Culcheth mum launches campaign to save Birchwood creche (From Warrington Guardian)

Culcheth mum launches campaign to save Birchwood creche

11:52am Monday 8th February 2010

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A MUM has launched a campaign to keep creches open at all council run leisure centres.

Julia Trickett was outraged when she found out that Warrington Borough Council plan to close the creche at Birchwood Leisure Centre along with others at places like Fordton in Orford.

The 39-year-old from Culcheth only found out when she went along to sign up herself and five-month-old Rebecca up to the leisure centre and creche.

She said: "I can't join and exercise unless it has a creche. I spoke to another mum who I recognised and I asked her if she knew and she was unaware.

"There are no posters there and I asked the staff they said they were unaware. They told me there was a 30 day consultation period but where unaware when that ended."

The consultation period had ended in January but this has not stopped Julia from mobilising support from other mums in the town who are going to lose out on the opportunity to use gym facilities without having to find family, friends or even other professionals to look after their children.

She adds that the creche facilities at leisure centres should not be scrapped as it offers mums the chance to stay healthy and set an example to their children on how to lead active lifestyles.

Julia said: "I put on three stone during pregnancy, one is doing it for post natal depression and one mum has her daughter there to make friends. It's setting an example and they say mums should so more and we did.

"I don't understand why they don't target something else as it fits in with their aims and their corporate plan. It's about reducing health inequalities."

But as she started her last gasp campaign to help save the creches she has faced some problems trying to raise awareness.

"The gym said they would not put a petition up for us," Julia added. "Being a mum you haven't got time to petition, it's been really hard work."

So now she has set up a Facebook group for mums to join up to and has asked people to email both their MP and the chief executive of the council, Diana Terris after the group were told that they have until Monday to collect support for their campaign despite the consultation already closing.

If you would like to add your support visit the group 'Fit Warrington Women Need Their Creches' on Facebook.

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