29 December 2010 Eco nursery opens for business in Attenborough
A NEW "eco nursery" is aiming to teach toddlers how to care for the environment.
Attenborough Day Nursery opens for business on Tuesday, January 4, with its owners claiming it is the first of its kind in Notts. Kerry and Jonathon Bentley, both 30, of Gotham, say they want to educate under-fives on the importance of green living.
Mrs Bentley said: "We are hoping that the skills and understanding the children will get from us will be something they can take with them as they grow up."
The couple have converted the former Attenborough Preparatory School's two sites in Attenborough Lane and The Strand to create the nursery.
The Attenborough Lane site caters for under-threes, while The Strand is a pre-school for three to fives.
The centre's facilities include vegetable patches for home-grown food, a digging and planting area and an eco garden to attract wildlife. The soft outdoor play area has been made using recycled rubber.
Mrs Bentley is a qualified language teacher who used to teach at Alderman White School, Bramcote. The couple's eight-month-old daughter, Isla, will be attending the nursery.
She said: "The nursery is something we feel quite passionately about. We want the children to understand that it's imperative that we look after the world around us."
The refurbishment of the former school buildings has also been carried out in an environmentally friendly way. Rooms were decorated with low or zero odour paints, while energy efficient appliances and a new boiler and heating system were installed. Toilets have hand dryers to cut the use of paper towels. Recycling bins for paper, glass and plastic are also being used, and there are plans to install water butts to collect rainwater for the gardens.
The nursery will open from 7.30am-6pm. It has space for 42 children aged from six weeks to five years. There are plans to set up an after-school club for older children later this year. For the full news article and to be taken to the website, click here |
