A nursery based in a building that used to be a fire station is celebrating the "huge achievement" of its 20th birthday.
Tysoe Children’s Group. a nursery on the Oxfordshire border which serves children aged 18 months to eight years, is marking the milestone this month.
To mark the occasion, children at Tysoe nursery donned firefighter costumes, nodding to their institution's unique location in a former fire station.
The nursery opened in 2004 following the refurbishment of the village’s fire station which was decommissioned in 1998.
Yvonne Dillon, nursery manager, who has been at the nursery for more than 17 years, said: "We are excited to be celebrating our 20th birthday this year which is such a huge achievement.
"Many of the little ones that joined us in 2004 will now be in their 20s.
"It’s a huge testament to the care, love and support provided by staff here that many fondly remember their time at the nursery."
The nursery has two themed rooms, ‘Sparks’ for 18 months to three years and ‘Flames’ for three to five years.
It offers holiday camps that cater for children up to the age of eight.
Ms Dillon continued: "The Tysoe Children’s Group has changed a lot over the last two decades.
"Originally, we had just one room in the nursery for children aged three and up, with a maximum of 20 at any time.
"As times change so has demand for childcare facilities especially for younger children.
"We opened our second room in January 2018 to accommodate younger children from 18 months.
“Likewise, when the nursery first opened we offered other supporting services such as before and after school clubs, a walking bus and holiday camps as there was no other provision for these options in the area.
"Recently, we’ve worked with the Tysoe Primary School to relocate the before and after school club to their premises as government funding for school wraparound care comes into place."
The nursery created a dedicated sensory room in 2021 and has also benefited from interior refurbishment with new equipment and learning resources.
Forest school sessions for children aged three and over take place at Badgers Wood.
Tysoe Children’s Group will be hosting a celebratory event at the Old Fire Station, Tysoe on July 7.
The party will welcome all children, past and present, their families, staff and the community.
Ms Dillon added: "We’ve now cared for hundreds of children from the local area thanks to our dedicated staff and we continue to nurture and ignite curiosity and kindness in future generations, that’s the heart of Tysoe Children’s Group."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here