A Locks Heath children’s group has won a regional prize to recognise the hard work of parents and volunteers who give up their time to run the get-togethers.
Priory Park toddler group won parenting site Netmums.com’s favourite local toddler group award.
The group run at Priory Park Community Hall in Upper Brook Drive received a special certificate to display in their group for the win.
Priory Park came out top not only for the South West of Hampshire site but also won a regional award too, which was open to all local sites within the South East of England.
The group beat 277 toddler groups listed in South West Hampshire and more than 3,000 in the South East region.
Alison Smith, one of the mums who runs the group, said it had been running for around 20 years and there were some concerns the group would have to close because it was not getting enough children through the doors.
It had just four families with eight children attending the group at one point, but they have turned the group around and now have 30 children attending the weekly session.
“It was just amazing to win,” said the mother-of-two. “I couldn’t believe it.
“This time 18 months ago we had four families and we nearly closed the group because we weren’t doing particularly well. We’ve put so much effort into it.
“I’m so pleased because everyone gives up their own time.”
She said they invested money, raised and funded by Fareham council, into healthy snacks and a variety of activities and spreading the word to mums across the Western Wards.