19/08/2026
🎉🌳 ONE WHOLE YEAR OF EMMA’S EXPLORERS! OUT-OF-SCHOOL SERVICE 🌳🎉
Today officially marks one year since Emma’s Explorers Out-of-School Service opened its doors and what an incredible first year it has been!
When I took the leap and turned Emma’s Explorers from an idea into a fully registered out-of-school service, I knew it was going to be a huge undertaking. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes to run a service like ours, but looking back at everything we have achieved over the last 12 months makes every bit of it worthwhile.
Most importantly, Emma’s Explorers has become exactly what I hoped it would be — a place where children can come before and after school and simply be children. A place where they feel safe, valued, included and listened to; where they can play, explore, create, laugh, build friendships and have a genuine voice in what their time with us looks like.
Although Emma’s Explorers is my business and I run everything behind the scenes, getting to this point has absolutely been a team and community effort.
A massive thank you to Maggie and our wonderful team of relief staff, who bring so much care, enthusiasm, fun and warmth to the service. I genuinely could not have made this first year what it has been without their support!
To our incredible families — thank you for putting your trust in us and allowing us to care for your children. Whether you have been with me since my childminding days or have joined the Explorers family more recently, every booking, recommendation, kind word, piece of feedback and bit of support has helped Emma’s Explorers become what it is today.
A huge thank you also has to go to Dunning Hall, who have supported Emma’s Explorers from the very beginning. From helping us get the service off the ground, to all the hard work that went into getting the hall ready and up to the standard we need. Their continued support has played such an important part in making Emma’s Explorers possible. We are incredibly lucky to have such a fantastic space to call our home.
I also want to say a huge thank you to Dunning Primary School for their continued support and for working alongside us. Having such a positive relationship with the school is incredibly important to us and helps us provide that consistency and connection for the children we care for.
And finally, the biggest thank you has to go to our Explorers themselves.
You are at the heart of everything we do. Your personalities, ideas, imagination, laughter, friendships and endless enthusiasm are what bring Emma’s Explorers to life. Watching friendships grow, confidence develop and children feel comfortable enough to truly be themselves is without a doubt one of the best parts of what we do.
I am incredibly proud of how far we have come in just one year, and even more excited about what the future holds.
Here’s to Year Two — more adventures, more friendships, more memories, more exploring and lots more fun!
Thank you to every single person who has played a part in our first year. I really couldn’t have done it without you. 💚
Emma 🌻🌳
