Sevenoaks Day Nursery opened its doors as a full-time, year round day nursery for the first time on 24 July 1989. It was the culmination of over three years’ fundraising, involving dozens, if not hundreds, of local Sevenoaks people, including the Sevenoaks Fire Brigade, the Lions, Sevenoaks District Council, Children in Need and the Sevenoaks Chronicle.
The Early Days
Our Nursery was the brainchild of Dr Margaret Bates, who wanted “to allow working mothers, including single parents to place their children safely and happily and give them a social education.” Margaret had been a Psychiatric Social Worker and knew, more than most, how important stability was during pre-school years. Margaret joined forces with Dr Olive Munro, a local GP and Senior Community Health Doctor who knew first hand how much need there was for a day nursery. Together they recruited volunteers from all walks of life:- Cllr Frances Dick, who retired as a trustee in 2015, was the first Chairman of the Committee; Ann Birch, who retired as Finance and Administration Manager in 2017, was the Secretary from 1987 and Jean Sowten was appointed Nursery Leader and retired in 2021.
The original two-roomed building was estimated to cost £40,000 (around £150,000 today) and this, and more, was raised in under three years! Some achievement.
You may be interested to read this pamphlet produced in 1987 to help with the fundraising.
The Allied Dunbar Room (Baby Room) was added in 1990 thanks to the generous support of the Allied Dunbar Foundation. The pram shelter was built in 1991 and the Club Room followed in 1996.
Today
We moved into our new, modular building at the start of 2020 and the old buildings (except the Club Room) were demolished later that year.
The Trust became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in 2016. This change means that Trustees have less personal liability for the liabilities of the Nursery; something that has put off potential trustees in the past.
Our Trustees come from all walks of life and are ultimately responsible for the well-being of the Nursery. They tend to consider strategic matters.
Our Nursery Staff is headed up by Nursery Manager Madde Eleby, who is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Nursery.
Madde is ably assisted by a Deputy Manager and Room Managers who head up each of our four nursery rooms. In addition, certain members of staff have special responsibilities and the training needed to undertake their special roles:- SENCOs, Health & Safety Officers, Behaviour Management Officer and Child Safe Officer.
