The Bradley Stoke Journal

Residents of Bradley Stoke are to have the chance to find out about a new Children’s Centre that will open soon in the town.

The new Sure Start Children’s Centre at Bowsland Green Primary School will offer a wide range of support services to families with children under five.

South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) is staging a meeting at the school on Monday (18th January), the aim of which is to:

• Share information on what the Children’s Centre can offer
• Obtain views on the services that should be offered to serve the local community
• Recruit members (especially parents) for the Centre’s advisory board

The meeting takes place between 2 and 3:30pm. Further information is available from SGC Project Officer Gail Amphlett on 01454 864169.

Sure Start brings together childcare, early education, health and family-support services for families with children under 5 years old. It is the cornerstone of the Government’s drive to tackle child poverty and social exclusion working with parents-to-be, parents, carers and children to promote the physical, intellectual and social development of babies and young children so that they can flourish at home and when they get to school.

Funding for a Sure Start  Children’s Centre in Bradley Stoke was announced in December 2008, with Bowsland Green Primary School being named as the chosen site.

The new centre will be accommodated in the school’s original hall, a new, larger, hall having been constructed for the primary school children by converting an unused courtyard.

A new Sure Start family support centre looks set to be established at Bradley Stoke’s Bowsland Green Primary School following a decision by South Gloucestershire Council (SGC).

Sure Start centres provide a range of services such as advice and information for parents on a whole range of issues, health visitor support, training for parents on issues such as parenting, breastfeeding etc., and play and stay provision for mother and toddler groups.

The Bradley Stoke centre is one of four recently approved by Councillor Sheila Cook (Conservative, Almondsbury), SGC Cabinet Member for Children & Young People, the others being in Severn Beach, Emersons Green and Yate.

Funding of £2.2 million for the new centres has been provided by the Government, which requires the new facilities to be available by March 2011.

Councillors considered both Bowsland Green and Wheatfield primary schools as potential sites before opting for the Ellicks Close location.

The new facility will be achieved through refurbishment of existing accommodation and the building of an extension.

Bradley Stoke Central and Stoke Lodge Councillor, Sarah Pomfret, said:

“At the moment, there is no children’s centre in Bradley Stoke, so local parents have to go to centres in Little Stoke, Filton and Patchway.”

“The Council’s announcement is hugely positive because there’s a lot of need for something like this in the town and there will be an even bigger increase in population as a result of the Northfield development at Patchway.”

“Establishing a children’s centre in Bradley Stoke will also allow the existing centres at the Stokes and Filton to offer services to the future community arising from the development planned at Harry Stoke.”