Nov 04, 2021
My First Friends Joins The Old Station Nursery Group
The Old Station Nursery Group is delighted to announce that My First Friends, a group of 5 nurseries based in the West Midlands on the outskirts of Birmingham, has joined the group.
My First Friends, previously owned by Catriona Savage, opened its first nursery in Rubery in 2004. Since then, the group has grown, operating nurseries in Bromsgrove, Droitwich, Wylde Green and Malvern (Little Oaks).
Each of the five nurseries within My First Friends has a well-established and creditable reputation within its community; providing support to families as well as quality care and engaging learning environments to their children.
Commenting on joining the group, Sarah Steel, Chairwoman of The Old Station Nursery Group, commented:
“A very warm welcome to all of the children, parents and staff members from My First Friends to The Old Station Nursery Group. We are really looking forward to meeting everyone over the coming weeks and we are delighted to have you as part of our nursery family.”
She continued:
“We are very excited to work with each of the teams at My First Friends, to learn from them, review best practice and share our group ethos in order to create brighter futures together.”
Catriona Savage commented:
“I am delighted that, under the guidance of Sarah Steel, The Old Station Nursery Group will be taking My First Friends forward. Both companies are passionate about providing quality Early Years provisions and the companies’ values and missions merge together seamlessly.”
Established in 2002 by Sarah Steel, The Old Station Nursery Group currently comprises of 36 nurseries providing 2399 places across Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Kent, Buckinghamshire, London, West Midlands, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Essex.
Named as the 19th largest nursery group in the UK (Nursery Chains League, March 2021), The Old Station Nursery Group has grown considerably since its first acquisition in October 2019. As My First Friends joins the group, The Old Station Nursery Group will care for up to 2800 children in 41 nurseries across the UK; with the ambition to expand further and support more families in the near future.
The Old Station Nursery Group joined larger nursery group, La Maison Bleue, in 2019. Founded in 2004 by Sylvain Forestier and Antonia Ryckbosch, a childcare professional, La Maison Bleue has built a strong and innovative educational project and is the leading childcare provider in Switzerland and the third largest provider in both France and Luxembourg.
Photo: [left to right] Kirsty Love (Head of Operational Projects and Transitions at the Old Station Nursery Group), Sarah Steel (Chair of The Old Station Nursery Group), Catriona Savage (Previous owner of My First Friends)
