Concerns over cuts to West Exe Children's Centre

Parents and local Councillors are campaigning to save services at risk at West Exe Chldrens Centre.

West Exe Childrens Centre on Cowick Street in St Thomas is one of the city's most popular Children's Centres.

The Baby Cafe, which provides essential support for mothers breastfeeding, will be closing altogether, that one of the two (oversubscribed) Hey Let's Play sessions and one of the bi-monthly dad's Stay and Play groups will be cut.

Local mother Angela Grainger said "I moved to St Thomas just before my daughter was born and the Children's Centre was a lifeline for me. I dread to think what would have happened without the Baby Cafe. It did so much to help solve my breastfeeding problems, providing not only expertise but support, kindness and community as everyone else was going through the same thing. We regularly go to Hey Let's Play and love the sessions - educational and fun!".

Following a packed meeting last Friday, parents quickly established an online petition which went live on Monday evening, and a Facebook group, with parents sharing positive experiences of the services being cut, which is gaining support across the community.

Parents are asking for the community to back their calls for these essential services to be saved. Angela said "We know that residents of St Thomas value and support the Children's Centre, please support us and support the centre".

Exeter City Councillor Hannah Packham, representing St Thomas, said " We recognise that the Children's Centre has been placed in an impossible position due to Devon County Council and central government cuts. We know that West Exe Children's Centre have faced significant cuts over the past four years which has now forced them to make cuts to provision and highly qualified, valued, staff redundant."

"We are campaigning to save services which are a lifeline to so many families in the city. Devon County Council need to step up and protect these services. I have requested an urgent meeting with the Cabinet member for Children, Schools and Skills to enable parents and I make clear our concerns - I await a response".

Parents are also concerned that the breastfeeding support formed part of a commissioned service package awarded to Virgin, which it appears they may not be honouring, and will be asking questions about this.