Celebrating 4,000 years of service to children
‘Number play’ by Cedars Day Nursery in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, took on a whole new meaning as they celebrated a landmark 4,000 years of loyal service to generations of children and their employee-owned company.
The practitioners from the day nursery in Mentmore Road, joined 200 colleagues at a special dinner marking 15 years and over at the employee owned Childbase Partnership, a UK Great Place to Work and a Sunday Times Best Place to Work 2023.
In addition to a share in cash rewards totalling nearly £160,000 so far this year, marking long service achievements from 5 years upwards at the company, the partygoers also receive an extra week of annual leave in their milestone year.
For Claire Sawyer, celebrating 28 years’ service and a member of the Cedars team – one of 44 award-winning company nursery teams in England - the benefits go much deeper.
“I love working with children and have stayed so long simply because as an employee-owned company we really do look after each other. The benefits are amazing, and I truly feel like a valued member of the team. I am proud of what we achieve together,” she said.
Emma Rooney, Chief Executive Officer at Childbase Partnership – employee-owned since 2017 with 44 award-winning day nurseries in England - described her long serving colleagues as standard-bearers’ for the company’s mission to deliver outstanding outcomes for over 6,000 children.
“You are role models, mentors and a source of inspiration and motivation to your colleagues company wide. I am immensely proud to work alongside each and every one of you and look forward to seeing all of the great things I know you will accomplish in the coming years,” she said.
Additional holiday awarded in the milestone year of long service is one extra day for those reaching five years, and a week of annual leave for those achieving 10, 15, 20 and more years.