Nursery World Awards 2013: Initiatives - Community Support

Staff at Tootsies firmly believe that it is important for the nursery to be involved within the community so that children have a sense of belonging and understand their local area, while also recognising how their families fit into the world.

To do this, the nursery supports many local charities, regularly takes the children out and about in their local area and also brings projects and people into the nursery to talk with the children.

Although the nursery is based in an affluent area, staff have realised that there is a growing demand for food parcels and now support local charity The Farnham Foodbank. It is a practical way to engage with the community and also help raise the charity's profile locally.

It was recognised that many people do not know where to gain lifesaving skills, so parents and friends of Tootsies were recently invited to take part in free St John Ambulance workshops at the nursery. This was such a success that another event is being arranged.

Other community involvement ranges from joining in the Farnham Carnival to holding a stall at the Farnham Food Festival and forming a team for the local charity bike ride.

Children recently became involved in a campaign to tidy up the local area, even visiting the council office and meeting the mayor when they went to get rubbish bags and litter pickers. They are now looking forward to a nursery open day to raise money for the local air ambulance - the helicopter will actually land at the nursery.

Area manager Jo Strover says, 'We ensure that through using and being aware of our local community the children are not only prepared for school when they leave, but also the wider community; they are aware of different economic backgrounds and are sensitive to other people's needs.

'We take our responsibility as educators very seriously and wish to expose the children in our care to all aspects of life outside of the setting so they have a greater understanding of how to cope with social situations and their own feelings.'

Highly commended

Chewton Common Playgroup, Highcliffe, Dorset

The judges noted that a sense of community is 'embedded within the approach of the setting' and that the playgroup demonstrates a 'very strong community spirit which involves children and their families'.

This small setting involves itself in a wide range of charitable activities, ranging from creating a link to a local charity shop and encouraging nursery families to donate unwanted clothing and toys to sponsoring a child in Africa or holding an annual coffee morning for the MacMillan Trust. Children and staff litter-pick in the local area and a highlight of the year is participating in the village Christmas carnival.

Finalist

Bertram Nursery Group, Edinburgh

Criterion

Open to early years settings which have involved staff, parents and children in projects to support charities or the local/wider community.

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