Families in Gorleston and Hopton celebrated the launch of their new Sure Start Children’s Centre at Cliff Park First School earlier this month.

To celebrate the launch, parents and children joined together for an afternoon of fun events and activities including a puppet corner, a pirate corner, face painting and kite making. Local MP Tony Wright was on hand to open the new centre while Mayor Terry Easter also attended the launch.

Opening the new centre, MP Tony Wright said:

“It was a delight to open the new Sure Start centre for Gorleston and Hopton. This newest centre is the third such centre to be opened in Great Yarmouth as part of the Government’s plan to offer every 3 and 4 year old a free part-time early education place if parents want it.

I’ve visited our other Sure Start centres on many occasions and am always amazed by the range of activities and services available for parents and children. This newest centre for Gorleston and Hopton is no exception and offers a fantastic range of services for parents and children. It was a delight to be there on the day to see everyone enjoying the fun and games, and I’m sure parents and children will be very pleased with this new centre”.

The Gorleston and Hopton Children’s Centre is based at the library in Lowestoft Road and offers a range of services including childcare, early years education and access to Job Centre Plus and health services. The centre has already successfully run a Baby Signing course and is in the middle of a course exploring confidence around water activities.

Eurel Gray-Read, Children’s Centre coordinator, said: “The Children’s Centre is providing high quality services for pre school children and their parents and carers and I am delighted to be able to work with a range of agencies to be able to deliver these services.

“Children's Centres are key to promoting positive outcomes for pre-school children, and therefore giving them the very best start in life. I feel proud to be a part of such an important resource within this community. Our aim is to continue to build on existing services to parent and carers of preschool children and to listen to their wishes and views in partnership together.”

There are now 36 Children’s Centres in the county, with plans to develop another 15 by 2011.