Garden party celebrates nursery opening
A garden party marked the official opening of a brand new nursery in Barne Barton on 22 July.
Children, parents and city leaders were among those taking their places on teeny tiny seats at the outdoor party for the official opening of The Cabin childcare centre on Kit Hill in Barne Barton.
The new £567,500 nursery will provide childcare for a maximum of 36 two to four year olds in the area and is being run by Sue Kowalska and Karen Sweet from K and S Childcare Limited.
Karen explains: “We’re delighted to be opening our new childcare centre and will be inviting all our families, children, associates and fellow providers in the area to join us at our garden party to mark the occasion. We will be engaging with a local arts company ‘Take a Part’ and commissioned artist, Dom Moore, on the day to capture images of our guests for a photographic mural compiled from thousands of images taken of local people. The artwork will be fixed to the exterior of the nursery helping to give it a bright and vibrant appearance and create pride in the local community.
“We have a wonderful group of children already registered and attending the nursery, and we’re getting to know parents and other community members. All the signs look set for a community-focussed, successful setting. This has been an incredible journey and we would like to thank the Council for its support, which has enabled us to be up and running as planned this summer.”
The new nursery is part of a city-wide investment programme by Plymouth City Council worth £1.75 million to create extra pre-school places in Plymouth to meet rising demand, largely due to the increase in those eligible for free childcare places for two year olds, plus increased birth rates.
In September 2013, it became the Council’s responsibility for ensuring there are enough childcare places for 20 per cent of disadvantaged two year olds in the city. In September 2014 this responsibility will increase to 40 per cent of all disadvantaged two year olds.
Expanding entitlement to free early education for eligible two year olds is a key part of the Council’s early intervention and prevention strategy. Providing free early education to young children from economically deprived backgrounds is seen as having a significant contribution to breaking cycles of underachievement and low aspiration.
The new nursery has been built on land straddling the park and the existing car park. To make up for the loss of the green space in the park, £20,000 has been made available to fund the maintenance of the nearby Red Brick field for a period of 20 years. This will allow it to be brought into use by the community for sports and recreation.
Councillor Sue MacDonald, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Public Health, said: “I’m thrilled the city now boasts another fantastic new nursery in St Budeaux, which will provide valued childcare for parents in the surrounding area. A child’s early development is absolutely crucial – the first five years of life can shape all the years that follow. Getting a good start means when a child begins at primary school they are not at an immediate disadvantage. We don’t want any child in Plymouth to be in a situation where they need to play catch-up. That’s why this programme of work is so crucial and the new nursery in Kit Hill will provide a much-needed resource for the local community.”
Anyone interested in registering for a place at the new nursery should contact the provider at thecabinchildcarecentre@live.com or at www.thecabinchildcarecentre.com or call 01752 350882.
