Meet MotherShip:
Leonie Hart & Rosie Gunn, Co-Founders & Co-Directors
MotherShip’s Co-Directors, Leonie Hart and Rosie Gunn, amass over 30 years experience managing arts projects and programmes for a number of major arts organisations including Women & Theatre, Geese Theatre, Leeds Playhouse, DanceXchange, The Lowry, Extant and DASH. In 2015 they founded community groups Bearwood and Kings Heath Action for Refugees, and spent over five years Chairing the groups and working with local communities on fundraising, awareness raising and befriending for newly arrived communities. They have extensive networks and experience in both refugee and arts sectors and are passionate about the power of the arts as a catalyst for change, enabling access to high quality arts experiences for all and the importance of play. They founded MotherShip after becoming mothers and hold a strong belief in the value of parents in the workplace, particularly mothers, and the importance of flexible and family-centred working practices.
Kate Sullivan - Visual Artist
Kate is a visual artist working with children and adults using sensory materials and delivers MotherShip sessions as part of both PLAYgroup and MARKit projects. She is a passionate environmentalist whose own practice is in growing and using plant dyes on fabric. She sells sewing kits using her naturally dyed fabrics through her social enterprise company Dabble and Sew. Kate teaches sewing and dyeing techniques to women in diverse settings facing life's challenges.
Rose Gordon - Movement Artist, Inclusive PLAYdays
Rose is a regional dance artist based in Smethwick and has been delivering participatory dance projects in the West Midlands since 2001. Having taken classes at Birmingham Dance Centre (later becoming DanceXchange), Rose went on to study at Joseph Chamberlain College and the University of Wolverhampton (Ba Hons Dance Studies). Rose is passionate about providing quality dance experiences for all and aims to make her work as inclusive and accessible as possible. She specialises in working in SEN settings and has been working at Fox Hollies Special school for a number of years. During her time at Fox Hollies she has mentored other dance artists wishing to move into a more inclusive dance practice. Rose also has an MA in Film & TV which she puts to good practice when making films with the students at Fox Hollies.
Hayley Guest - Movement Artist
Hayley is an independent artist and creative facilitator. She has been delivering workshops and projects in the community since graduating in 2004 from Coventry University, with a BA in Dance and Professional Practice. Hayley enjoys working with people from all walks of life, helping them express themselves through movement and find new ways of moving their bodies! She is committed to delivering work that is inclusive, participatory and accessible. As well as her work with MotherShip, Hayley also works as movement director for Spectra, a performance company with a neuro-diverse cast, who recently toured a multi-sensory immersive show called Eat The Stars, before embarking on an R&D online performance for their latest show New Heights. Hayley loves working with MotherShip as it provides so many opportunities for artistic collaborations, creativity and JOY!
Sozan Hossain - Mother Mentor
Sozan came to the UK in 2008 from Iraq. She is one of the original MARKit participants and has been an active member and driving force of the project since it began, learning and honing her skills and encouraging the other participants, both during the sessions and since the sessions have had to move online. She is passionate about the project and the work of MotherShip and seizes every opportunity with both hands. She works with Harvest Skincare and Dabble and Sew, using her newfound skills to sew wheat pillows and is also one of the founder participants of Bearwood Community Bakery. She has two sons, both at school. Before coming to the UK she worked in press and public relations for Alhorreya TV in Baghdad. She has a degree in Accountancy from Baghdad School of Economics.
Fatma Keskin - Mother Mentor
Fatma came to the UK three and half years ago from Turkey. She was one of the first participants of PLAYgroup with her then one year old daughter Eda. Now Eda is at school, Fatma is supporting fellow newly arrived mums as our Mother Mentor and sharing her experience with them. Fatma is also a participant of MARKit, taking a leading role in the group to learn creative skills and develop their social enterprise. Since arriving in the UK she has built her own business as a Turkish language tutor, prior to arriving in the UK she worked as a banker and a teacher in Turkey and has a degree in Economics and Theology.
Ekhlass Ibraheem - Mother Mentor
Ekhlass came to the UK in 2011 from Libya. She has been an active participant of both PLAYgroup, with her three daughters, and MARKit. Since joining MARKit she has discovered a talent and passion for illustration, which she now pursues in her spare time. She is a founder participant in Bearwood Community Bakery. She has embraced her role as Mother Mentor through the PLAYout project in helping participants access both online sessions and in person at Warley Woods, supporting them to make friends and have fun with their children in nature. Prior to coming to the UK Ekhlass worked as a receptionist and in secretarial roles and has a degree in English Literature from the University of Tripoli.
Janet Gray - Textile Artist, MARKit
Janet Gray is founder of Feed My Creative CIC a multi award winning social enterprise that works with young people and adults demonstrating ways to be more sustainable with fabrics. Their aims are to reduce waste and create more sustainable communities, and inspire creativity through craft workshops focused on using recycled fabric and materials.
They run creative textile workshops with community groups, educational establishments and charities. What they do is not just about the sewing – it’s about people coming together ‘sewicialising, learning new skills and being in a comfortable relaxed environment.
Julia Kane – ESOL practitioner
In September 2019 Julia enrolled in the CELTA course (Cambridge certificate to teach English language to adults). Whilst studying, she volunteered with “Talk English” a pre entry ESOL course in Birmingham. One of her earlier volunteer roles was with the Children’s society’s “meet and greet” service for newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers. It was here that she developed an interest in ESOL. With a background in education, prior to ESOL teaching she worked for nearly 20 years as a German and French teacher at a Birmingham secondary school. Julia is now employed on a part time basis by BAES (Birmingham Adult Education Service) to teach ESOL in the community.
Naomi St Juste - Childcare Practitioner
Peter Burgess - Musician, Inclusive PLAYdays
Peter has 19 years of experience supporting people with additional needs. He has worked in schools, colleges, day centres and community projects. He is a qualified further education lecturer. In 2010 he completed his M.ed in Severe, Profound and Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities. As a musician, Peter is a keen guitarist and songwriter. He has delivered musical workshops and classes in a number of different settings, including further education and community settings. Peter has performed with a variety of groups including a bluegrass band and a hip hop ensemble. He is enthusiastic about supporting people with additional needs to develop communication skills in creative and innovative ways.
Claire Leggett - Textile Artist, MARKit
Born in London and with a degree in Fashion & Textiles specialising in Print, she then trained as a Special Needs Primary school teacher, settled in Birmingham and raised a family – all of which took her away from her own art practice for some years. Now, alongside her own commercial practice of Painting and Surface Pattern Design, she also delivers workshops and creative opportunities for all ages in the Midlands. In the home studio you’ll find her inspired by colour, pattern, nature, printing, stitch and mixed media techniques. Elsewhere, you’ll find her helping young and old alike to explore their senses, access art opportunities and experience creative exploration. Claire currently teaches adults and children at: MAC Birmingham; Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery; University Birmingham’s Winterbourne Gardens and other local art groups.
Sonya Butterfield - Mother Mentor, Inclusive PLAYdays
Sonya is a single parent and has a daughter with a complex, life-limiting condition. Her own experience of isolation and ensuring her daughter has the education, health and care support she needs, has given her real understanding of the difficulties faced by families with special educational needs.
Before her daughter was born Sonya had 20 years experience working in PR and fundraising, initially in arts-based settings and then corporate partnerships for a variety of national and regional charities.
Ruth Jacombs - Movement Artist
Ruth has been facilitating movement and dance with young children and their families for over 25 years. Her experience as a dance artist and practitioner of movement has covered a wide range of ages with lots of experience working with early years in nursery settings and within the community, as well as dance theatre performance projects for children and their families. Her work focuses on supporting developmental movement, creative physical play and fostering physical connections and movement expression. She has worked with Mothership for 3 years and has an established professional relationship with members of the Mothership Team. Ruth also loves to teach Pilates helping people with back pain and works at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire teaching movement and physical theatre. When she isn't moving in community projects, her Grandson helps maintain her practice with lots of physical play and games at home.
Madeline Norris - Visual Artist
Madeline is a multidisciplinary artist delivering arts projects alongside her own professional practice. Her education, training and practice encompass illustration, design, textiles and 3D mixed media, music, sound works and dance. She has taught art, music and dance to a range of ages and abilities and has worked as an artist facilitator in nurseries, children’s centres, further education settings, schools and care homes as well as with established arts and community groups. Her early years practice is influenced by the pre-schools of Reggio Emilia and other philosophies that focus on children’s creativity and development through play and exploration. Reflection and evaluation are central to all her work.
Nicola McAteer - Cellist and Community Music Artist
Nicola grew up in Sandwell and learned the cello through Sandwell Youth Music service. She studied Music at Leeds College of Music (2007) and completed her Masters (MSc) in Music in the Community at The University of Edinburgh (2009) under supervision from British Composer and Aid worker Professor Nigel Osborne MBE. Nicola has over 15 years’ experience working as a musician with vulnerable people within communities including those with disabilities, poor mental health and wellbeing, early years and families, elderly care and dementia and those affected by trauma and brain injury. She co-founded the not-for profit organisation Hear My Music producing and facilitating inclusive participant led music projects. Nicola is certified in Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA England). In 2016-2017 Nicola underwent professional development training with Musicians without Borders in advanced Community Music Leadership (Derry, N.I) and Training for Trainers (The Netherlands) receiving expert mentoring in working with current and post-conflict regions. Nicola has been a regular volunteer musician for the Balkans Music Camps since 2009 (Bosnia and Croatia), creatively engaging Children and young people with additional support needs with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) through Music, Art and Theatre.
Joanna Szalewska-Pineau - Musician
Joanna is a pianist and music educator passionate about bringing music to people's lives. As a pianist she has performed across Europe as a soloist and chamber musician and as an educator she has worked with children and adults, including early years, primary and secondary school and university level. She is also a researcher and in her PhD thesis (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire) she explored the inner-workings of performance preparation and live music-making. This knowledge and experience has helped her to support young musicians in their journeys. Most recently, she has become interested in community projects, in particular in sharing music and creativity with families. Hence working with MotherShip has been an incredible sources of joy, connection and inspiring collaborations.
Holly Kehoe - Musician
Holly is a full time musician and community music leader specialising in singing, songwriting and instrumentation. Since she was a child, Holly has been extremely passionate about music and spent most of her childhood learning every instrument she could. As she grew up, she wanted to share her found love of music with other people and that led her to working in community music settings. Holly currently works for music charities and organisations around the West Midlands and when she found out about Mothership near the end of 2020, she immediately knew she wanted to get involved. Since December 2020, Holly has been part of Mothership’s PLAYout team and has loved getting people of all ages involved in music in ways that make everyone feel comfortable and included. When Holly’s not working on community projects, she also performs, writes and records her own music alongside her full band.
Maja Pluta - Musician