Sidley Children's Centre gains recognition

For more than 11 years, go-ahead Sidley Community Association has hosted a children's centre at Sidley Community Centre.

Now the venture has won official recognition.

Before cutting a symbolic ribbon at the community centre door on Monday morning, Cllr Rupert Simmons, lead county cabinet member for learning and schools effectiveness, had told representatives of partner organisations that he had been "hugely impressed" by all he had seen at the community centre.

Hastings and Rother Primary Care Trust had been giving out fruit smoothies to arriving guests.

Stands publicised the work at the community centre of Learning Link, Sure Start, the Rainbow Childcare Centre, Early Years Teaching and Support Services, Parent Scope, Sidley Online Centre and Sidley Young People's Centre.

Guests included Rother chief executive Derek Stevens, Rother member Cllr Deirdre Williams, county member Cllr Graham Gubby who is an advisor to Sidley Community Association Council, Children's Centre officers, and representatives of the PCT, Sidley Traders, Sussex Police, the Safer Rother Partnership, Bexhill Consortium and Rother Voluntary Action and architect Tony Moon.

Welcoming guests, community association chairman John Izzard told them: "Our principal guests may wonder how an obscure and much maligned village of Sidley came to possess such a magnificent community centre....

"I will only say that we have been very fortunate in our dealing with our local council - Bexhill Borough then Rother District - since 1949.

"We have a secure lease from them till 2096 - when, if all goes well, I shall have retired!

"Over the years, the centre has developed, not because of anyone's personal ambition but to meet the needs of the growing community.

"This own includes over 40% of all Rother's social housing.

"Our village community has many needs, which we support to the best of our ability.

"However, we could achieve little if we, in turn, did not get external support. Our principal need can be summed up in one word FUNDING.

"In addition to our nought-to-fives, family services and Rainbow Childcare Centre, which we are celebrating today, the association also operates other family services, plus a young people's centre for the 11-19s, a UK Online Centre for adults seeking computer skills and a Lifelong Learning Centre to provide advice, information and guidance to adults of all ages, wish to enhance their education and skills.

"We also hire out rooms to other organisations, including the county council.

"These activities require funding support from local authorities, from central government agencies and from funding trusts and foundations.

"It takes a lot of effort to raise the 700,000 which we need to pay our 36 staff and the service and maintenance costs every year.

"That our activities survive and improve year on year is due to the efforts of many people.

"This includes our elected representatives.

"We are fortunate to have sympathetic friends.

"None of our find these relationships easy. But they are necessary. Most of the time we work amicably with them as partners in meeting the most pressing needs of local people."

Cllr Simmons said he had been to several children's centres across the county recently. There were now 28 across the county and each was different.

"I have to tell you that today through the kindness of the chief executive here, Margaret Lea, I have been on a whistle-stop tour of this building.

"It is a fantastic centre of which you have every right to be proud of the community coming together and making the most for its people."

The one complex now had a very considerable support programme for young families.

The fact that the centre was used by so many people was a "fantastic statement."