DISAPPOINTED’ parents could be left without childcare as a popular wraparound club is faced with a £56,000 increase in rent.

Funzone provides holiday club and wraparound care for hundreds of families in Redditch and operates from four schools in the area.

From September, Walkwood C of E Middle School has dramatically increased Funzone’s rent from £12,00 to £68,00 per year to use the school.

Funzone, say they do not want to pass these fees on to the parents and are hoping to find an alternative solution.

In an email to parents, director of Funzone, Amanda Lawler said: “I understand the current economic situation the school will face but we all face it, so I was shocked when I received notification of this, and I have contacted school governors to alert them to the fact that there is no way we can afford this amount without increasing our fees by 40 per cent.

“They recognise that the ‘situation is not ideal’, however, will not reconsider.

“I would not be comfortable to increase our fees so much during a cost-of-living crisis, as I feel that this will mean that we are unaffordable for many parents anyway.”

Funzone provides wraparound care from Feckenham C of E First School, a church hall in Tardebigge, Holyoakes Field First School and Walkwood Middle School.

They run their popular holiday club from Walkwood Middle School, making it their most popular site.

Redditch Advertiser: Julie Davies and daughter Jessica. Julie Davies and daughter Jessica.

Julie Davies is a community nurse meaning she works different shifts every week and relies on Funzone for the childcare of her seven-year-old daughter Jessica.

She said if a solution cannot be found, she will have to reduce her working hours to accommodate childcare.

She added: “When we were told the news, it was four days before the school broke up for summer.

“It’s going to affect around 200 parents as the holiday club caters for the whole of Redditch

“It is so disappointing from Walkwood School.

“My work pattern can change and Funzone is so good at accommodating us and my shifts on short notice.

“I don’t want to think about what would happen if the fees aren’t brought down.

“I would have to ask my boss to be flexible and ask family and friends in the short term.

“In the long term, I would have to reduce my hours at work to accommodate childcare as there’s nowhere else to go at such short notice."

Redditch Advertiser: Walkwood C of E Middle School. Walkwood C of E Middle School.

Joy Lowe, manager of the wraparound care based at Walkwood School said she is devastated.

"I expected the fees to go up but not by this much and we cannot put that on the parents,” said Joy.

“We are all devastated - we are letting down the children and the parents.

“We don’t know what the future will hold, it’s quite scary.”

Director of Funzone, Amanda Lawler said the school have given Funzone a discount for 24 years as they care for their pupils and those in the community.

She said they had no prior knowledge of the increased fees.

Amanda added: “I am hoping we can resolve this as we want an ongoing relationship with Walkwood and I am hoping we can have a meeting about this soon.”

The Advertiser contacted Walkwood Middle School, but they refused to comment.