Skip to main content
136 Nursery
A community nursery with its origins in a playgroup held in the Centerprise basement.
136 Playgroup
The 136 playgroup based in the basement of Centerprise. 
A Day on Women and Work in East London
A day conference on women and work organised by Bethnal Green and Stepney Trades Council.
Ackroyd Under Fives
A community nursery that opened in 1980.
Airtransport Nursery Project
A campaign to create a workplace nursery for British Airways workers at Heathrow.
Alphabet Association
A playgroup set up by a group of African-Caribbean people.
Ana Okulu Turkish Education Group Nursery School
Bi-lingual (Turkish and English) early years education project for three to five year olds.
ATTI / NATFHE Nursery Campaign
A campaign for workplace childcare run by the trade union for teachers in further and higher education (first the ATTI, then NATFHE).
Balham Nursery Action Group
An action group formed to support striking workers in the Eveline Day Nurseries. 
Barbican Nursery
A workplace nursery created by Merril Lynch as a requirement of planning permission granted by Islington Council. 
Bath House Children's Community Centre
A community nursery based in the Old Warm Baths since the year 2000. 
Battersea Minders Project
A scheme in which childminders were directly employed by Wandsworth Council. 
BBC Nursery
The BBC workplace nursery.
Beatty Road Nursery Centre
Beatty Road Nursery Centre was a community nursery in Hackney.
Bengali Workers Action Group
Organised women's groups with creches amongst other activities.
Black and Ethnic Minority Childcare Group
The Black and Ethnic Minority Childcare Group focused on the childcare needs of black and ethnic minority communities.
Black Working Party of the National Childcare Campaign
The Black Working Party of the National Childcare Campaign offered ‘advice, resources, information and opportunities for black parents.’
Blackshaw Nursery
A workplace nursery for St George's Hospital in Tooting that opened in 1982 due to community campaigning.
Bootstrap Enterprises
In the 1980s provided business support for people who wanted to work co-operatively, with a creche. 
Bow Nursery Centre
A community nursery and children's centre in Bow from 1987. 
Brent Nursery Campaign
A campaign for childcare and childcare workers' rights in Brent from 1974. 
Brent Under-Fives
A co-ordinating group for work with under-fives in Brent. 
Brixton College Nursery
A nursery at Brixton College was set up following a campaign. 
Broadcasting and Entertainment Trades Alliance (BETA)
The trade union that negotiated with the BBC for workplace childcare. 
Building Blocks
An anti-racist training and resource centre.
Camden Committee for Community Relations
Organised five nurseries and four playgroups with special emphasis on the needs of black and ethnic minority children. 
Camden Playbox
A mobile creche in Camden
Camden Staff Nursery
A workplace nursery for Camden council's staff. 
Campaign Against Tax Discrimination
A  campaign by a single parent to allow parents to off set childcare costs from their tax bill.
Central London Polytechnic Nursery
A nursery at Central London Polytechnic.
Centre for Anti-Racist Education
Two working groups on racism and the under-fives were set up at this centre in the early 1980s.
Childcare Now
A campaign for good quality childcare and education and against cuts. 
Children's Community Centre
One of the first community nurseries in London. 
Chinese Community Centre
Organised an under-fives club and an after school club.
Church End Common Nursery
A nursery that was involved in anti-racism or service provision for black and ethnic minority communities. 
City of London Polytechnic nursery campaign
A campaign for a nursery at the polytechnic
Clapton Park Nursery Occupation
A workplace dispute at a council-run nursery that involved both staff and parents and was about religous freedom and racism. 
Clifton Lodge Day Nursery
Hackney Nursery Campaign called for Clifton Lodge, a day nursery, to be reopened by the council.
Colville Nursery Centre
A nursery centre that combined care and education as a high quality, free service for local families. 
Comet Nursery School
A new nursery school for Hackney opened in 1976
Community (Nursery) Action Group
Parents and under-fives group. 
Creche Worker Lobby
Creche workers lobbied Central Hall for better working conditions.
Creches Against Sexism
An anti-sexist mens group that provided creches.
Croydon Childminders' Drop In
A drop in organised so childminders could connect with each other.
Dalston Children's Centre
A collectively run centre that aimed to be a radical alternative to existing forms of childcare provision.
Day School on Childcare
A 'Day School on Child Care Facilities: The Way Forward' was held at the Central London Polytechnic on 4 March 1978.
Defoe Day Care Centre
A nursery at Hackney College for students and local families.
Docklands Training Programme
A training programme run by Newham Parents' Centre which inspired the students to form a childcare cooperative. 
Doddington Community Association Nursery
A GLC-funded nursery created in the estate's underground garages.
Ealing College
An attempt to create a creche at the college for local teachers.
Earls Court B&B Project
A project to support homeless families living in Bed and Breakfast accommodation.
Early Childhood Studies Degree Network
The professional group that advocated for Early Childhood Studies as an academic subject.
Early Childhood Studies Diploma
A diploma at the Roehampton Institute in Early Childhood Studies, which was a new form of training for early years workers. 
Early Years Training Group
A group which aimed to create new forms of training for early years workers. 
Finsbury Park Homeless Families
Hackney Under Fives worked with homeless families housed in B&Bs in Finsbury Park and campaigned around their need for childcare facilities.
Fire Station Community Nursery
A community nursery based at the Old Fire Station.
First Neighbourhood Co-operative Nursery
A co-operative nursery in Walthamstow
Fleet Street Nursery
Fleet Street Nursery was a workplace nursery for media workers open from 1986 until 2002.
Friends of Hackney Nurseries (2010)
A campaign in 2010 against planned cuts to funding for Hackney's community nurseries. 
GLC Women's Committee
The GLC Women's Committee from 1982 prioritised funding childcare projects and encouraged innovation.
Gloucester Drive Drop In
A creche and drop-in for homeless families in the Finsbury Park area. 
Green Lanes Area Management
Green Lanes Area Management Scheme worked on the issue of childcare in various ways.
Green Lanes Childminders Association
Childminders in the Green Lanes area formed their own association in 1980. 
Grenfell Nursery
A community nursery based at the bottom of Grenfell Tower.
Hackney Childminders Association
A childminders group in Hackney. 
Hackney Community Nurseries Association
Hackney's community nurseries started organising together in the late 1970s to tackle issues of funding and pay. 
Hackney Housing Action Group
A demonstration highlighting homeless families housed in B&B accommodation. 
Hackney Mobile Creche
Hackney Mobile Creche was set up to meet a need for creche facilities at meetings and to help enable women to participate actively in public life.
Hackney Nursery Campaign
A campaign for more nurseries and workers rights in Hackney in the mid-1970s. 
Hackney Nursery Workers Industrial Action
Nursery workers took industrial action against Hackney Council in 1975 for higher pay and shorter hours.
Hackney One-Parent Action Group Family Centre
A centre offering childcare for single parent families. 
Hackney Playbus
Hackney Playbus has been providing mobile playgroups in Hackney since 1972.
Hackney Playgroup Workers Union (NUPE)
A branch of the National Union of Public Employees for playgroup workers in Hackney.
Hackney Under Fives
Hackney Under Fives campaigned for more and better services for under-fives and their families.  
Handicapped Children in Hackney
A group of parents of disabled children formed a group and worked towards starting a centre for families with disabled children.
Hillside Nursery
A cooperative nursery which started when a private nursery closed.
Holloway Neighbourhood Group
Plans for a nursery at Holloway Neighbourhood Group.
Hounslow Childcare Campaign
In 1984 Hounslow Childcare Campaign started with connections to Hounslow Law Centre. 
Inter-Union Workshop on Under-Fives
A workshop bringing unions together to discuss under-fives workers.
Islington Bus Company
A converted double decker playbus.
Islington Council Staff Nursery
Islington Council's staff nursery at Marquess Children’s Day Centre opened in November 1984.
Islington Nursery Campaign
The Islington Nursery Campaign wanted more nurseries, to stop cuts to nurseries and to improve the working conditions of nursery workers.
Islington Under Fives Action Group
A broad-based campaign for under-fives provision and against cuts. 
Islington Working Women's Charter Group
A local action group that aimed to improve nursery workers' working conditions and access to childcare.
Kingsway Children's Centre
Kingsway Children's Centre was a workplace nursery started by a group of parents and trade unionists.
Kingsway-Princeton Creche Campaign
A nursery set up at Kingsway-Princeton Further Education College.
Lambeth Mobile Creche
Lambeth mobile creche provided creches to enable women to take part in community activities, education and training.
Lambeth Nursery Management Committees
A new policy to encourage parents to participate in running Lambeth Council's 14 day nurseries. 
Lambeth Toy Co-op
Lambeth Toy Co-op produced toys and dress-up clothing to represent some of the different cultures of people living in Lambeth.
Lambeth Under Fives
A campaign for childcare in Lambeth.
Lambeth Working Women's Charter
Lambeth Working Women's Charter group campaigned for childcare in Lambeth.
Lewisham Childcare Campaign
A campaign for childcare in Lewisham.
London Centre for Environmental Studies Nursery
A workplace nursery run by both staff and parents.
London Childcare Network
The London Childcare Network was set up ‘to act as a ‘meeting place’ for childcare organisations, childcare workers and parents across London. 
London Lesbian and Gay Centre
Children's activities held on Saturday afternoons
London Nursery Campaign
An umbrella group for campaigns across London that started in 1972, and was relaunched in 1977.
London School of Economics (LSE)
Students campaigned for a nursery at the LSE in the 1970s.
Longridge Road Under Fives Resource Centre
A centre for families in Earl's Court that met the needs of homeless families living in temporary hotel accommodation nearby. 
Market Nursery
A long running community nursery.
Mary Wollstonecraft Children's Centre
Hackney Council's workplace nursery, which gave half its places to children on the Social Services' waiting list. 
Matrix
A feminist architectural co-operative and research network
Maxilla Nursery Centre
A purpose built nursery centre under the Westway motorway, won by community action.
Memorial Church Children's Centres
Newham’s first children’s centre was based at Memorial Baptist Church Plaistow, with a second location later at Lawrence Hall.
Middlesex Polytechnic Hendon Nursery
A nursery at Middlesex Polytechnic was saved by direct action in 1975, and a campaign in 2023. 
Midland Bank
Midland Bank opened a series of nurseries in the 1990s
Mothers in Action
A pressure group for 'unsupported mothers' established in 1967.
Myatts Fields Mobile Creche
A mobile creche that organised creches at Myatts Fields Health Centre.
NALGO Nursery Campaign
The National Association of Local Government Officers (NALGO) Nursery Campaign focused on the provision of workplace nurseries for their members. 
National Campaign for Nursery Education
The campaign pushed for more educational and play facilities for under-fives with an emphasis on nursery education.
National Child Care Campaign
The National Child Care Campaign was formed in 1980 to fight for ‘a state-funded, comprehensive and flexible childcare service.’
National Child Care Campaign launched
The National Child Care Campaign was launched at an inaugural conference in July 1980.
National Childminding Association
The National Childminding Association brought together childminding groups around the country into a national association. 
National Childminding Week
National Childminding Week saw thousands of childminders and the children they cared for come to Battersea Park for a Greater London Regional Picnic.
National Union of Public Employees: Childminders' branch
A trade union branch for childminders which was established in 1974. 
National Union of Students Nursery Campaign
The National Union of Students (NUS) nursery campaign called for nursery facilties to be provided at every college of further and higher education
NCCC meets at County Hall
The National Child Care Campaign met the Economic Policy Group of the GLC on 6 October, 1982
Newham Parents' Centre
A charity that ran various projects for parents in Newham. 
Newham Women’s Action Group
A women's group who demanded Social Services provide free daycare for all under fives in the borough of Newham.
Nightingale Lane Nursery Occupation
Parents and workers occupy a nursery to prevent its closure.
North East London Polytechnic Holbrook Annexe Nursery
A nursery was set up at the Polytechnic and saved by direct action.
North London Polytechnic
A campaign against the North London Polytechnic's nursery being closed in 1989.
Nursery Action Group, Enfield College
A campaign that led to one of the first polytechnic nurseries being established.
Nursery at the London Hospital
A campaign for a nursery at the hospital.
Nursery Nurses' Anti-Racist Network
A conference was held to discuss anti-racist training in 1990.
Nursery Staff Action Group
A group with branches around the country that demanded improved pay and conditions for nursery workers. 
NUT Campaign for Free Nursery Education
The National Union of Teachers campaigned for free nursery education for all children aged three to five.
Oranges and Lemons Nursery
A community nursery in Hackney.
Parents Voice in Early Childhood Education
A one day conference on putting anti-racist policy into practice. 
Parents' Action Committee, Acorn Playgroup
In 1984 a group called 'Parents Action Committee' or PAC campaigned around issues of racism at Acorn playgroup.
Parkholme Road 'shared care'
A collective childcare group.
Patmore Project
The Patmore Centre was created in the 1980s and offered local residents a full day children's centre, creche and education and training projects for…
Perishers
A shared care group in Hackney
Poplar Play Centre
A children's centre that was started by a group of local people with funding from the Greater London Council (GLC).
Powis Playgroups
A 'radical' group of playgroups that campaigned for playgroup workers to be paid a fair wage.
Prisoners Wives and Families
In the early 1970s a Prisoners' Wives group ran a hostel and support centre for the wives and children of prisoners.
Rainbow Nursery
The oldest community nursery still open in Hackney.
Redriff Nursery Centre Action Group
An unsucessful campaign to create a nursery centre at Redriff School. 
Rockingham Community Nursery
A community nursery that opened in 1987.
Rosalind Community Nursery
A small community nursery on a council estate that opened in 1984  after a local campaign. 
Rydevale Community Nursery
A community nursery opened by Wandsworth Council for Community Relations in 1972.
Sandbrook Community Playgroup
A longrunning community playgroup that sought to cater for working parents. 
Save Tower Hamlets Nurseries Campaign
In 1981 the ‘Save Tower Hamlets Nurseries Campaign’ campaigned to stop the closures of two council day nurseries, Queen Mary and Shadwell, and to…
SERTUC Care of the Under Fives conference
The South East Regional Council of the TUC organised a conference in support of the United Nations International Year of the Child
SERTUC Workplace Nurseries seminar
South East Regional Council of the Trades Union Congress (SERTUC) organised a seminar on Workplace Nurseries. 
Silchester Baths
Plans were made for a Silchester Baths Community Centre in the historic baths and laundry, which would include childcare. 
Sisters Concern
Organised a mobile creche. 
Soho Family Centre
A centre that provided a safe space for local childminders to work in as well as many groups and services for parents and carers. 
South Bank Polytechnic Nursery
A nursery at the Polytechnic was won by a campaign, and then came under threat again when they lost their premises. 
South Bank Polytechnic Training Courses
South Bank Polytechnic developed several new forms of training for early years workers.
South Thames College
A campaign for a nursery at South Thames College.
Southwark Childcare Campaign
A borough-wide pressure group that campaigned for more and better childcare.
Southwark Community Nursery
A community nursery that is still going today.
Surrey Docks Childcare Project
A childcare project in Surrey Docks at the time of the Docklands redevelopment.
Sutton Childminders Action Movement
A group of childminders and others that helped childminders form their own union branch. 
Swinbrook Nursery Centre
A children's centre opened in consultation with the local community to provide childcare and other services. 
Thames Polytechnic Occupation
An occupation at the Polytechnic to campaign for a new nursery.
The County Hall Day Nursery
Two fifty place nurseries were established for GLC and ILEA staff, one at County Hall and one at Bellenden Road, Peckham. 
The Fun Runner
Tower Hamlets' Mobile Creche
The Huddleston Centre
The Huddleston Centre provides services and facilities for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The Mothers' Arms
A nursery opened by the East London Federation of Suffragettes that was the first to use the Montessori method in the UK.
Thomas Coram Nursery Centre
A groundbreaking children's centre. 
Tiddlers
A group of parents who needed childcare for their one-year-old children got together in 1980 to create a collective solution. 
Tottenham Green Under Fives Centre
A community nursery set up due to the efforts of Tottenham Childcare Campaign. 
Tottenham Playbus Project
A playbus that ran 'mother and toddler' groups.
Tower Gardens Play Centre
The centre collected children from the local primary school and cared for them while their parents were at work or to give single parents a break.
Tower Hamlets Childminding Association
Childminders formed a group to tackle their issues together. 
Tower Hamlets Nursery Campaign
Tower Hamlets Nursery Campaign campaigned around the lack of childcare in Tower Hamlets. 
Tower Hamlets Under Fives Campaign
A group that planned to set up a playbus, a playgroup and childcare in a community centre as well as courses for childminders. 
Town House Drop-in Centre
A playgroup based in a hotel for homeless families in Earl's Court.
Trade Union Liasion Group of the National Child Care Campaign
A working group within the National Child Care Campaign that wanted to make sure childcare was a trade union issue. 
Trinity Nursery
A private nursery that was faced with closure was taken over by parents and run as a cooperative.
TUC report on the Under-Fives
This influential report gave an important overview of the childcare issues faced by working women in 1978 and suggested ways forward. 
Under Fives Facts & Funday
An Under 5’s Facts and Funday was held on London’s South Bank on 8 June 1984. It was both a national conference and a fun day of family activities. 
Unequal and Under Five (VOLCUF)
A project that aimed to identify racist attitudes and practices in pre-school services. 
United Biscuits Nursery
A workplace nursery for employees at the United Biscuits factory in Isleworth.
Vanessa Nursery School
A purpose-built ‘high-tech’ nursery, built in 1974.
Victorian Grove Day Nursery
An occupation of a council-run nursery by parents of children at the nursery to try to stop its closure.
Waltham Forest Council Resolution
Waltham Forest Council passed a resolution in support of a 'free and flexible childcare service' in 1983
Wandsworth Child Care Campaign
Wandsworth Child Care Campaign helped start several nurseries and lobbied and campaigned for better childcare. 
Wandsworth Childminders Association
Wesley House, London Centre for Women
Wesley House was the home of Kingsway Children's Centre, Fleet Street Nursery and the National Child Care Campaign. 
Westway Nursery Association
Westway Nursery Association started and managed Maxilla Nursery Centre and other childcare projects in North Kensington. 
What is Your Trades Council Doing About Child Care?
A meeting that brought together Trades Councils to discuss campaigning for childcare.
Who's Holding the Baby exhibition
The Hackney Flashers’ exhibition ‘Who’s Holding the Baby?’ combined photographs, appropriated imagery, cartoon illustrations and texts to show the…
William Patten parent-run creche
A parent-run creche set up at William Patten primary school. 
Women and Socialism
A One Day Workshop on Day Care Provision for the Under Fives
Womens Liberation March
The first march for women's liberation in Britain called for free, 24-hour nurseries as one of its four key demands. 
Women’s Education in Building Nursery
A nursery attached to the training workshop ran by Women's Education in Building. 
Working for Children in Wandsworth
On Saturday 9 February 1985 there was a major conference held at the Atheldene Centre to bring everyone concerned with childcare in Wandsworth…
Working Women's Charter Campaign
The Working Women’s Charter was launched in 1974 by a coalition of trades unions and trades councils and was adopted by organisations and groups…
Workplace Nurseries Campaign
A campaign against a tax levied on childcare provided by employers. 
Workplace Nurseries Limited
This organisation was formed in 1986 to offer advice and information to people interested in workplace childcare. 
Workers Organising

Balham Nursery Action Group

On Thursday 13 February 1975 an open meeting on private nurseries was held at Balham Law Centre. At the meeting the Eveline Day Nursery Schools were discussed. These were a chain of private nurseries in the Balham and Tooting area. People at the meeting reported workers in the private nurseries were paid less and had worse working conditions than workers in the local authority- run day nurseries and that two of the most active trade union members at the nurseries had recently lost their jobs.

The nursery workers had joined the General and Municipal Workers Union (GMWU). Their union reps wrote to the Directors of the Eveline Day Nurseries asking for a meeting. The letter was ignored but the Directors put both fees and wages up. The meeting decided to form the Balham Nursery Action Group which aimed to achieve better nursery facilities in the Wandsworth area.

Sarah Rackham described the workers in the nursery in question going on strike in her oral history interview. She remembered that the dustmen (who were in the Transport and General Workers Union) refused to collect the bins in support of the nursery workers' strike. 

If you have more information, please contact us.

From 1975

References

Big Flame, Women’s Struggle Notes number 4, mid March to May 1975, LSE Archives and Special Collections

Grow Your Own interview with Sarah Rackham, Bishopsgate Institute. 

Cite this article

Rosa Schling, 'Balham Nursery Action Group' Childcare History, https://childcarehistory.org.uk/stories/balham-nursery-action-group/
Retrieved 06 October 2024