Established day nursery in Chandlers Ford sold to local growing group

Dragonflies Childcare was established with a commitment to creating nurturing, engaging environments for up to 42 children at any one time and has become a cherished part of the Chandlers Ford community. The nursery has garnered praise for its focus on child development and its dedicated team, ensuring that each child feels valued and supported, whilst also offering holiday club and wrap-around care, making this ideal for local parents who have children attending nearby schools. 

The setting has been owned by Helen Clemons since 2018, who chose to explore a sale to spend more time with her family.

Following a confidential sales process with Sophie Willcox at Christie & Co, and with funding sourced through Catherine Cattermole at Christie Finance, it has been purchased by Emperor Nurseries group, which owns another setting in Hertford. The new owners bring a wealth of experience and a shared vision for high-quality childcare in a homely environment. Sunil and Avi, each a dedicated dad to a toddler themselves, bring personal insight and passion for fostering children's growth and individuality, aligning seamlessly with the core values that Dragonflies Childcare has upheld since opening.

Helen Clemons, former owner of Dragonflies Day Nursery, comments, “It was very important to me to find a buyer that I felt would uphold the values and ethos we have worked hard to create at Dragonflies and also take good care of the amazing staff team at the heart of the nursery and out-of-school club. I am confident that Dragonflies will continue to flourish in Sunil and Avi’s capable hands.”

Sunil Unadkat and Avi Sethi, Directors of Emperor Nurseries group, comment, “We were very particular about choosing the next nursery to add to our group at Emperor Nurseries, as our litmus test is always ‘Would we send our own daughters here?’, thankfully we came across Dragonflies, which provided that cosy, ‘home away from home’ feeling that we were searching for.”

Sophie Willcox, Director – Childcare & Education at Christie & Co, comments, “We received a lot of interest in Dragonflies from a variety of buyers, but Sunil and Avi felt like the right fit. They have worked closely alongside Helen to ensure the transition is smooth for parents and staff, and I wish them all the best for the future. I believe Dragonflies is an attractive business because of its good security of tenure, stable and consistent staff team, and the word-of-mouth reputation it has built over the years. I am delighted to have helped Helen achieve her aim of passing on the baton to someone who will look after her business, allowing her to spend more time with her family moving forward.”

Catherine Cattermole, Finance Consultant at Christie Finance, comments, “The purchase of Dragonflies Childcare by our clients, Emperor Nurseries, is a great example of how lender support can help a fast-growing business thrive. We secured significant funding by showcasing our clients’ proven track record - specifically, their impressive growth of a nursery that had been previously thought to have reached its maximum potential, all while maintaining high standards of care, education and team management. The strengths of both businesses, combined with Avi and Sunil’s experience, played a key role in achieving a successful outcome.”

Dragonflies Childcare was sold for an undisclosed price.

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For further information on this press release, contact:
Phoebe Hill, Associate Director – Corporate Communications
P: 07540 063 598 or E: phoebe.hill@christie.com

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