But the scheme is developing from there. King says that because supermarkets are distant from the area, one aim is to help teach parents about nutrition by starting a centre which serves and sells cheap, nourishing foods. In Billesley, local people were anxious to expand an existing facility with a good reputation, the Chinnbrook Children and Parents' Project. Billesley has got off to a flying start because there is an existing community centre on which to graft. Sure Start's physical presence there at the moment is a ground-floor office in a block of flats.
King works there, and has set aside part of the room for a play area.
Plans for a purpose-built centre are still on the architect's drawing board. She is not daunted, but says that getting the structure in place is hard work. Unlike other cities, none of the places of worship or community groups in Ladywood run groups for the under-fours and their parents. So everything has to start from scratch. Ladywood is in the process of appointing most of the 30 staff to its team.