A childminder and Mansfield Woodhouse mum hopes her recently-launched group for all parents and young children will become a thriving community hub and cafe.

Helen Vale says her weekly stay and play event, based at the Old Meeting House, Mansfield, aims to bring everyone together and make them feel supported and included.

The group meets on Tuesdays, from, 9.30am to 11.30am, during term time.

Now it is planning a special event — a Halloween Stay and Play for everyone with Halloween snacks included, on Saturday, 30th October, from 10am to 12noon.

Helen said: “We are hoping to encourage lots of different people to come together from different communities and have had our posters translated into Romanian and Hungarian.

“The Halloween party is hopefully going to bring people from all different ages together. This will include children, the elderly and people from the Hungarian and Romanian communities.

“I have invited other organisations and hope to be able to have a really positive morning for our group and The Old Meeting House.”

Helen hopes the Halloween event, as well as her weekly stay and play sessions, will give people the chance to meet others and make friends.

“We want to make it inclusive for everyone, not just mums and toddlers but for people of all ages, all backgrounds and cultures,” she added.

“I wanted it to be accessible and affordable, as well as something that works inter-generationally and multi-culturally.

“Initially we wanted to provide a safe place where people could go to a café, have a coffee and chat with other adults, while the children played with a few toys and other children, but ultimately it will be a place for everyone to meet.”

Weekly sessions cost £2.50 per child, with extra children £1. There is no need to book.

The Halloween Party also costs £2.50 per child and there is no age limit.

Email Helen at [email protected] or go to Together Mansfield on Facebook or call 075438 37193.