As a charitable social enterprise, our trustees play a vital role in ensuring strong governance, clear strategic direction and the continued delivery of high‑quality, ethical early years education. Their collective expertise and oversight guide every aspect of our work, helping us remain true to our values while supporting our mission to provide nurturing, inclusive and inspiring environments for children. A strong, diverse board is essential to maintaining the trust of our families, supporting our teams and shaping our contribution to the early years sector.

This year, we say goodbye to two valued trustees whose service has made a meaningful impact. Vanessa, who has completed two full terms, has contributed thoughtful insight and consistent support throughout her time with Acorn. Her commitment to understanding our work in practice including visiting all our nurseries and spending time with staff and children, has been deeply appreciated. We also extend our thanks to Laura, who completed one term on the board. As a teacher with strong early years experience, she brought valuable professional insight to our discussions and decision‑making. Both Vanessa and Laura will be greatly missed, and we are sincerely grateful for their dedication.

At the same time, we are delighted to welcome two new trustees whose experience, both professional and personal, will strengthen our board for the years ahead. Denise Bragg, a Strategic Communications Manager at a management consultancy, joins us with extensive expertise in communications strategy and stakeholder engagement. Joslyn Hooper, Strategic Policy Advisor at the Ministry of Justice, brings rich experience in public sector policy, governance and strategic development. 

Importantly, both Denise and Joslyn are current Acorn parents, bringing first hand understanding of the needs, challenges and experiences of our families. Their perspective as parents, combined with their professional skillsets, will be invaluable as we continue to evolve and respond to the early years landscape.

We are also delighted that Katy has agreed to serve a second term as a trustee. Katy joined the board in early 2023 and is a parent of two young children who have both attended Acorn nurseries and holiday clubs, giving her a strong personal connection to our organisation. 

With a background in strategic finance, she brings 20 years of experience advising and investing in companies in the UK and internationally. Over the past decade, she has focused on businesses with strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials, and in her current role she invests in clean energy companies and projects. Katy’s renewal brings both continuity and valuable expertise to the board.

With gratitude for the service of our outgoing trustees and great enthusiasm for the experience and perspectives our continuing and new trustees bring, we look ahead with confidence and remain committed to providing exceptional early years education across our communities.