A South West nursery group, which was launched in Bristol, has celebrated the 18th anniversary of opening its doors to the first children and their families.

The Mama Bear’s Day Nursery and Pre-School group was founded by husband and wife team Tony and Bev Driffield who opened the first setting in Brislington on 8 February 2004.

Now there are 24 Mama Bear’s settings across Bristol, Somerset and Devon, caring for more than 2000 children aged three months to five years and employing over 400 members of staff.

Tony Driffield said: “We have seen exciting expansion and development over the past 18 years since Mama Bear’s was born. Starting out with one nursery in Brislington, we have grown to a regional family-run group which provides much-needed childcare to communities big and small.

“Over the years we are proud that Mama Bear’s has earned a reputation for outstanding and affordable childcare available to all families. We are passionate about providing babies, toddlers and preschool children with the best start in their early education and we work diligently to provide a safe, fun and educational environment.”

Tony and Bev are the first to admit that without their staff the business wouldn’t be what it is today. Big advocates for internal career progression the Driffields run one of the best nursery apprenticeship schemes in the industry, with above average rates of pay. Many apprentices have gone on to be promoted through the company, some appointed as nursery managers, and the group currently has 50 apprentices on board.

And it seems the staff are just as enamoured with them. The recently launched Long Service Awards celebrates staff who have been with the company for 5, 10 and even 20 years.

Tony continued: “A big part of our longevity is because of our excellent staff who go above and beyond for our families. We have won industry awards over the years and we’re continuing to expand because of them so I hope they know how much Bev and I appreciate them.

“One of the proudest achievements to date is the service we provided during the coronavirus outbreak. We worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to support key worker families and provide a safe home-from-home haven for their children. As soon as the rules allowed we opened our doors to all children, supporting their working families and offering essential socialisation to children who had spent the majority of their lives in lockdown.

“The way our teams pulled together and worked relentlessly under difficult conditions will forever be a proud moment for me and I’m so grateful to them for their loyalty to us and to the families who relied on them.”

Looking ahead, Tony plans to continue expanding the business with the latest setting, Charlton Heights, due to open in Charlton Hayes in April, providing support to families in Patchway and surrounding areas.

More information about Mama Bear’s can be found at www.mamabear.co.uk