£1.6m will build centre and health-food cafe to alleviate child poverty

A NEW £1.6m project to improve the lives of young children in the Penge area will be launched this Saturday.

Sure Start, a government initiative, aims to tackle child poverty and create better futures for disadvantaged children.

During the next two years, a dedicated building will be erected on the Groves Day Nursery site, Woodland Road, with a nursery, playgroup, creche, toy library, adult education facilities and community rooms.

And meetings are under way to create a community cafe, providing nutritious, low-cost food.

The project, aimed at families with children under four, has £1.6m initial funding for three years, with a projected total of £4.6m for long-term developments during the next decade.

An initial consultation with 248 parents identified childcare provision and education and information on parenting issues as their key priorities.

Youth unemployment in Penge is currently almost three times the borough average, and 10 per cent of Bromley's children living in income support families live in the area.

Community development worker Jo Smith said: "We are not expecting an immediate impact on some of the bigger issues, like raising literacy levels, but parents will notice a difference straight away. They will have access to more information and a continuous stream of opportunities."

Environmental health officer Nigel Ridley, part of the committee aiming to launch the cafe, said: "We have consulted with parents and think there is a real need to improve nutrition in the area.

"Too often the only low-cost food is processed and the cafe could really improve the way people eat."

The launch party for the Sure Start campaign will be held in Penge High Street and in St John's school hall, Maple Road, this Saturday, from 11am to 1pm, with free entertainment and activities for children. Parents will also be able to register for services.

For more information about the Sure Start project call 07985 590494.