Our mission is to 'mother the mothers', to help you feel like you’re part of something, like you’re not alone. Like you’re curled up having a chat with a good friend.
Put it this way, we’re more than just a magazine. This is a community united by a desire to raise our kids with conscience.
This is for those of you who trust your children, believe in respectful parenting and want your kids to have the freedom to be a bit wild!
Set up over 20 years ago by Melissa Corkhill to fill a gap in the market, The Green Parent is now a household name, and the UK’s no. 1 parenting magazine.
Read more about why it was started and who’s behind the magazine below.
Or get in touch – drop us a line to letters@thegreenparent.co.uk.
Or read some of our favourite articles about natural parenting here. Get ready to be inspired, entertained, and maybe even a little bit enlightened as you dive in to our uplifting content.
OUR LONGER STORY: THE WHY AND WHO BEHIND THE GREEN PARENT
The Green Parent magazine was founded by Melissa Corkhill, back in 2002, to bring alternative sustainable parenting ideas to a wider audience.
“When I was pregnant with my eldest I couldn’t find a parenting magazine that I wanted to read,” Melissa says.
“I wanted to learn about natural birth, breastfeeding, alternative education, holistic health, growing a garden. All that crunchy stuff!” she laughs.
The Green Parent magazine was born – a free black and white zine, free to pick up from libraries, cafes and shops around Brighton.
Then, the visual magician, Jez Harris came onboard and made the magazine something really special.
It went from A5 local zine to full-colour magazine, available all over the world in a matter of months!
A family business
For years it was a completely family business. “Our kids used to help us mail out the subscriber copies – we’d all be crowded round the kitchen table sticking on stamps – until that got too big to handle,” says Melissa.
“We’ve used a mailing house to send out copies for many years now. I remember the early days fondly though. Our kids really got to see all the intricacies of how to run your own business. A useful lesson in their home education journey!”
The Green Parent team grows
In 2015, rockstar Kate Hodges joined the team, having honed her skills at The Face, Just Seventeen and Bizarre, to name but a few. Kate interviews amazing people to create content for the magazine and also crafts the monthly inspiration email, packed with EVERYTHING you need to be doing right now. She’s always looking for a story - ping Kate if you’ve something interesting to share with us.
A couple of years later, the brilliant Hayley Biddulph at Space Marketing joined the team, selling advertising and making the magazine possible. If you want to get your name in lights in the next edition, drop Hayley a line.
Over the last 20 years or so we’ve had some real highlights (and funny moments). We were on Eastenders! And the BBC. Melissa’s been interviewed on radio and podcasts and been featured in national papers and women’s magazines. She was named an “Eco Woman of the Year” in The Observer.
Living the magazine's message
Now, mama to a four year old daughter, Melissa is relishing the early days again (although not so much the sleepless nights!). “I feel so blessed to almost get a second go at mothering - having a free pregnancy, birthing at home, using real nappies, enjoying extended breastfeeding. I feel more patient and better supported this time around. There’s a 20 year age gap between my eldest and youngest, but my kids’ relationships with one another is one of life’s joys.”
“It’s amazing how much the world has changed since I first gave birth. How much more mainstream sustainable choices are. And how much more accepting our society is of difference, particularly neurodiversity.”
“My youngest is home educated, like her siblings, and the HE community is very different to how it was 20 years ago! It feels much more ‘normal’ to choose an alternative path.”
Respectful parenting and trusting our children
“It’s really important to me to raise children who can think for themselves and are aware of their own needs. The Green Parent is about trusting our kids to know what’s right for them. And raising kids who are a bit wild, children who are connected to the natural world.”
The magazine has an amazing community that’s grown around it. Back in the days of forums, the Green Parent chat created a network of parents who went on holiday together and made crafts for one another. They even had their own currency system.
“We’re so grateful for every one of our readers,” Melissa says. “They are the reason why the magazine is still going strong today. We used to get handwritten letters saying that finding the magazine was like coming home. Now we get heartfelt emails and love on social media instead.”
“I think I have the best job in the world,” Melissa grins. “I’m so excited every time we start creating another beautiful magazine, with Jez, and our inspiring writers.”
Drop Melissa a line at letters@thegreenparent.co.uk.