The owner of an after school and holiday club has raised concerns with Redbridge council over a lack of support after the discovery of Legionella bacteria at a youth centre.
Wanstead Youth Centre in Elmcroft Avenue was shut down last Monday after the potentially deadly bacteria was discovered in the water system.
Connie Barrett, who owns Kids in Charge, a privately run after school club based at the centre, says she received little help or sympathy from the council after being informed of the problem.
She said: “I was called at home at 8.30pm on the Monday night and told the centre had been quarantined.
“The woman who rang said we had two hours to remove all our property the following morning.
“She said she could not offer any more information.
“I was panicked and thinking ‘what will we do with the children we are meant to be looking after tomorrow and how will the parents manage?”
The next morning Mrs Barrett attended the centre and asked if the council could help
She said: “We were just told ‘You should have a contingency plan for that.’ I was flabbergasted.
Mrs Barrett began a frantic search for a temporary site big enough to house the 49 children from seven schools which Kids in Charge pick up and look after.
She said: “The council provided no help at all.
“It was a very difficult and stressful situation. We called around everyone we knew to find an alternative venue, while also trying to contact all our parents.”
Kids in Charge received an offer of help from Wanstead High School and accepted an offer from Woodbine Clubhouse in Wanstead Place, a day centre for adults with learning disabilities.
Mrs Barrett said of both venues: “They were outstanding and I cannot thank them enough.
“We had to rush over there and do a risk assessment and then email all our parents to tell them that we would be picking up children and taking them there that day.
“Not everyone responds to their emails or answers their phone so we left a note on the door of the youth centre for any parents who might not have got the message.
“One mother saw the notice and got confused and panicked, we had written that the Woodbine Centre was close to Wanstead Library, but she was in such a state she went to South Woodford Library instead.
“We were waiting on the street with her child and eventually had to drive the child to meet her because she was just so panicked.”
Mrs Barrett says the business has been forced to cancel it’s half-term holiday club and is angry about what she calls a ‘lack of communication and understanding’ from the council.
She said: “Eventually they returned a call from me on Friday to ask me what was happening. That was the first time I had been asked if we needed any help or support.
“Cancelling our holiday provision means we have let down a lot of parents, but we have no alternative. I do think the council could have done more to help.
The Guardian has asked Redbridge Council for an update on the situation at Wanstead Youth Centre and a response to Mrs Barrett's concerns.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel