DEVASTATED parents who use a vital respite centre are fighting to save its future.

Hop, Skip and Jump Swindon, based at Ridge Green, support disabled children and young adults but it announced its closure on June 18.

But mums and dads who rely on this service started a petition which has had more than 2,600 signatures.

And an open letter was sent to Swindon Borough Council urging them to fight to keep it going.

It went into administration in March after seeing a downturn in donations and the council gave it a few more months after they handed them £55,000.

But it needed a more stable income to keep it going.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the charity said: “It has felt like a big family and we all used to feel so happy coming to work every day, to make special memories and have lots of fun and laughter with the children.

“It has been hard for a few months, but the support we have had from you all has been incredible. We are really sad that this has happened, and we will miss the children very much.”

A mum of four, Becci Taylor of Toothill, has used the service since 2015.

Her eight-year-old son, Mason-Quinn, has severe autism and used the facilities for the past five years.

Becci recently started sending her five-year-old daughter, Mia-Rose, who also has severe autism and is non-verbal to Hop, Skip and Jump.

The 37-year-old said: “When we found out the news we were heartbroken, not just for us but for the staff too. They are all like family, we have a special bond with them, so it’s heartbreaking for all of us.

“There’s no other service available like this in Swindon, these people are fully trained and they know my family, they know how to deal with my children.

“It’s very hard looking after two children with disabilities, sometimes they could have a good day and sometime a bad day where they can have violent outbursts. But the charity have been fantastic, they’re always there and they make you feel like you come first.”

Jess Franco-Franklin of Freshbrook has been sending her son to the charity for the past six years.

Her 11-year-old son, Logan, has been going since he was five, and planned to have Leo aged six start there just before lockdown.

Both of her children have been diagnosed with epilepsy, and learning difficulties as a result of being born with the deletion of a gene called Xp22. 11.

Jess has said they’re the only two children in the UK to have this.

She said: “It’s been a lifesaver, there’s nothing like it at all in Swindon. We were devastated to hear the news that it will be closing, we can’t live without it. If lockdown has proven anything it’s how hard and depressing life is going to be in the future without it.

“We’re just going to be stuck in the house over the holidays because Logan doesn’t have an respite and I’m not an octopus, I can’t push two disabled push chairs around all the time.

“These places aren’t being saved because there’s just not enough money being pumped into these support systems that help families like us. It feels like families like ours are completely forgotten about, Hop, Skip and Jump has always been a safe place to go, we’re all so grateful for what they’ve done.”

But there is hope for the charity if the council can find a new provider.

A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said: “We would like to reassure parents we are doing everything we can to ensure that the support provided by Hop, Skip and Jump continues. The closing date for organisations to submit bids to take on the contract ends today and we anticipate we will be able to tell parents who the new provider is in a couple of weeks’ time.

“We will be writing to parents shortly to outline what services will be available over the summer to cover the period between now and when the new provision starts in September.”