Gemma Atkinson has earned herself more adoration from her online followers as she shared a moving post featuring her daughter Mia. The Hits Radio host, who is preparing to give birth to her second child with partner Gorka Marquez, shared how she's teaching her little girl to hopefully follow in her footsteps when it comes to her love for animals.
Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary is a place Gemma visited regularly growing up and now with a public profile having starred in Emmerdale and Hollyoaks to name but a few, the former soap star has continued to show her support for the Bury-based animal sanctuary and is the charity's president.
Taking to Instagram on Friday (June 30), Gemma, 38, reminisced on when she took Mia for a visit to Bleakholt last year. At the time, Gemma shared a video to her Instagram Story, writing "Brought Mia up to @bleakholt_animal_sanctuary today to drop off some food off."
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The video featured Gemma, dressed in a white hoodie with a dark pair of shared, and Mia, in a fluffy hooded jumper, outside. Just as it begins you can hear the toddler saying: "We're at Bleakholt," before Gemma adds: "There's lots of animals here that need looking after." She then asked her little girl: "Have you seen any that you like?" to which she replies: "Yeah," before pointing with Gemma pulling an emotional face as she said: "The doggy ones!"
"That's why you always have to be nice to animals isn't it?" Gemma said before adding: "Yeah? Be nice to them." Mia then asked her mum what else is here and as her mum reeled them off, Mia replied: "I want to see some cats." However, the visit did end with Mia asking if they could have a pig and call her Maureen.
While a pig hasn't appeared in the Atkinson-Marquez household just yet, they do have their beloved dogs Ollie and Norman. Sharing a picture from their last visit to the sanctuary together, Gemma typed to her 1.8 million followers: "'It’s the children of today who’ll become the rescuers of tomorrow'. This was last year at our open day.
"I love taking Mia up to our sanctuary to show her that not all animals are as lucky as Norman & Ollie, but with our help here and there, we can make a difference to their life."
Promoting Bleakholt, Gemma added: "Keep your eyes peeled for lots of upcoming open days and events @bleakholt_animal_sanctuary we have lots of fury friends looking for their forever homes, and as always your donations of both money where it can be spared as well as food, blankets and toys goes such a long way. THANK YOU."
And Gemma was quickly flooded with comments from her fans and followers who appreciated her work with the animal sanctuary and teaching Mia to love animals the way she does. @charlottesphotographyandart said: "Such an important thing to be teaching her....if only more parents took the time to teach their kids to show compassion to animals."
@sam_knight18 wrote: "I love this. Instilling such important values in your children truly makes you the wonderful person you are Gemma." @mrsj2108 replied: "Ah this is so true. I’m a major advocate for having my daughter caring for animals, especially we us having 3 dogs."
@lornabeats81 wrote: "I love you do this with her. Beautiful to see." @ebarmby commented: "This is beautiful." @joanneinbrum shared: "What fantastic teaching for Mia, we need more parents showing their children the way to #conservation and protecting our animals, wildlife & the #environment She could be a budding @chrisgpackham2." @sanembradsell added: "Love this kindness side of you @glouiseatkinson and raising another warrior who us kind, sweet, humble."
