An Armagh mum has called on the council to reinstate “lifeline” crèche services at Orchard Leisure Centre in the city.
Paula Magee, a mother-of-two, says the service would allow mothers to have much-needed exercise time, safe in the knowledge that their children are being looked after.
She says more needs to be done to bring this service back to life, which she believes is vital for helping mums improve their physical and mental health.
The crèche service, which was provided at the Orchard Leisure Centre, was discontinued at the time of the pandemic, but hasn’t been reinstated.
The service previously ran for two hours a day, three days a week, meaning parents could leave their children to be looked after which left them free to exercise.
In February, Armagh I reported that Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council was assessing demand around reinstating the service, both at Orchard Leisure Centre, and at Banbridge Leisure Centre.
A public consultation was also carried out to gauge potential support for the facilities.
Despite this, when contacted by Armagh I this week, a Council spokesperson said: “There are no plans to re-instate crèche facilities at Orchard and Banbridge Leisure Centres due to a lack of demand for this service.”
“I think in this day and age when everything’s all about mental health and physical health, it’s such a big miss,” Paula said.
“There’s a few parents that I know that have said to me if the service was there they would be at the classes in a heartbeat. Even attendance-wise, the classes would be even more full. I think it’s a massive gap in the service and I honestly can’t believe there’s nobody out there to do it.
“There are private gyms that offer the service and I don’t understand how and why the leisure centre, that’s run by the council, can’t have something in place. Especially when it’s not as if we’re asking for something new, it had been very successful and ran smoothly back then.”
Paula has raised the issue with a number of local councillors, but says she is yet to hear back.
The mother of a two-year-old boy, she adds that the reintroduction of the facilities would ease a huge burden on mothers and allow them to exercise and have that much-needed personal time.
She added: “In the early days, whenever you feel rubbish and would love to get moving, the opportunity would be there if this was in the mix. It would be the loop that fixes the chain.
“There’s nothing as good as having a bit of banter and craic while you’re exercising. Whenever I go to private classes you’ve one eye on the child and one eye on what you’re doing. To even just switch off, knowing your child is safe, well and happy in a crèche facility while having fun.
“On the days I do get to a private class, you do feel a bit of a buzz and you come home a better mother because you’ve got the stress out of you.
“I don’t understand why it has been completely let drop flat. Even if they could get it going again on a temporary basis to see if the demand is there.”
Paula adds that the cost benefit to mothers alone is a further incentive to get the service back on its feet.
“I’m actually going to a private exercise group where you can take your child, but I’m paying £130 for 12 classes, whereas my gym membership is less than £30 a month and I could be going three mornings a week. It would be an incentive for people, knowing that the service is provided.
“I managed to get my wee boy minded on Monday and I came in and there was 22 at the class. We chatted amongst ourselves and a few people were saying it’s a pity there’s no crèche. They said back in the day the numbers would have been bigger.
“It also gave relief to the mothers as well. They lived for those three mornings. For people that are more isolated it would be such a massive plus if that service was there again.”
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