Local nursery Pumpkin Patch celebrated 20 years in Fleet in October and marked the event with a number of celebrations for parents, children and staff.
Founded in Fleet by former infant school teacher, Gill Church, in 2001, Pumpkin Patch now have three nurseries locally. Pumpkin Patch is still shaped by Gill’s vision to provide high quality, personalised care to local families.
Founder Gill Church says “As a small and Independent nursery I’m extremely proud to be celebrating this milestone. When I set up Pumpkin Patch my vision was to create an environment that encourages effective learning through supporting, nurturing and promoting each child’s individual skills and interests. One of our strengths is our small and homely environment where we make use of natural and everyday resources to encourage imaginative play and learning that develops many skills.
“The last 18 months have been tough for everyone, but as key workers we have stayed open to support our parents who have had to work, many of them key workers themselves. As we emerge from the pandemic I am delighted that we are able to celebrate our 20th Birthday with children, parents and our staff.
“We are only able to deliver high quality childcare through the quality and dedication of our staff. Staff training and development is so important, from initial induction to regular courses and encouraging staff progression whenever possible. Many staff have been with us a long time, and our Nursery Manager, Ali, has been with us for almost 20 years. As an independent nursery we can offer more personalised support to our staff and are always looking for people who share our vision and passion to join our team.”
Tracey Shrimpton, Fleet BID Manager says, “When town centres are mentioned, people often think of shops. However, there is so much more to a successful high street including businesses like Pumpkin Patch which make a town the heart of the local community. Huge congratulations on celebrating 20 years which is an amazing achievement.”
