Bright Stars is one of the UK and Ireland's largest family of independent nurseries, with over 130 settings known for its consistently high Ofsted ratings. Their event at the NEC brought together leaders and staff from across the network to mark ten years of growth, alongside the group's annual awards. It was a day of celebration and reflection and fittingly, a look ahead to the next decade.
A recommendation, and a leap of trust
The booking came through a recommendation from Karen Derbyshire, Operations Director for Early Years at Realise, one of the sector's leading apprenticeship providers, working with nearly 1,000 nurseries across the UK. Richard had worked with Karen before and her enthusiasm for his work carried real weight with Chairman Stephen Booty, who placed his trust in bringing Richard into such a significant milestone event. Early years, much like the wider education sector Richard regularly speaks to, turned out to be personal territory for him too.
His own childhood was shaped profoundly by the adults who cared for him and in building the session he drew directly on that experience, reflecting on the caregivers who shaped him and the lasting impact those early relationships had. It's a message that speaks straight to the heart of what a room full of nursery professionals do every day, shaping children's lives in the smallest, most everyday moments.
Then came the coincidence. Speaking to Stephen ahead of the event, Richard discovered that his own children had attended one of Bright Stars' nursery settings, a small detail that turned an already meaningful booking into something closer to full circle.
Closing the day
Richard closed the programme, following two respected early years specialists, Alice Sharp and Jan Dubiel, who had given the room the sector insight they had come for. His job was to shift gears, to give 150-plus nursery leaders and educators a personal, human story about resilience and purpose after a day already full of content. With Bright Stars marking ten years as a group, there was a natural moment to look forward as much as back and to send everyone into the celebrations that evening and the decade ahead, with real energy rather than just applause.
The impact
The feedback afterwards said it all. The Bright Stars team got in touch to share how the session had landed:
"I honestly can't stress enough how impactful Richard's session was. It was discussed at length at dinner, with everyone incredibly inspired. I am sure we will be in touch for any future events."
"Our teams had a fantastic day at our Awards event and we received so much feedback that people were moved and inspired by Richard's speaker session. We can't thank him enough for joining us."
Bright Stars also shared their thanks publicly on LinkedIn:
"A huge thank you to the incredible Richard McCann for joining us as a guest speaker at our 10 Year Anniversary Awards. Your inspiring story and powerful message made the celebration even more special. Thank you for being part of such a memorable occasion!"
Richard felt exactly the same, reflecting afterwards on his own LinkedIn:
"I loved speaking for Bright Stars Nursery Group yesterday at the Birmingham. Thank you to Karen Derbyshire for the recommendation and Stephen Booty for placing his trust in me. Those who work in early years really do plant seeds that give children the confidence to thrive. I enjoyed sharing two memories from my own nursery years that remain with me over 50 years later, and the incredible coincidence that my own children attended one of their nurseries was the icing on the cake."
Ten years in, and with a room full of the people who shape early childhood every day, that's exactly the kind of moment a closing keynote should create.
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