Bikers join parents for Kingswood centre protest
MEMBERS of the Bristol Harley Davidson Group joined parents and their disabled children to promote a protest they are holding this coming Sunday.
A "carnival style" march is to be held by families who have youngsters with disabilities and life-limiting illnesses who use the Hop Skip and Jump centre in Kingswood.
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Members of the Bristol Harley-Davidson Group with TV presenter Sherrie Eugene Hart, centre, parents and their disabled children at Grimsbury Farm Picture: Jon Kent BRJK20120519A-001_C
They are protesting at changes at the centre, and say their views have been "ignored" by the charity running it.
Parents are upset that the charity has moved its focus away from a drop-in service to respite sessions.
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Hundreds of marchers are expected to congregate in Avening in Gloucestershire, where the charity running the centre is based.
They want to march past a church where chair of the charity's trustees, Reverend Celia Carter, works.
Chair of the Hop Skip and Jump Parents Group, Julian Burr, 33, of Hanham, said: "All we want is for our siblings to play together in the same place, safe in the knowledge that their needs are being met – it's not too much to ask." The charity opened its Bristol branch nine years ago and is used by more than 800 families.
Trustees of the centre, Ms Carter and Clarissa Mitchell, told the Post: "We are confused that a minority of parents have felt the need to call for a protest to present a petition that is misleading in calling for Hop Skip and Jump South West to offer services it already provides, and which has been only been signed by a handful of people since the turn of the year."
Comments
by 780715JVB1
Monday, May 21 2012, 8:50AM
“P.S. Sorry EP - Corrections on the above article:
1. Julian Burr is not the chair of the parent group - he was spokesperson for the Parent representatives when they were working with the charity between Sept 2011 and Feb 2012, but this group resigned due to lack of progress. This event is being organised collectively by the parent community.
2. The centre WAS used by 800 families, it's now used by about 20 thanks to changes introduced...
See http://tinyurl.com/bvdvxwa for more info about the parent group”
by 780715JVB1
Monday, May 21 2012, 8:45AM
“A HUGE thanks to Sherrie and the Bikers for coming along on Saturday to help us with this photo.
The march is going to be great fun, the kids are invited to come in fancy dress and we've got balloons and quite possibly a band to make the event even more special.
Thanks to the generosity of the local community we now have a double decker BUS and a wheelchair adapted minibus so are able to provide transport from Kingswood to Avening for free on Sunday. Please contact us via our website if you'd like to reserve a seat as space is limited.
Please see http://tinyurl.com/bvdvxwa for more details on the march (timings, etc)”