'The Sussex Mum': Meet the blogger helping families make the most of our local area

Gemma Wallis is a mum of two who aims to "make things easier for busy families to find information on local events and venues."

A local parent has funnelled her love for Sussex into a blog that showcases the county to help busy families make the most of their surroundings. 

Writing beneath the alias 'The Sussex Mum', Gemma Wallis combines her support for local businesses, her family's day trips and a passion for penmanship to share the best of Sussex. She balances an aesthetically pleasing Instagram feed with activity ideas for families, supporting local businesses on the way. 

"In a nutshell, I created The Sussex Mum to connect parents to relevant resources, local businesses, perfect venues for your date nights (when we get around to them!) and everything else in between - right here in Sussex of course!" Gemma tells V2 Radio. 

Gemma's passion for Sussex comes from her spending her whole life in the county, having grown up in Burgess Hill and regularly visited her grandparents' home in Rye. She now settles in Hurstpierpoint, where she lives with her husband and her two sons. 

But despite her clear love for her local area, The Sussex Mum blog was years in the making before Gemma "took the plunge" and decided to launch her page. 

"The Sussex Mum has been something I have been working on for a number of years, playing with designs, my ‘why’ and what I really wanted to achieve from launching the blog.

"I had a long period off work this summer following major surgery, which allowed me the time to reflect and make some big decisions for mine and my families future - both with my career and personally."

Gemma's time away from work allowed her to use her marketing expertise and experience with local businesses as a gateway into the blogging world - something she feels was meant to be. She adds that writing her thoughts feels "extremely natural" and "almost therapeutic."

She admits, "I have no qualms speaking my mind and even more so if I feel it can benefit someone else."

Gemma's plans for The Sussex Mum expand beyond helping people with her words. She exclusively reveals to V2 Radio that her future projects include "eco-friendly self-care boxes" and even a "beautiful reusable coffee mug which might give you a discount in Sussex".

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, The Sussex Mum's local-centric ethos proves even more important. In a world that focuses on economics, Gemma turns to the human impact of local businesses facing financial related closure. 

"When you put it into context that this is someone's livelihood, how they feed their own families and keep a roof over their heads, why wouldn’t we as consumers, want to support them?"

"I am absolutely aware that shopping locally in comparison to your huge chain supermarkets or businesses can cost more and please don’t think I am a model shopper who only shops with local shops - I’m not!

"But I support these businesses where I can, having the mindset of quality over quantity and keeping the above statement in my mind."

Gemma supports local with simple changes such as buying birthday gifts from small businesses instead of chains and buying a lot of clothing from "preloved local businesses or swap events." She hopes that, from reading her blog, more people will focus on "inward investment" - something she feels is essential to keep the economy thriving. 

Her recent blog posts include local staycations, date night inspiration and a Christmas A-Z, which highlights Sussex businesses that sell "the perfect gift or experience." You can also visit her Instagram, @thesussexmum, for more inspiration on how to make the most of the county. 

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