IN the midst of a so-called ‘obesity epidemic’ and when the government wants people to stay healthy, surely taking away a creche from parents is a backwards step?

Freedom Leisure has decided to move the creche currently based at St John’s Sports Centre to Perdiswell Leisure Centre because “it’s simply not viable” to “operate two separate facilities”.

While its understandable that Freedom Leisure can only do so much, shouldn’t there be extra government or council funding to ensure the creche at the St John’s gym stays open – because the reality is that closing the creche will simply drive some parents away from exercising full stop.

Freedom Leisure says that Perdiswell is “just three miles up the road” from St John’s but if you don’t have a car during the day, for example because you’re other half uses it for work, then three miles is a long trek with a baby or toddler, especially when time can be limited.

The sad truth is that a number of parents will have to give up going to the gym because of this move, which will affect both their mental and physical health.