African drummers and Indian dancers performed at Islington’s New River Green Children’s Centre to celebrate its re-opening, following investment of over £900,000 in an extension and refurbishment project.
The original New River Green building in Ramsay Walk has been extended and partly re-built to become a state-of-the-art children’s centre offering a whole host of services and facilities for local families. Part-funded by Islington Council, the new developments include; medical consulting rooms, a sensory room for children with special needs, training rooms, a more welcoming reception area and new staff room. A lift has also been installed to provide easier access for parents with pushchairs and wheelchair users to the first floor.
The new facilities mean that in addition to the care and education places and stay and play sessions for children and babies that already existed at New River Green, it can now offer a whole host of new services. This includes toy libraries, training opportunities for parents, post-natal support, advice sessions, visits from a speech and language therapist, baby clinics and support groups for young parents. Health professionals, outreach teams and social workers also make regular visits to New River Green, offering information and support to families within private consulting rooms.
Executive Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Paula Belford joined the celebrations at New River Green yesterday (Monday 9 February), planting a tree in the gardens of the centre to mark the occasion.
She said: “New River Green offers all the services which local families say are so important to them, and these outstanding services can all be accessed on the same site in this fantastic building.
As with all of Islington’s children’s centres, New River Green will really deliver on the council's promise to give Islington’s children the best start in life. The centre supports children’s development but also helps parents who want to go to work by providing good quality childcare and access to training."
New River Green joins Islington’s network of 16 children’s centres offering a wide range of services and support to families in the borough. In its last Ofsted inspection in March 2008, the centre was rated as ‘oustanding’ in the areas of ‘provision’ and ‘teaching and learning’. Inspectors noted that ‘Children have great fun and really relish their time at the setting…They are provided with lots of opportunities to explore using all of their senses and all children access a superb range of activities both indoors and outside.’
Acting-head of New River Green Verity Welch said: “I’m really pleased to be able to celebrate the centre in this way. The extra building means that we can finally invite more of the community into the children’s centre and support each other in providing a warm and busy place for families to go. The building is special because it is designed specifically with the needs of the community in mind and offers a wonderful base for outreach into the community.”
As part of the redevelopment of New River Green, a fully- landscaped outdoor area with play equipment and plenty of green space has been provided. This will be open to local families - many of whom do not have access to a garden – from April, with the Sunday gardening project. The project will offer a range of outdoor and indoor seasonal activities for families, encouraging them to get involved with the planting and help maintain and improve the outdoor space.
Marnie Rose, whose children Isabella, seven and Ruby, three, attend New River Green Children’s Centre said: “There is a wonderful atmosphere at New River Green and this has been enhanced by the new building extension. The children are encouraged to venture out doors in all weathers, which is wonderful. I also like that there are male keyworkers, which gives a good balance of care to the children. New River Green is a great childcare provider and my daughters love it.”
Solar panels partly funded by over £18,000 from Islington Council's Climate Change Fund were installed in the roof of the centre last year.
ENDS.
Page Last Updated: 12 June 2009