THE first Sure Start Children’s Centre to be managed by Central Herts YMCA has been opened in WGC.

The Waterside Children’s Centre at Rowans Primary School was officially opened by county councillor Jane Pitman, executive member for children’s services, at a ceremony last week.

It is the latest Sure Start Children Centre to open in Hertfordshire and the first to open under the YMCA’s control.

Bruce Judge, YMCA director of children and family services, said: “The YMCA is about building positive relationships, and enabling people to fulfil their potential. This is the thought behind all our work.

“Children’s Centres have a natural fit with our charity’s ethos, and they have a very important role to play in the communities which the YMCA Central Herts serves.”

Sure Start centres were introduced by the previous Labour Government, as a way of bringing together childcare, early education, health and family support services for families with children under five years old.

Anyone can go along and most activities are free.

Cllr Pitman said: “Hertfordshire now operates 82 children’s centres, but the real challenge is to find families who don’t come here, as children’s centres really can be the catalyst for the whole community.”

Centre manager Lucy Hammond said: “We have been delighted to see so many people from the Haldens and Panshanger area at our official opening event, and we look forward to seeing them again at the centre soon.”