The approaching 50th anniversary of nurture is an opportunity to tell the story of nurture groups and consider what the underlying rationale, philosophy and principles have to offer now in meeting today's challenges, especially the high numbers of exclusions from education, the increased demand for mental health services and the impact on individuals, families and society. This paper is the story of nurture: it is a personal memoir as well as our collective story seen through the eyes of the first non-pilot nurture group teacher. In addition to nurture groups it refers to early applications of nurturing principles to a whole school. The paper draws on archives from Kingsmead Primary school, Hackney nurture group that contain much of Marjorie Boxall's original work. It concludes with Marjorie Boxall's maxim: 'Be and do for these children as you would your own young children'.