What Whippersnappers CIC does

Whippersnappers CIC is a UK Community Interest Company (not-for-profit) founded in 1994 and headquartered in Dulwich, London, delivering inclusive children, family and community-arts services across South London with selective regional delivery in Kent. The organisation operates from two anchor venues — Brockwell Lido (in operation for over 20 years) and College Lodge in Dulwich Park (opened 2011, converted via £250,000 of community fundraising into an Inclusive Community Arts Centre) — and extends delivery to partner sites including Oasis Adventure Playground, Grove Adventure Playground, Tuke School and a Hever Castle field-and-woodland site used since 2023 for inclusive pop-up playschemes.

Its service portfolio comprises (i) baby and toddler classes (massage, yoga, sensory, music) built on the proprietary "Pickny Beat" method created in 1997; (ii) school holiday playschemes (ages 4–12) plus specialist SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) holiday playschemes, after-school clubs and Saturday clubs for ages 0–29; (iii) ticketed immersive theatre events — Fairy and Pixie Land (summer) and Winter Wonderland (Christmas, since 2012); (iv) birthday party packages at £275 (venue only) / £425 (with entertainer) at Brockwell Lido and Dulwich Park; (v) venue hire at both anchor sites; (vi) work-experience placements; and (vii) newer 2025 additions including the Feel Good Fridays Over 50s Club, a Parental Peer Support Group for SEND families and a SEND Handbook resource. Whippersnappers Live (a YouTube content library launched during COVID-19 lockdown) extends reach beyond physical venues.

The business model blends fee-for-service revenue (class fees, event tickets at £28.50 child / £17.50 adult, birthday parties), council-funded SEND placements via Lambeth CWDT (max 14 funded days per child per year) and Southwark CWDT (max 10 funded days), HAF programme delivery for free-school-meal-eligible Lambeth residents, small third-party grants (Walcot Foundation one-year grant from October 2024; Brockwell Live funding for the Over 50s Club in 2025), and third-party activity partnerships such as Bambu Bodies (Capoeira) at Brockwell Lido. The company serves families with young children, SEND children and young people aged 0–29 (referred via CWDT pathways), parents and carers of SEND children (via the First 5 Lambeth consortium of 9 organisations), low-income families eligible for free school meals, and adults aged 50+. As a CIC, all surpluses are reinvested into the social mission. Leadership comprises co-founder Caroline Burghard alongside directors Ruby Warner and Sarayu Shah, with an advisory board including Dr Rush Wickramafinghe (paediatrician, Mary Sheridan Centre) and Francesca Pratt (Disability Champion).

Name

Whippersnappers CIC

Legal name

Whippersnappers CIC

Website

https://whippersnappers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Whippersnappers CIC is a not-for-profit UK Community Interest Company founded in 1994 that delivers inclusive music, holiday playschemes, and SEND services for children, families and adults across South London and Kent.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Inclusive Community Childcare and SEND Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Kids & Family Learning Workshops (Family Crafts, Junior Maker Classes) (THAJAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Entertainment Centers (Indoor развлечения: Arcade, Soft Play, Party Centers) (THAJAEAC)

Keywords

• Inclusive childcare services
• SEND holiday playschemes
• Early years music classes
• Community arts programmes
• Family event productions

Headquarters

HQ city

Dulwich

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Class and Programme Fees: Paid baby and toddler classes, after-school clubs, and holiday playschemes generate revenue from families. Includes SEND specialist sessions and inclusive activities.
2. Event Tickets: Annual immersive theatre events including Fairy and Pixie Land (£28.50 child/£17.50 adult) and Winter Wonderland (£28.50 child/£17.50 adult) serve as major fundraising activities.
3. Venue Hire: Spaces available for private hire across Brockwell Lido and College Lodge sites, generating income from community use.
4. Birthday Party Packages: Birthday party bookings at £425 (with entertainment) or £275 (venue only) at Brockwell Lido; £425/£275 at Dulwich Park with max 20-30 children.
5. Government Grants and Funding: Funding from Walcot Foundation (one-year grant October 2024), Lambeth and Southwark councils for HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) programmes, and First 5 Lambeth consortium partnership.
6. Third-Party Partnership Revenue: Capoeira classes through partnership with Bambu Bodies at Brockwell Lido; venue partnerships generate shared revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Whippersnappers CIC is a Community Interest Company that delivers inclusive childcare, early years music and sensory classes (using their proprietary 'Pickny Beat' method), SEND-specialist holiday playschemes, after-school clubs and Saturday clubs, plus immersive family theatre events (Fairy and Pixie Land; Winter Wonderland). Services are delivered from their own sites at Brockwell Lido and College Lodge in South London, alongside partner venues and children's centres across Lambeth and Southwark, with council-referral and grant-funded pathways for SEND and free-school-meal-eligible families.

Product overview

Whippersnappers CIC is a community interest company offering a diverse portfolio of children and family services across South London. The core offering consists of early years classes (baby massage, baby yoga, baby/toddler music using the proprietary Pickny Beat methodology developed in 1997), holiday and weekend childcare playschemes for ages 4-16 including specialist SEND programs, and venue hire services. The organization also produces seasonal immersive theatrical events (Fairy and Pixie Land, Winter Wonderland), provides digital content through Whippersnappers Live, and delivers training resources including the SEND Handbook and parental peer support groups. Additionally, they offer an Over 50s Club and work experience placements. Services are delivered from facilities in Tooting and Streatham, with booking systems including EEQU and Bookwhen for various programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fairy and Pixie Land: Annual immersive theatre event featuring Fairies, Pixies, Pirates and Mermaids held at College Lodge in Dulwich Park
• Winter Wonderland
• Whippersnappers SEND

Products and services

• Baby Massage Classes Gentle infant massage sessions for babies (typically 0-12 months) designed to support bonding between parent/carer and baby, promoting relaxation and sensory development.
• Sensory Baby Stay and Play Music Class Sensory music sessions for babies aged 4-12 months introducing rhythm, melody and sound through singing, instruments and movement using the proprietary Pickny Beat style.
• Mixed Baby and Toddler Music Classes Interactive music sessions for babies and toddlers aged 1-4 years featuring singing, dancing, instrument play and musical games that encourage coordination and social development.
• Messy Sensory Play Sensory play sessions for children aged 1-4 years offering tactile, exploratory creative play experiences.
• Holiday Playschemes (Non-SEND, Ages 4-12) Full-day childcare during school holidays featuring creative activities, arts and crafts, games and social opportunities for children aged 4-12, priced £25 per day with optional extended-hours cover.
• SEND Holiday Playscheme (Ages 5-19) Specialist holiday care for children and young people aged 5-19 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, accessed via Lambeth or Southwark CWDT referral, providing sensory activities and tailored support.
• Specialist SEND After School Club After-school SEND care for children aged 5-11, currently accepting referrals only from Lambeth CWDT, with transport provided subject to SEND transport eligibility.
• Southwark SEND Saturday Club (Ages 16-29) Funded weekly Saturday session for Southwark SEND children and young people aged 16-29 (Choose What We Do Social Club), providing social and creative activities with bookings managed via eequ.org.
• Lambeth Saturday Club (Ages 4-16) Weekly Saturday SEND sessions for Lambeth children and young people aged 4-16 offering creative play activities and social opportunities.
• Birthday Party Packages (Brockwell Lido) Hosted 4-hour birthday party packages at Brockwell Lido priced £425 (with entertainment) or £275 (venue-only), accommodating up to 30 children.
• Birthday Party Packages (Dulwich Park) Hosted birthday party packages at College Lodge in Dulwich Park priced £425 (with entertainment) or £275 (venue only), maximum 20 children, Saturday/Sunday 11am-1pm or 3pm-5pm slots.
• Fairy and Pixie Land (Summer Immersive Theatre Event) Annual immersive theatre event at College Lodge in Dulwich Park featuring fairies, pixies, pirates and mermaids; tickets £28.50 child / £17.50 adult with birthday group bookings up to 12 children + 4 adults for £320.
• Winter Wonderland (Christmas Immersive Theatre Event) Annual immersive Christmas grotto experience held in Dulwich Park since 2012, featuring Santa's grotto; tickets £28.50 child / £17.50 adult, babes in arms under 12 months free, carer tickets available with proof of eligibility.
• Venue Hire Spaces at Brockwell Lido and College Lodge available for private hire for events, parties, workshops and community gatherings, generating community-use income.
• HAF Holiday Playscheme (Free School Meals Eligible Children) Free holiday playscheme for Lambeth-resident children aged 8-16 entitled to free school meals, including healthy meal preparation, physical activities and free outdoor lido swimming pool access via Fusion Lifestyle partnership.
• Feel Good Fridays Over 50s Club Social club for adults aged 50 and over launched in April 2025 at Brockwell Lido, providing community connection, Caribbean and vegan lunches, board games, arts and crafts, and digital-suite activities, funded by a Brockwell Live grant.
• Capoeira Classes Brazilian martial arts and dance classes offered at Brockwell Lido on Tuesday and Thursday evenings (6.30pm-8pm) in partnership with Bambu Bodies.
• Early Years SEND Stay and Play Sessions Supported play sessions for young children with SEND and their families offering sensory activities and peer interaction, delivered at multiple partner children's centres (Benton Lane, CEFLinx Greenhut, KEEN London Jubilee, Liz Atkinson, Slade Gardens) under the Walcot Foundation-funded First 5 Lambeth partnership from October 2024.
• Whippersnappers Live (Digital Content Library) Online library of original songs, videos, animations and themed Whippersnappers Live sessions, providing accessible creative music content for families, created during the COVID-19 lockdown as a free resource.
• Hever Castle Family Fun Day and Fairy/Pixie Storytelling Pop-up Family Fun Day and Fairy/Pixie Storytelling sessions at Hever Castle grounds operating since 2023, with bell tents, marquees and gazebos set up in the Castle field and woodland.

Quantifiable outcome

• Lambeth residents: maximum 14 funded days per annum; Southwark residents: maximum 10 funded days per annum
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hever CastleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Hired large field and woodland area in Hever Castle grounds for pop-up playscheme since 2023. Site transformed with fencing, portaloos, showers, bell tents, Taj Mahal marquee, and gazebos for inclusive outdoor activities.
• First 5 LambethcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium of 9 organisations delivering free activities for children aged 5 and under and their families across Lambeth. Whippersnappers proud to be part of this consortium, delivering early years SEND support.
• Unity Matters Dads ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in delivery of SEND stay and play sessions as part of First 5 Lambeth programme.
• Slade Gardens APGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner children's centre delivering SEND stay and play sessions.
• CEFLinx GreenhutminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner children's centre delivering SEND stay and play sessions on Thursday afternoons.
• Keen LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation delivering SEND stay and play sessions at Jubilee Children's Centre.
• Children's Centres Partnership (Liz Atkinson, Jubilee, Benton Lane)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of children's centres hosting Whippersnappers SEND early years sessions across Lambeth.
• Fusion LifestyleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership offering free access to outdoor lido swimming pool for HAF playscheme participants during summer programmes.
• Bambu BodiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRuns Capoeira classes at Brockwell Lido on Tuesday and Thursday evenings (6.30pm-8pm) as a third-party activity provider.
• Lambeth Council (CWDT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary referral pathway for SEND children aged 5-19 to access specialist holiday playschemes, after-school clubs. Lambeth residents receive maximum 14 funded days per annum. Council provides SEND transport including home pickups and drop-offs.
• Southwark Council (CWDT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral pathway for SEND children and young people (16-29 years) for Saturday clubs and holiday schemes. Southwark residents receive maximum 10 funded days per annum. Funded Saturday Club for 16-29 year olds with EHCP plans.
• EEQUminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline booking platform used for Southwark Saturday Club (Choose What We Do Social Club for ages 16-29 with EHCP plans). Open access bookings through eequ.org.
• Wheels for WellbeingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiking activities offered as part of holiday SEND playscheme, providing inclusive cycling opportunities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tumble Tots: UK pre-school physical activity and gymnastics franchise for children from 6 months to 7 years. Comparable in venue-based class delivery and age range to Whippersnappers' toddler sessions.
• Hartbeeps: UK-based provider of multi-sensory baby and toddler music classes delivered via a franchise model. Most directly comparable to Whippersnappers' Pickny Beat baby/toddler music classes and messy sensory play sessions.
• Baby Sensory: UK-origin franchise providing sensory development classes for babies from birth. Directly comparable to Whippersnappers' baby massage, sensory stay-and-play, and messy sensory play offerings.
• Pyjama Drama: UK franchise delivering drama and imaginative play classes for children under 7. Overlaps with Whippersnappers' creative-arts baby/toddler offering and immersive theatre events.
• Monkey Music: Established UK chain offering structured music classes for children from 3 months to 4 years. Comparable in age range, class-based delivery, and venue-led model to Whippersnappers' early years music programme.
• Gymboree Play & Music: Global franchise offering play, music, and art classes for children 0-5. Comparable in early years class portfolio and franchise-driven scaling model to Whippersnappers' baby and toddler services.
• Stagecoach Performing Arts: UK-wide franchise offering performing arts classes for children aged 4-18. Comparable in creative-arts class delivery and weekend/holiday programming to Whippersnappers' theatre-led children's services.
• Sing and Sign: UK provider of baby signing classes using music, songs, and gestures. Comparable in early years music-based developmental classes to Whippersnappers' Pickny Beat programme.
• KIDS (charity): UK charity providing inclusive play, leisure, and adventure playgrounds for disabled children and young people. Closest peer on the SEND holiday playscheme and adventure playground delivery side.

Emerging players

• Contact (for families with disabled children): UK charity supporting families of disabled children through advice, peer support, and family events. Comparable to Whippersnappers' SEND family support worker service and parental peer support groups.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/whippersnappuk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpWqefwLlZRkojAJ_y9Hvyg
• Facebookfacebook.com/whippersnappersuk
• Instagraminstagram.com/whippersnappersuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whippersnappersuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Whippersnappers CIC