PLANNED activities, outings, plenty of toys and equipment will be on the menu for youngsters joining mother and toddler groups in the Faithful City.

Baby and toddler groups in some of Worcester's most deprived areas are being given a cash injection as part of the Sure Start initiative.

The initiative to improve facilities in Worcester's main Sure Start areas of Dines Green, Brickfields, Tolladine and Warndon was officially launched on Tuesday, May 7.

Baby and toddler groups are one of the groups helped by the initiative, and some groups have been able to purchase much needed new toys.

Parents living in Worcester's main Sure Start areas with children under the age of four were consulted on how to use the funds

Crches and baby and toddler groups were launched after Worcester City Council was given a £100,000 cash advance from the Government's £5m Sure Start fund.

Doreen Paley-Battersea, who co-runs Baby and First Steps in King George V Pavilion, Brickfields Park, said Sure Start money had enabled her to replace shabby, worn-out toys.

She said her group, which runs on Thursdays from 9.30am to 11am, had received £300 from Sure Start for new toys.

"All the toys we had before were from another group and they were old and worn," she said.

Swans and Cygnets is taking place at Tolladine Community Centre on Tuesdays from 10am to noon.

"We had confirmation of the funding from Sure Start last week," said Allan Poyner, a community worker for Tolladine Community Centre.

"The money will mean that the group can have new equipment such as toys which should be arriving shortly."

Baby and toddler group Little Monsters has been running at Warndon Community Centre since the beginning of March and takes place each Wednesday between 10am and 11.30am and on Mondays and Fridays between 1pm to 2.30pm.

"We are looking at organising a trip to Eastnor Castle in August," said Tracey Jones, a group leader for Little Monsters.

"The parents here have been involved in Sure Start meetings and there is another one due at the end of May.

"The group have applied to Sure Start for funding for more toys."

Green Centre Toddlers, at The Green Centre, Dines Green, is running on Wednesdays from 10am to noon.

Sure Start programme manager, Ian Craigan, said Sure Start was helping various existing crche and mother and toddler groups to improve their programme.

"We are supporting groups that are running already giving them additional services as well as starting new groups," he said.

For only 50p a session, mums can bring their toddlers to the groups. For further details on Baby and First Steps contact Mrs Paley-Battersea on 01905 21070.

Warndon Community Centre can be contacted on 01905 457375, The Green Centre on 429628 and Tolladine Community Centre on 01905 20922.