City mums have Mush love for app

‘Mush’ encourages mums to connect with each other and get out and about across the city, and more than 300 Sheffield mums have already signed up.

The app was launched last year and now has more than 60,000 members across the country. It was set up by two mums who met in a rainy playground and formed an instant friendship.

They had no tech experience, but made it their mission that no mum should go it alone, and want Mush to be the largest social network for mums globally.

A spokesman for Mush said: “Mush is like Tinder; you tell it the area you live in, the ages of your kids and your interests, then you can see who else is on it near you and message them to arrange coffee or a play date. Mums in Sheffield are already using Mush to go on ‘mum dates.’

“Mush also helps organise group meet ups, like coffee in a child-friendly café or a weekly group walk, and these are now taking place regularly in Sheffield.

“Meet ups organised through Mush are helping mums who are new to the area, who are struggling to get out with their baby or who just want to widen their social circle, to get out and meet others like them.”

A national survey commissioned by Mush found that: 50 per cent of mums find it hard to plan with kids, 80 per cent prefer to go to playgroup with a friend, 22 per cent only have one local mum friend, and 50 per cent find it hard to make local mum friends.

The study also revealed 50 per cent of mums go to the shops primarily for adult interaction, and that 60 per cent regularly go a full day without adult interaction. 82 per cent of mums thought that having mum friends would make them a happier, more positive mum.

Holly Pratt, aged 31, of Sheffield, is mum to five-month-old Aria and, as the Mush research suggests, found it hard to meet people at first.

“You become a mum and your whole life changes, so all of a sudden you don’t have as much in common with your existing friends who don’t have children,” said Holly.

“Being a new mum is really tough as there’s so much to get your head around and you’re exhausted and emotional, so it can be a lonely time if you don’t know others in the same position.

“I wanted to meet more mums who lived near me and who had babies of a similar age. There are loads of great playgroups and classes in Sheffield, but it can be nerve-wracking trying to strike up conversations. Since joining Mush I’ve met some lovely local mums.”

The Mush app...

The Mush app shows mums signed up within 15 miles. It also features the ‘Mush Hub’ - a local chat area, and the ‘Mush Guides’ - articles written by other Mush mums. There’s a ‘Mush Calendar’ to hold invitations and arranged playdates, with locations, times, number of mums attending, etc. Follow @mushmums on Twitter.

Live Theatre - Ludicrous fun: Alice The Musical opens at Montgomery Theatre

Alice The Musical opens in Sheffield this week.

The amateur production, presented by Girlguiding Sheffield, will open this Thursday and run until Saturday at The Montgomery Theatre, on Surrey Street. There will be a 7.30pm show on Thursday and Friday, and a 2pm matinee on Saturday.

The 90-minute show will tell the stories of Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass, with music and dance, performed by young members of Girlguiding Sheffield. Tickets are £10 for adults and £7 for children.

A host of other family-friendly shows will be appearing at The Montgomery this season, including The Emperor’s New Clothes, presented by Stuff & Nonsense Theatre Company, which opens on April 1. Camp Rock will open on April 28, telling the story of a group of friends and a summer of jamming at camp.

Call 0114 272 0455 or visit The Montgomery to book tickets.

Illustration workshop - Matilda

A workshop celebrating Roald Dahl’s Matilda will be held this Saturday, from 2pm to 4pm, at Broomhill Library.

Quentin Blake will be usurped this weekend when children will be led by local artist Hannah Vonroast in illustrating elements of Matilda. The creative workshop will play with pictures, words and paint, using children’s favourite books and characters as inspiration for their own! The workshop forms part of ongoing Matilda celebrations being held by Sheffield’s Handmade Cinema and Broomhill Library. Visit Handmade Cinema for details.

MUSIC - City’s classical weekend

Enter the kaleidoscopic world of classical music - Sheffield style.

Classical Weekend is back with another three days of musical discovery – this year with an even more delightfully diverse set of bite-size concerts.

Opening on Friday, wind your way around the musical city on a tuneful treasure trail through the best venues and beautiful buildings.

Discover incredible talent from across the region, music from around the world and some special guests.

With formal and informal concerts, pop-up performances and interactive shows, families, beginners and long-time music lovers can all make memories and brand new connections.

Indulge in the incomparable experience of live music and find something that stays with you.

Visit Classical Weekend for details.

Experience - A 1940s open day!

Join Mr and Mrs Barnes at Manor Cottage this Sunday, to find out what life was like on a farm during WW II - at the 1940s open day.

Visit the washroom, where you can have a go at clothes washing without electricity. View inside the parlour and kitchen where you’ll meet different family members. Check out the bedrooms and exhibitions rooms, before heading outside to the Anderson shelter, where an ARP warden will show you how to put out an incendiary bomb using a stirrup pump and sound the air raid siren. He’ll also show you his collection of WW2 artefacts.

Visit between 11am and 4pm this Sunday.

ALSO ON

Mother’s Day workshop, Hobbycraft Sheffield

All day Sunday in store

Make your mum feel special this Mother’s Day - and help Bluebell Wood Hospice in the process, with free sessions where children make a beautiful, personalised card that mums will love, in return for a donation to Bluebell Wood.

Music Box workshops

Channing Hall, Sheffield

Saturday - 10am and 11,15am

Joyful mini-concerts for little ones aged 0-2, with Head Over Reels – the brilliant brother-and-sister duo who play jolly jigs and raucous reels that’ll be sure to get everyone’s toes tapping! Tons of fun!

Sound Laboratory

University of Sheffield

Friday - 1.30pm-2.30pm

A family-friendly concert suitable for all ages, allowing children to explore and experiement with all types of music.