I run a Holiday Club, The Sunrise & Sunset Holiday Club, https://sites.google.com/a/sunriseandsunset.org/www/holiday-clubs for primary school-aged children in Chorleywood, Rickmansworth, UK, providing them with daily opportunities to connect with nature on Chorleywood Common. As the head teacher of the local school affirms, “playing outside and exploring in these beautiful surroundings is crucial for children's mental, spiritual, and physical well-being”. 

Chorleywood Common serves as a vital, open-air classroom where children learn not only about the effect of glorious nature on themselves but they also learn about the environment and learn valuable lessons in responsibility by understanding how to care for the land and themselves. These experiences shape good behaviours and foster a connection to our natural world, setting a positive precedent for future generations.

Recently, the Chorleywood Parish Council has implemented charges for local childcare businesses, like mine, to use this cherished common land. This decision imposes an unfair burden on services that significantly benefit the community, turning a public resource into a financial hurdle for childcare activities that should surely remain freely accessible.

Charging for the use of such a fundamental public space could lead to restricting access and hampering opportunities of being in nature for our children. By forcing small childcare services to bear these costs, there is a risk that such programs may become financially unsustainable, ultimately depriving children of essential developmental experiences.

And should parents who probably are already paying the Chorleywood Parish Council through their local Council Council Taxes have to pay yet more money for the children to use the common during their school holidays as undoubtedly these charges will have to be passed onto the parents due to the very small margins in childcare. 

I urge the Chorleywood Parish Council to reconsider this policy. Instead of penalising those who strive to enrich the lives of young residents & support hardworking families, let's work together to keep Chorleywood Common a free and open space for children. Ensuring free access supports a thriving, healthy community and upholds our commitment to the welfare and development of our future leaders.

Please help us protect the interests of our children and community by signing this petition. Together, we can demonstrate the value of preserving Chorleywood Common as a space for limitless learning and discovery.