Children attending Hornsey YMCA’s summer play scheme were joined by a unique volunteer this year. The Earl of Listowel was at the front line of childcare services spending time supporting existing volunteers and helping guide the children through their summer games and activities.

The Earl of Listowel who is the Treasurer of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Children and the APPG for Children and Young People in Care, spent a week helping at the YMCA based in the London Borough of Haringey. He experienced first hand the excellent opportunities that are available yet also learned out the difficulties parents face in finding quality summer childcare provision.

Here’s what the Earl thought of his volunteering experience:
‘I am very grateful to 4Children and Hornsey YMCA for providing me with this experience. I appreciate the way the staff welcomed me and the advice of my co-workers. It is very good to see the access to excellent facilities children enjoy at Hornsey.

‘My principle area of interest is the well being of children in public care. We have failed to adequately value the work of childcare workers in the past which has proved tragic for thousands of children. In all areas of work with children we should demand the highest levels of professional competence.

‘Quality and affordable summer childcare provision is essential. It helps thousands of parents return to work and the priority now is to keep offering support to parents throughout the year so they can continue to work and give their children the best opportunities available.’

4Children member Hornsey YMCA provides a seven week summer play scheme offering childcare places for 355 children from across Haringey in London and beyond. The play scheme runs a large number of contrasting activities ranging from football to gymnastics, street dance to theatre production, sailing to arts and games activities and simply a safe place to run around with friends.

‘Over the last few years our summer programme has proved to be a vital resource for local children explained Jim Shepley, Programme Director from Hornsey YMCA. ‘We are especially needed during the second half of the long summer holiday as that is when resources in other parts of the borough, for example Tottenham, are sometimes thin on the ground. This means we have lots and lots of children taking part in games and activities here at Hornsey YMCA. We were delighted to have Lord Listowel with us to help out – he certainly had his hands full during the week but had fun too!’