Friday 25th March made for a red-letter day for the owners of farm nursery, Mini Explorers Steph and Mark Pybus, who welcomed the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak to their award-winning childcare facility.
Launched in 2012 by husband-and-wife team, the nursery was the product of Steph’s frustrations in finding a nursery which championed the outdoors enabling children to enjoy the joys of exploring and venturing outside.
At Mini Explorers children are free to roam fields, walk dogs and alpacas, feed sheep, grow their own food, collect eggs, dabble in ponds, scramble over logs and enjoy some good old-fashioned exercise!
Known both locally and nationally for its unique, trailblazing approach to childcare, the establishment has been recognised on numerous occasions for its educational vision.
Mini Explorers came runner up for the Outstanding Rural Diversification Project in 2017 and won the UK Rural Business Awards in 2019 for Best Rural Education Business.
Most recently, the nursery was credited with a Millie’s Mark – an exceptional achievement for a childcare setting. It is given to childcare providers who show they are going above and beyond minimum requirements in keeping children safe.
Having got news of their latest accreditation, the couple wrote to their local MP forthwith. A few weeks later, they received a reply by letter and set to make a date to show the chancellor around the 260-acre farm near Bedale.
Rishi was bowled over by the set up at the Little Holtby farm including the beautiful café The Nest known for its delicious homemade food and beautiful views of Yorkshire and commented:
“It’s absolutely magical what you’ve created for them, what a place. I want to stay and play with them here. You’ve done something really lovely, and you must be really proud, well done.”
The visit marks Rishi’s commitment to the continued development of his highly successful constituency.
