Up to 450 families and 136 members of staff are thought to be affected by the closure of the nurseries which are based across Norfolk and Suffolk (see below).
The Little People’s Montessori nursery in Norwich, a subsidiary of the Trust, is the only setting that remains open.
The Trust went into liquidation on Wednesday after encountering ‘financial difficulties’.
On its website, it confirms that the ‘nurseries are unable to offer any childcare services and are closed for business’.
The Great Yarmouth Community Trust also ran an independent school, Horatio House in Lowestoft and Nexus Engineering Training Centre in Great Yarmouth – both of which are now closed.
The nurseries operated by the Trust are
- Calthorpe Nursery in Great Yarmouth
- Little Blossoms Nursery in Filby
- Ladybird Day Care at Kirkley Children’s Centre in Lowestoft
- Little Ducks Day Nursery in Lowestoft
- Peggotty Nursery in Great Yarmouth
- Priory Day Nursery in Great Yarmouth
- Seagulls Day Nursery in Gorleston
- Willow Day Nursery in Great Yarmouth
Both Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils are providing support to families affected by the closures.
Andrew Forrest, executive director of the Great Yarmouth Community Trust, said, ‘It is with huge regret that I can confirm the Trust is insolvent. As a trust we were set up with the sole purpose of improving the life chances of children, adults and families in Great Yarmouth through community building, education and wrap-around support.
‘In recent years we have been experiencing financial difficulties and it has now become clear that our business is no longer viable. We have been working with insolvency experts and Norfolk County Council to do all we can to minimise the impact for those who use or visit our services. I am sorry for the disruption and uncertainty that the current position is causing for local families and for our valued staff.’
Lee Green of liquidators MHA Larking Gowen said the liquidation process at the trust would begin in the next two weeks.
