Northampton nursery to re-open after year-long campaign

Parents and children pictured outside Dallington Pre-school back in June last year.

Last June a petition was set up by parents at Dallington Community Nursery after the Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA) shut down the nursery due to lack of Government funding at the end of the summer term last year.

Childminder Hayley Bligh, of Dallington, spearheaded a 615-strong petition and has now registered the new nursery with Ofsted, which will be ready to open in September.

But the efforts of the five-strong committee team did not pay off over night - it was a year long labour of love to reopen their doors again.

Nursery committee member Hayley said: "There has been a lot of hard work and hours of planning gone into this and we are now on the brink of something really special.

"I hope that any parents interested in registering their child at Dallington Community Nursery will come to the open day and secure their child's place".

The nursery is holding an open day on July 18 from 10am until 2pm, so parents can see the setting, meet the potential staff and discuss funding - with free activities to do on the day.

It will be operated as a non-profit organisation with any profits made being reinvested back into the community to benefit their children.

The campaign to re-open the nursery has also been supported by councillor Gareth Eales (Lab, Dallington Spencer).

Councillor Eales said: "I am delighted that the hard work of the committee is about to pay off.

"I have deep admiration for those that put in so much effort to get this project where it is, local people and myself owe them a debt of gratitude.

"The fact that Dallington Community Nursery will be ran in such an ethical manner, with profits going into the local community is fantastic. I hope to see many people at the open day."

The team will be able to take on 24 children per session, in term time only, and will operate from its former location at the Old Church Rooms.

For more information on Dallington Community Nursery visit: Twitter @DallingtonCN - Facebook: @DallingtonCommunityNursery - or email: [email protected]