Richmond MP Rishi Sunak has visited a local children’s nursery to thank its teams for helping key workers during the Covid-19 crisis.
Rosedene Northallerton provided round-the-clock care for hundreds of key workers’ children during lockdown, at a time when more than 50 per cent of the sector in the region was closed.
Sunak, who recently wrote to Rosedene to commend its staff for all their hard work, visited the business to thank them in person.
The Rosedene team gave the Chancellor a tour of the facilities, one of 11 Rosedene nurseries across Tees Valley and North Yorkshire.
Sunak met with staff and parents to discuss their childcare experiences over the past few months.
He then spent time with the children, taking part in their outdoor “forest school” activities.
Rosedene has recently opened another nursery at Broomfield School, Northallerton, to accommodate the increased demand in childcare services as lockdown restrictions ease.
Alice McCullagh, director of the childcare provider, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome our Chancellor to Rosedene today, with his acknowledgement of the vital role Rosedene [has] played in providing a safe and caring learning environment for our children and their families.
Sunak added: “As a parent, I know how important good childcare is, and that’s what we’ve seen here today.
“Childcare facilities like this at Rosedene are absolutely critical as we slowly get our economy going again. I’m delighted to see that happening today with lots of happy kids, happy parents and a happy team here as well.”
The provider set up key worker “hubs” close to acute medical sites, including James Cook Hospital, North Tees Hospital, Northallerton Hospital, and the primary care facilities in Redcar.
Open 24 hours a day at the height of the pandemic, these facilities provided childcare to suit the shift patterns of key workers.
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