Who we are
Charlton Toy Library is a Registered Charity set up in 1982 by a group of mums who met on a regular basis with their children. They took turns in running it from their own homes.
We have our own dedicated premises within Charlton House and are run by a voluntary Management Committee made up of Toy Library members and individuals. There is one paid member of staff, Sue Munro, whose post is currently funded by Lloyds TSB. Sue is our Development/Outreach worker and, with the help of volunteers, oversees the Toy Library sessions and runs the Mobile Toy Library (whose running costs are funded by HALC) which operates in the Greenwich Borough.
We are open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 9.30 -12.30. Please note we are open during term time only and close at the same times as Greenwich schools.
Staff
Development/Outreach worker Sue Munro has been with CTL for 12 years. Sue has past counselling experience and is also currently attending a refresher advanced counseling diploma. She has worked with emotionally abused children and families at risk.
She has been a community counsellor with the NHS working with patients with HIV & AIDS. She has completed an ‘Emotional Well-being of Refugee Children and Young People course’ arranged by the Refugee Council. She is a trained Breastfeeding Counsellor.
Sue has worked in primary schools as a Learning Mentor and is also an NVQ Assessor in Childcare & Education.
Management Committee
Colin Brown – Chair
Janine Khoshnevisan -Treasurer
Dona Dickson – Secretary
Sarah Roseblade – ordinary member
Karen Mitchell – ordinary member
Andrea Bonetti – ordinary member
Constanze Osborne – ordinary member
Next committee meetings are on:
Thursday 12th January 2012 at 1pm at the Toy Library
Thursday 9th February at 8pm at the Chair’s house
Friday 9th March at 1pm at the Toy Library
The AGM was held on Thursday 30th June at 11 am at the Toy Library. If you missed it and would like a copy of the AGM report then please go to the link at the bottom of this page.
We are based in Charlton House , Charlton Rd, London SE7 8RE
email charltontoylibrary@googlemail.com telephone 020 8319 0055
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What we do
Charlton Toy Library is a fun, stimulating and safe place. It provides families with a place to come and meet other parents, play with their children or get advice from our very experienced members of staff.
We serve hundreds of families in and around the borough. We have an extensive range of children and adult books with reference to all aspects of childcare, health, meal planning, disabilities and many more topics. Our toy selection is fantastic with age ranges from 0 up to 7 on selected toys. We have a wide range of story-sacks, special needs toys, baby toys, games and puzzles, dressing up and many more, all available for loan for two weeks.
Our safety and baby equipment is also extensive, with items ranging from socket covers to safety gates and play pens. These are on loan from one to six months at a time.
We provide several services:
- We offer play/borrowing sessions three mornings a week.
- We offer a mobile toy and safety equipment loan service to hard-to-reach and isolated families, a women’s refuge and toddler groups around the borough of Greenwich. We currently work with three HomeStart groups too.
- Breastfeeding advice by our outreach development worker Sue Munro, who is also a trained Breastfeeding Counsellor. This service has benefitted many mums who, on occasions have come to us distraught. This service works well as we have a relaxed friendly atmosphere and our staff are friendly and approachable and available immediately without the need of making an appointment.
- We offer basic safety advice in the home, and will visit families if they feel worried about any unseen dangers. We offer advice on safety equipment, both on what type of equipment to choose and on how to fit it correctly. Our safety and baby equipment is vast. We have delivered, and fitted safety equipment for families at risk; we have visited parents whose English is not their first language,
- Our outreach visits to deliver and fit safety equipment have often been opportunities to support families at risk, or whose English is not their first language, parents who have special needs i.e. deaf and dumb refugees and asylum seekers; mothers affected by postnatal depression and need some friendly advice or practical help or maybe families who just needed someone to talk to and that is where our counselling skills come in handy.
When needed we have worked alongside health visitors, portage workers and social workers; school liaison officers and other toy libraries.
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Aims and Objectives
Charlton Toy Library aims to promote the principle that play does matter for the developing child. Our objectives are to:
- Offer a befriending & supportive service to parents and carers.
- Make play available & lend appropriate toys and books.
- Extend the opportunity for shared play into the home.
- Provide play areas where children and adults can use a wide variety of toys and creative activities and to offer an opportunity to socialise and exchange experiences.
We have an Equal Opportunities policy and a good selection of multi-cultural and non-sexist toys and books.
Charlton Toy Library is not part of Greenwich Council or any Leisure Library. It is an independent voluntary group which has to secure its own funding.
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