Born from the Heart, Photos of the Soul

What can we learn about maternity care when mothers share their own stories through images and words? This exhibition shares photographs and words created by mothers using Photovoice , a participatory approach that combines photography and storytelling to help people express their experiences and insights. Through personal images and reflections, visitors are invited to look beyond clinical encounters and consider the wider practises shaping families’ lives, including family, work, and immigration and how these experiences shape maternity journeys. The MORE Project (Maternity Opportunities for Research Engagement) brings together mothers in Lambeth, peer researchers with lived experience, academics from King’s College London and community organisations to improve maternity care by placing lived experience at the centre of research, policy, and practice. The exhibition explores themes of hidden labour and finding a voice, building meaningful connections through support, and recognising the uniqueness of every pregnancy and child within a shared experience of motherhood. This work was funded by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South London (NIHR ARC South London) Involvement Fund and supported by the King’s Engagement Research Network (KERN), Wellcome Trust, Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP), Parents and Communities Together (PACT), Myatts Field North Centre, and Mummy’s Day Out. The project was shortlisted for the King’s Engaged Research Awards 2026 (participatory research category).