Breastfeeding Cafe 10.30am -12 noon - drop-in session.
Plus EITHER Antenatal
Information
OR Postnatal Q & A Sessions ONCE A
MONTH, 10.30am -12 noon
"Preparing to Breastfeed" Workshop - FREE 27th September 10.30am - 11.30am. For mums to be. Please book
The Hive Youth cafe at The Balsam Centre 6pm - 8pm - from 19th October
Youth Cafe 3.30pm - 5.30pm - please book
Teen Cooking Group Limited places, 5.45pm - 7.45pm - please book
Healthy Child Clinic The Balsam Centre, 10.30am - 12 noon by appointment BUT 1st Wednesday of the month is a Weaning Session - invite only
Happy Feet Toddler Group HENSTRIDGE VILLAGE HALL, 1st Wednesday of the month,1pm - 2pm - SUSPENDED
Balsam Multiples 11am - 12.30pm EVERY 1ST WEDNESDAY
Guitar Group (teenagers) Limited places, 4pm - 5pm
Teen Cooking Group Limited places, 5.30pm - 7.30pm
Buggy Walks 9.30am Stourhead, every other Thursday - PLEASE REGISTER FIRST. THIS ACTIVITY IS CURRENTLY ON HOLD
The Hive Youth cafe at The Balsam Centre 6pm - 8pm
Midwives Clinic 9am - 11.30am BOOKING ESSENTIAL
Craft and Play for Under 5s 9.30am - 11.30am suspended until we can find volunteers to run it!
This session has stopped until we can find 2 volunteers to run the session.
Click here for more information.
Our Buggy Walks take place at Stourhead - every other Thursday, 9.30am meet, for a 10am walk around the gardens.
Please register at the Balsam Centre first.
We have several activities for young people - Youth Cafe, The Hive Youth Club, Guitar, Teen Cooking, and Life Skills.
Take a look at our Young People section for more information on the groups
If you are interested in joining any of the activities, call The Balsam Centre 01963 31842 for more details.
A drop-in, run by mums for other mums!
Every Monday morning.
Click here for more information.
Mondays, 10.30am - 12 noon.
The Midwives now run a clinic from The Balsam Centre.
BOOKING ESSENTIAL - If you would like to talk to a midwife or make an appointment, call 01935 384449
Every Friday, 9am - 11.30am at the Balsam Centre
Do you have twins, triplets or more?
Join us for a chat, support, advice and time to relax. Meet other parents who understand.
For more information call Helen on 07990567119
Whether you're growing a bump, are a first time mum or a veteran parent, we are here to support your breastfeeding journey. We are in a new room that has a play area for toddlers and an outdoor play area too.
This small and friendly group offers:
- Breastfeeding support from trained peer supporters.
- Antenatal sessions
The Breastfeeding Cafe is a drop-in - you don't need to book. It's also a great place to meet other new and expectant mums. Sadly, we can't offer teas and coffees at the moment - so bring your own flask!
Every Monday, 10.30am - 12 noon (except bank holidays)
For more information, call 01963 31842 or join our Facebook group
- Prepare you for what to expect when breastfeeding
- Help you build a support network before baby arrives
- Bust some myths surrounding breastfeeding
- Give you an opportunity to ask questions about
breastfeeding
Afterwards join us as the Breastfeeding Cafe for tea, biscuits and play for the little ones. Run by local mums who have been trained by an NHS Feeding Specialist; we are here to support you on your breastfeeding journey
These sessions are FREE but you are welcome to make a donation in the tin at the breastfeeding cafe.
These sessions are open to all, so if you are struggling to feed your baby, or worried about how your baby is feeding, come along to ask questions and get help!
Please see the Facebook group for further information and other sessions coming up.
Indoor and outdoor play areas, crafting activities, songs and stories.
The cost is £1.
Sadly, both the volunteers who run this group have had to step down for personal reasons, so we are on the hunt for new volunteers who might like to run the group. Perhaps your children have just started primary school and you would like to volunteer one morning a week? Or maybe you are a retired teacher missing the children (-but not the paperwork!). If you would like to get involved, please call Jani Upsall at The Balsam Centre, 01963 31842
The group has moved to a new room which includes a courtyard garden, so you can be outside with your child too - remember to bring some suncream! Taking Covid restrictions in to account, we are limiting the number of adults coming to this group to 10 plus the 2 group leaders. You will need to book to come to the session - you can book from the Monday preceding the Friday session, giving your name and number. When you come on the day, your name will be ticked on the register for track and trace.
For more information, please call 01963 31842
Parents/guardians are required to stay with their children and help them to have fun with games, arts, crafts and toys. Parents and guardians are responsible for their children at all times.
Run by the Health Visitors based at the Balsam Centre, here you can talk to someone about developmental stages and the health of your baby in a friendly, relaxed and informal session.
All the sessions and groups out in the community are suspended for the time being, but the Health Visitors are running one-to-one sessions to discuss your child's development or any concerns you have.
These sessions will take place in The Balsam Centre, in our large airy room, but you will need to call to book an appointment
Music sessions for teenagers in friendly, informal, groups; somewhere to enjoy making music with others, led by Claire, our youth worker.
Places are limited so please call Claire to book a place 07916 681602.
The Hive is a fun, safe space where young people from years 7 - 10 can meet up with their friends and make new friends. Our programme includes a range of cooking, sports and arts activities as well as the space to just sit and relax. Numbers will be limited and there will be restrictions in place to keep young people in their year bubbles.
Costs £1 per session.
Activities include, badminton, games nights, karaoke, table tennis, along with cooking - cookies, pancakes, tortilla pizzas, and a wide range of crafts - card making, Hama bead crafts, and jewellery making.
If you are interested in joining, contact Claire on 07916 681602 or email claire@balsamcentre.org.uk. Booking is essential.
A social cafe for all teenagers!
Not interested in the outdoor activities? Then step inside and join the Youth Cafe
This is a social group for teenagers to get involved with activities like Graffiti Art and games.
If you are interested in taking part, contact Claire on 07916 681602 for more information
Enabling young people to learn more about how to cook basic but healthy meals that are quick and on budget.
For more information and to book a place, contact Claire on 07916 681602.
Cooking, Budgeting, CV writing, ironing - and a whole host of essential skills to help you gain confidence when you have to fend for yourself!
Places in this group are limited so please book. Call Claire 07916 681602 for more information.
The Balsam Centre is an independent charity set up by local people for local people.
Whilst the work of the Centre is long term, funding for its projects and services is all too frequently short term.
It is largely thanks to help from a fund created by a legacy left by one person, that the Balsam Centre has been able to continue its mental health work over the last few years. The help that this has given hundreds of people is a permanent and living memorial to that person’s generosity.
If you are thinking of donating, have you considered becoming a Friend of the Balsam Centre? This is a commitment to regular giving of any amount, at any interval, by standing order, and even better, if you are a UK tax payer and you ‘tick’ to say so, we can claim another 25% on top of your donation to support the work of the Centre. Become a Friend here!
We have signed up to be a part of Give As You Live where you can raise money for us - just by shopping online in your normal way! All you have to do is click on the link, choose your charity - The Balsam Centre - and then create an account.
The site will ask for your name, email address and a password. You can choose your favourite shops, or just use their search bar to find the product you are looking for. When you buy in this way, the retailer will donate an amount to us, and you can see exactly what you have donated. This is a great way for people who would like to support us to do so whilst doing their normal online shopping! All the big retailers are there, Amazon, Ebay, supermarkets, and department stores. Happy Shopping! And thank you for supporting us!!
We now have a Virgin Giving charity page where you can donate directly, and Virgin will collect the tax for us! Just click on the button below.
This website was designed in-house by Netty. Photos by Oscar Yoosefinejad, Netty, Tina, Catherine and Nick.
