"But Why?"
- Every 5 year old ever
The Fairytale
Why Mermaid Speech?
Charlotte Barfoot, Owner & Founder:
I've always wanted to make a splash! Not a remake the 1980's Tom Hanks movie (also about mermaids) but a general challenge to how things are run. As clinicians, employees, and families we deserve the best and should be able to express ourselves freely.
So, why mermaids? The mermaid is a mythical creature common to folklore in many parts of the world. As someone who who finds great meaning and intrigue in symbols, this fairytale creature - half human half fish - fits into both worlds and yet neither. In film, The Little Mermaid is represented as a being without a voice - figuratively and literally (spoiler if you hadn't quite gotten round to watching that Disney flick back in 1989, you've been busy, I get it.)
The mermaid, among other things, is the archetype for the voiceless, the symbol of the individual seeking their authentic place of belonging.
The ocean itself is analogous with space, the undiscovered, and unlimited possibility. I am so passionate about seeing the unlimited potential of every person realised, I have made an ocean of potential Mermaid Speech's tagline.
Finally, my joy at discovering that a real-life Mermaid Beach actually existed in the world prompted me to set the setting of this fairytale in the vicinity of its namesake.