Nursery employees at Northamptonshire hospitals get £3,000 tax-free bonus to meet soaring bills

Employees of nursery based at Northamptonshire’s two general hospitals have been given a tax-free bonus of up to £3,000, another pay rise and access to discounted shopping at major supermarkets, clothing retailers and entertainment outlets.

Windermere Day Nursery and Nene Valley Day Nursery – found at Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital, respectively – is owned by Childbase Partnership.

Full timers at the nurseries contributing to the company’s success during the last financial year will get six, tax-free monthly payments of up to £500 each (maximum total of £3,000 from December 2022 to May 2023), with pro-rata payments for others.

The support has been extended to new nursery recruits on contracted hours who will also get additional cash – up to a maximum £100 a month based on hours worked – until May 2023, to help them meet soaring cost of living bills.

Windermere Practitioner Maddison Dunbar said: “Childbase has always gone above and beyond to support us and continue to do so when times are hard.

"The money is really going to help me through the coming months, as well as helping me to save for a property of my own. I couldn’t be prouder to say I work here.”

Colleague Abimbola Camara, who is a mother-of-three added: “It’s so good to know that Childbase values and supports us in this way and appreciate our skills.

"This contribution will really help me to pay my bills and support my family, the sense of relief is amazing for everyone at nursery.”

Childbase Partnership CEO Emma Rooney continued: “Every employee is a partner in our business, and we stand together during tough times. Ensuring the security and wellbeing of colleagues is not only vital to our mission to achieve the best possible outcomes for every child in our care it is also, quite simply, the right thing to do.”

The need to act quickly with additional financial support, she said, did not distract from the focus on maintaining and enhancing the current range of benefits and wellbeing initiatives.