Local children’s centres set up under the Sure Start programme will be safe under a Conservative government. That was the message given to staff by local Conservative parliamentary candidate, Gordon Henderson, during a visit to Grove Park and Woodgrove children’s centres.

 

Mr Henderson visited Grove Park on Tuesday 25th August and Woodgrove on Friday 28th August. He was shown round by Robert Jobe who is the centre manager for both sites.

 

During the visit Mr Henderson met staff including Community Chef, Mike Spackman and took part in a “Beat the Goalie” competition run by members of the Arsenal community team.

 

Mr Henderson said:

 

“I was really impressed with the way these relatively new centres are being moulded into real community assets by Rob Jobe and his staff. What really struck me was the real passion and commitment with which Rob tackles the task of providing an environment in which local parents and children feel comfortable.

 

“We have seen the good work that Seashells in Sheerness has done over the years since it has been open and I am sure that the other children’s centres across Sittingbourne and Sheppey will be equally as successful.

 

“I was particularly impressed by the work being done by Community Chef, Mike Spackman, who I watched showing local parents quick and easy ways of providing nutritional snacks for children to put in their school lunch boxes.

 

“One of the reasons I was so keen to visit these centres was to rebut once again the lies still being put out by the Labour Party that a Conservative Government would abolish the Sure Start programme.

 

“Far from wanting to abolish the programme, David Cameron wants to make the service better by recruiting more qualified health workers to help improve the health of children in some of our more deprived areas.”