Three Generations at Our Nursery in Wickford

A heart warming story from Canopy St Luke’s Chapel

At Canopy St Luke’s Chapel, our nursery in Wickford, something quite unusual happened in the first weeks after opening.

When the nursery opened, Rachel returned from maternity leave with her baby daughter, Emilia, and began her role as nursery manager. At the launch event, Rachel’s mum, Michelle, came along to support her daughter and see the new setting for herself.

She met the team. She spent time in the rooms. She got a feel for how the nursery worked. She was reminded what a good Nursery culture could be.

Three weeks later, she joined the team as our chef.

From a young age, Michelle had always seen where Rachel’s interests lay.

“She was playing with a doctor’s kit at five,” Michelle says. “We always knew she would work in a caring profession.”

Rachel went on to work her way up from practitioner to deputy and then to manager.

“She was the first in our family to go to university,” Michelle says. “We supported her all the way through. Watching her grow into a leader in her field has made us incredibly proud.”

For Rachel, working in the same place as her daughter has brought a new perspective.

“I see the nursery as a parent as well as a manager,” she says. “It reminds me every day why this work matters.”

Emilia settled quickly into the baby room and grew comfortable with her keyworkers and the routine of the day.

Choosing this nursery for her own child was not a decision Rachel took lightly.

“The ethos mattered to me,” she says. “The life skills, the cooking, the planting. I wanted Emilia to have the kinds of experiences I remember having when my grandparents looked after me.”

When Michelle joined the nursery, she brought with her more than experience in the kitchen.

With over 25 years in early years, and as a mother and grandmother, she is often the person parents turn to first with practical questions.

But for Rachel, her mum’s greatest strengths go beyond food.

“She brings such calm into the building,” Rachel says. “She notices things other people might miss. She reassures parents, supports staff, and she will always step in quietly if someone is having a difficult day.”

She talks to families about allergies and fussy eating. She asks what works at home.

Parents often comment on how relaxed their children are about trying new foods here, and many ask for Michelle’s recipes.

For Michelle, seeing her granddaughter during the day is something she values. But she is just as involved with the rest of the children in the nursery.

She helps new staff find their feet. She supports colleagues when the day is busy. She brings a steady presence into everyday routines.

Three generations now share the same place of work and learning.

Not as a headline. Just as part of everyday life.

And in many ways, that feels like exactly what a nursery should be.

She talks to families about allergies and fussy eating. She asks what works at home.

Parents often comment on how relaxed their children are about trying new foods here, and many ask for Michelle’s recipes.

For Michelle, seeing her granddaughter during the day is something she values. But she is just as involved with the rest of the children in the nursery.

She helps new staff find their feet. She supports colleagues when the day is busy. She brings a steady presence into everyday routines.

Three generations now share the same place of work and learning.

Not as a headline. Just as part of everyday life.

And in many ways, that feels like exactly what a nursery should be.