Witham: Mother's sports centre complaint

5:40pm Tuesday 5th August 2008

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A mother who allowed her children to be looked after in Witham for the first time has blasted a sports centre’s security procedures.

Melissa Gilbert said she dropped her two sons off at Bramston Sports Centre, Witham, for a summer holiday kids’ club but, after a security policy was not adhered to, she will not be using the service again.

Mrs Gilbert, who works for Witham publishing company Kline Davis, lives in Boreham and said she usually takes her boys, Max, 7, and Cameron, 5, to Riverside Leisure Centre in Chelmsford.

“I was recommended Bramston and thought it would be easier as it was on my way into work," said Mrs Gilbert.

She said there is a security procedure in place at Bramston Sports Centre whereby parents give an agreed password to childminders’ and staff at the centre.

Mrs Gilbert said her childminder picked up her sons last Monday and Wednesday afternoon and nobody asked who she was and they did not ask her for the password.

After it happened the first time Mrs Gilbert said she complained to a member of staff and said “what’s the point of having the procedures in place if they are not upheld - anybody could walk in and take your children.”

Mrs Gilbert said for it to happen again is a “little concerning” and “unacceptable.”

A representative of Bramston Sports Centre was unavailable to comment.