A politician told the founder of a children's charity she had created "something amazing”.

Cabinet minister Frances Maude dropped into Camp Simcha, in Queens Road, Hendon, to meet Rachely Plancey, who set up the charity when she was just 17.

Mr Maude, the minister for the cabinet office and paymaster general, also spoke to chairman Julian Taylor and chief executive, Neville Goldschneider.

The UK wide charity provides round-the-clock practical and emotional support to Jewish families with children who have life-threatening or serious illnesses.

Mrs Plancey told the minister of how her holistic approach to supporting the family, particularly siblings, has a huge impact on how the whole family copes after a diagnosis.

Mr Maude said he was impressed by the way Camp Simcha has grown from small beginnings of helping a few families in the community, to the point where it now offers more than 20 services.

It supports families in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Gateshead, Leeds and Bristol and organises weekend trips and activities for children and their families.

Mr Maude said: “I think you have created something amazing here and it’s an impressive story. Part of my portfolio is the policy of charities and social enterprises – and as part of that, I love visiting organisations like yours.

“You began with an idea, saw a need and built something out of it. We are often not very good in the voluntary sector at replicating successful models in the way businesses would but Camp Simcha has done that here, moving from north London to a national scope with the increasingly different groups you support.

“Too often, organisations such as this are not good at scaling up but you have done just that.”

Last year, Mrs Plancey recieved a Points of Light award from Prime Minister David Cameron.