A 10-strong children’s nursery group has chosen to sell to Family First, one of the fastest growing nursery groups in the UK.
The acquisition of Davidson-Roberts Ltd, based in Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, brings Family First’s number to 66 nurseries – from a standing start just three years ago.
Family First CEO Ollie Humphries said: “From our first meeting, I knew that Davidson-Roberts would be a superb match for Family First with a shared ethos and energy for quality childcare. We have been searching in this geography for the right settings and I’m delighted that we’ve made this happen and that the whole team is now part of Family First.”
Jane Roberts, Founder of Davidson-Roberts Ltd, said: “Family First is a company that shares our own values and is ready to take Davidson-Roberts, and the team, to the next level.”
The new sites in the East of England include Buckden, Ramsey, Rushden, Manor Farm, Royston, Flitwick, Hilton and Acre Wood Day Nurseries, along with Offord and Coton Pre Schools.
Family First, which is backed by August Equity, has now acquired 23 nurseries since the start of the year and this brings the total number of full-time nursery places to over 5,500, supported by more than 1,400 staff. The group aims to have 80 nurseries by the end of the year.
Craig Grant, Family First’s Corporate Development & Strategy Officer, said: “We were incredibly impressed by the group of nurseries Jane has built and believe Family First provides a great platform to take these nurseries, their teams, children, and parents onto the next phase of their journey.
“The group of 10 marks a strong step in establishing our presence in the Cambridgeshire region and further strengthens our national platform, both through the provision of early years day care but also after school and holiday clubs where we look forward to working with the local primary schools and broader community.”
Chief Childcare Operations Officer Dianne Lumsden-Earle added: “I’m thrilled to welcome Davidson-Roberts into our family. Their ethos and values match that of Family First and I’m excited to work with and learn from the team. The nurseries offer the high-quality childcare standards that we expect, always putting children and families first.”
Grant Thornton UK LLP’s Corporate Finance team advised on the sale of the Davidson-Roberts nursery group.