I n the moonlight is a chance for us to shine a light on the people who make up Banana Moon.
This week we spoke with Basel, Nursery Director for Banana Moon Day Nursery in Nunhead which won Nursery of the year at Midnight Moon Award 2021.
Basel – Director for Banana Moon Day Nursery in Nunhead
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The journey to opening Banana Moon Day Nursery in Nunhead
I previously worked in the finance sector which was great but I realised that it wasn’t a long-term option for me. I wanted something that was both a good investment and also something I would enjoy. Childcare became a front runner in my search for a sector but the technical hurdles of running a nursery were something that I didn’t want to navigate on my own. Franchising became a great option. I would be guided through the process and supported in dealing with things like Ofsted. Banana Moon Franchise was one of a few franchises that I looked into, but they shone above the rest. When I had my meeting with Mark and Mike they left me with a great impression of the company.
My confidence in Banana Moon Franchise has grown over the years. From when we opened our doors in 2012 to now, the support team has been excellent! I began the nursery while continuing to work in finance and was supported through this, but soon after realised that If I wanted the nursery to thrive I needed to give my all to it. Having my attention on the nursery full time meant I could see where we needed to improve and make those changes quickly. What I love about Banana Moon is that each nursery still has its own individual personality which shines through. At Banana Moon in Nunhead, we have had our fair share of struggles, but we have come out stronger. That is also down to the support team who have guided us through.
Opening our Second Nursery and beyond
I In 2021 we opened our doors to our second location in Nunhead to cater to the demand. All our staff work so hard and it is such a great feeling knowing that people recommend our nursery; So much that even with an expansion, our waiting list is full! To top this off, at the Midnight Moon Awards 2021 we won nursery of the year. Considering the director, management team, overall running of the nursery and all our rooms this is the biggest award of the evening. We feel so proud to have been recognised. Our nurseries were thrilled and (after much debate over the one trophy) both nurseries now display a trophy proudly. Moving forward we want to continue this positive momentum and make our nursery even better.
I love working in childcare as it is full of joy, but without my own child, I didn’t fully appreciate it. I recently welcomed my first child and decided that I wanted to apply for her place at the nursery from a parent’s point of view. The whole process was seamless and after I got a better understanding of our parent partnership. She attends a few days a week and I see how much she loves being here. My family really does love the nursery and my partner is even studying for her level 3 childcare certificate to be able to work in the nursery. You know what they say, do what you love (and get your family to love it too)”
