If you know Mud, you know that we are committed to spreading positivity through not only the power of flowers but through raising awareness of important issues, people and their contributions. So this March 8th, on International Women’s Day, we want to bring our Mud community together to celebrate the fantastic contributions of women and to inspire others to fulfill their potential towards a gender equal world. This International Women’s Day, we #choosetochallenge the barriers to equality by recognising the achievements of amazing women.

In the words of Ntozake Shange: “Where there is a woman, there is magic.” 

At Mud, we are honouring three wonderful women by creating individual bouquets with a portion of the proceeds going to their charities. These women come from all from different backgrounds and walks of life and they are all paving the way for a better future.

Meet Celia. Our bouquet is named after Celia Hodson who is the multi-award winning entrepreneur campaigning to end period poverty. With her daughters Becky and Kate, Celia founded Hey Girls, a social enterprise that was born after discovering that 1 in 10 women struggle to access menstrual products in the UK. Since its launch, they have donated over 11 million period products! Hey Girls manufactures and sells Buy One Give One period products and runs an education program to end the stigma of speaking about periods. What’s also fantastic is that her products are plastic-free, sustainably sourced and biodegradable. In Scotland, we are thrilled to be the first country to make sanitary products free to all who need it but we know that period poverty continues to exist all over the world. We are so proud to showcase this bouquet in honour of a wonderful woman who is rightfully amplifying that access to period products is a right not a privilege. 

Meet Malala. Does this woman even need an introduction? In case you aren’t familiar with her, let us explain her extraordinary story. Malala was born and raised in Pakistan. At just 12 years old, when girls were no longer allowed to go to school, she stood up and advocated for their right to education. She became the target of the Taliban and on her way home she was shot. Since then she moved to the UK and she set up the Malala Fund to ensure that every girl has an opportunity to achieve a future she chooses. In 2014, Malala became the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize but her work has not stopped. With the Malala Fund, she is fighting for the 130 million girls who are denied access to education. By supporting our Malala bouquet, you will be helping to remove the barriers keeping girls from their right to education. 

Meet Dolly. Can you guess? This bouquet is named after who else but the inimitable Dolly Parton! Not only is she a singer and songwriter who has empowered women through her music but she has also touched so many lives through her charitable work. Dolly is a powerhouse and leader in so many ways! Her philanthropic efforts have spanned from animal rights to covid vaccine research but the one closest to her heart is improving literacy and education across the world. Dolly’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free books to children. She was inspired by her own father to start this program as he couldn’t read or write and many of her relatives didn’t even get the chance to go to school. While this program began locally in her hometown in Tennessee, through the power of Dolly she now runs it worldwide including the UK! By purchasing a Dolly bouquet, you will be helping children learn the love of reading.

These three women are by no means an exhaustive list, and are just a select few examples of the women who are changing the world for the better. To echo Serena Williams: “Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.” We want to encourage you to take a moment to think about the women in your life inspiring you and your world for the better - that could be your mum, sister, friend! There are so many wonderful women in our lives who look after us and lift us up, so why don’t let them know that you’re thinking of them?

From all of us at Mud, we want to acknowledge your continued engagement and enthusiasm for our creations. You keep us motivated to keep thinking about the ways that we can give back positively to our community. We want our Mud community to be space that exceeds expectations, opens doors and lifts everyone up. So a big thank you to you for your encouragement and cheering us on!

Let us know what International Women’s Day means to you and how you’re celebrating the women in your life!