We laugh till we cry listening to the Scummy Mummies podcast, so we’re thrilled to have this talented twosome join our Mum in the Hood series, in which mums tell us what they love about their local area. In addition to recording hilarious podcasts, the Scummy Mummies are on tour once again. Londoners be sure to snag tickets for their upcoming gig on 27 March at the exciting new venue in Hackney, EartH.
Tell us a little about yourselves…
We (Ellie Gibson and Helen Thorn) are comedians who met at a stand-up gig in Lewisham and bonded after discovering our children were born 11 days apart, with the help of the same midwife. Together we are the Scummy Mummies, performing live comedy shows around the UK, and co-hosting the UK’s number-one parenting podcast.
Helen has two children, a 10 year old daughter and 7 year old son, so she hasn’t slept for over a decade now. Ellie has two boys who are 4 and 7, and has a house covered in Match Attack cards.
Which area do you live in, and what do you love about it?
We both live in Forest Hill in South East London. Together we’ve lived here a total of 40 years. Helen moved to SE23 in 2010 and Ellie has lived around here her whole life.
As parents, it’s great to live in a place where there is so much to do with kids, from libraries and swimming to parks and art classes. But most of all, we enjoy being part of the local community because people are so friendly here, and they have a good sense of humour!
Where do you like to hang out with your kids in your area?
Having the Horniman Museum on our doorstep is brilliant – it has saved our lives on many a rainy Thursday afternoon. Our kids adore the aquarium, the walrus and the music room, and we love the cafe and the free wi-fi…
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What are your favourite local family-friendly eateries?
We like Italian food, so Lorenzo on Forest Hill Road is always great for a treat. The pizzas at Mamma Dough in Honor Oak Park are fantastic too. And we are Scummy Mummies, so we have been known to take the kids to the Wetherspoon in Forest Hill for a cheap and cheerful tea!
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What local activities do you and your family take part in?
Helen’s kids love their music lessons at Soundheart on Brockley Rise and Ellie has loved taking both her kids throughout the years to the music sessions at Mayow Park. And we both love the local panto at the Catford Broadway Theatre.
Where’s your favourite place to escape in your area for a little alone time?
Helen loves to escape to St David Coffee House in Forest Hill for some quality work and Instagram time. We both love The Signal pub too, it’s where we wrote the Scummy Mummies book and drank a lot of Sauvignon Blanc. It is also where we used to perform when we were starting out.
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Where’s the best place for a night out with friends / date night?
The Spanish Particular is a little local gem! It’s a tapas restaurant on Forest Hill Road, that is a café by day, but a cute little hideaway by night. It is run by a local couple. The husband cooks and the wife is the host and it the best place for a date night. The food is delicious and beautiful, plus they serve Cava by the bottle, win-win.
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What’s the best hidden gem in your area?
Mayow Park never seems to be too busy but we love it – there are two playgrounds to choose from and the cafe is fabulous. Also – we love the nail salon, Gloss. They make our nails fabulous and are a perfect place to escape the kids and chaos for an hour.
Keep up with the Scummy Mummies on their website and Instagram.
