A new programme to provide Children’s Centre services for young children and their families across Poole has started in Bearwood. At Bearwood Primary & Nursery School “Lets Play Together” groups are now provided each week and new speech and language therapy sessions are also on offer. On 9th January the Children’s Centre team will be starting “Wiggle Bugs” play and activity sessions for pre-school children aged 18 months to 4 years at Bearwood Community Centre every Wednesday from 10.45am to 12.45pm. Call the Health Visiting Team on 01202 577849 for information or to book a place.

Annette Brooke MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Children, Young People and Families, welcomed this saying: “These new services are of great benefit to local children in Bearwood and it is even better that they are being provided on their doorstep”.

The new Mobile Library Van is starting a new stop at Hull Road. The timetable is now:

11.00-11.45am   Hull Road

12.00-12.45pm   Bearwood Community Centre

2.10 – 3.00pm    Dukes Drive

3.15 – 4.00pm    Barons Road

The next dates are every other Wednesday – 19 December, 2 January, 16 January, 30 January, 13 February, 27 February, 5 March, 19 March, 9 April.

An appeal for volunteers has been made by Merley First School, who need more volunteers to keep their walk to school programme running.

Annette Brooke MP, Liberal Democrat Childrens Spokesperson, joined the school during the International Walk to School week in October last year, which aims to encourage community safety and reduce congestion and carbon emissions by getting children and parents out of their cars.

40 Countries participated last year and this October, there is an international walk to school month. However Merley First School needs more volunteers if the programme is to keep going in the long run.

“If you are interested in helping with the activity in Merley, please contact Councillor Peter Maiden on 888608,” said Annette.

For more details visit the walk to school website http://www.walktoschool.org.uk/

Councillors Peter Maiden, Daphne Long and David Brown reported in the last Focus about parking problems around Harrier Drive. The area suffers from a lack of available spaces at school pick-up and drop off time. Local residents have complained that their drives are being obstructed and cars are parking in dangerous places when dropping off school children.

Following a petition from residents of Harrier Drive, Annette Brooke MP attended the Council’s Transport Advisory Group in July which discussed these parking problems. Aftre presentations from a resident and from Cllr David Brown, the council has decided to carry out a review of the perking and traffic situation around Merley First School. This has been prioritised for action as soon as possible during 2008/09. In the mean time, local PC Stephen Hawke will be issuing tickets for any dangerous parking in the area.

Local Councillors David Brown, Daphne Long and Peter Maiden are pleased to report the brand new mobile Library bus is now in service and visiting Merley and Bearwood regularly.

In Bearwood, a new stop has been introduced at Bearwood Community Centre from 12pm to 12.45pm. This is followed by Dukes Drive at 2 - 3pm and Barons Road at 3.15 - 4pm. It stops every othe Wednesday.

One especially good feature to the van is the disabled access chair lift, which allows wheelchair users easy access to the van.

“I am particularly pleased that the new van provides access to people with disabilities who also might want to use it,” said Daphne.