Shed Lock Out

Sun 11 Dec 2005, 12:59

Having read Sue's (on behalf the Shed)posting I can only assume that there's been some general communication breakdown between the parties.

I was led to believe that locks had been changed on the building as the result of some kind of on-going dispute amongst the leaseholders. I was concerned that this was having an impact on my and other parent's children to participate and expressed my concerns on this forum.

However, if this wasn't the case then clearly the parties concerned need to sit down and work things out so that parents can continue sending their chidlren to the various drama workshops.

I think Charlbury is lucky to have an extraciricular programme of drama activities for children, and lucky to have the people willing to run them.

Not wanting to contribute to making a mountain, I'll leave it to them.

Sat 10 Dec 2005, 17:38

My daughter Rosie has been right through Centre Stage and is now in Shed.
I think it very sad that things seem to have broken down between the managers so badly. I am willing to offer my services as a facilitator free to help move things on. I have worked as a group facilitator for over thirty years in health social services and management settings. I have held a fellowship in Industrial Human realations.

Wed 7 Dec 2005, 12:46

So according to the statement from Centre Stage and Street Stage, Stuart Parker and Tim Crisp are assuming roles as co-chairmen of both Centre and Street Stages and are dealing with the 'operational difficulties'by talking to people at Shed theatre.

Can we then assume that someone associated with Shed Threatre changed the locks?

Will my daughter and the other Centre and Street Stage children get an apology for being shut out of their lessons?

Tue 6 Dec 2005, 16:16

Co-exist - indeed, it is evident that the one (centrestage) feeds into the other.

This is a MOST important resource for the younger children of Charlbury, as well as their elders.

At least those that can afford it - which may of course be another discussion.

I consider that "performance" arts is one of the most fruitful activities for children and young people.

Tue 6 Dec 2005, 13:21

My son attends Centre Stage and my daughter SHED Thursdays and they both enjoy them enormously.

I hope that the differences can be sorted out soon, before opinions get more heated and polarised. I cannot think it is in the interests of young people in Charlbury for two well supported and popular activities not to be able to co-exist.

Tue 6 Dec 2005, 08:35

I don't know if Centre Stage has been able to resolve the situation.
Anneka appeared confident that she would be able to resolve the situation in that according to her, the action was illegal.

I don't really want to know the details or background to this squabble; I've wasted time in the past getting dragged into local feuds that I've noticed some residents appear to live for.

In this instance, whatever the motives of the Shed lease holders may be, the end result of their actions is to infringe on my 6 year old daughter's access to her afterschool activity. Why would adults, however righteous they believe their justifications to be, want to deny children in Charlbury the pleasure of attending their afterschool class?

What point is so important to prove that justifies that consequence?

Mon 5 Dec 2005, 19:39

Igor, has this been resolved? As per your girl, my daughter's weekly highlight is her Tuesday afternoon with Centrestage.

Perhaps you could mail me offlist with some of the background to this (as far as you know it).

Malcolm

Mon 5 Dec 2005, 17:33

My six year old daughter has been going to Centre Stage at The Shed for two years now and it's always been the highlight of her Mondays after school.

Today she was prevented from attending her regular session due to some internal dispute with the leaseholders of The Shed that resulted in the locks being changed without the Centre Stage teachers' knowledge resulting in their having no access to The Shed.

Myself and several other parents and children stood outside in the cold awaiting one of the other lease holders to show up with a key. Alas, we all lost patience having to wait and the Centre Stage teachers had no choice but to cancel the lesson for the day.

I don't really want care or want to know the details of the internal dispute between the leaseholders of The Shed or why someone would have taken the apparently drastic step of changing the locks or bother informing anyone.

What I am concerned about is why whoever changed the locks didn't have the consideration to contact the parents of the children who attend on a Monday afternoon that they had taken action to prevent the class from proceeding.

Likewise, I would like to know why they feel it's appropriate for 6-12 year olds to have to suffer the consequences of adults not being able to resolve their own disputes in a reasonable manner.

I mean, I thought we were supposed to be setting examples for our children in conflict resolution as part of our roles as parents and teachers.

If we are, is a sorry reflection on the standards we set for our children in their intrapersonal lives.

I've had to to explain at length to my 6 year old as best I can, why she wasn't able to attend the class she looks forward to every week. Her conclusion is that sometimes "grownups act like children". What a great lesson for her to learn in Charlbury!