Families living in rural areas can receive a helping hand from a new children's centre.

Ormiston Children's Centre for Birch and Rural officially opened at Birch Primary School on Friday, with a special ceremony for parents, staff and guests.

The project, which will be run by Ormiston Children and Families Trust and funded by the Government's Sure Start scheme, will offer midwifery, health, speech and educational support for the under fives and their parents.

It also hopes tocut the isolation somenew parents experiencein rural communities by providing a place to meet. The Trust which already runs five centres in Greenstead, St Anne's, New Town, Berechurch, Shrub End and Highwoods, is also planning outreach work in Tiptree, Mersea, Abberton, Langenhoe, Layer and Stanway..