In what is set to be a memorable second half of the year for Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries – with several new openings and their network conference around the corner – they have recently unveiled their newest setting in Epsom, Surrey.
Here, David Hancock, executive chairman, shares the latest news from the network, including the launch of their Epsom setting and franchise director Grace Cole’s tenth anniversary working with the brand.
Opened on July 4th, the Epsom setting is situated in an old cottage which has been recently renovated for the nursery’s opening. For nursery manager Nichola Griffiths, Monkey Epsom was a welcome opportunity to return to her roots. “I’m from Epsom and my family still live locally, so it’s nice to give back to a community that I know so well.
“The location is really impressive! And it manages to retain some of the amazing features from the original building too. There is a large outdoor space for the children, so you can tell there’s been a real thought process behind every step of the renovation.”
Nichola, who has well over a decade of experience in the early years industry, was drawn to the warm and welcoming Monkey Puzzle atmosphere encouraged by the franchisee for Epsom, Hala al-Samawi: “Monkey Puzzle’s emphasis on creating a family feel is really important – the nursery already feels like a home away from home, especially for the children.”
Opening the Epsom nursery is a proud moment for us all. We’ve worked incredibly hard and, with Epsom, are beginning to see the fruits of our labour.
Grace Cole, our franchise director, has recently celebrated her tenth anniversary at Monkey Puzzle. Grace’s role encompasses working with new and existing franchisees, guiding them through the onboarding process and supporting them throughout their journey with the brand. For Grace, “It’s such an honour to have worked for Monkey Puzzle for the last decade. When I joined, we only had approximately 13 nurseries and now we have over 70 settings, so to have played a role in the setup of those nurseries and support the franchisees on their journey has been an amazing experience – to think how many children’s lives I’ve been a part of means a lot to me and is one of the reasons I joined!”
Reflecting on her decade at Monkey Puzzle, Grace believes, “At the start, we were still a small business, so I’ve been heavily invested in the development of our vision, mission and values and how its evolved over the years. I’ve loved working with so many people who have such a passion for early years education, whether that’s within the nurseries or at head office itself, and I’m very proud to be part of this network.
“Recently, I’ve been working a lot with David, which has been really enjoyable, getting stuck into looking at the wider business. We are continually looking at ways to enhance the services and support we offer to the franchise network and internal nursery group.”
Firstly, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Grace for her amazing work over the last decade. She’s been an integral part of our team and really defines what we, at Monkey Puzzle, are all about.
We’re also delighted to be finalists in the BFA HSBC British Franchising Awards in the leadership and culture category alongside being ranked in the top 100 for the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women. It is testament to the atmosphere we’ve created here – long may it continue.
