Eddie Izzard Joins Bexhill Parents In Fight To Save Nurseries

Could support from a famous son of Bexhill convince East Sussex County Council to save two nurseries under threat of closure?

Bexhill Family Collective, a group set up by parents, put forward a proposal to East Sussex County Council (ESCC) in August to take over running the two nursery settings.

But the group, which is a non-profit community interest company, claims to have heard nothing from the local authority.

It's after ESCC announced Cygnets, in Egerton Road, and Rainbow, in Ninfield Road, will shut on December 31.

The group of parents said the aim was to help save £2.6m from the authority’s children’s services budget.

The closures would result in 18 redundancies for childcare staff.

But additionally, it would mean losing around 160 childcare spaces which could bring about income loss for working families who can't find alternative child-care.

ESCC has, in the recent past, pointed to many reductions in central government funding for local authorities that have led the authority to reduce its service offering — as council tax rises are limited by law.

Filming outside the nursery with three members of the Bexhill Family Collective, Eddie Izzard said:

“They put a proposal into East Sussex County Council, but for whatever reason, they are not getting back to them [and] not responding to emails.

"We have a solution here to save these nurseries and at a time of COVID, surely, they should respond.

"If you are a member of East Sussex County Council, please respond.”

Sidley and Bexhill are two places very close to the comedian’s heart:

“My grandma was born and grew up in Sidley, my dad grew up in Sidley and Bexhill and me also and my brother.”

Nikki Collins, one of the directors of the group, said:

“We are lost for words at how amazing it is to have someone like Eddie Izzard supporting our cause to take over Rainbow Childcare Centre and Cygnets Childcare Centre instead of closure.

“We want to stop our 2021 school starters from having an interrupted last year of nursery, local families to not have to commute on public transport at an additional cost just to find childcare, parents to not have to leave employment due to no childcare that aren’t just term time hours, and also to avoid the wonderful staff at both of these settings from being made redundant.

“We are hearing daily from parents who are struggling with this situation as there just isn’t the space for our children at any other nursery.”

Eddie Izzard also organised two last-minute shows last Friday to raise money for the Bexhill Family Collective.

Great Expectations and Wunderbar were shown at the De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, and all proceeds from both shows were donated to the company.

Ms Collins added:

“After meeting us, Eddie arranged both of these last-minute shows as a fundraising opportunity and for our mission on wanting to save these nurseries to have a platform. His generosity and passion for Sidley and Bexhill is just phenomenal.”

More Radio is contacting East Sussex County Council for comment.