On the day there will be children’s art work on display as well as a silent auction of collaborative works from all age groups from nought to 12.

There will also be entertainment from the always popular ‘Oops the Clown’ and a free jumping castle.

Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch or food and beverages will be available for purchase including sausage and steak sandwiches, fresh brewed coffee with a snacks van and snow cones.

All the fun will get started at 11am and run until 3pm.

For more information, call the centre on 4990 2687.

The centre’s 50 year anniversary marks half a century at their current site on Dudley Street, Cessnock.

From humble beginning, the idea of providing the area with its first pre-school and kindergarten was first raised by an Olivia Lawson, who with a committee of mothers met on July 7, 1956 to instigate the formation of a centre.

By 1958, the group was allocated a room in the building of the Cessnock Police Boys Club and the first sessions began.

During 1961 the topic of a preschool became quite a political one, with lots of publicity for and against the building of a centre.

At that year’s Cessnock show the committee erected a tent and collected 800 names of parents in favour of a pre-school.

By 1962 the council allocated a block of land in Dudley Street but was unable to help financially.

With donations from the Joint Coal Board and a loan from the Commonwealth Bank, the remainder of the balance came from the committee’s own funds and further donations from the service clubs, firms and citizens of Cessnock.

The Preschool building was built by Turnbull and Sons and opened by the Chairman of the Joint Coal Board, Sam Cochran, on March 3, 1963.

At the time it catered for 36 children, with one session in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Over the years the services of the centre grew and expanded and in 1981 a grant allowed for the construction of the Long Day Care building, with the centre officially registered as Cessnock Multi-Purpose Children’s Centre in 1983.

Today, their services include nursery and long day care, out of school hours care, occasional care and vacation care.

They are still a non-profit, community based organisation who have now been caring for over three generations of local families.

The centre welcomes everyone in the community to come along and help celebrate the special occasion.