Painting is a form of expression all children love and here Tony Law (left) and Neil Burton (both aged 3) show Mrs Gillian Weatherill just what fun they can have with a pot of paint.

Burnley's effort towards National Playgroup Week this week got off to a fine start on Saturday afternoon, 1st May 1971, with an open day at Elim Methodist Church. About 50 members of the public wandered around the church during the afternoon, and saw the playgroup functioning as it would on a normal day. They saw the 27 children painting, playing, climbing, and taking part in the various other activities a playgroup has to offer. On hand to explain the playgroup system were the group leader, Mrs Pat Gardener, and her staff of seven volunteers.

There are now about seven playgroups in the Burnley area, which between them cope with about 200 children. Mr Derek Smith, secretary of the Burnley playgroups said: "We are hoping to create as much interest in playgroups as possible, because at the moment people don't seem to know very much about them."