A KIDLINGTON businesswoman is aiming to get more men involved in parenting after starting a new cafe for young mums and dads.

Bekki Reip Le Prevost and her husband Alex have started Café Babble, a baby-friendly cafe, in the Kidlington Centre.

The pair, who moved to the area four years ago, had the idea after starting a family and visiting local children's centres.

Mrs Reip Le Prevost, 31, said: "When my daughter Eris was born two years ago I struggled with isolation and felt myself spiralling into depression.

"I went from a full-time busy job to 45 hours a week alone with a baby.

"I adored her, but lived for the weekly Baby Cafe drop-in breastfeeding sessions at the children's centres."

Realising that more activities were needed for new parents, Bekki – who is five months pregnant with her second child – started talking to staff at the village's Kaleidoscope Centre about starting a new cafe.

After trying to find premises, the couple were offered a 12-month trial by the Kidlington Centre and quickly agreed to move in.

Bekki said: "We were given a large former cafe, right near free parking and a bus route, plus it's undercover and set back from the road."

"I want to ensure our emphasis is on both dads and mums, but also to a lesser extent grandparents and carers.

"I know that dads often get left out of a lot of baby stuff, so I want to make sure here they are equally valued.

"We wouldn't want this place to be known as a mum's hub or anything like that."

Targeting those with children aged zero to two, the cafe sells hot drinks, sandwiches and snacks.

It also offers a feeding space and preparation facilities, play space, and a programme of parent-led groups including breastfeeding circles and babywearing groups.

She is also keen to make it clear that the cafe is not meant to replace any of the county's children centres, many of which are set to close.

She said: "I love the children's centres, I was inspired by them and businesses like mine can never replace or replicate them.

"People have said to me this will be great when the centres go, but nothing could be further from what we want."

The cafe opened for business last week, and has received a positive reception.

Mrs Reip Le Prevost said: "People are always telling me it's an amazing space to hang out with their babies.

"Either they can't wait to come, or they wish this had been around when their children were little.

"I just hope people come and support us, we'd love to grow and even franchise.

"But whether we do or not depends on getting customers."