Don't sing about Jesus, tots told

nlnews@archant.co.uk
13 December 2006

A TODDLERS' group in Wood Green was warned it must drop its Christian title and stop singing songs about Jesus - or face having its funding axed by Haringey Council.

Council officers protested when they were advised the group was to change its name to The Polish and Eastern European Christian Family Centre - and, following further investigation, organisers were told to stop singing a song about loving Jesus.

Gosia Shannon, organiser of the group, was warned that funding by the council could be stopped unless its activities were in future "strictly of a non-religious nature".

Mrs Shannon, 43, who lives in Wood Green, came to Britain 15 years ago and is married with a teenage daughter.

She said: "I can't understand why the council would do this. We are culturally sensitive to the people we support at the centre. I was very surprised at the council's actions. We started to get warning letters from the council after we told them we wanted to change the name. We were told that our funding could be dropped.

"We sing Christian songs, Polish songs and English nursery rhymes. The families who come here want to bring their children up to have respect for Christian values."

Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, said: "I think the group is a victim of the current climate."

The Polish and Eastern European Christian Family Centre, which meets at the Salvation Army, in Gladstone Avenue.

It received £6,000 from Haringey Council and money from Sure Start's Government led nursery programme for a worker.

A Haringey Council spokesman said: "The letter has been withdrawn. It was not appropriate for this officer to be writing such a letter. We have contacted this group asking them to disregard the letter and invited them to meet a senior officer to discuss funding.