118 | COMMUNITY Bumblebees & Buttercups: RPS Build T T Kim Newth Childcare centre a welcome addition Catherine and Steve Darby, pictured with family, are the proud owners of Bumblebees and Buttercups Childcare and Learning Centre. Young families in the Morrinsville area can look forward to a warm welcome when the doors open this August at Bumblebees & Buttercups, a new purpose-built childcare and early learning centre at Morrinsville’s Lockerbie Estate subdivision. It is an exciting time for centre owners Waikato couple Catherine and Stephen Darby, who are thrilled at the positive response coming from the local community in the lead up to opening day. Their beautiful new childcare centre has a prime position in Morrinsville’s Lockerbie Estate, nestled in a tranquil park setting amid 100-year-old trees. This will be the couple’s third childcare centre, following the opening of Gumboots & Grasshoppers in Te Kowhai in 2018 and Dandelions & Dragonflies in Onewhero in 2022. Their childcare journey started in 2017, when they saw a need for a centre in their own community, Te Kowhai. As parents of four children – two of whom were preschoolers at the time – they had a good appreciation of what a difference quality daycare can make in the lives of busy families. Both had previously worked for Fonterra and wanted to do something special to help other local families. “We had seen it from the other side as working parents being supported by childcare and knew how much this was needed in our community,” says Stephen. “Setting up our own purpose-built childcare and early learning centre was a good fit with our family values and worked well around our family life. It has given us such a sense of purpose too. Research shows that providing good quality education in those first one thousand days in a child’s life can really change the trajectory of outcomes later in life.” Local construction company RPS has been busy on site at Lockerbie Estate since late November, with the bulk of building work now complete. This is their fifth project for the couple, including the two other childcare centres and two house builds. “Once again, they are doing a great job for us, building our new Bumblebees and Buttercups centre. On a project like this, the relationship with the builder has to be strong and they run a good process. “We have a positive relationship with them and work through any issues as they arise.” With a white brick and black joinery exterior finish, Bumblebees & Buttercups will be a smart new addition at Lockerbie Estate. At 510sqm and on a large 2500sqm section (at 111 Fairway Drive, Morrinsville), the new centre is generously sized and builds on learnings over the past six years. “It includes mechanical ventilation through the building and we’ve also put in infrared ceiling panels for heating rather than heat pumps. These panels heat the structure rather than the air and are a much better choice for childcare centres where doors and windows are often open. The building has also been well-designed for fire safety and acoustic performance.” Bumblebees & Buttercups is licensed for 100 children and, once full, will employ up to 21 full-time staff. Catherine and Stephen are not seeking to run the centre at capacity though, saying their preferred sweet spot will be around 80 children a day. They have put a lot of thought into their childcare and early learning philosophy that is all about connecting children with the world around them. Bumblebees & Buttercups will offer a warm and welcoming environment with a strong sense of community, as well as close connections to the outdoors. The centre’s playground, designed by a specialist in early We are pleased to be a long-time supplier to RPS Homes of structural steel and general fabricating services. If you are in need of steel portals, beams, lintels, handrails or other steel products please contact us for assistance. 35 Ellis Street, Hamilton, New Zealand P.O. Box 5505, Frankton Phone: +64 7 847 2403 Email: mweng@xtra.co.nz AluminiumWindows and Doors | Residential Series Metro Series | APL Architectural Series | ThermalHeart+® Email: info@alitech.co.nz, Phone: 07 863 9091 Website: www.alitech.co.nz Showroom: 35 Victoria Street, Waihi 3610 Hamilton showroom by appointment only. New Residential Homes • Plumbing • Gas Fitting O ice: 022 657 8039 Email: admin@mcguireplumbing.co.nz www.leadingedgeelectrical.co.nz | 0800 453 234 Proud to regularly work with the team at RPS Homes
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