A MUM has slammed sport centre bosses as ‘morally wrong’ to close a creche that enables those with young children to exercise.
Justine Bryson, of Pitstone, says prices have been hiked and the hours of the creche at Hemel Hempstead Sport Centre cut back ahead of a planned closure next year.
“If you’re got a mum in there being active, what better example can you set against childhood obesity?” she said.
“There are young mums that need an outlet.
“I feel for mums who are not as affluent – that facility is excellent for getting exercise at an affordable price. It’s morally wrong to close that.”
Justine, who has a 10-month-old son and a three-year-old daughter, says the creche is ‘outstanding’ with plenty for youngsters to do.
“The creche is outstanding, the staff are fantastic. I think it’s such a tragedy if they close it down,” she said.
“Lots of mums need to exercise and won’t be able to do it.
“It’s such an important thing to keep the creche.”
In a letter Rebecca Hemmant, operations director at Sportspace, says they have received ‘considerable feedback’ over the creche.
“The numbers using the crèche at Sportspace Hemel Hempstead are very low and to keep this area open we would have either had to cut some of our programmes or significantly increase the charge to you.
“We don’t believe that either of those options would have been right and we expect a full closure of the facility in March 2013. I can assure you that we will look at any alternative options in the meantime.
“Although it is still under review I can confirm that as a minimum the crèche will be open on Monday and Friday mornings over the summer holidays.”