A BRUNCH club aiming to remove the anxiety parents sometimes face when out with their youngsters has launched in Alloa.

The Bubba Bump Brunch Club was first trialled by Nicola Reid last year, and offers a relaxed environment for new parents, parents to be, and their kids.

After initially proving popular during the trial, Nicola is now pushing on with the club to get more people involved.

When asked how she came up with the idea for the club, Nicola, who has a young daughter, told the Advertiser: “It was born from the experiences of myself and friends during maternity leave.

“Some cafes made you feel more of a hindrance than anything else when visiting with kids.

“I, and women I've met, have all experienced ‘the fear’ you get when your wee one has a melt-down in public.

“But at the brunch club that anxiety just isn't there as it's a home from home environment and you can pop into a quiet room or outside if needed.

“Cafes can be small, busy and pressurised. When meeting at someone else's home or in an open space, suddenly things become more relaxed.”

Not fixed at one location, the club will hold events and move around various venues in Alloa throughout the year – and Nicola hopes to expand into Stirling in future.

She said: “To keep things interesting we've decided to tag onto appropriate theme days, like Burns Night, Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day and this will influence the food on offer.

“Generally speaking there will be a two-course brunch on offer, for example porridge followed by an open toasted sandwich or cooked items followed by pastries - drinks are included.”

Several events have already been organised for the coming weeks, including a Burns themed brunch on January 23 and a teddy bear picnic themed event on February 15.

Since events will sometimes be held in people’s homes, details about exact locations will be shown after tickets have been purchased.

If you want to find out more information about the club and upcoming events, or to purchase tickets, search for The Bubba Bump Brunch Club on Facebook, or email bubbabumpbc@outlook.com.