Today is a sad day. Not because it’s the end of half-term (wahooo!) but because it’s the end of something else – the much-loved Walthamstow soft play Tumble in the Jungle. We were there tonight when the doors closed at 6PM and though we didn’t stay till they turned out the lights, we knew it wouldn’t be long. Besides, the lights in the toilets were already turned out for some reason.
But it is not the end! The founder and manager of Tumble and The Soul Project is determined to carry on in a new location and you can help by donating to their crowdfunder here. The Soul Project is the youth work that ran alongside Tumble – reaching out to young people who otherwise might not have a hope in life. It’s not just been a soft play, it’s been a life changer for some of those kids.
But gentrification comes to us all and the land has been sold for development and so Tumble is moving on. So we went and ate chicken nuggets and wedges one last time, listening to poignant soul songs like “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now” and “This Old Heart of Mine”. And here are a little selection of photos from that final visit. I’m pleased to say it was packed to the rafters, but I managed to get a few shots of the place itself without other people’s kids in them:
And that crowdfunder link once more.
Thanks for the memories Tumble!
