Child’s play for fathers

7:06pm Thursday 2nd August 2007

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DADS are being invited to a family fun day to get involved in planning York's new children's centres.

The event will be held on Saturday, from 11am to 2pm, at Burton Stone Community Centre.

Admission is free and includes lunch.

The event has been organised by the Dad's Forum, in conjunction with Sure Start and a range of other partner organisations.

Dads, grandads and male carers from across the city with children aged under 11 are encouraged to attend, and their partners are also welcome.

Drumming workshops, street sports and digital photo sessions are just a few of the activities planned as part of the day.

The Sure Start toy bus will also be there.

Alongside the activities, the event will provide information for dads and carers about all the facilities and activities available in the city.

Colette Watson, locality children's centre manager for west York, said: "We really hope that the day will give dads, grandads and male carers a chance to find out what activities are already available in the city."

There are eight primary schools across the city earmarked to have Sure Start Integrated Children's Centres by 2008. They are already up and running at at Hob Moor, Westfield and Clifton Green while work is ongoing at New Earswick Primary.

Plans are currently afoot to build a further two children's centres at two more primary schools. City of York Council is looking at plans to make alterations to both Haxby Road Primary School and St Lawrence's CE Primary School, in Heslington Road.

The changes would involve new classrooms and community facilities all under one roof.

Last month, The Press reported that plans for a new children's centre at Tang Hall Primary School had also been submitted to City of York Council.

Plans for children centres at Carr Infants and Juniors are still in the pipeline.

York has received £1.6 million for building work to be carried out.

It is a requirement of the scheme that funding is used in those areas of the city experiencing the highest levels of socio-economic disadvantage.

The council has also secured £1.3 million of funding between now and 2008 to help support the setting up and running of the centres.