Borrow A Village started, like so many ideas do, with a conversation.

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As a mum of two boys, I've often found myself wishing we still had the kind of support network that previous generations seemed to take for granted. The neighbour who could collect the children in an emergency. The trusted teenager down the road who was happy to babysit. The retired teacher who loved spending time with young families. The friend of a friend everyone knew they could rely on.

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For many families, that village has become much harder to find.

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Over the past few months I've spoken to parents who have turned down work because they couldn't find childcare, missed hospital appointments, struggled through school holidays or simply accepted that a date night wasn't worth the stress of organising a babysitter. The more stories I heard, the more I realised this wasn't just a problem for my own family - it was something parents everywhere seemed to recognise.

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Borrow A Village is my attempt to change that.

I'm not interested in building another app for the sake of it. If this is going to work, it has to be built around what parents, childcare professionals and local communities actually need, not what I think they might want.

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That's why Borrow A Village is still in its early stages. Before building the platform, I'm taking the time to listen.

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Over the coming months I'll be speaking to parents, babysitters, childminders, nursery teams, schools and safeguarding professionals to understand what would make them feel confident using a service like this. Every conversation helps shape the idea, whether it's around safety, trust, affordability, matching families with sitters or simply making the experience feel straightforward for everyone involved.

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If you're a parent, I'd love to hear about your experiences, whether you've struggled to find childcare or you've found brilliant ways to build your own support network. If you work with children, your knowledge could make a real difference to how Borrow A Village develops. And if you're someone who would love to spend an evening helping a local family, I'd love to understand what would encourage you to get involved.

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This isn't about creating something behind closed doors and unveiling it when it's finished. It's about building Borrow A Village alongside the people who might one day use it, making changes, asking questions and getting things right before we launch.

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If you'd like to follow the journey, join a future listening session or simply hear how the project is progressing, I'd love you to register your interest. Please email hello@borrowavillage.co.uk or fill in one of the forms on the home page.

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After all, if it really does take a village to raise a child, then perhaps it's time we built our own. A modern version. One that fits our lives and meets all our needs. I'd love your help.

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Jen x