AFTER many months of planning, the Launceston Children's Centre Garden is now under construction.

To celebrate the start of work children from the centre attended a special event on Tuesday, May 5. They had a great time placing special stones painted with their own designs on the fresh concrete along with coloured glass pebbles and shells which gave the sand and water area a personal touch.

Ria Hunter, Play and Crèche Supervisor, said: "I am so pleased with the new children's centre garden. It has given the children an exceptional opportunity to be involved from the beginning. The garden will be an asset to the centre and will provide playing and learning activities like investigating how to grow things, enjoying the wildlife and mini beasts together with building and digging and appreciating the seasons and the ­weather."

The garden design was developed by Michael Westley of Westley Design (Landscape Architecture, Inclusive, Urban and Garden Design) who has also worked on the Eden Project. Ria and Mandy Jeffries, Children's Centre Manager, contributed to the planning of the area to inspire imagination and maximise the benefit to the children. Kieron Shepherd, Mor Landscaping contracts manager, is now turning these designs into reality.

Launceston Children's Centre, located in Coronation Park in the grounds of the community college, provides a variety of services to guide families on the path from pregnancy through to the first days at school and beyond.

Children's centres are designed for children under five and their families to receive high quality integrated services and information such as access to health and parenting support services, information about training and employment and access to play activities within their community. Principally funded by Sure Start, the centres are administered by Cornwall Council in partnership with a range of service providers.

Also based at the centre in Launceston are health visitors, school nurse, midwives, speech and language therapist, paediatric mental health worker, and children's home care service co-ordinator. The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service also use the centre. While some of these services are delivered in the home they can also be accessed at the centre. Some of these services also hold clinics at the centre on an appointment basis.

For further information please contact Ria Hunter at the Launceston Integrated CAMHS and Children's Centre, on 01566 770823.