Skipton children's centre, one of North Yorkshire County Council's flagship services, will celebrate its first year with an official opening and a carnival on Saturday. Cynthia Welbourn, the county council's Director of Children and Young People's service and other senior officers will launch the event for families and residents in the town.

The carnival will offer children and their parents and carers a range of activities including circus skills and musical instrument-making.

Skipton children's centre has been in operation for a year from a new multi-million pound "hub" in Brougham Street and three satellite sites at Ings primary school in Broughton Road; Otley Street and Greatwood. It now runs a comprehensive range of services in response to community needs.

As well as toddler groups and health care services, including a baby clinic with community midwives and health visitors, the children's centre has also been running music and movement classes for pre-school children, cookery classes for families in partnership with the county council's adult learning service, grandparent groups, first aid, basic skills training for carers and parents, baby massage, breastfeeding peer support and much more.

The children's centre also aims to develop an allotment garden for the children to grow vegetables and a programme of musical activities in the autumn in response to the children's wishes.

County Councillor Jim Clark, North Yorkshire's Executive Member for Schools and Early Years said: "Children's centres are a wonderful resource to support families and we are very proud of this flagship centre in Skipton. It is important, particularly in our market towns rural areas, that children do not miss out and that they have the opportunity for the best start in life. Children are the bedrock of our communities, and good schools and good early years' facilities are crucial to the sustainability of communities."

Heidi Farrar, Skipton children's centre manager said the open day offered families and other local residents a great opportunity to come and see what the children's centre had to offer. She said: "This centre is a great asset to the town and of benefit to all families. We want all parents and carers in our community to get involved here and to contribute it its development."

The carnival will be run in partnership with Brougham Street nursery school and will be open to the public from 10am – 1.30pm Saturday July 24th. People will be welcome to tour the children's centre and nursery and find out what's on offer.