Growth is child’s play for Yorkshire Bank-funded nursery chain

29th November 2013

An award-winning Coventry nursery chain funded by Yorkshire Bank is celebrating its 10th anniversary with plans to acquire a further site.

Tiny Teddies Day Nurseries Ltd, which operates three day nurseries, an after-school service, a holiday club and its own child care voucher company, launched its first nursery in November 2003 after receiving funding from Yorkshire Bank. With Yorkshire Bank’s ongoing support, the business is now in the process of acquiring a fourth nursery site.

The business, which employs 55 staff, was founded by Michelle and Paul Ingram after the couple was unable to find suitable child care for their son. One of the biggest challenges they faced as a start-up was raising funds to buy their first nursery at Radford, and refurbish the site. Despite the significant investment required, Yorkshire Bank was able to assist the couple with a funding package that met their needs. Ten years on, relationship manager Richard Williams, who is based at Yorkshire Bank’s Regional Business and Private Banking Centre in Birmingham, continues to provide tailored support to help Tiny Teddies grow.

Key to Tiny Teddies’ success has been its strong management team, which was established to maintain high standards of physical, social, emotional and intellectual care across the group. The business is also well known for its high staff retention rates: not only has it never made any staff redundant, it also continues to employ many of the original staff that were employed at the first Tiny Teddies nursery 10 years ago, including the group’s chef and two senior managers.

Other achievements include Tiny Teddies’ numerous industry awards, including most recently being shortlisted in this year’s Coventry Telegraph Business Awards and being a finalist in the 2012 Midlands Family Business Awards. In 2010, it was also one of the first nurseries to receive a Coventry Early Years Setting Healthy Award, which recognises nurseries and other early years care providers for promoting healthy eating and exercise.

The nursery celebrated its 10th anniversary at the beginning of the month [November] with a “farm party”, which included a visit by a mobile farm to Tiny Teddies’ Radford premises. Employees are also undertaking a new charity fundraising drive, with plans to stage 10 events over 10 months. Over the last 10 years, the business has raised an estimated £25,000 for good causes, including Children in Need.

Paul Ingram, Managing Director of Tiny Teddies Day Nurseries Ltd, said: “From the outset, we’ve had a clear vision of the high quality child care we wanted to provide – a warm, caring, and professional environment where children can grow and develop. Yorkshire Bank understood our aims and has supported us every step of the way since. As a result, we’re now in the process of acquiring our fourth nursery, marking a significant expansion of the brand.

“We look forward to continuing to grow Tiny Teddies in partnership with Yorkshire Bank.”

Derek Breingan, Head of Healthcare at Yorkshire Bank, said: “Tiny Teddies Day Nurseries Ltd has been recognised by a host of industry awards for its strong management, its business innovation and its excellent marketing work.

“More importantly, it has earned an outstanding reputation among parents for its quality childcare, welcoming atmosphere and commitment to providing a first class learning experience.

“We are proud of our role in helping the business to grow over the past 10 years and it gives us great pleasure to continue assisting the team at Tiny Teddies as they progress their expansion plans.”