Decades of fun and friendship bubbled through Ōtaki Playcentre recently as it celebrated 70 years of paint, playdough and parenting.
After beginning in a local hall in 1954 and having to pack away their gear after each session, the early Centre members fundraised heavily – including catering on weekends for a local conference centre – to raise the funds for their own building. This opened in 1975 and remains the Centre’s home today. It was here that around 70 people gathered to celebrate the 70th milestone.
One of the parents that helped organise and fundraise for the Centre’s own building was Aileen Lumley. She had four generations of her family at the celebration, all of whom have been involved with Playcentre.
Parents from across the decades took part in the celebrations in different ways – giving speeches, reading poetry, while a group of parents from the 1970s and 1980s added to the happy vibe by performing songs between speeches, accompanied by ukuleles.
Two founding members, Gladys Pearce and Thelma Pike, cut the celebratory cake. Gladys too had four generations of her family present, all of whom have been a part of the Playcentre movement.
Current Ōtaki Playcentre Mum Emma Thompson, who also attended the Centre as a child, says mums talk about how important Playcentre is in those early years, helping them to get out of the house, and helping to avoid things like postnatal depression.
“We as a community should feel so proud that Ōtaki Playcentre is still going strong after 70 years,” she said.
“These days many families send their children to daycares and other childcare centres as the pressure for both parents to work increases.
“However, Playcentre offers something different. Something special. It offers a community for families to become a part of. A place where parents can share their joys and the challenges that come with raising children and feel supported.”
There are currently around 25 children attending the centre, with three sessions run a week, one of which is a nature session. A session supervisor is employed to take the pressure off busy members.
And these days it’s not just busy mums coming along with their little ones, but dads and grandparents too. Former Ōtaki Kindergarten head teacher Sue Barrett is one of those grandparents, who attends now with her grandson Katoa, having also attended the Centre with her own children. Sue was part of the group that helped organise the event, with the planning led by former centre mum and session supervisor Tracey Hall.
Story by: Sonia Speedy, former Otaki Playcentre parent and reporter at FamilyTimes.co.nz
Ōtaki Playcentre member and 70th Anniversary event organiser Sue Barrett with Playcentre Aotearoa Manutaki Maurua (Co-Presidents), Heather Ruru and Hayley Kirk-Smith.
