Plea to save Stibbington Centre used by thousands of children every year as council set to close site

Campaigners are making a last minute plea to save a popular education centre which sees thousands of Peterborough children attend every year.

The Stibbington Centre has introduced scores of school pupils to outdoor activities, as well as historical projects, over the years, with 3,500 visiting last year alone. But on Tuesday (January 17) councillors could decide to close the centre for good in a money saving measure.

Nearly 2,000 people had signed an online petition aiming to save the Victorian age site in less than a week, after Cambridgeshire County Council papers revealing the closure plans were published on Wednesday (January 11).

Christine Moss, chair of the trustees of Stibbington Greener Futures Trust, said she had been shocked to hear the centre could be closed.

She said: “It was such a shock. I could not believe it. I was astounded really.

"We all understand the economic situation at the moment.

“But we have only had a few working days since the papers were published. We want them to hear people’s views on the decision, and take that into account.”

Many youngsters will have memories of trips where they dressed up as Second World War evacuees, or experiencing life as a Victorian school child during visits the centre.

Cambridgeshire County Council said the decision to shut Stibbington would mean other centres at Grafham Water and Burwell House would remain open

But Christine said the centre was vital for Peterborough. She said: “The centre is so close to Peterborough. The other sites are along way to travel, but this one is close enough for Peterborough.

"The centre could be used as a flagship, showing what other Victorian buildings could be used for."

Peter Kemp, who signed the petition, described the centre as ‘a jewel,’ saying: “No local pupil who has been ‘evacuated’ to Stibbington as a WW2 child will have forgotten the experience: adopting the identity of an actual evacuee from 1939, sitting on the train in the station as if they had just arrived from London, having their hair checked for nits, walking up through the village to see which house would be their ‘new’ home, to their new school - all without mum or dad at their side.”

The council said that they had spent £112,000 on the centre, adding: “It has since become apparent that further significant investment will be required at Stibbington Centre, in order to ensure that this remains a safe and viable outdoor education centre. This is due to multiple factors, not least including the use of modular buildings which are considered beyond their usable lifespan and would require a wholescale capital investment and solution.”

The report added: “The pressures currently experienced at Stibbington Centre are only forecast to continue growing, unless changes which would impact upon service delivery and quality were enacted, which would also been considered to be counterintuitive.”

To sign the petition, visit www.change.org/p/save-stibbington-centre-from-closure

To read the council report, visit https://cambridgeshire.cmis.uk.com/ccc_live/Meetings/tabid/70/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/397/Meeting/1903/Committee/4/Default.aspx

The meeting takes place at New Shire Hall in Alconbury, starting at 2pm.