The Salty Mums Podcast

Release date of this episode is polling day 2024- I actually recorded this episode with Steph Archer who was worked in both national- and local politics, back in January before I became involved in local politics myself. Cue a local election, parenting and other parts of life the podcast had to take a backseat, and then after the local elections, just when I thought I'd have time to update the podcast Rishi Sunak announced the general election and my life got very busy again. But in a moment of madness this week I decided I had to get this episode out before polling day was over!Anyway, on this week's episode we talk about Steph's political career so far, how she juggles being a local councillor with motherhood, how her faith and motherhood impacts her politics, and then we discuss more generally whether as Christian mums we should (and how) engage with politics more. .Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.com You can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

On this week's episode we have the powerhouse that is Andi Russell- honestly what a woman of faith! And she seems to have done so many different things too! Anyway, Andi takes us through their very long journey to parenthood, a journey at times it didn't seem would end with a pregnancy but after 11 years they had a daughter. It's an incredible story of hope where Andi admits they often clung too by the tips of their fingers! We then talk about her being an "older Mum" (NB: she raised this as a topic, not me- she looks younger than me and I'm 35!), and finally we talk about Andi's incredible new project Alabaster Coaching which is about coaching mothers who are in the prison system. RESOURCESYou can get in touch with Andi at andi@alabastercoaching.comFINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.com You can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

Anxiety is at epidemic levels globally, mothers included. This is why I invited Elle Limebear and Jane Kirby to talk about their experience of anxiety and the book, Say Goodbye to Anxiety, they've recently published about how they broke free of the stronghold of anxiety in their life. We discuss how motherhood and faith have impacted their struggle with anxiety, as well as how to better support other mums who are experiencing anxiety. As a sufferer of anxiety myself, I found this such a hopeful conversation, and I really hope you'll find the same!ResourcesYou can find Elle and Jane on socials @elle_limebear and @janeelizabethkirbyAnd you can purchase their brilliant book hereFinally....Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

In this episode of The Salty Mums Podcast, Lucy Rycroft from The Hope Filled Family joins me to share her insightful journey through motherhood, faith, and embracing life's chaos. Lucy discusses her personal experience of adopting 14 month old twins when she already had two biological children, offering listeners profound reflections on the complexities and joys of expanding a family through adoption. This episode is a heartfelt and relatable exploration of motherhood, embracing all its lumps and bumps and ups and down, because as Lucy says "Don't stress, God's got it"RESOURCESYou can find Lucy's website at https://thehopefilledfamily.com/, and find her on social media @thehopefilledfamilyYou can find all Lucy's incredible books and resources for sale here https://thehopefilledfamily.com/shop/Lucy also works for Parenting for Faith who you can find on social media @parentingforfaithbrfFINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

On this week's episode we talk to Becky Sedgwick from Parenting for Faith, about being a single mum. It's a situation very few mothers plan for or expect, but many end up in. Becky tells her story of how her faith helped her in her darker moments (including a rather surprising verse God led her to from the Bible), and then we spend a long time unpacking what we can do as individuals and the Church to better support single parents. RESOURCESBecky has written a number of articles for Parenting for Faith on this topic;https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/post/helping-single-parents-flourish-in-church/https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/post/when-fathers-day-isnt-easy/https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/post/when-your-family-breaks-down/https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/post/god-promises-to-be-a-father-to-the-fatherless-what-happens-if-we-take-him-at-his-word/ https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/post/lessons-from-my-wood/https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/post/supporting-families-through-separation-and-divorce/You can find Parenting for Faith @parentingforfaithbrf or at www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/welcome. And to listen to their podcast go to https://open.spotify.com/show/3MiWgOcmu0knabd72zmzTa FINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

Have you ever had to take your kids into work? Imagine having to do this once a week, every week! This is the reality for many mothers involved in ministry and church leadership- what's it like parenting in front of the people you're working with? How do you juggle the (often) "un-childcare" friendly hours of being a vicar? To answer this we have Sophie Bannister who is a vicar in Lincolnshire, but also serves on the leadership teams of the Junia network which supports ordained women and Prisca which trains preachers. We discuss her journey to becoming a vicar and a mother (which overlap), the challenges of being a parent in front of your congregation and her work with the Junia and Prisca networks. She also gives us some great advice how to better support our Church leaders who are also parents. RESOURCESYou can find more information about the Junia network at www.thejunianetwork.org.uk @thejunianetwork, and the Prisca network at www.prisca.org.uk @priscapreach.FINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

This week we're joined by Hope Virgo, who is an Eating Disorder campaigner and author, but is also recovering from an eating disorder herself. Hope helps us break down many of the myths around eating disorders, highlights where there's need for change in the NHS, talks about the difficulties of becoming a mother in the shadow of an eating disorder, and gives us great insight in how we can be salt and light to those around us who might be struggling with an eating disorder. This was a topic I've wanted to cover for a while so I was so grateful to get Hope's insight and hear her talk so honestly and openly about the struggles she's faced. RESOURCESYou can find Hope Virgo on Instagram @hopevirgo_Sign Hope's open letter about no one should be dying with an eating disorder in 2023 here https://the.organise.network/campaigns/network-no-one-should-be-dying-of-an-eating-disorder-in-2023-8fffc72793b87a94?utm_campaign=eqsgJorTNd&utm_medium=whatsapp&utm_source=shareTo sign her petition #beatthescales go to https://www.change.org/p/eating-disorders-are-not-just-about-weight-dumpthescalesAnd find her three books including her latest one 'You are free (even if you don''t feel like it) here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hope-Virgo/e/B01NBIRW4V/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1FINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

Every 15 minutes a child gets taken into the care system in the UK. You can't talk about motherhood without talking about adoption and fostering and that's why I was delighted this week for Claire Hailwood, a mum to 4 herself including adopted children, from the leading adoption and fostering charity Home for Good. Claire oozes passion for this topic and has lived experience and wisdom to share with us. We discuss the needs within the care system, how the process of adoption and fostering works, the highs and lows of being a parenting to cared for children, and how we can be salt and light to parents who have adopted or fostered children. RESOURCESYou can find Claire on Instagram @clairehailwoodAnd for more information on Home for Good you can go to their website www.homeforgood.org.uk/ or find them on Instagram @homeforgood.org.uk FINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

This week I speak to Jo Trickey from the LICC (The London Institute of Contemporary Christianity). We start off talking about becoming a vicar at the same time as becoming a Mum (including the rather tricky mix of extreme morning sickness whilst trying to lead communion on a Sunday morning), and then we talk about the season of motherhood and how to thrive in that season as a Christian woman. This isn't about pushing #blessed and toxic positivity, but Jo does offer some wisdom as to how we can hold that tension of the often tough/monotonous/lonely (and sometimes that feeling of not feeling like you're achieving much) moments of motherhood with the opportunities and joy that motherhood can bring. Jo is passionate about people Christian day to day living, and how we can live in a way that shows radical love to those around us. I loved every minute of chatting to her!RESOURCESYou can find Jo on Instagram @jo.trickey, @rev.jo.trickey on Facebook and @rev_jotrickey on TwitterAnd for more information on the LICC you can find them @liccltd on all the usual social media channels. FINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

This week I talk to Hannah Bowring from Tearfund about Climate Change and Motherhood. We discuss the potential impact of Climate Change, what the Bible has to say about helping limit Climate Change, how to cope with the emotional impact of fighting climate change whether that's anxiety for our children's future or dealing with the guilt of not being able to do everything that's environmentally friendly, and also what changes can we easily make to reduce our impact on the environment. It can be a scary topic but Hannah left me feeling empowered, inspired and hopeful.RESOURCESYou can find Hannah on Twitter @hannah_bowringTearfund's Rubbish Campaign - https://www.tearfund.org/campaigns/rubbish-campaignChristianity and Climate Change short film series - https://www.tearfund.org/campaigns/christianity-and-climate-change-film-seriesThe Hopeful Activists' Podcast - https://hopefulactivists.captivate.fm/listenFINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

This week's guest is the marvellous Amy Hughes, mother, co-leader of Trinity Church Nottingham and co-founder of The Orchard. The Orchard is a women's ministry which she co-founded with her sister Rachel Hughes (at Gas Street Birmingham) which is about creating space for women to step more fully into all God has made them to be and do which they've done the past few years through their podcasts, gatherings in Birmingham and an annual leaders retreat.In this episode we talk about balancing motherhood alongside having a heavily pastoral focused role, life as a mum of twins, Amy's journey to faith, and we finish with unpacking some of the vision of the Orchard for women and also what this particularly looks like in motherhood. Amy explains the value of the season of motherhood, even when we feel overlooked; and how as women we have what she calls the "upside-down weapons" to change the world and sow seeds for future generations. She provides such a counter-culture but empowering, liberating and exciting message for today's podcast. And she's also incredibly reassuring to anyone who might just have found out they might be expecting twins!RESOURCES AND LINKS...You can follow Amy and Rachel on Instagram @theorchardwomenFor more information on the their conference in October you can go to theorchardwomen.comAnd you can listen to The Orchard Podcast on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/2vxwkmcRUiNZWpSUXCi17aFINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

This week I chat to Natasha Rees, Schools lead for the Naked Truth Project, a charity which aims to raise awareness and free people from the damaging impact of p0rn. We discuss whether porn itself, or just addiction to porn is a problem, how we protect our children from early exposure to porn and how we can better educate our children how to cope with issues like sharing indecent images with one another; and then the impact of porn addiction on individuals and couples and how the Naked Truth Project can help if you find yourself or your partner in this situation.It's such a rarely discussed issue in the Church, particularly amongst women, and particularly in the context of addiction (as opposed to educating parents about protecting their children from too early exposure to porn). Yet, as Natasha raises one online porn website had 54 billion hits in one year, and points out it therefore must be affecting society in some way. It's a conversation not to be missed.RESOURCESWebsite: https://nakedtruthproject.com/Instagram: @nakedtruthteamFINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

In this week's podcast, we delve into the powerful tools of leadership that can help mothers rediscover their sense of identity and purpose.Speaking to Laura Mears, co-founder of Salmon Swimming, a business which coaches people in leadership development, she gives us an insightful discussion and practical advice to support Christian mums. By embracing leadership principles and tools such as The 5 Voices- Laura explains how we can become more self aware, more purposeful in order to flourish in motherhood and in our place within the Church. We discuss how motherhood can strip us of a sense of identity, how we can become more self aware, what are the 5 Voices, and we also reflect on the recent turbulence within the Church and how, as Christians, we can challenge leadership better when needed. RESOURCES AND LINKSYou can find out more about Laura's business, Salmon Swimming at www.salmonswimming.com To take the free 5 Voices assessment go to salmonswimming.giantos.com/store/5-voicesThe book Laura refers to in the podcast is The 5 Voices by Jeremie Kubicek & Steve CockramFINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

This week we speak to Rachael Newham, author of Learning to Breathe, and And Yet?, Mental Health Friendly Church Project Coordinator at Kintsugi Hope and the founder of Christian mental health charity, ThinkTwice. Rachael shares her story of mental illness, how she manages her mental illness now she's a Mum and how she kept her faith through the darkest of times. We also discuss how the Church, and we personally, can support people with a mental illness/poor mental health better, including how we can strive for a better sense of Shalom in our churches.RESOURCESYou can find Rachael on social media @RachaelNewham90www.kintsugihope.comwww.rachaelnewham.comLearning to Breathe, Rachael NewhamAnd Yet, Rachael NewhamAND FINALLY...Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

This week we speak to the effervescent Natalie Collins, a gender justice specialist. She talks to us about her work in helping women escape from abusive partners, and how having an abusive partner lead Natalie to work in this area. We discuss the reasons behind domestic abuse, what domestic abuse is, and some of the beliefs within the Church that can heighten the problems women face when they have an abusive partner. Natalie has such a talent for communicating about this very difficult topic in a way that RESOURCES You can follow Natalie on Twitter @god_loves_womenNatalie's Book "Out of Control": https://spckpublishing.co.uk/out-of-controlNatalie's Grove Book: https://grovebooks.co.uk/products/y-46-gender-aware-youth-work-confronting-gender-based-injustice-with-young-people_pos=1&_sid=07e22a99f&_ss=rThe DAY Programme: http://dayprogramme.orgThe Own My Life course: http://ownmylifecourse.orgAND FINALLY...Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

In this episode we talk to Charlotte Hurlow, mum of three, who was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at 39 weeks pregnant with her third child. Charlotte shares candidly her journey through treatment, the struggles of family life, facing a daunting prognosis, how her faith impacted her, and the struggles of returning back to work after a long time away. Despite everything her optimism, positivity and faith shine through her story, and we're sure you'll love her as much as we do.FINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

This week we talk to Iryna on the anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine about her, and her family's experience of leaving Kherson to come to the UKKEY TOPICSTopic #1 [1:48] The beginning of the conflict in the Ukraine- Iryna explains what life was like for them as a family before the conflict. We then talk about the beginning of the conflict including waking up to the news of war and living under Russian occupation. Topic #2 [12:50] Leaving Ukraine- Iryna tells us about the emotionally complex decision to leave Kherson, and the long journey they faced.Topic #3 [39:30] Living in the UK- we chat about the impact of leaving the Ukraine of her family, and the highs and lows of leaving the Ukraine.RESOURCES AND LINKSYou can follow Iryna on Instagram @irinalyaskovska.FINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

In this weeks episode, we have no guest, just our own Becky and Helen talking about Becky's journey through pregnancy and loss after her baby received a terminal diagnosis at a scan. We talk about how Becky coped with pregnancy, how people were helpful (or not so helpful), her experience in hospital (spoiler: the NHS were amazing!) and what grief looked like in the immediate aftermath and in the 6 years since. KEY TOPICSTopic #1 [2:11 ] Early pregnancy and getting a diagnosis- Becky tells us about what early pregnancy was like including a strange dream she had. We then talk about her daughter Aurelia's diagnosis and how Becky and her husband Gerard came to the decision to carry on the pregnancy. Topic #2 [25:03] Time in Hospital- we talk about the Becky's experience in hospital including her amazing midwives who went above and beyond the call of duty.Topic #3 [32:36] Grief- we finish discussing what grief looked like at different points over the last 6 years, how it impacted her husband in a different way, how she marks Aurelia's birthday and where to go to support if you're facing baby loss, or want to help someone else who is.RESOURCES AND LINKSSome of the resources mentioned in the podcast include;· Becky's blog (very neglected these days- sorry!) https://goldengiftblog.wordpress.com/· Zoe Clarke-Coates (@zoeadelle) and her charity Saying Goodbye @sayinggoodbye_charity https://www.sayinggoodbye.org/ · Zoe has written several books including Saying Goodbye· and Pregnancy after Loss· Another powerful book on Baby Loss is Elle Wright's (@featheringtheemptynest) book Ask Me His Name- she also has a blog and instagram account which include many stories and thoughts on baby loss and infertility.· A few other charities which may be helpful if you're experiencing Baby Loss include; Sands, Abigails Footsteps, and Tommy's.FINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

In this episode we talk to Liz Walker, GP and mum to grown up children. Liz gives some golden nuggets of wisdom on bringing up teenagers, we chat about life as a working Mum and we finish off with the current crisis in the NHS, including a few ideas how we can support the NHS.KEY TOPICSTopic #1 [4:25] Parenting teenagers- Liz tells us about she managed the teenage years with her kids, the importance of simply listening and how to cope when your teens are no longer interested in church.Topic #2 [27:45] Juggling life as a working Mum-we discuss the joys and challenges of being a working Mum, how Liz coped with the pressures of life at home vs work, and how things have changed over the last 30 years.Topic #3 [38:30] The NHS- we couldn't not talk the NHS in the episode. Liz gives her opinion what's causing so much pressure on the NHS right now, what we can do when we're worried about our children with so many horrid viruses and bugs about, and how we can support those working in the NHS.RESOURCES AND LINKSSome of the resources mentioned in the podcast include;· The website Liz mentions for looking at children's symptoms is frimley-healthiertogether.nhs.uk · Katherine Hill “Left to their own devices. Parenting in a digital age”. · Sarah-Jayne Blakemore “Inventing ourselves, The secret life of the teenage brain.”· Katherine Hill “A Mind of their own, Building your child's emotional wellbeing in a post pandemic world.”· FINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

In this episode we talk to Emma Waring, a psychosexual therapist about how motherhood can impact our sex lives. We discuss timetabling sex (yes honestly!), how desire works in women, shame, and a little bit about how to talk to your children and avoid feelings of shame about sex. RESOURCES AND LINKS· You can find more information about Emma on her website at https://www.emmawaring.com/ . The book Emma wrote that we refer to in the podcast is called "Seasons for Sex and Intimacy: For a Husband and Wife in Marriage"FINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.com You can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

In this episode we talk to Jo Johnson, Consultant in Prayer for the Wycliffe Global Alliance, about parenting whilst being a missionary. She tells us about the joys and challenges of life as a missionary, and also about work opportunities have opened up in the last few years as her children have all left the nest. RESOURCES & LINKSFor more information on the Wycliffe Global Alliance you can go to https://www.wycliffe.net/To learn more about the work of the Wycliffe UK office you can go to https://wycliffe.org.uk/FINALLY…Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you're got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.com.You can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod

In this episode we talk to Celia Webster, co-founder of WAVE for Change, about the joys and challenges of parenting a child who has a learning disability. Celia gives a deeply honest and moving account of discovering life was going to take a different path when she discovered Maia's disability, the isolation of having a child who is “different” at times, but also how much joy Maia has brought to her life. She also tells us about how she and Bernice Hardy founded WAVE for Change, a charity which gives those with and without learning disabilities a chance to mix, and part of the story honestly gave us goosebumps!KEY TOPICSTopic #1 [1:50] Introductions and discovering Maia had learning disabilitiesCelia gives us an introduction to herself, and the struggles she faced and the lessons learnt in discovering Maia had additional needs.Topic #2 [14:04] IsolationWe chat about the isolation that parents can feel if their child has additional needs and the need for churches to better engage with families whose children have additional needs. We also talk about the wider isolation parents can feel for themselves and their child in society.Topic #3 [20:14] Wave for ChangeCelia shares an incredible story of how, feeling like there was something lacking for her and Maia to go to, but reluctant to make a change herself; she had an amazing dream. Shortly after Bernice Hardy reached out to her and together Wave for Change began. Celia tells us a little about how Wave for Change works and how it has impacted people's lives.Topic #4 [39:50] How can we make a change?We reflect on whether attitudes to disabilities have changed at all since the beginning of Wave for Change. And then we chat as to whether there's anything we can personally do to help change attitudes to be more positive and inclusive of people with additional needs.RESOURCES AND LINKS· You can find more information about Wave for Changeo https://www.wave-for-change.org.uk/o @waveforchangeuk on Instagramo @waveforchange on TwitterFINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

In this episode we talk to Helen Rowell, founder of Brightest Stars and co-host of the already hugely successful podcast, The Widowhood. Helen tells us about the rollercoaster of emotions after losing her husband Mike last year, what's been helpful and unhelpful in supporting her through, and also about her amazing new charity Brightest Stars which she created to give grieving families a chance to meet with others who are also grieving.KEY TOPICSTopic #1 [1:50] Life with MikeHelen tells us about life with Mike and a little bit about the tragic circumstances surrounding Mike's skiing accident in 2022.Topic #2 [10:00] The early days of griefWe chat about how Helen handled telling her son that his Dad had died and how Alfie has been a source of strength for Helen. She shares with us some of the emotions she went through (including avoiding grief). Our Helen also shares some of her reflections of watching Helen in those early days and how we can support friends going through grief.Topic #3 [21:45] What's helpful in griefHelen shares a little of how her faith has helped her, but also practical ideas as to what you can do to support people going through grief such as filling people's fridges (and also not what to do or say!)Topic #4 [30:50] Setting up Brightest StarsHelen tells us about why she set up Brightest Stars to support her son and other families through grief.RESOURCES AND LINKSYou can find more information about Helen's charity atwww.brighteststars.co.uk@brighteststarsbereavementFor more information on the podcast Helen is co-host for go to @thewidowhood. To listen to The Widowhood go to https://open.spotify.com/show/7vNnSBQJqLCOK46m4YGeIHFINALLY….Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review.If you've got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.comYou can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod.

In this episode we interview Chine McDonald, Director of Theos and mum of two boys about her experience with hyperemesis gravidarum (extreme morning sickness) and issues around maternal mental health, and then we discuss her book ‘God is Not a White Man' (2021) and the issues of racism in the Church in relation to being a parent.KEY TOPICSTopic #1 [5:10] Pregnancy and maternal mental healthWe discuss Chine's unfortunate experience with hyperemesis gravidarum (extreme morning sickness) and how she got through such a debilitating experience (including a very tricky interview with the ex-Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams). We then question whether there can be more pressure on Christian Mum's to cope/not be open about their mental health when they're struggling, and what the Church can do to help women and families better at this, sometimes overwhelming and all- consuming time of their life.Topic #2 [21:43] God is Not a White Man and issues around race, the Church and parentingWe get Chine to give us a brief outline of how the image of God “as a white man” has perpetuated racism in the Church. We then turn to parenting black boys in modern culture, how being part of an interacial couple has affected parenting, and then we turn to Chine's hopes and dreams for the Church in relation to her boys.RESOURCES & LINKSChine's book ‘God is not a White Man' (2021) can be bought from https://uk.bookshop.org/books/god-is-not-a-white-man-and-other-revelations/9781529349078?gclid=Cj0KCQiAmaibBhCAARIsAKUlaKQEL_zfx58dy9S6CLdKKaymDEiDztnhhKk2Y95xyQmFcj-HqE2U-fsaAicxEALw_wcBYou can find Chine on Twitter @chinemcdonald and also find more information about her and her work at www.chinemcdonald.comOn the podcast we mentioned three books;All About Diversity by Felicity BrooksBringing Up Race by Uju AsikaWhat White People Can Do Next by Emma DabiriFINALLY...Remember to subscribe, and also be sure to let us know what you think by leaving us a review. If you're got any questions or suggestions you can email us at saltymumspodcast@gmail.com.You can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @saltymumspod

Wahoo! Welcome to the Salty Mums Podcast with a taster of what's to come in January!