Launch of new sandpit play area will celebrate National Childminding Week

FUN, new play facilities at the popular Cleethorpes sandpit will be launched as part of National Childminding Week celebrations.

North East Lincolnshire Council will host the event on June 20, opening up a pirate galleon, a play train and stepping logs, offering childminders and children a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the summer.

Part funded by the Big Lottery Fund, the new additions to the sandpit represent only a section of the forthcoming Cleethorpes Play Trail which will lead parents, carers and their children along the promenade. As families follow yellow duck footprints they will encounter a host of exciting activities including mazes, gardens and the newly reopened Ross Castle.

National Childminding Week, which runs from June 16 to 20, aims to raise awareness of the valuable work done by childminders and nannies. They provide education, enjoyment and engaging activities for the children in their care, often by utilising local facilites, and North East Lincolnshire has some of the most dedicated and successful Childminders in the country, with several receiving outstanding marks in recent OfSTED inspections.

Councillor Margaret Cracknell, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, said: “National Childminding Week is a time for us to really show our appreciation for all the amazing work our local childminders do. Their enthusiasm, energy and success are a credit to the borough and, for that, I applaud them.

"I am also keen to see the completion of the Cleethorpes Play Trail and witness the enjoyment it will bring to local children first hand. I look forward to its further development with complete pleasure.”

Reinvigorating Cleethorpes seafront, the Play Trail will also offer a wonderful way to keep children active and promote a healthier lifestyle. The Play Trail is set to be officially opened in mid July in time for the busy summer season.