LOTTERY XMAS PACKAGE BRINGS ENGLAND 76 NEW NURSERIES

7 Jan 2004 10:15 AM

The Lottery is delivering a big package of Christmas cheer today with the announcement that seventy-six new nurseries will be built and renovated across England through grants totalling over £9.4 million from the biggest of the National Lottery distributors, the New Opportunities Fund.

These awards are the final wave in an investment of £100 million by the Fund in nurseries for England as part of its Building Neighbourhood Nurseries programme, creating quality nursery care for young children and enabling parents to explore work and training opportunities.

Baroness Jill Pitkeathley, Chair of the New Opportunities Fund said: “These grants are paving the way for the creation of new childcare places by investing in much needed buildings. The grants demonstrate the Fund’s continuing commitment to backing community-led, quality nursery provision which directly benefits children and their families.”

Catherine Ashton, Minister for Sure Start said: "In supporting children's social, educational and emotional development, good quality nurseries help ensure all children get a sure start in life. We are supporting the creation of new Neighbourhood Nurseries across the country to provide good quality affordable childcare."

Among the communities benefiting from today’s final funding awards for increased nursery provision are:

Brighton Babies get new underground nursery

Families in Kemp Town will soon have access to increased nursery provision thanks to a Christmas award of £159 856 to The Kemp Town Crypt Trustees to build the St George’s Neighbourhood Nursery. This new 21-place nursery will be created by extending the Kemp Town Crypt that lies under the grounds of St George’s Church in the Kings Cliff ward of Brighton and Hove. The crypt already houses a community centre and architects for the nursery have created designs which achieve natural light using light shafts and glass paving on street level.

“This is a brilliant opportunity to serve the local community,” said Reverend Andrew Mason-Brailsford, of St George’s Church, Kemp Town. “By giving these places young children will be able to boost their skills before starting school. It will also provide valuable opportunities for parents to take up training and employment.”

Former Factory is transformed into Birmingham Nursery

A Victorian building in Balsall Heath will soon be transformed into a new 38-place nursery through an award of £100,165 to the Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust. The nursery will be located on the ground floor of the former factory and will operate alongside a community hall and a community college for women, already based within the building.

“We really appreciate this grant assistance of the Fund as there is a great demand for nursery places in this part of Birmingham area,” said Rafaqat Hussain, Director of Development, at the Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust. “It will also benefit women attending training courses at the college above, thereby improving their chances of employment.”

The New Opportunities Fund is the biggest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, providing Lottery funding for health, education and environment projects across the UK, with a particular focus on improving quality of life, particularly in disadvantaged communities. To date the New Opportunities Fund has committed over £2.1 billion in funding to schemes across the UK.

In spring next year, the New Opportunities Fund and the Community Fund are merging into a new single lottery distributor. This will establish the biggest National Lottery distributor delivering half of all good cause funding to communities across the UK.