40 years of community childcare: Newpark Family Resource Centre celebrate big birthday today

A local creche is celebrating 40 years of community childcare in Kilkenny today.

Newpark Family Resource Centre’s childcare facility opened back in 1977 with just a small number of women volunteering their time to look after local children.

There are now up to 170 babies and children catered for every day of the week by a staff of 17.

Manager Síle Donnelly told KCLR News she’s been with the centre for much of its four decades and childcare in Ireland has changed a lot in that time.

Junior Minister John Paul Phelan will be doing the honours at their event this afternoon – unveiling a sculpture by a woman who was once a child of the creche as well.

It all begins from 12 o’clock.