On Tuesday 30th June, we were delighted to welcome 13 mothers and 14 children to our first LEAH Family Focus Group at Picnic Soft Play in Kingston.
The event brought together learners from across several boroughs, giving mothers the opportunity to meet one another, build new friendships, and enjoy a relaxed and welcoming space with their children. By hiring the venue exclusively, we were able to create a calm, non-overwhelming environment where everyone could feel comfortable, connect with others, and enjoy quality time together.
While the children explored the soft play and enjoyed time together, parents were able to relax with a hot drink, connect with other mothers, and take part in discussions about their experiences with LEAH. As part of our Focus Group, we spoke about how learning English has impacted their lives, what support has been most valuable, and how we can continue to improve our services for families in the future.
We provided travel money for all attendees, a hot drink for every mother and juice for every child.
What our learners said
The conversations we had throughout the day highlighted just how important these opportunities are for parents who are learning English and building a new life in the UK.
“I want to meet people and be able to help with my confidence.”
“I would like to thank everyone at LEAH for their support and kindness. I would love more trips and activities where we can meet other mothers, make friends and practise our English.”
These comments reinforce the importance of creating welcoming spaces where families can reduce isolation, build confidence, practise English outside the classroom, and develop supportive friendships within their local community.
Building community through shared experiences
The turnout was fantastic, and it was wonderful to see learners travelling from different boroughs to spend the day together. Watching mothers connect while their children played demonstrated the value of providing safe, inclusive spaces where families can relax, share experiences, and support one another.
We hope this is the first of many LEAH Focus Groups, giving learners the opportunity to shape our services while taking part in enjoyable community activities. Bringing families together helps strengthen local communities, encourages language development through real-life social interaction, and ensures that the voices of our learners remain at the heart of everything we do.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the day such a success.
