History

1990: Following campaigning and fund-raising by the Forest Fields and Hyson Green Childcare Group, Greenfields opened in September 1990, and by the end of the year 68 children had enrolled at the Nursery. During the first year, major funders were Nottingham City Council, Nat West, Boots, BT & BBC Children In Need.

A partnership was formed with Barnado's which helped Greenfields in setting up policies and procedures in order to deliver a high standard of care. This relationship helped to provide financial stability and ongoing support of the childcare provision.

 

1991: Greenfields Training Centre delivered its first training project. 'Women Stepping Out' was designed to help local women returning to work, gain confidence, qualifications and support. By this time Greenfields' reputation as a provider of quality, affordable childcare was already well established, and the addition of targeted training courses underlined the social ambitions of the project.

 

1992: The official opening of the centre was performed by HRH Princess Diana. As the profile of the centre grew, so did applications for places in the nursery and on the training courses. The capacity for the 'Women Stepping Out' project was doubled, and new courses in childcare and computing were being developed.

 

1993: Greenfields appointed a new Manager to develop services and secure long term sustainable funding. Between Barnado's and Nottinghamshire County Council, funding was secured for four years.

 

1996: Encouraged by their growing stability, Greenfields embarked on a School Holiday Playscheme, with support from Greater Nottingham TEC. The scheme quickly grew from 16 to 24 places and a grant was awarded giving the organisation the capacity to provide after school care for three local schools.

 

1997: The beginning of the end of Greenfields' relationship with Barnados. In March of 1999 Greenfields became a completely independent community organisation responsible for its own financial management, using a grant from the national lottery.

 

1999: Greenfields received an excellent 'no recommendation' report from Ofsted.

 

2000 and beyond, from the turn of the Millennium, Greenfields' focus has been its drive to become self sustaining, whilst still achieving it's community objectives. To that end the organisation has created and piloted several innovative projects for children and families and developed many services to raise earned income.