Save Our Creche Services

Crèche Campaign Wrapped Up In The Guardian

2010-03-25T14:05:00.000-07:00

Today the Guardian launched a new local Edinburgh site and the end of the Save Our Crèches campaign was one of the featured articles.

You can see the article and hear the accompanying audio interview here.

Last Day of Crèche Services Tomorrow

2010-03-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

Just to remind you that Edinburgh Leisure's four remaining crèches close tomorrow. Down at Portobello this morning the team were sifting toys and chatting to visitors, as well as playing with their last few customers!

I'm sure you'll join with us in thanking all of the crèche staff for all they've done for us and our children over the years, and in wishing them very well for the future.

The End Of The Road

2010-02-24T12:19:00.000-08:00

Sadly, the campaign received news yesterday that the four remaining Edinburgh Leisure crèches are to close on 26 March 2010.

Edinburgh Leisure have confirmed that they will not trial a scheme proposed by the campaign, the intention of which was to charge enough to cover the cost of the crèche. This is in spite of the fact that many of you have said directly that you would pay more for the crèche. And in spite of the fact that a Council Motion to find an alternative way to provide crèches was passed unanimously in December. This has to raise serious questions about who exactly public bodies such as Edinburgh Leisure are accountable to. And it has to raise serious questions about how committed Edinburgh Leisure ever were to providing crèches long term.

This is clearly a very disappointing end to the campaign. It's also a blow to the health and wellbeing of women and children across the city, many of whom will now be excluded from leisure facilities which have been paid for with public money, and should be available to all.

Many, many thanks to all of you who joined the campaign. All that remains now is for us to support the fantastic crèche staff in the coming weeks - I'm sure all of you agree that they have done a sterling job and we, and our children, will miss them greatly.

That Council Budget Cut In Full...

2010-02-12T06:14:00.001-08:00

The campaign received confirmation yesterday that City of Edinburgh Council have gone ahead with the full proposed budget cut for Edinburgh Leisure - sadly there will be no money ringfenced for creche provision.

Clearly this isn't the news we were hoping for.

However, we are still awaiting a decision from Edinburgh Leisure as to whether or not they will pilot a new costing scheme proposed by the campaign.

A massive thank you to you all for your support so far, and if you can, please help by contacting Edinburgh Leisure to give your further support to the proposed costing plan - you can read details in the previous post. We're hopeful that it could really work!

Last Chance - Radical New Cost Neutral Proposal For Crèches

2010-02-06T12:16:00.000-08:00

Last chance to Save Our Crèches! A radical new cost neutral proposal for keeping the crèches open has been worked up by the on behalf of the campaign. Just as a reminder, this campaign has been backed by:

- the Royal College of GPs
- the Royal College of Midwives, and even
- City of Edinburgh Full Council themselves, in a motion passed on 17 December last year.

Deidre Brock, Convenor of the Council's Culture and Leisure Committee kindly agreed to meet Save Our Crèches to discuss any new proposals we had. These had to be cost neutral proposals that would enable the Full Council motion to be met, whilst also generating a saving to EL.

Therefore a completely new proposal has been worked up. You can view it here.

This proposal would enable Edinburgh to retain some crèches, at no further cost to Edinburgh Leisure and so should hopefully ‘tick all necessary boxes’ for CEC and EL. However, it's all down to Cllr Brock now to take forward!

Please give her your support (deidre.brock@edinburgh.gov.uk ) and show her that this is something YOU care about and not just the 5 of us who were able to meet her in person.

Save Our Crèches gets growing support in House of Commons

2010-02-02T03:49:00.000-08:00

We've just had an update from Mark Lazarowicz, MP about the progress of his Early Day Motion in the House of Commons. So far 13 MPs have signed the motion - you can see the details here.

Many thanks to all the MPs who have supported us!

Edinburgh Evening News - Councillors Need To Take Note!

2010-01-30T12:01:00.001-08:00

Please take a look at today's Edinburgh Evening News for coverage of the campaign's latest way of attracting the councillors' attention. We're working on persuading the councillors to ringfence the £130,000 Edinburgh Leisure say they need to subsidise the creches - and focussed on this by handing out "Bank of Hope" notes worth just that much to all of the councillors on Friday.

Let's keep hoping!

Full City of Edinburgh Council Meeting - Questions and Answers about Crèches

2010-01-28T03:50:00.000-08:00

Today there is a full meeting of City of Edinburgh Council. These are the details of questions and answers put to the Council about the Edinburgh Leisure Crèches.

If there are any further updates from this meeting, we'll be sure to let you know!

-----
Councillor Gordon Buchan
Scottish Conservative Councillor for Fountainbridge / Craiglockhart Ward

QUESTION NO 3
By Councillor Buchan to be answered by the Convener of the Culture and Leisure Committee at a meeting of the Council on 28 January 2010

Question (1)
Please advise in detail on the discussions held between the City Council, Edinburgh Leisure, Save our Crèches and third parties on examining ways to provide suitable crèche facilities at Ainslie Park, Gracemount, Portobello and Drumbrae sports centres.

Answer (1)
Edinburgh Leisure wrote to 97 nursery providers to alert them to the potential opportunity to operate a crèche service from within the above four Edinburgh Leisure facilities. In addition to this, an advert was placed in the Scotsman inviting expressions of interest.

Edinburgh Leisure has received 10 responses to these invitations and eight providers have requested further information and a meeting with Edinburgh Leisure.

To date, six meetings have been held with those who had expressed an interest. No formal interest has been noted in providing alternative crèche provision as of yet. Further meetings with potential providers are anticipated. Edinburgh Leisure has kept Council officers and the Convener of Culture and Leisure up to date with progress.

A meeting also took place with representatives of the crèche users [Save our Crèches] on Tuesday 19 January 2010 at which Edinburgh Leisure provided an update on progress in securing alternative service providers.

Question (2)
Please advise on the likelihood of crèche facilities remaining in operation for the next two financial years.

Answer (2)
Edinburgh Leisure has advised that there is no likelihood of crèche services presently provided by them remaining operational beyond March 2010. Discussions with third parties are ongoing.

Latest News - Edinburgh Leisure Explore Options

2010-01-27T12:38:00.000-08:00

Following on from our last post about the meeting between Save Our Crèches and Edinburgh Leisure, we've had some more news from Ken Harvey of EL.

Save Our Crèches, and some local councillors, asked in the meeting if EL had explored the possibility of working with Childcare Connections to continue the crèche service, specifically at Gracemount. Since then, EL and Childcare Connections have met and discussed this idea.

Childcare Connections exist to provide after school and school holiday care for children in the south of Edinburgh, and the external funding they receive subsidises this. They do provide "one-off" crèche services for events, but don't receive any subsidy for crèches and as a result they need to charge enough for crèche services to cover their costs. Given that all of the crèches are subsidised by EL at the moment, neither EL nor CC could find any way to run the EL crèches without some subsidy, so it would seem that this idea isn't going to work.

Discussions with North Edinburgh Childcare and SmileChildcare have had similar outcomes.

Not great news at the moment, but pleased to see signs of action!

Meeting with Edinburgh Leisure 19 January 2010 - Our Notes

2010-01-24T05:30:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday, 19 January, a group of us from the campaign had the chance to meet with Ken Harvey and Neil Brown from Edinburgh Leisure.

You can see our notes from the meeting here, together with figures that they provided later.

Let us know what you think...

FINAL PUSH TO SAVE OUR CRECHES

2010-01-17T15:15:00.000-08:00

Councillors decide in the next few days if they'll follow up on their words of support for our campaign (in the motion passed unanimously on 17th Dec 2009), by ringfencing £130,000 in their grant to Edinburgh Leisure to secure our crèche provision.

Please contact your councillors one last time to urge them to ring fence this cash.

We've made a video for councillors and everyone else to see. It's called 50 reasons... and you can watch it here. Please take a look and forward to others.

We meet Edinburgh Leisure on Tuesday to argue our case - watch this space for updates.

Decision Time Approaching - Please Act!

2010-01-15T14:19:00.000-08:00

It's coming up to final decision time on the future of Edinburgh Leisure's crèches.

We have a meeting scheduled for this coming Tuesday (19th Jan) near Ainslie Park at 10.30am – it's our chance to put our case to Edinburgh Leisure directly - please, if you can come and lend support in any way that'd be fantastic - no need to speak or anything if you don't want to, but the more of us there the better to show how keen we are to keep the 4 crèches open if at all possible. If you can come, please email us using the link here by Monday 18 Jan midday.

(We can then give you further details about where to go).

If you can't come to the meeting above please can you pop in and see your councillor to make one final plea for them to vote for £130 000 ring-fenced in the Edinburgh Leisure budget to save the crèches. (Councillors decide how much cash to give EL and can say if any of it is to be ring fenced for specific use).

If you can't do either of the above please, please can you email the following councillors, who are members of the Council’s Culture and Leisure Committee.

deidre.brock@edinburgh.gov.uk;
paulgodzik@edinburgh.gov.uk;
CharlesDundas@edinburgh.gov.uk;
alisonjohnstone@edinburgh.gov.uk;
gordonbuchan@edinburgh.gov.uk;
louiselang@edinburgh.gov.uk;
rickyhenderson@edinburgh.gov.uk;
elaineaitken@edinburgh.gov.uk;
conor.snowden@edinburgh.gov.uk;
marjoriethomas@edinburgh.gov.uk;
michaelbridgman@edinburgh.gov.uk;
ronaldcarins@edinburgh.gov.uk;
normahart@edinburgh.gov.uk

You can write about why you want the crèches saved, or you can just personalise the draft email below which should only take 1 minute of your time.

Many, many thanks for your help in this final push.

Draft email
Dear (insert councillor's name)

My name is (add your name) and I use (add your crèche and any other details) crèche which is threatened with closure. I urge you to vote for £130 000 to be ring fenced for Edinburgh Leisure crèches in the forthcoming Edinburgh Council budget. The council was unanimous in supporting our motion to save the crèches at the last full council meeting on 17th December, 2009. Thanks again for your vote.

Please can you follow up your words with actions and ensure these important services are saved so that Edinburgh's parents and carers are not discriminated against through lack of access to exercise facilities.

Yours (add your name again here)
PS For more information please look up our website http://saveourcreche.blogspot.com/

Let's Make Some Noise!

2010-01-11T01:43:00.000-08:00

Hello all -

After a festive break we're back on the campaign trail again - hope everyone had a good holiday and is ready to make some noise about crèche closures.

So far this year our group

has sent every one of the City of Edinburgh councillors a letter thanking them for supporting our motion in December - and asking them to follow through with that support,
are meeting with Edinburgh Leisure representatives as soon as we can, and
are organising a video to remind councillors of the need to rework budgets.

What are you doing? We'd love to know. So post on Facebook, send us an email or comment here. We'd also like feedback on what's been done so far and ideas, if you have any, of what we should all be doing.

But we need to make more noise. So everyone who can possibly can, please make it a New Year's resolution to do something for the campaign now.

You can

follow up on any questions with your councillors,
write to Edinburgh Leisure,
look at previous blogs for inspiration,
be part of our video.

Let's keep the noise going!

Labour Councillors To Oppose Edinburgh Leisure Budget Cut

2009-12-29T04:00:00.000-08:00

Terrific news for the crèche campaign - the Labour group in the Council are proposing a new budget for Edinburgh Leisure which would include enough money to continue providing crèches.

You can read the news article about it here.

With a proposal like this on the table, we'd like to remind you to please get in touch with your local SNP and / or Lib Dem councillors to ask them to support moves to keep the crèches open. You can see details of who they are in the previous post.

Thanks!

Merry Christmas to All - But Before You Put Your Feet Up...

2009-12-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

A wee update before everyone breaks for Christmas and New Year.

The Council Motion (which you can see if you click the link) was very good news.

However in reality, it means nothing unless the Councillors remember their support when they put forward their budget in 2010.

In case that budget commitment doesn’t happen, we also need to keep:

progressing discussions with Edinburgh Leisure themselves (they have now offered User Group meetings in the New Year)
petitioning our own Councillors – and those whose wards include the creches – to keep them aware of the need for these vital services.

So please have a good break but also:

1. Get in touch (via link to right) AND confirm which crèche you use most often (for the User Group meetings)

2. contact your own Councillors again and - especially – contact those listed below because SNP/LDP have overall Council control :

Ainslie Park (Forth ward)

Steve Cardownie (SNP)
Elaine Morris (LDP)

Drumbrae

Colin Keir (SNP)
Robert Aldridge (LDP)

Gracemount

Tom Buchanan (SNP)
Conor Snowden (LDP)

Portobello

Michael Bridgman (SNP)
Stephen Hawkins (LDP)

Seasons Greetings and thanks for your continued support!

GPs Support Crèche Campaign

2009-12-23T09:31:00.000-08:00

We've got support from GPs in our campaign to keep Edinburgh Leisure's crèches open!

Chair of the Royal College of GPs Scotland, Dr. Ken Lawton, said:

"Access to affordable methods of maintaining and improving health and wellbeing are vital. This is important to all groups in the community, including families, and reasonable support is key to enabling their use of these services. Closure of all crèches is likely to have a very negative impact on this group."

Front Page News as Councillors Approve Motion

2009-12-18T08:43:00.001-08:00

The demonstrators at the City Chambers yesterday made front page news in the Edinburgh Evening News. The good news for our campaign is that councillors unanimously passed a motion which allows us and Edinburgh Leisure to continue to look for alternatives to closure. More details in the New Year - there's lots of work to be done and we're going to need everyone's support!

A Massive Thank You To All Demonstrators

2009-12-17T13:17:00.000-08:00

A huge thank you to everyone who turned out this morning to the demonstration at the City Chambers on a truly hideous day. Press coverage of the day is starting to come in, and you can see the stv report here.

After the demonstration, a smaller group of protesters and accompanying babies and toddlers moved into the City Chambers to make a deputation to the full council. Shairron, Claire and Gillian made a terrific job of speaking and handling questions from the councillors - many thanks to them. We don't yet know the outcome of the motion raised on our behalf as latest reports are that the Council are still debating the previous schools closure motion.

News we were given today by Councillor Deirdre Brock is that Edinburgh Leisure has approached over 100 childcare providers with a view to putting alternative provision in place, and has scheduled meetings this week and next with some interested parties. Edinburgh Leisure are also hoping to meet with crèche user groups in the New Year to discuss the provision, so we'll keep you posted on what happens on that front!

Thanks again, and hope you've all thawed out.

Please Come To The Demo Tomorrow

2009-12-16T12:31:00.000-08:00

Don't forget the demo tomorrow (17 December), outside the City Chambers on the High Street, from 0930 to 1030. Please bring children, costumes, face paints, banners, all the petitions you've had signed and good voices...

... And In Porty Too!

2009-12-14T06:48:00.001-08:00

There was also a terrific turnout at Portobello Swim Centre - many thanks to all who came, and who played, sang and danced. The support from passers by was terrific - petitions were taken down to the bowling centre and to local builders, proving that the crèches aren't just important to parents, carers and children.

Gracemount Demo Shows Great Support

2009-12-14T06:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came along to the demo at Gracemount on Friday 11 December. Take a look at the pictures - we even had support from Nigel Griffiths MP, and Norma Hart, the local Labour councillor.

Crèche Campaign - Motion to be Put to Full Council Meeting

2009-12-14T03:21:00.001-08:00

Labour and Conservative councillors have joined forces to put forward a motion to the City of Edinburgh full Council meeting on Thursday, which will make councillors discuss the issue of crèche closures. For more detail, see the Edinburgh Evening News.

Demo at Ainslie Park

2009-12-11T04:15:00.001-08:00

Here's a photo of everyone who came to the demo at Ainslie Park. Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, was there to offer his support, together with everyone else who was there - thanks to everyone who came!

Early Day Motion in the UK Parliament

2009-12-10T06:08:00.000-08:00

Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, has sponsored an Early Day Motion in the UK Parliament in support of the campaign to keep Edinburgh's creches open.

You can see it here.

Please ask your councillor to act

2009-12-08T01:06:00.001-08:00

We're asking councillors to raise a motion 'We believe Edinburgh Leisure should be funded to retain its Creche service' which we hope will be debated and voted on by the full council at its meeting on 17th Dec. We are confident we have the support of the Labour group, Greens and Tories which means we only need to convert one or two of the snp/lib dem coalition to vote for this and the creches would be saved! At least one of them has already voiced their concern about the creches closing but we have to keep the pressure on each and every councillor to vote with us if we're to save our creches. Please call your councillors if you can and ask for their personal vote rather than let them refer you onto a.n.other.

You can find your local councillors through this link.

Don't Forget The Local Demos!

2009-12-07T14:35:00.000-08:00

Please come and join us at any/all of our series of local demos this week before the mass demo next Thursday 17th Dec (09.30-10.30am outside City Chambers on High Street). Bring children too and any eyecatching fancy dress (Lazy Town Edinburgh? is our theme), face painting, banners etc.

Thursday 10th December - 10.45-11.45am outside Ainslie Park Leisure Centre, 92 Pilton Drive, Edinburgh EH5 2HF

Friday 11th December - 10.30-11am outside Portobello Swim Centre, 57 The Promenade, Edinburgh EH15 2BS

Friday 11th December - 10.15-11.15am outside Gracemount Leisure Centre 22 Gracemount Drive, Edinburgh, EH16 6RN

Campaign Relaunch Gets More Coverage

2009-12-03T05:56:00.000-08:00

The relaunch of the Save Our Creches campaign has had more coverage today. Please check out the BBC News website and the Edinburgh Evening News.

Next Week Local Demos At Ainslie Park And Portobello

2009-12-02T15:36:00.000-08:00

We're staging a couple of mini demos next week

- outside Ainslie Park between 10.30 and 11.30 on Thursday 10th Dec, and
- outside Portobello Swim centre at 10.30 on Friday 11th Dec.

Others may follow at Gracemount and Drumbrae - just let us know what you're planning there and we'll spread the word. Come and join us at any of the demos if you can - and most important of all, remember our demo outside the City Chambers on the Royal Mile Thursday 17th Dec 09.30 to 10.30.

Save Our Crèche Campaign - STV Coverage 2 December

2009-12-02T12:48:00.000-08:00

Following on from the campaign's first press release, the media has started to take interest in what we're doing. See interviews from Ainslie Park users and Edinburgh Leisure on the STV website.

(You can find the piece about 2 minutes and 50 seconds in).

Keep up the good work, and please use the email address to let us know of any other coverage you see.

Save Our Crèche Campaign - Demo on 17 December 2009

2009-11-30T14:19:00.000-08:00

We're holding a demo outside the City Chambers, on the High Street between 09.30 and 10.30 on Thursday 17th December to lobby councillors arriving for the final full council meeting of the year - we believe our elected representatives should pressurise Edinburgh Leisure into dropping its crèche closure plans. Come and join us.

If you can, please contact your councillors, MSPs and MPs and ask them to contact Edinburgh Leisure and urge them to reverse the crèche closure policy via this link.

We have two petitions - an online petition and a paper petition. Please sign the online petition and use the paper one wherever you go!

And there's now a Facebook group for people to discuss ideas - it's called Save Edinburgh Leisure Creches. Come and join us on Facebook

Save Our Crèche Campaign Reignited

2009-11-30T14:11:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday, Edinburgh Leisure announced its plans to close its remaining crèches in the capital. The crèches at Ainslie Park, Drumbrae, Gracemount and Portobello are to shut, due to lack of funding, in March 2010 unless an alternative provider can be found. We fear one crèche, at Ainslie Park, may not reopen after Christmas.

Closure will have a huge negative impact on the lives of many families in the city, never mind on the dedicated staff who'll lose their jobs. The service currently provided is excellent. Its loss would be a terrible blow for the parents/carers and children who use the crèches. If people can't access health and fitness services they are less able to look after themselves, and the children they care for. The impact mentally and physically could be immense on individuals and increase pressure on the health service at a time when all political parties say they accept the need (and indeed actively lobby) for better health services - what use are Leisure Centres a significant section of the community cannot access?

Coverage of the decision has already begun – see the BBC News site here.

Play In - Mums and Kids Occupy Leith Victoria Creche

2008-06-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

Today a group of mums and kids took over Leith Victoria creche in protest at the Council's failure to honour their agreement to urgently look for other sources of funding to keep the creche open. Lothian NHS had said "We would be happy to discuss this when or if it's raised by our council partner" but it took the Council over two weeks to send a letter to Lothian NHS. Hopes has been raised in May that progress could be made - read more...

All of the mums taking part in the 'play in' today felt frustrated and angry that the Council have not taken any action to avoid the creche closures at the end of this month.

The Council and Edinburgh Leisure have picked on the creche service as an easy option. Women who use the service will be excluded from the sports centres in their own communities due to lack of childcare. The creche is a service that we all subsidise through our council tax and it is crazy to stop women having the chance to exercise when it cuts the rates of post natal depression, reduces obesity, makes healthier mums which leads to happier kids.

The protest was covered in the Edinburgh Evening News (scroll to bottom of page), on Leith FM, Talk 107 and was the main news item on Radio Forth throughout the day.

Crèches are Edinburgh's best kept secret.

2008-06-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

Why is it that when the Council and Edinburgh Leisure have a difficult problem to solve they walk away from it. The creche services offered by Edinburgh Leisure are not fully utilised and they claim they cannot afford to run them. Rather than take a creative approach and market the service better they have decided to close them. Jo Howlett argues that there are other solutions to the problem. Read her Mouthpiece in tonights' Evening News.

Shy Bairns Get Nowt!

2008-05-29T14:40:00.001-07:00

A deputation of women and children protesting against the creche closures in Edinburgh today persuaded the City of Edinburgh Council to urgently look for alternative funding to stop the closure of the threatened creches.

Just goes to prove - if you don't ask - you definitely don't get!

We now need to ensure this becomes a reality and quickly, the creches are due to
close at the end of June. Let's make sure this stays a high priority for the councillors .

Well done to everyone who has kept this campaign going.
___________________________________________________________________

Council notes the demand by crèche users to ‘Explore alternative funding sources within and outwith the Council to replace funding withdrawn by the Council from the grant to Edinburgh Leisure‘.

Council therefore instructs officials to enter into urgent dialogue with Lothian Health Board with a view to utilising funding streams to close the funding gap for Leith Victoria, Kirkliston, Craiglockhart, Royal Commonwealth Pool, Portobello, Drumbrae, Gracemount and Ainslie Park which has resulted in price increases or closure of crèche facilities at these centres.

Lobby the Council

2008-05-22T14:18:00.000-07:00

The City of Edinburgh Council will next meet on Thursday 29th May at 10am at the City Chambers. We plan to be there to protest at their decision to cut funding from Edinburgh Leisure resulting in the closure of creche facilities.

Come and join us - bring your banners, balloons and bairns.

Assemble outside the City Chambers on the High Street at 9.30am.

The BBC have already promoted our event here

Sign Up to Save Our Creche Services

2008-05-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

We intend to hand in a petition to the Council to protest at their decision to cut funding to Edinburgh Leisure, resulting in the closure of our creche services. We want them to explore alternative funding sources within & outwith the council to replace funding withdrawn by the council from the grant to Edinburgh Leisure and to enter into dialogue with Lothian Health Board to utilise funding streams to close the funding gap for Leith Victoria, Kirkliston, Craiglockart, Commonwealth, Portobello, Drumbrae, Gracemount and Ainsle Park

Sign our Petition here

Parliament Meeting a Huge Success - Committee Room Finally Comes Alive!

2008-05-03T02:05:00.000-07:00

The campaign to Save Our Creche Services had a fantastic response to our call for a lobby at the Scottish Parliament on 1st May. Over 60 parents came to the Parliament to meet with MSPs in the Lothians to ask for their help in saving the Creches. Committee Room 1 has never been so full of life as the children played, screamed, cried and crushed their biscuits into the posh carpets! Mums from all over the city who use Craiglockhart, Leith, Kirkliston, Portobello and the Royal Commonwealth Pool creche services attended the meeting. Parents were angry at the £2 flat fee increase that has already been slapped on the creche resulting in some women 'disappearing' as they are unable to afford the new fee. Edinburgh Councillors and Edinburgh Leisure had both refused to accept responsibility for this decision. In determined mood we agreed to fight on to ensure that women in the city have access to gym, swim and fitness classes. With the current political focus on health, it is absurd that mothers of young children are to be denied access to these facilities.
Full STV coverage here.

May Day Greetings for Edinburgh Leisure

2008-04-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

We will be lobbying MSPs at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday May 1st.

We have arranged a meeting with Lothian MSPs interested in our campaign to Save the Creche services here in Edinburgh. Assemble outside the public entrance at 10.30am. Children welcome, also the Parliament has a free creche with some places available for the meeting - you do have to pre-book. This is an important opportunity to protest against Edinburgh Leisure's cuts in childcare and women's access to health.

Demo To Save The Commie Pool Creche

2008-04-18T14:04:00.000-07:00

Show your support for the creche at the Commie by joining our
Demonstration on Tuesday 22nd April 12noon

The creche at the Royal Commonwealth Pool is still under threat of closure. This well used facility is loved by many parents and carers in the local area. The Commie is to be upgraded for use in the Commonwealth Games 2014, if we don't fight to keep the creche there now - they won't give us a new one as part of the redevelopment project.

Hands up for Leith!

2008-04-11T06:59:00.001-07:00

If you use Leith Victoria Swim Centre Creche and want to help in the campaign to keep it open then come along on Monday 14th April at 2pm to The Junction, Great Junction Street, to find out what you can do to Save Our Creche. All welcome.

2008-04-04T14:51:00.001-07:00

Protesters braved the rain and wind last Sunday at the World Cross Country Championships to keep up the pressure on Edinburgh Leisure and the City of Edinburgh Council. While the world's media focused on the international athletes, our team reminded visitors to the event that Edinburgh needs creche services so parents can keep fit too.

Sports and Excercise for All

2008-03-28T02:02:00.000-07:00

Bring your banners, buggies and bairns to Holyrood Park this Sunday 30th March for a demonstration at the World Cross Country Championships. Meet at noon (remember clocks will have gone forward!) at the bus stop outside the Scottish Parliament. Please let as many folk as possible know this is our chance to shame both the Council and Edinburgh Leisure about their actions.

Unhappy SNP try to pull the wool

2008-03-28T01:37:00.000-07:00

The SNP group on the Council are now trying to take the credit for Edinburgh's Leisure's decision to amend the closure list. Their press release to the Evening News states how 'unhappy' they were and how they managed to persuade Edinburgh Leisure to change the plan. Not a mention of the protests or the complaints!

This letter Nationalists need a crèche course in consistent views spells out their recent stance on this. If there had been no protest we are sure they would have remained happy with their original decision to cut the funding to Edinburgh Leisure and take the consequences.

And They Think It's All Over

2008-03-22T04:27:00.000-07:00

Following huge protests from parents and carers across the city Edinburgh Leisure have been forced to reconsider their decision to close 6 out of 8 creche services in Edinburgh.

Keith Jackson, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Leisure, announced their change of plan with a revised list of creche closures. In a letter to parents he admits "the changes to the original decision have been made following consideration of representation from users and others who have contacted Edinburgh Leisure". This proves that our campaign has had a result but...................

Edinburgh Leisure still intends to close 4 out of 8 creche services.

Does he think we are daft?

Closing Kirkliston leisure centre, the Leith Victoria swim centre and Craiglockhart Tennis and Sports Centre, as well the Royal Commonwealth Pool facilities is unacceptable.

For Edinburgh Evening News coverage click here

Back to the Drawing Board Mr Jackson

2008-03-22T03:31:00.000-07:00

Angry parents demonstrated outside Edinburgh Leisure's board meeting to ensure those responsible for closing our creches knew that we weren't accepting the decision. To see full coverage click here

On Tuesday parents caught up with Alex Salmond, First Minister, when he was in Edinburgh to launch a new Scottish Government policy on "early intervention to create a fairer society". Despite all his talk he tried to slip through the new of responsibility by stating that the creche closures were "a matter for the Council". The Herald report is here

Dear Dear Councillor Cardownie

2008-03-18T14:45:00.000-07:00

It had to be a man that said it, and a foolish one at that. Our Council's attitude to the provision of quality childcare as delivered on behalf of the Council via Edinburgh Leisure was summed up by Deputy Council Leader Steve Cardownie:

Edinburgh Leisure's main job is to provide sports facilities, not childcare

He just doesn't get it, without the childcare there will be no sports facilities available to thousands of parents and carers across Edinburgh. Most of these people are women and the lack of childcare is a huge barrier to women taking exercise.

See the full story in the Evening News

Are they listening?

2008-03-13T14:55:00.000-07:00

Over 100 parents protested outside today's council meeting - I don't recall electing these people to close our creches - do you?

To see and hear the protest on STV news click here and to read the the full details here

Edinburgh for us or them?

2008-03-11T13:57:00.000-07:00

This letter appeared in the Evening News and rightly questions who the council are prioritising - tourists or residents?

Tonight's letter gives one parents' experience of the creche and the benefit that it has had for her and her family.

Well done to both, we need to complain loudly - send your letters to
letters_en@ edinburghnews.com

The Bad News Breaks

2008-03-08T14:53:00.000-08:00

Edinburgh Leisure have just announced the closure of 6 of their 8 creche facilities. This announcement is a huge shock to parents and carers using the facilities. Most people who use the creches are regulars and have every confidence in this first class childcare service. Edinburgh Leisure stated:

These tough decisions were based on identifying those areas where maximum savings could be made with the minimum disruption to services

Management babble for cutting a service that is not profit making and is subsidised, exactly what you pay your council tax for - public services.