In honour of Jamie and Rebecca receiving a Pride of Britain award, we asked some of our WCAT family their memories of the 50 Mums video and what it meant to them.
This is my Daughter Elodie, who has Down syndrome, 16p Duplication, Autism, ADHD and a Visual Impairment. She is non verbal and doesn’t effectively use a functional communication method. The 50 Mums video was the FIRST and ONLY video she will consistently and reliably sign along with. Elodie has had a number of cognitive regressions, and has a severe learning disability as a result, this video is a key lifeline to us to ensure Elodie is continuing to retain learnt information. I honestly can’t even begin to tell you how precious this video is to us. Perhaps by fate, one of Elodie’s teachers this year features in it too with her daughter, as do so many of our friends and their littles. Amy Jayne Burrows
I’m not sure we will ever top this moment! Every time 1000 years is played Neive jumps up and says ‘it’s my song’. So many great memories from this day and 100s of fantastic one since, we’ve met some amazing families and made so many new friends. The creation of WCAT after the first video has built such an amazing community and made the DS world a lot less of a scary place!! Slowly changing peoples perceptions one amazing video at a time. Thank you. Clare Frankland
I remember scrolling social media and the video started playing. Love the song so thought, oh…my eyes were streaming. Couldn’t wait to share it with everyone. That’s when we found the amazing Wouldn’t Change A Thing. Hayley Evans
We were reserves and had just three hours to do our line. Can you imagine the stress! Julie Seabourne
I remember after Ivy-Rose was born when we first got in contact with members from our local community group and a member of the WCAT team and I started scrolling through social media and this wonderful amazing song and amazing video started playing. My eyes were streaming with happy emotional tears and from that moment I couldn’t wait to share with all my family and friends and then we found Wouldn’t Change a Thing pages. Amy Rose
We where not part of the original 50 Mums video, but from the moment Thomas saw it, which was pretty much as soon as it was released, he kept pointing to the screen and saying ‘like me! Mummy like me!’ Hitting repeat so he could watch it over and over! We already loved this song from watching the version by Singing Hands but it hadn’t had this big an impact on him! He wanted to be part of ‘it’, he was excited every time he watched it his face would light up and he quickly learned all the signs and so one afternoon not long after, he grabbed my hand, and his iPad and said ‘mummy come! In car, do like me’. I immediately knew what he was asking for so we climbed in the car and did our own version, never realising the impact the song or the lovely families involved in the video would have on our lives in the long term. Just knowing and understanding that for the first time Thomas felt represented meant everything! We are so proud now to be part of the WCAT Family. Alison Davies-Bell
Eli was 18 months at the time, I loved the song and it was the first one I tried to learn the signs to. The video made me feel emotional, in a good way. I also played the song to walk down the aisle at the end of May 2018, unfortunately my son had bad chicken pox on the day, so when I hear the song I am filled with various emotions from joy, love and sadness due to my son not able to take part in our wedding. Katherine Morse
I remember Darrion had not long come along and I had cried for weeks grieving what he may not do or achieve. I sobbed and sobbed the whole way through the video, (which is yet to change!) while looking at my little man thinking it actually doesn’t matter, I just love you as you are. A light bulb moment that the negative thoughts needed to do one. After that I decided to join a group (WCAT) as I had been against this at first. Who knew then he would be in the follow up siblings video. Donna Layne
I was pregnant with my daughter and knew that there was a 1 in 5 chance that she had Down syndrome. I cried when I saw the video and absolutely loved it. Now whenever I hear A Thousand Years I think of my daughter and the video. Toni Duchess
Seeing this was what made me connect with WCAT, I wasn’t aware of it before and because of this I now feel like I have extended family. It was so moving and so many people were moved it felt like people connected with it and saw beautiful families in a positive way and it was so needed. Kassie Filer
Seeing it at first made me reflect on the loneliness I felt in Nino’s early years. No-one and nowhere to turn to with my overwhelming reality of the different path I needed to take to ensure my baby had equity & lived his life to its fullest, happiest & safest. Nino was my first baby & I lived for 6 months of his life not knowing he had Down syndrome. Then I went into denial for several years, this being my coping strategy I now know. It can all be heavy load when you’re navigating it alone, I now realise that more than I ever did whilst I was living it. I look at 50 mums and am in awe of those who started the group, of how all those belonging to WCAT have fought to bring about positive changes for their babies, children, young people, carers & families. Having this group, sharing in it’s ethos and having the platform to advocate for all those with Down syndrome has changed our lives and given a hopeful view of the future for all involved. Seeing 50 mums now fills me with excitement and eagerness to see what new campaign or projects will be happening going forward. 50 mums was the start of a beautiful new journey for myself, Nino and his sister Lia. We are proud to be a part of the WCAT family and forever grateful for all the support and dedication the amazing parents offer freely and willingly. The whole group shares a bond like no other, that’s a rare and precious thing in this life. Sharon Genua
We loved taking part, I remember seeing my midwife while pregnant after the video was released and she recognised Emily from video. She said she’d showed a couple of expectant parents and loved how we were helping spread positive awareness. Another highlight was being able to share our experience and raise awareness on ITV news with Emily. Sez Gregory
It was the first song my daughter was so transfixed with she learned the entire Makaton for it by watching it constantly on repeat – it’s still a firm favourite of hers. Hazel Dale
Myself and Marcus are the ‘first’ faces you see and it was so nerve wracking knowing that! We had great fun making the video and signing our lines. We have a few funny outtakes too! I can still remember all the media coverage and the ‘tagging’ on my Facebook page from all my family and friends who were very surprised as we’d kept it secret! Lisa Jayne Tilley-Young
Being one of the 50 mums and kids is something we treasure. Pops wasn’t feeling looking at the camera after pressing record, she was too interested in finding out how the seat belt worked and had we have known how big the video would become I’d have moved the camera angle or done more bribing with chocolate and or crisps! Some of the best and funniest moments ever being sat in a car that’s stationary with a hyper just turned 5 year old! The reaction we received from family, friends and on social media was phenomenal. Sharon Underwood
Myself, Jensen and his sister Sienna were in this video, we sat in a freezing cold car to record our clip but it was such a laugh! It was so lovely being a part of something that meant we didn’t feel alone anymore, WCAT are amazing. One of our favourite memories of it all was being invited to a film premiere in London where we all got to meet up. Emma Pointon-Lee
I was 27 weeks pregnant when the video was released and I saw it for the first time (must have watched it a thousand times in the first few weeks). We had received a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome at 21 weeks and that was quickly followed by a scan which confirmed that our baby would need heart surgery. I had been pressured into having further testing and now was being pressured into making a life changing decision. I made my choice but still worried if I’d made the right one. Then your video appeared, just when I needed it, like a big hug and confirmation that I’d made the right decision. Three and a half years later and I’m so grateful to have been part of the WCAT family since it began and now I’m proud to be a trustee of this amazing charity. I have so much love for you all. Thank you for making the video and changing my life. Katie Hamilton
I saw this after I’d had my little boy Oliver in November 2018 I cried my eyes out and cried again watching it just now it’s a truly amazing family at wcat and we love each and everyone of you. Corinne Wilkes
I remember crying at the video (and still do) but remember smiling at the how the children’s characters came across in the video. I remember then wishing that Liam was involved in something like that because it looked like such a positive group. Roll forward a few years and here he is an ambassador. Lucinda Froggatt
This was released a few weeks after Rio was born and seeing the support and love for the community gave me faith in Rio’s future and ability. I didn’t know anything about Down syndrome at that point, other than the scary hospital leaflets so it changed everything for me! Kimberley Williams
I saw the video before Cian’s arrival, I loved it. When Cian appeared rocking his extra magic, this video carried so much more meaning. To see the love, adoration and pure joy between the mums and kids, cast away any fears we had. I’ve shared this so much, I still get goosebumps and emotional watching it. You lot are absolutely amazing. Very proud to be part of the WCAT family Emma Tilley
I remember seeing the video and it was so beautiful it made me cry, I shared it on Facebook in 2018 with no idea that 18 months later I would have my own wee guy rocking his extra and it still makes me feel so full of emotion watching it. Linda Brown
I’ll never forget the morning I was sent the video! I still have the message on my private messenger saying ‘Jen, there’s a group of us in a designer genes group that have the video which is looking to go crazy come Friday! Christina Perri and husband are committed to spreading it worldwide and media seriously targeted. I thought I’d share the press release with you and the vid! I’m hoping to share on our page on Friday. Hope that’s ok??’ I was literally stood in my kitchen in my pjs with tears streaming down my face rocking and singing along to the song. Seeing mums and children from our local group along with many other gorgeous mummies and children that this video has wonderfully connected into one big family unit literally is so heartwarming. I replied ‘Omg this is SO SO beautiful! So natural and real!’ I love it and I instantly knew it would be a success and have a huge impact on expectant and new parents and was just what was needed. None of us for one minute knew just how crazy though! The video and song still gives me goosebumps and will always hold a special place in my heart. Jenny King
It was because of seeing this video that I became aware of WCAT, so happy to be part of the WCAT family. Karen Foster
I was an original 50 mum with my Alfie. Deadline day, I was rehearsing in my classroom at break with my big white board trying to learn my line, caught by the head! Filmed later that day in the school car park while waiting for Alfie’s sister to come out of school – in the end it was her dancing in front of the car that got him to look up and laugh in the clip. It blew up so quickly, my husband commented ‘had i heard about this video?’ um… we’re in it! Anyway, what’s come about and the development of WCAT and all the amazing work towards awareness for the wider world, the media interest and then support group, book, resources and huge social media presence is simply the best thing for Down syndrome and families ever. Everyone knows the 50 mums video and i was even recognised at the swimming pool once! The explosion of interest in using Makaton also stems from it too! Just brilliant. Thank you Becky, for having the idea, Singing Hands for translating it, all the mums who took part and Jamie for putting it together. The huge army that is WCAT that has developed in its wake is the best thing ever! Tiffanie Smith
It just resonates in so many ways, for so many reasons that I cant put it into words. Although we weren’t part of this amazing video, it’s brought so much happiness and awareness to us as a family and our local community. I was asked by our mainstream school to go in and teach everyone the song/signs, it’s done wonders for our community. Louise Bucknall
Alfie and I were one of the 50 mums and kids. It was so much fun making our bit (trust me the outtakes are hilarious!) It’s worth remembering all our kids were only 4yrs old way back then! I think it’s fair to say that no one who took part in it, whether that was in front or behind the camera, expected it to amount to much outside our immediate friends, family and Down syndrome community. I think this is also what adds to the charm and innocence of it. I remember with great affection how we all pulled together as the ‘Twitteratti’ to push and promote it, showing what a small group can really achieve if their passion leads the way. What truly blew me away at the time was seeing how many schools and kids filmed their own versions of it. What blows me away now is seeing the effect our video had on the wider world and spreading awareness and acceptance not only of Down syndrome but of Makaton. Even now if we watch the video or if we hear the song, Alfie will stop what’s he’s doing and sing and sign along to it. In only 3yrs since the video look at what we have achieved! We have truly evolved into the machine and unstoppable force of nature that is #TeamWCAT today. Proud to have been a part of it from the start and prouder to see what happens next! Sarah Case
We had been living in Canada until late 2017 so knew no one from the UK Down syndrome community, I hadn’t even heard of Designer Genes until just before we left to return back to the UK. I just happened to be online at the time when Becky put up the post about A Thousand Years. I had no idea what it would entail but thought ‘what the hey, we’ll give it a go!!’ It certainly wasn’t as easy as it looked. More than a hundred outtakes and two separate attempts later we finally came up with something worth submitting. When this beautiful video launched it threw me head first into a world I hadn’t envisaged and gave me an online family that I didn’t know I needed. I have made lifelong friends and been thrown so far outside of my comfort zone on so many occasions as a result. Being trustee of this charity gave me a purpose and it turns out it was something I had been looking for all my life. I’m sure I will be best known amongst the original 50 mums for the one who kept having to dash to the toilet to be sick from nerves before we went on This Morning the first time. Jacqui Hicklin
When I watched it the first time, it was so special and such a moment of realisation that there were at least 50 other families walking a similar path. It felt like so many parents that came before us worked very hard and changed things for the better for our generation of children and that there was a responsibility to pick up the baton and continue to try and make things better for the children that follow. This video and then WCAT for me, was the answer to that responsibility. You all started something special. Emma Farrell
I remember seeing the original message about filming 50 mums, but was too tired to volunteer (newborn who never slept!) Oh how I wished I was part of it when I saw it, it was (and is) wonderful, I love watching the video, the children (and mums) were fab. And you have all worked so hard to build on the success, so proud to be part of this group. Sharon Matthews
I just remember sharing it like mad and so many friends responding so positively and emotionally to it. Also watching it grow and grow and months later still seeing being shared all over. Different countries, communities and just bringing people together. Oh and watching you all on This Morning! The beginning of a wonderful relationship. Jenni Rankin
I remember the first time I watched the 50 mums video and how it made me cry, it still does now! It gave me the push to learn Makaton and advocate even more for our amazing children. We were then lucky enough to be chosen to be a part of the 2019 calendar and have been an active part of the WCAT family ever since. Thank you so much for everything you have done for us all. Katie Millar
I saw you all for the first time on This Morning. I cried happy tears. Pasha and I only knew one other family in Swansea so felt pretty much alone in being positive about our designer gene until we joined you all on social media and when we were lucky enough to meet some of you beautiful people in Bristol that was surreal, amazing and wonderful. It meant so much to Pasha especially to meet friends just like her as she said in her own words, awesome. Plus meeting people who were near her age, that meant the world to her. Here’s to us all being in one room one day in a huge party. Amanda Jayne
Mum number 50 here! 50 million attempts at signing, over three days, one where I only signed half my line, one done on a very snowy day in the dark, and it was our third which made the cut. The thing is, it was only one of our outtakes, sent to Jamie for a laugh! It was those moments showing our kids being kids that made it so wonderful, along with the emotive song and a sprinkling of magic during the editing. There’s no I in team, I’m super proud of us all. Julie Helen Williams
One of the 50 mums, Lucinda was only 3 at the time. I remember sooo many outtakes! One that sticks in my mind is when had an almost good clip but the postman knocked on the car window with a parcel. I remember my kids being very nearly late to school as Radio Bristol turned up at our house! I remember the lovely interview my son gave them when talking about his sister. Super proud to have been a part of it and everything that has happened since with WCAT. I started up our Makaton with Lucinda pages not long after it and then more recently became a tutor. I loved seeing the impact it had on a mainstream audience, both awareness about Down syndrome and about Makaton. Lots of things touch the Down syndrome community but I loved that this somehow seemed to reach others too. I loved seeing so many schools video their children signing it in assemblies – that really was fantastic. The song still makes me emotional now. Nikki Holt
It’s such a powerful, happy, emotional, heart warming video that’s impossible to watch without tears. When I first saw the video I couldn’t wait to share it with family and friends, I was really excited for everyone to see it and it was from this and having friends in the video that we became part of WCAT. Every time we hear A Thousand Years being played, regardless of what we’re doing or where we are, we have to all sign along to it!! The best was when we were at a festival and the singer started singing and instantly Oscar and his friend Elsa both stood up and signed away as she sang, it was an amazing moment. Vicky Morrissey
When we watched it for the first time it was so special. We felt a part of something so special, a big extended family. Wendy King
When I saw this video for the first time, I cried so many happy tears. The words to the song are so moving and the happy, smiley faces of the children with their mums made me feel like I wasn’t alone. Aarti Bagha
Poppy was only 9 months when we first saw the video on Facebook and I was so moved by it that we decided to sing and sign it at her ‘welcome to the world ceremony’ a few months later. I never could have imagined being connected to everyone in the video like we are now through WCAT – you all seemed so famous! Being part of a worldwide community who are advocating for inclusion and smashing myths about Down syndrome feels so powerful. Just in the past 3 years so much positivity and so much change – we’re making history guys definitely. Debs Thompson
Out of the video there were so many memorable moments, being part of a passionate grassroots team of families involved and then getting to meet many of those wonderful families. We made fantastic memories together on This Morning and at the Sherlock Gnomes premiere. Simeon loved being a part of it all. One special moment for me was when the four local families performed the song on stage together with the siblings. We’d been in support groups together since our kids with Down syndrome were babies so I loved that we performed together with all our kids. One of the times we performed, Simeon signed and sang his heart out so that he could be heard across the theatre making so many people cry. He’s so proud to be in the video and he knows it shows how much he and the other children are loved. Being part of such a special video makes me feel such gratitude. We never realised how much it would draw in both those who had never met someone with Down syndrome as well as profoundly impacting those who are blessed to have a child with Down syndrome in their lives. For many parents who had recently received a diagnosis experiencing fear and uncertainty, somehow the video cut through it all and showed love. With the diversity of families in the video sharing this message, these new parents somehow found hope that it was going to be ok. I read so many messages like this and cried so many happy tears. And I know some of those families in our local support group now too. It’s humbling to see how much a little carpool karaoke impacted many lives and opened doors for our children to be embraced and celebrated. Rebecca Boke Neely
Oh blimey where do I start! Well I was mum number 4 with Aiden, who was 4. We were a reserve so had very little time to film! The car was parked right up to the front window so I could use the WiFi in the house on my laptop with my phone blue tacked to the front so I could watch the video and record our bit. God knows how many hours we were in the car but I have a lot of hilarious outtakes. I vividly remember when Jamie shared the first cut. I just cried so many happy tears – it was so much more beautiful and powerful than I ever could have imagined. I shared the press release with every local contact I could find and everyone wanted to speak to us! It was surreal! I remember speaking to the head of news at Heart Sussex after we released it and she said ‘I had a feeling this might go mental! There’s just something so very special about your video’. I remember staying up til stupid o’clock when we released it at midnight being excited at how many views it had! It was totally crazy and so unexpected! For me it was the start of really feeling part of an amazing community of mainly mums who all cared about the same thing and really got it! I remember suddenly having to pull together spreadsheets of people in the video and locations as we hadn’t thought about that! Why would we? It was just for family and friends, or so we thought. I very quickly became the spreadsheet queen with WCAT for many projects after that and have loved being involved in something that makes a difference and I’m passionate about. The WCAT family is a special place and has a wealth of knowledge and support available too. The projects are great fun to work on and the outcomes are always so different. Each time a new campaign comes out I’m stunned by how much more we achieve and the ideas are so incredible. Becky, thank you for having the vision and sharing it and Jamie for ‘having a go’ at editing the video. The last 3 and a half years have been so much fun, busy, silly, intense and have made me incredibly proud to see what has been achieved and I’m excited to see what ideas come up going forward. Stef Fallows
The first time I watched the 50 mums video I got very emotional as I just thought it was amazing to see that the children were being celebrated for just being they’re amazing selves. Little did I know that I’d give birth to my son Tommy a year later and find I was one of the lucky few. Unfortunately thanks to Covid I didn’t have much support at all but then I came across you all on Facebook and since then I’ve had so much support it’s truly been amazing. I truly feel blessed and Tommy has completed our family. Julie Maginn
Summer was 3 when the video came out and and at the time we were going through a lot of negative appointments about what she wouldn’t be able to do. Our health visitor showed me the video and told me to ignore all the the negative reviews she was going through and concentrate on the happiness she would bring. LeAnne Belinda
Oh what an experience making our clip! Tears and tantrums, mainly from me! The last minute rush to learn and film it. So many outtakes, I still have mine!! My mum was sadly dying at the time and she would hear the song on the tv and tell the nurses that thats my granddaughter in that. She was super proud and so was I. Literally the video made headlines over night. It swept its way through social media and was shared by the whole mainstream community. 50 mums had made such an impact. Not sure if Bella was the youngest in it as she was actually only 3 not 4 like the opening line said! Claire Jones
One of the 50 mums here! Before 50 mums I wasn’t very active on social media. I just happened to look on Facebook when Becky put the post up about her idea for the video. Having slight guilt about not being involved in any awareness-raising before then I popped our names on the list. I thought it would be a lovely thing to share with family and friends. The final video was beautiful and the night before we released it I showed it to a few friends. They cried (in a good way!) and joked that I needed to buy a new dress as they predicted the video would go viral and we’d end up on the couch with Phil and Holly. One week later…we were on the couch with Phil and Holly! Three years on and it’s safe to say that 50 mums has changed our lives. I’m now at trustee of Wouldn’t Change A Thing, which is pretty much a full time job. Emma and her brother Matthew think nothing of filming video clips and having the odd press interview and TV appearance – Matthew describes us as ‘a famous family!’ Emma’s face lights up and her hands automatically start to sign any time we hear A Thousand Years playing – like many others we now think of it as ‘our song’. But the real cherry on top of this has been the community we have found and the friends we’ve made. People who are on this journey with us, who celebrate, support and advocate with us. People who, like us, wouldn’t change a thing. Mairi Watkins
I’ll never forgot the excitement in those first few days after the video was released. So many people were sharing the video and writing such lovely positive comments. We watched as the number of views went very quickly from in the thousands to millions and was being viewed all over the world!! The highlight for us was being asked to appear on This Morning. This gave us the opportunity to meet some of the other mums and children from the video and also not forgetting Jamie. This photo is the moment Amelia recognised herself on TV whilst we were being interviewed by Phil and Holly. A Thousand Years is still one of Amelia’s favourite songs and we regularly watch the video and sign along, it will always hold a special place in our hearts. Rachel Blencowe
50 Mums was so impactful for us as a family. For me it was a lightbulb moment in respect that people wanted to be educated, that love was key, frustration and anger never created the impact that the love in 50 mums did. I was always Henry’s biggest advocate, but that video lit a huge fire in me. As a 50 mum we were instantly thrown into this crazy experience with people who mostly, I had never met before and the whirlwind that followed left my housework untouched for weeks and a phone that never left my hand dealing with press calls, emails, Twitter and Facebook chat. It was clear there was a responsibility to drive the platform 50 Mums created forward. It happened so quickly but the WCAT organisation was formed amongst the chaos with future projects in the pipeline and then soon after applications for Charity status. It’s been the most surreal, incredible, rollercoaster journey since then and now WCAT is embedded in every part of my life, sometimes it feels like in every hour of every day! But goodness look what grew from that initial beautiful idea, not only an organisation but a family (who knew that could happen virtually?!) of hundreds of like minded parents and families wanting to shout their child’s worth, change the world a little and who joined together to do it, the WCAT family. Immensely proud to be part of Team WCAT. Tania Charlton
It was February and we’d recently done a signalong course. Wilf (1) wasn’t feeling it. One day, we were in the supermarket doing some shopping and a lady started stalking me around the shelves, she wasn’t discreet! We ended up chatting…..by that, I mean that she started signing to Wilf, he was so engaged! It was amazing. On the way home we were passing a street, where a dog was barking. He coughed twice and made a dog sign. There was a dog sat in a window, and those were my son’s first words to me. That’s why I searched Makaton, which led me to the most incredibly, beautiful video that I’ve ever seen! (Yeah! Love for the Dads but Mums was groundbreaking!) We had Wilf signing the song quite quickly and he has been a part of a few campaigns since then, His signing is not always constant, but as his knowledge of vocabulary grows we will have to extend it. I’m so happy to be a part of this group and offer what I can, albeit not as much as I’d wish! But we’ll get there! So much love, respect and absolute kudos to Jamie and Becky! You deserve it, both of you! Fantastically well done! And so much love to all our WCAT crowd. As a postscript to that, Wilf has just started reception at mainstream primary, his teacher, TA, and one to one have all learned Makaton level 1, and they have rolled it out throughout the whole school, where all the pupils and staff are learning core phrases. Amazing! Elizabeth Ann Senior
As a new mum It encouraged me to learn Makaton and Jack has now started signing. Here he is signing too eat. Laura Glover
50 Mums was released just before Esther turned one. I remember seeing the video on Facebook and instantly loving it. We were just starting to really pick up Makaton and Esther was entranced by the video, she would watch it over and over, signing some of the song which just made me so happy. I loved how many people sent it to me with positive comments and consequently how many people became aware of World Down Syndrome Day and proceeded to send me photos of their crazy socks on the 21st. It felt like we had become part of a special club and gave us such a sense of community. A real contrast to the sense of isolation I felt when she was diagnosed. Seeing these mums, how much they clearly adored their kids, showing the rest of the world that, really helped me think that everything was going to be ok. I became part of the WCAT community to hopefully carry that on, to give new parents the support that I craved in the early days. It is a privilege to be able to do that. Six months later we walked down the aisle to A Thousand Years at our wedding, with Esther riding along with us in a little red wagon, it will always hold a special place in our hearts! Becky Clark
We loved 50 mums so much we learned some Makaton, got in our car and filmed our version of the outtakes! We laughed lots doing that. It was a nice reminder of how much fun Emma brings into our lives! Carolyn, godmother to Emma