A lack of childcare provision in the Arisaig, Morar and Mallaig area has led six enterprising women to fill the gap with their own registered childminding services.

Nuria Martinez Fuste, Susan MacLellan, Jacqueline MacDonald, Jane Bird, and Fiona Sullivan from Mallaig, and Heather Gillies from Arisaig have each set up their own childminding business with help from Lochaber Enterprise's HIE Starts programme - a European-funded initiative to provide new businesses with regular income and advice during the first few months of trading.

They have become professional registered childminders following a rigorous procedure involving training, police and health checks, and between them are now registered to care for a total of 34 children under the age of 16.
 
Elaine Boyd, development manager at Lochaber Enterprise said:  "This new service will go a long way towards meeting the demand for childcare following the closure of Rainbows End nursery in Mallaig last year.  Registered childminding provides a valuable community service and at the same time provides these women with jobs they can fit around their home life, and we are more than happy to help them get started."