A MALVERN mum who claimed Evergreen Children’s Centre saved her life has said she is still worried about its future despite bosses saying it would remain open for the ‘foreseeable future’.
Penny Broderick was one of dozens of parents who voiced their concerns at a protest, headed by the Malvern Hills NCT group, over £1.5million cuts to children’s centre funding being implemented by Worcestershire County Council.
The protest took place on Friday morning outside County Hall – the county council’s HQ – which saw parents wave banners and ask questions to the council’s children and families chief Marc Bayliss.
Last week the Observer reported how the future of Evergreen Children’s Centre – not owned by the county council – was left in uncertainty as its bosses were left counting the costs following the council’s decision to cut funding to its early years budget.
But on Thursday, the day before the protest, Action For Children said the centre would stay open for the foreseeable future and was working with the council on a ‘transition plan’ moving forward.
However, there are still many concerns for users of the popular Worcester Road centre with parents saying they don’t know what the ‘foreseeable future’ actually means.
Mrs Broderick, a mother of one who also runs the Worcestershire Nappy Advisory Service, told the Observer: “There are still huge concerns because who knows what foreseeable future means? It could mean months or a year, we’ll have to wait and see.
“Evergreen is such a vital place for parents and I owe it so much because I can say it saved my life.
“There was a time when I was at a real low point and I felt my family world was falling apart – I was suicidal. But someone at Evergreen could tell I wasn’t happy and spoke to me, she then put me in touch with an early helper who helped me sort out the problems I had. If It wasn’t for Evergreen I’m not sure what the future would have held for me.
“Also Evergreen played a huge role in getting the Worcestershire Nappy Advisory Service off the ground. We’ve expanded significantly since.”
Jan Stoll, from Action For Children, said: “To maintain continuity, the centre will remain open for the foreseeable future and we will keep partners and families informed as the transition plan is implemented. Unlike the other children’s centres in Malvern, the building hosting Evergreen Children’s Centre is leased privately and is subject to a different set of considerations when assessing future operational arrangements.
“We are working closely with the council on a transition plan regarding the re-location of services to council owned buildings in line with other centres in Malvern to maximise service delivery for families.”
