Nursery World - Co-op expands childcare arm

The first co-operative society in the UK to own and run nurseries is renaming its childcare branch as it expands its provision. The Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Co-op (OS and G Co-op) announced last week that its childcare group will trade under the name Imagine Co-operative Childcare. It is opening three 61-place purpose-built Neighbourhood Nurseries, at Rose Hill, Oxford and Walcot, Swindon, in March, followed by Cainscross near Stroud in May, adding to the two it already operates.

The Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Co-op (OS and G Co-op) announced last week that its childcare group will trade under the name Imagine Co-operative Childcare. It is opening three 61-place purpose-built Neighbourhood Nurseries, at Rose Hill, Oxford and Walcot, Swindon, in March, followed by Cainscross near Stroud in May, adding to the two it already operates.

The society moved into the childcare sector last year when it took over the running of a 58-place Neighbourhood Nursery in the Blackbird Leys area of Oxford and a 38-place nursery in Cam, Gloucestershire.

The group has plans to expand to 12 nurseries by 2006 across its operational region of Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Wiltshire, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire. It is currently putting together a tender for a workplace nursery in partnership with the NHS in Oxford.

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