Group fun and free for village kids

Oct 23 2002 By Elgan Hearn, Holyhead And Anglesey Mail

FEELING inspired one day, two mothers from Gwalchmai decided to bring the community together by forming a village playgroup.

Just over a month after their inspirational idea, the young mums have a thriving pre-school club and have just completed a sponsored walk raising funds to buy paint and paper for the facility.

They decided to form a pre-school group after noticing that many young families in Gwalchmai cannot afford the luxury of taking their children to playschool in the mornings and afternoons, so they have now decided to open two afternoons a week voluntarily for all the children of a pre-school age.

Playgroup founder Sonia Owens said: "We got together and thought what with the bad weather coming, the kids can't go out to play, so why not get together with other mothers in the village and all sit together with 20 more kids and just have fun?

"The idea is for the mums to bring their children to the community hall in the village where they can play, paint, dance, sing and have just a great fun time.

"The atmosphere'sgreat and everyone joins in. And it'sallfree."

The playgroup funds itself and two of the mothers walked from Llangefni to Gwalchmai, raising £261 which has helped buy paint and paper.

Sonia added: "So in a matter of six weeks we have formed a new, lively playgroup for the youngest of our small community."

Finally, the mothers would like to thank Mrs Roberts, headteacher at Ysgol y Ffridd in Gwalchmai, for all her help and support in setting up the playgroup.