The Mayor of Abingdon, Councillor Margaret Crick, cut the tape to re-open the South Abingdon Children’s Centre this afternoon. Margaret is also one of the trustees of the new charity Carousel that will be running the centre, alongside some services for Caldecott School.
There were displays by the Abingdon Health Visiting Team, Carousel Cooking Club, Inspiring Minds, Downs Syndrome Oxford, and Citizens Advice Abingdon showing some of the services that will be available when the centre starts opening regularly from September 17th. More information on the Carousel website.
Like other Children’s Centres previously run with finance from Oxfordhire County Council, the centre closed when that funding was withdrawn in 2017. The charity Carousel has grants from the County Council, and Abingdon Town Council to help run the centre for at least three years.
Enormous congratulations to all who have been involved – I know you have had to work incredibly hard to get to this point. Headlines in national papers today about the pressure on Childrens Services underline how vitally important children’s Centres are – it is a crying shame that central government funding isn’t available any more but thank goodness that there are people like this who are willing to get stuck in and do it.
Well said Hester.
Yes I have to agree with Hester, an enormous effort by all!
Hats off to them