Royal Foundation and Co-op take business case to Manchester

The event, which took place on Friday 13 September at Co-op’s headquarters in Manchester, saw sixteen business gather to hear more about The Princess of Wales’ vision for a healthy, happy society, transformed by our collective approach to early childhood.

Businesses heard from Amanda Berry, Chief Executive of The Royal Foundation and Christian Guy, Executive Director of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, who set the out case for early childhood, highlighting the unique importance for the time from pregnancy to the age of five in terms of brain development and how the relationships, surroundings and experiences during our first five years, fundamentally shape the adults we become and the society we create.

Christian presented the findings of the Business Taskforce’s report “Prioritising early childhood for a happier, healthier society”, setting out the economic incentive for investment, including a potential £45.5billion added value to the British economy as well as a more productive and loyal workforce today, and a future workforce equipped with the skills needed to navigate the complexity and challenges, we know they will face. He said, “It has been brilliant being in Manchester, with The Co-op, one of the key members of The Business Taskforce for Early Childhood. We are on a mission to inspire more action and showcase the great work already being done. We are so excited about what’s to come and the action we can drive together.”

Shirine Khoury-Haq, Chief Executive of The Co-operative Group talked about the role her organisation as played as a founding member of the Taskforce, their work within the community in this area, as well as their twenty early years settings across the North of England.

She also spoke about Co-Op’s commitment to raise £5million over the next five years which brings together employers to pool unspent levy funds and share them in a targeted way to support apprenticeships for people who are training to work in the early years sector.

Alexis Darby from Health Equality North, Clare Law from Better Start Blackpool and Ruth Welford from Barnardos, also took part in the event, sharing their expertise and experience with participants of the challenges and opportunities for business to help babies and young children in the North West.

This is the first in a series of events which The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood are co-hosting around the UK over the coming months.