Why did you get into childcare?
I have a really big family and childcare has always been part of our lives. The owner is my great-grandma Penny. She used to be a childminder and then she found an old disused railwayman’s cottage 25 years ago and turned it into a nursery. My great-grandad was a builder and he worked on the space. I went to nursery here and so did my brothers, sisters and cousins, and then I did work experience here too. Now my mum is a manager here and both my aunties are practitioners.
How has having a whole family involved in the nursery influenced its approach?
My great-grandma always wanted it to be like one big family. We eat all our meals together. The staff all call my great-grandma Nanny Penny. It’s very traditional. We still use Silver Cross prams and terry towelling nappies. It hasn’t changed that much from when I went here, to be honest. I work with staff now who used to look after me, and there’s one lady who has been here since it opened.
Where do you see yourself in the future?
My great-grandma likes to stay as involved as she can but she’s getting a bit older now so my mum does a lot of it. My mum will probably fully take over running the nursery at some point, and she has always said she would want me to be there when she can’t be. That kind of managerial role definitely appeals to me. I just love being here. The best part is the children – they’re so hilarious and there really is never a dull moment.
