BOROUGH Mayor Gareth Prosser was on hand to officially open the new extension to Bright Kids’ Crabbs Cross Nursery.
Councillor Prosser, who represents the Crabbs Cross ward on the borough council, was accompanied by his Consort Lynn Prosser and Tricia Wellings, chief executive of the Bright Kids Nursery Group.
The extension has been a long time coming to fruition: Planning permission was granted in March 2020 but no-one knew the pandemic was was just around the corner.
Tricia said: “We had just signed the contracts when the country went into lockdown.
“When building work was eventually allowed to start it became apparent that obtaining all the materials for the work was not going to be easy.
“The build took a lot longer than we expected and was only completed at the end of the 2020.”
Now, with lockdown measures easing, the grand opening could go ahead, allowing parents to look around the building, some of whom have never seen where their children learn and play each day.
Nursery manager Katie Young said: “We have had so many new children start, despite the fact that parents haven’t seen our fantastic new space.
“It has been great to be able to finally open it up to them to view and the reactions we have received have been fantastic.”
Mayor Prosser added: “I am delighted to open the extension to the nursery building which adds to the wide range of educational opportunities for learners.
“Bright Kids Crabbs Cross is a key contributor to the development and nurturing of young children across the borough of Redditch and we were privileged to join them today.”
Based in Studley, Bright Kids Nurseries have been running for 22 years with nurseries in Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Birmingham, and employs 80 staff.
