Burpee Gardening’s Post

The Hard Yards of Expanding Preschool Capacity Congratulations to the entire London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) team on the opening of this new Stoke Newington setting. In the context of the government’s increased Department for Education funding to #earlyyears, it’s worth reflecting on what it takes to operationally deliver an expansion of capacity. Particularly in the context of the structure of UK early years sector, in which >80% of nursery settings are operated by private or voluntary organisations, not the state. Two major building blocks to delivering high quality early years education are: - 1) well-trained, qualified and led teachers and - 2) the appropriate physical space.  I focus here on the latter. Finding, securing and preparing the right location (catchment area with adequate demand from families to enable economic viability) and the right actual venue (with space for target child capacity, AND outdoor garden space, AND easy access for parents and staff) is a material logistical, financial and operational task. Given the demographics of Hackney – 28% of children live in poverty, the fourth highest rate of child poverty in London – at LEYF we have been seeking to expand our capacity here for a number of years. Our Fire Station Nursery was subscale, had inadequate outdoor space. We searched for and reviewed a number of options. In the end, we formed a unique partnership with St Mary’s Church of England Primary School for a lease of two classrooms and dedicated and shared outdoor space. The primary school had available classrooms, identified a need for nursery provision, while at the same time recognising that an organisation such as LEYF had the pedagogical and operational experience to best deliver high quality early years provision in an economically sustainable manner. While this is one anecdote, the history of the last major expansion in early years – Sure Start -- tells a similar story. In a recent retrospective review by the program’s first director, Naomi Eisenstadt CB made the following comments on implementation complexity: “A big surprise to the Treasury was how long it took for programmes to actually start spending Sure Start funding. The initial allocation of funding for the first 250 programs was up to one million pounds capital . . . (which) meant finding appropriate places in very poor areas on which to commission new builds or refurbishments . . . (G)etting agreement on what and where to spend capital . . . (d)eciding on activities, setting up local evaluations, hiring staff all took time. “The NESS study found it took three years from agreement to get a fully functioning programme underway. . . . The key lesson is that . . . designing both capital investment and a new service structure takes time and skill. Ministers assumed that the announcement was implementation. Civil servants thought it was posting the guidance. The actual task was complex and required a range of soft and hard skills.”

Today, let's take a moment to honour and celebrate the seniors who enrich our lives and strengthen our community with their wisdom and experiences. Showing gratitude and appreciation is a wonderful way to recognize their contributions. Here are a few simple yet meaningful ideas to express our thanks during Seniors' Week: Send a heartfelt note - Brighten their day with a handwritten card. Spend quality time - Visit, share a meal, or have a conversation. Offer assistance - Help with shopping, gardening, or chores. Share memories - Reminisce and express gratitude for their wisdom. Let's make Seniors' Week truly special with acts of kindness. #SeniorsWeek

Try these tips for starting a garden, things to consider, and what I wish I had known when I started my garden. https://lnkd.in/dds4SJE

In this blog, Amy applies our theme of, "Cultivate Your Garden" to the parenting journey. Please take a few minutes to read her thoughtful, personal piece.

Follow these tips to grow your first garden. #hattiesburg #hattiesburgrealtor #searchhattiesburg #hattiesburghomes #hattiesburgms Starting a garden can be a lot easier than you think, especially if you follow these tips.

How to start a beautiful community garden~

🌱 Every spring since I learned I was going to be a mother, I've started a garden. What began as container gardens on my balcony has now grown into a large raised bed in my backyard. Each year, I plant tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, and more, AND each year I 'forget' to harvest. Initially, my garden was a symbol of my journey to motherhood, representing birth and renewal. But as each summer transitioned into fall, my excitement — fueled by countless trips to Lowe's and ambitious plans — began to dim. Maybe it was the heat or life's constant distractions; I can't say exactly. However, over time, I noticed the immense joy I found in the garden's early stages gradually fading, before I could even enjoy the fruits of my labor. This journey mirrors the path many leaders take in their careers - starting with passion and intent, only to find themselves losing joy as time goes on. As goals shift, responsibilities grow, and the heat of EDI challenges bears down on them, their initial spark diminishes. That's where I step in... ************************************ 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙫𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙥𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙢𝙮 𝙪𝙥𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙙𝙄𝙣 𝘽𝙞𝙤. 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙜𝙚, 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄'𝙢 𝙪𝙥 𝙩𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨, 𝙄 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙚. 𝙑𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙙𝙄𝙣 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜: https://lnkd.in/evVBK77M #gardening #equitydiversityinclusion #motherhood #inclusiveleadership #spring #EDI #deistrategy

Day 19 – hidden care When Mary inspects the secret garden, she is too much of a beginner to tell what is really there. Her newly made friend Dickon, is wiser. ‘It’s a secret garden sure enough,  but it seems like someone besides th’ robin must have been in it since it was shut up ten year’ ago’. ‘Seems to me as if there’d been a bit o’ prunin’ done here an’ there.’ What was apparently shut up and neglected has been in fact tended. By old grumblingly bad-tempered Ben Weatherstaff. Reflect: *  Where in your life are you reluctant to look, for fear it has been totally neglected?  What if this place might have been tended and ‘pruned’ by an unseen hand? Experiment: * Ben Weatherstaff is the last person Mary might have thought would be a friend to her secret garden.  Take some time to consider how unexpected circumstances and people might have been at work in unexpected places. Tips -       Certain losses and times of difficulty in our lives can have a pruning effect that shows its fruitfulness later on -       Unexpected or uncomfortable people can sometimes reach into things that more ‘easy-going’ people might miss -       A friend might be able to point something out we cannot yet see for ourselves #microballroom #toromiroliving  #leadership #personaldevelopment #community #flourishing

How Does Your Garden Grow? Life is filled with beautiful flowers. And then there are the weeds, dry soil, and rocky ground in the gardens of our lives. There’s no fence tall enough to keep out unwanted intrusions, emotions, and experiences. How do we learn to take care of the gardens of our own day-to-day lives? In each moment, you can choose how you see yourself and the world around you. And although others can support and cheer you on, it’s on you to care for your own garden. Here’s a few “gardening” tips: 🪴Connect with your values. The values you choose to live by are up to you. What do you truly value? 🪴Practice self compassion. When something disturbs you, you can try to be more patient with yourself. 🪴Find your joy. Go outside in nature. Play games. Watch a movie or a concert. Nurture your garden, in a window or outdoors. Walk with a friend or your dog. Enjoy the sun shining in through a window. Hang out with a loved one, friend, or acquaintance you enjoy. Call someone you care about. Volunteer. Create art, music, or a craft. Write a poem or story just for fun. Cook something you enjoy. Do a random act of kindness. 🪴Practice Gratitude. Whether the day is going well or poorly, it can be helpful to remind yourself of what you are thankful for. Even when times are tough, pausing to notice a small positive moment, experience, or event can offer you greater perspective. What do you need for self-care in the garden of your life? How can you take a step toward watering the flowers, not the weeds? #selfcare #healthandwellness #activatedlife #livealohalivewell #underafullmoonandaguidingstar #alakaiassociates

Do us a favour: Imagine life as a garden party, and you're the host 🌺 Before ensuring everyone else is comfortable and content, take a moment to check if your own garden is flourishing. Self-care is the secret ingredient that transforms your gathering into a celebration of joy and well-being, doesn't that sound nice? 💚 Let's work on your own garden, together. Download the #ChangingLivesApp today to begin planting the right seeds! 💐 #selfcare #selfcaretips #selfcarefirst #selfcarematters #selfcareroutine #selfcarethreads #changinglives #changinglivesdaily #changinglivestogether