No demand for creches

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33442, 25 January 1974, Page 28

No demand for creches

Where have all the children gone? This is being asked by organisers of the two official Games creches in Christchurch. The creches together are

able to take 70 children in. the baby to six-year-old range, but on some days during the Games there will be only a few children at each unless bookings are received iin the next day or two. “We’re amazed. We 'thought we would be swamped with inquiries, but there has been a disappoint . ing response from the pub-I lie,” said a spokesman foi; the Bassett Street Kindergarten, which is organising a) creche within a mile of the’

Games stadium. This creche, licensed to take 50 children, is open from 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. daily. It) is also open in the evenings until 10.30 p.m to receive children in the seven to 13 years group, but the response for evening sessions have been so poor that the organisers are considering closing them.

The other creche, only five minutes walk from the stadium. is being run by the North New Brighton branch i of the Plunket Society. It is ) licensed to take 20 children. “Progress is not what we expected.” said one of the organisers, Mrs L. Winslow,

; I No bookings had been received for Monday, January 3 28. and only one booking for 1 Friday, February 1, and for » Wednesday, January 30. ’ “There doesn’t seem to be 2 any interest. We’re very dis- . illusioned.” she said.