A RAWRETH nursery is celebrating winning a national award just five years after opening.

The Day Nursery, in Church Road, achieved the financial award in the Action Coach Business Coaching UK Business Awards for growing its profit by 127% in five years.

The nursery was opened by the Mitchell family after they struggled to find a nursery for their granddaughter Molly. The family – including 89-year-old greatgrandmother Margaret – spent six months turning the derelict St Nicholas School building into a bright and spacious environment for small children.

Glenda Mitchell was deputy head teacher of Whitmore Infant School, in Basildon, when the search began for a nursery for Molly.

Mrs Mitchell,ateacher for 15 years, said: “The opportunity came uptobuy the old St Nicholas School building which had sat empty for two years. My husband Ray and I always talked about having a business together.

“We thought we would have a B&B or a cafe; we never dreamed we’d ownanursery, but it became the obvious thing to do as the education of children is what I have been involved in most of my life and it’s where my passion is.”

They opened with Molly as the only child in the nursery.

Mrs Mitchell said: “Soon, the village starting talking about us and word got around that we were here. Two nearby nurseries closed down and we had 15 children join us overnight. We now have 127 children and are growing and expanding all the time.”

Mrs Mitchell said: “We are just a local company which started from nothing. To beat more than 200 other companies and have this accolade is brilliant.”