AN innovative scheme which gives a helping hand to children and parents in deprived areas of Worcester has reached a major milestone.

The city's Sure Start initiative, which runs in Ronkswood, Tolladine and Dines Green, has now signed up its 100th family member and celebrated it with a special ''ton-up party''.

Worcester was allocated £5m of Government funding to plough into the areas, as part of a national scheme to give families with babies and pre-school children a better start in life.

A special welcome pack, containing home safety initiatives, vouchers, toys and educational books for pre-school children, was handed to Clive and Helen Milton of Linden Road - the 100th family to sign up- during the party at Tolladine Community Centre.

The same fun rucksack will be dished out to both current and new members, with the aim to recruit 400 families in total by Easter.

"The Government money has helped to create drop-in crches, improved parent and toddler groups and nearly £300,000 is going to be put into a half-a-million revamp of Tolladine Community Centre," said Ian Craigan, Sure Start programme manager.

"We also run health clinics for children, healthy eating workshops, fun days and we're planning trips to the seaside for family's to get a chance to spend some real time together."

The districts became eligible for funding in 2001 after Worcester was identified as one of 500 cities and towns having the worst pockets of deprivation in Britain. The national initiative aims to halve the number of children in poverty by 2010.

Mr and Mrs Milton, who have three children, Damion aged eight, Kimberley aged three, and Lauren aged 20 months said the scheme was a real winner.

"Lauren's already making use of the fun pack, there's lots of initiatives planned to keep the children busy this summer and were hoping to go on one of the trips away," said Mrs Milton.

Training sessions to help parents back into work are also integral to the scheme, which is backed by a range of multi-agency partnerships, Worcester City and county councils, health trusts, community and voluntary organisations and parents. For further information call the Sure Start team on 01905 611976.