A community space that supports forces families based at Kendrew Barracks in Rutland has undergone a complete refurbishment to improve its facilities.

The new space at Kendrew Barracks is used by military personnel and their families, offering free activities ranging from stay-and-play sessions for children to coffee mornings for parents.

It is supported by Rutland County Council's Visions Children's Centre team and volunteers.

The Children's Centre team also works closely with the Army's welfare team at Kendrew Barracks to provide support families who are posted to Rutland.

The refurbishment, which took around a month to complete and finished last month, includes a brand new soft play area for younger children.

A new reading space to support children's literacy has also been added, along with new toys and games to help promote learning through play.

The community space has also been completely repainted, while a small garden area has been cleared and new outdoor play equipment installed.

Army mum Holly has used the centre for the past two years and says the improvements will make a big difference to families: "It's great to have somewhere for children and parents to go on camp.

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"We come here every week for the sensory play sessions and it's good for children who are at an important stage in their development.

"I'm about three hours away from my family so it's also great for me and other parents to be able to meet and talk.

"The centre looks great and I'm sure the kids will love it.

"My youngest isn't at nursery yet so it's really good for them to have somewhere where they can interact with other children and learn to share and get more confident."

Councillor David Wilby, Cabinet Member for Early Years, said: "Visions Children's Centre is a fantastic resource that provides invaluable service and support for local families, including those based at Kendrew Barracks and St George's Barracks.

"The refurbishment here at Kendrew has been a great success.

"It means we can now provide a more varied range of activities for children, including weekly musical sessions and reading development programmes.

"Additionally, we will now be able to offer a more constant presence to support whole families."

The Visions Children's Centre team, which has had a presence at Kendrew Barracks since 2012, provides activities for children and families throughout Rutland, including at Oakham, Uppingham and St George's Barracks in North Luffenham.

To find out more about Visions Children's Centre or register your child, visit the website by clicking on the red button below.