A NEW eco-friendly nursery has been opened in Ipswich.The Garden House Nursery in Maidenhall has been opened as part of the government's Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative, a project which aims to reduce unemployment in disadvantaged areas.

A NEW eco-friendly nursery has been opened in Ipswich.

The Garden House Nursery in Maidenhall has been opened as part of the government's Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative, a project which aims to reduce unemployment in disadvantaged areas.

Ipswich Mayor Roger Fern and Suffolk County Council chairman Jane Hore joined youngsters and owners to officially open the nursery.

The nursery has taken on a distinctly green feel with babies wearing reusable nappies and eating organic food.

Tim Fitzgerald, director of Garden House Nursery Schools, said: "We are eco-friendly and use real nappies. I think this is one of only four nurseries using them in Suffolk – three of them are ours and the other is at the hospital.

"We make all of our own organic baby food and make meals for all of our older children.

"We wash our own nappies using detergent free ionic washing and use chemical-free cleaning sprays.

"Basically the only chemical we use is bleach in the kitchen."

The nursery is located between Halifax and Hillside primary schools.

Pupils at these schools can use breakfast clubs, after school clubs and holiday clubs at the nursery and the nursery is providing a pick up from schools.

Garden House also lies on a busy bus route into town and the nursery has co-ordinated its opening times to coincide with the rush hour buses to encourage parents to return to work.

The nursery cost £460,000 with funding from Suffolk county council, Garden House Nursery Schools and the Big Lottery.

It has space for up to 51 children aged under five and 10 places for school children.

It is the third Neighbourhood Nursery to be opened in Ipswich and two more are planned.