Woolston Nursery has been temporarily closed since October 2025 following significant water damage to the building.
Since that time, we have been working closely with the building’s management company, FirstPort, and the contractor, Crest Nicholson, to understand the required remedial works and what a reopening timeline might look like.
We have remained open and transparent with staff and parents, sharing information as it has been made available to us. However, following our most recent visit to site, we regret to report that the building is still not watertight and there is currently no evidence of works taking place.
As a result, the previously anticipated reopening date of 13 April 2026 is no longer achievable. At this stage, we are unable to provide a revised reopening date.
We understand the uncertainty this situation creates, particularly for our Woolston team and families.
Our priority is to maintain stability and protect employment. We have met with Woolston staff and are working with affected colleagues to permanently reassign them to alternative YMCA Early Years settings until there is clarity around the future of the site. We remain committed to retaining our skilled team within the charity.
We would like to sincerely thank the Woolston team for their flexibility, professionalism and continued commitment during what has been a challenging period. We also extend our appreciation to colleagues at Eastleigh and Fairthorne Manor, who have welcomed and supported team members as part of the wider YMCA Early Years collective.
We will continue to work with the management companies, insurers, local communities, parents and staff, and will provide further updates as soon as we have confirmed information to share.
