Musical classes company celebrates 15th birthday
A mum who set up a business offering musical classes for youngsters admits she’s sung Wheels on the Bus more times than she can count as her company celebrated its 15th birthday.
Sarah Marsh moved to East Malling in 2001 with two toddlers and another baby on the way. When she realised there wasn’t much on offer for young children she set up Musical Bumps.
The firm, which has grown alongside those who attend its classes, caters for babies, toddlers and schoolchildren up to the age of seven, and its sessions include games based on songs.
Mrs Marsh recalled: “The first week we had more than 30 kids, which was quite a surprise! The classes thrived and we expanded quite quickly, with the first franchise set up in Platt.
“These days we don’t franchise, instead we license musicians and teachers to work as part of our team. They bring their own skills to the classes as well as our tried and tested ideas and methods, which is the best of both worlds!”
Over the last 15 years, Musical Bumps has run in almost 40 locations nationwide, from Newcastle to Northern Ireland, to its most recent start-up in China. In Kent, classes run in Maidstone, Kings Hill, Canterbury, Medway, Ashford and more.
To celebrate the landmark, Mrs Marsh welcomed current and previous attendees to a party at the East Malling Institute Hall on Saturday, May 6. The cake was custom-made to feature the dinosaur which has become the company’s emblem.
Speaking about memorable moments over the years, Mrs Marsh mentioned some freaky coincidences. “At one point there were two girls called Sophie Davies attending my classes. To dif- ferentiate them I asked for their middle names, which were the same! I then asked for their mummy’s names, which were also the same!”
And in one of her Kings Hill classes, she has three sets of twins, and is also a twin herself.
To find out more, go to www.musicalbumps.com