Save Foley House Children's Centre

We'll let the service users explain in their own words...

'Someone got in touch with me regarding the cuts to Newmarket's Children's Centre. People are way more switched on than the Tories take them for. They see through the double speak. I've taken out the name. If this brave individual wants to come forward I'm leaving it up to her.

'With regards to Foley House being part time and how it will affect people locally , the childrens centre is a life line for new isolated mums! It is chance to meet new people in the same boat as you when you are all of a sudden stuck at home with a newborn. I have used their groups the past 2.5 years with my daughter all of their groups and classes seem popular such as wiggle and jiggle and infant massage. If anything they should be offering more groups and classes for people to attend. The help and support is there all week, they welcome new mums to breastfeed, bottle feed and change their babies at foley house if they are in town. This ican be quite important for new breastfeeding mums as it can be quite a daunting prospect feeding in public early on. Also their groups are all free, there are other baby toddler groups in town but not all mums on maternity pay and low income families can afford the going rate of £5 per group (without paying for siblings!) 3, 4 or 5 days a week. Im not sure what the 'revamp' means but i can only presume part time means a cut in support for mums, families and their children and a cut in what foley house has to offer as a whole! Fair enough there are other childrens centres in red lodge and mildenhall but not everybody drives or can attend centres further afield.'

''When I was pregnant with my first child I didn't know anyone in Newmarket and I really wanted to meet other mums and learn more about babies and parenting. I went with my husband to Foley House to sign up and that's how it all started. I have attended so many different groups, classes over the years..from baby sensory to potty training sessions, toddlers groups, weaning, breastfeeding, almost anything that was offered. I have met many mums that some of them are now my best friends. In a short time I went from not knowing much about pregnancy, babies and not knowing anyone here to then having so much support and many great friends. It felt great, I was doing groups every day, seeing people every day. Sometimes people on maternity leave say they feel lonely and don't know who to ask for help and staying home with small babies can sometimes be very isolating - that's why having a place like Foley house is so, so important! This is definitely not the area where the money should be cut and rather where it should be invested even more. Parents who have more support are I believe happier and will be able to raise their children in a calmer and more educated way. This is investing in our future. I do hope that the cuts won't affect the Foley house as they are really providing a great support for local families.'