Crèche no longer viable

Four grandmothers who have run the Memorial Centre crèche in Gerrards Cross for the past decade will say a sad farewell to their charges for the last time this morning.

The crèche was started by Cathy Colston, the wife of Eric Colston, founder of the Memorial Centre, as a means to give young mothers some time to do their shopping.

It was originally open just to members of the Memorial Centre, in East Common, but has more recently been open to anybody.

Jennie Gordon, who has run the crèche for 10 years, said she did not know why numbers had fallen from as many as 40 children each week in the 1960s to just five to seven children now.

Mrs Gordon, of Over The Misbourne, Gerrards Cross, whose own children and grandchildren attended the crèche, said she was "a bit fed up" by the lack of support but thought it might be down to an increase in the number of mothers going back to work after having children.

The crèche has been open for just an hour and 55 minutes on Thursday mornings, as longer hours would have meant the volunteers would have had to comply with qualifications and regulations imposed by the government. Parents pay £4 per session.

She said: "There has been a big tail-off in the past year, when we had 12 to 17 regulars each week. Now there are usually five, six or seven children. It's not enough to make it worthwhile.

"People have just stopped coming, but they have not told us why. The children have always had a lovely time."

For the past decade, Mrs Gordon has been assisted by fellow grandmothers Pat Collins, of Dukeswood Avenue, Gerrards Cross, Ann James, of St Herbert's Close, Gerrards Cross, and Chris Edgerton, of Dukeswood Avenue, Gerrards Cross.

The four women are hoping that the last day of the crèche will be marked by visits from two previous leaders - Wendy Reid, from Chalfont St Peter, who took over from Mrs Colston, and Ba Coulton, from Gerrards Cross, who ran the crèche in the 1990s. Previous helpers Sue and Helen Cox, from Chalfont St Peter, may also be calling in.

Mrs Gordon said: "It will be very sad for me because I love children. At one time we had a whole lot of babies, and to feed a baby and let it fall asleep in your arms, is just heaven."