Children of Nepal

As a parent, there are many moments in life when you are able to take a step back and simply admire the achievements, passion, desire and willingness of your offspring.

Isabelle and Emilio provide these moments in abundance week after week, month after month year after year.

Over recent years, Isabelle has taken a keen interest in charity and those less fortunate than her. Emilio is taking a lead from his elder sister and they now plan things together.

For a couple of weeks, they had been asking me whether or not they could repeat the success of a small cake sale they had a couple of years ago. They had originally wanted to raise more money for St Michael's Hospice however, shortly after asking the first time, the Nepal earthquake disaster happened and this suddenly became the focus.

On Friday evening, ably assisted by a very willing nanny, they had a 3 1/2 hour cake making session. They made Victoria sponges, muffins, cupcakes, flapjack and even threw in a couple of gluten-free items so Isabelle could join in the consumption!

After the regular Saturday morning rush of swimming and drama, we returned home. At this moment, the heavens opened. For the next hour, we watched it rain however, unperturbed, Isabelle sat staring out of the window and waited for the clouds to pass. In fact, the very second they did, Emilio was the first one out with his special magic tray and the first batch of cakes on a stand. They set up stall as last time, at the end of the path, stood there, and waited.

For the next hour they collared passes by young and old, on bikes and on foot, with dogs and without. And then it rained again. After lunch, they went straight back outside and did another hour and a half until every cake had gone or every cake had an amount of money committed to it.

The result of this and thanks to the enormous generosity of the locals, was that they raised not too far short of £50 which was taken into school on Monday and put in with the rest of the funds raised for the Children of Nepal.

'Proud' just doesn't quite do the feelings I have for my little ones justice. They are bloody awesome.