Strabane Sure Start is our life line says parents

Thirty-one year-old Katie Wita and her youngest son David walk from Lifford to Strabane every Tuesday morning

Katie and her husband Stan moved to Lifford from Katowice in southern Poland in 2007. Stan recently lost his job as a lorry driver and now volunteers in the community. They have two young sons; four year-old Luka and two year-old David.

“The reason I come here is perfectly simple,” smiles Katie. “It’s because I want to give my son David the best possible start in life.”

Katie is but one of many parents and grandparents who avail of the Strabane Sure Start. The facility operates out of the local library on Railway Street and their lead partner is Barnardo’s.

“I first started coming here about a year and a half ago with my eldest son Luka,” explains Katie. “After a few weeks I noticed a profound improvement in his English and he was interacting with other children his own age – it was amazing to see this happen.”

Luka now attends one of the local primary schools in the area and Katie says that had it not been for the Strabane Sure Start she does not know how he would have adapted to life at school.

“He’s a completely different boy,” she says happily. “I thought he might have found it hard starting a new school but because of the help, support and friendships we made at the Strabane Sure Start he settled in straight away. I want to do the same for my youngest son David so that’s why we come here every week.”

The Strabane Sure Start first opened ten years ago and since that time it has gone from strength. The centre’s main focus is to ensure that every child has the chance to achieve the best possible quality of life.

Barnardo’s Children Services Manager Liz Kavanagh says that the Sure Start is open to everyone and it’s free of charge. It’s Liz’s and her team’s ambition to improve the learning ability, social development and health of every child who attends the centre.

“We try to give parents and grandparents as much help and support as we possibly can,” says Liz. “Many parents from Strabane and Lifford come here every Tuesday morning to spend some time with their children. We have a lovely area in the centre of the building where the children can play with toys and upstairs we have what we call the children’s gymnasium – it’s where they go to take part in games and a wide variety of other things. We also run other classes throughout the week.”

Liz was one of the first people to help set-up the local Sure Start and she said that the difference it makes to the local community is invaluable.

“For many parents, they don’t get the chance to leave the house during the day. Our Sure Start gives them the opportunity to come to a safe environment where they can have fun with their child. It also gives them the chance to meet up with other parents and have a chat. There’s a great atmosphere about this place. Whether we are teaching the parents and the children about healthy eating or we are having a bit of fun in the gymnasium everyone leaves here with a smile on their face.”

TJ Brown is an unemployed plasterer from Summer Hill Court. Every Tuesday he and his 14 month old daughter Sophie make their way to the Sure Start.

“I am always losing Sophie’s wee hat and scarf,” smile TJ. “My wife gave me the tip of putting them inside the sleeve of her coat, that way they’ll not get lost. Isn’t that right Sophie,” he says to his daughter.

TJ drives a taxi at the weekends and says that although he would prefer to have more work he enjoys nothing more than spending time with his daughter at the Sure Start on a Tuesday morning.

“This place is just amazing,” he says. “The staff here are second to none and it’s a fantastic place to bring a young child. The Sure Start works along with library and it means that I can also take a few books home with me and read them to Sophie.

“It’s extremely important to me that she gets the best possible start in life and if coming here helps us toward that then that’s great.

“Some men might not feel comfortable coming here but not me. I love bring Sophie here. She’s always happy and I haven’t lost a hat or a scarf for a while now.”

Matt McDermott is a retired fire-fighter and he brings two and half year old granddaughter Leah to the Sure Start every Tuesday.

“Leah is an only child and she’s totally spoiled – I suppose I am the main culprit, I just dote over her. We love coming to the Sure Start, don’t we Leah?

“The Sure Start is a fantastic place – I think that the entire community of Strabane would be lost without it – it’s a lifeline for many people.

“The main reason I come here with Leah is because it gives us the chance to have a bit of fun together and it also means that she gets to meet other children her own age. Then when it’s time for her to go off to primary school some of the friends she makes here might be in her class.

“I have to say that since bringing Leah to the Sure Start I have really noticed a change in her. She’s communicating better and she loves it when I get a book out of the library and read to her – it makes her so happy.”

Lorna Gibson has three children; four year-old Grace, two year-old Ronan and baby Dominic. Grace is at primary school and with baby Dominic at home too she very rarely gets the chance to devote time to her two year-old Ronan.

“It’s strange for Ronan, he’s young and not used to a baby being about the house. I like to use the Tuesday morning at the Sure Start as an opportunity to spend some one to one time with him. It’s great for Ronan to come here and mix with other children. There’s always a smile on his wee face.

“If it wasn’t for this Sure Start I don’t know what many of us parents and grandparents would do.”

For more information on the Strabane Sure Start contact Liz Kavanagh on 028 71 382 658.