NAMBUCCA’s ageing mums, and mums-by-association, living at Autumn Lodge Macksville and Riverside Gardens Nambucca Heads, are amongst ladies who will receive early Mother’s Day gifts.

157 cakes of soap and two trays of artificial flowers were lovingly made into posies to be presented to the ‘forgotten mums’ or aunties who never had children but helped raise a community.

This is an initiative that has sprouted from Margaret Schumacher and the Facebook group, Paying it Forward Coffs.

“Residing in nursing homes across Australia are women who have birthed a child and other ladies who were substitute mums and mums whose children no longer visit due to many reasons including social distancing,” Margaret told News Of The Area.

“These beautiful ladies deserve to be remembered.

“Last year I was talking to a long-time friend whose mum passed away in a nursing home.

“During this conversation she mentioned the forgotten mums…these ageing mums without children or family and we added them to our list.”

Together with friends from Paying it Forward Coffs they decided to collect cakes of soap to donate to these mums.

“When asked ‘how are you going to wrap them?’ we reached out for donations of drawstring bags and handmade gift tags.”

Members and friends added soap to their weekly shopping.

“Rose, lavender, handmade, Australian made and soaps for sensitive skin were all gifted with love, kindness, generosity and a few tears,” said Margaret.

As the group started to prepare the gifts, stories were shared of mums’ favourite soaps.

“We told stories of uses for a cake of soap (other than bathing) and shared memories of our own mums.”

“You may work with or know women who have lost a child,” said Margaret.

“They are still mums.

“You may know women who are estranged from their children.

“There are grandmas who haven’t met their grandchildren.”

These are the mums Margaret and Paying It Forward Coffs are calling the community to remember this Mother’s Day, Sunday 8 May 2022.

How you can help is by joining the Facebook group Paying it Forward Coffs Harbour.

A similar project will be undertaken for Father’s Day 2022.

 

By Andrea FERRARI