Archived press release

Date Published: 18/02/08

A major refurbishment project is underway at the popular Jonathan Page Playcentre in Aylesbury. Works are being carried out to upgrade and improve facilities at the playcentre following its designation as a Sure Start Children’s Centre. Th...

A major refurbishment project is underway at the popular Jonathan Page Playcentre in Aylesbury.

Works are being carried out to upgrade and improve facilities at the playcentre following its designation as a Sure Start Children’s Centre.

The £185,000 refurbishment will enable Aylesbury Vale District Council and Buckinghamshire County Council to provide a wider range of services for families with children aged five and under mainly living in the Quarrendon and Meadowcroft area.

Services on offer will include information on childcare and early years’ education, support for childminders, activity classes for children, child and family health sessions and links to Jobcentre Plus to support parents considering training and employment.

The new facilities at the centre will include a family room to host groups and services for families and two consultation rooms for one to one interviews.

The Sure Start services will enhance the facilities already provided at the playcentre, which include an after school club and a school holiday playscheme.

Councillor David Thompson, Cabinet Member for Leisure at AVDC, said: “The new facilities will enable the Jonathan Page Playcentre to increase and improve the already outstanding service it provides for children and their families. It’s not easy for families with young children to have to go to different locations for different services so by providing this one stop shop we can give people in Aylesbury one central point to get the support and advice they need.”

Funding for the playcentre refurbishment has been provided by Sure Start, a government funded programme aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of families and children before and after birth to ensure children are ready to flourish when they attend school.

By 2010, there will be 3,500 children’s centres up and running nationwide – one for every community, offering a range of services for young children and their families, tailored to meet local needs.

Buckinghamshire County Council is responsible for delivering the government’s children’s centres initiative across the county, with 28 centres planned.

Councillor Marion Clayton, Buckinghamshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Achievement and Learning, said: “The local community will be delighted with the improvements at this already well-used centre and I hope they will use them to the full.”

Sure Start services will start to be introduced at the Jonathan Page Playcentre from the end of March, ahead of the completion of the building work which is scheduled to finish in May.

For further information about the Jonathan Page Playcentre, please call 01296 426139 or email jpplaycentre@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk