Parents charity take over Playhouse
Thursday February 10, 2011
Parents in south Fulham have joined forces and formed a new charity which will run a popular children’s playgroup.
A drop-in children’s service for under 5s has been running from the Sands End Playhouse in Stephendale Road for the past 30 years. Sands End Associated Projects in Action (SEAPIA) currently run the provision but this will end on Thursday February 24.
New local charity, Ray’s Playhouse Ltd, which was formed by parents of children who attend the sessions, will take over the lease of the H&F Council owned building and reopen the service in April.
SEAPIA will continue to run an after-school service at the Playhouse until the end of March, at which point it will move to the adventure playground site at William Parnell Park.
Local mum, Barbara Nicholson, supported a parent-led campaign group to keep under 5s provision in the area, called Friends of Sands End Playhouse. She said: “It is fantastic news that our campaign has been a success and a new charity has stepped forward to run a local playgroup in the same building. The Sands End Playhouse has been a rite of passage for hundreds of local children and I am delighted that this vital service looks set to continue.”
The council is also currently consulting on the future of children’s centres, which includes the proposal to potentially deliver some Sure Start services from the Playhouse.
Councillor Helen Binmore, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “The council has been working closely with local parents and residents for many months, looking at various ways to help keep the under 5s provision.
“It is wonderful that these parents felt so strongly about keeping the Playhouse that they could come together and, as a community, spend time fundraising and pouring their efforts into this project.
“SEAPIA has played, and continues to play, a valuable role in the community over the years and we are pleased that they are continuing to work in in Sands End, focussing their wealth of experience on services for older children.
“We wish both the organisations, and the children at the schemes, all the very best for the future.”
