Published: April 30, 2008
Work completed on Burnham's new £500,000 children's centre

Construction of a new £500,000 Children’s Centre in Burnham-On-Sea has this week been completed and the exciting facility is set to be officially handed over to the County Council this Friday, May 2nd.

The centre - which will provide local support and advice for parents and carers of children under five - is due to officially open over the next few weeks and will create a single point of access for advice on matters such as child development, parenting, and advice on how to stay safe and healthy.

The new centre will also offer support to parents who are considering training and employment, as well as high-quality childcare and pre-school education. It will be open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday for children aged 2 – 4 years.

Somerset County Council contributed over £470,000 to create the new centre and worked closely with a steering group of local representatives to ensure that the facility meets local needs.

Councillor Pauline Clarke, Somerset County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, added: "The new Children’s Centre will support parents and families and help Somerset County Council ensure that children in Somerset are healthy and safe in their early years."

Councillor Mike Facey, the County Council’s local member for Burnham, added: "The centre will be a valuable addition to Burnham-On-Sea. The new facilities will be a key point of access to services for our local parents and children. I am grateful for the hard work of the local steering group and officers from Somerset County Council."

The building was originally proposed for the centre of Burnham but was moved to this site bordering Winchester Road and the play area as it provided more space.

Our photos show (from top) the new building this week, and members of the centre's steering group at the start of construction last December.

RELATED LINKS:

Work begins on construction of new children's centre
New children's centre gets the go-ahead