Moving to Henley on Thames

[Babilyy]

Can anyone tell me what it is like please? My ds is 20 months now and I'm worried that there wont be as many varied activities as in London? Schools?

Wow very nice! Grew up 8 miles away and rowed there at Henley Rowing Club when younger. Those were the days...

There will be plenty to do, join the local NCT and the local secretary will call you and let you know what's on offer. Reading/ Maidenhead is a short drive away as well for extra things like soft plays.

There's bound to be a Mums and Tots - great way to meet other local mums, a Jo Jingles equivalent and a Dinky Dancers equivalent. Local library will have a baby rhyme time and a kids corner I suspect. You'll love it. Join the local NCT or call head office and get number for your new local secretary, if already a member and all your answers will be provided.

Maybe someone else will come back to you tonight though. I had to move for my hubby's job in Oct 2008 and thanks to my local NCT was well inserted into the local area in no time at all. I don't work for them by the way, they've just been a real help to me

Goodluck

I don't know Henley.

I should imagine it is similar to Marlow but maybe slightly quieter. Marlow is down the road and has loads to do in terms of classes, baby gatherings and clubs. Quite a few yummy mummy types!

Obviously there's not going to be as much on offer as in London, but there seems to be quite a bit for a small town

Childrens centre

Community Groups

When you move there, go along to the Childrens centre and ask what there is on - I'm sure people will be more than happy to tell you.

wistful sigh
Grew up in Henley (well Mays Green, but very close)

LOVED IT.Came back to UK last June, drove thru Henley during Regatta and nearly cried

Thank you all so much , I've even looked into some montessori nurseries. All I need to do now is learn to drive and I'll be able to visit some of the lovely countryside around as well as London .

The buses are pretty good if you aren't in a rush - my parents live up the river from Henley, and mum visits a friend there by bus as it goes through lots of villages and she likes to look out of the window rather than driving.

*sigh.... !

hi Babilyy,I live in Henley and have a 3year old.Its absolutely brilliant-best of both worlds, small town but with lots of amenities.Plenty of mum/toddler groups, ballet classes for girls, rugby tots for boys, singing classes, tumbletots. There are many mums with young kids in henley and Reading/maidenhead down the road.Actually everyone very friendly and once you get to know people its very easy. Walks down by the river and a playground by the river with huge green.In the summer its fab and there are lots of festivals such as Henley festival, food festival, literary festival.Great primary schools also. Sorry for going on but lived here for over 6years now and absolutely love it! Also London not very far away and we often pop to museums on weekends for entertainment.

I live up the road near Reading but drive to Henley a lot for a change of scenery. You have the best of both worlds there really - a lovely town, a river setting/all the shops you need on your doorstep/ a few chain restaurants (including the stock Pizza express etc to go to with kids) - the park is lovely and you can go and feed the ducks by the river. I moved out to near Reading also from London but just before kids and wondered if I'd ever recover (!!!) but now I can honestly sayt that I don't hanker after London and find pretty much all I need right on my doorstep. Reading shopping is brilliant and with so many things being online now I don't really miss London for shopping (plus Henley has some really nice gifty type shops amongst the usual stuff you find in a town centre). You probably need to go to the local library to find alsorts of toddler type activities but you might also find that if you head over to the outskirts of Reading you can easily find other toddler playgroups/swimming classes etc (Rivermead in Reading do lots of morning swimming classes for toddlers) and the soft play on a wednesday to friday mornings. That would mean driving probably but there is a train service to Reading too.....
good luck - you'll love it - honestly !!