In what has already proven to be a memorable second half of the year for us, with several new openings and our network conference just around the corner, we have recently unveiled our newest setting in Epsom, Surrey.

Hot on the heels of this exciting new launch, we have been announced as finalists in the BFA HSBC British Franchising Awards and have been ranked in the top 100 for the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women by Great Place to Work®. We’re also celebrating the tenth anniversary of our franchise director, Grace Cole, who has been a major cog in our network’s growth over the last decade.

Opened on July 4^th, our Epsom setting offered nursery manager Nichola Griffiths 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.”

Situated in an old cottage which has recently been renovated for the nursery’s opening, Nichola said, “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 atmosphere encouraged by our 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.”

Another reason to celebrate is Grace’s tenth anniversary with us. “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!”

Grace’s role as franchise director encompasses working with new and existing franchisees, guiding them through the onboarding process and supporting them throughout their journey with us. “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, I’m very proud to be part of this network.

“Recently, I’ve been 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.”

“With our Epsom nursery setting the stage for several locations in the pipeline, it’s an incredibly exciting time to be at the forefront of early years education.”

For more information on franchise investment opportunities with Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries, visit https://monkeypuzzlenurseryfranchise.com/