Norwich's Busy Bees nursery has become one of just a dozen out of 329 the provider has across the country to be named a 'centre of excellence'.

The nursery, at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, was presented with an award from Busy Bees for its 'ongoing commitment to providing better outcomes for children.'

Linda Smith, nursery manager, said she was delighted about the award, which it received at a ceremony in Stratford-Upon-Avon on March 31.

Ms Smith said: 'We were absolutely thrilled to even have been nominated for this award alongside so many other dedicated and talented teams.

'At nursery, we work extremely hard to deliver better outcomes for children daily – this is our passion and it's what gets us out of the bed in the morning.

'We do what we do because we love it and I can't think of a more rewarding career than helping children to be the best they can be.'

She added: 'This award means so much to us and is testament to the dedication of this staff team.'

The award was presented to the nursery after it was recognised for consistently good performance, and impressed inspectors from Busy Bees' child care team, which sets the standards and curriculum for hundreds of nurseries.

Managing director, Marg Randles, said: 'We have so many dedicated and passionate people at Busy Bees, and we are all here because we are committed to delivering exceptional child care in truly inspirational learning environments.

'Child care is more than a career, it's a vocation and a passion that's built within and we're lucky enough to work with so many talented and driven individuals who make a difference every day to the lives of the children in our care.'

'Young children deserve inspirational leaders, innovative practitioners, committed chefs and truly dedicated teams to ensure they have the best possible start in life.

'Every year, the Busy Bees Awards evening is an opportunity to celebrate some of the exceptional moments of 2016 and recognise some of the very best in their field. We are all proud and privileged to be able to show our appreciation.'

Has your nursery won an award? Email stuart.anderson@archant.co.uk