Hopscotch is Saved ... (for now)

Great news!

Brent have confirmed that they're offering Hopscotch a one year extension to its lease, so Hopscotch is now secure until July 2014.

This is a fantastic victory for the campaign and means that Hopscotch can carry on providing its superb services for the near future. However, the long term future is still uncertain and so in many ways the real work starts now.

There are several ways we can ensure that Hopscotch has a secure future.

It's not yet clear whether Islamia will be occupying the other half of the building - but if Hopscotch is to stay in the current building long-term we will need to come up with a plan that will use the full building and pay an appropriate rent to the council.

This would most likely involve finding a suitable partner with a complementary use for the upper floors - perhaps a small primary school or other educational use. If you know of anyone who might have use for the space in a way that would complement Hopscotch please get in touch.

We will also need help in developing a business plan, possibly making alterations to the building, etc. Anyone with skills in these areas who can help us would be much appreciated.

Of course another possibility is to move to an alternative site and we will carry on looking for any such premises. Again, any suggestion welcome.

The important thing is that we now have time to explore these alternatives fully.

Thanks again for all your help in securing this important victory,

Save Hopscotch Campaign

November Update

A quick update on the Save Hopscotch Campaign

On the 1st Nov we had a fantastic visit to Westminster with more than 40 children and adults there to meet Glenda Jackson.

See the photos here:
http://savehopscotch.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/amazing-day-at-westminster.html

We got good articles in Standard and Kilburn Times:
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/mothers-say-queens-park-nursery-is-under-threat-8231263.html
http://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/...

It's great to have Glenda's support and this has definitely been noticed by the council.

The position from Brent does appear to have softened - they seem much more willing to consider options and are making clear they haven't yet decided whether or not to renew the lease. However, time is running out - they need to make a decision soon so that Hopscotch can plan accordingly.

So we're having a real push to put pressure on the council to extend the lease as soon as possible.

Whether or not you've written before, please contact your local councillors and the councillors in charge: George Crane(Regeneration) and Mary Arnold (Children) to let them know how important it is to save Hopscotch.

Below is an example email. It is of course better if you can rewrite it a little, but even if you only have time to cut and paste please do as it shows how many people care.

Please email to the following addresses (best to send seperate emails to make clear you expect a reply from each of them) plus your local councillors.
cllr.george.crane@brent.gov.uk
cllr.mary.arnold@brent.gov.uk

List of ward councillors here:
http://democracy.brent.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?FN=WARD&VW=LIST&PIC=0

Let us know what reply (if any) you get at
info@savehopscotch.org.uk

Many thanks,

Save Hopscotch


Example email:

Dear Councillor

I am a Brent resident (and a parent with a X year old son/daughter at
Hopscotch Nursery) and I'm very concerned about the future of Hopscotch.

I’m sure you know that Hopscotch is an Ofsted rated ‘outstanding’ nursery
in an area with a real shortage of full time nursery places.
Hopscotch also provides a wider service to the local community through its low-
cost drop-in for parents/carers and under 5 and has served the area for over 20 years.

I understand that the current lease runs out in July 2013 and that Brent is now deciding whether to renew it. If a decision to renew the lease is not made very soon Hopscotch will be forced to announce its closure which will be a great loss to the area.

I hope you will do everything you can to ensure that Brent Council does renew the lease and gives Hopscotch a secure future.

I look forward to hearing back from you on this matter.

Yours sincerely

Amazing Day at Westminster

Today a huge group of at least 20 children and many more grownups descended on Parliament to meet our MP Glenda Jackson. She was very supportive and seemed to be having a whale of a time.

As you can see, we got some fab photos and we're hoping these will make it into the newspapers.

This all helps Brent to realise how important Hopscotch is - and the visible support of our MP puts even more pressure on the council.

Please spread these around - and if you took an pics send them to info@savehopscotch.org.uk

Thanks to everyone who came along.

Evening Standard Article

We've made the Evening Standard with a great article:
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/mothers-say-queens-park-nursery-is-under-threat-8231263.html

As reported, we're planning a march this thursday (1st Nov) on Westminster where we'll meet Glenda Jackson, our MP.

If you can make it, ideally with children, drop us a line at info@savehopscotch.org.uk

The more the better as this will hopefully get us more coverage.

Dear Parents and Friends,

sorry for the lack of communication over the past few months. The situation has been very unclear with conflicting information about when Islamia school is vacating the building. However we've now been told that Islamia will definitely be moving out in July 2013 and therefore understand that Brent are not planning to renew the Hopscotch lease. The situation is now urgent. Unless Hopscotch can secure its future in the next few months it will be impossible to  continue beyond July 2013.

Since Brent council's argument is that the building will be under-utilised once Islamia move out and therefore ‘subjected to disposal’ (ie: put for sale), our plan is to put together a proposal to take over the whole building. We are already talking to potential partners but if you know of anyone who could partner with Hopscotch to use the upper floors of the building please get in touch.

In the meantime, we need to keep the pressure up on the council to accept such a proposal and/or give Hopscotch more time to find alternative premises. Our petition gained over 800 signatures and has
been presented to the council - but we need to keep on reminding them how valuable Hopscotch is and gather as much support as possible.

Please contact your local councillors and MP, find out where they stand on the issue (some are already very supportive such as the Brondesbury Ward coucillors, others less so). Let them know how important Hopscotch is and urge them to do everything they can to save it.

As well as writing to your own councillors, the following are the key members of the Brent Executive:

Cllr George Crane is in charge of Regeneration so we think he's ultimately the one who will decide what happens. But the future of Hopscotch is about much more than property and the council need to understand that.

Cllr Mary Arnold represents Kilburn ward and is also in charge of Children and Family policy for Brent, so she'll have a significant influence on the decision.

Please email / write / phone / visit (all councillors have surgeries where you can put your case in person) so they know how many people care about Hopscotch.

Their emails are:
cllr.george.crane@brent.gov.uk
cllr.mary.arnold@brent.gov.uk


 The local MPs are:
Glenda Jackson: http://www.glenda-jackson.co.uk/
jacksong@parliament.uk

and Sarah Teather: http://brentlibdems.org.uk/en/
teathers@parliament.uk

 If you're in Sarah Teather's constituency please do get in touch as we're keen to get her involved and there are fewer parents in her constituency.

We need to get press coverage of the situation so if you have any media contacts please sound them out and/or let us know. Of course, any celebrity involvement always gets the press interested so if anyone knows any of the famous parents in the area please respectfully see if they could lend any support to this much loved nursery.

If anyone is involved in any of the local political parties please do get in touch, as it would be good to find out where local members stand on the issue.

The other option for Hopscotch is to move so if you know of anywhere in the local area that could be suitable and might be available then let us know.

Thank you for your support,

Save Hopscotch Campaign
info@savehopscotch.org.uk

Save Hopscotch E-Petition

We now have an e-petition on the Brent Council Website.
This is a very important campaigning tool. If we get 50 signatures then the council have to take notice.
Obviously, the more signatures we get - the more weight it will carry.

Just go here and click on the Sign ePetition link at the top:
http://democracy.brent.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=34

You need to put an email and address but that's purely for verification - your details won't appear.
Please make sure that you and all the members of your family sign it. Then tell friends and neighbours - just send them the link or give them the www.savehopscotch.org.uk address.
Anyone who lives, works or studies in Brent can sign.

The petition will close end of the month so we need to get a move on!

If you're not already on our mailing list, please sign up here:
We won't spam you, just send the occasional important update.

Thanks again for all your support.

Window Posters

Heidi has created a wonderful window poster for us.
It prints out at a4 size and is designed to be read at a distance.

Download here:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8356280/hopscotch_window_poster.pdf



It's best printed in colour. We'll have some colour printouts available at Hopscotch.
Put it in your window, your car etc.

We're working on one with more information for shop windows, noticeboards etc.

And remember to keep spreading the word by email, tweet, and good old mouth!

Brent Is Failing In Its Childcare Duties

Thanks to everyone for forwarding the replies you've got back from the councillors - we're definitely getting noticed! Looks like we're all getting a standard reply now. We'll post a detailed response to the points they make soon, but one of their arguments is that they don't have a duty to keep Hopscotch since its not Brent run.

However, they do in fact have a statutory duty, under the 2006 childrencare act, to ensure sufficient childcare for working parents. The act says that local authorities must take the strategic lead in their local childcare market, planning, supporting and commissioning childcare by working with local private, voluntary and independent sector providers to meet local need.

This includes doing a regular assessment of childcare provision and the most recent was done in 2011. You can read the full report here - and it makes a pretty damning assessment.

Lucy has gone through the document and picked out the most important parts. This gives us lots of vital ammunition to point out to Brent that the future of Hopscotch isn't only our concern - it's theirs too.

Brent Childcare Efficiency Assessment (Feb 2011): Key points

All local authorities are required to complete a Childcare Sufficiency Assessment (CSA) every three years which assesses the supply of, and demand for, childcare in the local authority and identifies any gaps in provision. The most recent one for Brent council was completed in Feb 2011. It is available on the Brent Council web site. Work that led up to the report included collecting data on existing childcare facilities and conducting surveys and focus groups with parents.

“Under the Childcare Act 2006 local authorities have a statutory duty to secure

sufficient childcare for the needs of working parents/carers in their area for

children up to 1 September after they turn 14 years..”

The situation in Brent

• Brent has a high and increasing birth rate relative to the national average and to the London average.
• 30% of families who already use childcare predicted their need for childcare will increase in future (compared to 10% who said it would decrease.)
• 38% of Brent families surveyed need childcare between 8am and 6pm
• 25.8% of parents surveyed reported they were unable to find childcare within the hours they required

The situation in the area surrounding Hopscotch

In the report, 'Kilburn' means Kilburn, Brondesbury Park, Mapesbury and Queen's Park.

All points below were true at the time of publication (Feb 2011.)

• There are 3, 253 nought to four year- olds in Kilburn.
• Compared to other Brent localities, families in Kilburn require the most hours of childcare (average = 28.1 per week)
• Kilburn has no childcare places at playgroup or pre-school (Kingsbury and Wembley have more than 100.)
• It has the lowest number of childminder places in the borough (120 compared to 222 in Willesden.)
• It has the lowest number of vacancies in the borough at both childminders and nurseries
• In 2011 there were only 12 part- time nursery vacancies for 2- 5 year- olds and only two for children over 3 (full time nursery vacancies not reported.)
• In a survey, Kilburn families were the least satisfied in the borough with availability, choice and ease of obtaining childcare
• 54% of Kilburn parents disagreed with the statement: 'there is plenty of childcare available.'
• The report concludes that:

“there may be a lack of choice of childcare (in Kilburn) compared to other localities”

and that

“The availability of childcare may be more of an acute problem faced by families in Kilburn than it is for families in the rest of Brent.”

Round 1 to the Campaign

 

Good News!

The save hopscotch campaign is just a few days old and we're making progress already. A week ago Hopscotch management had been told that the lease was definitely not being renewed. Now we're being told that the decision has not been made.

That's great news - and I'm sure our campaign is one of the reasons for the backtracking. Now is when we really need to make our voice heard. The decision on the future of Winkworth Hall (Hopscotch's home) is likely to be made in the next few weeks. When Brent council make that decision we need to make sure they take into account our views - and know just how vital Hopscotch is.

What Next?

The question is who makes that decision. Getting a straight answer out of Brent Council isn't easy - but we think we've identified the key people.

Cllr George Crane is in charge of Regeneration so we think he's ultimately the one who will decide what happens. But the future of Hopscotch is about much more than property and the council need to understand that.

Cllr Mary Arnold represents Kilburn ward and is also in charge of Children and Family policy for Brent, so she'll have a significant influence on the decision.

Cllr Muhammed Butt is the new council leader and so is bound to have an influence on the decision.

It's time to get writing / phoning / visiting (all councillors have surgeries where you can put your case in person).


Their emails are:
cllr.george.crane@brent.gov.uk
cllr.mary.arnold@brent.gov.uk
cllr.muhammed.butt@brent.gov.uk

What To Write?

You don't have to write a long email or fill it with facts. We'll make sure they have all the information they need. The most important thing is to make them realise how important Hopscotch is, that lots of us care, and that we're watching them.

Say you've heard that Brent Council is deciding whether to renew the lease for Hopscotch Nursery.
Tell them what Hopscotch means to you, and why you think it's important for the community.
Ask them how they're going to help secure Hopscotch's future.

An example email is below - but of course writing your own (however short) is even better.

Any replies you get, please forward to info@savehopscotch.org.uk
That way we can see if they're telling us the same things or changing their line.

If they don't reply, follow up with a gentle reminder or a phone call (most councillors have a contact number on their website.)
Remember, we're not looking to antagonise - just to let them know lots of us care.

Who Else?

You may also want to write to your local councillor. However, be aware that several of the local councillors are already supporting the campaign.

All the Brondesbury Park Councillors (Mark Cummins, Carol Shaw, and Barry Cheese) are supporting the campaign. However, since they're Liberal Democrats and the Council is Labour run, they have very limited power.

James Denselow (Queens Park, Labour) has also told us he supports the campaign. Lets hold him to it.

And lastly, remember to spread the word - the bigger we grow, the stronger we are.

Sample Email:

Dear Councillor

I am a Brent resident (and a parent with a X year old son/daughter at
Hopscotch Nursery) and I'm very concerned about the future of Hopscotch.

As a Brent Councillor I’m sure you know that Hopscotch is an Ofsted
rated ‘outstanding’ nursery (the only outstanding full time nursery in NW6) which
also provides a wider service to the local community through its low-
cost drop-in for parents/carers and under 5s.

I understand that Brent is not planning to renew the lease on the
building used by Hopscotch, which is likely to end in its closure after more than
20 years serving the community.

I would like to know whether it is true that you are considering closing down the
nursery and why Brent is taking this decision particularly at a time when
there is such a shortage of nursery places in the Borough.

I look forward to hearing back from you on this matter.

Yours sincerely

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Hopscotch?

Hopscotch is a nursery and drop in for under 5’s which has been serving the needs of local parents in Brondesbury, Queens Park and Kilburn for 26 years. It’s run by a charity for the benefit of the community and is non-profit . Almost 70 children attend the nursery and 100’s of families use the drop-in.

We think it’s great and Ofsted agree - they gave the nursery the highest rating:
“Children thoroughly enjoy attending this vibrant nursery...The nursery is an exciting place where children are very happy, secure and particularly confident ...The quality of the provision is outstanding” Oftsted 2011.

What’s happening to Hopscotch?

The building Hopscotch has occupied for over 20 years belongs to Brent Council. The lease runs out in July 2013 and the council say they won’t renew it - which means Hopscotch will be evicted and forced to close. This will be a terrible loss not just for the many children who go there, but to the whole community.

Why is Hopscotch So Important?

There is a real lack of nursery provision in this area, especially nurseries that stay open for the whole working day. Hopscotch always runs at full capacity and there’s nowhere else for most of the children to go. The Brondesbury / Queens Park area is popular with families, but without sufficient childcare provision working families will be forced to go elsewhere. The drop-in also provides a much needed resource for families at all income levels - with high quality activities and equipment available to all, every weekday. The quality of Hopscotch is unparalleled; it’s the only full time nursery in the area with an Outstanding rating. People who went to Hopscotch as children are now sending their own children there. It’s truly a special place which once lost, can never be replaced.

Why is Brent Doing This?

Good question - you should ask them. The only official response we’ve had is that the building is considered “surplus to requirements” and so they want to get rid of it. We don’t think providing superb childcare to so many families is surplus to requirement. We think it’s exactly the kind of thing Brent should be actively supporting - not trying to shut down.

Is This To Do With The Cuts?

No. A very similar proposal was put forward in 2007 long before today’s austerity drive. The plans were halted and Hopscotch’s lease was extended - largely thanks to a vigorous local campaign. Sadly - the lease is once again running out and Hopscotch faces the threat of closure. At a time of cuts a charity like Hopscotch is all the more precious; providing a valuable local service available to all parents without council funding.

Could Hopscotch Nursery Move?

The current location is ideal in many ways - in particular benefiting from an award winning outdoor space and play area. However, if a suitable local site were to be found none of us would object to moving - it’s the people that matter more than the building. However no suitable location has yet been found - and the requirements for getting both planning permission and Ofsted approval for a new site are not straightforward. The current situation is that if Brent carry out their plan to evict the nursery it will close and the responsibility will rest with the council.

If you do know of a suitable site please email info@savehopscotch.org.uk

Who Set Up This Website?

We are an informal group of local people who care about Hopscotch and want to make sure it carries on its excellent work. Most of us are parents with children at the Nursery or Drop-In - but we welcome all support.

What Can We Do About It?

We all need to act to make clear to Brent that our children, and the childcare they receive, are not surplus to requirements. There’s still time to get them to reconsider and to save Hopscotch - but they’ll only do that if they realise the depth of feeling that exists on the issue. That means we need to spread the word and make our voice heard.

Most importantly, please make sure your email is on the list so we can keep you informed.

Tell your friends - anyone who has used Hopscotch, might use it in the future, or just thinks that high quality childcare is something the council should support.

Follow us on twitter and facebook and use social media to spread the word.

And email or call your local councillors - ask them why Brent is taking this action and what they’ll do about it. You can find all their addresses here.

If you get a reply or have any other questions, drop us a line at info@savehopscotch.org.uk.


There’s lots more to do and we’ll be updating this website regularly with ways you can help.
Sign up here to get the latest news.





Many thanks.

Welcome to the Save Hopscotch Website

The recent Hopscotch Jubilee Party

Hopscotch is a nursery and a daily drop-in which has been running for more than 20 years. The nursery is one of only a few in Brent that offers full- time childcare and the drop-in is a lifeline to many parents of young children who need to get out of the house and into a fun and stimulating environment. It's run as a non-profit organisation and has been rated outstanding by Ofsted.

As you may have heard, Brent Council is planning to close Hopscotch down next summer; both the nursery and the drop- in. The council doesn't run the nursery but it does own the building and intends to evict Hopscotch without providing any alternative.

We are a group of parents and locals who don't want to let this happen. Our children love going to Hopscotch and we don't want this great childhood experience to be taken away from them. Many of us need childcare to enable us to work, and there are precious few opportunities in Brent as it is. Others of us need a place to go with our young children that keeps them well entertained and puts us in the company of other parents.

Brent council needs to know how strongly we feel about the closure of Hopscotch and the effect that this will have on our families and on our community. It isn't too late to make a stand. Whether you are a parent, a former parent, a prospective parent or a Brent resident who wants to live in a thriving community, please join our campaign.

We've only just started this website so there's not much here yet, but keep an eye on it. In the next few days we'll add more information and lots of suggestions for things you can do to help.

Help us spread the word. Tell your friends, follow us on twitter and like our facebook page.

Please drop us a line at info@savehopscotch.org.uk
Or add your email below and we'll keep you informed about the campaign. Thanks!