group, not sure when that is.

There is a playground in Emmer Green on Kidmore End Rd, and in Caversham on Albert Rd/ Richmond Rd, and also down by the river sort of neat Waitrose.

Also if you go to Costa in Caversham, it is full of women with prams, although it's not always that easy to start chatting to people in there as they tend to be in groups.

Hi Holly

hope you've settled in and have made a new circle of friends.

You are lucky as Caversham has lots to do for children and parents considering the size of the village. If you go to the local reading gov site - there's good info there. At Emmer Green shops the notice board can be quite good soemtimes as can the one in the centre of Caversham. We have great buses which service most areas so even if you don't drive, you shoudl be able to get to any of the places mentioned in this thread. The other great thing is that most of Caversham is walkable too though the hills can be hard going!!

When I first moved here, I found my doctor's surgery very helpful and it with the help of the health visitor that I started the toddler group (6 years on, we still have monthly mum's nights out and dads too). Which school are your children at - they sometimes have paretn meet ups etc. My DD is at school and the PA have a notice board outside with walking groups etc.

hope this helps

PS the Amersham Children's Centre has now opened and has lot's going on and you can hire the facilities there too - this is where we had our toddler meetings for about a year. From Emmer Green you can get the 23 bus and get off at the end of Bryants Avenue and walk round - probably a 7 min walk.

come the summer - whole new 'ball game' - you'll be spoilt for choice!!

Welcome to Caversham! (bit late but welcome anyway...)

HI Holly, we moved near Caversham in August and my 3 DC have just had their first term at school/nursery. My daughter starts brownies today actually- so it does take a while to get organised- but hope you find good activities to do soon. I will watch this thread with interest as I am not working since we moved and am getting a bit lonesome myself- might find some activities for my lot!