Posted in chat but no response.. Just wondering if what is happening in my area is going on everywhere in the UK. Pretty much everything that the NCT provides locally (apart from the nearly new sale)is now being replicated and provided for free by other bodies. The health visitors organise bumps and babes coffee mornings for free, baby music classes and a breast feeding drop in are provided free by the council. The NHS does good antenatal classes, etc etc.
I did NCT classes and used the NCT breastfeeding drop in and thought they were good, but the classes are very expensive and if I'd had DS during the credit crunch I wouldn't have bothered. I went along to an event recently to see what it was like as my membership was coming up for renewal and I wanted to decide whether to bother renewing...it was just me along with the committee members. The committee seemed very dedicated volunteers but their children are over 2 now and they want to give it up. They tried to persuade me to join the committee but TBH, why bother providing a service for local parents if no one is using it and it is replicated for free elsewhere? I don't think I will be renewing but am open to persuasion.