freedom to fundraise. But this can be both a blessing and a curse, as
Hannah Crown reports.
Being a charity feels good,' says Jane Robinson, manager of Tree House Children's Centre, an 'outstanding' setting in Lincolnshire. Despite being able to take a maximum number of 58 children, Ms Robinson opts not to have more than about 30 at once. 'You don't have to cram them in because we're not after a profit. Our baby room has six children and two adults, though we could have double that number. It's quality of life for everybody. I have worked in very busy nurseries and everybody gets so stressed out.'
About a third of nurseries in England are run by unpaid committees, so Ms Robinson's setting is not alone. Aside from the quality-of-life argument, there are financial benefits: tax reliefs include no corporation tax paid on profits made from trading in the course of delivering charitable aims, 80 per cent mandatory relief from business rates, and Gift Aid on cash donations. Many sources of grant funding are only available to organisations with charitable status.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
