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The Hollies (Hollies Pre-School Ltd) and formerly Hollies Playgroup, was opened in September 1976 by a group of Poynton mums, who happened to be teachers.
At that time, they could not find a playgroup in Poynton where they felt their children would develop within an ordered group during the very important pre-school years.
The Hollies quickly grew, as other parents wanted their children to benefit from this
well-run group, where each child was encouraged to develop their abilities and
become more confident and independent.
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Initially the Hollies was run as a private business but, when the owner returned to teaching, the parents took over the setting and since 1979 the Hollies has been a committee-run setting affiliated to the EYA (Early Years Alliance, formerly the PLA). https://www.eyalliance.org.uk/.
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In 1995 the Hollies became a registered charity and is a not for profit organisation registered with the Charities Commission, www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission.The charities committee is run by elected volunteers who act as...
directors/trustees. They ensure that the charity operates...successfully and legally adhering to safer recruitment policy.
They are collectively responsible for ensuring they manage, document and safeguard the charity finances. They support fundraising initiatives.
In April 2009, The Hollies relocated to their own premises on Hazelbadge Road, in the grounds of Lower Park School.
The move to Lower Park enabled the setting to provide an extended service from 7:30am to 6:00pm and provide a breakfast and afterschool club for the Lower Park School children. In addition, providing a holiday club for children from 2 to 11 years.
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The building provides excellent indoor and outdoor facilities enabling all children to explore and develop their skills. The indoor areas include a designated art area and a quiet room for sharing books and developing IT skills.
There is also a home corner for imaginative play and a specific room for our 2-year olds.
The setting has a further indoor space, Badger Base, which is an eco-friendly round building that is perfect for small group activities which is utilised by all the Hollies children.
The Hollies also has the Butterfly room, which is a specific indoor space for our school children.
The secure outdoor area provides a perfect space for all forms of outdoor play which also incorporates a mud kitchen, a garden area and seating.
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All those, past and present, involved with the Hollies are immensely proud of our journey and the Ofsted Outstanding setting that it is.
Introduction to the Committee
The Hollies is a registered charity which is led by a committee of volunteers.
The committee members are the directors of the charity and are responsible for making sure the Hollies runs efficiently and effectively.
The day to day running is the responsibility of our highly qualified and experienced staff but behind the scenes the committee plays a vital role in the running of the setting.
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What does the committee do?
The committee works together
in a similar way to a school PTA or Board of Governors.
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It is responsible for:
•Managing the accounts including agreeing fees and staff pay and ensuring that it can pay the bills
•Employment and development of staff
•Ensuring that there are adequate policies and procedures in place to support the children and staff
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•Fundraising activities
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There are 6 committee meetings a year, one every half term. These are held on a weekday evening at the Hollies or can be held virtually. In between meetings the committee keeps in touch over email to discuss any matters that arise or to agree wordings of letters etc.
There may on occasion be a need for a smaller group of the committee to attend other meetings, but these are not frequent.
What is in it for me?
Being part of the committee allows you to be more involved in the way the Hollies is run. You get a great insight into the wonderful work that the staff do with the children and the ethos and values of the Hollies.
It is a great opportunity to meet new people and to learn new skills as well as being able to share your skills, strengths, experience, and enthusiasm to support the Hollies and shape its future.
Who can become a committee member?
Committee members can be parents, carers or grandparents of children who currently attend or who have previously attended the Hollies, or simply someone who would like to volunteer to give something back to their local community.
How do I join?
New members are always welcome...
Volunteers can join the committee at any time...
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If you would like further information about joining please email manager@thehollies.org, phone 01625 850176 or ask to speak to one of the committee members.
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We would love to hear from you soon!!
The Hollies Committee
You can see the current directors here