Nursery World - Co-op brand to enter childcare

The UK's first Co-op nurseries are to be created with the Oxford Swindon and Gloucester Co-operative Society's plans to move into childcare. The fourth largest of the UK's ten regional co-operatives has appointed Carol Lines, formerly managing director of nursery chain Buffer Bear, as its childcare business manager.

The fourth largest of the UK's ten regional co-operatives has appointed Carol Lines, formerly managing director of nursery chain Buffer Bear, as its childcare business manager.

Ms Lines has worked as a consultant to the childcare sector and as the national childcare and creche manager for Safeway supermarkets. She will take forward the Society's plans to develop six neighbourhood nurseries and build and acquire other nurseries in the next three years.

The Society's business futures manager Neil Homer said, 'We think there's a market opportunity and we are looking to diversify and appeal to new, younger customers and to families. Our aim is to be the largest nursery operator in our trading area in the next three to four years.'

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