21/07/2023
So after 20 years Daisychain is closing its doors and will be no longer. It is hard to put in to words our emotions today.
We set up the club in 2003 with 10 children. We were based in one side of a portacabin based in the school playground.
Neither Julie or I worked and we spent a lot of time developing the club - within the first year our numbers started to climb.
Over the past 20 years we have seen 1000’s of children pass through the club, some of whom have returned to work at Daisychain.
The club has gone for success to success with the recent two Ofsted inspections achieving the highest award possible - it has been an outstanding provision and one of the busiest out of school club provisions that the Ofsted team have inspected and unusual in the way it has been run, by two parents, non- business woman but mums who in 2003 saw that there was a need for wrap around care. At that point it was proving difficult to fill the places every year in reception as parents needed wrap around care to enable them to work.
Since we set up Daisychain, reception has been over subscribed. We have seen a change in headteacher four times and over the years have employer 60-70 staff.
So on our last day we will all be full of mixed emotions. The last few years have been tough. COViD made things very difficult but our business survived without help from government grants etc. We had to say goodbye to Mrs Keighley who had been with us from the outset - this was was a great loss to us personally and to the club. We have also lost key Daisychain members to retirement and ill health - all of whom remain great friends of Daisychain.
Today, we celebrate all of the above and what an amazing achievement Daisychain has been. School will run their own wrap around care from September and we are really pleased to say we have secured the positions of all the staff so hopefully parents and children will have a very easy transition over to the new provider.
The only difference will be that we will also be saying goodbye to Gill Scott who has been with Daisychain twice and she will be a great loss to the club. We wish Gill all the best in her new adventure and I know the parents and children will miss her very much.
Today we have open house so if you are able to pop in to say goodbye - Julie and I will be there all afternoon. 3-6pm. It would be lovely to see past & present users.
We wish you and you family all the best for the future and thank you for your support over the last 20 years xx
Julie Oliver
