Brighton & Hove day nursery wins top travel award

A Brighton & Hove nursery has won a top national award for its work in helping to encourage active and sustainable travel.

Growing Up Green Day Nursery, Preston Road was given the ‘National STARS Early Years Establishment of the Year’ award by Modeshift STARS, at a virtual ceremony earlier this month.

This is the third time that a Brighton & Hove early years setting has won this Modeshift STARS national award. The award has previously been won by Footsteps Day Nurseries Portslade (in 2018) & Hove (in 2019). Growing Up Green started working on Modeshift STARS during three years ago and have achieved Bronze, Silver & Gold over the period.

Growing Up Green has been recognised for their work in getting children, staff, parents and carers to choose walking, cycling and scooting instead of car use. In the three years they have been working on STARS, car use has fallen from 57% to 25% with a 19% increase in cycling and scooting.

The nursery has worked hard to get everyone thinking about how they travel to and from nursery, including:
•    Improving cycle and scooter storage facilities
•    keeping parents and carers regularly updated with bus timetables, information on cycle training and maintenance courses, Park & Stride and their own ‘5-minute walking zone map’,
•    promoting public transport use, including taking children on day trips and talking about the importance of staying safe and behaviour on public transport,
•    championing the use of sustainable transport and its benefits to the environment.

Deputy Manager of Growing Up Green, Michelle Beech said: “We are absolutely thrilled with our huge achievement this year.

“All the staff, parents and children have participated brilliantly. We have all had so much fun over the last few years with all the activities when have taken part in, including Walking and Wheeling for Clean Air, Bling your Bike, Scooter Training Week and many many more.

“We’d also like to thank Polly from Brighton & Hove City Council for all her continued support throughout our Modeshift STARS journey.”

Amy Heley, Chair of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee said: “This is an amazing achievement and I’d like to congratulate Growing Up Green for their fantastic work in encouraging active and sustainable travel in the city.

“Their work to get more of their staff, parents, carers and children walking, cycling, scooting and using public transport is remarkable and an example to everyone.

“It’s so important we teach children from an early age that we need to care for our planet and each other. Younger generations will be key to tackling climate change and the work being done by Growing Up Green and others means we’re on the right track.”

More information

Modeshift STARS is the Centre of Excellence for the delivery of Effective Travel Plans in Education, Business and Community settings. The scheme recognises early years settings, schools, businesses and other organisations that have shown excellence in supporting cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable and active travel. www.modeshiftstars.org/ 


 

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