SEVEN Northern Ireland mums will take to the stage at the Black Box in Belfast this week [THURS SEPT 19] as the live local chat show Mother Tongue returns to the city.
The event, which gives attendees the chance to listen and tell about the challenges of being a mother in 2019, will hear from a variety of well-known mums and mumpreneurs who will reveal their own personal journeys into and through motherhood.
The Mothership Events show at the Black Box on Thursday September 19 will feature five fascinating expert speakers – as well as a virtual goody bag of discount vouchers worth £150 and the chance to win prizes with the ‘Treat Seat’ special.
Joining the panel in Belfast will be:
1. Maria Rafferty – The Healthy Hormone Coach
Maria is an expert on all things hormone, taking you through what goes on in your body each month and how to regain control. A specialist in Acupuncture , Fertility Massage and Women’s Health, Maria’s expertise will answer any raging hormone questions and explain away the myths and fears that women can live with in their own bodies.
2. Stephanie Willis Lawlor
Stephanie is the founder of Mums NI, a digital hub for parents in Northern Ireland. Mums NI is an online parent based community which promotes positive parenting. Stephanie will be joining the panel to talk about founding the business as well as how she found another way to work as a mother herself.
3. Michelle Bradley – Author of ‘Pangs, Surviving Motherhood and Mental Illness.’
Michelle is a frank and honest mum of 3. She is a breath of fresh air in sharing her story that for some, motherhood is tough and can break a person. Michelle documents her journey as she battles through mental illness following the births of her three children and the tools and experiences she used to help her out of the darkness.
4. Sinead Sharkey Steenson – Generation Women/Career Reboot Ltd
Sinead is Generation Women’s Chief Career and Confidence Coach and has been coaching and training leaders for over 15 years. She holds a degree in Psychology, is an ICF Accredited Business Coach, and is an NLP Master Practitioner and has businesses such as Bombardier Aerospace, Associated British Foods, Lean In, Sensata, Deloitte, UU, Belfast International Airport, the BBC calling on her expertise.
5. Mags McAlpin – Creating Retail Magic
Mags will be discussing how she relaunched herself after having babies, opening ‘Creating Retail Magic,’ a Belfast Visual Merchandising and Retail Consultancy business. Showing that your professional life doesn’t have to stop just because you are a mother, it can just be the beginning.
6. Laura Steerman – Quaint Baby Art
Laura turns black and white ultrasounds into colourful paintings. Previously a lawyer, Laura decided to follow her passion for painting and stay at home with her children working flexibly as an artist. A former “Mumpreneur of the Year” Laura will be sharing her story of how she created a new life around her family.
The Mothership Events & Mother Tongue Founder is:
7. Treena Clarke, professional marketer
Treena has over 20 years experience planning events.
She said: “There are too few chances for mums to get together that these events are a must.
“How often do we, as mums plan to meet up with our girlfriends and we need to get a date in the diary months in advance. It’s so hard juggling everything and we often forget about ourselves in the midst of work, kids, family and life in general.
“The Mother Tongue events were created as a space to give mums the chance to not only get together but to meet other mums and talk about everything that affects us as mums – one guest from the last event called it ‘Like Loose Women only talking mums stuff with wine’.
“We talk about stuff that matters but we also have a laugh. One guest from the last event called it ‘Like Loose Women only talking mums stuff with wine’. We talk about stuff that matters but we also have a laugh.
“Doors (and the bar) open at 7pm, allowing for a glass of wine before the first chat. This runs from 8pm-9pm where the event breaks for a “Sweet Supper” which normally involves cake and more wine with our second session running from 9.30pm-10.30pm and doors close at 11pm.
“The floor is open for discussion and chat but feel free to sit back and listen if that is more your thing.”
Host for the event is:
8. Business owner, commentator and mum Tina Calder.
Tina is a journalist and commentator of 20 years, a publicist of 12 and a multi-platform media professional. The Belfast entrepreneur owns a publicity management agency in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.
Tina is a regular commentator on BBC Radio Ulster shows such as Talk Back and The Nolan Show as well as on U105’s Frank Mitchell programme.
She said: “When it comes to being a mum it’s easy to think you’re the only person in the world worrying about the small stuff. It’s also easy to think you’re failing when you’re trying your absolute best,” she said.
“What I love about these Mother Tongue events is that we can all just sit back, relax and be honest with one another about the things that worry us, annoy us, scare us or just generally make us laugh.
“Mother Tongue is a safe place to talk about all those things that bring us joy and heartache through our powerful journey of motherhood.
Tickets for the Black Box on September 19 are available from https://mothershipevents.com/
Mother Tongue will also take to the stage at the Silverbirch Hotel in Omagh on
Speakers in Belfast will be:
Maria Rafferty – The Healthy Hormone Coach
Stephanie Willis Lawlor – Mums NI
Michelle Bradley – Author
Sinead Sharkey Steenson – Generation Women/Career Reboot
Mags McAlpin – Creating Retail Magic Laura Steerman – Quaint Baby Art
Speakers in Omagh will be:
Sarah Reynolds – Organised Chaos
Sinead Wilcox – Sinead Wilcox Consulting
Orla McIvor – Eden Energy Practitioner
Sinead Sharkey Steenson – Generation Women/Career Reboot
Sinead Norton – Mums at Work