Hove’s Young Friends Kindergarten crowned Company of the Year at Brighton & Hove Business Awards

Young Friends Kindergarten wins the city’s top business honour, recognising its nature-led approach to early years education, sustainability and team care.

A Hove kindergarten that puts nature, sustainability and children's independence at the heart of its approach has been crowned Company of the Year at the Brighton & Hove Business Awards 2026.

Young Friends Kindergarten, based in Holland Road, Hove, received the top honour at a ceremony held at The Grand Brighton on 1 October. The awards, organised by Platinum Media Group, celebrate achievement across the city's business community, with Company of the Year recognising excellence across all sectors.

Founded by Louise Lloyd-Evans in 2009, Young Friends Kindergarten cares for around 60 children aged from birth to five, supported by a team of 22 staff. The kindergarten was also a finalist for Employer of the Year and Sustainability Champion, reflecting its commitment to creating a positive environment for children, families and its team.

Sustainability is woven into everyday life at Young Friends, rather than treated as an add-on. Children spend much of their time outdoors in the kindergarten's native woodland garden, grow and harvest food at a local allotment, and take part in preparing and cooking their own meals. The setting also runs forest school and beach school sessions, while its woodland workshop gives children the opportunity to make, mend and create using real tools.

Food is entirely plant-based and cooked from scratch each day, with children involved in the process. The kindergarten also composts food waste, uses reusable wipes and cloth nappies, and encourages children to reuse materials rather than rely on plastic toys.

This approach is underpinned by its own Nature Curriculum, which combines the Early Years Foundation Stage with the three pillars of sustainability, helping children learn through practical, hands-on experiences.

For Louise and her team, the Company of the Year award is particularly meaningful because it recognises the whole business, rather than early years education alone.

Louise Lloyd-Evans, founder of Young Friends Kindergarten, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have won Company of the Year. We’re incredibly passionate about what we do and about giving children the very best start in life, while helping them develop a genuine love and respect for the natural world.

“To be recognised among businesses from every sector across Brighton & Hove is a real honour. This award means so much because it recognises everything that goes into making Young Friends what it is – from our amazing team and the relationships we build with families, to the values that shape every part of our kindergarten. I couldn’t be prouder of our team and what we’ve achieved together.”

Looking after staff is an important part of the kindergarten's approach. Young Friends pays the real Living Wage as its base rate, provides protected weekly study time for colleagues and has designed its working day to support staff wellbeing. Many team members have worked at the kindergarten for four, five, ten years or more.

The kindergarten has also received national recognition this year, winning Nursery of the Year, England South, and the overall national Nursery of the Year title at the NDNA Awards 2026. It also won the Nursery Food Award at the Nursery World Awards 2026.

Beyond its own setting, Young Friends hopes to share its experience with other early years providers. In November, it will launch The Young Friends Approach, a sustainability framework designed to help other settings develop more sustainable practices at a level that works for them.

For Young Friends, the greatest measure of success is what children take with them when they leave: confidence, independence, a readiness to learn and an understanding of how to care for the world around them.