Tommies Childcare Awards Ceremony 2025: The Winners
On Saturday, 13th September 2025, we welcomed over 100 colleagues, friends, and family from across Tommies Childcare to The Village Hotel Club in Coventry for our ninth annual Awards Ceremony.
The Tommies Awards are one of the highlights of our year. It’s our chance to come together as a team, to pause from the busyness of nursery life, and to celebrate the amazing people who make Tommies what it is.
We received over 1,200 nominations from families and colleagues. Each one was filled with words of thanks and recognition for the care, dedication, and creativity you bring every day.
This year, Danielle Butler, our Operations Director, opened the evening by reflecting on the changes we’ve all experienced over the past year — both personally and professionally. Her message was that change, while not always easy, is what helps us to grow and become stronger.
It set a thoughtful tone for the evening, reminding us that the achievements we were about to celebrate aren’t just about reaching milestones, but about the journeys, challenges, and choices that brought us there.
The Winners
Innovative Environments Awards
Baby Room
Shortlist:
- Flutterbies Day Nursery (Coventry)
- Thornhill Day Nursery (Derby)
- Westhill Corner Day Nursery (Coventry)
Winner:
- Westhill Corner Day Nursery
First Steps Room
Shortlist:
- Flutterbies Day Nursery (Coventry)
- Four Brooks Day Nursery (Coventry)
- Thornhill Day Nursery (Derby)
Winner:
- Thornhill Day Nursery
Toddler Room
Shortlist:
- Flutterbies Day Nursery (Coventry)
- Four Brooks Day Nursery (Coventry)
- Westhill Corner Day Nursery (Coventry)
Winner:
- Flutterbies Day Nursery
Pre-school Room
Shortlist:
- Flutterbies Day Nursery (Coventry)
- Four Brooks Day Nursery (Coventry)
- The Old School Day Nursery (Nuneaton)
Winner:
- Four Brooks Day Nursery
Garden/Outdoor Area
- Shirley Green Day Nursery (Solihull)
- The Old School Day Nursery (Nuneaton)
- Westhill Corner Day Nursery (Coventry)
Winner:
- Shirley Green Day Nursery
Bank Staff Practitioner of the Year
Shortlist:
- Elsa Liu
- Rachael Madden
- Renai Forbes
Winner:
- Renai Forbes
Support Staff of the Year
Shortlist:
- Dawn Bradley-Jones (Four Brooks Day Nursery, Coventry)
- Lewis Wale (Head Office)
- Sarah Davies (Head Office)
Winner:
- Dawn Bradley-Jones
Newcomer of the Year
Shortlist:
- Adam Bird (Shirley Green Day Nursery, Solihull)
- Marie Keenan (Westhill Corner Day Nursery, Coventry)
- Yasmin Lander (Flutterbies Day Nursery, Coventry)
Winner:
- Adam Bird
Apprentice of the Year
Winner:
- Melinda Mack (Westhill Corner Day Nursery, Coventry)
Lunchtime Assistant of the Year
Shortlist:
- Emma Carey (Field House Day Nursery, Kenilworth)
- Jacqueline Jones (Westhill Corner Day Nursery, Coventry)
- Karen Collins (Four Brooks Day Nursery, Coventry)
Winner:
- Emma Carey
Progression Award
Winner:
- Thornhill Day Nursery (Derby)
Unqualified Nursery Practitioner
Shortlist:
- Chloe Wileman (Westhill Corner Day Nursery, Coventry)
- Rhiane Sharrod-Eccles (The Old School Day Nursery, Nuneaton)
- Suhailah Uddin (Four Brooks Day Nursery, Coventry)
Winner:
- Rhiane Sharrod-Eccles
Outstanding Nursery Practitioner
Shortlist:
- Nicci Porter (The Old School Day Nursery, Nuneaton)
- Parvinder Kumari (Westhill Corner Day Nursery, Coventry)
- Sumeya Youssuf (Four Brooks Day Nursery, Coventry)
Winner:
- Sumeya Youssuf
Room Leader of the Year
Shortlist:
- Alice Chandler (Westhill Corner Day Nursery, Coventry)
- Mariah Spare (Flutterbies Day Nursery, Coventry)
- Sarah Wellington (Westhill Corner Day Nursery, Coventry)
Winner:
- Alice Chandler
Third in Charge of the Year
Shortlist:
- Amie Finnegan (Thornhill Day Nursery, Derby)
- Debbie Moreton (Four Brooks Day Nursery, Coventry)
- Meliha Ceric (Shirley Green Day Nursery, Solihull)
Winner:
- Debbie Moreton
Deputy Manager of the Year
Shortlist:
- Amy Craddock (Four Brooks Day Nursery, Coventry)
- Anais Dodds (Westhill Corner Day Nursery, Coventry)
- Sally Williams (The Old School Day Nursery, Nuneaton)
Winner:
- Amy Craddock
Nursery Manager of the Year
Winner:
- Jade Martin (Field House Day Nursery, Kenilworth / Shirley Green Day Nursery, Solihull)
Outstanding Contribution
Winner:
- Sarah Davies (Head Office)
Nursery of the Year
Winner:
- Four Brooks Day Nursery, Coventry
Spotlight Awards
Alongside the main categories, our new Spotlight Awards recognised individuals across our nurseries who received exceptional nominations or have made a fantastic contribution this year. These awards remind us that recognition goes beyond titles – it’s about celebrating the everyday impact our staff make.
Winners:
- Amtiaz Jabeen (Springthorpe Day Nursery, Birmingham)
- Casey Smith (Arbury Day Nursery, Nuneaton)
- Gisella Mercado (Four Brooks Day Nursery, Coventry)
- Macdona Fernandes (Flutterbies Day Nursery, Coventry)
- Meliha Ceric (Shirley Green Day Nursery, Solihull)
- Nicci Porter (The Old School Day Nursery, Nuneaton)
- Parvinder Kumari (Westhill Corner Day Nursery, Coventry)
- Patience Odhiambo (Field House Day Nursery, Kenilworth)
- Sahira Hussain (Thornhill Day Nursery, Derby)
Long Service Awards
We also celebrated colleagues who have reached key milestones with Tommies, marking 5, 10, 15, and 20 years of service. Their loyalty and commitment over so many years are an inspiration to us all.
Winners:
- Chloe Wileman (5 Years)
- Mandy Sangha (5 Years)
- Sally Williams (5 Years)
- Sharonpreet Bachra (5 Years)
- Kelly Andrews (10 Years)
A Night to Remember
The Tommies Awards aren’t just about trophies — they’re about recognising the everyday commitment to giving children the best start in life.
To all of our winners, nominees, and long-service colleagues: thank you for the difference you make. Your creativity, dedication, and care are what define Tommies Childcare and what make us proud to celebrate together each year.
Here’s to the next 12 months of change, growth, and achievement — together.
