Karen Parnham, Tiny Town Barlborough

Tiny Town is open seven days a week, welcoming families with younger children to come and explore a variety of interactive and educational play areas designed with the Early Years Foundation Stage in mind. The centre is dedicated to offering a fun, safe, and learning-filled environment for children and families alike.

Recently, Tiny Town introduced three exciting new areas: a baby area specifically designed for non-walking visitors, a quiet room for mothers to feed their babies or take a break, and a sensory room for younger children to explore different textures and experiences. These areas were created with the help of a grant from Bolsover Council, marking a proud milestone in the centre's growth and ability to meet the diverse needs of families in the community.

Tiny Town’s values align seamlessly with the Bolsover Place Programme’s Stay. Belong. Flourish priorities. As a family-oriented business, Tiny Town is deeply rooted in the local community. Karen is dedicated to supporting the growth of Bolsover by providing a space where families feel welcomed and can thrive. Through her work with local suppliers and her commitment to offering services that benefit families, Tiny Town contributes to the town’s flourishing future.

Karen actively connects with both local and national businesses to foster a sense of community and support the development of Tiny Town. The centre works regularly with local suppliers for food and resources, ensuring that it supports the local economy while providing quality products to families. Additionally, Tiny Town offers free sessions for children with hearing loss and discounts for families with twins or triplets, demonstrating its commitment to being inclusive and giving back to the community.

To encourage more people to visit Bolsover, Karen believes that social media is a powerful tool. She encourages local businesses and organisations to use it to showcase the wonderful activities and family-friendly experiences available in the area. By highlighting attractions and initiatives around Bolsover, more people will become aware of what the town has to offer and be inspired to visit.

What Karen loves most about living and working in Bolsover is the friendly, welcoming community. She finds that the people are consistently kind and helpful, making the town a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family.

Karen believes in Bolsover because…
…it has great potential. Bolsover is a town with a rich history, a thriving rural environment, and an untapped capacity for growth. With its strong community spirit and exciting opportunities for the future, Karen believes that Bolsover is on the brink of something special.