APP November Newsletter
Free APP webinar - watch back and share
Thank you to everyone who signed up for our free webinar: Essential knowledge for preventing maternal suicide.
Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death in the 12 months after having a baby in the UK. APP’s second annual Alex Baish Memorial webinar outlined the actions needed to support and protect women who develop postpartum psychosis (PP).
The webinar was delivered in collaboration with The National Centre for Mental Health at Cardiff University (NCMH) and General Practitioners Championing Perinatal Mental Health Care (GPCPC).
We would like to say a huge thank you to our speakers.
3,891 health professionals signed up for the webinar.
A truly inspiring, emotional, educational & thought provoking webinar with @ActionOnPP - it has been a privilege to attend, thank you to all involved
You can watch the webinar back here. Please share with your networks to let as many people as possible who work with new mothers know.
The Big Give
Our Christmas Big Give returns on the 3rd December, with all donations (up to £6,000) made that week via our Big Give campaign page being DOUBLED - so your donation will have double the impact.
Our festive appeal this year is focused on a new service we‘re aiming to develop: resources for those struggling with legal and rights-based issues after PP. Our peer support survey last year showed that nearly half (49%) of those affected by PP had faced issues around returning to work. Over a third (36%) had difficulties with reinstatement of their full driving licence, and the same number had problems at work. 31% had difficulties with accessing insurances, and 28% with benefits entitlements.
Some women shared issues they had faced due to a lack of understanding of PP in our legal system. We want to provide practical information, support and signposting to help women with these issues. You can read more about our appeal here.
Please donate if you can, and remember all donations made between 3rd and 10th December will be doubled, at no additional cost to you.
Thank you so much for your support.
The Big Bake
Get friends, family, or colleagues together for a festive afternoon tea, a mince pie coffee break, a Hanukkah bake off, or a Christmas Cake decorating competition and help raise funds and awareness for APP at the same time!
Find out more here, or get your FREE Big Bake pack (including the APP team's favourite festive recipes!) by emailing fundraising@app-network.org.
We can't wait to hear about what you have planned! Plus, if you hold your event between 3rd - 10th December and donate the proceeds to our Big Give appeal, whatever you make will be doubled!
Christmas cards that make a difference!
Buy your Christmas cards this year from here and APP will receive a donation with every purchase.
There are hundreds of designs to pick from, including some exclusively designed for APP. You can add photos, personalised messages and even games. Choose individual cards, packs of cards or e-cards - and send them directly to the recipient or to yourself.
Thank you.
APP's 2024 Peer Support Survey
A big thank you to everyone who completed our annual peer support survey. The responses showed the importance of APP’s peer support service and the role it plays in recovery. The majority of respondents (68%) had experienced postpartum psychosis (PP) or were at high risk of PP. 27% responded as a partner, family member or friend of someone who had experienced PP.
Overall, since finding APP…
- 99% felt more supported
- 95% felt less isolated
- 96% felt more informed about PP
- 91% felt less negative about PP
- 93% felt more hopeful about the future
- 96% felt that APP had helped, or was helping, them to recover
- 91% felt more able to talk about their PP with family, friends and health professionals
- 48% said they might not be alive if they had not found APP's peer support services.
Below are just a few of the many comments shared through the survey:
It is so nice to feel a part of a community, to know others have been through a version of what you have, it validates the whole thing. I feel less alone knowing that I'm not the only one to have had this extremely scary experience.
The fact that APP are very welcoming and open about everything PP-related made me realise that there is nothing to be ashamed about having experienced PP. If others are out there talking about it and sharing their story, then so can I.
Knowing that others had been through what I experienced and had come out the other end was so inspiring, it gave me hope that I would too.
APP has been a great way for me to acknowledge and reflect on what has happened to me and my family with people who truly understand and can relate and are willing to share their stories too. I don’t feel alone!
Under no uncertain terms, APP was a pivotal part of my recovery. It provided a safe environment where I felt a sense of belonging during my recovery.
Legacy giving
We’ve recently developed a new information pack for anyone interested in finding out more about leaving a gift to APP in their Will.
Leaving a legacy to APP could help us make an impact and support women and families long into the future, and it’s probably a lot less complicated to do than you might think.
You can find out more and request our free info pack here. Thank you.
Join our next UK café group meeting
There will be a meet up on Zoom on Thursday 28th November, 7.30-9pm for anyone who has experienced psychosis in the perinatal period and lives in the UK.
You can sign up to join the meeting here.
This will be a space to meet with others and share experiences.
If you haven't been to an APP peer support meet up on Zoom before you can read more about what to expect here.
APP peer support volunteer training
On Saturday 9th November, we ran our 23rd peer support training day (pictured above) and are delighted to welcome 8 new peer support volunteers to our team. We have also recently trained 4 new partner peer support volunteers.
Our peer support volunteers have all been affected by postpartum psychosis (PP) themselves. They help us to deliver our peer support service, where we connect people through 1:1 support, our cafe groups and our online community forum.
As our recent peer support survey shows, by connecting with others who have 'been there', we can help people feel more supported, more hopeful and less isolated.
We are extremely grateful to all of our volunteers who give their time; we could not run our peer support service without them.
If you are in the UK, have been affected by postpartum psychosis (experiencing PP yourself, or as a partner, grandparent or other family member) and would like to find out more about volunteering with APP, please do email us: app@app-network.org.
Company Four – exhibition call out
Company Four, a Manchester based theatre and production company, is currently rehearsing ‘Who is your mummy and where did she go?’, a theatre production that focuses on postpartum psychosis. Read how family history inspired their artistic journey here.
An exhibition space will run alongside the performances and Company Four would welcome any submissions from APP’s community - stories, artwork, voice recordings, poetry and more. Whether you have experienced PP, are a partner or family member, or a health professional - please send your submissions to: companyfourmcr@gmail.com by 10th January 2025. We'd love to see your work too so please copy us in: app@app-network.org.
Motivational Mums Club conference
On 4th November, APP was invited to attend the very first Motivational Mums Club conference, which focused on improving mental health outcomes for Black mothers.
APP's Jessie Hunt and Shaheda Akhtar (pictured above far right and middle) spoke about the signs and symptoms of postpartum psychosis, our peer support services and Diverse Communities Project - highlighting plans to work with Motivational Mums Club on future projects supporting Black mums. Our volunteer, Rushina (pictured above, far left), joined the team to raise awareness, sharing her experience.
Thank you to Club founder Chrissy Brown for inviting us and a big thank you to our speakers for sharing your stories and helping to raise awareness.
If you are a Black mum with lived experience of postpartum psychosis and you would like to share your story or meet others, please get in touch by emailing: app@app-network.org.
Writing workshop
Members of the APP network recently enjoyed a writing workshop, facilitated by writer and actress Lauren-Nicole Mayes (Corrie, BBC Writersroom Northern Voices).
Through prompts and free writing, the session focused on ‘finding your own voice’. From random words, we developed our own writing style and unique voices. Who knew ‘baked beans’ could evoke such emotions?!
We look forward to offering further similar sessions next year and are extremely grateful to Lauren-Nicole for running this session for us.
Fabulous Fundraisers
Thank you! A big thank you to a couple of our youngest fundraisers who took on big events for APP in October.
17 year old Emily ran the Cardiff Half and raised nearly £1,000 and 17 year old, Aideen, completed the Belfast Half in memory of her aunt Orlaith, and raised over £1,000. A massive thank you to both of them for taking on these incredible challenges for us!
Research Officer vacancy
The Care Policy and Evaluation Centre (CPEC) at The London School of Economics (LSE) is looking for a part-time Research Officer to work on a new project evaluating the way APP delivers peer support at Mother and Baby Units (MBUs).
The project will start in January 2025 and will be run by the CPEC from the LSE, working with APP.
This is an important study and the postholder will contribute to all research activities including literature reviewing, setting up and participating in meetings and workshops. A large part of the role will be data collection through focus groups and interviews with women with experience of postnatal illness, staff and peer support workers.
You can apply for the post here. For queries about the role, please email cpec@lse.ac.uk.
The closing date is Monday 2nd December.
Books and media
A Mom Like That: A Memoir of Postpartum Psychosis by Aaisha Alvi is a powerful exploration of postpartum psychosis and motherhood - and a call to end the stigma and blame. Early motherhood is supposed to be joyous, but for Aaisha, who is based in the USA, those early days were ruined by terrifying, delusional thoughts about her baby and family.
We need to talk about postpartum psychosis - it's a real experience, but it doesn't define you. - Aaisha Alvi
A compelling, powerfully written memoir that will raise awareness of a devastating illness and shine a light on the journey of recovery. - Jess Heron, APP Chief Executive
Aaisha’s book is available now at major online booksellers.
You can listen to Ellie Ware, APP’s National Peer Support Coordinator, in conversation with Aaisha here (length: 26 minutes). They have an honest conversation about postpartum psychosis, Aaisha's book, the importance of raising awareness, and the healing power of peer support.
Please be aware that this discussion includes experiences of postpartum psychosis, as well as descriptions of suicidal and infanticidal thoughts.
Recent media
APP Ambassador Laura Dockrill shared her postpartum psychosis experience in Psychology Today.
APP fundraiser Mai shared her story with Glasgow Times
National Peer Support Coordinator, Ellie Ware, took part in the Mindful Mums Podcast, highlighting the signs and symptoms of PP, how to get help and APP’s peer support service.
APP’s National Training Coordinator, Sally Wilson, spoke to BBC Sunderland about the need for more beds to treat women with postpartum psychosis. Storyteller Kayleigh also highlighted her own experience and APP’s Mother and Baby Unit for BBC News Online.
Fundraiser and Storyteller Leanne shared her story with Edinburgh Live.
APP storyteller and poet Jenny wrote about her experience of PP for The Independent (payment required to access the full article).
Storytellers Ruth and Alexandra spoke to the New York Times about the power of Mother and Baby Units in the UK (payment required to access the full article).
APP Chief Executive Dr Jess Heron spoke to Mail Online about why we need more awareness and health professional training on PP to reduce rates of maternal suicide, in response to the tragic death by suicide of Abigail Menoret. Please take care when reading this article.
Take on a challenge in 2025 for APP
Is it too early to be thinking about New Year's Resolutions? We already have nearly 50 people signed up to take part in fundraising challenges in 2025 so maybe not! We’ve updated the challenge page on our website with dozens of new events – from Santa fancy dress fun runs in December to loads of exciting events all over the country throughout 2025, including London - Paris cycle, Great North Swim, Etape Caledonia, Blenheim Palace Triathlon, London 10k and the Great North Run to name just a few. Get planning and have something to look forward to next year.
Dates for your diary
APP UK-wide virtual café group meet up, Thursday 28th November
International Volunteer Day, Thursday 5th December
APP Lancashire and south Cumbria virtual café group meet up, Monday 9th December
APP Birmingham face to face café group meet up, Friday 13th December
APP Muslim women’s virtual café group meet up, Friday 13th December
APP North East face to face café group meet up in Newcastle, Monday 16th December
APP LGBTQ+ virtual café group meet-up, Tuesday 17th December
APP Manchester face to face café group meet up, Friday 20th December
APP Manchester face to face café group meet up, Friday 24th January 2025
APP North East face to face café group meet up in Newcastle, Monday 17th February 2025
Contact information for all APP café groups is available here.
Conferences and events
Perinatal mental health lunchtime seminar, Thursday 10th December
Online seminar run by Lifeboat Perinatal Mental Health CIC. This 12.30 - 1.30pm session is for anyone supporting pregnant and new parents and focuses on techniques for group facilitation. Tickets are £10. Book here.
Perinatal mental health lunchtime seminar, Tuesday 14th January 2025
Online seminar run by Lifeboat Perinatal Mental Health CIC and Dads Matters Bristol. This 12.30 - 1.30pm session focuses on dads/partners and the impact of pregnancy, birth and parenthood on mental health. Book your free place here.
Monitoring and Improving Experience in Maternity Care, Thursday 30th January 2025
Online conference focusing on measuring, understanding and improving maternity care experience in the NHS.
A 20% discount is available with code hcuk20app. More information and book tickets here.
If you would like to advertise your event here, please get in touch: app@app-network.org.