The manager of a Huddersfield nursery was among those attending a celebration event for community childcare champions at 10 Downing Street this week.

Penny Hanley, manager of Nurtured @ Skelmanthorpe, and Nurtured Childcare operations director Rebecca Casserly were invited to the reception after the nursery was visited by then-education minister Claire Coutinho and local MP Mark Eastwood.

“Our team showed them around and answered their questions honestly,” said Hanley. “I think they visited us because they had seen so much about us on Facebook, I post a lot.”

When the phone rang with an invitation to visit 10 Downing Street, Hanley initially thought it was a joke. “I was trying to get a baby to sleep,” she said. “I thought there are so many nurseries out there, why would you want to invite little old us? But they said we loved the bond your team has with the children, and how honest you were.”

Hanley and Casserly took a tour of the Houses of Parliament with Eastwood, before attending the reception, which was hosted by David Johnston, minister for children, families and wellbeing.