Springfield Nursery - About Us
Springfield Nursery was the idea of Anna and Richard May and Judith Dark conceived in the aftermath of the foot and mouth episode. The building opened in 2002 and has proved extremely popular. It's ideal rural farm setting with superb views over the estuary make it the perfect place for children to develop their early learning skills. The years can be seen through the photos on the pictures page. We have a different kind of open day each year, sports days and other days where parents can get involved and see what their children have achieved. The most recent addition to the nursery is an extension which will help to allow more children to enjoy this lovely nursery. Below you can read some of the press we have received over the years.
From the North Devon Journal - Thursday 17th May 2007
Helping collect freshly-laid hens eggs, watching sheep shearing close-up and a daily visit to a friendly pot-bellied pig are not activities that feature in every nursery timetable. But at the new look Springfield Nursery they are all events that the youngsters look forward to. Childhood dreams are made of this. Situated in a stunning new purpose-built setting, Springfield Nursery is bigger and better than before and ready to try and make sure youngsters have a day to remember. The nursery at Marwood is just a few minutes drive from the centre of Barnstaple and within easy reach of Ilfracombe and surrounding villages. It has just undergone a rebuild to provide a purpose-built nursery that has truly fulfilled owners Anna and Richard Mays' dream to "bring the outside in." The couple, who have five children ranging from five months to 14 years old, first opened a nursery in the grounds of their farm in September 2002. Since then it has grown and expanded and the couple have somehow found time to put their parenting expertise into the design of the new nursery building to ensure that nothing has been overlooked, especially from a 'two foot highs' point of view. Anna and Richard, along with friend and business partner and nursery administrator Judith Dark, put a huge amount of time and effort into planning and designing the new nursery which replaces a smaller building which used to house the nursery. Manager Anna explained: "We really wanted to bring the outside into the nursery through the use of large windows and outside covered areas where children can play out in the fresh air whatever the weather. "The children go outside every day. We have a saying at Springfield that there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothes!" The children who attend the nursery may be too young to appreciate it but the new building is set overlooking the estuary and from the new outdoor classroom and the play areas the views are breathtaking. The bright airy nursery building has a special room for babies with a light and sound room incorporating different textures to encourage young explorers to discover their environment hands-on. The main area for the over twos is bright and cheerful with plenty of room for the wide range of indoor activities on offer. Anna was keen to incorporate a mini working kitchen with especially low worktops so that the children can safely be involved in cookery lessons, and see what is going on. The outdoor area plays a big part in proceedings at Springfield and Anna and Richard are rightly proud of their achievements. Anna said: "We are currently working on the vegetable plots outside and are raising the flower and vegetables beds off ground level so that the children can work on them easily – and to try and ensure the rabbits don’t eat the entire crop!" "We really want to try and bring home to youngsters just what is on their doorstep living in such a wonderful part of the country as we do here in North Devon. The feedback we get is that children thoroughly enjoy themselves here." Along with the outdoor classroom there is a water feature, sensory area, huge range of ride on tractors, cars plus sand pits and more to play with. Beautifully hand made wooden toys await the children in the new outdoor play area and the pets' corner boasts a friendly pot bellied pig by the name of Boris - plus hens, ducks, goats and sheep. Anna and Richard first set up a nursery on their Marwood farm five years ago when foot and mouth wiped out their entire herd of sheep. Anna said: "We had to find a way to diversify and realised that we could not totally depend on farming again. Although we have restocked the farm, you never know what is around the corner. "I had always wanted to do something that would work around the children and a nursery seemed ideal. Now when my children get home they return to a giant playground!" Now employing 17 staff, Springfield – which is Ofsted registered - has additional spaces on offer as a result of the move to the new premises. Anna said: "We have always had a waiting list but now that we are able to take more children we do have spaces available. "We have Early Years Funded sessions. Some people think that nurseries are only for working parents but they are not, they are also for parents that want a few hours break and somewhere for their children to be able to interact with other youngsters and have fun. "We are cater for children aged from three months old to eight years old and are open Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm and can offer flexible hours and collect children from Marwood School for after school sessions." *Here is your chance to have a look around Springfield Nursery for yourself. The nursery is holding an open day on Saturday May 19 from 12noon - 5pm. Mums and dads will get the chance to have a closer look at the new facilities on offer and there will plenty of fun and games to entertain youngsters. All monies raised will go to local children’s charities. For more information ring 01271 329028 or visit www.springfieldnursery.com
Press Release - 21st November 2006
Children In Need Day
It was spots all round at Springfield Nursery last week for Children in Need.
The staff and children at nursery managed to raise £100 for the Children in Need appeal.
The fun at nursery included all the children and staff having a spotty day which was filled with lots of fun and games and they made cookies to sell to mums and dads.
Rachel Allin, one of the nursery nurses who organised the event said they had all had a great fun and the children loved it. We had lots of laughs.
From the North Devon Journal - Thursday 5th October 2006
Nursery's Disco
Springfield day-nursery in Marwood, near Barnstaple, celebrated its fourth birthday with a disco party for all its children.Springfield provides 29 full day-care places and is expanding to provide 45 places by next April. Manager Anna May said: "We are delighted to be celebrating our fourth birthday and what better way by having all the children around us. "The nursery continues to go from strength to strength and not only is expanding but will be providing an out of school club and holiday club next year also."
From the Western Morning News - Tuesday 18th March 2003
Farm nursery a success
A
family whose farm was hit by foot and mouth are back on their feet six months
after setting up a nursery.
Richard and Anna May, of Springfield Farm near Marwood, on the outskirts of
Barnstaple, lost 1,800 sheep in 2001.
But now, after receiving a grant through the Rural Enterprise Scheme run by
Defra, they have built a nursery on their land and they already have a waiting
list.
Mrs May said: "We were thinking about setting up the nursery even before
we were hit by foot and mouth but we really got determined when we lost all
our stock."
The nursery caters for children from three months to eight years and has grown
rapidly since it opened last September.
Mrs May said they now had a long waiting list. "We can take 26 children
at a time but we have around 80 on our books for hourly care," she said.
Thanks to the success of the project, the family have started to re-stock the
farm with sheep. Mrs May said the children enjoyed seeing a working farm in
operation.
"They get to see the tractors going past and see the animals in pets corner
where we have some chickens and a miniature Shetland pony, and we'll get some
lambs in the spring."
From the North Devon Gazette And Advertiser - Thursday 29th August 2002
Farmers diversify - into kids
Anna and Richard May with their children Charlie, Liberty and Amy plus Midget the family pony at Marwood farm.
WHEN foot and mouth disease wiped out their entire stock, a North Devon couple
decided it was time for a change - so they replaced their sheep with kids! Richard
and Anna May have pursued a lifelong dream by creating a children's nursery
at their Marwood farm.
Several youngsters are already on the books and the new, fully registered Springfield
Nursery will be officially open for business on Monday. But 16 months ago it
was a different story:
"We had 3,000 dead animals packed into the farm buildings for more than two
weeks," said Richard. "I was losing animals left, right and centre due to the
conditions and over-crowding they were living in." Some 1,400 sheep were breeding
ewes, of which Richard has replaced 800 as the farm recovers.
"But it was always Anna's dream to have her own nursery and we felt it was the
right time to put it in motion."
With aid from a DEFRA farming diversification grant, the couple were able to
put their plans into action.
Anna has previous nursery experience and worked for seven years in the children's
ward at North Devon District Hospital. She will manage the business, which is
to be staffed by a team of qualified nursery nurses.
Springfield is registered for 26 places and can provide daycare for children
aged between three months and eight years.
"A lot of kids don't get the opportunity to go out to a farm and see the animals,
so there here they will have the best of both worlds," said Anna. "It is also
a nicely secluded location, but we are only two miles from Barnstaple. There
is a large outdoor play area and we are going to have a pets corner where the
children can meet, stroke and feed the animals."
There will be an open day at Springfield Nursery on Saturday for all interested parents and children from 11am onwards. Telephone (01271) 329028 for more details.
Picture and article reproduced courtesy of The North Devon Gazette & Advertiser.
Check out this and other stories at their website: http://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/