We are excited to be able to offer you the opportunity to attend the opening week of the dazzling multi-award winning DREAMGIRLS at New Wimbledon Theatre! Our friends at the Ambassadors Theatre Group have made FREE tickets available – although you must confirm that you can travel to and from the Theatre on your own, meeting at 7PM, and able to stay for the duration of the performance.

Direct from the West End with an extraordinary story and the unforgettable, spine-tingling vocals that send audiences wild, this spectacular musical production features the classic songs And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going, Listen, I Am Changing and One Night Only.

Meet The Dreams – Effie, Lorrell and Deena – three talented young singers in the turbulent 1960s, a revolutionary time in American music history. Join the three friends as they embark upon a musical rollercoaster ride through a world of fame, fortune and the ruthless realities of show business, testing their friendships to the very limit.

*Nicole Dennis* will play the iconic role of Effie White. Her credits include Dear Evan Hansen, Dreamgirls (West End production) and finalist on ITV’s The Voice in 2019 where she wowed viewers and judges singing And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going with team mentor Jennifer Hudson.

Windsor Castle 

Join us for a tour around Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it has since been the home of 39 monarchs. Today The Queen spends most of her private weekends at the Castle.

The tour involves a lot of walking so please wear sensible footwear! 

Age: 8 +

Transport: Train

Pizza Making Workshop with Brasseria Notting Hill

Get stuck in and make some delicious pizza at Brasserial Notting Hill.

For parents and children aged 8+

Meet at Nova, 2 Thorpe Close, London W10 5XL at 14:30

Chickenshed Theatre Workshop (Zoom)

Chickenshed’s online workshops are a creative space to have fun, meet new people and develop skills while exploring theatrical themes and ideas and in particular Amplifying children’s voice with what they what to say!  We will be doing a range of  activities from movement  to singing, learning sign language, lyric writing and so much more. We believe theatre is for everyone and Chickenshed’s inclusive approach is at the heart of everything we do. We look forward to you joining our workshop!

Age: 7-11

Kew Gardens

Join us for a visit to Kew Gardens, London’s largest UNESCO World Heritage Site. Home to the world’s most diverse collection of living plants and a scientific research centre of international renown, it’s the perfect day out. We will also visit the Children’s Garden and follow The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s enchanting trail through the Gardens. 

Children’s Garden – A fun, interactive space to climb, run, jump and explore everything that a plant needs to grow

The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Embark on a transformational journey to becoming a beautiful butterfly, based on Eric Carle’s much-loved book, and wind through sculptures of juicy fruits and a cosy chrysalis along the way. Digest facts about the wonder of nature and the close connections between plant and insect life on Earth. You can also explore the seasonal plants in the Gardens, with tulips, bluebells, magnolias, and cherry blossom all bursting to life.

Age: 0+

The Lexi Cinema – The Bad Guys

Nobody has ever failed so hard at trying to be good as THE BAD GUYS. In the new action comedy from DreamWorks Animation, based on the New York Times best-selling book series, a crackerjack criminal crew of animal outlaws are about to attempt their most challenging con yet – becoming model citizens.

Never have there been five friends as infamous as The Bad Guys – dashing pickpocket Mr. Wolf (Academy Award® winner Sam Rockwell), seen-it-all safecracker Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), chill master-of-disguise Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), short-fused “muscle” Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) and sharp-tongued expert hacker Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina), aka “Webs.”

But when, after years of countless heists and being the world’s most-wanted villains, the gang is finally caught, Mr. Wolf brokers a deal (that he has no intention of keeping) to save them all from prison: The Bad Guys will go good.

Under the tutelage of their mentor Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade), an arrogant (but adorable!) guinea pig, The Bad Guys set out to fool the world that they’ve been transformed. Along the way, though, Mr. Wolf begins to suspect that doing good for real may give him what he’s always secretly longed for: acceptance. So when a new villain threatens the city, can Mr. Wolf persuade the rest of the gang to become … The Good Guys?

Rating: PG

Meet at the venue at 13:15: 194b Chamberlayne Rd, London NW10 3JU

TRAILER

Age: 10+

Snakes & Ladders

Join us for a trip to Snakes & Ladders!

Bursting with indoor play activities, Snakes and Ladders is fun for children of all ages and is so much more than just soft play. There’s so much to do.

See more of what Snakes & Ladders has to offer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9EonHShQ44

Please note, everyone taking part in indoor soft play MUST wear socks.

Age: 0+

Transport: Bus

Ramadan Decorations (Zoom)

Join us for this online art workshop where you can make your own Ramadan decorations.

You must collect your activity pack from the Nova office on Monday 4th April between 10AM and 5PM. One pack per family.

The Invention Rooms – Create and Make Earthquake proof buildings

In this relaxed family workshop session at The Invention Rooms, the challenge is to craft and create earthquake proof buildings. You will get to try out your building on a shaking platform at the end!

Meet at the venue at 13:45: The Invention Rooms, Stadium House 68 Wood Lane W12 7TA (Tube: White City)

Age: 6-11

Baking with Maryam (Zoom)

Join our very own Maryam for some easy baking recipes.

Age: 10+

Singing Mermaid at the Little Angel Theatre

Did you ever go to Silversands – On a sunny summer’s day? – Then perhaps you saw the mermaid – Who sang in the deep blue bay.

One day, the singing mermaid is tempted away from all of her sea creature friends and her peaceful home at Silversands to join a travelling circus. The audiences love to hear her sing, but the poor mermaid was tricked! Instead of the swimming pool she was promised, she is kept in a small tank by the wicked circus master Sam Sly, and she soon longs to return to the freedom of the sea.

Will she ever escape? And who will help her along the way?

Through beautiful puppetry and performance, and with music by Barb Jungr (We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, The Pixie and the Pudding, The Smartest Giant in Town, There May be a Castle), Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks’s enormously popular story, The Singing Mermaid, is brought to life.

Aimed at ages 3 – 8

Transport: Tube

TRAILER

Jaballa and the Jinn at the Lyric Hammersmith

We’re in Bradford. It’s been a few months since Jabala’s beloved Mum died. Dad is a brilliant father, but it’s an effort to get to school on time every day. 

One morning, when she says goodbye to her house as usual, Jabala hears a voice replying to her in Arabic. But no one’s there. Could it be Mum? Has she imagined it?

With the help of a ‘Refugee Boy’ at school, a Shakespeare enthusiast called Munir, she summons… a Jinn. But this is no ordinary ‘Jinn’, as told in grandma’s stories and Jabala is in for a surprise.

As the day of Eid approaches, events take a drastic turn and Jabala is forced to make some difficult decisions. Will things come together in time for the celebration?

Using physical theatre, original music and vivid design, this new play by award winning writer Asif Khan is a funny and endearing story for the whole family.

Aimed at ages 5 – 12

Meet at the venue at 12:45, Lyric Square, King St, London W6 0QL

Science Museum Wonderlab

The amazing interactive experience of the Science Museum’s Wonderlab will ignite your curiosity, fuel your imagination, and inspire you to see the world around you in new and exciting ways. Enjoy live science shows and demonstrations, meet the wonderful science Explainers, and reveal the beauty of the science and maths that shape our everyday lives.

Age: 7-14

Transport: Bus

Team Science Challenge: Space Rescue!

One of our Astronauts is stranded somewhere in DEEP SPACE. We have tried to locate her but a VIRUS has ENCRYPTED the on-board computer systems and we don’t know exactly where she is or how to help. We need your CODEBREAKING EXPERTISE to save her!

Join us for this one-off fun and educational escape room style workshop, designed in collaboration with Imperial College London and delivered by Emma and Mat from Nova.

You’ll need to use your CODEBREAKING SKILLS to CRACK THE ENCRYTED MESSAGES, so you can repair the guidance system on the emergency escape craft and guide her safely back to Earth.

You have just a short time before life support systems fail, so you’ll need to race against the clock to bring the astronaut home!

Age: 8 – 12

Venue: Nova Office at 2 Thorpe Close, W10 5XL

Collings Hanger Farm

Join us for a coach trip to Collings Hanger Farm and a tour around the farm with the farmer, wheat milling and juice making activities.

Age: 8 +

Transport: Coach

The Unicorn Theatre: Gulliver’s Travels

This perfect family Easter show is an adventure-filled modern adaptation of Jonathan Swift’s surreal masterpiece.

Lemuel Gulliver sails away to a world of strange islands and even stranger creatures – from the tiny inhabitants of Lilliput to the giants of Brobdingnag – and embarks upon an epic adventure of survival, unexpected friendship and self-discovery.

Gulliver’s fantastical imaginings are vividly brought to life using video camera, intricate table-top sets and projection alongside live performance in this playful, funny and highly inventive show that uses Swift’s biting satire to explore reality and escapism, home and family, and the power of stories to transform our view of the world.

Please note this show contains flashing light throughout.

Age: 7+

Age: 10+

Snakes & Ladders

Join us for a trip to Snakes & Ladders!

Bursting with indoor play activities, Snakes and Ladders is fun for children of all ages and is so much more than just soft play. There’s so much to do.

See more of what Snakes & Ladders has to offer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9EonHShQ44

Please note, everyone taking part in indoor soft play MUST wear socks.

Age: 0+

Transport: Bus

Handa’s Surprise at the Little Angel Theatre

Travel to Kenya and follow in Handa’s footsteps as she journeys to see her best friend Akeyo, in the next village. Handa is taking seven delicious fruits as a surprise – but seven different animals have seven very different ideas… could you resist the sweet-smelling guava? How about a ripe red mango or a tangy purple passion fruit? 

A blend of physical performance, puppetry, live music and song combine to create an intimate, magical production with audience participation. Come and share in the magical tangerine surprise!

Aimed at ages 2 – 5

Transport: Tube

TRAILER

Age: 10+

The Lexi Cinema – Sonic the Hedgehog 2

The world’s favourite blue hedgehog is back for a next-level adventure in SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2.

After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is eager to prove he has what it takes to be a true hero. His test comes when Dr. Robotnik returns, this time with a new partner, Knuckles, in search for an emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a globe-trotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.

Rating: PG

Meet at the venue at 12:15: 194b Chamberlayne Rd, London NW10 3JU

TRAILER

Spring Chocolate Egg Hunt

Join Nova for an afternoon of fun and games in Holland Park as families from all different backgrounds come together to connect through play.

Activities will be geared towards under 11s. 

Meet at the park at 12:45. 

Get into Coding with ScratchJr course with MAMA.codes

SCRATCHJR is a drag-and-drop programming environment based on the popular, powerful Scratch system. Kids choose characters and backgrounds and then drag and drop pieces of a programming script in the form of interlocking pieces.

Age: 4-7

Get into Coding with a CoderDojo!

In partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, Nova will be running our very first CoderDojo, over six weekly sessions, every Thursday after school from the 10^th February.

CoderDojo is a global movement of computer programming clubs for young people.

At the CoderDojo you can develop the skills you are interested in, so you can choose what projects to develop. Aside from how cool it is to build your own games, apps, and websites, you’ll be able to take your creative ideas, make them a reality, and then share them with all your friends!

If you would like to join our first series of sessions, please follow this link to complete this short survey with your child, so we can find out exactly what they would like to learn: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CoderDojo1

This must be completed and submitted by 12PM on Tuesday 25th January to be considered for a place!

As this is a pilot, places are limited and priority will be given to those who can commit to attending for the full six weeks – but don’t worry if you don’t get a space this time, as we hope to run further sessions for more young people in future.

Age: 8-12

Get into Coding with ScratchJr course with MAMA.codes

SCRATCHJR is a drag-and-drop programming environment based on the popular, powerful Scratch system. Kids choose characters and backgrounds and then drag and drop pieces of a programming script in the form of interlocking pieces.

Age: 4-7

Get into Coding with a CoderDojo!

In partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, Nova will be running our very first CoderDojo, over six weekly sessions, every Thursday after school from the 10^th February.

CoderDojo is a global movement of computer programming clubs for young people.

At the CoderDojo you can develop the skills you are interested in, so you can choose what projects to develop. Aside from how cool it is to build your own games, apps, and websites, you’ll be able to take your creative ideas, make them a reality, and then share them with all your friends!

If you would like to join our first series of sessions, please follow this link to complete this short survey with your child, so we can find out exactly what they would like to learn: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CoderDojo1

This must be completed and submitted by 12PM on Tuesday 25th January to be considered for a place!

As this is a pilot, places are limited and priority will be given to those who can commit to attending for the full six weeks – but don’t worry if you don’t get a space this time, as we hope to run further sessions for more young people in future.

Age: 8-12

Get into Coding with ScratchJr course with MAMA.codes

SCRATCHJR is a drag-and-drop programming environment based on the popular, powerful Scratch system. Kids choose characters and backgrounds and then drag and drop pieces of a programming script in the form of interlocking pieces.

Age: 4-7

Get into Coding with a CoderDojo!

In partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, Nova will be running our very first CoderDojo, over six weekly sessions, every Thursday after school from the 10^th February.

CoderDojo is a global movement of computer programming clubs for young people.

At the CoderDojo you can develop the skills you are interested in, so you can choose what projects to develop. Aside from how cool it is to build your own games, apps, and websites, you’ll be able to take your creative ideas, make them a reality, and then share them with all your friends!

If you would like to join our first series of sessions, please follow this link to complete this short survey with your child, so we can find out exactly what they would like to learn: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CoderDojo1

This must be completed and submitted by 12PM on Tuesday 25th January to be considered for a place!

As this is a pilot, places are limited and priority will be given to those who can commit to attending for the full six weeks – but don’t worry if you don’t get a space this time, as we hope to run further sessions for more young people in future.

Age: 8-12

Your community, your UK Parliament: An introduction (via Zoom)

As we near the local elections, join our introduction to Parliament session to get a better understanding of how UK political system works and how we can all get our voices heard in Parliament. We will be joined by a representative from Parliament to learn more about:

• How you can get your voice heard by MPs
• What the House of Lords and House of Commons do
• How MPs and Lords raise issues on your behalf

This will be an interactive session with the opportunity to speak and ask lots of questions. No prior knowledge is required.

REGISTER

Get into Coding with a CoderDojo!

In partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, Nova will be running our very first CoderDojo, over six weekly sessions, every Thursday after school from the 10^th February.

CoderDojo is a global movement of computer programming clubs for young people.

At the CoderDojo you can develop the skills you are interested in, so you can choose what projects to develop. Aside from how cool it is to build your own games, apps, and websites, you’ll be able to take your creative ideas, make them a reality, and then share them with all your friends!

If you would like to join our first series of sessions, please follow this link to complete this short survey with your child, so we can find out exactly what they would like to learn: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CoderDojo1

This must be completed and submitted by 12PM on Tuesday 25th January to be considered for a place!

As this is a pilot, places are limited and priority will be given to those who can commit to attending for the full six weeks – but don’t worry if you don’t get a space this time, as we hope to run further sessions for more young people in future.

Age: 8-12

Volunteer Mixer

Are you interested in volunteering and want to make a difference? Then come along to this event and find out more.

Click on this link to see some of our volunteering opportunities – https://novanew.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer

RSVP – Aimee.Ling@novanew.org.uk