Full Article - Published: 09/10/2009Written By: 01/01/1970

To celebrate national Sure Start Children’s Centre week (14-18 September), eight of Medway’s children’s centres held fun days and events, including pony rides, face painting, cookery session, bug hunts and a teddy bears’ picnic.

Families who visited a children’s centre in Twydall braved the rain to plant vegetables. Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services Cllr Les Wicks also rolled up his sleeves and helped plant spinach and lettuce at the Hand in Hand Children’s Centre at Twydall Infant School on Tuesday, 15 September.

Hand in Hand was one of eight children’s centres in Medway that opened its doors to encourage more people to find out about the services they provide.

Sarah Hodges and her two-year-old son Vinny both rolled up their sleeves and helped bed in the lettuce and spinach plants, which will then be used to make healthy and tasty meals.

Sarah said: “I come to the centre every week. Vinny loves coming here and playing with other children. I’ve been coming to this centre for two years and it gives me a chance to meet new people and talk about the best way to raise my son.”

Natalie Giles, whose three-year-old daughter Isabelle was familiarising herself with a trowel in the vegetable patch, agreed that children’s centres offer parents support to raise her child.

She said: “I try to come to the centre as often as I can because it gives me the space and time to meet new people. The children love it here because they get to mix with other children their own age and I can talk to other parents and the people who work here about any issues I may have.”

Hand in Hand Children’s Centre runs weekly parent and toddler session, stay and play and child health clinic appointments.

Cllr Wicks said: “Medway will soon have 22 children’s centres. Children’s centres give every community the facility to attend a centre to get the support and guidance they need to provide our young children with the best start in life.”

Events at other centres included pony rides, face painting, cookery session, bug hunts and a teddy bears’ picnic.

Most of Medway's 14 Sure Start Children's Centres are attached to infant or primary schools, making them easy to access for families with children aged five or younger.

The centres bring together health and maternity services, information about getting back to work or training for parents, childcare, play and early education for all children up to five. The centres offer fantastic opportunities to meet with other local parents, carers and children at one of the many meetings, groups or classes.

By supporting families and their children when they are in their earliest years, all children will be given a sure start in life and a strong foundation for their future learning and development.

Medway Council’s Director of Children and Adult Services Rose Collinson said: ”Our children’s centres provide an enormous amount of support and advice for parents and their families.

“We’re planning a children’s centre in every community; places where parents can access a wide ranges of services under one roof, and on their doorstep.

“I would encourage anyone who has children under five and has not visited a children’s centre to do so next week.”

During the next year, five more centres will be opened in Medway:

•    St Margaret’s at Troy Town, Rochester;
•    Delce Infant School, Rochester;
•    Riverside Primary School in Rainham,
•    Miers Court Primary School, Rainham and
•    Deanwood Primary School, Rainham.

More centres will be opened by 2010 by which time every family in Medway will be within reach of a local centre.

Families in Medway can find out where their nearest Sure Start Children's Centre is by calling the Medway Family Information Service on 01634 335566.