AN Oriental celebration saw children, parents, guardians and carers welcoming in the Year of the Tiger at Hatherleigh Sure Start Children's Centre's Chinese New Year party.

Families were invited to join in with the festivities, where the children took part in face painting, mask making, painting and dressing up as tigers.

The party also provided an opportunity for parents and families to talk to the centre's staff and learn about the services and facilities available at Sure Start Children's Centres, and to discover what the Hatherleigh children's centre has planned for 2010.

Hatherleigh Sure Start Children's Centre manager Jenny Mackenzie said the event was a great success and she urged more families in Hatherleigh to visit and make use of the services available on their doorstep.

She said: 'Children's centres are great places for families to come together and share new experiences.

'We wanted to celebrate Chinese New Year as it is an exciting and colourful occasion and the perfect opportunity for families to get together, take part in creative activities and have some fun. A great day was had by all.'

There are more than 3,100 Sure Start Children's Centres in England, providing access to services for more than 2.4 million children under five and their families.

The centres provide access to a number of services including, play and early learning for babies and toddlers, advice on healthcare such as breast feeding and immunisations by midwives and health visitors, parenting advice and links to training and job opportunities.

Many centres also provide a range of additional services, such as Stay and Play groups, baby massage, rhyme time sessions and dads' groups.

For more information on the services Hatherleigh Children's Centre offers, call 01837 811190.