Twyford

Wokingham District Council is holding a series of family information days in Twyford offering local people the chance to find out more about children’s centres.

Currently the district council is working to establish seven children’s centres in the Wokingham district by 2008 and each one will be tailored to meet the needs of its neighbourhood. These information events are being held at three venues across Twyford:

* Wednesday September 20 at 9.30am at Twyford Community Centre, Loddon Hall Road, Twyford (this event is being held only for those parents with very young children who may attend toddler groups)
* Thursday September 21 at 3pm at Polehampton Infant School, Hermitage Drive, Twyford (open to all residents)
* Tuesday September 26 at 3pm at Colleton Primary School, Colleton Drive, Twyford (open to all residents).

These events provide a great opportunity for local Twyford people to come along and learn more about what children’s centres are and what facilities they can potentially offer. These events also enable residents to feed back to the council what they feel would be beneficial to offer.

Children’s centres are a crucial part of the multi-agency plan developed by the district council’s children’s services, with its partners from health, the police, the voluntary sector and wider community, to share priorities and work together to improve the lives of all children and young people in the Wokingham district.

They will provide a range of services depending on local need and parental choice. The aim is for a network of centres across the district, which will offer information, advice and support to parents and carers, as well as early years provision, health services, family and parental support, and employment advice for families. The centres will become part of the community and they will be developed and delivered with the involvement of parents and carers and the local community.

Wendy Woodcock, corporate head of children’s services, said: “Wokingham District Council is committed to ensuring that every child under five has the best start in life and by establishing children’s centres, we will go a long way to ensuring this happens. The services offered at the children’s centres will not be the same in each of the seven neighbourhoods, because needs and communities vary greatly.

“The events in Twyford promise to be informative. We are keen that these children’s centres are designed in consultation with the whole community and with the needs of local children and their families in mind.”

Wokingham District Council