After a wet start to the year, we have finally seen some sun and signs of Spring around Hornsey Vale.
Rain or shine, Hornsey Vale Community Centre has something for everyone. Come and say ‘Hello!’
In this newsletter we share details of our first preloved Clothes sale, fill you in on all our Ageing Well wellbeing activities, and spotlight our hirers who offer groups for Children.
Wellbeing for Over 50s
While we watch winter finally give way to spring, wellness activities at Hornsey Vale can help to lift your spirits.
We are delighted to introduce Sam Ma, who will be offering a new tai chi (Taiji) class and acupuncture sessions once a month from March.
Our first Taiji session will be help in Thursday 19th March, at 12pm, with Acupuncture the following week on 26th, also at 12pm.
HVCA Trustee, Diarmid, met with Sam to find out more.
Originally a Chinese martial art, tai chi is taught as a slow and graceful form of exercise which anyone can learn and which strengthens the body and relaxes the mind. It’s good for balance, breathing, circulation and brain function, Sam Ma says.
Martial arts and medicine are closely linked in Chinese tradition. Sam Ma himself is the grandson of a Chinese medicine practitioner and he began learning martial arts in Hong Kong as a child before moving to the UK as a teenager.
He explains that tai chioriginated hundreds of years ago in the Wudang Mountains, a centre of the Daoist religious tradition in China, and was built on the much older practice of qi gong which is based on the belief that breathing and movement can unlock the flow of qi (energy) through the body. (Qiis pronounced “chee”).
“A Daoist monk observed the interaction between snakes and cranes fighting and he tried to figure out how they moved so gracefully,” Sam Ma says. “In the Wudang Mountains a lot of monks practiced qi gong. They added on that observation of the snake and the crane and that’s how tai chi came about.”
Acupuncture is a practice, also based on thousands of years of Chinese medicine, which is intended to encourage the flow of qi through the body by inserting needles into key sites in the nervous system. “Acupuncture is famous for back pain but it’s not limited to that,” says Sam Ma. You learn more about both practices on this page and can read what the NHS says about acupuncture here.
The rest of our Ageing well wellbeing activities will also be continuing in March and April, don’t miss the Ageing Well gong sound bath which will relax and revitalise you with deep vibrations and sounds. This will be on the third Wednesday of each month. These activities are open for all local over 50s and are by donation.
You can find out more about the gong sound bath on this page, and that’s not all. You can find out more about the Lunch Club, Parkinson’s Move and Mix, Soup Café, Nordic Walking, chair yoga, Candy’s Dancing Stars and other regular activities on the Ageing Well with Hornsey Vale page.
Coming up this weekend
Want to freshen your wardrobe and help the planet at the same time? Come to our Pre-Loved Clothes Sale from 2pm till 5pm on Saturday 28th April.
There’ll be good-quality adult and children’s clothes, hats and bags along with workshops from Traid on how to make, mend and upcycles clothes, plus five-minute makeovers with Fiona and a café with tea, cakes and prosecco!
Entrance will be £1 per person.
Hornsey Vale Youth Club
The Youth Club will continue on Saturday evenings. The club has been attracting young people between 11 and 16 with its mix of sports, board games, crafting, cooking and other activities. The Youth Club is now running from 5.30pm to 9pm on Saturdays with fun, inclusive activities for children in the 11-16 age group. Entry is £3 per session.
We are planning a programme for older teens to improve their life skills. Watch this space for details!
For more information, please look at the Youth Club page or contact Debra Mendes (debra.mendes@hornseyvale.org) or Chalene Scott (chalenescott@hotmail.com).
You can browse our full timetable here: What’s on at Hornsey Vale Community Centre
Centre Spotlight – Babies and Young Children
For babies – Craniosacral Therapy Drop In Sessions
Join Kate or Maria on Tuesdays during term-time for their donation based drop in clinic. BCST for babies is an exceptionally light and gentle therapy that may help with problems such as colic or difficulty sleeping. The clinic opens at 9.20am and closes at 11.30am. You can read more about Maria Esposito and Kate Leftley‘s clinic services by clicking their names. The drop in clinic is also open to adults.
For babies, toddlers and parents – Zumbini
Get ready for a magical experience where your child can dance, explore, and learn through music.
Sabrina’s Zumbini classes are designed to stimulate creativity, boost confidence, and foster social connections for your little rock stars. Fridays from 9.30am, term time only.
Contact Sabrina: sabrinazigzumbini@gmail.com; 07859 911 366 or check out her Instagram
Football for 18 months to 3.5 years – Little Kickers
Join a Little Kickers Football class and give your children a positive introduction to sport by learning high quality football skills in a friendly, pressure-free environment. Little Kickers are here on Monday and Wednesday mornings, you can find out more by clicking here.
Rugby for ages 2 to 7 – RubgyTots
Fun, structured play sessions take children on a journey of sporting imagination with engaging and energetic coaches supporting them every step of the way whilst teaching how to catch, pass, kick, run with the ball and play as part of a team. Join Cheriee on Fridays at 5pm, term time only. Contact cheriee@rugbytots.co.uk or check out their website.
Centre News
We are thrilled to welcome Alice Martin as a new trustee. She brings a wealth of experience from Reach and Connect, one of our brilliant community collaborators.
Hornsey Vale still has space on the management committee for new Trustees, or if you are interested in joining one of our sub-committees (volunteer, maintenance, fundraising and events), please contact Laura at info@hornseyvale.org for more details.
We are also looking for more volunteers with a hobby or expertise which they could draw on to run events and activities, for example sewing, singing or languages. We offer Tempo time credits for volunteering. For details, please see the Volunteering page.
Browse our newsletter archive
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Booking our spaces
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© 2026 Hornsey Vale Community Association. All rights reserved.
Hornsey Vale Community Association is a registered charity (1011127) and is a company limited by guarantee (02629468).
Our address is 60 Mayfield Rd, London N8 9LP. Tel: 020 8348 4612