Our History

After setting up a The City Head Librarian offered us an area shared with the Library at Burgess Road.

The Mayor opened an extension to Burgess Road Library, which gave us more room.

Each year, the Association organises summer events at various venues in the City. In 1989 sessions were held at Riverside Park, Salters Funfair, and a Teddy Bear Picnic/Sponsored Walk on the Common.

Since 1983 the Association has been involved in projects with schools. In 1989 this was with Bitterne Park Comprehensive School. Students visited families for one afternoon a week for the autumn term. This enabled the students to observe child development, gain insight into child card in the home and parenting skills, and experience adult/child relationship-building on a one-to-one basis. The project ended with a Christmas party.

We organised three summer playschemes for under fives. These involved a trip to Paultons Park, the CABINS play bus, messy days, water play, music days, gym time, and a fun day. All were well-attended and greatly enjoyed.

1990 saw a new chairperson and a new co-ordinator. One of the co-ordinator’s first tasks was to visit all of the Mother and Toddler Groups belonging to the Association.

In July 1990 the Southampton Mother and Toddler Association joined forces with the Southampton branch of the National Childbirth Trust to provide a baby changing/feeding facility at the three day Balloon and Flower Festival held on Southampton Common.

This year’s summer events were held at Salters Fun Park, Riverside and Hoglands Park. Some of the committee members showed what hidden talents they have and had a go at face painting. Added attractions this year were a bouncy castle, sand and water play, and Welliphant and the Playbus joined us at Hoglands Park.

During the summer of 1990 the playschemes were increased to six. There was an attendance of over 1000 under fives at these playschemes.

This year, for the first time, we put on training for the key people involved with the summer playschemes; a creche was provided. Subjects covered included:

• Insurance
• Arts and crafts
• First aid
• Equipment

At this year’s Annual General Meeting, the Association changed its name to the Southampton Parent and Toddler Association and created a new constitution.

Six members of the committee attended a first aid course and all passed. The management committee and co-ordinator represented the Association at the following events:

• Women’s Fair
• Balloon Festival
• Southampton Council for Under Fives Information Evening
• Summer Playschemes

Throughout the last year the Association has been lending its support, in the form of equipment, to all groups across the city. It began with a Starter Pack, a climbing frame and accessories and has been steadily added to with “Big Builda” construction sets, painting packs and a music pack. These have been circulating around the groups on a half-termly basis.

During the summer holidays many families with children under five enjoyed the playschemes. These have increased to eleven venues with 29 sessions. This year, the Book Bus visited some of the sessions.

The Association continues to liaise with other organisations, both statutory and voluntary. This year’s new initiatives have included:

• Jenny Snook, Dental Health Education, who has visited several Parent and Toddler groups to explain and answer questions on dental hygiene
• The chairperson has represented the voluntary sector with Sue Bruton from the National Childbirth Trust on the Southampton and South West Hampshire Health Authority Maternity and Neo-natal Services Strategy Group
• Together with the Parent and Toddler Association (South-East Hants), we have given advice to groups in other parts of the country on how to set up a Parent and Toddler Association

The main fundraising event of 1991 was a cake sale held at Ocean Village. All the cakes were donated by our member groups and we were delighted with the response.

At the Annual General Meeting in May 1992 we were proud to launch the “Penguin Logo”. As part of the launch we held a fun day at Hoglands Park.

1992 also saw the launch of a new fun time on the west side of Southampton. The venue was Oaklands Community School and soon saw 50 families regularly enjoying this activity.

The Southampton Toy Library and the Southampton Parent and Toddler Association amalgamated to become Community Playlink Children’s Charity (CPL).