A GRASSROOTS group of parents are hoping their efforts to secure cash will allow them to run an improved children's centre service in Wantage and Grove.

The Wantage and Grove Parents Community Group has netted £10,000 each from Wantage Town Council and Oxfordshire County Council.

The mums and dads hope to run their own versions of three services which are about the lose council funding next month: a Monday 'bumps and beyond' session at the Beacon in Wantage, a Thursday 'little mark makers and musicians' session at Grove Parish Church, and regular postnatal courses.

They still need to raise more to afford the childcare professionals who take the classes, but are confident they can get their service up and running in March.

Campaign leader and mum-of-one Michelle Rozier said she hoped her group might even eventually be able to provide a better service than the council.

The 38-year-old, who has been going to local classes with her 11-month-old daughter Freya for the past year, said: "It is fantastic that the councils have put that money in.

"We've also had a lot of families volunteer to help keep these thing going, but we still need as much funding as we can get."

Mrs Rozier, who lives with husband John in Wantage, and said the classes helped her meet other local mums and dads to swap parenting tips.

But she said the childcare experts who run sessions can also spot health problems in toddlers, identify vulnerable families and even recognise postnatal depression.

Wantage mayor Steve Trinder said: "These facilities are well used by our community, and this is precisely why the town council increased the precept last year, as they foresaw the likelihood of cuts like these from the county and district councils.

"It is hoped that through this funding, together with other grants, Wantage and Grove Community-Led Children's Services will be able to continue the much-needed sessions and classes for parents and their offspring."

Mrs Rozier was helped to bid for funding by county councillors for Wantage and Grove Zoe Patrick and Jenny Hannaby.

Mrs Patrick said: "The group have worked tirelessly over many months trying to keep these very valuable services going in our community.

"We are pleased the councils have committed to fund us but it is vital that we secure more funding from councils, businesses and other sources to ensure that we can continue."

Oxfordshire County Council agreed to cut all funding to 31 of the county's 44 children's centres last February to save £8m.

At the time an estimated 19,500 under-fives used the centres on a regular basis.

The funding will finally cease next month and the council is replacing the centres with eight 'children and families centres', focused on the most vulnerable families, in Oxford, Banbury, Bicester, Didcot, Witney and Abingdon.

The county has also invited community groups wanting to run their own services to bid for cash from a £1m pot.

Join the Wantage and Grove campaign online at facebook.com/wantageandgroveparents