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Community living rooms

Find out more about welcoming community spaces available to local residents.

Last updated: 18 June 2025

Next review: 11 June 2026

The Community Living Rooms Network is a collection of free-to-access, friendly community spaces across the borough where residents can relax, enjoy complimentary tea, coffee, and refreshments, encounter familiar faces, and make new acquaintances.  

Some Community Living Rooms host regular social and creative activities plus many spaces can offer food support or a hot meal. 

You will also find opportunities to access information and advice around topics such as health and wellbeing, debt management, welfare benefits, and energy advice.

For updates on opening times and hours or any further information, please contact your chosen Community Living Room directly, using the contact details below.

Please note that many Community Living Rooms are open for the winter months only, so this list may change throughout the year. The spaces listed below are open all year round.

E10: Leyton area

Leyton Lighthouse 

  • Type of Space: Social activities, practical support and food pantry
  • Address: Leyton Lighthouse, St Mary's Church, Church Road, E10 5JP
  • Website: Lighthouse
  • Email lighthouse@saint.church
  • Opening hours: Thursdays from 12pm to 2pm  

Lighthouse is the avenue through which SAINT serves people in need in our community. We provide practical and relational support. Lighthouse meets for a community meal in St Mary's Church, we are so looking forward to welcoming you.

We run hygiene and clothing pop-ups, food pantries, money matters advice, digital inclusion workshops and CV support amongst our wider signposting services.

Free period and hygiene products are available to those who need them. 

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible, wide doorways.

Leyton Orient Community Hubs 

  • Type of Space: Physical activities, information and advice, social space
  • Address: E10 and E4
    • Mondays: Community Room at the Score Leisure Centre, 2 Coronation Square, E10 5UN
    • Thursdays: Walthamstow Wellbeing Hub, Walthamstow Stadium, the Tote Building (inside Better Gym), Chingford Road, E4 8SJ
  • Opening hours: 12pm to 3pm. Excluding bank holidays
  • Phone: 020 8556 5973
  • Email: enquiries@leytonorienttrust.org.uk
  • Website: https://www.leytonorienttrust.org.uk

Our Community Hubs are open to all. We offer physical and practical sessions such as chair based and light exercise, access to walking groups, table tennis, health and wellbeing advice, sign language workshops, basic tech support, opportunities to access information and advice from Early Adult Help and wider signposting to local support services.  Social activities available e.g. board and card games, craft activities, free hot drinks, biscuits and fruit alongside a chance to connect with others and learn something new. Volunteers are in attendance to provide practical support and a listening ear. 

  • Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible, wide doorways, lifts, step free access, accessible toilets

The Cornerstone Leyton  

  • Type of Space: Community Hub, offering a family after school drop in and parent and baby morning
  • Address: The Cornerstone, 149 Canterbury Road, E10 6EH  
  • Phone: 02085582121 
  • Email: lindsey.donoghue@thecornerstone.org.uk
  • Website: The Cornerstone church
  • Opening hours: After school drop in Tuesdays 3:15pm to 4:30pm; Parent and baby drop in mornings Thursdays 10.30am to 12pm (both sessions are term time only)  

Cornerstone Community Hub is based in Leyton with multiple activities for families running across the week. 

Our Tuesday After School drop in is aimed at anyone with primary aged children (older siblings are also welcome). Sessions feature toast, drinks and healthy snacks and the opportunity to play different card games, board games, craft activities and group games.  

Our Parent and Baby drop in is a welcoming space for parents with babies age one year and under. This offers parents a space to connect with other parents and to have a cup of tea or coffee whilst their baby plays. This runs alongside breastfeeding support from Henry and advice and signposting to other relevant local services.

Free period and hygiene products are available to those who need them. 

Accessibility: The site is fully accessible, step free, and wheelchair accessible with a disabled toilet, baby changing area and wide doorways.

E11: Leytonstone area

Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue

Our Community Space offers a friendly and relaxed environment for visitors to enjoy free tea or coffee, snacks, hot food, and a chance to chat. Visitors can remain within the communal space or enjoy the gardens. A large range of books, magazines, and newspapers are available to read and there is a play area for children. Volunteers are available to help visitors and learning about Jewish culture and practices is encouraged. We also have a gardening group which visitors are welcome to join. 

Get in touch with the Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue team by filling out their contact form.

Free period and hygiene products are available to those who need them. 

Accessibility: Outdoor Space, Wheelchair accessible, quiet room, wide doorways, and baby changing area.

Holy Trinity and St Augustine of Hippo, Community Food Share and Living Room  

We run a welcoming community space with free refreshments, a free community library, access to Wi-Fi and creche facilities. There are also opportunities to access creative courses with the adult learning centre and opportunities for one-to-one meetings with housing representatives and health professionals. 

Breakfast and lunch provided by The Skills Within. Residents can also access our non-referral Community Food Share which offers both non-perishable long life essentials and perishable rescued food every Tuesday between 11am and 1pm. 

Free period and hygiene products are available to those who need them.

E17: Walthamstow area

Community Living Room at Greenleaf Road Baptist Church

  • Type of space: Social activities, family play space for parents/carers and toddlers, support and signposting, free lunch
  • Address: Greenleaf Road Baptist Church, 4 Greenleaf Road, Walthamstow, E17 6QQ
  • Email: community@greenleafroadbaptistchurch.com
  • Greenleaf Road Baptist Church website
  • Opening hours: Mondays, 10:30am to 1pm for activities. Free lunch provided from 1pm to 2pm. Excludes bank holidays

Our Community Living Room is a welcoming space for everyone to relax, have fun and meet new people. 

We have a family play space for parents/carers to connect while toddlers play, as well as activities for others such as games, arts and crafts, crosswords, table tennis, or conversations over hot drinks and refreshments. 

We provide a free lunch, as well as support and signposting. 

Accessibility: Our facilities are accessible for all including step free access, wheelchair accessibility, an accessible toilet and baby changing area.

Walthamstow Welcomes: Paperwork Support and Community Café

We are open to all, offering the whole community help with all of life’s paperwork. Whilst not benefits or debt advisors, we provide support and a listening ear to all, and our trained volunteers help our visitors to complete a variety of benefit and other application forms, such as Personal Independence Payments (PIP), Disabled Badges, and Housing Benefit. We are also able to signpost and refer visitors with more complex needs to appropriate community support services, such as WF Community Hub, WF Migrant Action, Citizens Advice, and WF Housing, food support and debt and benefits advice. 

So, whether you are looking for help with a piece of confusing paperwork, or simply looking to chat and socialise with others over a few biscuits and a warm drink, all are welcome.

The Mill at Coppermill

  • Type of Space: Social Activities
  • Address: 7-11 Coppermill Lane, Walthamstow, E17 7HA
  • Phone: 020 8521 3211
  • Email: info@themille17.org
  • The Mill website
  • Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday from 9:30am to 5:30pm. Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 2pm. 

The Mill's Living Room is open to anyone in the local community.  
 
Various activities are available to join, such as sociable knitting and sewing groups, drawing classes, scrabble and craft groups (free or low cost). For more information visit the Mill at Coppermill events page.
 
The Mill runs an honesty library with a wide variety of books and local newspapers. 
 
A children's playroom for under 5s is available. 
 
Volunteer-led sessions are available, such as CV writing and using digital devices. We also host information sessions from adult education and ESOL providers, health and wellbeing advice and council services. 

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible, step-free toilet, disabled toilet, baby changing area. 

Walthamstow Salvation Army

'The Meeting Place' is a warm and inviting space where anyone is welcome. This space offers a relaxed room in a café style with access to newspapers, crafts, board games, internet access, a play space, and the use of a couple of computers. Some light snacks are also provided.  

Free period and hygiene products are available to those who need them. 

Accessibility: Wheelchair access, step-free toilet, disabled toilet and quiet room. wide doorways and baby changing areas.

Waltham Forest Community Hub 

We offer a community coffee morning to help reduce social isolation. We offer health and well-being activities as well as a chance to meet new people.

E4: Chingford and Highams Park area

All Saints Church Hall (The Old Church) – The Parish of Chingford

  • Type of Space: Community café   
  • Address: All Saints Church Hall, 184 Old Church Road, Chingford, E4 8BU 
  • Email: office@theparishofchingford.org.uk 
  • Phone: 0208 529 0323
  • The Parish of Chingford website
  • Opening hours: 'Wednesday Welcome': Wednesday mornings in term time from 9am to 12pm. Weekly 'Family Café': Wednesdays (term time only) 3:30pm to 5pm.

A welcoming space for all, offering a children's play area and teas, coffees, hot chocolate, squash, toast, and often cakes, during morning and afternoon sessions.

Accessibility: Outdoor space, wheelchair access, step-free toilet, and wide doorways.  

Waltham Forest Libraries

Our libraries are always open and available throughout the year, for all residents and non-residents.

All libraries have free Wi-Fi and PC computer use for any residents and non-residents, with plenty of space to study. Here you can also access online courses including language lessons, driving theory test preparation and computer skills lessons.

Each library has daily events for children and adults alike, for more information please see the website, email or visit.

Lea Bridge Library

  • Address: Lea Bridge Road, Leyton E10 7HU
  • Phone: 020 8496 3000
  • Email: libraries.support@walthamforest.gov.uk
  • Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm, Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm.

Leyton Library

  • Address: High Rd, London E10 5QH
  • Phone: 020 8496 3000
  • Email: libraries.support@walthamforest.gov.uk
  • Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10am to 6pm
  • Citizens Advice drop-in sessions are every Monday from 10am to 1pm, and appointments from 2pm to 4pm. To book an appointment, contact Citizens Advice Waltham Forest at 0808 278 7838.

Leytonstone Library

  • Address: Church Lane, E11 1HG
  • Phone: 020 8496 3000
  • Email: libraries.support@walthamforest.gov.uk
  • Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm, Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sunday 12pm to 4pm.
  • Citizens Advice drop-in sessions are every Friday from 2pm to 4pm, appointments from 10am to 1pm. To book an appointment, contact Citizens Advice Waltham Forest at 0808 278 7838.

Wood Street Library

  • Address: 1 Troubridge Square, Wood Street, E17 3HB
  • Phone: 020 8496 3000
  • Email: libraries.support@walthamforest.gov.uk
  • Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9am to 7pm, Saturday: 9am to 6pm and Sunday: 12pm to 4pm.
  • Citizens Advice drop-in sessions are every Tuesday from 2pm to 4pm, appointments from 10am to 1pm, and every Thursday, drop-in session from 10am to 1pm, appointments from 2pm to 4pm. To book an appointment, contact Citizens Advice Waltham Forest at 0808 278 7838.

Walthamstow Library

  • Address: High Street, Walthamstow, E17 7JN
  • Phone: 020 8496 3000
  • Email: libraries.support@walthamforest.gov.uk
  • Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9am to 7pm, Saturday: 9am to 6pm and Sunday: 10am to 4pm.

Higham Hill Library

Chingford Library

  • Address: The Green, Chingford, E4 7EN
  • Phone: 020 8496 3000
  • Email: libraries.support@walthamforest.gov.uk
  • Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm, Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sunday 12pm to 4pm.

Hale End Library

  • Address: Castle Avenue, Highams Park, E4 9QD
  • Phone: 020 8496 3000
  • Email: libraries.support@walthamforest.gov.uk
  • Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10am to 6pm. Saturday 10am to 4pm. 

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