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Young families and soon-to-be parents in the Hampton North area will have a wide choice of new play and support services, when Richmond Council launches its newest children’s centre.

The former Tangley Hall building, which was a day care unit for elderly people with dementia has been given an £80,000 refurbishment and renamed the Tangley Park Family Centre. Dementia sufferers are now using the Woodville Centre in Ham, freeing up the building to be used by the younger generation.

The centre is for all families with young children in the area. The aim of the new Centre is to provide a welcoming place where parents and children can spend quality time together and receive  the professional support which parents need to ensure their children are healthy, developing well and are ready to learn.

Cllr Christine Percival, Richmond Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Youth and Children’s Services, said: “When the Tangley building became available it made sense for us to turn it into a children’s centre, rather than just sitting there empty.

“The services on offer will be very beneficial to families, there is everything from Diddi Dance sessions, to advice on family finances. The centre will be run by a core of council staff, but we are bringing in professionals from all areas to help people. The centre is not just about advice though, children will enjoy the ‘stay and play’ sessions while parents can talk to each other and our workers if they want, and a special dads and babies session will be held on Saturday mornings once a month.

“I’m very pleased the Council has been able to bring this building back into use to help another important section of our community. In the economic climate we face, we have to make the best use of all our assets to help the widest range of people.

I hope families will take the time to drop in to the sessions and see what’s available.”

The refurbishment work has created a kitchen/lounge room, where classes on cooking, as well as child safety and parenting will be held. Free childcare will often be available for parents taking part in these sessions. A health room has been set up for midwives and other medical professionals to use, while the main play room is designed for babies and young children with dedicated spaces for quiet reading, arts and crafts and imaginative play.

The centre will be open from 9am – 5pm on weekdays, and details of the Saturday sessions will be available from staff. It is targeted at everyone from expectant parents to those with children up to five years old and all services are free. Teams of professionals including, family support workers, midwives, health visitors, speech therapists and other clinical staff will be available at the Centre.

A termly programme of activities is planned, and copies can be found by searching for ‘children’s centres’ at www.richmond.gov.uk or by popping in to the Centre or both Hampton libraries and local schools. The programme is new, and staff will be happy to take on board ideas from families about the type of sessions or support which they might find useful.