As Managing Director of Grovelands Childcare I wish to say a big thank you to the Grovelands team for the success of our Pyjama Day across our 6 centres in Athlone, Tullamore and Mullingar.

Looking at the media coverage of the earthquake in Syria and Turkey in February we wondered how we could show our support for the families and children who survived but lost everything and were struggling in so many ways since their world was literally turned upside down.

We launched a fund raising event where all the staff and children in Grovelands Childcare would wear their pyjamas for the day and get sponsorship from families and friends.

Each child was given an envelope, designed for the event to gather sponsorship. We started a Go Fund Me page where contributions from our suppliers and friends could

donate. We chose children’s charity UNICEF Ireland  who have people working on the ground in Syria and Turkey.

The communities in which we provide early learning and care again supported us with contributions and the parents and grandparents support was amazing.

We got an overwhelming result with the number of donations we have received. We set out a target of €4,000 for us raise for Pyjama Day. At this time we have raised a massive €12,049 and we are still counting,

This money will support Syrian and Turkish families to get their basic needs met with food, shelter and medicine.

Our GoFundMe linkis still open! So if you haven’t got your donation in, we are keeping it open until Monday, 6th March.

Again, thank you so much to everyone involved for your support, monetary or otherwise. Your contribution  to UNICEF Ireland will make a difference in the lives of children in Syria and Turkey caught up in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Yours Faithfully.

Regina Bushell

Managing Director Grovelands Childcare.

Athlone Tullamore Mullingar.

Here at Grovelands we will be holding a Pyjama Day for Turkey and Syria. Pyjama Day is a fundraising appeal which we launched on Valentine’s Day across the Grovelands Childcare centres for the families in Syria and Turkey. Countless families have been caught up in the earthquake disaster where the scale of casualties has shaken the world.

Pyjama Day will take place on March 1st across the Grovelands centres. All funds gathered by Grovelands and participants will be donated to UNICEF Ireland to help support the children and families in Syria and Turkey. You can donate on our GoFundMe page. This will help these Syrian and Turkish families to get their basic needs with food, shelter and medicine.

So many unfortunate children caught up in this disaster and their need for additional support is mounting day by day. The protection and happiness of children is our biggest priority…. It deeply saddens us that the children in Turkey and Syria are going through such a life changing experience. Because of this, here at Grovelands we feel it’s our responsibility to help and support these children in such unfortunate conditions.

We are giving each child attending the centres an envelope to bring home and are asking that you support them to gather sponsorship from family and friends. We are aware that it is a difficult time for some families struggling with rising costs.

All we ask is that you give what you can afford. Altogether, the Grovelands staff, families and the communities that support us can make a difference in people’s lives. 

Those who would like to donate, can also donate using this GoFundMe link. All donations are welcome.

Please find below details of a press release from DCEDIY re NCS changes issued to services today.

Thousands of families to benefit from substantial reductions in early
learning and childcare costs from today
– New subsidy rates under the National Childcare Scheme effective from 2 January.
– Record numbers of children now benefitting from supports under the Scheme.
– All families encouraged to ensure they are availing of their entitlements under the Scheme.

3 January 2023

Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth today welcomed the
introduction of new subsidy rates under the National Childcare Scheme, which is set to substantially reduce out
of pocket costs for early learning and childcare for thousands of families across the country.
From 2 January, the minimum hourly subsidy under the National Childcare Scheme for all children under 15 will
be €1.40 – an increase of €0.90 per hour from last year.

For families using Tusla-registered early learning and childcare, this subsidy increase represents further cost
reductions of €2,106 (or a reduction of €3,326 in total) off the annual cost of early learning and childcare for
each child.

The change to the National Childcare Scheme is being backed by €121 million secured in Budget 2023 by
Minister O’Gorman, bringing total funding for the Scheme to €358 million this year.
Record numbers of children are now accessing supports under the Scheme. More than 98,000 children are
currently in receipt of support, representing an 82% increase in the number of children for the same period last
year.

Welcoming today’s changes to the National Childcare Scheme, the Minister said:

“This Government is delivering on its promise to make high-quality early learning and childcare more affordable
for families and accessible to all children.
Families can now benefit from significant increases in the National Childcare Scheme, helping to ease the
financial pressure associated with early learning and childcare in Ireland.
Increasing the subsidy that families can avail of under the National Childcare Scheme is the best way to ensure
all families with children in Tusla-registered early learning and childcare can benefit from the Government’s €1
billion investment in early learning and childcare for 2023.
More families than ever before are already availing of the National Childcare Scheme, offsetting their early
learning and childcare costs, and I am confident that with this additional investment starting today, we can
bring further benefits to these families and thousands more like them.
I encourage all eligible families to avail of these supports on offer, by visiting www.ncs.gov.ie, calling the Parent
Support Centre on 01 906 8530 or talking to their early learning and childcare provider”

ENDS
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Grovelands Childcare Christmas Opening Hours

All centres will finish for the Christmas break from close of business on Thursday 22nd of December.

Our full day care services will reopen on Tuesday January 3rd.

Sessional Services will reopen on Thursday January 5th.

Regardless of centre reopening dates ECCE classes will not resume until Thursday 5th of January. 

Please refer to our full service calendar here for additional closure dates in 2023.

Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy Christmas and New Year.

We were honored to receive a visit from Minister O’Gorman DCEDIY to our centre in the IDA Business Park Athlone today. We greatly appreciated that he took time out of a recent visit to Athlone to come for a tour of the service.

While with us Minister O’Gorman DCEDIY openly discussed the current issues in the sector with our Director of Operation Dee Frampton Bushell.

The team in the centre were delighted to see his feedback on his social media platforms in relation to his visit to the service saying “Really enjoyed my visit to Grovelands Childcare while in Athlone this morning. Great to meet such a wonderful and enthusiastic team of staff and see firsthand the brilliant work being done in educating the children who attend the service. 🚸🎒
🍂 🍁 Absolutely blown away by some of the autumn decorations. It would really get you excited for Hallowe’en! 🎃”

Montage of photos of Minister O’Gormans visit

Minister O’Gorman visits IDA Athlone