Manager’s comments In the current climate where it is becoming increasingly difficult for voluntary sector organisations to access new funding I feel pleased that we have been able to maintain so many of our services for local people at a high standard and even, in some cases, to provide something new.
This has been due, in no small measure, to the continued support of some funders and the willingness of others to help us with organisational costs. The other key factor has been the unstinting committment of the staff, their readiness to work flexibly, give freely of their own time and constantly innovate.
The Management Committee has also worked very hard this year overseeing changes to the constitution, revising policies and writing new ones, often detailed and dry work, but nonetheless vital to the smooth running of the organisation.
Next year, one of our key objectives will be to revisit our business plan and I am looking forward to working with staff, trustees, partners and users on this to make sure that our future plans really do meet local needs and asperations.
Maggie Perry - General Manager
Community Childcare Project
At the beginning of the year, the project faced uncertainty as the premises that All Seasons Daycare was occupying were due to be demolished. We decided to relocate the nursery to within the centre but we needed to have internal alterations carried out to achieve this.
The work was completed by April and the move was achieved smoothly without any break in service to our families. Later on in the year the nursery received an Ofsted inspection and were successful in gaining a 'good' rating, which is the highest rating Ofsted provide.
Our nursery at Sunshine Daycare in Ford has gone from strength to strength and is now being used by 38 children each week. In 2007, it is planned that the nursery will transfer to a brand new Children's Centre being built in Ford and we are very excited about the prospect of being the voluntary sector service provider working in partnership with Sure Start and the extended school.
Family Support
Both our family support teams at PNC and at Ford Sure Start have had a busy year, working with individual families and children in need. At both centres, a programme of structured play activities has been offered on the playground, in soft play, and in carer and toddler groups.
At PNC, the women’s group has continued to attract members of all ages, who have enjoyed craft activities, journaling and gardening.
At Ford, family nurturing classes have been delivered and families took part in a celebration of fatherhood at Beamish. Over the next year we shall be working with partners on plans to deliver family support services linked to Children’s Centre developments.
Toy Library
With the support of SRB and the big Lottery we have established a toy library within a dedicated space at the Centre. The library offers a very wide range of toys and play equipment for children up to the age of 14, and 16 years if they have special needs, as well as offering a service to local groups.
The project worker is available to lead play sessions and demonstrate toys, and in the first year of the project, 190 children and 159 parents and carers have benefited from the service.
Community Safety Scheme
This project provides safety equipment for families with children aged 0-4 years. The scheme has helped 308 young families in Pennywell and has a further 456 members through the scheme at Ford Sure Start, where there has been increased take up from the ethnic minority community.
The scheme has also benefited 221 older and disabled people by providing aids to living. Part of the co-ordinator’s role is to raise awareness about home safety and how keeping fit can reduce the risk of accidents.
To promote this, she has offered fortnightly walks for older people and arranged chair exercise sessions and healthy eating tasters in partnership with the Health Locality Team.
Breakout
Once again our summer programme offered a wide range of activities for local families and children up to the age of eleven.
This year families had plenty of chances to get away for the day by joining in walks and picnics at Herrington Park, Roker and South Shields, or going on minibus trips to Washington Wildfowl Park and Bolden Environmental Centre as well as weekly coach trips to parks and coastal resorts.
Children were taken to the local Asda store to take part in a challenge to make a film character out of recycled materials and were later delighted to find out they had won the competition. Daily play sessions were provided on the outside playground and the summer came to an end with a community barbecue and an outing to Flamingoland.
A text version of the report on Summer Breakout 2005 is available on the Breakout page.
Community Education Programme
With funding provided by Neighbourhood Learning In Deprived Communities and working in partnership with the Grow Your Own Programme, we will now be delivering a series of courses accredited through the North East Open College Network. In the first instance these will be focused on children’s learning through play.
Community Garden
With support of an Awards for All grant, we have been able to continue gardening activities to promote growing food and healthy eating. The project has worked with members of the women’s group, the out of school club, nursery children and local families.
Work with Young People
During the year, the Young Minds Matter project has become a constituted group and been supported by their own funding. They hold a fortnightly drop-in at Pennywell Youth Project for young people who have mental health concerns.
The Young Men’s group has continued to meet and further funding is being sought to develop their project.
Investing in our staff
At Pennywell Neighbourhood Centre we believe that local people should receive services of the highest quality and one of the ways to achieve this is to ensure that our staff are well trained.
We have an extensive work based NVQ programme which aims to ensure that all our team leaders have a management qualification, and that our childcare staff and support staff can achieve professional development.
In addition to this, during this year, training has been provided on a variety of topics including food hygiene, health and safety at work, sexual health and High Scope. Quarterly training events focus on team building and specific areas of service delivery.
A big thank you is extended to all of our funders including:
- Ballinger Charitable Trust,
- BBC Children in Need,
- Big Lottery,
- Children’s Foundation,
- City of Sunderland,
- Community Foundation,
- Garfield Weston Foundation,
- Hadrian Trust,
- Henry Smith Charity,
- John Bell Charitable Trust,
- Joseph Strong Frazer Group,
- L & L Manning Trust,
- Lloyds TSB Foundation,
- Northern Rock Foundation,
- Rolls Royce Fund,
- Rothley Trust,
- Sir John Priestman Trust,
- Sunderland Housing Group,
- Sunderland Teaching and Primary Care Trust,
- Sure Start,
- William Webster Charitable Trust
And also our partners and local organisations which we have worked with:
- Primary Care Team,
- Pennywell Youth Project,
- Pennywell Community Centre,
- Pennywell Early Years,
- Asda,
- Local Primary Schools and Resident Groups,
- Our Management Committee,
- all of our volunteers both young and not so young, and all our friends and supporters.
