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Creche facilities needed at races
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If there is a will there is a way!
Maybe us parents need to ask at all the races we enter are they providing creche facilities? Might get the organisers thinking.
Almost all races are organised by small teams of volunteers at running clubs, and the amount of time it takes to do all the paperwork etc (not to mention the hassle and the stress) is astonishing. It just isn't practical to do as far as I can see.
The only way it would ever work would be to find a local nursery who you could outsource it too, and I still imagine there might be legal issues around that. And the cost would most likely be too prohibitive for many people to take it up...
Still, worth investigating.
LOK - I've just entered my local Race For Life and will contact them about creche facilities. The leisure centre next door to the start / finish line has a very large creche which isn't open on Sundays. In 2004, 1 500 women entered my local RFL.
Venom - I'm going to contact some local nurseries to see if they would be interested in organising something, including the manager of my work place nursery.
Then....I'm going to write an article for Runners World.
Good Luck with all your ventures, I look foreward to reading your article in RW!
I have been thinking that creche facilities would be such a boon. My husband is a doctor so often works weekends and evenings. The only way I can get out is to book a babysitter for my 4 year old. I competed in a local x-country race on Sunday and did wonder whether the cold, the pain and the freezing temperatures were really worth the £5/hour I was having to pay the baby-sitter for the 'privilege'!
My current plan is to get together with other running mums so the kids get to know each other and we can take it in turns to look after each other's children.
(do you know elton john btw? ..don't go breakin my heart etc)
you could start a thread entitled "mums in cambs" and see if you get some takers?
i wish i could take the LTS route but Mr LoK is no longer at this address
as they say
is saying you can bring young children
but you can't bring a buggy - how many under 5's can run a 5k at adult speed without at least the help of a babyjogger buggy???
and as for boys...well they are totally out of the question it seems
here's the rules:
5) Can I bring young children?
Children of all ages are welcome and the entry fee for under-18s is just £5. However we do advise that under-18s are accompanied by a responsible adult. Some of our races are very busy, in excess of 5,000 women, and we ask you to consider this when bringing young children.
6) Do you allow prams/strollers?
For Health and Safety reasons we are unable to permit any prams, pushchairs or jogging buggies on the course.
7) Can I carry my baby in a sling?
Yes, this is absolutely fine.
8) Do young children have to pay an entry fee?
Under-18s are required to pay an entry fee at the reduced rate of £5. For Health and Safety reasons we have to ensure that every participant is accounted for. Also, this ensures that if the child gets lost the Race Organiser will have contact details to help reunite the child with the parent or guardian.
4) What will my son do if I want to take part?
In the past other participants have asked friends or family who are supporting them on the day to look after their children. Having supporters to cheer on the participants contributes to the fantastic atmosphere on the day.
And the one at the gym is closing down too. :-(
(presumably they are not sex-checking the babies in slings?)
i think the whole rfl thing is intended primarily as a fundraiser for cancer research and only incidentally as a booster to women - albeit a great one
sadly
i have totally lost faith in them as charity because their marketing machine has been so aggressive and unhelpful to me in dealing with them over RFL
also, i think tesco's sponsorship is entirely cynical or let's say - a business decision
ie they are mainly focused on the fact that it is excellent advertising to associate themselves with something that makes it look like they are helping women whereas in fact, my experience of it was a crappy medal , a marketing oriented goody bag that was no use to me, and minimum expenditure
there was inadequate loos, inadequate water and a poor course in my case
the local club 5ks were much better organised and i've more faith in them getting childcare set up than RFL
infact i am dreading writing to them because they made it so hard last year when i was asking a simple question about the course and i ended up having a row with the cancer research phone guy - which really upset me
so am procrastinating about writing to them on this
expecting another corporate faceless unhelpful reply
anyway
not meaning to divert this thread on to my personal feeling about RFL experience
and i am sure other RFL's were alot better than mine
but it is one of the more obvious places to start with the issue of creche's
- the two boys had a great time together
- we got a break and did what we wanted to do
- the other family benefited when we reciprocated
I'm all for getting children used to different situations and making new friends, but a downside of a race creche as opposed to a more regular creche is that your kid is turfed in with a load of strangers who they may not get on with, and with adults who may not understand their particular needs & character.