News
A caring corner where children come to play
Croydon Advertiser's photographer, Grant Melton visited last week, the children were busy amusing themselves with everything from ping pong to driving toy cars.The Croydon Advertiser have started a new feature on Croydon's Children's Centres, they decided to pick the leading centre for their first story.
For more on the story visit www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk
MP Barwell visits Gingerbread Corner Children's Centre
MP Barwell was speaking after visiting Gingerbread Corner Children's Centre in West Croydon on 15th July.
The council plans to ask Sure Start centres to share staff and resources, which it says will lead to redundancies in more affluent areas.
Despite this, Mr Barwell said: "I think its absolutely right that the council seeks to cut back office costs to protect frontline services and essential provision.
"My personal opinion is that this is the best way of achieving that goal."
During his visit the Tory MP also took the opportunity to learn more about Gingerbread Corner's new free daycare service for three and four-year-olds.
He also had the chance to try some of the centre's fantastic play equipment and play cricket, volleyball and pool with some of the older boys and girls.
Manager Sue Moses said: "It was great to see Mr Barwell being quizzed by some of the kids about the workings of parliamentary democracy while clutching a teddy bear and balancing on the monkey bars."
Children's Centres: Malcolm Wicks MP sees the challenges facing these vital facilities for himself
As children ran about his feet, MP Malcolm Wicks turned to Sue Moses, Chief Executive of Gingerbread Corner Children's Centre in West Croydon, and remarked sympathetically: "I bet managing all these little ones is a challenge." "Not as challenging as making sure we have funding," she replied.Malcolm Wicks, Labour MP for Croydon North, toured the centre last Friday, in the wake of the Advertiser's report on cost-cutting measures that will see significant changes to how children's centres in Croydon are run.
Funding cuts have forced the centre to increase charges by six per cent while the children's healthy afternoon meal has been replaced with a far less extensive snack.
"We've been through funding cuts before," explained Finance Director, Paula Carter, "But these are by far the most serious and challenging we've ever faced."
It is likely to get even tougher. In an effort to reduce the cost of early years provision, the council aims to cut management costs by merging the borough's 26 children's centres.
For more about the story visit the Croydon Advertiser's website
