Families celebrate Mother’s Day

Jacob, with his mum, Stephanie Roylance

5 More Image(s) In Gallery

Families across the borough are celebrating Mother’s Day today (Sunday 3 April 2011).

Mothering Sunday, the fourth Sunday of lent was traditionally a day when domestic servants had the day off to visit their mother. Today it is a day when children give presents, flowers, and home-made cards to their mothers.

Our photographer visited restaurants in Rochdale this lunch time to capture some special Mother’s Day moments.

Children, mothers and grandmothers joined together for an afternoon of fun. Some had received flowers, others jewellery and for some there was a special treat – breakfast in bed!

View our Mother’s Day photographs in the gallery >>

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My Mum always says “waste not, want not”

Recycle for Greater Manchester have put together some top tips for gifts that thank our Mum’s for all their hard work, and at the same time help us minimise our waste footprint and maximise our recycling.

Top Tips include:

• Head for the kitchen - Make your Mum something, from a cup of tea or a Sunday roast to an indulgent chocolate cake, whatever it is, ban mums from the kitchen and treat them with homemade goodies. Remember to compost the tea bags and any fruit and vegetable peelings afterwards. Or, if you don’t own a home composter, place them in your food waste caddy.
• Get creative - Personalise your card by writing your Mum a poem or have a go at making your own gifts. You could chose your favourite photo of you and your Mum, or make a photo montage and decorate the photo frame by re-using items such as card, ribbon, glitter, buttons and left over paint.
• Flowers with a difference - Instead of a big bunch of flowers, why not try planting her favourite flowers in the garden or in a pretty pot for a gift that lasts all year round. If you do give bunches of flowers, remember to compost them afterwards, or put them in your garden waste bin.

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13 million cards sent this Mother’s Day

Royal Mail has predicted that more than 13 million cards will have been sent to Mums across the country today.

The bumper postbag means that Mums are still streets ahead of Dads in the card stakes, with an estimated extra seven million cards sent on Mothering Sunday compared to Father’s Day.

The total also marks out Mother’s Day as the second biggest card sending occasion of the year behind Christmas. And more than the estimated 12 million cards posted for Valentine’s Day.

Mark Thomson, Royal Mail Director commented: "Mother’s Day gives us all the chance to tell our Mums just how important they are to us. Sending a card not only shows your mum how much you care, but also leaves an everlasting message for them to treasure throughout the year."