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!