Help - the 1 O'Clock club needs you

[Steph]

Hi Everyone

I was chatting to Maureen yesterday (The Manager at Peckham Rye 1 O'clock club) and she was saying how the 1oclock club needs all the support it can get in order for them not to close down.

One of the things that would help is if they can form a descent committee made up of the parents who visit the club. Being part of the committee would involve nothing other than the odd meeting (4 times a year) to discuss improvements, needs etc..

She said if they get enough support, obviously not just based on this, then that club alone might be kept open. Probably not the others though which is really sad.

So please can you join the committee? You just need to email your name and address to

[email protected]

and maybe Cc Maureen in so she is aware of the responses [email protected] - you can also ask Maureen for more info on it if you want as I know I have been a bit vague.

Honestly its hardly any commitment at all given the lifeline the 1oclock club gives to parents.

Cheers

Steph

[Gussy]

Done. Will do all I can to help as this place is a life saver and its too far for us to go to any other 1 o clock clubs.

[Fuschia]

Done. I have some knowledge of building issues/budgets etc that might be useful too.

[nunheadmum]

Done too. I work at senior level in a charity so may have some skills that can help. I have offered assistance before and got no response - lets hope this time they manage to get something going.

[hpsaucey]

Would also like to help! Don't know how I'd have survived without the club! I work part time at the Science Museum, so some experience of public service/working with kiddies.

Helen

[Steph]

Thanks everyone! I showed all of your responses to Maureen today and she was over the moon! Fingers crossed it comes to something x

[Renata Hamvas]

Hello everyone,

I am one of the Local Councillors for Peckham Rye Ward. We are aware of how important this facility is for local families.

I have been in contact with Children's services at Southwark Council. There are no plans to close the facility down but to change the way it is organised. Currently, it is directly run by the council, but it is planned that during 2012 the running of the Facility will pass to another group (probably a local Children's centre). It may be run in conjunction with other groups eg local voluntary organisations. This should lead to a greater number of activities being held in the club house for local families.

Renata

Labour Councillor For Peckham Rye Ward

[email protected]

02075255223

Peckham Rye Ward Surgeries

1st Friday of the Month-Rye Hill Estate TRA Hall, Peckham Rye SE15 6.30-7.30pm

2nd Saturday of the Month-East Dulwich Community Centre, 46-64 Darrell Rd SE22 10-11am (not in August)

4th Thursday of the Month-Nunhead Library, Gordon Rd SE15 6.30-7.30pm (3rd Thursday in December)

[edanna]

Thanks Renata, is this something on which they will consult users of the club and staff?

[ratty]

Does the one o clock club need a user group to represent us parents??

[Fuschia]

Has anyone had their email acknowledged?

[Gussy]

No email contact here yet...

I'm glad it won't be closing that's great. I just hope it doesn't change too much and go down the route of providing timetabled activities that can be restrictive as with some children's centres. One of the joys of the club is that it's open every day and its a drop in from 1-4pm come rain or shine (no half terms, inset days, bank holidays etc etc). And it is for EVERYONE. I struggle as it is to 'get into' bookstarts, playgroups, music classes etc if I'm not there on the dot at say 10am, where you are often greeted with 'NO FULL'. I love that you can just pop in and out and bring food and meet friends and it's all very relaxed.

So, I DO hope they consult us parents first for our input if the format is going to change.

[Ko]

Renata Hamvas Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hello everyone,

> I am one of the Local Councillors for Peckham Rye

> Ward. We are aware of how important this facility

> is for local families.

>

> I have been in contact with Children's services at

> Southwark Council. There are no plans to close the

> facility down but to change the way it is

> organised. Currently, it is directly run by the

> council, but it is planned that during 2012 the

> running of the Facility will pass to another group

> (probably a local Children's centre). It may be

> run in conjunction with other groups eg local

> voluntary organisations. This should lead to a

> greater number of activities being held in the

> club house for local families.

> Renata

>

> Labour Councillor For Peckham Rye Ward

> [email protected]

> 02075255223

Hi Renata, thanks very much for coming onto this thread. Plesae can you tell us how the transfer to a Children's Centre for running will affect the services currently provided?

As Gussy quite rightly points out, one of the best aspects of the current Peckham Rye One O'Clock Club is its drop in nature and flexibility. Personally I hope that its not going to go the way of scheduled activities at certain times only, which one has to sign up for / apply for a (perhaps free?) place (like what happened I think at the Leapers Rye Oak Centre - at that time, a great number of parents expressed on this forum their dismay at the withdrawal of the free, drop in activities and the introduction of a more rigid schedule and application process put in place).

Please can you explain exactly what is planned. Only by knowing this can the local community be engaged and comment on the changes planned - at the moment we seem to be in the dark apart from various rumours.

Many thanks

[nunheadmum]

Ko - do you mean Ivydale or Leapers at Rye Oak? Other than singing, I don't know of other sessions that are controlled in any way other than at worst, first come first served. But I don't use much more than playground so may be missing something.

[Ko]

hi nunheadmum - just had a look back and it was Leapers at Rye Oak (sorry for any confusion!) - here is a link to the thread at that time:

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,418449,433750#msg-433750

it seems that what happened there was to do with surestart and i can see the argument from both sides. i guess that many people now using the PR one o'clock club do not want to find its facilities effectively 'withdrawn' by the introduction of something like an application procedure etc.

the main thing is that the council obviously have plans for changes and i'm asking for details of those plans to be shared so that there can be community involvement in what is happening.

[sandy78]

Done!

[Renata Hamvas]

Dear all,

sorry, I haven't been on here since my last post- half term! I have three children and therefore very aware of the need to have facilities for young children and to keep their parents sane! The consultation and changes aren't going to happen for a while (next year), and nothing has been firmed up yet. When I know more I will post it here. What I do know, is that the facility needs to be used for more than just a one o clock club. it is good that you are forming a parents group and thanks for your emails (and those of you who have approached me in the playground too). In terms of the rebuilding project, it will cost about 400k to rebuild the facility. 200k were earmarked and the rest was due to come from Surestart and Playbuilder. This money has been pulled, so the rebuild is up in the air at the moment. The problem has been that the cuts are huge and have come so fast. Not only those that affected the council's budget directly, but other ones such as Surestart.

Once I know more I would happy to meet up with parents at the one o clock club to discuss.

Renata

Cllr Renata Hamvas

Labour Councillor for Peckham Rye Ward

[Gussy]

Hi Renata, thanks for you reply. I (and probably many of us) had no idea that there was a rebuilding project planned. It does sound like this won't happen though (yes I feel fairly pessimistic in this current climate). If it doesn't get the go ahead, will alternatives be looked at? Is the building failing? I know its old, but is there a chance it can be maintained? How about volunteer run? It does seem to be a waste that it's not used for anything other than the 1oclock club. Have you thought of a fund raising event or perhaps even a small charge applied for it's use? I know I'd rather pay a small amount than have it closed down, for example. Anwyay, as you say there's plenty of time, but just wanted you to know that there's a lot of passionate people out there supporting the place and I would hate for a sudden 'from the top' decision to close it if the funding falls through.