A LONG-running group for babies and toddlers in Bracknell celebrated its silver anniversary last weekend. 

Sparklers has offered a safe place for toddlers to play for more than 25 years and recently marked it's latest milestone with a birthday party for families to enjoy at the Kerith Community Church.

With face painting, cake and games Caroline Hanbury, the founder of the group, said the afternoon went 'really well'. 
She ran the group for 13 years before returning to teaching, but says she is incredibly proud it has continued to thrive. 

She said: "We had lots of people here and we were busy all day, some people who came 20 or 25 years ago turned up. We had one man who was a toddler here himself and he brought along his own daughter. It's really lovely to see them all these years later.

"We have 100 families on the books now and I think it's really great the group it still going. I think sometimes when people have babies and are stuck at home they can often feel quite isolated or lonely.

"It's great that people have somewhere they can come out to use the facilities, and meet others and meet friends, somewhere that's clean and safe, that's very important to us in the church."