Interview - Lea Dryburgh, Morningside Children's Nursery, Royal Edinburgh Hospital
Friday, August 3, 2012
Lea is one of eight nursery nurses who formed a workplace co-operative to take over the management of the nursery. Labour leader Ed Miliband recently visited the nursery.
Why did you form the co-operative?
The nursery started in 1998 as a workplace nursery for staff at Royal Edinburgh Hospital.
But in June 2010 the hospital said it could no longer afford to subsidise the nursery and would have to close it. We've all worked here for a long time and we decided to try to keep it going. The manager left, but the remaining eight staff decided to form a co-op to save the nursery. We also have a really strong parents' committee who supported us and it was one of the parents who first looked at how we could set up as a co-operative.
How did you go about it?
We got in touch with Co-operative Scotland and they helped us with the paperwork. We had to put a business plan together and submit it to the care inspectorate, SCSWIS, so that we could be registered.
What changes did you have to make?
We had to increase the fees to cover our wages, as we are nonprofit-making. We all had to sign a contract with Co-operative Scotland and register as a company with Companies House. We took over the nursery in November 2010. We increased the fees from £32 to £36 a day, but we're still a lot cheaper than other nurseries in the area. The parents were keen for the venture to work, because we have all been there a long time and we're so experienced and well-qualified. We all took a pay cut to keep our jobs, and for a short time we took unpaid leave. But we're hoping as the nursery gets busier that we will be able to put our wages back up.
The hospital is still supporting us by allowing us to use the building and advertise on the intranet.
Previously we were just a workplace nursery but now we're open to everyone in the local area. We've done a wee bit of advertising, but mainly it's by word of mouth. Now we have a waiting list for babies, we're full for under-twos and three-quarters full for pre-school children.
How did Ed Miliband's visit come about?
Our local Labour councillor, Paul Godzik, has been pushing co-operative nurseries in Edinburgh and the city council is quite keen on the idea. Mr Miliband was very interested and said he thinks it's the way forward.
The staff are keen for the nursery to thrive because it belongs to us now and parents are much more involved as well. They're raising money to get the building painted.
It's the best thing we ever did.
