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26/05/04 - Holiday Club catering for every need

Cumbria Sure Start is delighted to be involved in supporting Appleby Holiday Club which now provides childcare for all children in the area to meet all physical and learning needs.    

Based at Appleby Primary School the Holiday Club is fully inclusive for all 3 - 14 year olds. The Club uses the special needs unit at the local primary, as well as excellent classroom and outdoor facilities to ensure childcare is available for every family and child throughout the area.   

County Councillor Joan Stocker, Cabinet Spokesperson for Education says   

" The demand for childcare is growing but it needs to be good quality, affordable and meet the needs of parents. It is not just the excellent special needs facilities that enable this Club to provide fully inclusive childcare, but the expert, knowledgeable staff working here. The majority of the Holiday Club staff work at the school in the special needs unit and have the experience and training to care for children with special needs. Cumbria Sure Start works extremely hard with childcare providers across the County to ensure that we continue to provide valuable facilities such as this one throughout the County." 

Leader of Appleby Holiday Club, Diane Drummond says   

"We are open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8am until 6pm every school holiday. We are registered with Ofsted and use five rooms and the special needs unit in the school. We can provide places for up to 42 children and only a third of the children are from the school. Because there is no similar club in surrounding towns and villages, people travel some distance to bring their children to Appleby Holiday Club. It is a pleasure to work at the Holiday Club – it’s physically tiring but it’s not work. It’s fun and we all enjoy it. The kids enjoy coming – some come not because their parents are working, but because they enjoy it so much."   

With excellent playground facilities, the children enjoy sports as well as arts and craft sessions and also enjoy visits to local attractions.