Wantage Parish
Butler Centre News
WANTAGE CHILDREN'S CENTRE
I am very pleased to be able to tell you that the Butler Centre will be taking on an expanded role as the government funded Children's Centre for Wantage and the surrounding area. This will build on our existing successful provision for local children and families, all of which will continue to operate.
Children's Centres are central to the government's Sure Start initiative to improve services for families with young children. The programme is based on the concept that providing integrated education, family support, health services and help finding employment are key factors in determining good outcomes for children and their parents. We have worked closely with Parents and Children Together (PACT), the social work charity of the Diocese of Oxford, to support their successful bid to run the Wantage Children's Centre from the Butler Centre. PACT has many years experience and already operates a number of other Children's Centres, including one in Reading run by Anne Cheeseman.
Gradually over the next couple of years, a range of new activities will be started to complement the existing clubs and other provision at the Butler Centre. To ensure that everything is co-ordinated effectively, PACT will take over the running of the Butler Centre later this year. All the existing activities will continue and it will remain available for use by the church and other community groups.
There will be a second Children's Centre in Grove to be run by Spurgeons, a national charity linked to the Baptist Church. The work of both Children's Centres will extend into the nearby villages. We are starting to explore ways of involving Christians from all the local churches (town and village) in the work of both Centres. To find out more, please speak to me or to Juliet Teare.
This is a very exciting development for our outreach into the community. The Butler Centre already provides a range of successful services for families. As a Children's Centre it will be able to do even more.
Alastair Hunter 07785 371558 16 March 2008
This page last modified: Thursday 05 June 2008
Office Address:
Ss Peter & Paul
The Vicarage, The Cloisters
Wantage
Oxon
OX12 8AQ