Second new children's centre opens in Heathfield

5.52.16pm GMT Sat 15th Nov 2008

• The Council and its partners have opened the second new children's centre within a month. Following the opening of the Ham children's centre on 16 October a new centre has now been opened in Heathfield.

The new centre is a joint project involving Heathfield Nursery and Infant School, the Primary Care Trust (PCT), local voluntary organisations and Job Centre plus. The new building sits alongside Heathfield Nursery and Infant School and will offer adult education in the evening as well as children's day care facilities. Children's centres are being developed nationwide to bring services for children and families to local areas, with services traveling to families rather than families traveling to services. Speaking at the opening ceremony on Thursday 06 November Cllr Malcolm Eady, Cabinet Member for Education and Children Services said:

"This centre will bring together a variety of health, family support, adult education and community activities all of which are accessible from this striking new building. Children's centres are at the heart of the Council's strategy to deliver quality services locally. They will become the hub from which these services are brought to local people. We hope this bright, vibrant and child friendly new centre will become a local landmark and a place which the community will make use of for years to come."

The uniquely designed building has many environmentally friendly elements. Half of the building has a 'brown roof' where site rubble has been used to create an ecosystem on the roof for plants, animals and insects.