Tuneful fun follows your life’s rhythm

THREE Yorkshire mums found that running children’s music classes allowed them to build a business while caring for their families and contributing to charity.

Lucy Stenbeck took her son, Jett, to Rhythm Time music classes for babies to pre-schoolers. ‘Jett started to respond to the classes much earlier than I expected,’ she says. When the Rhythm Time franchisee who ran the classes wanted to sell her franchise in Ripon, Lucy bought it.

She took Jett to her classes, but says: ‘I noticed he didn’t copy the actions like the other children. Now I know that’s because he found it painful.’

At 18 months, Jett was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, which means he suffers from severe pain most days, but the flexible business meant Lucy could maintain it while caring for him.

However, after having her second son, Spike, she couldn’t give it the time it deserved and sold it to one of her class teachers, Ami Teacher: Jenny Bianco Stott. This year, Ami sold it on to Jenny Bianco — another of the class teachers who took her daughter Annie along.

Jenny says: ‘It’s amazing to watch the little ones progress as you introduce them to the world of music.’

Meanwhile, Lucy has formed The Jett Pack, a Muscular Dystrophy UKlinked charity, for which Ami has run a marathon and Jenny runs extra classes and a Christmas party to raise funds.

Rhythm Time founder Kathy Doolan says: ‘You don’t need to be a teacher or musician to be a franchisee. This is a fun business opportunity for music-lovers who want a flexible, rewarding career.’ It costs from £7,500. Rhythm Time: 0121 711 4224.