Chester: Mum and charity founder launches 'heartfelt' guide

Kate Blakemore, founder of Motherwell Cheshire, a charity which supports women and girls, was in Chester to present Mum’s the Word – The Mother Journey.

In it, the mother-of-three, tells of her harrowing loss following an ectopic pregnancy and a later miscarriage as well as the post-natal depression that led her to undergo a termination.

The book, her first publication, also includes the mothering journeys of 25 other women, many of them from Chester, speaking openly about their birth experiences and impact on their bodies, careers and sex life.

It aims to be a guide to mums-to-be and aims to be a comforting companion to those already navigating the mothering journey.

Guests raise a glass to Kate’s venture into print. (Image: Pure PR)

It spans all ages from young mums to the role of grandmothers while exploring the topics of teen pregnancy, menopause and empty-nest syndrome.  

Written in a candid and chatty style, the book is selling well through Amazon. Bookingham Palace in Chester is now also onboard as a stockist.

Kate, who now has three children aged 17, 15 and 11, is thrilled as a percentage of proceeds is going to the charity which operates across  Cheshire West and Chester.

She said: “I made a bold decision to make this a ‘raw and real’ book with amazing women who have contributed in such an open and honest way.

“These mothering journeys are heartfelt stories that need to be told. So many books for mums-to-be and parents sugar coat the experience sending us all on a guilt trip.

“I had to reveal my secrets like the decision I had to make in my early 20s to terminate a pregnancy which I had kept from everyone.

“I was so poorly after an ectopic pregnancy and losing my first child and even though I had only one fallopian tube, I became pregnant again but simply didn't have physical and mental strength to carry it through.

“I had a termination and the guilt was horrendous. I held it all in for over 20 years until my secret was out in this book.”

The book launch was also an opportunity to update the Chester community on the work of the charity including its latest campaign to eradicate period poverty by distributing free sanitary products round schools, community organisations and sporting groups.

Motherwell Cheshire’s pink collection boxes for people to donate products are set up around the county including Brio Leisure Northgate Arena in Chester and the city library.

The charity has also forged a new link with Chester Pride to take part in the event and distribute free period products

Kate, 44, a counsellor specialising in infant loss and birth trauma, added: “Storyhouse is one of my favourite places, it gives me a creative buzz. Several of the mums featured in the book also come from Chester so it was perfect for the launch.

“It was wonderful to get their positive feedback and it makes me very proud to see my book for sale at Bookingham Palace.

“The way women find humour in the darkest of days speaks volumes about their emotional intelligence, humanity and strength. This book is a tribute to every mum I have ever met.”

There’s a five-star rating on Amazon where Julia Goulding, who plays Shona in Coronation Street, comments: “Kate’s journey, from a free-spirited young woman to a devoted mum of three is a testament to the transformative power of motherhood.

“Her experiences, combined with her professional insights as a counsellor, provide a profound understanding of the emotional and physical changes that come with being a mum.”

Motherwell Cheshire, the winner of awards for contribution to the community, champions the rights of women and girls and supports their health and wellbeing through a range of holistic therapies, counselling and education services.

Mum's the Word - The Mothering Journey is currently £11.99 on Amazon, at: https://amzn.eu/d/04KWKkH5.

For more on Motherwell Cheshire go to motherwellcheshirecio.com.