FAMILIES celebrated the launch of a new support hub that was formed to continue services previously provided by Carterton's children's centre.

Carterton Family Centre was officially opened at an event in the town hall on Monday and will now provide a wide range of services including one-on-one support for parents and sessions for babies and pre-school children.

A group made up of former children’s centre and town council staff, county councillors and members of the Royal Air Force, based at neighbouring RAF Brize Norton, came together to preserve family support services in the town following the closure of the children's centre in February after the county council cut its funding for the services county-wide.

Mayor of Carterton Lynn Little said: "The message is that we’re back and we’re in business. We’re now operating on a better model: a family centre instead of children’s centre, so we can support zero to 19-year-olds as opposed to zero to five-year-olds.

"We had a vision for this project as long as two years ago when it was first mooted that funding may be withdrawn. We held a consultation in the town hall and it was decided that what we needed was a family centre so we could help a lot more people.

"I’m of the belief and always have been that a town hall is to benefit the community and so we’re helping an organisation that needs a home for a short period of time. It’s about the community and that’s what a town hall should be doing.

"I’m really pleased to see this come together. If all factions come together a solution can be found. It just means working together."

The centre has received three-year funding from Carterton Town Council at £25,000 per year and Oxfordshire County Council has provided £10,000 per year.

It has also received financial support from the the Armed Forces Covenant and the RAF Benevolent Fund.

The hub will initially operate from the town hall, the town's library, the Methodist Church and St John’s Church, until a permanent home becomes available in January next year.

It will offer universal services for families with babies and pre-school children, one-to-one support for parents, a summer holiday programme and antenatal support.

For a list of what's available go to bit.ly/2nNcGi7