Case Study - Claire Lambert

Former paediatric nurse Claire Lambert was facing a back-to-work problem as the mother of three children - how to fit the demanding hours of her job as a nursing sister round her growing family?

It seemed impossible, but while she was pregnant with her third child she spotted an advert for Jo Jingles music activity classes. It was a franchise opportunity to join a fast-growing pre-school music and singing school which had been founded in 1995 by mother-of- two Gill Thomas.

Gill had been in a similar position to Claire, wanting to combine a musical background and business experience in a new career to fit round her family. Noting research was showing the importance of music to a child's development, Gill started her classes in Beaconsfield in 1991 under the name of Musical Minors. The success of this original branch led to further classes and to the launch of Jo Jingles in 1995 as a national franchise.

When Claire first enquired her local franchise territory was not vacant but just six weeks before her third child was born they called back to say it was free. "The timing was just awful, but it was the chance of a lifetime, and I knew it would not come round again."

Claire launched in February 2000 and in the first year saw her classes grow from 11 to 24 a week. She says "The demand was absolutely phenomenal - by September 200 I was running 23 classes."

Classes in Matfield and Bidborough are among the most recent additions, having started with Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Hildenborough and Sevenoaks. During the last year Claire has also extended further into Crowborough and now has 2 class teachers working for her.

Her own musical background includes studying piano and clarinet to Grade 8 level and studying privately with a professor from the Royal Academy and Trinity College. She used to teach piano and still tries to find time to play- not easy with children of seven, four and 16 months.