Dear Editor,
The Toddler Time session in Spennymoor Leisure Centre, which has been going for over 30 years, held its last session on Friday, 31st January, 2025, and was an emotional time for those that have been attending for years and for those that having been running it.
In December, I was approached by some of those that used the Toddler Time, to see what I could do to help save it from closing, but despite a meeting with centre management, communicating with a senior officer and speaking with the relevant Cabinet Member, it could not be saved.
I was even asked on behalf of the Toddler Time users to contact our MP to invite him along to one of the final sessions, because they wanted to see if he could help. This I did for them and they were disappointed that I never received an answer to the invitation from the MP’s office.
I gave the two staff members, Barbara and Mo a bouquet of flowers each as a token of appreciation for their work with the Toddler Time, because it’s people like those ladies and Margaret, who started the Toddler Time group 34 years ago that are the unsung heroes of the community that provide a vital service that enable our toddlers to learn valuable social skills that set them up for nursery and beyond.
I wish everyone connected with the Toddler Time all the best for the future and I hope they can find a suitable place locally to attend.
Yours faithfully,
Cllr Pete Molloy, Spennymoor Division
Spennymoor's local community newspaper.
