THE LAUNCH of a scheme concentrating on improving the health and well being for families and children in the Hatherleigh area took place at Hatherleigh Town Hall recently.

Many parents and families went along to find out more about the Sure Start Project and meet the new team behind it ? co-ordinator Debbie Croft and project workers Ruth Bushell and Jenny Mackenzie.

Hatherleigh has been awarded funding from the Government to develop the project, which will work with families with children, aged from 0-4. Sure Start will be based in the town and will take services out to the villages of Beaworthy, Inwardleigh, Northlew, Highampton, Meeth, Broadwoodkelly, Exbourne, Iddesleigh, Jacobstowe and Monkokehampton.

Sure Start?s aims are to work with parents-to-be, parents and children to promote the physical, intellectual and social development of babies and young children, particularly those who are disadvantaged.

The team will buy in services from a number of different organisations, which include Okehampton Toy Library, a speech and language therapist and additional sessions of pre-school to offer an integrated approach to supporting families.

Some of the services Sure Start will develop and extend include bounce and rhyme sessions by Okehampton Library, Home Start volunteers, training from Behaviour Support, outreach services to surrounding

villages incorporating community transport, parenting groups and adult education with creche facilities.

The project will reach about 150 children and is a two-year programme where teams can bid for up to £250,000 capital and £100,000 a year revenue.

ABOVE: Sure Start co-ordinator Debbie Croft with children, parents and professional advisers at the launch. Picture by James Bird