Blackpool toddler group Happy Lions facing closure over rising costs it cannot afford to meet

A Blackpool toddler group which has been called a ‘lineline’ for parents is facing closure after running for 30 years.

The Happy Lions group meets at St Mark’s Church hall in Layton every Tuesday, between 9.15am and 11.30am, and offers a range of support for mums - and sometimes dads too.

It caters for children aged 0-4 year olds.

But the group, which has been using the hall free of charge up until now, has been told by the Parochial Church Council (PCC) that it must start paying £56 a week to cover the rising costs of maintaining the hall.

On a yearly basis, it adds up to more than £2,000.

The group organisers say many of the mums are from low income households and if one week happens to have a low attendance of ten or under, which is sometimes the case, it would mean they would have to find more than £5 each.

Coral Dibbs, who runs the group on a voluntary basis, free of charge, with longtime leader Barbara Brook, says the parents can’t afford it.

They have set up a crowdfunding page in a desperate effort to raise the first £2,000, but they say that trying to keep raising this on an annual basis will be unrealistic.

So far the fund has raised just £115. (To help, visit https://gofund.me/487a44e1).

However, the church says is its having to face up to severe financial difficulties after being hit by two issues – the huge rise in utility bills and a massive loss of income caused by the Covid lockdowns.

A lifeline for struggling parents

Coral, 51,said: "When we were told about this on Tuesday, there were a lot of tears.

“Many of thee mums are really isolated socially, and the group is one of the few chances they have to meet other mums.

"Their children are able meet and interact with other children, which is really important.

"Over the years we have helped mums struggling with post natal depression, we’ve been able to provide clothes, celebrate their birthdays, help the toddlers make Father’ Day cards.”

Coral says the Happy Lions group also acts a signpost to family support service Blackpool Better Start, with which she has connections.

Lewis Cole 44, who works as a chef, is one of the few dads to attend the group.

He said: “I’ve seen for myself what an important and brilliant job this group is doing – it’s a lifeline for people who really need it.

"It has helped me personally and my little boy Taylor, who loves it and has really benefited from it.

"We won’t be able to to afford £56 a week.

"I work but my energy bills have gone up by £100 a month – my wages haven’t gone up at all.

”This group is in real danger of closing and it will be a big loss, it’s really sad.”

What the church says

Rev Peter Lillicrap, vicar at St Mark’s, says he feels sympathy for the group but stresses that the church is facing massive losses on the running of the building.

He said: “Unfortunately this group is not affiliated to the church but has been using the hall for years without contributing anything financially.

"We are now in the financial position that we cannot afford that to continue – and others groups have already had to close.

"To put it in context, we’ve already had a £20,000 overspend on the management of the parish hall this year.

"The gas bill for the hall, in January alone this year, was £1,000 – and there are other costs on top of that.

"We lost a lot of money during lockdown because the hall was shut and making no income but we still had to pay for the upkeep – and the energy bill rises have been enormous.

"So it means that not only do groups using the hall have to make financial contribution, they need to draw up a proper plan so that we know we are guaranteed the funds.

"It is very sad but we just can’t afford to run things in the way we have in the past.”