My daughter started going to childcare three days a week with Victoria and Gareth when she was twelve months old. Victoria and Gareth immediately welcomed her as part of the family, and our daughter always came home a happy and content baby. They have a beautiful clean family home, which they have adapted for the needs of the children, making it a more fun, happy and playful place to be.

My daughter loves to play outside in their play houses, and the extra facilities they have in place including a decked play area with roof allows the children to play outside during all seasons throughout the year giving them access to the various climbing frames and slides. Victoria and Gareth’s’ home grown fruit and vegetables in the polly tunnel also enable the children to learn about fruit and vegetables in a safe and enjoyable environment, and not forgetting, the very large trampoline. The lay-out of the play areas are truly amazing and it is obvious a large amount of time and effort has gone into making this a very unique but safe and enjoyable play area for the children.

I would describe Victoria as a very softly spoken person who is always very kind and polite with the children. The one thing that makes Victoria stand out above all others is that she always goes that extra mile with the children, spending time with each child on an individual one to one basis when possible, allowing her to make gifts for friends and family of the children. On Mother’s day, our daughter brought home a beautiful flower, which had been decorated and gift-wrapped in a beautiful manner along with a canvas paint print of her hands. Christmas cards and wedding anniversary’s cards were always sent home, and they always had that extra special touch which Victoria had obviously spent many hours planning beforehand.

Sadly, my daughter had to leave Victoria and Gareth’s’ in the summer of 2011. Within a few days of leaving, all my daughter kept saying was Toria (as in Victoria) and bouncy bouncy (which related to the trampoline). After many weeks of thinking that my daughter would eventually stop this, she never did forcing myself and my husband to purchase her own a trampoline, even though our garden was not big enough!

My daughter can now say Victoria and she asks about her on a daily basis. Luckily, she still sees Victoria, Gareth and her friends on Tuesdays at our local playgroup. Without fail, when she sees Victoria she runs up to her and gives her a big squeeze and a cuddle.

Victoria obviously takes pride in what she does and this shows in everything she does with the children who are put in her care.

She is a fantastic childminder and an honour to her profession.