New community playgroup offers fun for kids and connection for parents and carers

Ragamuffins Playtime is a new community playgroup that’s hoping to bring kids and their parents and carers together for fun and friendship.

Ragamuffins is created and hosted by members of Orange Evangelical Church; part of the church’s ministerial outreach.

“So we’ve been blessed at Orange Evangelical with this beautiful, new building and what we want to do is to use it to serve the community in all sorts of different ways,” Ragamuffins committee member Lydia Smith said.

Orange Evangelical Church opened its purpose-built ministry centre in June last year. The large church building includes a spacious, sunlight hall that will be the home of the Raggamuffins play group.

“As you can see, the kids are having a lovely time,” Lydia said at a ‘soft launch’ of the play group last week.

“It’s a little bit different from a standard playgroup in that we incorporate some developmental and educational activities. So we’ve got sensory play, we’ve got fine motor skill craft — all sorts of things because we’ve got such a creative and talented team and we’ve had lots of input from different people.”

Lydia, who is a former teacher, librarian, and children’s storyteller said there will be a different theme at the playgroup each week, some of which will include guests from the community

“Every term we will have community visitors, so in this third term, we’ve got Jess Hislop, who is a children’s author and illustrator,” Lydia explained.

“And in the fourth term, Lorraine Moxey, who’s with the Orange Symphony Orchestra, she’s going to be presenting a musical musical segment for the kids with lots of different types of violin music for the kids to enjoy and dance to and appreciate.”

The playgroup costs $5 per family for a casual visit, which includes a fruit platter for morning tea, or just $30 if you pay for the whole term.

Lydia said the idea behind the playgroup is to not only provide a fun, weekly activity that kids look forward to, but also a place where parents and carers can meet others and form connections and friendships.

“We are very aware that a lot of young families move here away from family and so it’s important for them to make good, warm connections in the community. We’re really hoping that Ragamuffins will be one of those places,” Lydia said.

“We want carers and grandparents, dads and mums to know that it’s a really quality program and they’re going to be warmly welcomed and make lots of friends.”

Ragamuffins Playtime will be held at the Orange Evangelical Church (OEC), 2 Cottonwood Way, every Friday during the school term.

To book a place or find out more, contact Lydia Smith or Kristy Marshall on ragamuffins@oechuch.org.au, or visit www.oechurch.org.au/ragamuffins

SATURDAY 15TH JULY, 6.50AM FOR 7AM START, FINISH 8.20AM

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DRAWN WEDNESDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER 2023

Local doctor and Orange City Councillor, Dr Steve Peterson will be the guest speaker at this month’s Orange City Christian Men’s Breakfast on Saturday, July 15, at the Duntryleague Golf Club. The monthly event is about enabling men to connect around some fun, fellowship and sharing of life and faith over a very tasty breakfast, in a wonderful setting.

RSVP by phone or SMS your name and those you want to come along with by 7pm Wednesday, July 12, to: Michael Middleton on 0418 435 250; or Mal Rankin on 0427 200 453. Please inform us of any dietary requirements.