Ms Lloyd, who has been in the post for just over four years, made her sudden announcement last Thursday at the Network's AGM in London. She told delegates that she was leaving the Network as from the end of that week.
Ms Lloyd said, 'Fulfilling the role of chief executive of this national early years umbrella organisation for four years and leading the Network into its 25th anniversary year have been both a privilege and a source of great satisfaction to me.
'The staff team deserve my profound thanks for their commitment, hard work and professionalism, and for the support they have given me over the last four years. I have greatly enjoyed working with them all.'
NEYNchair Sue Everitt paid tribute to Ms Lloyd's work and said, 'We are really going to miss her tremendously.'
Ms Lloyd will not be leaving the early years sector, however. From April she is to take up the post of senior lecturer in early childhood studies in the School for Policy Studies at Bristol University.
