End of the road for TreeHouse

The letter below has been sent by the Trustees of Audlem TreeHouse to all staff, parents and other interested parties:-

"You will probably be aware that Audlem Tree House has been operating at a considerable financial loss for the past several years, only being able to continue since May 2011 as a result of a one-off injection of funds from Cheshire East. These funds are now nearly exhausted and Cheshire East have confirmed that no more significant funding can be expected.

"This ongoing financial loss can only be remedied by an unacceptably large rise in the fees which we make to individual users, or by a considerable growth in the numbers of children making use of Tree House. With the increased nursery facilities at Audlem St James Primary School, coupled with the demographics of decreasing numbers of children in the relevant age-groups, mean that the latter is very unlikely to happen.

"It is therefore, with great sadness that I have to announce the news that, unless there is a dramatic change in circumstances, the Trustees of the Audlem Tree House charity will be left with no choice but to permanently close Audlem Tree House (Pre-School, After School Care & Tots) after the end of the 2013 Summer Term (24th July).

"Audlem Tree House, as it presently formed, began on the current site in 2003 and has served well many children and parents in the intervening years. Of course there were other such premises offering the community such a welcome amenity, and these all came together into the then new Tree House premises. . Now we face the fact that numbers have declined to such an extent that we can no longer fund the operation.

"All this is in spite of all the efforts of the staff, who have worked long and hard to try to make the Tree House operation financially viable.

"In view of this the proposed Easter Event to be held in March will no longer be going ahead. Any expenditure that has already been outlaid for this will be refunded.

"The final decision to close in July will not be made until after the end of this current Spring Term (28th March). We would welcome the opportunity to discuss the situation with any parents or other interested parties who may wish to do so."

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