New before and after school programme launching soon for Whanganui families

Whanganui parents and whānau with primary-aged tamariki will soon have a new option for before and after school care, with a new service set to launch at the Whanganui Boys and Girls Gym Club.

The programme will be run out of the gym club facility at Springvale Park during school terms, Monday to Friday, offering 20 places in each morning or afternoon session.

Morning sessions will run from 7:00am-9:00am, including a nutritious breakfast before drop-off at school. Afternoon sessions will run from 3:00pm – 5:30pm, with tamariki picked up from school and brought to the club for a range of engaging activities.

WBGGC operations manager Annette Cox says the programme builds on the club’s experience running school holiday activities for years.

“Our popular holiday programmes already provide a range of activities for Whanganui tamariki during school term breaks, so our families are familiar with our staff and facilities, and this is just a natural extension of what we have been doing.”

“With a lack of options available to parents in that before and after school care space, creating a programme like this makes sense,” says Annette.

The programme will include opportunities to participate in games, crafts, baking, and sports, like what is offered in the holiday programmes, and at a similar cost.

“We want kids to have fun and be active, and this is a way for us to support whānau during those busy before and after school times by offering a safe and enriching space for their tamariki, helping both kids and their parents.”

The club has appointed a programme leader and is currently hiring an additional part-time assistant/driver, aiming for a late May launch.

Once staffing is finalised, registrations will open on the club’s website whanganuigymclub.co.nz. In the meantime, whānau can express their interest and receive updates via this form bit.ly/WBGGC-interest.

The cost to register a child is $19 per morning session and $28 per afternoon. Bookings are made online through the gym club website ahead of each term on a first in, first serve basis. WINZ subsidies are available.

For more information, contact Annette Cox at admin@whanganuigymclub.co.nz or phone 06 345 867.

ABOUT WBGGC

The Whanganui Boys & Girls Gym Club is a non-profit charitable trust established in 1957 and is governed and supported by Sport Whanganui. The club is affiliated to Gymnastics New Zealand and provides a range of gymnastics programmes as well as running a popular holiday programme each school holidays for 5–13-year-olds.