Celebrating the Wandsworth Community: My Children Know Your Children Community Family Fun Day 2025
- Iman Ogoo
- Sep 4
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 9
On Saturday 26th July we held My Children Know Your Children, JAF’s first community family fun day at Furzedown Recreation Centre – and what a brilliant day it was. The aim was simple: to create a space where families in Wandsworth could meet, connect, and feel part of a stronger, safer community. Our network of local businesses provided the services on the day. We had a fantastic turnout: families from nearby streets and beyond came together to enjoy games, music, food, raffles, and good community spirit, creating some lasting memories.
The entrances to the fun day were beautifully decorated by V.W Hires, who set the tone with balloon arches in JAF brand colours. They also supplied a bouncy castle for the children. Man In Action came down to help us set up and provided much support throughout the day.
The first sixty attendees through the gates received JAF goodie bags, filled with gifts and information. Throughout the afternoon, NXT LVL Games kept everyone moving with a full programme of activities. From old-school sack races and a hilarious limbo challenge, to archery and jumbo board games, there was always something to join in with. A highlight was the traditional dad’s race, where JAF Co-Founder Joseph sped ahead of the pack, causing much excitement.
Shaebunnies’ petting experience drew a constant crowd, giving children the chance to meet reptiles, rabbits, and parrots. For those preferring something more active, Urban Studio Sessions offered skating tuition, while Wandsworth Boxing Club and independent coach Marco ran boxing taster sessions that proved popular with young people and adults alike.
Music on the day was provided by I Spy Sound and DJ Houdini from a stage provided by DJ Weng Weng and host DJ TS kept the atmosphere lively with his cheeky humour and playful vibes. DJ Milktray also provided a young DJ from The Hope Programme, an organisation he co-founded to offer DJ courses and mentoring for London's youth.
The smell of jerk chicken from Tooting’s Taste of Paradise chef Shevon filled the air and enticed passers-by into the park. CYL Unity kept people cool with iced slushies, Herbz & Potions sold refreshing natural juices, and Glitterbells Bakery delighted everyone with cupcakes and baked goods. M & CS Caribbean Juice & Food served up burgers and chips, while Rachel’s tuck shop offered sweets and snacks for quick treats.
Creativity was also in full flow. Glitter Addictz’s vibrant face paints kept children excited, running around proudly showing off their designs. Local collage artist Gavin Brown Arts invited everyone to contribute to a large structure of joined canvases, encouraging both children and adults to add their mark. The finished piece will be displayed at the JAF HQ as a lasting reminder of the event.
Community partners played a vital role on the day. Local organisations were given stalls to share their work with families. Stand Up Fathers, who recently ran their own fun day in Mitcham, brought a candy floss stand and plenty of treats in solidarity. Sanctuary4Sisterhood shared information on women’s empowerment, while Kooth promoted their online mental health services for young people. Wandsworth Council, who funded the event, had their teams present: the Community Safety Team engaged families in conversations about crime prevention, providing useful giveaways such as car key signal blockers and anti-theft markers. Wandsworth Children’s Services shared information and advice for families and the Wandsworth Youth Bus (mobile youth centre) was stationed outside the park giving young people an extra space to hang out and socialise.
Sport was another major highlight. The Chelsea Foundation set up football challenges that kept children and young people engaged throughout the afternoon.
Over at the basketball court, we hosted the B2B basketball in the Park tournament, which drew a big crowd, building on the popularity of our B2B basketball programmes in schools across the borough. Over 50 local players put on a brilliant display of teamwork and skill, with drills and warm-ups giving participants confidence for the fast-paced matches.
Max Da Cab Driver brought his comedic charm as host and DJ for the games, and the cheering from the sidelines showed just how invested the community was in celebrating young talent on the courts.
We were joined by the Young Mayor of Wandsworth, Kwasi Agyekum-Koranchie, who competed impressively in the B2B tournament and later shared some words of support for the event. Local YouTube personality, music artist and keen baller Osaze (AKA OB Knowss) also took part in the tournament and later gave a motivational speech about self-belief and determination, linking it to his B2B experience that day. His powerful words impressed special guest Mr. Dexter Simms so much that the award-winning entrepreneur offered the 14-year-old free mentorship on the spot.
The event was documented beautifully thanks to Tanya from TSA Studios 247, who not only captured photos but also brought along a photo booth and a 360-degree photo stand for families to enjoy. Nathz TV filmed the day’s events, creating and editing videos and content for our socials.
As the day came to an end, the community came together for what many are calling Tooting’s biggest tug of war. With thirty people pulling on the ropes, it was the perfect finale, raising energy levels one last time before winding down.
Community events like My Children Know Your Children highlight the importance of shared spaces. Attendees spoke about how nice it was to meet new people, properly socialise with neighbours, or reconnect with old friends. Importantly, the event was inclusive, with families of all abilities able to take part. The wide range of activities meant there was something for everyone, and feedback on the day was very positive.
JAF Co-Founder Joseph Maye commented: “We’ve wanted to hold a community fun day for several years now – it’s a great chance to bring local residents together and give children the opportunity to connect and have fun. A big thanks to Wandsworth Council for providing the funding, Jovhan and Amish of Enable for facilitating the venue and ensuring the day ran smoothly, Darren Biggz who provided ample security on the day through his KDS team, Rachel Brightly for co-ordinating the event, and the JAF team for working so hard to make it all happen. We’re hoping to make this an annual event.”
To watch highlights from the day, check out our video filmed and edited by Nathz TV.
Comments