and a fun place to volunteer!
When someone asked me if I had a spare few hours on a Friday morning to help at a Playgroup, little did I know what I was letting myself in for! Since I started to help six years ago, it’s gone from one Playgroup and a Cooking Club, to another Playgroup, two Cooking Clubs, Bumps & Babies, Craft Club and Sensory Stories! We’ve registered as a charity, moved three times and managed to operate during a pandemic… no mean feat.
Right from day one, the message that PACS pushed really inspired me. Having attended many Playgroups / Baby groups with my own children, I was very aware of how hard it can be as a Mum to sit in a room full of people with no one to talk to. People always say that when you have a baby, you immediately make friends. As we all know, that is not always the case. At PACS we’ve always felt that our groups are as important for the parent / carer as they are for the children. As we’ve slowly got bigger, moving to six sessions per week…yes six! We’ve definitely tried to continue to ensure that our groups are open to the whole community. As volunteers, we have become experts at noticing when a new Mum walks into one of our groups for the first time. We always make sure that one of us is on hand for chat and to introduce them to the other parents in the room. Not only do we love seeing the children make friends, but we also love seeing our parents / carers make friends too. I’ve lost count of the amount of lifelong friendship groups that have emerged as a result of people meeting at one of our sessions. We also pride ourselves on the fact that we operate on a donation basis only, therefore ensuring that everyone in the community is welcome. If you haven’t been before, come and have a look to see what we are about….a warm welcome awaits!
Volunteers always needed!
If reading that inspired any of you, we are always on the lookout for new volunteers. Any help is always well received, and you’ll be working with a great bunch of people. There is never a dull moment! Please contact us through our Facebook Page if you’d like more information!
Whats on at PACS
Totally Toddlers – Mondays 10.00-12.00pm
Mid Harbours Family Centre. Come join us for Storytime, craft and play. Please note that due to COVID restrictions, this group is currently closed. Please check our Facebook Page for updates.
Bumps & Babies – Wednesdays 9.30am – 12pm
The Living Room Café (Methodist Church). Our regular social catch up for parents to be and babies in a home from home atmosphere. This is a relaxed session where parents can meet up with their young babies to enjoy a cup of tea, make friends and talk about the highs and lows of parenting.
Cooking Club – Wednesday & Friday 12.30 – 2.15pm
Cooking Club at The Methodist Church. A fun session aimed at toddlers aged from 2.5 upwards giving children the chance to make and try different foods. Booking required.
Sensory Story Time – Thursdays 1.00 – 2.00pm
Sensory Storytime from 1-2pm at The Methodist Church. Come join us for some interactive Story Time Fun! Different themes every week!
Diddy Discoverers – Fridays 9.45 -11.45am
Diddy Discoverers from 9.45 – 11.45am. Come join us for free play, story time and song time fun!
Monthly Craft Clubs from ages 2.5 upwards.
Details will be announced on our Facebook page.
