From Little Learners to Future Lakers, Juniors Journey Backs Local Kids as Sponsor

A passion for supporting local is what led Ahsan Rana and the team at Juniors Journey to becoming a partner sponsor of Lakers Basketball Club this year.

Despite having only opened its doors in January 2025, the faces behind Gateshead’s newest Early Learning Centre are proud to be joining forces with a junior sporting group that shares its values and catchment area. Located on Oakdale Road, on the fringes of Gateshead’s Industrial Estate, Juniors Journey is a learning hub brimming with optimism.

A newly-constructed facility, the address boasts an impressive modern facade, large parking bays and secure boundaries.

Inside it offers a fresh, open-plan layout with an abundance of natural light, a neutral, culturally-sensitive colour palette and artworks, as well as comfortable soft furnishings.

Juniors Journey is a childcare centre catering to children aged six months to six years.

It is open from 6am to 6pm, Monday to Friday and is proudly family-owned. It boasts its own on-site chef who prepares four freshly-prepared and cooked meals for the children every day.

With an impressive outdoor play-based area – a testament to the brand’s commitment to the physical development of its youngsters – it could quite possibly be home to the next generation of Laker’s basketballers. Being independently owned, with the support of reputed Australian Child Care Consulting and Management Firm Giggletree, means Ahsan is free to choose where he invests its financial support.

“Being a family owned business means we can customise to local community, we can build relationships with local businesses and sporting groups.” Ahsan says.

“One of the commitments we wanted to make before we opened was to support youth sports in our local community.”

Lakers is proud to be the first sporting club Juniors Journey has sponsored.

“I am a father and I know what it is like to be taking children to and from sports and I know how important our local sporting clubs are, especially to children.”

Like Lakers, Ahsan also understands the importance of teamwork. Based in Sydney he has built his Gateshead team from scratch, entrusting locals with the day-to-day running of the 98-place, childcare centre.

“Childcare is so important,” says Ahsan. “We know that 80 per cent of a child’s brain is developed in their first five years.”

It is the centre’s goal to deliver performance, excellence and culture. “To do that we need be committed to our point of differences, which includes having the best centre, staff, programs, resources and educators,” he says.

“We do this by offering quality of service and giving back to our local community.”

Check out the website for more information or to enrol at Juniors Journey.