The first Welsh language daycare nursery has opened in Newport for children aged 2-5 years with funding provided by the Development Bank of Wales.
Based in Rogerstone, Wibli Wobli Nursery is registered for up to 40 children per day and offers Welsh medium day care and holiday club places plus free Welsh Ti a Fi sessions on Saturdays. A micro loan of £35,000 from the Development Bank has been used to part-fund the renovation of the building and fit out costs including the build of dedicated indoor and outdoor play areas, a new kitchen and toilet facilities. Ten new jobs have been created to date with a further two scheduled for September.
Former solicitor Natasha Baker set-up Wibli Wobli after struggling to find Welsh language childcare for her own children. She had previously run language classes for children across Newport and Cardiff and learnt Welsh herself before being introduced to the Development Bank by Business Wales.
Nursery owner Natasha Baker said: “I have always been passionate about languages and love seeing how children pick up language naturally from such an early age.
“As Newport’s first Welsh language full daycare nursery, we’re helping to increase the use of the Welsh language and meet the needs of working parents, in particular those who wish their child to attend Welsh medium provision or even just give them a head start in life with the benefits of being exposed to another language at a crucial stage of their development. The support from Business Wales and the Development Bank has meant that we’ve been able to get the nursery open and begin nurturing young children to learn and grow through language and play.”
Donna Strohmeyer is an Investment Executive with the Development Bank. She said: “The Welsh Government has set a target for the Welsh language – one million Welsh speakers by 2050 and to double the number of people speaking Welsh on a daily basis – so it is only right that we work with our colleagues at Business Wales to support businesses that are helping the growth of the language and creating jobs for Welsh speakers.
“One of the main ways to increase the number of Welsh speakers is to develop the provision and uptake of Welsh medium education. As a Welsh language nursery, Wibli Wobli is providing a high quality service that is creating jobs and encourages learning and a sense of community.”
The loan for Wibli Wobli came from the £32.5 million Wales Micro Loan Fund that is financed by the Welsh Government. Loans from £1,000 to £50,000 are available for small businesses, sole traders and social enterprise based in Wales.
