Giving up your City job at the pinnacle of a successful career to work with children is not something many would be brave enough to do but Bexley's Geraldine Noonan has taken the plunge. HEATHER RAMSDEN reports

She said: "It's been my dream for as long as I can remember. I always wanted to work with children but I wanted to do something upbeat," Geraldine, 45, says.

Well, choosing to open a mobile gym for children aged five and under could not be more upbeat and fun.

The aim of the Tippy Toes gym is to help children develop physical and social skills build self-motivation, self-confidence and self esteem to prepare them for survival in any environment.

But this is a far cry from what she is used to, having recently quit her job with an American company in the City for which she worked as an insurance broker handling Fortune 500 company accounts.

"My career spanned 17 years. I worked my way up the corporate ladder to the position of a vice president.

"But some 18 months ago I started to consider moving on. I wanted to be my own boss and in charge of my destiny."

Quite by chance a friend told Geraldine she used to run a children's gym. Geraldine says, "I thought, that's what I could do, that's what I want to do and that's what I'm going to do".

From that moment the idea began to gather momentum, she did her research, started saving, gathered information and used all of her holidays attending enterprise courses, business start-up seminars and exhibitions.

She also went to gym clubs and toddler groups to get more experience with children in that environment.

Geraldine took the plunge and resigned in October last year and after completing a three-month notice period, she went back to school.

She enrolled on a children's pre-school practice course and a British Gymnastics Association pre-school assistant course. She is learning to sing and sign and plans to introduce basic reflexology and massage to the sessions for parents to use with their children.

"Nowadays there is much focus on children's wellbeing and the need for a healthy and active lifestyle early in their lives which better prepares them for the years to come. Tippy Toes is dedicated to this cause," Geraldine says.

She says the gym will operate from four premises in Bexley, Chislehurst, Barnehurst and Petts Wood.

"Our classes will be structured to provide a range of stimuli to generate movement and offer a range of challenges which will involve the use of soft play equipment, agility equipment, climbing apparatus and props such as bean bags, hoops, balls, ribbon sticks."

Music, singing and dance will feature in all sessions appropriate to the age group. For the very young, sing and sign methods will be used.

Geraldine says: "We welcome parents' views on their children's development and any concerns they might have about their progress."

The children will be training in four sessions divided according to their age groups. The first term starts this month with 20 places per session and one member of staff for every six children. All the staff have nursery or pre-school experience and are all police checked.

Geraldine says: "I am committed to helping develop the children's physical and social skills to equip them with self-confidence, self-motivation and self-esteem to take with them into their futures. The Tippy Toes maxim is The greatest respect is owed to a child.

Contact Geraldine on 01322 551968 or 07771 727743.