Inspirational Huddersfield nursery manager wins ‘Outstanding Contribution’ award

There were celebrations at Huddersfield-based Portland Nurseries as manager Julie Lister scooped the prestigious ‘Outstanding Contribution’ Award at this year’s Nursery World Awards.

Julie has worked at Portland House - one of four settings in the Portland Nurseries Group - for over 26 years and as manager for 20 years. After joining the Portland House team in July 1995 as baby room senior, which she led for 6 years, she became manager.

Julie is responsible for 34 staff and 150 children within it, ensuring the nursery is always performing to the highest standard, providing outstanding care and a rich and stimulating learning environment.

She is also part of the Senior Management team supporting over 90 staff and 600 families each year across the four settings, making the best use of her experience and enabling the consistent delivery of high-quality early years education and care.

This year is Portland Nurseries 30th year and Joint managing director, Anastasia Murphy, said: “We are delighted for Julie that her hard work over such a distinguished career has been recognised by her peers. There can be few practitioners who have so selflessly and enthusiastically gone about their roles for so long.

“She has provided constant inspiration, as well as skilled leadership to the people around her and touched the lives of countless children and families across Huddersfield, but it is not just the lives of the people within the nursery that she has touched; her continued and enthusiastic fundraising activities has seen Portland House raise over £20,000 for different charities in the last 5 years alone.”