Joined-up working

Chipping Norton is a pretty market town in rural Oxfordshire which appears to be inhabited mainly by professional couples commuting to Oxford and Banbury, and some second homeowners. It seems an unlikely setting for the ACE Centre with its mission to support families facing issues like poverty, isolation and other typically urban issues. But Sue Clempson, the centre's charismatic director, confirms that 'there is a high level of poverty both in the town and in the surrounding villages. For example, there are lone parents living in the villages who are isolated, unemployed and stuck at home. Public transport is negligible. Families can easily end up feeling trapped in a pretty environment which has absolutely nothing for them.' ACE stands for Activities, Childcare and Education. The centre provides a multitude of services in each category, including a nursery school, a daycare nursery, a family centre, computer training, adult education, space for clubs and support groups. The centre also runs an afterschool and holiday club for children aged from four to 14.