Deal sees expanding group of nurseries arrive in region
An eastern nursery group, which has been running for almost 30 years, has been taken on by an expanding chain.
Sunhill Daycare Nurseries Group, which has two of its 11 UK centres in Stowmarket, has this month become part of The Old Station Nursery Group, a subsidy of European outfit La Maison Bleue.
Geoff Chapman established Sunhill in 1991 and has planted nurseries across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, London, and Suffolk. Centres offer care for children aged from birth to five.
He said: “After developing Sunhill Daycare for approaching 30 years, I am delighted to hand over the baton to international daycare operator La Maison Bleue’s UK subsidiary, The Old Station Nursery Group, capably led by managing director Sarah Steel.”
Ms Steel established Old Station in 2002. The group has grown to encompass 19 nurseries located across Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Berkshire, London, West Midlands, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Lincolnshire, and Essex.
The Sunhill acquisition is their first venture into Suffolk.
Ms Steel said: “We are really pleased to welcome each of the nurseries within the Sunhill Group into The Old Station Nursery family.
“We are very excited to welcome all children, parents and staff members into our very special community.”
The Old Station Nursery has been cited as one of the UK’s leading 25 groups. Its growth has sped up significantly since joining a larger nursery group, La Maison Bleue, in 2019.
La Maison Bleue was founded in 2004 by Sylvain Forestier and Antonia Ryckbosch. It has become the leading childcare provider in Switzerland and the third largest provider in both France and Luxembourg.
Ms Steel continued: “As a group, we strive to continue to innovate ways in which we provide the highest standard of learning and care to all children.
“We look forward to working closely with each nursery to enhance the expertise and potential that lies there.”
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