TWO Basingstoke mums who entertain more than 300 families each week are preparing to expand their successful business.

Jaz McCarthy and Nicky Moore are all set to open eight new Caterpillar Music classes in Newbury and Winchester, following the success of their popular Basingstoke sessions.

Jaz, a 27-year-old mother-of-three, took on the Caterpillar Music franchise in September 2012. She said: “I had a two-year-old and was pregnant and I’m a music teacher and I would take my son to classes and thought, ‘I can do this’.

“I went to one class with a friend and it wasn’t great. My two-year-old wouldn’t sit still and we were made to feel very unwelcome.”

So Jaz launched her own music classes in Basingstoke and the business has gone from strength to strength, with 22 classes attended by 320 families.

Classes are designed for babies, toddlers and young children, and includes puppets, bubbles, instruments, parachutes, as well as lots of music and singing.

And with a relaxed atmosphere, children can join in as much or as little as they wish.

Classes run all over Basingstoke, in areas including Chineham, Tadley, Brookvale, Hatch Warren and there is even a session at Wellington Country Park, where those attending have the added bonus of being able to spend an hour in the park after the class finishes.

“We feel like we have conquered the Basingstoke area,” explained Jaz on her decision to expand.

Nicky, a former HR manager, joined Jaz 18-months-ago as a class leader, after searching for a job to fit in around looking after her two children.

She attended one of Jaz’s classes and said: “The main appeal was being able to take my two children and not have to pay twice. They both get something out of it and we really look forward to it each week.”

The 38-year-old was delighted to join Jaz in running classes, and is now excited to be expanding the franchise, adding: “I didn’t want to set up a new franchise by myself so we decided to go into it together and we are opening classes in areas such as Kingsclere and Thatcham.

“I absolutely love it. It doesn’t feel like a job because I have so much fun being creative and making some of the props we use.”

The new sessions are set to launch in September, and the pair are now trying to drum up interest via social media.

Jaz is now one of the most successful Caterpillar Music franchisees, and said: “I absolutely love that I can still carry on music because that’s what I have always done, and I can do it around looking after the children. I love watching the little ones enjoying themselves and coming up with new themes for the sessions, thinking about what’s current.”

For more information, go to caterpillarmusic.com/class-leaders/jasmine-mccarthy.