Gill Smith - Children's Centre Manager
Born and bred in Cheshire, after leaving Lymm Grammar School I attended the "Nursery Training Centre", Manchester where I trained as a nursery nurse. I then worked in a small maternity hospital where as well as assisting with deliveries and taking babies for their first bath and overall check I showed new mums how to prepare feeds, bath and dress their babies.
After five years working as a nanny for four children from the age of birth I returned to hospital life where I spent twelve years nursing premature babies in special care. As well as caring for the babies this post also involved supporting parents through traumatic times.
On moving to Reading I set up and managed a 36 (increasing to 50) place nursery for N.A.L.G.O. members at the County Council. This is a non-profit making training nursery caring for babies and young children aged from six weeks to five years.
In August 1991 I was employed to set up and manage the Gooseberry Bush a 24place day nursery in Camborne School and Community College This was a community "not for profit" nursery which after two years became full and was re- registered for 50 children.
In 1994 I gained a City and Guilds Award in D32 and D33 for Years Early Child Care and Education at Cornwall College. This enables me to assess students working towards NVQ. levels II and III in Child Care and Education.
As Camborne School was expanding and needed our space we were asked to find new premises for the nursery and in October 1998 with Ian Bruce, Headteacher of Rosemellin Community Primary School I began the long process of finding funding for our joint new project - The Rosemellin Gooseberry Bush Day Nursery.
July 2001 saw the Gooseberry Bush (now a charity with a board of trustees) move into a purpose built nursery funded by various government grants and with many targets to encourage our families to access work and training to help them out of the poverty trap.
February 2006 saw us as a designated children's centre and with this comes a new challenge:- As well as continuing to manage the nursery I am now the Children's Centre manager and am responsible for working in partnership with other agencies to support all young children and their families in our community and in the area.
Again working with Ian Bruce we are looking to raise funding to build a centre which will join the school and nursery and house the ever growing numbers of children whilst enabling us to successfully carry out the many other services that we are offering to the wider community.
