WORK has started on a new children's centre in Worcester which will provide services for families.

Builders are busy on the Perrywood Primary and Nursery School site in Ronkswood as they begin to adapt and extend the old IT suite and art area.

The work is being done by Worcestershire County Council, with support from a Government-funded venture to develop children's centres around the county.

The cost of the children's centre project is about £400,000.

Children's centres provide a range of services to cater for the local community, including childcare, family support and health services, advice and information services as well as family learning.

The centre will work with other organisations offering services for families and children under five and will develop further services depending on need.

Cath Ellicott, the county's children's centre project manager, said: "We are pleased to work with the school and are looking forward to consulting with the local families to provide the services they need.

"There are already highly successful children's centres running around the county and the new site in Ronkswood provides an opportunity to bring a range of accessible services to the local community."

The building works should be completed by next month and the county council plans to have the children's centre up and running from September.

The centre at Perrywood will complement existing Sure Start activity based at the Tolly Centre, enabling existing services to reach even more people.

Other children's centres in Worcester include Tudor Way and Fairfield.

For more information on the services available at children's centres in Worcester should call 01905 753960.