GRANDMOTHER Lynne Nicholls, from Dawlish, was among some 200 people marching through Exeter campaigning for changes to childcare provision.

Lynne, and her daughter Lizzie, were part of the national Pregnant Then Screwed demonstration, also known as the March of the Mummies, which made its way from Exeter city centre to County Hall on Sunday.

It was one of 10 such demonstrations across the country protesting about the increasing cost of childcare.

Lynne and daughter Lizzie Nicholls-Scott, who is currently on maternity leave from her job, were among the protesters.

Lynne, who helps look after grandchildren Atticus, three, and seven-month-old Callie, explained: ‘It was a bit like the Pied Piper of Hamelin. As we were going along the route there was a trail of people joining in until we reached County Hall where there was a rally.

‘People driving past in cars tooted horns in support of the protest.’

She said the issue needed to be seen as a longer term problem as well as the immediate rising costs of childcare for working parents.

She said: ‘It was stressed how difficult women find it to get flexible working hours.

‘And there are wider issues particularly for pensions.

‘Women need to work to accumulate pensions and if they can’t go to work due to the cost of childcare, further down the line it means they will lack pension contributions in their pot for the future so there is a knock-on affect.

‘The march has raised the issue and made people aware of the problems.’

Mum Rosie Dawson, a mental health worker who is also a Dawlish town councillor, joined the march with nine-year-old daughter Kitty.

They dressed as green aliens, sending the message ‘true equal opportunities are still an alien concept’.

Rosie, speaking as a mum, said: ‘I joined in with the march as I meet many struggling mums through work so I can see that things have not improved since I gave birth nearly a decade ago.

‘I had to give up my NHS career as a mental health nurse with a young child as I was given no option for flexibility, no support with a chronically unwell child whatsoever.

‘I really hope change is coming.’

Lynne added that her daughter, who will be returning to work part time in January, is lucky to have found a childminder in Dawlish who is registered as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted and a pre-school facility.

While her daughter has been able to negotiate flexible working with her employer, it is both sets of grandparents who will also be helping out with child care.

Lynne said: ‘It will still be hassle to drop off the children before work and picking them up again mid afternoon.

‘She is lucky to have two sets of grandparents in Dawlish who can give her back-up and support, not all have that.

‘Part-time work means less money coming into the household.

‘So that has present time implications but the long term implication of mummies either dropping out of the work place entirely for a number of years or of working part-time is the effect on their future pensions.

‘Less personal income then follows them into old age.’