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Cedars Day Nursery colleagues take on charity Snowdon climb

A pair of devoted colleagues from Cedars Day Nursery in Leighton Buzzard have completed a climb up Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, all in the name of charity.

Team Leader, Emma Selfe and Nursery Practitioner, Megan Viljoen, from the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ setting on Mentmore Road were delighted to finish the climb in a time of five hours and ten minutes, raising a grand total of £530.00 for charity ‘Bliss’, which will now go towards helping support babies who were born premature or sick, as well as their families.

The climb up Snowdon, which sits at 1,085 metres above sea level, is the latest in a series of fundraising initiatives for the Cedars team, who have also held a Platinum Jubilee Tea Party and Raffle, bake sales, squats challenges and more for the cause.

Cedars Day Nursery Team Leader, Emma Selfe explained;

“Climbing Snowdon was a tough but fantastic experience, made all the more worth it by knowing this money will do so much good for families that need it most. We are so grateful for the support we’ve had and the generosity of our nursery parents and colleagues.”

Cedars Day Nursery have adopted Bliss for a year-long fundraising drive.

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Top environmental award for Devonshire Day Nursery pre-schoolers

After receiving a prestigious ‘Green Flag’ award in 2020 as part of the international Eco-Schools scheme, children and practitioners from Devonshire Day Nursery in Chiswick were delighted to learn they had gained the esteemed accreditation once more, with a distinction.

The accolade, which is the highest achievement in the programme, has been awarded to the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ setting on Bennett Street, following a sustained environmental awareness project which involves children of all ages, from babies using recycled shredder paper for sensory activities, to older children creating bug hotels for insect observations and growing vegetables which are then picked and used in meals by talented Nursery Chefs.

Activities, which also include crafting with natural and recycled materials, are designed to promote the development of personal, social and emotional life skills as well as introducing the children to basic maths, science and environmental messages.

Following their submission, Devonshire were commended by assessors who praised their passionate eco-committee, consisting of children who drive forward ideas for change, as well as initiatives that embed environmental messages into everyday routines.

An overjoyed Devonshire Manager, Emmy Avery, said the award was the result of years of continuous dedication by staff and children, working together in the programme, which involves millions of children across 70 countries.

“We aim to give children the best possible future here at Devonshire and looking after the environment plays a huge part in that. The respect and care the children have for the nature around them is lovely to see and bodes well for their adult lives”, she explained.

In a letter to Devonshire, an Eco-Schools representative said;

“We are sure that the wonderful work you have done to empower your young people to make healthy food choices must be an immense source of pride for you all. Your incredible efforts this year and the excellent application you have submitted are to be commended and we congratulate you on earning a thoroughly-deserved Green Flag with Distinction.”

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Celebrating the ‘Class of 2022’ at Woodberry Day Nursery

There were bittersweet celebrations at Woodberry Day Nursery in Winchmore Hill as children marked the end of their time at the setting with a special ‘awards ceremony’ themed graduation event, surrounded by their friends, family and proud practitioners.

Wearing summer dresses and suits complete with bowties, pre-schoolers from the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day Nursery on Church Hill took to the stage, where they performed two songs for their parents, followed by a speech from Woodberry Quality Manager, Nikol Moravova, who brought the crowd to tears as she reflected on the past few years.

As part of the festivities, children were delighted to collect their certificates of achievement, as well as a rose, a goodie bag filled with stationary for their transition to school and a bespoke ‘Woodberry News’ newspaper complete with their photograph on the front page.

Following the ceremony, children and parents sat down to enjoy a celebratory lunch, complete with fruit platters, sandwiches, vegetable sticks and hummus, crisps and muffins, before greeting the entertainer who engaged the group in a range of party games, gave out gold medals for their efforts and played party music to set the scene.

Parents also showed their gratitude for Woodberry Day Nursery colleagues with a speech to thank them for their dedication to their children’s learning journey, before presenting them with an array of generous parting gifts by way of appreciation.

Woodberry Day Nursery Quality Manager, Nikol Moravova explained;

“We are hugely proud of our pre-schoolers and everything they have achieved in their time with us, including navigating the pandemic. We will be very sad to see them go but are confident that the learning opportunities we have provided them with will stand them in the best possible stead for their next steps into school life.”

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Summer Fair fundraising triumph at Nature Trails Day Nursery

There was cause for celebration at Nature Trails Day Nursery in Cawston as families learnt they had raised over £1,000 for charity ‘Bliss’ following a Summer Fair at the setting.

Complete with exciting carnival games including ‘Hook a Duck’ and ‘Tin Can Alley’, pony rides, face painting, a cake stall, tombola and more, families from the award-winning setting on Coventry Road were delighted to join in with the festivities, raising a grand total of £1,135 for the worthy cause, which will now go towards helping treat babies born premature or sick.

The Summer Fair is the latest in a series of fundraising initiatives for the nursery, whose colleagues have recently spent the night ‘sleeping rough’ under the stars as part of the Childbase Partnership ‘Big Sleep Out’, as well as holding a Father’s Day raffle and Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Tea Party and Cake Sale to raise vital funds for the charity.

Nature Trails Day Nursery Charity Representative, Louise Gulliver explained;

“We had a fantastic day celebrating in the sunshine with everyone and raising so much for Bliss was an incredible bonus, which will do so much good. Despite the current climate being tough for everyone, our nursery families still show such incredible kindness towards those less fortunate and we are so grateful for their unfailing support and generosity.”

Nature Trails Day Nursery have adopted Bliss for a year-long fundraising drive.

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Greengables Day Nursery children enjoy author visit

There were exciting learning opportunities at every turn for children at Greengables Day Nursery in Owlsmoor as they received a special visit from a local author and dancer.

At the award-winning setting on Yeovil Road, pre-schoolers were delighted to welcome talented Katie Dawson, who read her new book ‘Mr Bojangles Loves to Dance’ to the captivated group, before teaching them a series of dance moves from the story.

As part of the experience and linking with the plot about a dancing dog, the children were also able to learn some basic safety tips, including how to correctly approach animals.

Greengables Day Nursery Deputy Manager, Julia Grant explained;

“The children were absolutely thrilled to have Katie join us and they loved listening to her passionate storytelling. This was a hugely memorable experience which we hope will inspire creativity and a further love for reading and writing amongst the group.”

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Windmill Hill Day Nursery children enjoy farm visit

There was excitement all round at Windmill Hill Day Nursery in Swindon as delighted children received a visit from Chloe’s Mobile Farm to meet an exciting array of animals.

At the award-winning setting on Windmill Hill Business Park, Whitehill Way, pre-schoolers were able to get up close and personal with a selection of farmyard friends, including a cow, donkeys, chickens, ducks, rabbits and guinea pigs, as well as getting to pet and feed them.

As part of the experience, pre-schoolers were able to learn about each animal and their individual temperaments, as well as the expert care that goes into looking after them, before taking part in a range of themed activities within the setting to support their new knowledge.

Windmill Hill Day Nursery Manager, Lora Worthington explained;

“The children absolutely love animals so to be able to bring the farm to them was incredibly special. Everyone had a fantastic day, we gained so much new insight and this was a lovely opportunity for them to learn about the responsibility involved with owning a pet.”

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Celebrating Children’s Art Week at River View Day Nursery

Pre-schoolers from River View Day Nursery in Hertford were delighted to showcase their creativity as they took part in a series of activities to celebrate Children’s Art Week.

From researching famous artists and their iconic styles of work to creating their very own masterpieces, children from the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day Nursery on North Road were thrilled to immerse themselves in all the occasion had to offer, whilst experimenting with a range of techniques and materials along the way, including making their own chalk paint.

As part of the learning experience, children had the chance to re-create an array of the renowned paintings on a large scale, including “The Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh on tin foil, Kandinsky style circle paintings and a giant Piet Mondrian composition, as well as making Picasso playdough faces and observational paintings of their wildflower garden.

River View Day Nursery Team Leader, Susan Moses explained;

“We have had a fantastic time celebrating Children’s Art Week and we have been so impressed with the creations produced by our talented young artists. These activities are brilliant for helping develop fine motor skills, as well as aiding concentration and self-expression, we hope they also encourage a lasting-love of art amongst the group.

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Pennypot Day Nursery make vital food bank donation

After making a generous donation of essential food and household items to the Runnymede Foodbank, children from Pennypot Day Nursery in Chobham were delighted to receive a special visit from a volunteer to thank them for their efforts and provide a better insight.

Following a record-rise in demand for items at food banks across the country due to the rising cost of living, families and colleagues from the award-winning setting on Pennypot Lane made contributions of products such as cereal, pasta, tinned goods and toiletries in efforts to keep the charity well-stocked in supplies, before receiving a visit from Sarah.

During her visit to the setting, volunteer Sarah spoke to the children about the positive impact their donations would have on local people, as well as the important role of food banks and their mission to ensure nobody goes hungry. As part of the learning experience, the group also played a game to identify which foods go in the fridge and which go in the cupboard, plus learning why it’s better for the charity to receive long-life, ambient products.

Pennypot Day Nursery Eco-Representative, Mel Sponder explained;

“Despite the current climate being tough for everyone, our families still show such incredible kindness towards those less fortunate, and this sets an amazing example to the children. We are so grateful to Sarah for taking the time to come and visit us, everyone was captivated by what she had to say and we look forward to doing more to help within our community.”

The Runnymede Foodbank opened in 2012 and provides a lifeline to those who need it most. The charity relies on the generosity of the public and is currently appealing for coffee, squash, pasta sauce, biscuits, tinned fruit, long-life milk, washing-up liquid and noodles.

Month: July 2022

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Cedars Day Nursery colleagues take on charity Snowdon climb

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Sponsored silence raises funds for charity at Julia Durbin

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Top environmental award for Devonshire Day Nursery pre-schoolers

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Celebrating the ‘Class of 2022’ at Woodberry Day Nursery

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Summer Fair fundraising triumph at Nature Trails Day Nursery

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Greengables Day Nursery children enjoy author visit

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Windmill Hill Day Nursery children enjoy farm visit

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Celebrating Children’s Art Week at River View Day Nursery

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Pennypot Day Nursery make vital food bank donation

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Cedars Day Nursery - Leighton Buzzard