1 o'clock Club - Peckham Rye NEEDS SAVING

[aceface]

I discovered today from one of the lovely staff at Peckham Rye One O'clock Club that sadly they are being threatened with closure. The closure is likely to be as soon as April 2012....Start of the new budget year. I have searched on here for any activity regarding saving this most needed community childrens centre and other than info re the Crystal Palace One O'clock Club closure, I am unable to find anything. Myself and 2 other Mum's I got chatting to today are keen to start petitioning, I have no idea what I am doing so thought I would start here to see if I can get some interest, advice and basically start the ball rolling. I was told we need to start getiing names and signatures of at least 500/600 people to send to Parliament and get their attention. Further down the line perhaps get the South London Press to cover the story, also approach Harriet Harman our Peckham Rye MP and James Barber. People we need to stop this place from closing, but in doing so need some serious help. If anyone has started such a petition please let me know as I am willing to help in which ever way is possible and I have other Mum's willing to do the same. PLEASE HELP!!!

[Tinkerbell.]

I guess e-petition is the simplest one and easy to do:

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/

[aceface]

Thanks Tinkerbell, I have just signed one up...it needs to be checked and I have to wait for an email confirmation and will post the link. Aparently 100,000 signatures are required before it can be debated in the House of Commons...I was also of thinking of heading out with a clip board petition when I do my daily rounds of the parks and shops! Going to need lots of help me thinks!!!

[aceface]

Checking for the validity of e-petition can take up to 7 working days...will post as soon as I have the green light.

[Fuschia]

How does this fit with the sat info posted, that it was hoped ivy dale children's centre would take it over? has that changed?

[aceface]

Hey Fuschia, was not privy to that info...like I said in my original thread I only found out today about the threatened closure and tried to find info surrounding this on here and beyond. The staff were keen to get anyone to pick up the fight to keep it open, not only for the their jobs, infact they didn't even mention that, it was more for the services it offers. The Ivydale centre has been running a while and I have friends that use it frequently and having been there too is extremely good and well equiped (quite a trek for me though!). If I recall the external area they have does not offer the space the 1 o'clock does and the variety of external toys and climbing frames. Surely closing the Peck Rye 1 o'clock club would still be detrimental to childrens play groups in Southwark, it would certainly put pressure on places like the Ivydale Centre and health and safety would prevent large numbers. I have been turned away from the Ivydale Centre due to over popularity. The beauty of the 1 o'clock club is the hours it is open and the "drop in" attendees it satisfies over the period of the 3+hrs it's opened for. (Which has already been reduced from 5 days to 3). I am a stay at home mum and rely on such places as I can't afford to pay for 30min - 1hr activities that you find around here that are privately run. I have never been turned away from the 1 o'clock club due to over capacity and suspect that would happen should they merge it with the Ivydale Centre.

Do you know how this would work then?

[mumra]

Brilliant aceface. We need someone to campaign for this as it is terrible that this is being considered when it is such a valuable resource. Although I rarely use the club now, it was source of salvation on a grey day and a much needed break from my own 4 walls. I will happily sign up for any petition - let me know when live.

[Dodie]

Thanks, aceface. Completely agree. Here is a previous discussion....

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,768025,page=1

I know Renata Hamvas (local Labour councillor) was quite involved in this issue and would certainly be a first point of call (she is active on the forum).

I will certainly sign any petition.

[Fuschia]

Ace face, the idea was that the facility stays where it is but is by managed by ivy dale

There has been a lot of discussion about it on here

[Fuschia]

This was the latest

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,768025,801690#msg-801690

I was one of the people who attended the meeting in December

I presume the plan as fallen through then, how worrying

[aceface]

Hey Fuschia, thanks for highlighting the thread....I probably only saw save the Crystal Palace One O'Clock Club threads and probably didn't look far enough back. Looks like no info has been added since Dec re the Ivydale Centre taking over. I think I'll try and get in touch with Renata Hamvas. I really got the wrong end of the stick when I read they would take over! It has gone worryingly quiet and it certainly wasn't brought up in the conversation I had with the staff yesterday. I suppose keeping the discussion fresh and going proves a need for the 1 o'clock club so I certaily wont let it drop.....hope you guys and more are on board. I new and improved building would be fabulous!

[aceface]

I have just inboxed Renata Hamvas to see what progress has been made and our concerns... I'll let you know what rsponse I receive....

[Fuschia]

I am wondering if the ivydale plan involves using their own staff and sacking the one o'c club staff

This didn't come up at the meeting, though there was concern that the free access afternoons at no charge should continue

[aceface]

Had a reply from Renata....

Hi Sarah,

I haven't had an update, so I presume the negotiations are still ongoing, but I will chase this up and get back to you next week.

Kind regards

Renata

[aceface]

I have no more news but a friend found this on Facebook....Please can you all comment or LIKE...Thanks!Save The 1 O'Clock Club - Facebook Page

[aceface]

Thanks admim for the speediest thread move I have ever seen!

[aceface]

Going to chase up the situation today, slightly disappointed by the lack of enthusiasm, support and concern the threat of this closure is having. With the large volume of babies and toddlers in and around East Dulwich/Peckham etc I had hoped lots of like minded people would at least comment....350+ people may have looked at this thread (10 of which is me dropping in and out - at least!) but very few have taken the time to add their thoughts. Surely someone must have some info or want to express their poitive/negative feelings on the subject. If this place is being discussed then someone who has the authority to keep this place functioning will see the community wants this place to remain operating or develop what already exists. Come on "January Blues" are over and now so is my rant!

[alieh]

I really want to support this, just not sure how! Will add support on the Facebook page. This is one of the only free afternoon activities in the area that I find is great both for babies and toddlers/pre-schoolers. The activity calendar is weighted in favour of morning activities and things that are better for babies and younger toddlers.

Perhaps it would be reasonable to have a small charge for it, similar to other programmes (i.e. Salvation Army in Camberwell), on a pay-what-you-can basis (suggested maybe ?1 or ?2 max) but certainly not on the scale of ?6 or whatever the number was that would cover all of the operating costs.

Would more people use it if it opened earlier? I know there was a long period where we didn't go because my son napped during the whole time. Now that he has dropped his nap, we have started going again. If it opened 11-4 maybe the incremental costs would be outweighed by increase in use? Could we look into the option of complementing staff with volunteers as well? I think there is an awareness issue as the inside bit of the 1:00 club has a lovely area for babies with mats, etc. but I don't think that many people know about it.

Not sure but very keen to help keep it operating if I can!

[nikki73]

Aceface thanks for reviving this thread. Also very keen for the club to keep on going for all the reasons mentioned above. There are so few free activities nowadays. the club is particularly useful for me as I have 2 under 3 and it is difficult to find somewhere suitable for both kids. And if I have to pay for 2 it all adds up very quickly. Was just waiting for Renata's update before posting.

[aceface]

Thanks Alieh and Nikki73 and for the previous commentors, I couldn't agree with you more. Other than what I am and have done so far I am also unsure what to do next. My daughter is a late riser so i too find it difficult to find afternoon activities and would be lost if the One O'Clock Club closes. I still haven't heard back from Renata and am still awaiting the e-petition to go live...which I will post as soon as, meanwhile I just don't want the subject to drop off radar! Thanks guys, lets just keep speading the word....

[Fuschia]

I am very keen it stays open and attended a meeting held there in December. But we need to know the outcome of the plan for ivydale to take it ove, and on what basis, beforewe know what we might be fighting against...

[Fuschia]

I am very keen it stays open and attended a meeting held there in December. But we need to know the outcome of the plan for ivydale to take it ove, and on what basis, beforewe know what we might be fighting for

[Fuschia]

I am very keen it stays open and attended a meeting held there in December. But we need to know the outcome of the plan for ivydale to take it ove, and on what basis, beforewe know what we might be fighting for

[sunbob]

Aceface "disappointed by the lack of enthusiasm, support and concern the threat of this closure is having."

As you can see from the links to previous threads written before you discovered this, there is much enthusiasm, support and concern from people who, like you, are now awaiting an update.

[oimissus]

Aceface "disappointed by the lack of enthusiasm, support and concern the threat of this closure is having."

I never use 1 o'clock clubs, simply because my 2 year old is asleep when they take place (this has been the case since she turned 1). She sleeps between 1/1.30 - 3/3.30, so even if we weren't quite a walk from any 1 o'clock club (we're a good half hour fast walk at least from this one, and our closer one has closed already), we would never use it - and talking to NCT friends with similar aged children, they are the same - the clubs are open when the children are asleep. 3.30, maybe 3 if it's close, is the earliest I can get to anything in the afternoon. I feel that they are mainly geared up to those with a very little one and / or an older child who has dropped their lunchtime nap - which is of course fair enough - but for those with just 1 pre-school child, there is pretty much bugger all to do in the afternoons (presumably because places don't think it's worth doing things later because of the school run). If they could be persuaded to lengthen their opening hours that might help in the fight to save it?