A WOMAN from Bude, who runs baby and toddler music and sensory classes for under 5s, has made it through to the finals of the What’s On 4 Kids UK awards.

Jess Creasey, who runs Hartbeeps classes in North Cornwall and Tavistock, is the only teacher in Cornwall to have been nominated for an award.

She is up against four other candidates for the ‘Most Loved Activity Leader or Business Manager’ award in the South West England, West and Wales region. The results will be announced at a special ceremony in London on Friday, October 11.

Jess’ Hartbeeps journey started when her daughter was four months old. She won a block of free classes near Bideford and within six months of attending Jess decided to retrain and began teaching Hartbeeps classes. She now runs classes in Bridge Community Centre in Launceston, as well as classes in Tavistock and Bodmin.

Jess told the Post: “I just fell in love with Hartbeeps and was shocked at how few educational and interactive classes there were in North Cornwall for babies and toddlers. And this drove my passion for classes in North Cornwall.”

Jess believes her success is not down to the work she does but that of the parents and care givers that come to her classes: “My success has purely been down to the amazing parents, care givers and children that come to my classes, they make each week fun and enjoyable and I love seeing them all grow and watching them learn.”

As part of Hartbeeps Jess holds a number of musical baby, toddler and pre-school classes which take developing children on a journey through sound every week. The classes are tailored to different ages groups and allows youngsters to progress through the classes as they age and develop.

The first step, ‘Baby Bells’ is tailored to newborns to sitting, ‘Baby Beeps’ is the next step up for sitting to toddling, followed by ‘Happy House’ for walking toddlers and infants and their siblings. There is also the ‘Baby Rock Cafe’ which is a stay and play 90 minute drop in session and ‘Hartbeeps Adventures’ designed specifically for pre-school and nursery children.

Jess’ enthusiasm for Hartbeeps is evident. She said: “I love Hartbeeps! The style of the class appealed to me after the very first session I went to, it was fun, interactive and the learning is done through play, the session takes you on a magical journey into a land of imagination.

“The sessions and stages of classes are written to babies and toddlers developmental stage rather than their age, which puts a lot of parents at ease, as every child meets their milestones when they are ready.”

Jess is very excited to have been nominated for an award and expressed her thanks to those who have voted for her so far: “I’m so thankful to all the grown-ups who voted for me and got me through to the finals. I’m super excited just to go and be there, I already feel like a winner as the grown-ups who come to my classes voted in the 100’s to get me through to the finals.”

It is clear from testimonials by parents who attend Jess’ classes why she has been nominated for an award.

Julia Davey, a mother who attends the Launceston classes, said: “I cannot praise Jess and her classes enough, my little boy has been going since he was tiny in Baby Bells. We have been through the next level of Baby Beeps and are excited to be starting Happy House next week.

“Jess is so fun and entertaining and all the little ones absolutely love her, such a warm friendly and welcoming person and atmosphere as soon as you walk in the door. The different themes each week are fun and entertaining, and the bonus is that us parents get to dress up and have fun too!”

One of Jess’ childminders was also full of praise for her nomination. Rebecca Jones said: “I’m over the moon for Jess, it’s wonderful that she is being recognised and has been nominated for this award. I’m a childminder who has attended sessions run by Jess for the last three years, I have had the pleasure of witnessing first hand how children grow in their development through attending her session.

“Jess is such an encourager and engages in such a beautiful way with children on their journey from baby to toddler to helping to prepare a child for school readiness. It’s such joy to watch little ones achieve, building upon what they have previously learnt in her sessions week on week, and developing skills, growing in confidence, play and social skills.”

For more information about the awards visit whatson4kids.co.uk/awards