For those of you who don’t know, here at Biggleswade & District Children’s Centre we provide a variety of information and
services to support you and your family. We offer sessions where you and your child can make friends and learn as they play. We
have sessions at venues all over Biggleswade so we are often within walking distance of your home - just look out for our
Children’s Centre van. We are still running groups from the Kings Reach Temporary Community Centre while we wait for the new
one to be completed so look out for us there. We can give advice on family matters including parenting, sleep, potty training,
weaning, stop smoking and play ideas to name a few! We might not always be able to answer your query straight away but do
leave a message and we will return your call as soon as we can.
Your Children’s Centre team includes Claire, Kirsty, Sarah, Paula and Fiona. If you have not met us yet we would love to see you at
one of our drop in groups. You can pick up a timetable from Reception or check it out on our brand new website. We also now
have a Facebook page which we are regularly updating, so please search us out and give us a ‘like’!
Bedfordshire Food Aid Network…
Our new website is www.thelawnsbiggleswade.org. You can
find the link to this on our Facebook page which is under
‘Biggleswade and District Children’s Centre’.
To save confusion we have decided to rename our
Monday’s Bouncing Bunnies session to Toddle Tots. This is
because we also hold a Bouncing Bunnies session on a
Friday morning at Treetops Day Nursery which is run slightly
different to the Mondays session. So, come along to Toddle
Tots on Mondays, 1.30-3.00pm at the Temporary Kings
Reach Community Centre. It is for all ages as we have a
sectioned off baby area and free play for the older ones,
finished off with a quick song time.
Helping Families in Need
The Bedfordshire Little Bundles project is run by
volunteers. The purpose of the project is to
provide free packs of clothing, equipment and
emergency toiletries to families with young
children who find themselves in difficult
situations. If you would like to donate to this
project or access their services, please speak to a
member of the Children's Centre Team.
If you would like to speak to someone in
confidence about seeking help from the local Food
Bank, please ask a member of the Outreach Team.
Ante-natal and Parenting Courses...
The 0-19 Health Visiting Team are running an ante-natal course for all parents-to-be, called “Bumps, Birth and Baby
Stuff”. It is a 5 week course plus a reunion after your baby is born. It covers topics including feeding, labour and pain
relief to name a few. You can book online at www.bumpbirthandbaby.eventbrite.com or contact 01462 730623. Plan to
begin your course before you are 34 weeks pregnant. All sessions last 2 hours and are free.
Baby Daze, a new course, is running for families with a baby aged 3 weeks– 12 weeks. Please register your interest at
the Centre.
We are running an evening Parent Puzzle course this term which is already full and we are hoping to run the next day
time course in September.
If you would like more information about what the above sessions involve or would like to register your interest, please
contact the Outreach Team on 01767 312312 or pop into the Centre as booking is essential.
The Child Health Clinic runs here at the Children's Centre every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month. 1.30-3.15pm
Dates until the end of term are as follows:
Tuesday 19th April
Tuesday 3rd May
Tuesday 17th May
Tuesday 7th June
Tuesday 21st June
Tuesday 5th July
Tuesday 19th July
Tuesday 2nd August
Tuesday 16th August
Please note the use of mobile phones is not allowed in our sessions within the Children’s
Centre. The Lawns Governing Body and Central Bedfordshire Council have policies relating to
the use of phones and cameras to protect our children.
You may notice a new tick box on the signing in sheet for consent of taking photographs. This
is so that the Children's Centre Team can take photographs to use as evidence of our work
and also for our new WEBSITE. Please do not tick the box if you would rather your child not
be in any photographs. If you have any concerns about this please speak to us. Many thanks.
Please remember to park safely and
courteously if you are driving to the
Centre. The car park is shared by four
public buildings on the site and often
many children are about at drop off and
pick up times.
Reminder
Please could we remind you that
we ask for a 50p donation in our
groups. This goes towards snack,
toys and materials.
Baby led weaning…
Talks are held every 1st Thursday of the month at The Health
Centre on Saffron Road. The Children’s Centre Team will be
supporting these sessions. Please phone the 0-19 team if you
would like to attend: 01767 224902
Did you know your child could qualify for 15 hours of free childcare education a week?
You can apply if you are in receipt of at least one of the following:


Income based jobseekers allowance


Income support
Income related employment and support allowance
Child tax credits or working tax credits and have an annual gross earnings of no more than £16,190


Support under part VI of the immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The guarantee element of state pension credit


Child with a current statement of SEN or an Education, Health Care Plan



Looked after child
Child with Disability Living Allowance
Child subject to a Child Protection Plan
Child who has left care through special guardianship or through an adoption or residence order.
To find out more please book an appointment at The Children's Centre on: 01767 312312 or at Central Bedfordshire Council website
www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/childcare or call 0300 300 8119
Book Start Corner
We are about to start a Baby Sign course which is a 3 week
course designed to introduce you and your family to some
basic signs.
If you receive a 2 year funding letter from Central
Bedfordshire you should also receive a flyer to collect
your free Book Start pack. You can collect this at the
Children’s Centre.
If you are interested please give us a call or pop into the
Centre and we will put you on the list.
During the Easter holidays we ran a Buggy Walk which had
great feedback. We walked about 3 miles which is around
7000 steps. The daily recommendation is 10,000 so the
group that came almost reached this just by coming along
to our Buggy Walk. We will be doing more of these during
school holidays so look out for more information.
Worried about your child’s talking, listening,
interaction, stammering?
Then pop in to see Lisa Mitchell, Speech and
Language Therapist on:
Monday 18th April Kings Reach Community Centre,
1.30-3pm
Our first First Aid course for parents is now full and is
taking place on Saturday 16th April, 10am-12noon. As
the uptake was popular we have managed to secure
another date. This is going to take place on Saturday
16th July 10am-12noon. To book your place please
pop into the Centre. A £5 fee per person will need to
be paid at the time of booking to secure your place.
Unfortunately children are unable to attend as there is
a lot of information to take in during the 2 hour
session which includes some hands on practical tasks.
Tuesday 24th May, Biggleswade & District Children’s
Centre, 1.30-3pm
Monday 13th June, Kings Reach Community Centre,
1.30-3pm
Tuesday 19th July, Biggleswade & District Children’s
Centre, 1.30-3pm
Healthy Start Scheme
If you are pregnant or have a young child less than four years of age, you may be entitled to receive Healthy Start Vouchers.
These Healthy Start Vouchers can be spent in local supermarkets on milk, fruit, vegetables and infant formula. Plus coupons can be
available for free vitamins too.
You may qualify for these vouchers if you receive any of the following:

Income Support, or

Income based Job Seeker’s Allowance, or

Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or

Child Tax Credit.
You also qualify if you are under 18 and pregnant, even if you don’t get any of the above benefits or tax credits.
Also if you qualify for Healthy Start Vitamin Tablets or Vitamin Drops please pop into our Centre with your voucher where the Outreach staff
will be happy to exchange it for the appropriate vitamins.
If you wish to find out more information regarding Healthy Start Vouchers please pop into our Centre and we can give you a Healthy Start
booklet, otherwise you can contact Healthy Start on: 0845 607 6823 (9am-5pm Monday to Friday).
Vitamins
Even if you do not qualify for the Healthy Start voucher scheme you can still get vitamin drops from the Community
Reception Desk at The Health Centre on Saffron Road priced at £1.80.
Did you know?
* People suffering domestic abuse are more likely to experience repeat victimisation than victims of any
other crime.
* That across the UK, 90% of sexual assaults are not reported.
* That every three weeks a man is killed by his current or ex-partner as a result of domestic abuse.
* 1 in 5 women has experienced sexual abuse.
Help is available…
If you are in an abusive relationship or are worried about a friend or relative, help is available locally.
Please call 0300 300 5726
(in confidence)
Parents Voice Forum
Hazel Newhouse, who has 3 children, has kindly agreed to represent the families of
Biggleswade to be ‘the parents voice’. Hazel will attend Advisory Board meetings and
will be the link between the parents and Children’s Centre. If you have any
suggestions or comments you would like to speak to Hazel about for her to address at
these meetings please contact her via email… [email protected]