As an active member of her local parish, Henkel retiree Christa Büchler sits on the committee of five church-run kindergartens in the south of Neuss. A resident of Düsseldorf, she works as a volunteer, helping to develop educational projects, improve the childcare facilities for infants aged four months and older, and improve and augment the equipment in the daycare centers. Büchler explains, “Our goal is to ensure that the children we look after are mentally and physically fit for starting school.”

The “Science Corner” at the St. Michael kindergarten in Neuss-Norf gives children aged three to six the chance to explore natural phenomena in a manner appropriate for their young years. The activities on offer range from experiments using air, soap and water to finding out why a volcano erupts.