Ten of the 15 projects given cash by the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) to create new nurseries across England are to be sited in the North-East, Yorkshire and Humberside regions, including two in Hartlepool - one of the worst unemployment black spots in the country.
One setting to gain will be the 100-place Little Angels Nursery in Huddersfield when the St Mary's Mission Church is renovated with the help of a grant of more than 76,000. Half the places will be funded by the NOF, and there will be 24 places for babies. There are also plans for cr che services, parenting classes and IT training.
Janette Walker of Little Angels Nursery said, 'We felt that the area was crying out for increased, affordable childcare provision, and when St Mary's Mission became available we knew it would make the perfect site for our new community-based nursery.'
The House of Eden Nursery near Newton Aycliffe in Durham plans to use its 230,000 NOF grant to build a 106-place nursery on a half-acre site ensuring the children have plenty of open spaces and play areas. Owner John Newbauld said his existing nursery at nearby Rushyford was full and that he had been 'forced into the awful position of having to turn people away'.
He said demand had been stimulated in this area of acute disadvantage recently by the introduction of the Working Families Tax Credit, which offered parents a route into employment. 'The Government incentive for people to get into work is there, but then there is the problem for the parents of what to do with the kids. It's essential that there is good-quality, affordable childcare to fulfil their needs,' he added.
Mr Newbauld said that attempts to extend the existing nursery had been blocked by planners before the chance emerged to create a purpose-built nursery on a brownfield site. He added. 'We were very fortunate to get this support from the Neighbourhood Nurseries initiative. We hope to open in October next year.'
While projects in the North-East, Yorkshire and Humberside received more than 900,000, capital grants worth more than 200,000 have been awarded to two projects in London, and there have been single awards of 37,000 in the north-west, 67,000 in the east Midlands and 65,000 in the south-west.