Support the play service

Published: 9 December, 2010

• PLOT 10 Community Play Project has been an integral part of the Somers Town community for almost 40 years.

Their motivated and committed staff provide a diverse and inclusive service which builds the self-esteem and confidence of children. 

My son has attended their Breakfast Club and After School Club for five years. The staff deliver the children safely to school and collect them, which enables me to go to work in the knowledge that my son is in a safe environment, where he is well looked after.

I was interested to read in the news that the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has reported that over half of the UK’s children living in poverty have working parents.  

If play schemes in Camden close, this could potentially increase my childcare costs threefold and I am sure many local families are in a similar situation.

I fear that the cuts to play service will lead to some working parents in Camden having to leave their children unsupervised outside school hours as demand for dependable, affordable childcare will undoubtedly exceed the available facilities.

Please support Plot 10 project and the Camden play service.

K MATTHEWS, Burton Place, WC1

• I AM outraged and disgusted by the decision to close children’s services in Camden.

My nine-year-old daughter has used Gospel Oak nursery, Talacre Action playgroup and Hampstead Heath adventure playground for years.

Talacre in particular is a very positive, friendly, supportive place, loved by parents and children and is used by at least 50 children during holidays.

The withdrawal of these services will affect thousands of hard working families across the borough, not to mention all the job losses.

Cutting services will deeply affect families on lower incomes and vulnerable sections of Camden’s society.

SHANNON KYLE
Haverstock Road, NW5

• STOP the proposed closures of after-school club facilities in Camden, particularly my local play centre at Coram’s Fields.

I rely on this fantastic place. I am a lecturer at Reading University, and need to have an affordable and reliable after-school facility for my son to attend three times a week. It will be devastating when this centre is closed. People will become cut off from one and other and we will have to leave jobs to look after our children – stay-at-home parents relying on state money rather than tax paying workers.

HANNAH SAWTELL
Foundling Court, WC1