LEYF to open 27th nursery in Brixton leisure centre

LEYF, the UK’s largest social enterprise nursery group, will operate the nursery on behalf of GLL, the UK’s largest leisure charitable social enterprise, in a new partnership between the two companies.

The venture means the nursery chain will continue to reinvest any profit into its facilities. A total of 24 of the nursery places will be subsidised using LEYF surpluses and Government- funded places.

The nursery, in Brixton Station Road, is the company’s second in Lambeth and is due to open on 8 September. It will employ 14 staff once fully occupied, and provide children with access to facilities in the leisure centre, including outdoor sports areas.

Floorplans show an under-twos room, an over-twos room and eight-place crèche offering two-hour sessions for gym users, with all facilities open from 8am until 6pm. There will also be an indoor soft play area, extensive floor space, and a nursery kitchen where food is prepared.

This is the first LEYF nursery to be run in a sports centre; the chain also has nurseries located with children’s centres, schools, and a workplace nursery in the House of Commons.

June O’Sullivan, said, 'We want to grow because we know that early years education is critical to a child’s long-term success and helps give them the best chance of becoming a healthy, happy and successful young adult. We reinvest all our profits in giving this opportunity to as many London children from as many backgrounds as possible.'

Mark Sesnan, managing director, GLL, said, 'As a not-for-profit charitable social enterprise, our aim is to offer top class, affordable facilities to the local community. We reinvest any financial surplus back into the facilities that we operate, so are very proud that this new nursery, run in partnership with LEYF, will offer crucial, early years education to our local children.'