Parents flock to defend therapy centre shut down by Essex County Council
The council stopped referring children from across Essex, including Southend, to the Peaceful Pony Therapy and Alternative Education Centre in Stock Lane Billericay in February.
The equine centre, which offers vital care to children, teens and adults with a range of learning and neurodivergent conditions, struggled on until last week when it was forced to close for good.
Essex County Council has cited 'safeguarding issues' but has failed to outline what these were both to the owner Holly Lockewood-Waduge, a mental health nurse, who founded the not-for-profit centre more than four years ago, or to parents.
Vickie Pearce from Chelmsford used the centre for her 14-year-old daughter, Amber who has autistic, has cystic fibrosis and severe OCD. She said: 'Peaceful Pony have been the only provision that have met her needs and who have helped her grow educationally, emotionally.
'It doesn't make any sense. We've had no clear answers or discussion about it. They're very, very supportive of children who are autistic and most compassionate understanding.
'There is no other provision that matches them or could replace them in the whole of Essex.'
Following the closure Essex County Council said it had made other provision for the children but this has been hotly contested by parents.
Sarah Matthew, from Basildon whose daughter, Lily, 15, attended the centre, said: 'I'm furious. There isn't any other provider that's approved on their list that is anything like the Peaceful Pony.
'Staff had taken the time for Lily to really slowly get to know them and do things at her pace. There is one place that is a tiny bit similar but that's in Colchester and my daughter would just not cope with the drive every day.'
Lisa Brightmore, from Braintree took her daughter Eloise, 14, to the centre. She said: 'It's very sad and unfortunately, it's been dealt with incredibly poorly. I don't understand the safeguards that were involved so I wrote a letter to the council asking them to explain to me the due diligence that they've done. They refused to answer.'
Ms Lockwood-Waduge, who is taking legal action against the council, said: 'I'm just gobsmacked.
'They've never been able to provide any evidence and then they say that all of the children have been moved onto other to put other provisions. They absolutely haven't.'
A spokesperson for Essex County Council said: 'We would like to reiterate that the decisions made surrounding the withdrawal from the Peaceful Pony provision were made following extensive consultation with the Peaceful Pony team. We do not make such decisions lightly.'
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