Stephen Morgan MP officially opened Tops Day Nursery in Southsea today, following a tour of the facilities on Bruce Road – an award-winning childcare provider for Portsmouth.
During the event, the Portsmouth MP met with staff and children attending the nursery, following a meeting with Cheryl Hadland, founder and Managing Director of Tops Day Nurseries and the Nursery Manager, to discuss future plans and challenges.
Tops Day Nurseries has 8 nurseries across Hampshire, including Tops Portsmouth based onsite at Queens Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth and now Tops Southsea in Bruce Road.
Employing 750 people, Tops Day Nurseries was set up in 1990 and operates 32 nurseries across the South Coast, educating and caring for children in their early years.
It comes following news this week that Tops Day Nurseries has been honoured with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development. The award was given for Tops Day Nurseries driving ‘genuine and inspiring’ change to its sector.
Cheryl Hadland provides thought leadership and challenges industry norms, such as tackling the huge range of disposable items and one-use plastics, including nappies, gloves and glitter normally used in the sector.
Officially opening the nursery with children and staff, the Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan, said:
“I’m delighted to be able open Tops Day Nursery Southsea today, adding further support to parents in our city through providing crucial childcare services.
“Cheryl and her team have done a fantastic job here, and it was really useful to speak to them about plans for the future, issues they face and of course congratulate them on their latest award!”
“With the cost-of-living crisis, many nurseries and childcare providers are facing real financial challenges and parents with small children feeling the pinch in their pockets. That’s why I will continue to speak up for local families and the early years sector in Parliament to ensure every child in Portsmouth is able to access a high-quality early education.”
Speaking after the official opening event, Cheryl Hadland said:
“I am delighted Stephen Morgan, MP has been to re-open and tour our Tops Day Nursery in Bruce Road, Southsea, and was also able to celebrate our Queens Award for sustainability with us.
“Collaboration is an important part of sustainability so it was lovely to have local writer Neal Leyton read his Planet full of Plastic, local music makers Boogie Mites teach us their new sustainability song, and our LGBTQ+ leader Simon King and manager at Tops QA come to celebrate with us as well.
“Sadly, funding for 3-4 year olds from the government has not kept up with costs at Tops Southsea, and this reduces our ability to pay our staff what they deserve and burdens parents with having to pay more towards their children’s education and care than any other parents in Europe. We also want a healthier environment and future for our children and grandchildren, with fewer diesel and petrol fumes, more attention to reducing waste and recycling and to reducing carbon footprints.
“Therefore, I look forward to working with our local MP to campaign for a more sustainable future for childcare providers, parents, and children.”
