More than 1,000 people have signed a petition to save a University-run nursery in Sheffield, which is due to close for financial reasons and a large decline in numbers.
Sheffield Hallam University’s Collegiate Campus nursery has insisted that they will shut down their services at the end of the summer term despite the petition “Save our nursery” gaining 1,400 supporters within two weeks.
Angered parents have been rallying support since being notified about the closure through peaceful protests and several emails to the University, which are yet to make a difference.
Rebecca Elliott, petition starter, said: “Parents and carers will be left struggling to find suitable childcare at what is already a difficult time for the sector.
“We are urging the University to reconsider its proposal.”
This comes after the nursery made their closure announcement to parents on 13 April, via an email, due to having lost £600,000 since the Covid-19 pandemic and now only having 39 children, despite 75 spaces overall.
Within the email to parents and carers, the university said that their decision was being made due to a “combination of falling demand, financial sustainability challenges and wider changes across the early years sector.”
Minesh Parekh, 32, Councillor for Crookes and Crosspool said: “It’s really disappointing and short sighted for them to consider closing such an important site.
“Parents have started this petition, which has my full support.”
The nursery was rated “outstanding” by Ofsted in 2023 and cares for children of staff and students at the Sheffield Hallam university, alongside children who are within the wider community.
The closure is likely to leave various parents across the city without childcare due to other sites having long waiting lists and being at a maximum capacity for the next year.
A spokesperson from SHU said: “If the proposal goes ahead, we will work closely with parents to support them, including signposting to alternative local childcare provision.”
Earlier this year, SHU also announced that they would also be selling off 12 historic mansions on Collegiate Campus including Edwardian and Victorian mansions, Oak Lodge and Mundella House.
To support the petition, it can be found here.
