Bramley-based Little People Nurseries is celebrating Mother’s Day this year with three generations of the same family who either attend or work at the company’s Bramley nursery.
Little People Nurseries, which operates five sites across Leeds, employs 120 people and provides childcare for over 600 families; was set up almost 30 years ago by Marguerite Hallas and husband Geoff. The business is now run by their daughter Vicky and her husband Gary and is a family business in every sense.
As well as Vicky and Marguerite, Little People has employed numerous staff from across two generations of the same family and, in some cases, as grandchildren come into the mix, three generations can be found under one roof.
Operations manager Tracy Windle started her career with Little People when the company opened its first site in Stanningley almost 30 years ago, working her way through childcare qualifications to assessor level. Her daughter Charlotte and daughter-in-law Kelly now work at Bramley as early educators, and daughter-in-law Michelle has recently joined the team as the nursery cook. Their children, Tracey’s grandchildren, are also ‘Little People’ attending the nursery.
Ms Windle said:
“If you’d said to me on my first day that three generations of my family would end up under the same roof working and playing together I’d never have believed you! But I’ve loved working for the company and, seeing me so happy in my work, my daughter and daughters-in-law chose to join me.
“Marguerite and Vicky have built an extremely family-friendly workplace and it’s a pleasure to come to work, with the added bonus of seeing my family at the different sites. As operations manager I visit our five settings regularly so it’s great to see familiar family faces.”
As well as Tracy and family, Little People currently employs five pairs of mothers and daughters across its five sites, as well as another three-generation family at its Stanningley nursery.
Little People Nurseries owns and manages four sites across Leeds – at Bramley, Farsley, Stanningley and Alwoodley; and one at Heckmondwike.
______________
While you’re here…
Producing your daily dose of West Leeds Dispatch comes at a cost!
There’s the hosting of the website you’re reading now, running our popular e-mail newsletter, membership of independent press regulator Impress, attending summer events, paying for equipment etc etc.
We need at least £200 a month just to break even – that’s money currently coming out of the pockets of dedicated volunteers who are passionate about what’s happening in our communities, connecting you with local groups and organisations as well as holding decision-makers to account and championing local issues.
And all that’s BEFORE we even think about paying something for people’s time – for instance, our editor puts in more than 24 hours a week in his ‘spare’ time to ensure The Dispatch publishes daily.
To put it bluntly, after nearly four years of daily publishing, we are not sustainable!
And we need YOUR help to continue …
For the cost of less than a couple of cups of coffee you can help support local community news and continue to give our communities a voice by taking out a subscription for just £4 per month (that’s just a pound a week).
As a thanks you’ll get your name on a roll of honour on our website. More importantly you will be enabling us to keep bringing you the news that matters about your neighbourhood.
Achieving a bedrock of supporters will give us a firm financial footing and help us plan for the future.
Supporting us couldn’t be easier…
Just follow this link.
or set up a standing order with your bank:
Contact us on Paywestleedsdispatch@gmail.com if you’d like to do this.
Over to you …