Sasha 3, Elizabeth 4, and Billi 2, enjoy the new play gym equipment.By Mara Pattison-Sowden
A WARBURTON playgroup has received a $3000 grant for play gym equipment to help developing minds learn to navigate their surrounds.
More than 80 children and their families travel from as far as Reefton and Powelltown to attend the Warburton Christian Playgroup once or twice a week.
The group has been running for more than four years with parents from all walks of life attending with their children.
The Shire of Yarra Ranges grant helped to buy colourful play gym equipment of all shapes and sizes to encourage children to crawl through, up, down, over and under their surrounds.
O’Shannassy Ward councillor Chris Templer visited the playgroup last Wednesday 8 September and said he was rapt that they got the grant.
“Working off a gold coin payment it comes to the people behind it and it was great to see the smiles of all the kids,” he said.
“They’re a community group that’s not supported by any other major government program.”
Playgroup facilitator Ngaire Holman said the group provided children and their parents with a consistent professional program.
She said the group was focused on bringing the adults down to the children’s level.
“With playgroup the parents stay with their children and we encourage them to sit and play,” she said.
Mrs Holman runs the group with the help of her mother, and her husband Alan.
Alan Holman said the group had a fantastic community of inter-generational and multicultural families.
“We have two regular volunteer assistants who are grandfathers, and we involve the Warburton AdventCare residents,” he said.
Mr Holman said the group was run with strong support from the Warburton Community Bank and small fundraisers.
“We have made it affordable for families who could not afford other avenues of preschool activity,” he said.
