Little tots from a play school in Peel celebrated the group’s 30th year of doing a ’sponsored toddle’.

Peel Playgroup organisers were surprised to discover that the annual charity walk had reached this milestone anniversary after finding a newspaper cutting from the Peel City Guardian about the initiative in 1989.

This year about 40 children, aged two to five, together raised £1,100, with half going towards the charity Isle of Play and the other half to be used for resources at their play group.

Sarah Vincent, who manages the daycare facility at the Philip Christian Centre on Derby Road, said: ’We were really excited to know it had been going for a really long time. We didn’t realise it. I’ve been here for three years and others 14 years.

’The newspaper piece was found when looking through some files.

’We’re now at the point where those people who did the walk 30 years ago are seeing their children doing it, which is lovely.’

The walk begins from the bowling green at the end of Marine Parade. From there, the children go along the length of the promenade to the bridge just before Fenella beach and then make their way back again.

Along the way the children had an essential pit stop where juice and biscuits were shared out.

In the 1989 newspaper cutting, it reads: ’Children always seem to enjoy dressing up and seldom lose the opportunity of showing off in grandmother’s hat or a romantic piece of jewellery from mother’s dressing table.

’The recent sponsored walk and fancy dress competition arranged by the Peel Playgroup provided one of these magic moments and our photographer was on hand to capture the spirit of the occasion.’

The well-established playgroup focuses on being part of Peel’s community, Sarah said.

’We’re trying to have our uniqueness as a community playgroup that’s not just looking after our own families, but also the people of Peel,’ she continued.

’It’s in a great location for that. The Philip Christian Centre has always been an education facility.’

Isle of Play, which the group chose to support, is a new charity that helps children enjoy their ’right to play’ by providing stimulating activities in areas around the island through its school holiday mobile play scheme, forest school, adventure playground and other initiatives.