Everyone loves their gran, because she mends your pants, bakes your favourite choc-chip cookies and teaches you how to make a dress for your doll.
Not everyone has the luxury of a real life fairy godmother, but thanks to a Ballito mom and career woman, Leigh Newell, everyone can now have a gran or at least hire one.
“My mother-in-law, Marilyn Newell, helps me so much with my children and I realised that not everyone is as lucky,” she said.
When Marilyn indicated to Leigh that she wished to work again, Leigh started researching and noticed that all au pair type work was done by young girls and students.
“I spoke to my friends and they all said they would prefer an older au pair, someone who can cook, knit and has experience.”
After some thorough research, she found that there is no agency in South Africa which recruits older women, yet there are plenty of women who want to work and feel needed.
“I had always wanted a business of my own and saw this as the perfect opportunity.”
Before long, Leigh set up a website, Facebook page and placed a few newspaper ads and so Grans for Hire was born.
“I have had such positive feedback and I have had quite a few grans inquiring about the registration process.”
It is a simple concept.
Leigh acts as the referral agent, recruiting grans on the one side and setting them up with her clients on the other side.
“I love the idea of offering loving, nurturing grans into homes to look after children and pets at an affordable price and convenient manner,” she said.
She explained that the grans go through a thorough background check and if they pass successfully, they can start working.
“With Grans for Hire, I would like to give fit, healthy and capable grans something to do and an opportunity to make some money, while giving parents ease of mind that their children are in trustworthy hands,” she said.
If you would like to hire a gran to look after your children, pets or home or need some help around the house or in the kitchen, check out www.gransforhire.co.za or look on the Facebook page at Grans for Hire for more information.
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