CREATIVITY, COMMUNITY, and WELLBEING for new mothers
Mothership Writers is a groundbreaking creative writing programme for new mothers. First born in Bristol in January 2019, the initial pilot was funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England; over 12 months, nearly sixty new mums – and their babies – met for fortnightly workshops led by novelist and Mothership founder Emylia Hall. Many hadn't written for years. Every single one had a story to tell.
Following the huge success of the pilot, Mothership Writers Online launched in 2020, giving new* mothers everywhere the chance to join our writing crew. The eight-week courses are designed to spark your imagination and get you writing. It's an opportunity to nurture your creative side and carve out some time for you — while feeling the benefits of putting pen to paper. Our January 2025 course is now open for booking! And do sign up to the newsletter if you’d like to be the first to hear when the future dates are announced. Our workshops are supportive, rejuvenating and inclusive spaces. For every workshop group we offer two fully subsidised places, for those who couldn’t otherwise afford to take part: do get in touch to find out more.
Our MOTHERSHIP WRITERS NOTEBOOK was released in October 2022 and the response has been amazing. Beautifully illustrated by Esther Curtis, and written by founder Emylia Hall, our Notebook is the spirit of Mothership between two covers. With tips, advice, inspiring words, and plenty of room to write, it’s the perfect space to tell your story of motherhood. For every copy sold, we’ll be donating £2 to the amazing charity Project MAMA and their work with migrant mamas. Thanks to initial match funding via The Big Give and our ‘double the love’ Christmas campaign we’ve already raised £800 - and counting!
In November 2020 we launched BORN IN LOCKDOWN, a collaborative writing project for new mums with babies born in 2020. An incredible 277 mums took part, and the finished work is a 20,000 prose piece, offering a remarkable record of these unreal times. BORN IN LOCKDOWN is free to download here on the Mothership website. Within just a few weeks of its launch our book had already been downloaded more than 5,000 times and raised over £6,500 for Sands. Our book and some of its amazing contributors were featured on BBC News and Positive News. Thank you to everyone who supported this very special project.
Here’s to creativity and maternity!
*With a baby aged two or under at the start of the course.
“The Mothership course has helped me to find my voice as a writer and a mother.”
“Mothership writers was a pair of huge arms that held me tightly. I found my voice here. I found a passion here. I found likeminded people here and I found creativity and reflection here. It should be compulsory for all new mothers!”
“The absolute best thing you can do for your mind.”
“Mothership Writers brought me peace, joy, and self-confidence at a really difficult and exhausting time. I cannot speak highly enough of every aspect.”