NEWS DESK
Mothers marking time Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au CELEBRATIONS come and go with regularity, most often marked by years. And this has become the norm for members of a mothers' group in Mt Martha celebrating their decadelong friendship. Although not related, the 11 families have kept pace with each other, watching their children progress through various stages of growth and schooling. Some have moved away, but the bonds remain. The families were brought together when the mothers joined a group organised through Mornington Peninsula Shire’s maternal and child health centre at the Bentons Square Community Centre, Mornington. “The mother’s group started 10 years ago and is still going strong,” Karen Lloyd said. “We are so grateful that this group was made available; the support and advice that we were given was
invaluable. We became each other’s babysitters, shoulders to cry on and support. We have celebrated so many milestones together and still rely on each other for advice on how to raise
these cheeky little monkeys. “The kids call each other their surrogate brothers and sisters, if they don’t have any, and we are all second mums and dads to all of them.”
A decade on: The mothers group members celebrating their decade-long friendship, top left, Lee Cadman, Michelle Lawrence, Alison Murphy, Kylie Donnelly, Jo Johnson, Karen Lloyd, Kim Harris, Danyel Christie, Carissa Meagher. The children, left, as babies, and now. above. Pictures: Supplied
As part of their 10-year celebration the mothers “re-enacted” some photos taken when their children “were bubs, and now they are all 10, with many siblings”. Ms Lloyd said nine of the 11 original mothers’ group families were at the celebration. "We still all catch up and support each other - sometimes at our houses, sometimes at parks,” she said. The 11 mothers who made up the group were Ms Lloyd, Michelle Lawrence, Lee Cadman, Alison Murphy, Olivia Ellul , Jo Johnson, Carissa Meagher, Danyel Christie, Kim Harris, Megan Elliot and Kylie Donnelly. The original group of toddlers Tessa, Charlotte, Helena, Brody L, Tora, Rubie, Lucy, James, Lily, Bentley, Brody J – were later joined by siblings Lachie, Eli, Summer, Jack, Mason, Ollie, Matilda, Max, Grace,
Kobi, Audrey and Brax. Since meeting each other in April 2008, the mothers have celebrated their anniversary at various venues, including Myuna Farm (Doveton), Mornington Park, Santa’s Place (Moorooduc), riding on the historic Puffing Billy steam train and making caravan trips. The extended families include three children who were born on the same day, two at the The Bays hospital, Mornington, at the same time without their mothers realising it until comparing notes after joining the mothers’ group. Ms Lloyd said four of the children at the mothers’ group “ended up going to Osborne Primary School together” while others went to St Macartan’s in Mornington, Mt Martha Primary and Benton Junior College. Some of the children attend the same ballet school while others are members of the same netball and football teams. “We have a massive Christmas party every year and try to get all the fathers there,” Ms Lloyd said. “They say it takes a community to raise a child, well, we are certainly trying to foster one together.”
Residents call on shire to make a path
Road safety concerns: Tash Jones, Anne Drummond and Mandy Barr in Baden Powell Drive. Picture: Ebony Elise
Continued from Page 1 “It is only a matter of time before someone is hit by a car, injured or even worse given the narrow shoulders, and poor lighting on the windy road from Nepean Highway along Baden Powell Drive. “Children currently have no way to commute (supervised or otherwise) to the many facilities available nearby.” Ms Barr said “despite multiple inquiries by residents before the strategy was published, together with 200 signatures gathered in 72 hours, the council had again left this important link off its future plans”. The group met with council officers recently
who suggested they beautify and clean up the reserve alongside Baden Powell Drive. “They said we should start volunteer groups which could give us access to council grants,” Ms Barr said. “Then our footpath proposal would be more appealing to the council as we all chip in and make it a friendly environment. “Community safety is our main priority on this connector road,” she said. “We are ratepayers who pay a high premium to live on the peninsula. “We have no direct bus service to Mt Eliza so if we do not drive we have to take to the street to get to public facilities and village. My kids walk home from the village bus stop at their own risk
crossing a busy highway and along a bustling Baden Powell Drive.” Transport for Victoria told the group that Mt Eliza presented a “significant challenge for effective service planning, as potential bus routes are obliged to take winding, circuitous steep roads that result in increased journey times for passengers as well as significantly increasing service delivery cost”. Ms Barr countered: “Five days a week numerous private school buses go up and down Humphries Road and Baden Powell Drive in peak hour.” Mornington Peninsula Shire was contacted for comment.
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Mornington News
24 July 2018
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