I was commissioned by Kirsty McKay to create an artwork for her book The Magic Money Tree, a powerful collaborative project documenting the real-life impact of the UK’s cost-of-living crisis and systemic inequality. Working with families, youth groups and communities across England. Kirsty’s work gives voice to lived experiences of hardship without exploitation. My piece responds to these themes, looking more closely at the pressures facing families, and particularly mothers like myself, navigating the weight of financial strain during these challenging times.