St Leonard’s Day Nursery in Longley, Sheffield, is being forced to close this week after being issued a four-week notice to leave the space by Saint Leonard’s Church Norwood.

This has left all eight members of staff without jobs, and more than 40 children without a nursery in an area where there is already very limited availability. 

Abigail Reynolds, an employee who has worked at the nursery for eight years said: “We are still in the frame of mind that we are fighting this decision.”

Abigail noted the sense of community that they have felt since the eviction.

She said ‘The community spirit that we have seen from them is out of this world, we can’t thank them enough. 

“The comments that they’ve been putting online in support of us has actually brought us to tears. It’s really encouraging and empowering, it just shows how much the service is valued by the parents.”

The nursery has created a Go Fund Me page in hopes to raise money to do this with the support of a solicitor. They aim to raise £2,600, and the Go Fund Me will be linked below.

The nursery has been a part of the community for 30 years, and many parents have shared how this will affect them on social media. 

One mother said: “My son is a child with special educational needs and has settled well in this nursery. He does not adapt well to change and is comfortable with the staff. I do not want to disrupt him.”

A single mother to four children shared her concerns about her being able to work after the nursery’s closure. Others added worries about setbacks in development for the children who may have to wait until September for further education. 

The church is yet to comment on why they have done this, or what the space will be used for instead. They have refused to partake in meetings with the nursery since the dispute. 

Many locals are angered by the sudden closure.

One said: “I can’t believe I’m reading this, what kind of church throws children out of their nursery with nowhere to go leaving parents stranded’ ‘Shame on you St.Leonard’s church.”

The nursery has had a history of positive Ofsted reviews.

Parents shared the nursery’s success, with one saying ‘my youngest is two and she is finally starting to come out of her shell and that is with the amazing ladies within the nursery that have helped her!’

A spokesperson for Gill Furniss, the MP for the area, said: ‘Gill remains deeply concerned at the potential loss of an invaluable service to the area’ adding that she is ‘mindful of the limitations imposed as a result of both the Church and the Nursery seeking independent legal advice.

“we will continue to look for any avenues that we can explore to promote the outcome that so many local parents still hope for.” 

The Go Fund me for the Nursery can be found through the link below:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-stleonards-day-nursery?qid=2a8e1695613c478bf98e9f523c84c683