Do you take after your mum? These four daughters are following in their mothers’ footsteps

For many of us, the mother-daughter bond is a special and unique one that will, if we’re lucky, last a lifetime (though that’s not to say we don’t sometimes clash).

We've seen some beautiful royal mother-daughter moments and celebrity mother-daughter appearances played out in public, that highlight this. The following four pairs of mothers and daughters have carried that bond further, with the daughters pursuing passions and even careers that mirror the paths their mothers trod before them.

From a dedication to activism to a life in service, enjoy their stories. Who knows, perhaps you’ll inspire someone in your life in a similar way…

The activists

Mikaela Loach, 26, from London, is an author and climate justice organiser on the front lines of the climate movement. “I was brought up by women who could not sit still when they saw people struggling,” Mikaela begins. “My grandma, Laurel, sacrificed some of her teaching salary to help poor students, while my mum, Alcia, works tirelessly in her spare time to help unhoused people.

“Their ‘activism’ might look different to the placard wavers in the media, but it’s equally as important. I inherited that drive and ran my first campaign, aged six, baking cakes with Mum to raise funds at schools for people affected by the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004.

“Mum always encouraged me to get involved in issues I felt passionate about. When I was 16, she even came with me to Calais to volunteer at a warehouse supporting refugee communities. It was there that I first met people I saw as activists. I was inspired by how they had created transformational change, but also realised that they were just ordinary people like me.

“Having become increasingly concerned by the climate crisis, a pivotal moment came while visiting my grandmother’s local beach in Jamaica, aged 21. I loved playing on the sand as a kid, but rising sea levels meant that the beach had all but gone. It brought home the impact of climate change, and lit a fire in me that has seen me go on to write and campaign globally."

“I believe that people of all ages can make a difference. That’s the focus of my second book, Climate is Just the Start – to empower kids to change the world. I was lucky that Mum encouraged me to act on my beliefs as a child. She has inspired me to harness that same optimism and to hopefully pass it on to the next generation.”

Mikaela’s mum, Alcia, 49, lives in Surrey with her husband Mark and son Josh, 23. Alongside her work as an IT consultant, she has created Pocket Angel Assist, an app that crowdfunds for people experiencing homelessness. “I’ve always taken action when faced with unfairness – whether that was cooking meals for the underprivileged in Jamaica when I was a child or, more recently, helping people experiencing homelessness in the UK,” says Alcia.

“I believe that nothing is impossible and I’ve tried to instil that in Mikaela. In return, she has influenced me to get more vocal.

“Mikaela’s campaigning is so important and I’m her biggest supporter, but I do worry when she is challenging an oil company CEO or taking the government to court. I think she delays posting on Instagram until after events, so I won’t get anxious!

“My local vicar recently said, ‘The world needs more Mikaelas and Alcias,’ which was such a compliment. It’s great to think we are both driving positive change in our own ways.”

The cooks

Mali Saberi, 53, set up her catering business, Persian Delights by Mali, in 2020. She lives in Henley with her partner, Nicholas, and youngest daughter, Celine, 10. Mali says, “Growing up in a very close, traditional Persian family in Iran, eating together was a big deal.

“Some of my happiest memories are in the kitchen with my mum, Pari, and my grandma, Morasa, before our huge family feasts. Sitting on a little stool, I would help strip the herbs and stir the mixtures while they made dishes from recipes I still use today.

“They both taught me everything I know about Persian cuisine, and I often think of them while cooking.

“I moved to the UK from Iran with my first husband when I was pregnant, aged 19, and continued to cook – with Mum again when she came here in 2014. My traditional first marriage meant I didn’t work for many years, but that broke down.

“When I met my current partner Nicholas, in 2011, he encouraged me to believe in myself and pursue cooking.

“During lockdown, I offered some of my favourite Persian and South Asian dishes as takeaways, leaving them on friends’ and neighbours’ doorsteps. Word spread, and Persian Delights has now evolved into a successful catering business and cookery school. Having outgrown my kitchen, I rented a catering unit, and Mum often joins me preparing colourful salads, soups and sharing platters."

“We occasionally disagree – she also doesn’t always approve of gadgets like my air fryer, but in my kitchen I’m the boss! Despite that, Mum’s expertise is invaluable. If something doesn’t taste quite right, in a flash she’ll tell me what I need to add, and she’s always spot-on.”

Mali’s mum, Pari Sasani, 85, lives with Mali’s brother, Mansour, in Maidenhead. “Cooking is very important in Persian culture, so it brings me real joy to share with my family back in Iran how much Mali’s customers enjoy her food,” Pari says.

“It’s not something I would have predicted as, in my generation in Iran, women were seen as mothers and didn’t work. However, I’m so glad she has used her skills and passions to build a career.

“I’m most proud that she can cook a good gheymeh bademjoon (lamb stew with split peas and aubergine). It was her childhood favourite, and she can now cook it as well as me!

“I enjoy helping Mali in the kitchen – it’s such special, quality time. As I get older and don’t feel so strong any more, it’s lovely to have something positive and creative to focus on together.”

The athletes

Sarah Kearney, 50, is a keen runner and coach who lives on the Wirral. In 2023, she founded the Warriors Pentathlon and Athletic Club together with her husband Ronan. All six of their kids are runners, especially eldest daughter Emily, 29.

“I got into running 25 years ago, when I competed in a Race for Life and recorded a fast time,” says Sarah. “In 2001, I persuaded my two eldest daughters, Emily and Aileen, then eight and six, to join in alongside my mother-in-law, Anne. We all trained together and joined Wirral Athletic Club as a family.

“From that moment, the girls were runners too. I would train three times a week with them and I loved running competitively. The kids’ athletic ability comes from my husband, and their strength, discipline and dedication come from me.

“Emily, who has gone on to represent Wales and Ireland in long-distance running, shares my never-give-up attitude, and I’m proud of her determination. I coached Emily at Wirral from the age of 12 to 18. She wasn’t the fastest runner in the club’s youth section, but I could see her potential.

“She nearly gave up in her mid-teens, but the drive to beat me kept her going. I wasn’t going to hand her a win, but she finally overtook me, aged 18, in a Borders League race. After that, her running took off, and she got an athletics scholarship to study and train in Atlanta, USA."

“Being an elite athlete is tough. The training is arduous, but my experiences mean I understand the sacrifices she makes. We still go to the athletics club together regularly. Emily now trains by herself, but we enjoy warming up and cooling down together, and we support each other in races.

“We’ve had the usual mother/daughter disagreements over the years, but always see eye to eye on running. It’s a real bond between us, and we have so many great memories from the years of travelling and racing together.

“Emily’s encouragement is often what keeps me going. She’s always the first person to congratulate me on a good performance or build me up when I’m having a bad day.”

Emily Haggard Kearney, 29, lives with her parents and husband Alex. She credits her mum with helping her to succeed as a long-distance runner. “Mum and I used to run a mile twice a week,” says Emily. “One day, when I was 11, Mum decided we should go one street further, adding about 400 metres. At the time, I thought my chest would explode – it felt so much further! Her coaching worked out, though, as these days I race in marathons.

“Distance running is a niche sport and most non-runners think I’m a nutter, whereas Mum gets it. She has shown me the importance of doing the little things right, such as stretching. She’s also a great cook, which keeps me fit and healthy.

“It can be pretty lonely at elite races having to fend for yourself, so I’m lucky to have Mum with me, helping me arrive at races in the best shape. At my last marathon, in Spain, things hadn’t quite gone according to plan and Mum had to carry me back across the city to our rental apartment afterwards, as I was so exhausted, tired and upset. I never take her support for granted.”

The priests

Ruth Fitter, 55, from Bicester, is interim lead chaplain at the Oxford University Hospitals Trust. “I became a priest in 2011, 17 years after my mum, Pat, was one of the first women ordained in the Church of England,” says Ruth. “Mum faced so much discrimination, but the way she followed her calling, despite the challenges, has always inspired me.

“I’d been involved with the church growing up, even confronting a bishop when I was 13 over the lack of opportunities for women like Mum. By 15, I turned my back on the church – it felt boring compared to other teenage activities. I returned to the fold in my mid-20s, when my two sons, now grown up, started asking to go to Sunday school.

“I soon felt a calling to get more involved, and after three years of training, in 2012, I was ordained a priest, aged 41.

“It’s amazing to have this intelligent, remarkable woman there through the ups and downs. Being a priest isn’t just a job. It’s an all-consuming lifestyle. As a family of priests – my eldest, Gareth, was ordained in 2021 – we’re used to things like celebrating Christmas at Epiphany because Christmas Day is full of services.

“Sharing a career with Mum has been great. We support one another – from engaging in theological discussions to services – plus she baptised my sons.

“I hope I’ve inherited Mum’s caring, pastoral skills and resilience – she has been a fantastic role model in so many ways.”

Ruth’s mum, Reverend Canon Pat Lyes-Wilsdon, 79, retired as a rector of five small rural parishes 15 years ago. She lives near Bristol with her husband, Paul. “It has been fascinating sharing Ruth’s journey to becoming a priest,” says Pat.

“We are both on the same page theologically and are naturally quite caring people, which means we enjoy the pastoral side of the job. Having said that, Ruth is much more of an extrovert than me, which is reflected in how we both approach the job.

“I hugely admire Ruth’s work and how she has handled the challenges life has thrown at her, like when she separated from the boys’ dad in her 30s. It was a tough time, but she grew through it and now brings that life experience to her ministry.

“A favourite memory is the day when I preached at Ruth’s first Eucharist after she was ordained in 2012. I was so pleased she’d found and followed her calling. I’m still so very proud of her.”

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