A Burnley nursery leader has co-ordinated a cross-Pennines team effort to support Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) after a close friend was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in North Yorkshire. Lydia Spencer-Plumb, Nursery Manager at Partou Habergham Day Nursery and Pre-school in Burnley, was inspired to step forward after emergency medical assistance was administered by YAA to her friend Gary near the village of Ingleton.
“Following the accident, Gary’s partner Kelly and her family visited one of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance bases,” she said. “Having seen first-hand the difference the service can make in an emergency, Kelly decided she wanted to raise as much as possible for YAA and began encouraging local schools and nurseries to get involved with the ‘Yorkshire Turns Yellow’ campaign.”
Although based in Lancashire, supporting YAA felt incredibly relevant to Lydia and her team at Partou Habergham. “I knew Gary and Kelly from when I was younger, so knowing the very real personal story behind the fundraising made me particularly keen to support it and encourage our children and families to get involved,” she explained, “and the response was absolutely fantastic.”
Partou Habergham started the ball rolling, raising £60 through a bake sale, with the children getting involved by wearing yellow or their favourite colour. They were joined by Partou Little People Day Nursery and Pre-School, also in Burnley, which raised £85. Two local primary schools and another local nursery also stepped forward. Altogether, the schools and nurseries raised a remarkable £714.25 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
But the story did not end there.
“I was so pleased with how well the initiative was received locally that I also shared the fundraising opportunity with the Partou Yorkshire region,” Lydia explained. This resulted in a further two Partou nurseries taking part – Woodlands House in Bradford and Ashmoor in Shipley – which together raised an additional £140. It meant that, across the settings involved, the final total grew to £854.25.
“What I particularly loved about the nursery involvement was that the children weren’t simply being asked to donate money,” Lydia said. “They were able to be part of something meaningful in a way that was appropriate and exciting for them – wearing yellow, taking part in bake sales, talking about the helicopter and understanding, at an age-appropriate level, that fundraising can help an emergency service continue to be there for people when they need it most. “For me, it was also a lovely example of how nurseries can connect children with their wider community and help them begin to develop an understanding of kindness, empathy, helping others and making a difference.”
Laura Clay, Partou Regional Childcare Director, congratulated Lydia and all involved in the stunning fundraising effort. “The response from the settings and families exceeded all expectations,” she said.
“What started as a small idea to encourage schools and nurseries to ‘Turn Yorkshire Yellow’ became a community effort and, most importantly, gave the children an opportunity to support a service that had a very real impact on someone they knew.
“Several other Partou nurseries have held their own fundraising activities for YAA throughout this year. We are proud to be involved.”
