Camden New Journal - News: Nursery given order to close

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Camden New Journal - by CHARLOTTE CHAAMBERS
Published: 18th October 2007

Nursery given order to close

A CHARITY that runs a community centre has been accused of abandoning nursery children under its care after it gave their playschool its marching orders.
The Swiss Cottage Community Association has been in charge of the community centre since 2004, when it won a six-year lease to run it for Camden. Last week it told the Pre-School Learning Alliance – which has been based there for more than 20 years – to leave.
Erim Metto, who runs the community centre, said the nursery had broken health and safety regulations.
The decision has caused anguish among the parents of 16 children who attend the nursery, who say the move will traumatise the under-fives.
Yesterday (Wednesday), a council spokesman said Camden was unaware of the row, and would investigate it.
The nursery’s manager Krystyna Zavisha, who has worked there since 1987, called the eviction “undemocratic” and called for the council to act. “Whatever the Centre’s true intentions, a higher authority has to look at the merits of this undemocratic decision,” she said.
The charity, which is a non-profit organisation, cited a “strained relationship” with the nursery as its reason for the eviction.

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