Nursery staff volunteer to help others across Hertfordshire

Nursery staff volunteer to help others across Hertfordshire

Staff from the All About Children nursery group (www.allaboutchildren.co.uk), some of which remain open to look after children of key workers, have been going that extra mile to volunteer to help others during the coronavirus pandemic.

Louise Walsh, Area Manager at the Angels at Play (www.angelsatplay.co.uk/) nurseries in Ware, Hoddesdon and Park Road and her family, have knitted bright orange coloured hats for high risk babies in the special care unit at The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and are about to deliver 20 hats to Harlow Hospital.

Louise’s daughter Ella set herself the challenge of learning how to knit a bobble hat after watching a video on YouTube. Having mastered her new skill, Ella quickly decided to rope in the support of her mum Louise. Before long, they were making more hats and they decided to donate the surplus to their local baby unit. It became a family affair when Louise’s other daughter Ruby got involved by making the pom poms for the hat tops. (See notes to editors to download photos).

Louise Walsh, Area Manager, Angels at Play nurseries said:

“It was a pleasure to send the Royal Free hats into the hospital. We have just finished 20 hats for Harlow Hospital which are due to be delivered by the weekend, and are now working on the next batch for the NHS.”

In addition, nursery worker Emma Sapstead from Angels at Play Nursery in Ware, and friend Allie Hudson, have been collecting donations and making up food and gift bags for local hospitals including Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Hertford County Hospital, The Chadwick care home, and local food banks.

While Kelly Shrimpton, Nursery Manager at Nature’s Nursery & Forest School in Ascot (www.natures-nursery.co.uk) is volunteering for the Watford-COVID 19 Support Group, while working full-time at the nursery. Kelly has been collecting food donations and delivering food parcels in the evenings or weekends to those who are self-isolating or have recently been discharged from hospital in the Watford area.

Marcia Viccars, Managing Director, All About Children (www.allaboutchildren.co.uk), said: 

“Our staff are doing an amazing job – not only by working hard to support children of key workers – but also by volunteering their time to help others who need it most outside of work, and I can’t thank them enough for all their efforts.”