Jemma Cantelo celebrated the first birthday of her business, Treats N Play, a children’s play centre and cafe in Cwmbran town centre, in August 2023.

It took two years to discover the perfect location and she found that upstairs in The Parade. She and her husband spent months getting it spot on before she welcomed children and families inside for the first time.

One of the centre’s most popular areas is the sensory room. She said: “The sensory room is very much needed around the area. They are few and far between. I knew several families with children who were desperately looking for one. I always knew that would be one of the most important things and it is as well. It speaks for itself. The children absolutely love it in there. We had to do our research to find the best equipment to put in there.”

The name of each area of Treats N Play is linked to Jemma’s three children: Elsie’s Escape and Smiley Town, both named after her two daughters, Elsie and Miley, and Mr Donuts Gaming, named after her son’s YouTube channel.

Cwmbran Life asked Jemma, ‘what does it feel like to be an entrepreneur?’ She said: “It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life, but it’s been worth it.”

Check out the Treats N Play website.