CREDITON Area Children's Centre, which supports children aged up to five years of age, and their families, has moved into its brand new children's centre building and would like to welcome visitors.

There is car parking available right outside the centre which is situated at Newcombes, behind the doctors' surgery.

As well as all the children's centre staff, you will also find the health visiting team, the school nurses and members of the Home Start team.

If anyone is in need of any help or advice, call in at the Centre, which is open from 9am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. The telephone number is 01363 777219.

If you would like to speak to the health visiting team, the number is 01363 777085.

Some of the activities already taking place at the centre include baby massage, new beginnings, baby clinics and music tots.

The Centre has a full programme of term-time activities available at the children's centre and other venues in the area as well as details of local groups regularly supported with additional activities.

Karen Bowden, one of the project workers, has recently qualified as an infant massage teacher.

She took an intensive university-accredited course where she learnt about anatomy and physiology as well as how to massage a baby.

The main advantages of baby massage are an improvement in circulation, co-ordination and digestion, aiding sleep and general well-being.

Karen is now running five-week courses showing parents how to use massage strokes. For more information about the next group of classes please contact Karen at the children's centre on 01363 777219.

Also, three members of staff have recently completed a baby signing course in Bristol. Baby signing sessions are due to start in the autumn.

A regular Friday morning Music Tots sessions is now held at the centre which is proving very popular.

Bouncing Babes runs from 9.30am to 10.30am followed by Tapping Toddlers from 11am to noon, so if you think you may have a budding musician in the making or, more importantly, for a fun session of singing and playing, please ring the centre to book a place. Booking is essential due to the popularity of these sessions.

As well as all usual Stay and Play sessions, a fortnightly supported swimming session is now run at the Lords Meadow Leisure Centre. This session stops during the summer holidays, but will resume in the autumn. Booking is essential.

During the school summer holidays there will be even more activities organised by the children's centre, as well as trips out.

It is hoped there will be a visit from the donkeys at Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary on August 25.

If you would like to attend any of these events, the advice is to book early.

Regular "Party in the Park" events are held on Thursdays to offer a chance for carers and children to get together in an informal situation.

Crediton Children's Centre is government funded and managed by Barnardo's on behalf of Devon County Council.