£200,000 funding secures larger premises for childcare provider
A Huddersfield affordable childcare provider has strengthened its position with the support of a £200,000 funding package from HSBC UK.
Cowlersley Community Out-of-School Club and Pre-School Community Interest Company (CIC) has been operating as a CIC since 2013.
But earlier this year it reached capacity and needed to move to a bigger base in order to continue welcoming more children. The funding received from HSBC UK gives the Cowlersley club the green light to go on providing vital affordable childcare, as well as additional family services.
Led by one of the clubs directors Emily Edgar, the club has moved to a new site in Cowlersley, which is 115 times larger than its old premises on the same site as Cowlersley Primary School.
The 10,000 square foot of extra space will mean the club can increase the number of children and young adults it cares for by 75%.
The additional space, which the club intends to buy, will also enable it to host fundraising events and sub-let areas to external groups which will boost turnover by 25%.
Emily Edgar, director of Cowlersley Community Out-of-School Club, said: “Our vision for the club is to continue providing high quality, flexible and affordable care for children and young people in the area in order to support parents that want to go back to work.
“The funding from HSBC UK will safeguard this main objective but, as with any growing business, we would love to be able to expand our services and offer more and we now feel in a much stronger position to be able to forge ahead.
“Our hope is to be able to extend our holiday provision even further and offer residential trips, outreach work, ‘Stay and Play’ sessions and offer space for local childminders and foster carers too.”
Leo Jones, head of charities at HSBC UK, said: “We have a long history of supporting Not for Profit organisations with their growth plans and recognise the enormous value provided by the club to the local community.”
Mark Brown, relationship manager for North & West Yorkshire, HSBC UK, added: “Emily and her colleagues have worked incredibly hard to transform the out-of-school club into a hugely popular, crucial community care provider and we are very much looking forward to seeing her build on the first six years’ success.”
Currently, the club has 18 members of staff and 308 registered children who participate in breakfast, after-school, nursery and holiday clubs. By the end of 2020, Edgar hopes to have a team of 22 full and part-time staff and look after 350 children and young people.
