Festivities were in full swing at Rowan Tree Day Nursery in Welwyn Garden City as families and colleagues came together to celebrate the setting’s milestone 25th birthday.
Having opened its doors in 2001, the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ setting on Guessens Road marked a quarter of a century of providing high-quality care and early years education to generations of local children with a special anniversary celebration. This was combined with the nursery’s annual Summer Fete, with fundraising for The Sick Children’s Trust charity.
The celebrations brought the nursery community together for a fun-filled day featuring Indian food and a BBQ, live entertainment, slime making, craft stalls, a raffle, tombola, games and a helium balloon stall. Meanwhile all proceeds were donated to the cause, which helps provide families with free accommodation to stay close to their children in hospital.
To make the occasion even more special, former Rowan Tree families were invited back to join the festivities, with many returning to revisit the nursery and share their memories. Among those attending were two families whose children were among the very first to join Rowan Tree when it opened 25 years ago, who enjoyed touring the setting and seeing how the nursery, its rooms and garden had changed over the years.
Past and present families were also invited to play a part in creating a lasting reminder of the milestone by contributing to a special 25th anniversary time capsule. The children drew pictures, while families shared memories of their time at Rowan Tree, before everything was sealed away ready to be reopened in 2051, marking the 50th anniversary of the setting.
The anniversary provided an opportunity to reflect not only on the thousands of children and families who have been part of Rowan Tree’s story, but also on the nursery’s longstanding commitment to its wider community, with commemorative gifts for all in attendance.
Over the years, families and colleagues have supported a wide range of local initiatives, from donating to food banks to taking part in litter picks to help care for their local area. Environmental action also remains an important part of nursery life, with Rowan Tree proudly holding the prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag with Distinction in recognition of its commitment to sustainability.
The nursery community has also raised thousands of pounds for charitable causes over the years, including Bliss, The Trussell Trust and Mind, through everything from sponsored cycling challenges to sleep-out events. These efforts form part of a proud tradition of fundraising across employee-owned Childbase Partnership, which has raised more than £4 million for charitable causes throughout its history.
Rowan Tree Manager, Claire Ovenden explained;
“It was incredibly special to mark 25 years of Rowan Tree surrounded by so many of the families and colleagues who have been part of our journey. We are so proud of the community we have built here and it was lovely to bring everyone together to celebrate, while also raising vital funds for The Sick Children’s Trust. Sealing our time capsule was the perfect way to mark the occasion, and we hope that when it is opened in another 25 years, Rowan Tree will still be creating just as many happy memories for children and families.”
