Central Team
Richard Marshall
Director
Richard established a small creche at the original Elmore Road location in 1991 and over the past three decades, he has successfully grown the business to the three sites we have today. A Sheffield lad with a background in engineering, a dry sense of humour and a ready smile, he takes a very hands on approach to the management of the nurseries, even getting involved in storytelling with the children, an activity that we have decided to name, ‘Reading with Richard.’
But his fun side doesn’t end there! When he’s not listening to Diana Ross and the Supremes, the first record he ever bought, he’s snowboarding down a mountain side with his children.
One of lifes movers and shakers, if he could be any animal it would be the meerkat, as they are the fixer uppers of the animal world. They move in, renovate and make it their home, perhaps this is what has inspired Richard to continue with the development of the nurseries.
Nazli Hussein
General Manager
Nazli has a Degree in Business/Finance and School Business Management qualifications, and previously tutored School Business Managers to achieve their own qualifications. She supports all three nurseries ensuring they attain the highest standards by liaising with them daily and improving working practices.
Originally growing up Egypt and the Congo, she loves to travel and on occasion has had crazy adventures like a 1000-mile trip from Mumbai to Cochin in a tuk tuk to raise money for charity!
In her spare time Nazli likes to spend time with friends and family, go for walks, do yoga, cook and go swimming, all the usual things. If she could be an animal Nazli would love to be a cat as she loves their approach to life. They delegate, assert themselves, don’t overthink, adapt quickly, and never miss an opportunity to relax. Sounds like the key to happiness!
Jackie Walker-Smith
Operations Manager
Jackie currently holds a NVQ Level three qualification in Childcare and Development and also has a Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Studies. She has worked with children of all age groups since she was 19 years old in various roles.
In her spare time Jackie likes spending time with her daughter and family, swimming and taking her dog for long walks. She also enjoys travelling and exploring new places. Her favourite place she has travelled to is Thailand, she has a lot of lovely memories of the time she spent there and she loved the culture of all the different places she visited.
Jackie thinks that the messiest activities are the best things to do with children, she enjoys baking as it uses all their senses! She says her favourite part about her role is being able to support and develop others.
A home cooked stew in the winter is Jackie’s favourite meal as it always makes her feel homely. Jackie says her mum is the person who inspires her the most and who has been her role model. She sadly passed away but her strength throughout her life continues to inspire Jackie every day. If she could be a Disney character for a day, she would be Anna from Frozen due to her determination and fun-loving character plus Jackie loves building snowmen. Who doesn’t?
Emma Dallamore
Finance Manager
Introducing Emma who is a qualified accountant, so it comes as no surprise that the thing she loves most about her role is numbers.
In her spare time she enjoys reading, cross stitching and card making. The first CD she ever owned was ‘Now 35’ but she now prefers listening to classical piano music. The best meal Emma has ever had was Flemish Beef Stew on her first trip to Bruges. Her favourite place in the world is Florence as she loves the small streets and the beautiful cathedral.
If she could be a Disney character for a day Emma would love to be Belle and dance around in a beautiful ball dress all day, who can blame her?
Mandy Crofts
HR & Finance Mgt Support
Mandy is originally from Germany and moved to the UK in 2012. An admin role is the perfect fit for her as she loves to be organised and has a list for everything and her background in finance ensures she’s a great asset to the Central Team.
She likes anything that sparkles which is why her mum gave her the nickname Elster which is German for magpie.
In her free time she likes to be creative and runs a little business making handmade products like wax melts and bath bombs. She also loves spending time with her 4 cats (crazy cat lady?!) and created an Instagram account for her 3-legged cat Milo so she can document his daily adventures. He has nearly 1,700 followers!
Mandy loves flamingos and travelling, visiting Flamingo Beach in Aruba is high up on her bucket list as well as taking singing lessons and meeting Chris Hemsworth (don’t tell her husband).
