A CHILDMINDER ended her 30 year career in tears of joy after her final cohort of children recorded a moving video tribute to her.
Carol Roberts is mother to renowned folk singer Kathryn Roberts, who a few years ago wrote a song for her own children to sing, with lyrics about all the ways they can be good to earn 'a star'.
It became an anthem for the five children from two families Carol looked after. As the youngest from each family prepares to start school this September, Carol has chosen to retire and they decided to record a special version of the song for her to say thank you.
"I decided to do a little tea party for all of them," said Carol, 66, of High Street, Dodworth. They turned up with this DVD they'd made. Unfortunately it wouldn't play on my machine for some reason, so I'd said 'can you put it up on Facebook', and when I saw it I just welled up.
"I was in floods of tears. It was so sweet. Because it was on Facebook it just went bonkers. Everybody saw it and was writing messages, it was just lovely."
Mat Wright, dad to three of the children Ruby, eight, Maisy, six, and George, four, said Carol was a 'real life Mary Poppins' who had 'shaped the people they have become'.
Andrea Battye, mum of Scarlette, four and Elizabeth, eight, said: "She's just amazing. She cherishes our children as if they were her own, and makes them feel special. When they're with her, they just shine."
The video was filmed and edited by Mat's father-in-law Ian Black of Dunelm Video, and it's gone viral online.
For a link to the video, click here.
