Creche wants premises at Ham university site

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32707, 9 September 1971, Page 6

Creche wants premises at Ham university site

After four years in existence, the Canterbury University creche has outgrown itself to such an extent that there is now an urgent need for accommodation.

“At present our main problem is finding acommodation

at 11am, where we urgently! need a creche to relieve pressure on the one in town,” said Mrs Jonaana Marriott, a member of the creche committee. The creche, in the Student’s Union Buildings on the corner'of Hereford and Montreal Streets, now caters for ■63 children. It had an open- > ing roll of four.

TRAINING COLLEGE “If we can get property at !Ilam we would like to boost I the numbers a bit and take in children of training college mothers and teachers. As it is, there must be many mothers toying with the idea

of doing university study, but who are unaware that creche facilities exist. The university calendar comes out too late for these people to get infor--1 mation on the creche before ■ enrolments close,” said Mrs 1 Marriott. i 1 The most suitable premises i 1 would be a large house with i ’ outside access. The present

' creche consists of a nursery i in one room, where the older : children play, and a creche ■ in another for toddlers and '■ babies. 1 Children brought to the creche range from two- ’ week-old babies to pre- ’ schoolers. Babies are even > booked in before their birth. ! Four staff members with ; nursing training look after 1 the charges two taking r morning duty and two after- - noon. Students help during the day and recieve their payment in luncheon vouchers from the student cafeteria. As far as equipment is concerned, prams, bassinets and

;toys were provided at the [outset. However, said Mrs Marriott, more would be necessary after expansion.

INQUIRIES WELCOME “We are working on getting more mothers into the creche at the moment, and trying to figure out our needs on the number of inquiries we get. Ultimately, if things go well and we get the new creche at Ham, we are considering taking the children of working mothers.” _____

Any student, training college or teaching mother who is interested in using the crectje should get in touch with Mrs Marriott, telephone 489-695; Mrs W. Beveridge, 555-375 or Mrs Diana Jackson, 45-339-

The photograph shows one of the creche staff, Mrs Margaret Holdsworth, at work with her charges in the nursery yesterday.