Big moments, bright futures

The future of the next generation is at the heart of everything we do at Banana Moon. We’ve proudly introduced a number of safety initiatives under the ‘Bright futures’ title, helping  us to ensure our little ones have the best chance of a bright future, no matter what life throws at us.

Following the success of our ‘Little hearts, bright futures’ campaign – which saw us install an automated external defibrillator (AED) at each of our 50+ nursery franchises – we’re continuing to prioritise the well-being of every child in our care with ‘Big moments, bright futures’.

This summer, every Banana Moon nursery will be equipped with a LifeVac anti-choking device to further support our safeguarding measures. Read on to discover more about our latest initiative, sponsored by the amazing Eden Training Solutions.

Reassuring parents

Time is of the essence when someone begins to choke, and the LifeVac is designed to help prevent these emergencies from becoming tragedies. This non-invasive, portable airway clearance device is a lifesaving solution when chest compressions fail.

According to the Oliver Steeper Foundation, an average of one child dies every month in the UK from choking, making it one of the leading causes of accidental death in under-fives.1 By introducing LifeVac devices across all our nurseries, we’re taking proactive steps to add another layer of protection for the children entrusted to us, supported by a focus on choking prevention, including food preparation and mealtime supervision.

Here’s to big moments and bright futures!

Little hearts, bright futures

We launched our ‘Little hearts, bright futures’ initiative in January 2023, aiming to install an automated external defibrillator (AED) from CardiAid at each of our nursery franchises.

The initiative means members of the communities local to the nurseries will be within minutes of the AED. Although we hope that our defibrillators will never have to be used, we hope they give reassurance to parents as we continue to demonstrate our commitment to safeguarding the little ones in our care, as well as serving the wider community.

This nationwide campaign was recognised at the HSBC Elite Franchise Top 100 Awards in 2025 – we won the Natalia Shvarts QFP Community Builder of the Year Award at the Elite Franchise Awards.

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The beating heart of our communities

According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), there are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in the UK. 20% of these happen in public places.2 What’s more, 270 cardiac arrests occur in UK schools each year.3

A defibrillator plays an essential role in the chances of bringing someone back from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Using one in addition to quality CPR can increase the odds of someone’s survival from around 6% to 74%.4

This lifesaving equipment will be located in our nurseries’ reception areas. The device is registered with the local ambulance service, who can direct 999 callers to the defibrillator and the code to access it, meaning vital treatment can commence prior to the ambulance arriving.

Reassuring parents

The initiative not only supports the local communities in which our nurseries operate, but also adds to our already-attractive franchise proposition.

Mark Bates, Founder and Managing Director, commented:

“We’re extremely proud of our ‘Bright futures’ initiatives. They not only reassure parents that their little ones are in the best possible care, but it’s also good news for our franchisees – as it cements our commitment to best practice in the childcare industry.

“We hope our campaigns will raise awareness of AEDs and LifeVacs and the difference this lifesaving equipment can make, and we encourage other nursery groups and franchises to do the same.”

Giving back

Everything we do is oriented towards helping young people to reach their full potential. We therefore believe it’s our responsibility to support children in ways that reach beyond providing exceptional childcare. We’ve previously supported Birmingham Children’s Hospital with a charity programme full of fun activities to engage the entire nursery.

It’s important for us to get the children involved in our charity fundraising activities. This not only helps build their creativity and teamwork skills, but also gives them greater awareness of those who are less fortunate than themselves. Fundraising activities we’ve previously taken part in across the Banana Moon network include sponsored walks, pyjama days and staff dress-up days.

Sources:
1 https://www.lifevac.uk/  2,4 British Heart Foundation, Big push to pass milestone of 50,000 defibrillators on pioneering database, July 2022 3 SADS UK, 2009.

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