Groups hit by Government

The groups that I attend are held at Oxford Grove and the Sure Start Centre. Both these places are in Halliwell. I have been attending Oxford Grove since it started approximately 18 months ago and the Centre again, since it started a couple of months ago.

Sure Start is absolutely brilliant in the facilities which it provides and I would like to point this out before I begin with my complaint.

We have met many families from across the Bolton area through Sure Start and value these friendships very much. We meet up at these groups to: play with our children, allow them to socialise within other children and also to discuss any aspects of child care and how our children are growing eg. milestones, phases etc.

But we recently attended a mother and toddler group, only to be told that certain people will no longer be able to go to these groups due to the Government 'clamping down on postal areas'. This means that if you do not live in a certain area of Bolton you are no longer welcome at these groups.

I live in a Sure Start area and so am not prevented from going, but many of my friends and those of my children are not within these boundaries -- some are out by only one or two streets!

We understand that certain areas of Bolton need to be targeted to enable people to take their children somewhere, but surely this is not the way. Could a compromise not be made for those families that have attended week in week out for months?

I have tried to bring up my children in a way that they shouldn't discriminate against others for whatever reason, yet some of their friends are already being discriminated against because of these ridiculous rules. Whatever happened to Valuing Diversity?

I understand that this is not the fault of Sure Start as they are just adhering to rules set by Government -- people that have probably never attended mother and toddler groups in their lives!

Mrs J Kenny

Silverdale Road

Heaton, Bolton