Each year sees dozens of nursery chains taking part in a range of fun-filled activities in support of a charity. But this fundraising not only benefits the charity, it is also a great way of getting teachers and children together from various nurseries and supporting each other while raising money for worthwhile causes.
Leapfrog Day Nurseries is supporting children's charity I CAN throughout 2003, raising money to help provide specialist therapy and care for children with speech and language difficulties.
'It's important to deal with cases of poor communication in children at an early stage and it's a charity that we have great empathy with,' says Leapfrog marketing manager Fiona Starbuck, who organised the partnership.
Nursery managers, teachers and parents brainstormed new and exciting ways to fundraise. 'It's beneficial for all the nurseries to get together and discuss how to raise the money because you come up with a lot more creative ideas,' explains Ms Starbuck.
'We've already had a sponsored walk and many children took part in the Chatterbox Challenge where they were sponsored to recite their favourite songs or poems. That was a huge success - we raised 5,000,' she adds.
Leapfrog is not the only group to indulge in moneymaking activities for I CAN. Child Base also took part in the Chatterbox Challenge. 'We raised Pounds 3,290,' says Child Base finance director Angela Bramham.
'Also, Dick Whittington was staged at our local theatre which starred Geena Gregory (Jennifer James) from "Coronation Street". It was a day out for both our staff and families and we had collection boxes for I CAN throughout the performance,' she adds.
At the beginning of every school year, staff at Ravenstone House Pre-Preparatory Schools and Nurseries discuss a new charity to support.
This year they chose Special Care Baby Units (SCBUs) for the local hospitals of all its 10 nurseries.
'It's something that's very close to our hearts,' says Ravenstone spokesperson Frances Blee. 'Some of our parents may have used the SCBUs.'
So far, Ravenstone has raised 2,500 for local maternity wards. 'We had a spring fete in March with a tombola, bookstalls and cake stalls.
We're planning to do sponsored races and have a summer fair this year too.'
Ms Blee believes there are several benefits to all nurseries in the group getting together to raise money. 'If we all support the same charity then we'll raise a larger sum of money instead of concentrating on dozens of different charities. And with each nursery raising money for its local maternity ward it builds relationships within the community.'
The National Day Nurseries Association is also playing its part to encourage hundreds of nurseries across the country to support charities by helping to launch WaterAid's Sunflower Challenge. WaterAid is a charity that 'helps poor communities throughout Africa and Asia by building hand pumps so people can get to clean water,' explains WaterAid spokesperson, Sharon Brand-Self.
NDNA communications manager Claire Schofield explains that this is the second year running that the NDNA has chosen to support WaterAid. 'It was such a huge success last year and we obviously wanted to choose a charity that focuses on sustaining people and helping children and their families.'
Children will be sponsored to plant seedlings throughout National Day Nurseries Week from 1 to 8 June and will learn how to look after the sunflowers as they grow.
'We raised over 10,000 last year,' says Ms Schofield, 'and we're hoping to get even more commitment from nurseries this time round.'
Whether nursery chains have chosen to adopt specific charities or not, you can almost guarantee that they took part in this year's national fundraising activities for Comic Relief.
Many of the ten nurseries in The Childcare Corporation nursery group raised money for Comic Relief to help fight poverty in the UK and Africa. This year's theme was wacky hairstyles and staff and children 'wore fancy dress or wigs,' says Nicky Jurkschat of The Childcare Corporation. At the group's nursery in Taplow 'people had to donate 1 to wear fancy dress and those who didn't dress up had to pay 2'.
Others in the group took a slightly different approach. The Nottingham nursery saw staff and children dress up in red clothes or their pyjamas.
Each nursery that took part managed to raise between 50 and 155, turning all these fun and imaginative ideas into a huge success.
