Meet the NI mothers who give to others

For some it will be bitter sweet. Anyone who has ever lost their mum will know that Mother’s Day can be tinged with sadness.

The past few years have been really difficult and there is much to thank mothers for, including those that go the extra mile for others, both inside, and outside, of their families.

One such mum is Charlene Edwards from Lurgan.

When she was only 34 years old, Charlene, a mum to two boys, had a stroke in October 2020.

She said: “I was in my brother’s house and I was having a drink for his birthday. I started feeling really dizzy, so decided to head home. When I got into my house, I went to the bathroom and was sick.

"Then, my symptoms got much worse and I realised I was having a stroke. I lost power in my leg and hand on my right-hand side, and my ability to talk. I managed to crawl to my bedroom, but I couldn’t get up on the bed. I lay there waiting for someone to find me all night. My dad didn’t come down until the next day, when he called an ambulance.”

Charlene was brought to Craigavon hospital where she was told she had suffered a massive stroke. She was then transferred to Belfast, where she underwent surgery to have a stent fitted in an artery in her neck. Following her operation, Charlene faced a long road to recovery.

“I was in hospital for six weeks and I couldn’t speak a word when I got out. I stayed at my mum’s house for the first week, but I have two boys, Odhran who is 13, and nine-year-old Daitihi, and I care for my oldest as he uses a wheelchair. I wanted to get back home for them.”

Gradually, with the help of a speech and language therapist and occupational therapist, Charlene’s speech and right-sided weakness began to improve.

“They gave me exercises to do which helped, but my speech is still coming back now. It’s called Aphasia. I still jumble my words and find it hard to communicate,”

Charlene then heard about the local Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke PREP (Post Rehab Exercise Programme) and started going.

“The PREP group is brilliant – we were made really welcome. Although the others at the group don’t have Aphasia like me, it’s still helpful to speak to them and we can all share what we’re going through.”

Charlene now volunteers a few hours a week with a PREP group in Craigavon to help others going through a similar experience.

"Volunteering gives me something to look forward to. It’s nice to share my experience of what I went through with other people and to reassure them that there is life on the other side of stroke.”

Another mother helping others is Mary Waide, a member of the Women’s Institute and regional president of St Vincent de Paul for the North Region.

Mary is mum to Barry, Austin, Lucy, Orla and Aideen and baby Maire, who died at nine weeks. She also has nine grandchildren.Born in Dungannon, but now living in Ballymena, Mary says her mother was a wonderful role model.

Mary has been a member of SVP for 20 years and is committed to helping and supporting the most vulnerable families and individuals living in poverty, who are faced with impossible choices of whether to heat their home or put food on the table.

She is involved in home visitation through her local SVP Conference and, as regional president, has overall responsibility for the Society's work across Northern Ireland.

Mary was invited to represent SVP at the Maundy Thursday Service in St George's Chapel Windsor Castle last year and was greeted by the then Prince Charles who presented her with the Maundy Purses.

On shaking her hand he advised her that the specially minted coins were being presented to her as a thank you for her work and that of SVP.

She said: "When I joined SVP 20 years ago it opened up a new dimension to my life and I enjoy the variety of activities and making new friends through the WI. SVP has enriched my life and deepened my awareness of the many people who are in desperate circumstances out of their control and not of their own making. It's a real joy for me to be able to give back to my local community through volunteering and I have had opportunities to meet so many lovely people in visitation and in my role as regional president and for that I am most grateful."

Meanwhile, teams from local retailer SPAR NI have been travelling across Northern Ireland this week to honour mothers who give to others, selecting local heroes who not only work in SPAR and EUROSPAR stores, but also volunteers who are giving up their time with their own families to help other families in their communities.

Irene Hunter who has been working at EUROSPAR Dromara for 18 years and is the elected community representative for the store, has been integral in the millions of pounds retailers have raised for Cancer Fund for Children since the partnership began in 2011.

Helping others is embedded in Irene’s life, and outside work, she regularly fundraises for PIPS, Alzheimer’s Society and NI Chest Heart and Stroke.

Irene, who has four children; twins Jamie and Jason (28), daughter Chloe (24) and son Joel (20) said of her surprise: “I absolutely love that through my job, I’m able to drive our charity fundraising and events, which is what drives me outside of work too. I love helping people, I love doing whatever I can do for local groups and charities.”

Irene has donated her hamper back to the store, and has added more flowers, treats and a bottle of champagne which is up for a special Mother’s Day raffle this weekend, with all proceeds going towards Cancer Fund for Children.

Hairdresser Kathy Loughridge from Belfast has volunteered for SPAR’s charity partner, Marie Curie for over 15 years, sitting on their fundraising committee and organising many events. Her most recent event, the Marie Curie Time Ball raised an incredible £143,000.

Kathy, who has four children; Mark, David, Amy and Adam and is kept busy with her six grandchildren, said: “I love sitting on the fundraising committee at Marie Curie, it fills me with huge joy when we can create an event that is going to provide so much for those who need it in the local community as well as in the hospice, including everyone who works and volunteers there.

“Everyone has their own personal reasons for volunteering and engaging with different organisations, and even though it can be hard work, it is always worth it.”

Tracey Maea, a busy mum to four children, Hailee (20), Kaci-Lee (17), Mollie (13) and son, Corrie (9), has been volunteering at Newtownards Community Foodbank for nine years, devoting her time to offer the community a space free of judgement to get what they need, from everyday essentials to advice and a listening ear.

Tracey said: “Volunteering at the community hub has given me some of the most rewarding years of my life. We shouldn’t need foodbanks, but I am grateful that I am part of a team and organisation who can be there and help in whatever way we can.

“We aim to provide a non-judgemental and warm welcome to all our service users, including providing hot meals, our welfare programmes to support people getting back into work or on their feet, and our community fridge and freezer.”

Bronagh Luke, head of corporate marketing at Henderson Group who own SPAR in NI, said: “This Mother’s Day, we wanted to honour just a handful of the incredible women doing incredible things in their local communities, while also looking after their own families and the multiple things they have to juggle in their own lives!