Staff wellbeing is very important to the management of the Forbes nursery group in Edinburgh.
The group has four nurseries across the city, and they wanted to introduce a positive way of bringing all of the staff together. This was so that staff could engage with one another away from work and help them to reconnect after the pandemic.
They are very fortunate that the nurseries are close to a large park and with the help of a local fitness trainer, staff were invited to take part in weekly outdoor fitness classes.
These classes have enabled staff to mix with one another, have fun and get fit together with a lot of laughter during their workouts. These classes have been very successful with some staff attending regularly and others dropping in when they can. On occasion, other family members and even a family pet has turned up and joined in with the fun.
The nursery management were keen to support staff to feel good about themselves and have made sure that the sessions were accessible to everyone.
There is no expectation on staff to have a certain level of fitness, and the atmosphere is very relaxed. The exercises have been different each week and have included a silent disco, hula hooping, bootcamp and boxercise. They also try to build in time at the end for relaxation.
These sessions have been a great success with staff engaging with each other and encouraging each other to come along. Staff have said that it’s helped them to feel more motivated, pick-up old hobbies and sports and get moving a bit more.
Annabel Higgins, admin team said: “Having our weekly sessions with Kim is an incredible employee benefit at Forbes nursery.
“Not only has it helped with my general energy and fitness levels it’s also a lovely hour to catch up with staff from across the nursery group.”
Abby Whigham, assistant manager said: “Not only have Kim’s classes helped with physical fitness, but it also has a positive impact on our general mental health.
“It’s great coming together each week and seeing team members who work at our other nurseries too. Kim’s positivity and energy is very motivating and inspirational, which is the perfect lift after a busy day at work.”
Recently, they have also returned to visiting the local care home where the residents and children have exercised together. These activities have included parachute games and sensory balls with children’s songs and music from the 50s, 60s and 70s for the residents to enjoy.
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