Case study
Royal Automobile Club (RAC)

Setting

Creche

Service

Managed Service

Industry

Leisure

Key Contact

Louise

Operations Director

Key stats

  • Launched mid pandemic 
  • 100% of parents said they would use the service again 
  • Average dwell time of 2 hours 

The Royal Automobile Club (RAC) is a British private social and athletic club in Woodcote Park. My Ohana was approached in early 2018, with a vision to develop a purpose-built family space - the 'Walled Garden'. The vision was to create an exciting, safe and welcoming environment with a range of facilities aimed primarily at pre-teens and their families – including a crèche, children’s swimming pool and a variety of play areas.

The Royal Automobile Club has two clubhouses: one in London at 89 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, near Epsom in Surrey. Both provide accommodation and a range of dining and sporting facilities.

From concept & design

The new crèche was to be located in the old Gardener’s Cottage, which had undergone a full restoration. We worked closely with the RAC’s architect, advising on the design and functionality of the crèche to ensure it complied with the necessary regulations without losing any of the building’s beautiful original features. 

To mobilisation & launch

We were awarded the contract to run the crèche in December 2019, but the opening was delayed due to the Covid19 pandemic. The new RAC crèche finally opened in January 2021, operating 5 days a week, 52 weeks of the year.

Our achievements

During this transition period we:

  • Recruited a new childcare team, which included carrying out HR requirements such as previous employment and background checks
  • Delivered an intensive two-week onsite training and induction programme with the new team
  • Carried out all the required risk assessments on the facility and the proposed service
  • Assisted the RAC marketing team on pre-launch promotional campaigns
  • Worked with the Club’s programming team to ensure the timings of their planned events and our crèche booking slots were aligned
  • Prepared a comprehensive equipment list and set everything up on site
  • Created a child-centric and engaging environment within a charming and historic setting
  • Ran a soft launch so that parents could come in and see and experience the facility for themselves

Post launch

  • Supported the Club on open days, giving parents the opportunity to meet the team
  • Held monthly ‘get to know us’ coffee mornings for parents 
  • Conducted a Club member survey at 6 months to invite feedback on all aspects of the service 
  • Revised the crèche’s opening hours to better meet the needs of the Club members 
  • Collaborated with the Club in planning future initiatives, such as the development of an outdoor learning programme

"Having never left my daughter before I cannot thank you enough for providing this amazing family facility for us to enjoy. The team in the crèche have been so welcoming and cared for my daughter (and a nervous parent) from day one for which I am grateful."

Parent

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