Tops Day Nurseries has been praised by Isle of Wight MP, Bob Seely, for their approach to healthy eating and the MP has agreed to take their concerns about underfunding to Parliament.
The nursery, based in Newport, has remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, initially for critical workers and vulnerable children only, and to all children from 1st June.
Tops now provides all food for children in the nurseries partly to reduce the lunch boxes coming in and out of the building, which increases the risk of virus transmission, but also to protect children with allergies having foods brought in by other children that can make them sick accidentally.
Cheryl Hadland, Local Day Nursery Provider of Tops Day Nurseries, said:
“Tops is trying to be as sustainable as possible, for example our nursery vehicle is electric, we have solar panels on our building, and we have our milk delivered from the local dairy, but we could do better if commercial food supplies could include more local fruit, vegetables, and items such as oat milk, or perhaps we could have local farm shops deliver directly? “
Bob Seely has said:
“Tops Day Nurseries at the IW College is not only rated by Ofsted as outstanding, but their offer goes well beyond what they are required to do. In addition to the teaching and care they receive, children are also provided with healthy food, cooked from natural ingredients, with no added sugar.
“This approach to children’s welfare is extremely encouraging and I have encouraged Tops to source their ingredients wherever possible from local suppliers to support Island businesses.”
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The MP spoke at length with Cheryl Hadland and Diane Wycherley, the quality lead for the group with special responsibility for catering for the children, about the concerns they had over funding and said he would take their concerns to Government.
Cheryl said:
“The nursery sector is critically underfunded, which is limiting us being able to spend more on food but also from employing more graduates to work with the children. We know that the better trained the adults who work with the children, the more the children will achieve, setting them up for a better of quality of life in every way throughout life, so we are begging to be paid more per hour per child so that this can be passed on to pay staff more.
“Nursery staff have continued to work throughout the pandemic, enabling the NHS and other critical workers to work, as well as educating the under 5s, and we believe that nursery professionals are worthy of more respect and at least a living wage, so I’m delighted that Bob has agreed to speak up for us in Parliament.”
The MP said:
“I have listened to concerns and I agree that investment in the youngest members of our community is money well spent. We should always be focused on improving outcomes for children and raising their aspirations.
“I thank Tops Day Nursery for taking the time to talk to me, and I will be raising their concerns regarding funding with colleagues in Westminster.”
Critically underfunded due to tory cuts in the past, that’s tory CUTS.
Raising concerns for easy causes, that’s Bob for you
Somehow they are doing a great job with very little.
Our children are our future and must be given every chance to develop.
Shame the Government seem to be so shortsighted and appear to be more concerned with their own images.
Well done to the nursery staff! A tough job at the best of times, let alone these days. Very astute of Bandwagon Bob to praise their efforts… And, of course, let everyone know it.