AN UNDER-THREAT centre for hundreds of young children is having to put its survival in the public’s hands today.

The Dovecote Project offers after-school activities, play schemes and parental support to children in Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys.

For the first time in its 21-year history it is facing a funding crisis so severe it will have to close later in 2016.

Its only lifeline is a TV competition that could see it win £50,000 from the Big Lottery Fund’s ‘People’s Projects’.

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The centre needs to gather enough votes compared to its three competitors – fellow community projects across the Thames Valley area – in order to get the cash, with the final result televised on ITV.

Family services co-ordinator Carol Richards said: “We face closing in September or October. That’s how bad things are.

“In the 21 years I have been here it has never been this bad. If children’s centres close, and we close, there will be nothing on this side of the estate.”

Dovecote was set up by and for local parents in 1996 when the Greater Leys estate was built and is run by Mrs Richards, 12 volunteers and two part-time staff.

Oxford Mail:

Co-ordinator Carol Richards

Alongside children’s activities, it offers a “lifeline” for parents wanting to work full-time, supports children with disabilities from Mabel Prichard School and hosts advice sessions for parents of disabled children. It was rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted in 2014.

Mrs Richards said: “We are the only provider for four- to eight-year-olds, as Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground only does eight and above.”

There were 1,653 four- to eight-year-olds on the Leys in 2013, and the Leys has the highest population of single parents on low incomes in Oxford.

It costs £60,000 to run the Dovecote centre for a year but there is only £10,000 in the pot from regular donors as many have withdrawn their funding due to requests rising “tenfold” in recent years.

Mrs Richards said: “If it closes there will be no focus point for parents, no focus point for children. Anti-social behaviour will increase and people will feel even more isolated than they already do. Early intervention services can break the cycle but children will miss out on opportunities to raise their expectations and aspirations.”

From 9am today until 12pm on Sunday, March 13, you can vote online for one of 95 organisations in the UK to receive up to £50,000.

Oxford Mail:

Patrick Kamiru with son Ben and daughter Precious

Dovecote is the only charity bidding from Oxfordshire. The money would see it through the next 12 months while staff look at restructuring.

Centre worker Kayleigh Shaw, 26, attended the centre herself from the age of six. She said: “I lived in Greater Leys but I was going to school in Headington.

“There was a big split with friends and Dovecote was a nice, safe place to come. My mum worked afternoon shifts, so it was vital; this is childcare that allows them to work.

“I’m trying not to think about closure for the moment. We are battling on.”

Patrick Kamiru, 51, a support worker whose children Ben, nine, and Precious, 11, use the centre, said: “They’re able to interact and play here, and learn how to make cakes and pizzas and do art. I’m a working parent, as is their mother, and we desperately need such an arrangement.”

Connor Jackson, nine, of Windale Primary School, said: “I like everything about it here. I get to do things that I wouldn’t normally, like play outside.”

Older brother Kieran, 12, added: “I would be really upset if the centre closed. My brother and sister really like it and they would be devastated.”

  • For more information or to vote, visit thepeoplesprojects.org.uk/