A CHAIN of day nurseries is to receive an award from the Queen for its efforts to protect the environment.

Tops Day Nurseries has challenged industry norms by getting rid of disposable items such as nappies, gloves and glitter.

Its efforts have earned it the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the sustainable development category, announced on the monarch’s 96th birthday.

Tops Day Nurseries has 12 nurseries in Dorset, including those in Denmark Lane, Poole; Royal Bournemouth Hospital; and Priory Hall, Christchurch.

The business was founded by managing director Cheryl Hadland in 1990 and employs 750 people in 32 nurseries across the south coast.

Cheryl Hadland said: “We are truly delighted and proud to achieve this award, despite suffering the crippling impact of covid, and even worse, the under-funding of early years provision in this country in recent years.

“Nursery colleagues and parents are paying the price of the underfunding from their own pockets, despite early years being one of the best investments anyone could make.

“Early years educators provide the foundations for today’s children to be able to run the country tomorrow, and we believe that an essential part of that is showing our empathy and respect for our environment and all people, animals and plants within it, showing the best example we can for our children to follow.

“Words are not enough, all our decisions must embed sustainability and we must continue to learn ourselves. We welcome this award to celebrate what we have achieved so far, but also to encourage us to continue our sustainability journey and to encourage more nurseries, parents, businesses, and schools to join us, in trying to safeguard our children’s future health and happiness.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, now in their 56th year, were given to 226 businesses across the country and permit winning businesses to use the Queen’s Awards emblem for the next five years.