In a heartwarming display of community spirit, the residents of Chadwell Heath have come together to support their local nursery, Monkey Puzzle Chadwell Heath, which was forced to leave its premises due to the major fire on Freshwater Road at the end of August.
Just two weeks on from the fire, the nursery has already secured temporary premises for its children at a nearby church, only a stone’s throw away from the original site. Returning to sessions from Wednesday 11th September, the children who attend the nursery have now been reunited – and the children and staff want to send a heartfelt thanks to the community!
Maryam Khan, the franchisee for Monkey Puzzle Chadwell Heath, has been overwhelmed by the efforts of the community. “It’s been wonderful to have received such support from our community – from local people, families and businesses. We couldn’t have jumped into action as quickly without their generous donations and unwavering support. I’ve owned and run the nursery for eight years now and couldn’t imagine not being able to open in some way to care for the lovely children that me and my staff of 16 have become so close to. I’m proud to play such a big part in the community and to provide care for so many children.”
The new temporary site has already been equipped with all of the usual security measures in place at the original location, with separate rooms for each age group – and even a brand-new kitchen (courtesy of the local Howden’s branch!) where the on-site chef prepares the children’s meals. A GoFundMe page was set up by parent Claire Moore and has resulted in the community donating a long list of furniture, toys and equipment.
“My daughter goes to Monkey Puzzle Chadwell Heath, and I, like all of the other parents, was devastated when I heard the news about the fire. I knew I had to do something to help – setting up the GoFundMe page was the least I could do,” said Claire. “My little girl has only been going since the beginning of the year, but she absolutely loves it there, so the fact that the team have so quickly found alternative premises is wonderful. I’m so pleased that I’ve been able to support in some way, and my daughter is thrilled to have been reunited with her favourite people after only a couple of weeks apart.”
Claire Moore
Despite the temporary location, staff and parents are determined to keep things running smoothly, with a view to move to a new, permanent, location in six to twelve months.
“Thank you to everyone who helped get us back up on our feet in our temporary premises. We’re hoping it won’t be too long before we move to a new location, but, in the meantime, we’re happy to be reunited with the children we care so much about,”
Monkey Puzzle Chadwell Heath’s nursery owner, Maryam
For more information about Monkey Puzzle Chadwell Heath, please visit https://monkeypuzzlechadwellheath.co.uk/