City childcare business wins top award

Matt Fooks, Lucie McCann, Caroline Fooks, Gemma Wyatt of Tommies with Mike Chapman from Community award sponsor Aviva (s)

A CHILDCARE company which started out in a church hall almost 15 years ago has been named one of the Midlands' family businesses of the year.

Tommies Childcare won the Commitment to the Community Award at the Midland Family Business Awards for its work to narrow the learning gap between the least and most disadvantaged children in Holbrooks.

It was also highly commended in the Fastest Growing Business category, judged by an independent panel led by the managing director of 99p stores, Hussein Lalani.

Tommies was founded in 1998 and runs nine nurseries, pre-schools and children centres in Coventry that care for over 400 children per week.

It also provides children and families with access to free support services such as job groups, young parents meetings and healthy cooking classes.

Chief executive Caroline Fooks said: "Tommies is extremely proud to be a winner.

"Our team is dedicated to improving the life chances of our children and is also proud to support other local initiatives that work to develop positive influences for young people."

The company beat off stiff competition from category runners-up Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground of Lutterworth and Derbyshire’s Birchover Hotel Apartments.

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