• THE FOUNDERS •
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ELENA
Co-Founder & Chief Chaos Coordinator
Official Job:
I oversee Early Years Education, curriculum, teaching, inclusion, achievement, and staff training and development across the nursery.
Real Job:
Resident agony aunt, crisis controller, and professional mood-lifter. Whether it’s a child needing comfort, a staff member needing reassurance, or someone crying because glitter has somehow ended up in their coffee again… I’m usually somewhere in the middle of it all with a smile and a solution.
The Origin Story:
Ever since I could hold a baby, I knew I wanted to work with children. I began my journey as a childcare apprentice, and later became friends with Aimee through our first-born sons. Before we knew it, we had taken the leap and opened our nursery together in 2012.
Since then, I’ve added a little extra chaos of my own by having two more sons - and for even more excitement, one of them arrived halfway through me completing my degree in Early Childhood Studies at 36 years old.
But that’s exactly why we built Little Apples — for real families, real parents, and those trying to juggle work, family life, and their own dreams all at the same time.
My Superpower:
Keeping three children, a busy nursery, countless staff members, and approximately 47 weekly activities running smoothly — while somehow still making it home to cook a proper dinner.
I can solve a crisis, support a team, reassure a worried parent, and remember it’s non-uniform day… usually all before 9am.
Why You Care:
I truly believe every child deserves the very best start in life, regardless of the barriers they may face. My passion is creating a place where children feel safe, loved, valued, and confident enough to discover the amazing potential already inside them.
And for fellow working mums? I want you to know it is possible to build a career, raise a family, and still chase your dreams — even if some days are powered almost entirely by Coke Zero and chaos.
AIMEE
Co-Founder & Professional Plate-Spinner
Official Job:
I oversee HR, finance, health & safety, policies, leadership & management, staff wellbeing, and sustainability — essentially all the behind-the-scenes systems that keep Little Apples running safely, smoothly, and compliantly.
Real Job:
Chief firefighter, professional problem-solver, and coffee-powered enthusiast.
On any given day, I might be reviewing policies, balancing budgets, managing maintenance issues, supporting the team, solving unexpected dramas, or explaining why using a chair as a launch pad to the moon is not a good idea.
The Origin Story:
I’m a mum to three children who are somehow growing up far too quickly. I survived the early days of being a working mum (although admittedly a little battered by it), and like so many parents, I experienced the emotional rollercoaster of returning to work while trying to find childcare that felt genuinely safe, nurturing, and trustworthy.
That experience stayed with me.
When we created Little Apples, the goal was simple: to build the kind of nursery I would have wanted for my own children — somewhere parents could leave their little ones feeling confident, reassured, and completely guilt-free.
Because the reality is, working parenthood is hard enough without also worrying about what’s happening after drop-off.
My Superpower:
Balancing company finances, updating legal policies, overseeing health & safety, locating a mysteriously missing left shoe, and handling the daily surprises that come with nursery life — all while fuelled largely by caffeine and determination.
I thrive on organisation, problem-solving, and making sure the hundreds of small details that matter are always taken care of.
Why You Care:
I handle the serious behind-the-scenes work that creates the foundations for everything families experience at Little Apples — from safety and compliance to sustainability and staff wellbeing.
My mission has always been to create a nursery that works for real families: a place where children feel happy, secure, and inspired to learn, and where parents feel total peace of mind knowing their most precious little people are exactly where they should be.
At the heart of Little Apples Day Nursery are two mums who understand just how difficult it can be to leave your child in someone else’s care. Wanting to create the kind of environment they would trust for their own children, they built a nursery that feels like an extension of home - warm, nurturing, and genuinely caring. Their shared vision was simple: to give every parent the reassurance that their little one is safe, loved, and supported every single day.
