A new owner has taken over a nursery for the first time since it opened almost 20 years ago. 

Jacqui Duranti set up Anglia Sunshine Nurseries in Sudbury in 2003 and since then it has steadily grown its occupancy and reputation. 

In 2020 it received its third consecutive Outstanding report from Ofsted and has been regarded as a top 20 rated nursery in the East of England by daynurseries.co.uk. 

Following a confidential sales process with estate agent Christie and Co, Anglia Sunshine Nurseries has been bought by Storal which operates 29 nurseries across across England. 

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The nursery is located in an industrial park and can accommodate up to 142 children aged nought to five years. 

Ms Duranti decided to sell the Anglia Sunshine Nurseries in order to retire but is proud of the nursery she built which gives parents peace of mind when leaving their children.

She said: "It has been a bittersweet moment selling Anglia Sunshine after 21 years. I am leaving a wonderful team that has helped me develop and turn Anglia Sunshine into an outstanding rated nursery. 

"I am really proud of what we have achieved together. I know that under the ownership of Storal, the nursery will continue to thrive in the future. 

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Sarah Maxkenzie, CEO at Storal, said: "Having a number of popular nurseries in the South East, we are delighted to add Anglia Sunshine Nurseries and further strengthen the Storal reputation for offering high-quality childcare and education in the region. 

"We were attracted to the nursery due to its clear emphasis on the importance of children's education, learning and development, and were impressed by their three consecutive Ofsted judgements. 

"As with all our acquisitions, we look forward to blending Anglia Sunshine Nurseries' strengths with Storal's values and strong support structure whilst embracing its uniqueness and individual story.