RAFAKidz has been awarded funding to enhance its nurseries and give children from Armed Forces families more opportunities to learn and grow, thanks to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (AFCFT).
The funding was awarded in the form of grants by the AFCFT on behalf of the MOD’s Armed Forces Families Fund.
Six RAFAKidz nurseries at RAF Boulmer, Brize Norton, High Wycombe, Leeming, Walter’s Ash and MOD Worthy Down will benefit from the funding, allowing them to improve their outdoor areas to give children more opportunities to learn and play.
The funding will also help the nurseries develop their Forest School provision, an outdoor education delivery model where children spend time in natural spaces to learn personal, social and technical skills.
Nicky Hall, Director of Operations for RAFAKidz, said:
“Having access to outdoor spaces is vital for children’s development and for teaching them about the natural world. We’re grateful to the AFCFT and the MOD for awarding us these generous grants, which will help us improve the outdoor spaces at our nurseries and allow our children to learn, grow and play.”
Sonia Howe, Director Policy and Communications at the AFCFT, said:
“A core theme of the Early Years programme is to enhance the outdoor learning environment for young Service children. Such spaces can provide new experiences and inspiration for young minds, and we’re delighted that RAFAKidz will now be able to provide more of this thanks to this funding.”
There are now 14 RAFAKidz nurseries across the country, designed to meet the needs of military and civilian families in the community on and around RAF stations, providing affordable and quality childcare.
