Alton Activity Centre: children enjoy "leaving party" as Spurgeon's contract comes to an end

Ross Hendry, chief executive of Spurgeons, with one of the volunteers

Spurgeon's has been running after-school and school holiday activities at the Alton estate but its contract with Wandsworth Council ended in March. 

March 25: Alton Activity Centre: parents hold public meeting on future of services in Roehampton centre

March 10: Alton Activity Centre: "half-baked" plans for reduced hours during Easter holidays

To say goodbye, the staff held an Easter party, complete with an egg hunt, a bouncy castle, face painting and sumo wrestling on Wednesday afternoon, March 30. 

Speaking before the party, Kelly Kent, children’s service lead, said: "We’re really looking forward to our party and celebrating all that we have achieved in the past."

After the party, 20 parents held a 'sit-in' at the centre, refusing to leave in protest at the end of the charity's contract.

Roehampton Councillor Jeremy Ambache said: "The parents are very angry to hear this highly valued child care facility is closing. To make matters worse no one from the council has come to explain to parents what the newly planned services may be able to offer.

"Unfortunately, this is a continuation of the council’s poor child care practice."

Wandsworth Council has previously stated it would take over the running of services at the centre, using health workers. 

Leader of the council, Ravi Govindia said: "Cllr Ambache knows perfectly well that a wide range of child and family friendly services will be continuing at the centre, starting next week with holiday play schemes.

"He really should not continue to peddle these wholly untrue claims. It is utterly irresponsible of him to mislead local parents in this way and to use such scaremongering tactics to try and exploit their unfounded concerns for his own political ends."

A full programme of events has not yet been announced.