More than 2,000 people have backed a campaign to keep a much-loved children’s charity open in Abbey Wood.

Last week it was revealed that the future of Greenwich Toy and Leisure Library hangs in the balance after the council said it cannot provide cheap rent for the Abbey Grove property.

The charity struggles to break even as it provides care and support to families with high needs kids.

Without a peppercorn rent the charity faces shutting down within weeks, the LDR service was told by manager Deborah Cavill last week.

MORE Greenwich Toy and Leisure Library faces closure as rent hiked

In under seven days, nearly 2,500 people have signed a petition calling for the centre to be saved.

One of the latest signatures is former director of the National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries, Glenys Carter MBE.

She wrote: “It is a superb example of a valued community resource that should be maintained and strengthened.

“We are all aware of the financial pressures experienced by local councils; in all decisions, exceptions can be made and I would sincerely ask the council to reconsider its decision to force the closure of this first class resource.”

The charity cannot afford to keep up with an increase of 133 per cent, leaving families at a loss over where they will get support.

The centre has a special sensory room which is used by not just kids but adults who travel from out of the borough for help.

In a statement last week, Greenwich Council leader Danny Thorpe said that it was agreed the council would subsidise rent until March, when it would then increase to a market rent.

He said: “This is because the charity was commissioned to provide short breaks to children with disabilities on behalf of the Council until that date.

“Earlier this year we re-commissioned our short breaks programme to an alternative provider.

“This decision, which was informed by feedback from children, parents and carers, and the new programme, provides at least 500 more short break places than the previous one.

“As we’re in our tenth year of government imposed austerity we are having to make increasingly difficult decisions to cope with the massive reductions in funding, so are not in a position where we can continue to subsidise the rent on this building.”