Save Oldbury Court Out of School Clubs

Oldbury Court Out of School Clubs is my children's after school / holiday club. They are a non profit community group providing reliable, safe childcare services for out of school hours through a Breakfast Club, After School Club and Holiday Clubs.  As a registered charity, they make no profit on their childcare fees, which keeps them affordable and enables lower income parents to return to work without being crippled by childcare costs. The club's fees cover only their running costs and any surplus has always gone into their reserves.  The reserves enabled the clubs to operate throughout the March 2020 lockdown, when they continued to operate for key workers. This period of reduced operation meant that the club experienced a 90% drop in income and even in aftermath of the March lockdown, since the reopening of schools in September, the club is only receiving around 25% of the income it needs to meet it's running costs. At the same time, running costs have inflated and Ofsted guidelines require that pupils from different schools do not mix, so that the club has had to divide their premises into completely separate zones, each with access to separate toilets and handwashing facilities.  In addition, the logistics of separating pick-ups and drop offs, so that children from different schools aren't on the same bus or walking together, have incurred additional running costs. 

The clubs are not only a provider of childcare that allows parents to work, in 'normal' times they are a place where children from different schools and age groups are able to play together, aiding community cohesion in an area of stark household income divisions. The holiday clubs offer children the chance to experience a range of outings and activities that many lower income households would struggle to provide for their children.  Staff are caring, passionate and fun.  The clubs have been rated Outstanding by Ofsted and children enjoy going there.  It is rare to find such provision.

As things stand at present, the club will need to close early in the new year.  Parents are doing their best to fundraise for the club, but there is a deficit of circa £30k and they have already had to abandon holiday provision for the school Christmas holidays, February half term, and in all liklihood also the Easter holidays (in the event they are still open by then).

These affordable childcare facilities are absolutely vital to so many families so please, please, donate if you can. If you can give even a pound, that £1 will make a difference to so many families for whom there genuinely is NO other affordable option. Please share our fundraiser far and wide! Thank you for your support.