A NANNY plans to bring Easter cheer to children being treated at Airedale Hospital.

Maria Culley has created a hamper for staff and children at the hospital packed with 100 chocolate rabbits and a jar of coffee.

The donation is on behalf of UK Nanny Limited, an events company for nannies which she runs on a voluntary basis with fellow nanny Helen McCarthy.

Every year UK Nanny runs a Easter egg fundraiser for charity, bringing together nannies, children and their families from across Yorkshire.

This year's event has had to be cancelled due to Covid-19, but Helen still wanted to do something on an Easter theme.

Maria said: "We host dedicated events for nannies, providing nanny socials at weekends with and without our nanny children. Due to the virus we are now doing virtual nanny socials.

"Our industry isn't given the recognition the other child industries receive. It can be a very isolating and lonely as we have no co-workers, and we are not regarded as professional."

Nanny UK Ltd has created the UK Nanny Awards, which MarIA said were the only dedicated wards for the industry in the UK.

She added: "It's also created The Great British Nanny Conference, the only Continual Professional Development conference in the world dedicated to nannies.

"It attracts nannies not just from Yorkshire or the UK but also from Switzerland, America, Australia, New Zealand."

Maria and Helen will have a stand at the Childcare and Education Expo Exhibition in London later this year, with industry leaders such as Morton Michel Insurance, Nanny Tax, International Nanny Association and Knightsbridge Nannies and Staffing. 

Nanny UK Ltd raises money for a different charity each year, including Vauxhall City Farm and Eric, the children's bowel and bladder charity.