Nursery is going green all round with organic stamp of approval

Little Green Rascals day nursery in York plans to offer the children organic food, sourcing the ingredients locally wherever possible.

Vanessa Warn, who will run the nursery with her business partner, Tracey Brooks, said, 'We will also be growing our own produce in the organic kitchen garden, and we'll be involving the children in the care of our free-range chickens.'

They also plan to stock the nursery with biodegradable nappies and creams made from natural products.

All nursery waste will be re-used and recycled and all the cleaning products used will be natural and eco-friendly.

Little Green Rascals, registered for 78 children, is housed in a 19th century farmhouse. Alongside the play spaces the grounds will include the kitchen garden and a sensory garden.

Activities on offer will include drama, poetry, music, dance and yoga, and the children can learn European languages.

'We want the children to enjoy physical activity,' said Ms Warn. 'We want them to be mentally and emotionally stimulated and we want them to learn to appreciate the beauty of the natural world.'

The nursery is also developing an eco-friendly travel system with a pick-up and car-share scheme.

England's only other Soil Association-certified nurseries are First Learning in Shepperton, Middlesex, and three settings in Bristol run by Abbey Wood Tots.

In order to become certified by the Soil Association, nurseries have to comply with the association's organic catering standards, which means the food has to be free from genetically modified ingredients, artificial additives, preservatives, flavourings, colourings, sweeteners or enhancers and pesticides.