About 5/6 years ago, I went to one of the first surestart centres, I went there to see a MW choosing their MWs over the ones at my GP surgery as the service had a brilliant reputation even though it meant going into the 'dodgy' bit of town (I was only just in their catchment).
They had a healthy eating cafe, serving cheap meals that contained vegetables and was busy. This was an area where the choice was a kebab shop, a fish and chip shop or an expensive indian takeaway unless you got a bus, there was a small co-op and a newsagents (btw. just to get an impression several shops stayed boarded up all day long the place was seen as that rough).
They had a MW clinic, drop in every week, these MWs would come to hosp and deliver you or do homebirths, sometimes even doing early labour at home then transfering in. An up to one baby group, with dentists/dietician/cloth nappy experts visiting with freebies and advice. A health visitors drop in clinic (where the sold formula in exchange for milk tokens, there literally was no where else local that sold it cheap enough, people were pref watering down the milk). A bfing cafe.
Then they had extended the library opposite for older kids, with a garden and a special section with a stairgate to prevent escapees and little toilets. They did music sessions with a fruit snack and an outdoor playtime there. They were books to borrow and a toy library.
There was also evening fitness classes for mums. They had links to another childrens centre at a local school with a creche, and would send people to do classes there (like first aid). The creche was cheap enough some mums would use it to go shopping (especially if they were on benefits there was some kind of discount)
The staff were the best, highly qualified (like a mw who was also a HV etc) and really lovely to boot. It made a huge difference to the community, there was something every day to do, and even if there was no activity at that time you could go and sit in the cafe.
I moved towns and have never seen anything as good. I have been to areas where the facilities are superior, larger but the staff just don't seem to care they way the forst group did. One centre seemed so insular, it didnt adevertise anything it did, so there was hardly anybody there for anything. DH went to a Sat mroning dads thing once (near impossible to find out about) and he was one of three dads there, one of whom was there hiring out the soft play and bouncy castle type stuff.....