Yesterday, Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett paused the consultation into the closure of five Council nurseries for a month to allow a joint campaign with parents, staff and trade unions to 'lobby' the Government for funding in order to keep them open.
However, today, two grandparents in Walkden's Ellesmere Shopping Centre collecting scores of signatures for the Save Our Salford Nurseries petition are in no mood to compromise, insisting that the fight goes on.
When asked who they are fighting, the Government or Salford Council, Hilary Ludlam, whose grandson attends Little Hulton Day Nursery, insists "Both!... They're all looking after their own backs.
"Salford Council think they're right, and know it all, and we're just these people from poor areas who don't have any say in matters, but they've got a fight on their hands now" she adds "And we are going to fight for our nurseries, and we are going to fight for our children."
Carol Moores, whose granddaughter also attends Little Hulton Day Nursery, is determined to save the community facility...
"I want to save the nursery for her especially, as she has down's syndrome and there's nowhere else in Salford that can assist her" Carol explains "And also for the staff and the other children who go there. These are fantastic nurseries.
"Whenever there's no money it's always the children and the elderly who get affected" she insists "It's always them who have to suffer, not those living in the new apartment blocks and new offices, and things like that. They should try and think what our children are going through. There's nothing at all in Salford for our children."
Indeed, Carol runs a dance troupe in the area to give children somewhere to go but in the nurseries fight, there's no pussyfooting around..."I'll fight to the end" she says.
The sentiment is echoed by Hilary, whose grandson was born with allergies which makes it crucial he gets the right care...
"We took him to private nurseries but they couldn't deal with his problem so we took him to the Little Hulton Sure Start Nursery and they have been brilliant with him; they give him special food and really look after him" she explains "It's a rundown area that doesn't get enough funding as it is, so why are they taking the nursery off us? Where are our children going to go?
"They want the mothers to go to work but how can they do that when they're shutting the nurseries?" she asks "If they do this what is going to happen is that the parents will come out of work; so they're going to have more on the social being paid to stay off work to look after the children. So why not put it into the nurseries to let the mothers go to work? They can't have it both ways."
And shoppers in the Ellesmere Centre certainly agree, as more and more people sign to Save Our Five Outstanding Salford Nurseries...
"It's a real fight, and we don't mind standing here for days with these petitions" says Hilary defiantly "We're here to fight for the children of Salford."
To sign the online petition which currently has almost 6,000 signatures – click here
To join the Facebook group Save our 5 OUTSTANDING rated Sure Start Nurseries – click here
The five nurseries affected by Salford Council's closure proposal are:
Little Hulton Day Nursery, Barton Moss Day Nursery, Higher Broughton Day Nursery, Belvedere Day Nursery and Winton Day Nursery.
See also previous related Salford Star articles...
Salford Council U-turn On Closure Consultation – click here
Salford Council Nursery Closure Government Bombshell – click here
Hundreds of People Pack Save Salford Nurseries Meeting – click here
Salford Nursery Closure Fightback Begins – click here
Over 100 Workers Could Lose Jobs in Salford Council Nursery Massacre – click here
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