Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools raise Money for The National Lobster Hatchery with their ‘Lobster Week’.

Eight Happy Days Nurseries across the South West are taking part in a ‘Lobster Week’ this International Day of Charity to raise money for The National Lobster Hatchery.

Happy Days Nurseries located in Derriford, Falmouth, Penair, Penrice, Playbox, Summercourt, Treloweth & Truro City are hosting a ‘Lobster Week’ starting on Thursday 5 September in recognition of International Day of Charity. During the week they will be holding a host of Lobster activities including learning more about lobsters, the environment they live in and what we can do to sustain them, whilst raising money for this local charity.

The National Lobster Hatchery is a marine conservation, research and education charity based in Padstow, Cornwall, UK, raising and nurturing baby lobsters which are released around the coast of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly when they are approximately three months old. Impact on our marine resources is a much wider problem than just lobsters and their visitor centre hopes to broaden their message to address the key sustainability issues faced by our coastal fisheries and provide some clear solutions to these issues.

Wendy Potts, Early Years Operations Manager, stated, “International Day of Charity aims to raise awareness and give a platform to charity organisations around the world and this year, my sites wanted to raise awareness for a local charity and the important work they do. When The National Lobster Hatchery contacted us to become a partner we jumped at the chance and chose International Day of Charity to start our fundraising activities. We look forward to continuing this partnership throughout 2024 and 2025.”

For more information on the fundraising activities at each of our sites, speak to your nursery manager. To find out more about The National Lobster Hatchery, visit: https://nationallobsterhatchery.co.uk/

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools raise Money for Children’s Hospice South West with their Travel Challenge!

Nine Happy Days Nurseries across the South West and Wales are taking part in a ‘Travel Challenge’ this International Day of Charity to raise money for Children’s Hospice South West.

Happy Days Nurseries located in Bradley Stoke, Lyde Green, Exeter, Cheswick, Charlton Heights, Droitwich, Swindon, Yate & The Hollies in Cardiff are virtually walking/cycling around all 27 happy Days Nurseries. Colleagues, parents and children will all be taking part to walk/cycle a total of 1,471.4 miles within one week, starting on Thursday 5 September to recognise International Day of Charity.

International Day of Charity aims to raise awareness and give a platform to charity organisations around the world and this year, Happy Days are putting a spotlight on their chosen charity, Children’s Hospice South West.

For more than 30 years Children’s Hospice South West has been caring for children and young people with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions by providing hospice care and professional family support services. The care offered at each of their three hospices is not just about medical and nursing support for sick children and young people but enriching the lives of them and their whole family.

Sam Richardson, Early Years Operations Manager for these nine nurseries stated, “CHSW are a charity close to our hearts and we have been supporting them for several years now. This year, my sites wanted to mark International Day of Charity with a special challenge that everyone could get involved in and the Travel Challenge was set! We are aiming to raise as much money as possible for this worthy cause, whilst having lots of fun along the way!”

Any parent wishing to join in this challenge should speak to their nursery manager. For more information on CHSW visit: https://www.chsw.org.uk/ To donate to CHSW, visit our Just Giving Page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/happy-days-nurseries

International Day of Charity is celebrated on 5th September and aims to raise awareness and give a platform to charity organisations around the world.

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools are recognising International Day of Charity on Thursday 5th September 2024 by supporting two important charities, Children’s Hospice South West and The National Lobster Hatchery.

Our nurseries located in Cornwall and Plymouth will be celebrating a ‘Lobster Week’ starting on 5th September with lobster themed activities to raise money for this local charity. Throughout the week, children and our nursery teams will be learning more about lobsters, the environment they live in and what we can do to sustain them. The National Lobster Hatchery is a marine conservation, research and education charity based in Padstow, Cornwall, UK. Fisheries around the world are suffering from major over-exploitation. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations state that over 75% of the world’s major fisheries are either: fully exploited, over-exploited, depleted or recovering. Impact on our marine resources is a much wider problem than just lobsters and their visitor centre hopes to broaden their message to address the key sustainability issues faced by our coastal fisheries and provide some clear solutions to these issues.

Nicola O’Donnell, Chief Operating Officer, stated, “One of our charitable outputs is our conservation project to stock enhance the European lobster here in Cornwall and IOS. By working with some sustainable focused fishers, we are raising and releasing baby lobsters off our coast with an approx. improved survival rate of 1000%. We do this here in our hatchery where we nurture our newborn lobsters in our very own ‘Lobster Nursery’. Our centre is open all year round where visitors can learn more about sustainability, conservation and of course see lots of lobsters! Happy Days support is not only helping to help us raise more babies, but by including local marine conservation topics in their curriculum, they are helping spread key educational messages and inspire our future marine biologists! We are incredibly grateful for their support and are very much looking forward to the very first ‘Lobster Week’.”

The remainder of our nurseries across the South West and Wales will be carrying out various activities on International Day of Charity to raise money for our charity of the year, Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW). For more than 30 years Children’s Hospice South West has been caring for children and young people with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions by providing hospice care and professional family support services. The care offered at each of their three hospices is not just about medical and nursing support for sick children and young people but enriching the lives of them and their whole family.

For more information on how to support these events, speak to your nursery manager. For more information on CHSW visit: https://www.chsw.org.uk/ To donate to CHSW, visit our Just Giving Page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/happy-days-nurseries To find out more about The National Lobster Hatchery, visit: https://nationallobsterhatchery.co.uk/

As part of International charities day, we have set ourselves a weeklong travel challenge, alongside 8 other nurseries the challenge of walking to all the Happy days nurseries.

This is a total of 1471.40 miles which means Droitwich needs to contribute 163.49 miles during the week of 5th to 12th September. Between staff, parents, and children we need to aim for 23.36 miles per day. We are raising money for Children’s hospice Southwest. We have a pledge form in the reception area where parents and staff can sign up to say how many miles, they have travelled that day and a poster with QR code for any donations you would like to make

Happy Days Nursery Droitwich now have welcome bags for new parents!

Your child’s first day at nursery can be an emotional one and, along with our 6-8 weeks settling in process, we aim for it be as smooth as possible. Even though you and your child are ready and prepared we know there might still be a few tears.

We have created a little welcome bag to make parents first day a little easier. We hope you enjoy the treats and our special poem:

I gave you a little wink and smile

As you entered my room today, for

I know how hard it is to leave and

Know that your child must stay

You’ve been with them for a long time now

And have been a loving guide,

But now the time has come to leave them at my side.

Just know as you drive away

And tears down your cheeks may flow,

I’ll love them as I would my own

And help them love and grow.

So please put your mind at ease

And cry those tears no more,

For I will love them and take them in

When you leave them at my door

We look forward to welcoming you to our Happy Days Family at Droitwich!

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools is thrilled to announce that their brand new nursery located in Verwood has officially opened it’s doors. On August 5th 2024 Verwood became nursery number 27 that Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools operate. Happy Days Verwood is a purpose-built nursery with amazing indoor and outdoor provision for children aged 0-5 years. It offers excellent childcare for families within the community and has a free-flow environment perfect for your child to have fun, thrive and learn.

Nestled in the heart of Verwood the nursery is close to local schools and has good relationships with the local community. The team have a range of different experiences and knowledge to ensure they promote the Happy Days shine values throughout everything they do and provide for their children and families.

Shanice Williams, the Deputy Manager spoke “We are very excited to celebrate the official opening of Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools in Verwood, its very lovely to be able to see children enjoying using the new beautiful building during their settle sessions and first week with us. They have all done brilliantly and we are looking forward to welcoming lots of lovely new families.”

The nursery will be hosting free activities throughout the next few months, they will be a great opportunity for you and your child to explore the nursery, participate in engaging activities, and get a taste of the nurturing environment on offer. Find out what’s coming up here.

Tazmin Hollands is the Supervisor of the Adventurers Room and exclaimed  “Opening the nursery has been a very enjoyable experience as I get to see the children get excited over all of the opportunities that our curriculum provides, alongside the vast amount of stimulating resources.  We have lots of wonderful families and we are all excited to welcome many more into Happy Days”. 

If you’re interested in meeting the team and touring the nursery, please click here. This will allow you to explore our facilities, ask any questions you may have, and meet the dedicated team who will be nurturing your little one.

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools, Droitwich, have a local swimmer that is returning home on Saturday from the Paris 2024 Olympics. Matt Richards won a silver in 200m freestyle and then gold in 4x200m freestyle relay. The children have made congratulation cards and delivered them to his family home ready for his return tomorrow.

The children are thrilled that an Olympian lives so close to the nursery and he is inspiring a new generation to aim high and reach their full potential.

Matt is returning to Droitwich at 10.30 am tomorrow morning, Saturday 10th August – lets celebrate our local hero on his amazing achievements.

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools in Exeter have launched breakfast on the go!

They’ve left a message for those parents and carers that attend the nursery ‘To all our Parents and Carers at Happy Days Exeter, we welcome you to help yourselves to a breakfast treat on us! Please do not hesitate to ask us for an ingredients list if you have any dietary needs or allergies. We hope it puts a spring in your step and you have a fantastic day.’

Enjoy!