One’s a mum-in-a-million, another’s a granny worth her weight in gold, while the third is a young parent with a bright future. Higher Ince mum Deborah Smalley, Atherton mum Zoe Kirkman and Ince grandmother Vivien Martin have joined a select group hailed ‘Champions’ by a major children’s charity and Wigan Council. For the first time ever, the Manchester-based Rathbone Society has joined forces with the council to reward exceptional parent-power in our borough. The awards seek out parents who inspire their children to become good citizens, show them clear boundaries, give them plenty of praise and have plenty of time for play. Here are their stories....Young mums go for it!
She’s faced the spectre of homelessness and the nightmare of nursing her young son through a series of operations but young parent of the year Zoë Kirkman takes it all in her stride.
The 21 year-old from Atherton has not only overcome her own troubles, she’s now helping other struggling mums to overcome theirs. Things got tough for Zoe after she gave birth to Dylan in 2004. She could no longer stay at home so had to find somewhere else to live.
Dylan was born with a facial impairment which meant Zoe had to spend many an anxious hour in a hospital waiting room as he underwent surgery. But brave Zoe refused to let things get her down. In fact the hard times made her more determined to shape her son into a happy, confident and energetic boy.
Dylan has now started at Meadowbank Primary School and Zoe has been back to school herself, gaining basic skills qualifications at Dorset Road Community Centre so she can move on to college.
On top of all that she’s found time to help set up the Hag Fold Young Women’s Group, which supports isolated girls and young women.
Mum’s the Word for Debbie
When it comes to being a parent, Debbie Smalley is as good as it gets. And it’s all thanks to the lessons she learnt from her own mother.
Debbie Smalley with daughter Katie, aged four.
Debbie, 40, from Higher Ince, has been crowned the borough’s overall Parent of the Year. Debbie says that it was by watching her own ‘special mum’ Margaret in action that inspired her to take every opportunity to help her children Josh, six, Katie, four and Jessica, three, to learn and have fun.
Debbie also aids other parents in the Ince area by working with SureStart to help them find out what services are available to families. The judges described her approach to parenting as ‘the perfect mix of learning and fun’.
“I was really shocked when I found out I’d won”, says Debbie. “I think being a good mum is about always being there and being loving and caring. It’s also about support. My mum lives across the road and I’d be lost without her.”
There's no-one quite like Grandma
When it comes to bringing up baby there’s little you could teach grandparent of the year Vivien Martin. In fact she’s brought up five children of her own and four grandchildren, full time! The full-of-beans 60 year-old from Ince has a busy daily routine but at the heart of everything she does is the determination to ensure that her two grandsons, who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), get a great start in life.
Vivien looks after Jordan, 13, Dwain, 11, Sasha, nine and Stuart, eight with help from her four sons and daughter.
Grandparent of the Year Vivien Martin celebrates with granddaughter Sasha, aged nine.
Top of her priority list is making sure that Stuart and Dwain get regular medication for their ADHD – a condition that effects up to five per cent of the world’s population. “Some people call children with ADHD naughty but I see the other side,” says Vivien, who reckons the recipe for being a successful parent is “Being there for your kids all the time.” She also makes sure that her grandchildren, who all call her ‘mum’, get weekends away camping.
Grandparent of the Year Vivien Martin celebrates with granddaughter Sasha, aged nine.
Wigan Council’s Cabinet Champion for Children Cllr Susan Loudon was full of praise for all three winners.
“What an inspiration!” says Cllr Loudon. “All too often we hear about children behaving badly and the cry is usually ‘I blame the parents’.
“So it is wonderful that we can praise the parents instead and hold them up as great examples.”
