2 June 2021

Above & Beyond has funded peer to peer support for women who are finding it challenging to maintain good mental wellbeing during pregnancy.

Mothers for Mothers, who run the support sessions, offer calls, advice, home visits, counselling and therapy. The group have been honoured with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

Recently there has been significant demand the for the services offered by Mothers for Mothers in Weston, from women who are under the care of UHBW and will go on to give birth at St Michael’s Hospital. This demand has increased during the pandemic.

A specialist midwife has been attending the maternity unit at Weston General Hospital every week to offer additional support.

Above & Beyond is funding this service for six months from April 2021.

The service is currently supporting 30 women using both virtual media platforms and with weekly support calls and texts. This will increase as more women are referred to the service and is expected to benefit 31 women during the six-month period.

This project has been funded thanks to money raised by families of patients to support other women in similar circumstances.

Feedback from the women attending has included:

"Before Mothers for Mothers I was full of anxiety. Now I feel like the bond between myself and my child is getting better. By talking through feelings it has helped my bond and relationship."

"The things I have found helpful are the weekly walks, being able to talk and having access to therapy."

"As a result of the support from Mothers for Mothers I feel more confident about being a single mum."

Mothers for Mothers CEO, Maria Viner says: “Mothers for Mothers are delighted to have been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in our 40th year. This prestigious award is the highest recognition possible for VCSE groups in the UK and we would like to thank everyone who supports us in the work we do.

This award recognises the dedication, commitment and passion of all of the women with a lived experience of maternal mental illness who have generously given their time, skills and compassion to support others.    

"We are so proud that our wonderful team have been honoured in this way. It is very emotional to think about all the families that they have supported over 40 years. The women who we walk alongside on their journey to recovery are the inspiration for all that we do. This honours their bravery.”  

When restrictions allow, Mother for Mothers will be offering a regularly walk and a weekly support group.

These sessions support women during the perinatal period to when the youngest child starts school.

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