BEST CHILDREN'S DAY CARE CENTRE FINALIST - Tullymore Childcare Centre

Your Name:  Ailish Flynn

Your Organisation/Company: Upper Andersonstown Community Forum

Your favourite thing about West Belfast:  The people and the close community spirit.

Your First Job: Civil Service

What it taught you? It supported my knowledge of organisational skills and the benefits system and how there was a massive demand for facilities in our own community so when an opportunity arose to work within the community infrastructure, I decided to retrain in childcare as that's were my heart was. I have worked in Tullymore Community Centre now for 25 years and have never regretted that decision!

What do you think are the key ingredients needed to make a person or organisation the Best of the West?      
I think one of the key ingredients that our Daycare provides is a real home from home atmosphere where parents know that their children are welcomed and nurtured in a wonderful setting, where staff really care, not only for the child, but the family as a whole. We have been a part of, and served the Andersontown community for over 25 years, providing high quality daycare and offering our services to the family as a whole. Our community centre provides Daycare, Youth Services, Women's groups, and Utopia (older peoples group) therefore we service the community from birth to grave.

Our daycare staff are all fully trained to the highest level and all relevant mandatory training i.e. first aid/ safeguarding children is also provided. All staff are passionate, nurturing, and patient and we provide a fun environment where children from all backgrounds and abilities are treated equally and respectfully. We operate an open door policy and provide daily updates via My Nurserypal App, which provides clear lines of communication between parents and staff.