Children from local schools using the Map Island in the Livesey's latest X Marks The Spot exhibition. © Southwark Council
Parents and children in Peckham, London, have launched a campaign to save the award-winning Livesey Museum for Children after the local council confirmed its plans to stop funding it.
Local supporters will be taking part in a 'Valentines' lobby of the council tomorrow (Tuesday, February 12) to express their support for the museum, which has had its £140,000 funds earmarked for the chop as part of Southwark Council’s annual budget process.
The Lib Dem/Conservative Executive of the authority are meeting on Tuesday February 12 2008 to formally agree the budget plans and the closure of the museum at the end of March 2008. Local supporters are organising a family-friendly 'Valentines' protest with children and parents bringing along Valentines cards for councillors stating 'We love the Livesey Museum'.
An online petition to save the museum has already been launched and supporters have been collecting signatures outside local schools as well.
“The plans to close the museum just go to show the Liberal Democrats how out of touch they are with the local community,” said local Labour Councillor Andrew Pakes, who organised the online petition to save the museum. “The council spends twice as much on refreshments for councillors as it does on the museum.”
“Southwark is faced with a tight financial settlement this year like every other London council, but cutting successful, valuable schemes instead of trying to find other savings – like reducing the £5 million currently spent on council publicity – is madness," added Councillor Pakes.
The Livesey Museum. © Southwark Council
A much loved resource for the local community and further afield, the Livesey currently receives nearly 20,000 visitors a year including over 100 school visits. It was runner-up in the Guardian Family Friendly Museum Awards in 2006.
Supporters say it also provides an invaluable contribution to the advancement and enhancement of the lives of children from a relatively disadvantaged community.
“I am shocked that the council would consider getting rid of the museum,” added local London Assembly Member, Val Shawcross. “They are dispensing with a great public asset which was originally a gift to local people from the public benefactor George Livesey. It truly is immoral that this is being contemplated.”
Parents and residents are planning to assemble outside Southwark Town Hall, Peckham Road, on February 12 at 6pm, just before the decision-making executive meeting, to protest the planned closure. The protest follows an earlier demonstration that took place outside the museum itself a week earlier.
Visit the online petition to keep the Livesey open at: www.gopetition.com/online/16681
