Archway Children's Centre opened its doors on Friday 13 October - and parents and children got their first taste of the building's attractive contemporary design and the wide range of services that the centre offers.<br><br>Light, bright spaces, wood floors and colourful modern furnishings will welcome not just children, but the whole family into a centre that will offer an exciting range of services from health visitors and child psychology to a café and yoga classes. The building is designed to be attractive and welcoming to encourage parents to drop in and participate. <br><br>Cllr Ursula Woolley, Executive Member for Children and Young People, said: "Archway Children's Centre will offer services to around 550 children aged under five and their families from all sections of the local community, and we want them to have the best facilities and environment possible. We want all families using the centre to feel welcome and confident that they can get the support they and their children need, when they need it and in a way they feel is appropriate." <br><br>Parents Manish and Parul Desai use the centre with daughter Deeya. They said: "Even at the weekends Deeya just wants to grab her shoes and come and play here! The centre has a great atmosphere and it feels like a family, we are so pleased it is here."<br><br>The centre will provide a whole host of activities and services under one roof. Parents and carers will be able to use the centre to relax and enjoy themselves. They can pop into the café for a chat with other parents after dropping their children at the nursery, or just have a quiet moment after the morning's rush. There will be experts such as nutritionists and speech therapists available to offer advice, if needed. Recreation will be offered in the form of book clubs and exercise classes, bringing together members of the community who may not otherwise have the opportunity to meet.<br><br>As one of the first new Children's Centres in the borough, Archway has taken a modern, family-oriented approach, placing great emphasis on the quality of the physical environment. Parents from the centre took a hands-on approach to the development of the new centre, adding their skills and vision to the design process - for instance, the architect, Kay Hartmann, is a parent from the centre.<br><br>Ends
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009