Tamworth Post Natal Depression Support Group

Our group offers a life line in Tamworth and the surrounding villages for Mothers suffering from PND. We hold weekly meetings where health care professionals can meet with Mothers to help them through some very tough times. We also offer crèche facilities for children under 3 with Nursery Nurses, so that Mothers and babies can have a valuable respite from each other, and therefore allowing Mothers to attend the meeting.

Facilitators and Health professionals

Jill Beckett: Facilitator and also a Community Midwife.

Lounie Dowling: Facilitator and Community Midwife

Lesley Heaps: Community Nursery Nurse

Lorraine Timmins: Community Nursery Nurse

Jane Hudson – Community Nursery Nurse

Jackie Stannage – Community Nursery Nurse

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History
Tamworth PND Support Group was established in February 1997, one of the first such groups to be formed in the country. Initially the group was funded by Social Services, but when funding was withdrawn in 2006, a committee of ex users of the group got together to fundraise and raise awareness of the groups work. See Committee page for further details.

See History page for more information

This group offers a life line in Tamworth and the surrounding villages for Mothers suffering from PND. The group meet every Tuesday and is facilitated by health professionals who have a strong interest in maternal mental health and have a real commitment to help women recover from the illness.

The majority of referrals come from Health Visitors, Midwives and GP’s, but if women feel they are not able to open up to their health professional, they can contact the group directly. Referral forms can be accessed here.

Other Agencies
We work closely with other agencies, particularly the children’s centre in Glascote (Sure Start), and Home Start and Pathways and meets in St Peters Church, Glascote.

Our Meetings
Each meeting starts with a chance for each member to share how their last week has been, with no pressure being put on women to speak if they feel uneasy. The meeting then has a focus for discussion, the topics being:

1. What is PND
2. Birth experiences
3. Society, mothers and bonding
4. Relationships
5. Life Experiences
6. Stress and Anxiety Management
7. Taking care of yourself
8. And finally, a session where each women gets time to have a one to one chat about how she is feeling and where she is moving on to.

There are 8 weeks in total, although, this is not a course, and the topics merely provide a focus for discussion, women can start to attend the group at any point in the cycle. The group if facilitated by a midwife and a health visitor, and has support from their mental health service in Tamworth. However, the facilitators strongly believe the strength of the group lies in the support which the women give to one another, as in each group there are women at various stages of recovery, and are always willing to offer support to others in their journey.

Some women just attend for one or two sessions, where they often “normalise” their feelings by realising other women feel the same as they do, and this can be sufficient for them. Others attend for long periods of time and leave when they feel they are ready, and can be guided by the group facilitators leave when they feel they are ready, and can be guided by the group facilitators.

For some women, this can be the only time they have to share how they are really feeling with others who have a real understanding. There is an excellent creche provided as the Nursery nurses who support the group work with Sure Start Tamworth. Mothers and babies can have a valuable respite from each other, and therefore allowing Mothers to attend the meeting.

Additional information and referral forms can be found in the Information area.

Check out the group's Photo Gallery.

We would love to hear from you, so please use the Contact page for details of how to attend the group.