As a mum, my little boy is my biggest inspiration and is at the heart of everything I do.

 

When planning activities and outings, I always think about the things he would love and enjoy, using him as inspiration to create exciting opportunities for all our children to explore, discover and make special memories.

 

I’m passionate about providing a warm, nurturing, home-from-home environment where every child feels safe, loved and supported. Finding a setting like this for my own little boy was so important to me, as I could see how much it helped him feel safe, secure and settled. I want every family to have that same feeling of reassurance.

 

From messy play and outdoor adventures to calm spaces to relax, I want every experience to be meaningful, fun and full of opportunities to learn and grow.

 

For me, nursery is about so much more than care and education. It’s about creating a place where every child can thrive, and one that I would feel happy and proud to send my own little boy to.

Working with children every day often takes me back to when my own children were younger. 

 

Some of my happiest memories are the things we created together, especially during weekends and throughout the Covid lockdowns, when we spent hours turning everyday materials into extraordinary adventures.

 

Cardboard boxes became space rockets, princess carriages and imaginative worlds. We baked banana bread, attempted homemade macarons and even tried making our own pasta. 

 

Looking back, those moments were never really about the finished product. They were about curiosity, creativity, problem-solving and spending meaningful time together.

 

Those experiences continue to shape how I work with children today. They remind me that some of the most valuable learning happens through play, exploration and hands-on experiences. My son, in particular, has inspired much of my approach. He has always loved learning, but like me, learns best by actively doing rather than simply being told.

 

Throughout my own life, I often found myself adapting to fit traditional ways of learning and working. That experience helped me understand that not every child learns in the same way, and that is something I am passionate about celebrating. Every child deserves opportunities to learn in ways that suit them, build confidence and maintain their natural love of learning.

 

The inspiration I draw from my own children reminds me every day that childhood is a time for wonder, imagination and discovery, and that these moments can shape a lifelong love of learning.

Hillside Gems was born from a very personal dream: to create the kind of nursery I had always wished existed for my own children.

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When our eldest daughter, Ivy, was little, we struggled to find a nursery that offered everything we wanted for her. When Hazel came along, we were determined to create that special place ourselves. We poured so much love, thought, hard work and attention to detail into building Hillside Gems, hoping we could open our doors in time for Hazel to enjoy it.

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Sadly, we didn’t quite make it. Hazel is now in Reception, and although she never got to experience Hillside Gems as one of our nursery children, she remains at the heart of everything I do.

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Every day, I find myself thinking, “Would Hazel have loved this? Would this have been good enough for her?” Whether I’m choosing new resources, planning experiences or making the smallest improvements to our environment, Hazel is still my benchmark.

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If I know Hazel would love something, then I know the children at Hillside Gems deserve that same joy, excitement and opportunity.

And perhaps that’s what makes Hillside Gems so personal to me. I’m not just creating a nursery for other people’s children. I’m creating the nursery I wanted for my own.