Daisies Early Education & Care Centre is a joint venture between Rachel Denee and Linda Meade

Daisies is a social enterprise, owned by Linda Meade and Rachel Denee. When Daisies opened in 2008, it was a mother-daughter joint venture between Linda and Anne Meade, and Rachel was the inaugural Head Teacher. Fast forward over 10 years and Anne has changed roles to be our Patron, albeit still very much involved, and Rachel has joined Linda as co-owner. Linda continues to manage the “business” side of the social enterprise, while Rachel supports the team as it continues to develop the educational philosophy and practices – now extending across two centres.

Anne has focused on early childhood education for most of her career spanning over 40 years, as:

• A teacher of young children

• Researcher, lecturer, author,

• Policy developer.

These days Anne is a self-employed consultant, specialising in educational research and advice with a focus on early childhood education. Her projects take her overseas as well as around New Zealand. She was awarded a QSO in 1991 and a CNZM in 2008. In 2009 Victoria University of Wellington recognised her as a Distinguished Alumna. Her current contract is as an expert adviser for a Teacher-led Innovation project funded by the Ministry of Education. Anne is also the Patron for the Reggio Emilia Aotearoa New Zealand (REANZ) Trust.

Some of her significant achievements include working in the Prime Minister’s Office and with the working group that wrote Education to Be More (1988), helping to develop the Competent Children longitudinal research study whilst Director of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research in the early 90s, leading the working group that made the recommendations in 2001 for Pathways to the Future/ Ngā Huarahi Arataki (2002), and coordinating the early childhood education Centres of Innovation programme (2003 to 2009). In 2018, Anne was given the Minister of Education’s Life-time Achievements in Education Award.

Her passion for early childhood education has led to some fascinating overseas assignments, including as a Fulbright Senior Scholar to the USA in 1999, as keynote speaker at conferences in the UK and Australia, and as a contractor to develop a strategic plan for early childhood education for the State of Qatar in the Arabian Gulf.

Linda is theDirector of Daisies Daycare Ltd and also Licensee. Linda provides commercial and other specialist financial advice to a range of businesses and organisations spanning the public and private sectors. Over the last 30 years she has worked in London and Switzerland as well as New Zealand. Linda was previously a partner at Deloitte and now runs her own consultancy Kalimena. She is Deputy Chair of the Strategy and Risk Committee at Weltec and a Trustee of the Whanake Education Trust.

Linda has two daughters, one born in 2002 and one born in 2007. Her first daughter was born in London, and attended a childcare centre in Pimlico called Daisies Day Nursery - providing the inspiration for the name of Daisies Early Education & Care Centre. Her younger daughter attended Daisies in Johnsonville for over two years, until she transitioned to primary school in 2013. Linda understands the parents’ perspective for care of their children in a childcare setting. She can be contacted on linda@daisies.co.nz

Dr Rachel Denee

Rachel was the inaugural Head Teacher when Daisies opened in 2008. After leaving to pursue other roles and studies, she returned to Daisies in 2017 as a co-owner and pedagogical leader. 

Rachel has been working in teaching, leadership and research roles in early childhood education since 2000.  Her research interests include educational leadership, professional learning, and visual arts in early childhood. She gained a PhD at Victoria University Wellington, studying ECE teachers’ practices and perceptions about art through a professional learning community. Reggio Emilia pedagogy is another professional interest, and Rachel is a trustee of REANZ, a national trust delivering Reggio inspired professional learning around Aotearoa. 

As an experienced ECE teacher and leader, and as a parent of three children, Rachel brings a variety of passions and strengths to her role at Daisies.