Chatterbox creche

While talks and coffee are held downstairs, children aged 5 and under are looked after in a large room on the second floor of Square Corner. Our creche is staffed by a team of volunteers led by Debbie, who is a member of the team at Culm Valley, a Sure Start Children's Centre. All our volunteers have been vetted by St Mary's Church and checked with the Criminal Records Bureau, and we have believed right from the word go that it is important that they have had experience of small children.

The creche is open from 9.15 and the team of volunteers run a programme of activities with the children. There is a mixture of craft activities, story telling, singing and dancing and a wide variety of toys. The room is divided into areas; there is a specific area just for small babies with a cot, play gym, baby bouncer and soft toys; another area is set aside for the craft activities, there is a corner for books and puzzles, and then space for older children.

Halfway through the two hour session the children break for drinks and a snack. We ask you to provide this, cups and containers clearly labelled, as we need to keep all our volunteers with the children. There are nappy changing facilities, a potty as well as the toilet downstairs, and if parents leave bags for their children, it is really helpful if you label your things with the child's name.

Places in the creche are limited by space and the need to maintain strict adult:children ratios, so we work on a 'first-come-first-served' basis.