A PLAYGROUP in Uley is facing fears of closure due to low pupil numbers – just as it celebrates its golden anniversary.

Uley Playgroup, based in Uley Village Hall, in The Street, is facing a crisis, and staff are concerned they will be forced to close if numbers do not improve.

Parents and staff have spoken out about their desire to save the group and the important role it plays in the village.

Uley Playgroup was opened in 1964 and has cared for pre-school-age children for the past five decades.

Recently however, low attendance figures have caused concern among staff and parent.

There are currently 16 children attending Uley Playgroup out of a maximum capacity of 24.

All of the funding that keeps the group running comes from the £3.70 per hour paid by parents for their children.

Funding for the playgroup is currently so minimal that management were forced to reduce staff numbers from four to two.

The playgroup has benefited one local family throughout three generations. Jo Rymer took her daughter, Rachel Davidson, 45, to the playgroup shortly after it had first opened in 1972.

Now Mrs Davidson takes her four-year-old son Fergus to the playgroup. Both Mrs Rymer and Mrs Davidson feel the loss of the playgroup would be a terrible blow to the village community.

Mrs Rymer said: “Back then there was one paid member of staff and parents used to have to come in and volunteer.

“It was there to help you play with your children and it really was a wonderful thing.

“Fergus absolutely loves it and really enjoys all the activities. We really want to keep it because it’s such an important part of the village.”

These days the playgroup serves a somewhat different purpose to the one it its earlier years, while still holding onto its core values of educating children through play.

Mrs Davidson said: “I’m a working mother and so are a lot of the other parents, so today its run by a group of staff and I’ll drop Fergus off and leave him here during the day.

“The staff are lovely and Fergus really enjoys it. If we lost it it would be a dreadful loss to the community.”

Nicola Wood has been manager of the playgroup for the past two years. She feels that if the playgroup was forced to close it could have a massively negative impact on the area.

She said: “Children are the future of any community but you need to have the right facilities or you’re not going to get new people coming in.

“I think it’s essential that you have new people coming into the village or it will be the end of it.

“It’s so important because we help children develop their communication skills, their confidence and help with socialisation. We really get to know them and it makes such a difference.”

The playgroup looks after children aged two to five.

Though a registered charity, it is owned by the parents of children who attend the group. While the day to day running of the sessions is the responsibility of the staff, the committee conducts the general management of the playgroup.

The playgroup is entirely dependant on voluntary support from parents.