Visited the Burghley Road Under-5s Community Drop in Centre to celebrate turning on their new central heating system and their new floor. I arrive amongst herds of toddlers and parents to this absolutely wonderful community centre.

The Council had long ago let local parents have the building as a drop in for mothers with their under-5s. An absolute life-saver to have somewhere to go and meet other parents when you are stuck at home with young children. I haven’t forgotten the sort of despair when the door first closed on me as my then husband went to work and I was left alone with my new baby. There wasn’t anything like this where I was.

Here the mothers (and some fathers) all work and run it as volunteers. Someone opens up, others cook lunch, others tidy up and close up. It has a sweet little outdoors area with climbing frame. But it was run down – and had absolutely no central heating. One mother was telling me that she had had to stop coming in the worst winter months because it was too cold for the baby. Anyway – thanks to their perseverance and some new funding through a couple of sources they had now been able to install both central heating and a new floor! The management committee and all the volunteers deserve a big cheer for really giving to the community.