KIDS, parents and staff were ecstatic at the news that the Little Spring Wonders Daycare has been chosen as the winners of the Chronicle's Dragons Den style competition.
Beating a number of impressive business plans to the top spot, the daycare centre in Great Baddow, Chelmsford, will now receive a three-month advertising campaign in the newspaper, and mentoring from one of our expert judges.
Owner Toni Standford admitted she could not stop grinning at the news. "I just can't believe it, how were we chosen from all those great businesses?" she asked.
"All the staff and parents have had such a morale boost after hearing the news, this win will enable us to strive further in taking the centre to the next level."
Since taking the business over in 2011, Toni, 48, and manager Linda Cranny have worked tirelessly to improve the facilities and staff training available at the centre, which they say had been neglected by previous owners.
To make the challenge even greater they have faced a series of obstacles over recent years.
In 2011 thieves snatched their fleet of push-chairs, worth more than £1,000, prompting a community effort, inspired by the Chronicle, to replace them.
Then in summer last year the property was flooded in six inches of water, damaging the refurbished centre.
"Despite all that we were not going to be deterred and we've just kept pushing forward.
"It did put matters such as advertising to the bottom of the agenda, however, and so it's brilliant that now we'll be able to publicise the service we provide," Toni added.
The centre currently employs around 20 staff to care for the 70 children it looks after, but hopes to expand to fill its sessions to the maximum.
It has worked closely with Essex Early Years service to ensure its training is up-to-date and that it makes use of available resources.
Ten companies who were shortlisted for the Chronicle's Dragons Den-style competition attempted to persuade a panel of three experts that their ideas were worthy of thousands of pounds worth of free advertising and mentoring from the gurus.
Rafael Ruiz, a partner at law firm Birketts and one of the Chronicle Dragons, said the standard of entries was very high, but that the dragons wanted to choose a business that would benefit most from the advertising.
"We really felt that the ladies at the Daycare Centre deserved the help as they've faced a lot of challenges, and could really benefit from the advertising campaign," he said.
Toni added: "We're in this fantastic location but we need to make people take a look inside."
