Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools is proud to celebrate an incredible evening of success at the NMT Power List Awards 2026, with two members of our leadership team receiving national recognition for their outstanding contributions to the early years sector.
We are delighted to share that Toni Kilby, Chief Finance Officer, was named CFO of the Year, while Jackie Cambridge, Head of Quality, received the award for Education/Quality Director of the Year.
These prestigious awards recognise the leaders shaping the future of the nursery sector, celebrating innovation, excellence and impact across the UK.
Toni’s award reflects her exceptional leadership in driving sustainable growth, strengthening operational systems and helping make high-quality childcare more accessible for families. From supporting the expansion of Happy Days across new regions to leading the successful rollout of our SHINE funding model, Toni’s strategic vision continues to play a vital role in our journey.
Jackie’s recognition celebrates her unwavering commitment to children, teams and quality across every nursery. As the driving force behind our Where Children Shine curriculum, Jackie has transformed practice across the group, ensuring children are supported to become confident communicators, inquisitive thinkers, healthy explorers and resilient learners.
Adding to the celebrations, Happy Days was also proud to sponsor an award at this year’s event, presented on the evening by our CEO, Kim Herbert, further reflecting our commitment to championing excellence across the early years sector.
Kim Herbert, Chief Executive Officer at Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools, said:
“We are incredibly proud of both Toni and Jackie for this well-deserved recognition. Their passion, leadership and dedication have had a huge impact not only within Happy Days but across the wider sector. To see their work celebrated on a national stage is truly wonderful.”
This double win is a reflection of the incredible people behind Happy Days and the commitment we all share to giving children the very best start in life.
A huge congratulations to Toni and Jackie on this amazing achievement.
