This page is rather sparse at present but is intended to act as a directory to the large number of clubs and societies which operate in Highams Park.

Please send us details of organisations to be added to the list via the "Contact us" link at the top of this page. Also via this link please report any inaccuracies, out-of-date information, or links that no longer work. Thanks.

This is a long web page. You can use these links to jump to an item of interest on the page:

1. Football for Young People
2. Fencing for young people and adults
3. The Highams Park Society
4. Waltham Forest Probus Club - Founded 1977
5. Forest Recorded Music Society
6. Who are the different residents' groups in Highams Park with very similar names?
7. Higham's Residents' Association
8. Epping Ongar Railway Volunteer Society
9. Highams Park United Reformed Church
10. Winchester Road Methodist Church
11. King George Sailing Club (for sailing and windsurfing)
12. Waltham Forest Sub Aqua Club
13. Chapel End Savoy Players (amateur operatic and dramatic society
14. Highams Park Horticultural Society (was the Hale End Horticultural Society)
15. OrganicLea - Fruit & Vegetable growing co-op based in Chingford & Walthamstow
16. Walthamstow Family Bike Club
17. Woodford Concert Society

West Essex Colts FC, based in Highams Park on The Rolls (behind Focus DIY) runs a number of teams for under 11 though to under 17.

The club have a playing membership of circa 120, with an ambition to provide competitive football, quality coaching and a fun environment for the youth of Highams Park, Chingford and the surrounding areas. The club's principal aim is to encourage a culture in which children and young people can participate in football in a safe and enjoyable environment. By encouraging personal physical fitness, teamwork and discipline, the club aims to have a tangible positive impact on the lives of its players.

The club has its own clubhouse and facilities and all Managers/Coaches are F.A. qualified and CRB checked. The club offers a varied football programme including competitive football, structured training, tournaments and tours with an emphasis on player development. The club also offers a varied social programme for all playing members and their wider families.

The club is always pleased to welcome new players in all age groups.

For more details and how to contact the club please see their website at : http://westessexcoltsfc.intheteam.com

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The Highams Park Fencing Club meets on Wednesday evenings at Trinity School (Lower Site), Off Sydney Road, Woodford Wells, Ig8 0TB.

Formed by a group of keen amateurs, the club offers a relaxed, friendly atmosphere with a wide age group from 7-65 years of age, and with professional tuition for fencers of all levels by qualified instructors.

For full information and contact details, visit their website at: www.hpfc.org.uk

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The Highams Park Society sets its goal as "Helping Promote Community Life". It organises social events, lectures, exhibitions, working parties and also campaigns on issues affecting life in Highams Park. New members are always welcome. The Forum and the Society work together on a number of issues.

Details and a description of current and future activities of the Society are set out in its regular newsletter "The Park" the latest version of which is posted here: HPS Newsletter

The Society has its own website which can be found here: www.highamsparksociety.co.uk

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GENTLEMEN,
Are you retired and have some spare time on the Third Monday of each month?
Then, please consider the following:-
We offer a good lunch, congenial company, and a variety of Speakers. In addition to the meetings we also arrange a number of outings during the year.
Our meetings are held at The Royal Forest Hotel, Rangers Road, Chingford E4 7QZ.
The timing is 12.15 pm. for Lunch at 1.pm. and finishing at about 3 p.m.

If you are interested, please telephone our secretary: 020 8527 4654

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The Forest Recorded Music Society meets every fortnight on Friday evenings at 7:30. Programmes are presented by the members themselves and each year we invite up to three guests from the world of music to talk to us.

Evenings are relaxed and informal affairs. If you enjoy listening to classical and light classical music in the company of like-minded people just drop into one of our meetings. Entry is free and if you wish to join the Society membership costs just £10 for the first year (£15 thereafter).

We meet at:
All Saints Church Hall
Church Avenue
Highams Park
7.30pm - 9.45pm

Click here for full details of events: Current Programme

The Society has its own website which can be found here: www.forestrecordedmusicsociety.co.uk

For further information call Chairman Andrew Golds 020 8531 2938
(email andrewgolds48@hotmail.co.uk)

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At the Forest Festival a visitor expressed confusion over the different residents' organisations (all with similar names) in Highams Park. I tried to explain, but as I did so it struck me too how confusing it was. The visitor laughed and said it was a bit like Monty Python's Life of Brian where there are numerous organisations based on rearranging the words "The People's Liberation Front of Judea" (or is it "The Judean People's Liberation Front").......[you need to have seen it to think this is funny !]

Follow this link for our attempt at an explanation: Monty Python's life of Highams Park?

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Higham's Residents' Association was founded in 1955 to represent residents' from the estate on the East side of Highams Park - originally the Highams Warner Estate. It represents residents' interests in general but also focuses particularly upon planning matters affecting the estate. The association has its own website here: www.highamsra.org.uk

Membership is open to all residents in:
Crealock Grove, Henry's Avenue, Keynsham Avenue, Lichfield Road, Marion Grove, Mason Road, Montalt Road, Nesta Road, Tamworth Avenue, and The Charter Road, together with other residents in the neighbourhood who have interests in common with the Association. Almost 100% of the households in the designated area are members.

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The society is dedicated to the restoration, maintenance, and operation of the privately owned Epping to Ongar Railway and is always looking to meet and welcome new volunteers. Although the railway is currently closed (June 2009), volunteers are working hard towards the reopening in 2010, probably with steam locomotion. The organisation is trying to spread the word that "its all happening", so if you know anyone who might be interested, please encourage them to get in touch. Look at their website at: www.eorailway.co.uk

Those that are volunteering now are the ones who will get priority when the line re-opens (being trained to drive steam trains etc.), as well as being part of re-opening of a special 6 miles of local heritage railway and two 1865 stations.

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A small friendly church in Malvern Avenue, E4 9NP. Full details of services and the numerous activities at the church can be found on their website here: www.highamsparkurc.org.uk

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Full details of services and the numerous activities at the church can be found on their website which can be found here: www.winchesterroadchurch.org.uk

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Situated on a 240 acre Thames Water reservoir in Chingford, the King George Sailing Club was founded more than 30 years ago to provide dinghy sailing and windsurfing on the largest and best sailing water in the north and east of London.

The Club enjoys facilities both on and off the water and has an active membership engaged in racing, learning to sail, casual sailing, and windsurfing. In recognition of our good facilities and encouragement of youth sailing, the Royal Yachting Association has awarded the club Volvo Champion Club status.

For more details, visit their website: www.kgsc.org.uk

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Waltham Forest Sub Aqua Club is a branch of the British Sub Aqua Club and was founded in 1974. We are based at the King George V reservoir in North-East London where we share facilities with the KGV Sailing Club. We actively encourage new members, and offer a complete range of diving from first scuba lessons for complete beginners, to diving for the very experienced. You will find a warm welcome for qualified divers from any agency.

The club has two RIBS and has a full UK diving program as well arranging many hard boat trips both in the UK and abroad. Continuous gradual training from beginner to expert is an essential part of our ethos.

For more details, visit their website: www.wfsac.info

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We are a small friendly amateur operatic and dramatic society, based in Walthamstow, specialising in the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, especially the comic operas known as the Savoy Operas. We are always on the lookout for new singing members. If you are interested, please call our chairman, Jackie Mitchell on 07852 928287.

We perform one opera annually in May at The Deaton Theatre, Forest School, Snaresbrook.

We also perform an annual concert between October and December, featuring songs by many composers, including Gilbert and Sullivan, as well as songs from musicals. This takes place at St. John's Church, Walthamstow.

We have also performed in the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival in Buxton, Derbyshire over the last few years.

We're also available to perform Gilbert and Sullivan, Olde Tyme Music Hall and songs from popular musicals. To book us, contact our secretary at secretary@cesp.org.uk

For more details, visit our website: www.cesp.org.uk

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The Highams Park Horticultural Society, previously known as the Hale End Horticultural Society, runs the following events:

- an annual flower & produce show in September, including handicrafts and photography
- visits and coach outings
- quiz evenings
- and in November a social evening & AGM

There is also a monthly gardening Gardening Club, which meets at Winchester Road Methodist Church on the 2nd Tuesday of every month 7.30-9.30 pm. New members of all ages and gardening abilities are very welcome, so do come along. £1.50 per meeting (including refreshments & raffle) and £4.50 annual membership, which gives free entry to RHS gardens, etc. A typical evening is usually a talk/demonstration, discussion and solving any gardening problems.

See a video of the society's 2010 show here: HP Hort Soc Show 2010
See a video of the society's 2011 show here: HP Hort Soc Show 2011

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Voluneteering opportunities and locally grown food and veg delivered in Highams Park.

Organiclea's Mission Statement:
We produce and distribute food and plants locally, and inspire and support others to do the same. With a workers' cooperative at our core, we bring people together to take action towards a more just and sustainable society. Our projects currently receive funding support from the Making Local Food Work programme and Local Food, as well as a number of smaller local grants.

Want to get involved/volunteer?
See here for more information: OrganicLea - Get Involved

Interested in purchasing locally grown fruit and veg (delivered to Highams Park)?
See here: OrganicLea - Box Scheme

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We meet on the 2nd Sunday of each month for a sociable ride; we used to take a break in the winter months, but due to the popularity of the rides run right throughout the winter. We also sometimes run additional events - see our special events page for more details.

Our monthly rides:
Our aim is for an enjoyable afternoon exploring the nooks and crannies in and around our borough. The maximum distance we do is 15 miles there and back, but will be tailored to the abilities of those who turn up, so can be considerably shorter. We usually stop along the way for a snack, so apart from a bicycle and any children you can round up, we recommend you also bring some water and something to eat. We usually stop off at a café at about half time. In the winter months, please try to remember your lights.

Everyone is welcome, so bring your family & friends.

For more detail see the club's website by clicking this link: WFCB Website

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Woodford Concert Society was founded in June 2011 by a small group of local enthusiasts who believed that the area would benefit from a society that could stage high-quality classical music concerts at affordable prices. The concerts will be performed by professional musicians of national and international standing and we are pleased to support them at the start of their careers.

The music and musicians will be of a wonderful variety and quality, and music's ability to uplift and transcend is devastatingly powerful, so please do join us. The Society is non-profit-making, any surplus being used to subsidise future events. For more information, concert details and ticket prices, or if you would like to become a Friend of the Society, please browse our website.

Full details here: www.woodfordconcertsociety.co.uk

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