Mothers’ Union believes children should be valued as children and not targeted as adult consumers. Childhood has become a marketing opportunity worth £99 billion in the UK and £350 million is spent in the UK each year on persuading children to consume. Manipulative techniques exploit children’s natural credulity and use them as a conduit to the household purse. The materialism this encourages has negative effects on children’s physical health, mental and emotional wellbeing, on their values, educational development and relationships with families and peers. The use of sexualised content to sell to children and the imposition of sexuality on children to market goods is particularly abhorrent.
Mothers’ Union members in the Diocese of St. Albans is backing this campaign. We are:
1. Using the Bye Buy Test by asking ourselves:
- Why do I want to buy it?
- How often will I use it?
- Can I afford it?
- What will happen if I don’t buy it?
2. Challenging retailers and advertisers who sell or advertise inappropriately to children.
3. Contacting our political representatives to ask them to address the issue?
On 6th June the government-backed Bailey Review called “Letting Children Be Children” was launched. This review investigated the commercialisation and premature sexualisation of childhood and resulted in 14 recommendations. Mothers’ Union welcomes the recommendations and particularly appreciates the focus on parents’ concerns. Mothers’ Union “ embraces the challenge to redouble our efforts to hold to account those to whom the recommendations are addressed, through the continuation of our Bye Buy Childhood Campaign”.
For more information about the campaign and to request the handy wallet sized cards please go to www.byebuychildhood.org
The worldwide Mothers’ Union transport budgets have been cut by two thirds in the global recession and when aid can’t get to them, families suffer. Transport is vital.
The Diocese of St. Albans Mothers’ Union is supporting the “Wheels Appeal, cakes for bakes” campaign by raising funds to provide transport and repair existing transport for Mothers’ Union workers so that they can carry out their vital work in their communities. It may be a car, a bicycle or, if necessary, a boat.
In 2011 we will be baking cakes for brakes, biscuits for toolkits, and flans for vans. Everyone can join in by baking or buying cakes to raise funds at garden parties, coffee mornings, church fetes, toddler groups.
