The Together Table
THE TOGETHER TABLE is a brand-new initiative, founded by Tiny Table, designed to for new mums to embrace community, combat loneliness and connect with like-minded mamas over a much-needed bite and brew. If you’re a new mama (first-time or adding to your brood) with a babe upto 10 months old, The Together Table is for you. We’ve teamed up with a host of family-friendly restaurants and cafes across London and Hertfordshire to bring you a collection of Together Tables which offer a welcome seat for you and your newborn to eat (and feed), meet local new mums and muse over motherhood. Featured on BBC Radio London… Leading the discussion around loneliness amongst new mums and tapping into the introduction of social prescribing, our founder, Nicola, was invited onto BBC Radio London to share an overview about The Together Table with the breakfast host Vanessa Feltz. WHY IS THE TOGETHER TABLE NEEDED 1) ERADICATE LONELINESS THROUGH THE ‘LOCAL’ Eating solo can be lonely, as can entering the world of parenting – 80% of new mums say they sometimes feel lonely*. The Together Table acts as a unifier, a place of community. Sharing a coffee, meal or simply a moment together not only enables new mamas the chance to chat and muse over the trials and tribulations of motherhood but empowers parents to make real-life connections and find their local mum community. We want the equation for physical and psychological well-being for new mums to be easy: Eliminate loneliness, eat well and embrace an opportunity to make new friends at The Together Table. 2) NEW MUMS ARE SIMPLY TOO BUSY FOR A BITE… Did you know that a staggering 91 per cent of new mothers were “too busy” getting used to being a mum to eat “properly” in the early days? The Together Table aims to unite local mothers and offer a delicious pause in the long day where mums can grab a much-needed bite. Research by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board showcase the need for a nutritional respite in the early days of motherhood… A fifth of new mums put their healthy diets on hold – but only until their kids are old enough to eat with them. In the first six months of being a new mum, half ate more takeaways, one third tucked into more fried foods, 45 per cent munched on more ready meals and 44 per cent consumed more crisps. A whopping 78 per cent had days during the same period when they barely ate anything at all One in four admitted they were not prepared for the negative effect having a baby would have on their diet. More than a quarter were so exhausted with the added demands of parenthood they consumed foods which were quick and easy to prepare. 45 per cent even resorted to eating their children’s leftovers rather than preparing themselves a meal from scratch. 3) MAKE FAMILY DINING OUT & ABOUT FUSS-FREE Findings from a survey conducted by Mush app indicate that a whopping 33% of new mums said they were worried about “everything” on their first trips out of the house with their baby. At Tiny Table, we aim to inspire, to delight and to unite parents who long for fuss-free dining with their little ones. The Together Table is designed to offer welcome seats for both mother and babe and are placed in an array of local eateries where dining out with the family is as easy as pie. If we can offer one less worry for new mamas, let’s make it a delicious one. HOST THE TOGETHER TABLE AT YOUR RESTAURANT We’re on the search for family-friendly restaurants and cafes across London to host a Together Table for their local new mums community. Whether you can offer a seat or ten, hourly or weekly, we’d love to hear from you. If you’d love to get involved with Tiny Table and The Together Table, drop our founder, Nicola Wilson, an email at tinytablelondon@gmail.com.