J'AIME SEPTEMBER 2021

F E AT U R E
For our babies
A NEW GIN, CREATED BY A LICHFIELD COUPLE TO HONOUR ALL OF THE
BABIES BORN DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS JUST HIT THE SHELVES.
AMY NORBURY DISCOVERS MORE
MATHEW AND MARIA HUNTER, WITH
THEIR SONS ELLIS AND ELVIN
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, it affected life in
myriad ways.
Among the chaos, pregnant women and new parents
had an additional layer of worry, with conflicting
advice and uncertainty as to how Covd-19 may affect
their babies, both in utero and as newborns.
Faced with midwife visits, hospital appointments and
scans alone, and with medical staff hidden behind
layers of PPE, it added unprecedented worry to what
is, an already highly emotional time.
As a mental health nurse, working predominantly
with women and mothers, maternal mental health is
a cause extremely close to Maria Hunter’s heart.
And this came to the fore last year when the 30-yearold,
from Lichfield, gave birth to her second son
Elvin in October, following a pandemic-dominated
pregnancy - and just as the country headed into
lockdown for the second time.
It was a tumultuous time for Maria, as it was for
all pregnant women and new parents, with the
pandemic presenting many challenges as she got
to grips with the isolation of being a new mum in
lockdown, as well as balancing the needs of baby
Elvin with homeschooling her eldest son, five-yearold
Ellis.
Now, as the country is getting back to a sense of
normality, Maria is determined to commemorate the
experience of being a pandemic parent.
So alongside husband Mathew, Maria has created
Elvins Gin, in honour of their little own Elvin and all
of the babies born while coronavirus raged on.
While a gin may seem like a leftfield choice in the
circumstances, any parent who has endured enforced
homeschooling will testify to the pleasure of a chilled
G and T at the end of the week. And for the couple,
it’s a case of doing what they know best.
Mathew, also known as The Liquorman, specialises
in the wholesale and distribution of craft beers,
ales and spirits - so he knows a thing or two about
handcrafted, small batch gins.
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