A MOBILE crèche service has proved so successful that its organisers are planning to expand the service.

The Bulwell Community Toy Library set up its mobile crèche in 2010 to give public sector and voluntary organisations a method to provide affordable childcare.

Two members of staff visit work places with toys and equipment, which allows parents to leave their children supervised while they attend training courses or community events.

South Notts College family learning co-ordinator Claire Cullerton said the service had far-reaching benefits.

"It's fantastic," she said. "We use it for all our family learning programmes and it means that parents with young children can come along to the courses as well.

"As well as finding out what their children are taught in school and how they can support that at home, parents will also be offered the opportunity to develop their own literacy and numeracy skills and some will go on to get new qualifications."

Any organisation from the public or voluntary sector can access the mobile crèche service, including small community groups, for £33 an hour.

As long as the venue is suitable, the toy library can run a mobile crèche for children aged from nought to eight years anywhere in Nottingham.

The service includes qualified staff from the toy library to run the crèche, plus toys, games and activities, which are hand-picked to suit the needs of each crèche session.

Toy library project manager Steven Parkinson said: "We're keen to expand the mobile crèche service as it gives voluntary and public sector organisations an affordable way of providing childcare.

"We're all watching the pennies at the moment, so the crèche could help organisations save money.

"In addition, it also provides us with a small amount of extra income.

"After staff costs, the money we make from running the service is reinvested back into the toy library, which means the money goes towards running free play activities for children. In that way, everybody wins."

Any experienced childcare workers with an NVQ Level 2 or 3 who are interested in working for the mobile crèche should contact Steve Parkinson on 0115 975 3898 or email steve@toy-library.co.uk.