January 2024 newsletter

APP in 2024

APP’s Chief Executive, Dr Jess Heron, explains APP’s priorities for the coming year.

“Thank you from everyone at APP for your support in 2023. We have some exciting plans for 2024 - and we would love you to get involved.

I must warmly thank the University of Birmingham for hosting APP as a research network for more than 25 years, and as a charity for the past 13 years. We have achieved great change over this period and we are so thankful for the University’s support. APP is now an independent charity, but we’ll maintain links with The Institute of Mental Health at Birmingham University, The National Centre for Mental Health at Cardiff University and we’re developing new links with the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at Oxford University.

In 2024, we’ll continue our focus on peer support, health professional training, awareness-raising, campaigning and research.

PEER SUPPORT: APP’s national peer support project has grown every year since its inception, supporting women, partners and grandparents throughout the UK, via: email, phone, video call, community forum, in person meet-ups, regional café groups, wellbeing and creative activities. In 2024, our new Muslim women’s café group will continue, and we will launch a new group for Black women. We will develop a new bereavement support online group. We’re also conducting work to understand the legal, rights-based and employment issues faced when recovering from PP, and developing web content on managing suicidal thoughts during recovery.

TRAINING: We’re working on our first two e-modules to extend the reach of our health professional training. These in-depth modules will complement our full day online and in-person courses for NHS teams, and our shorter lived experience talks. In October, the second annual Alex Baish memorial lecture will focus specifically on helping GPs to prevent maternal suicide.

CAMPAIGNING: We’ll continue our campaign to ensure that all women affected by PP have access to a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) and that policy-makers understand the value of these services. We’ll maintain pressure for the delivery of an MBU in Northern Ireland, working with our NI café group, storytellers and linking with journalists, MPs and third sector partners. Our lived experience engagement work with the new N Wales/Chester MBU will continue, and we’ll carry on supporting calls for an MBU in north Scotland. We’re assessing the impact of our campaign for all expectant parents to be given information about postpartum psychosis during pregnancy and continuing to share our antenatal education toolkit widely to midwives, health visitors, birth educators and GPs.

AWARENESS-RAISING: We’d love your help to share our BBC Radio 4 Charity Appeal, which will be broadcast on 24th March. We’ll be in touch to ask you to make short clips on your phone about why APP is important to you and why you want people to support us. It is a fantastic opportunity to raise funds and awareness of PP and we are delighted to have been selected as one of this year’s charities. Our media team have a year-long programme of awareness-raising media and creative pieces, working with lived experience storytellers, to reduce stigma and promote hope for recovery.

RESEARCH: We are continuing our work with researchers at Cardiff University on clinical and genetic studies- look out for our webinar in March reporting findings from this collaboration. We’re working with sleep researchers and recovery researchers on new studies that we hope will receive funding.

We rely on your donations to do our work. To make a one off or regular donation, visit: www.bit.ly/APPdonate or to become a fundraiser or hold a fundraising event, get in touch. We’re always looking for more people to get involved. To find out more about training as a peer supporter, storyteller or lived experience speaker, email us.

Thank you for everything you do to support us – and I look forward to seeing you during the year.”

Café groups

APP runs monthly peer support social/café groups, which are informal friendly spaces to share experiences and meet others who have also had psychosis in the perinatal period.

Most of our groups meet both in-person and on Zoom. We have regional groups for London, Sussex and Hampshire, Wales, Scotland, NI, Yorkshire, North East/Newcastle, Birmingham, Black Country, Lancashire and South Cumbria, and Manchester.

We also have a group that meets every other month on Zoom which is for anyone who lives in the UK. The next meeting for this group will be on Thursday 8th February, 7.30pm - 9pm and you can sign up on Eventbrite here.

Our group for Muslim women who have experienced psychosis in the perinatal period will next meet up on 8th February, at 12.30pm - 2pm. You can sign up on Eventbrite.

Information about all our peer support, including upcoming café group dates, details of our regular groups for dads/co-parents and grandparents and how to join, is on our website.

BBC Appeal

We’re delighted that APP has been selected to feature as a BBC Radio 4 Charity appeal in March. Our broadcast will be presented by APP Ambassador, Laura Dockrill, on 24th March. This is an incredible opportunity for us to raise the profile of APP on a national scale, as well as really help to raise awareness of postpartum psychosis. We want to reach as many people as possible – and we’d love to get your input on the best ways for us to do this.

We’re holding two meetings on 7th February open to anyone interested in helping us make the most of this amazing opportunity. Join us at either 12.30pm, or 8pm for 45 minutes by booking a place on Eventbrite. Come along to one of them to find out more about what we have planned and how you can be part of it - feel free to pop along and listen in, no pressure to get involved - we just want you on board for this exciting journey!

Mums and mental health survey

The National Centre for Mental Health (NCMH) and Action on Postpartum Psychosis are working together to understand more about the causes and triggers of severe mental illness during pregnancy and following childbirth. You are invited to take part in this research if you have experienced postpartum psychosis or other severe mental illness around childbirth. For more information and to sign up to participate, please click here.

Birth trauma: national inquiry

The Birth Trauma All Parliamentary Party Group (APPG) has launched a new national inquiry to better understand the reasons for the prevalence of birth trauma in the UK.

The APPG is aiming to review the reasons for the prevalence of birth trauma and examine how best to support mothers. As part of the inquiry, parents and professionals affected by birth trauma are being invited to submit their stories.

If you would like to take part, you can find out more here. The closing date for submissions is 6th February.

Fundraising

Diving into the new year!
Friends Emily and Adam got 2024 off to a flying start for APP – with an amazing skydive from 14,000ft! Emily suffered with PP after the birth of her baby in 2020 and is passionate about raising awareness of the illness. Both Emily and Adam work at the Beeches Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) in Derbyshire, so they know first-hand the devastating impact it can have on women and families and wanted to do something to make a difference. Read more about their story here.

Take on a challenge in 2024

If your 2024 resolution is to do something new this year, we can help you with that! Whether you’re into running, swimming, cycling, walking or want to do something totally different – we can find the perfect challenge for you. We have options all over the country (and beyond) and there’s something for everyone! You’ll find loads of ideas here.

We are urgently looking to fill our final places in the Brighton Marathon and the London Landmarks Half, both taking place on 7th April. Both of these events are now totally sold out, the only way to get a place is through a charity like us! Get in touch if you’d like to fill our final spot in each event.

We also have places available in the amazing Great North Swim in Windermere in June and the iconic Great North Run on 8th September. Again, contact us for more info on these.

Are you a member of a running club? Would you be able to send an occasional update to your club with some of the running opportunities we have coming up in your area? We can offer low registration fees and guaranteed places in some of the biggest events in the country. Let our Fundraiser Fliss know if you could help with this.

APP’s Miles for Mums and Babies will be back this year – watch this space for more details coming soon, but it’s never too early to get planning – let us know if you have an idea for your own ‘Miles’ challenge this year.

Support APP for free

If you’re having a post-Christmas declutter, do consider whether anything could be recycled to raise funds for APP – our friends at Recycling for Good Causes will send you a sack for free, you simply fill it with old or broken electronics, jewellery, stamps and old currency, they’ll collect it for free and APP will receive a donation in return. Alternatively, you could sell items on eBay or Vinted, then donate some or all of what you make to us. For more info on recycling and lots of other ideas to raise funds for APP without it costing you anything at all, check out this page.

Dates for your diary

APP Scotland virtual café group meet up, Thursday 25th January

APP Manchester face to face café group meet up, Friday 26th January

APP Black Country face to face café group meet up in Walsall, Tuesday 30th January

APP Wales virtual café group meet up, Tuesday 30th January

APP Sussex and Hampshire virtual café group meet up, Wednesday 31st January

APP Muslim women’s virtual café group meet up, Thursday 8th February

APP UK-wide virtual café group meet up, Thursday 8th February

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Blackburn, Friday 9th February

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria virtual café group meet up, Monday 12th February

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Lancaster, Wednesday 14th February

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Preston, Friday 16th February

APP dads and co-parents virtual café group meet up, Wednesday 21st February

APP Northern Ireland virtual café group meet up, Thursday 22nd February

APP Birmingham face to face café group meet up in Birmingham, Friday 23rd February

APP Manchester face to face café group meet up in Manchester, Friday 23rd February: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Yorkshire face to face café group meet up in Sheffield, Saturday 24th February

APP London face to face café group meet up, Saturday 24th February

APP Black Country face to face café group meet up in Walsall, Tuesday 27th February

APP Sussex and Hampshire virtual café group meet up, Tuesday 27th February

APP Scotland virtual café group meet up, Wednesday 28th February

Contact information for all APP café groups is available here.

APP Book Club virtual meeting, Wednesday 13th March 2024. Discussing Matrescence: On the Metamorphosis of Pregnancy, Childbirth and Motherhood by Lucy Jones. Book your free place here.

Events and conferences

MBRRACE Conference: Saving Lives, Improving Mother’s Care, Thursday 1^st February

The “MBRRACE-UK - Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care” report highlights suicide as a leading cause of maternal death. This online conference aims to share findings from the report and identify how individuals and agencies can work together to improve the care of women/birthing and save lives. Book here.

Black Maternal Health Conference UK, Monday 18^th March

Organised by the Motherhood Group, this London conference features keynote speakers and panel discussions focusing on how health equity for Black mothers can be achieved. More details and ticket booking here.

If you would like to advertise your event here, please get in touch: app@app-network.org.

December 2023 newsletter

Season's Greeting and a Happy New Year from all of us at APP

A message from APP's Chief Executive, Dr Jessica Heron:

"On behalf of APP, I would like to thank everyone in our community for supporting us throughout 2023. With your help, we have achieved a huge amount over the past 12 months.

Special thanks must go to our fundraisers who have worked so hard to raise awareness and much-needed funds. The phenomenal fundraising by Richard Baish, his family and friends in memory of his wife, Alex, enabled us to deliver a free webinar on suicide prevention with more than 2,500 frontline GPs, midwives, health visitors and antenatal educators signing up. The funds also supported the development of our postpartum psychosis (PP) toolkit for antenatal educators and associated media campaign.

I’d also like to thank every single person who has supported our work by sharing their stories, helping to raise awareness, donating or holding a fundraising event. In 2023, more individuals and teams have been involved in running, cycling, swimming, walking, bungee jumping and cake baking than ever before, together raising more than £160,000.

With the help of our volunteers, we provided 1:1 peer support to 292 individuals. An average of 230 used our peer support forum each month. Our regional café meet-ups, groups for dads/co-parents and grandparents continued and we added new groups for Muslim women and a UK-wide meeting. APP Insider Guides have been translated into Arabic, Bengali, Polish, Slovak and Urdu to continue our work ensuring this information is accessible to as many people as possible.

Our four NHS partnership projects, including our new collaboration with Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, provided peer support to more than 270 women and families early in their recovery journey. Our annual peer support survey showed APP’s peer support service continues to be life-saving and an essential ingredient in recovery, with 99% of respondents feeling more supported and 96% feeling less isolated.

Our campaigns have continued to make a real difference for women and families – work on a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) in Chester serving Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales is underway. We also saw the long-awaited announcement of a plan for a Northern Ireland MBU, thanks in no small part to our NI café group, NI regional rep Oorlagh, and the inspirational efforts of the family of Orlaith Quinn who lost her life to PP.

As always, I would like to thank all our staff, volunteers, trustees, donors and fundraisers for their dedication, passion and hard work this year. There is a lot more we want to do together in 2024. I’m delighted that APP has been selected for a BBC Radio 4 Charity Appeal, to be broadcast on 24th March, which is a great opportunity to raise funds and awareness.

For some women and families, Christmas and New Year is a difficult time. APP’s support is available for anyone facing grief or loss, for families who may have loved ones spending Christmas in a Mother and Baby Unit, or those struggling with symptoms during the recovery period. We are thinking of you and our peer supporters are available every day of the year on our Forum.

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy festive period”

Peer Support during the festive period 

APP’s Forum is open as usual over the festive period. Our staff and volunteers are ready to talk to anyone who needs support. If you would like talk to others who have been there, please get in touch.

If you are emailing the APP office or requesting one to one email or video call support over the festive period, please bear with us. It may take a few days for us to get back to you.

Chester Mother and Baby Unit 

Plans for a new Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) - a specialist in-patient treatment unit where mums with mental illness are admitted with their babies – were announced by Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust earlier this year. The eight-bed unit will be opened in Chester to support new and expectant parents across Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales.

APP’s national team is working with the Cheshire, Wirral and North Wales NHS teams to ensure the voices of lived experience are heard throughout the whole development process, as well as ensuring the unit helps to meet the needs of families from North Wales. APP volunteers and those with lived experience of PP and inpatient units have been an integral part of the development meetings, where they have inputted into the design, landscaping, and functionality of the MBU.

APP has long been campaigning for more MBU beds in the UK and we’re delighted by the plans for Cheshire. However, in many parts of the UK it is still the case that mothers and babies are forced to travel miles for treatment or that mums can end up on an adult psychiatric ward. You can read more about APP’s campaigning for MBUs in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Scotland and add your voice here.

Café groups

APP runs lived experience café groups across the UK where mums and parents who have been through postpartum psychosis, and their partners and family members, can meet informally.

We have a new UK-wide café group and there are currently regional groups in Birmingham, Lancashire and South Cumbria, London, Manchester, North East and North Cumbria, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Sussex and Hampshire, Wales and Yorkshire.

We also run monthly cafe groups for: dads and co-parents; grandparents; and Muslim women.

Café groups meet both online and in person, so if you can’t get to a meet-up, you can always join a group for a cuppa online.

To join us and to see the new dates for meetings in 2024 visit our website.

New Midlands peer support worker

Welcome to our new peer support worker, Rachel Rollins, who is part of our partnership project with Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust.

Rachel joins Natalie and Soukaina in the Birmingham team, providing peer support to inpatients at Birmingham Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) and at APP’s café groups in the area.

Rachel has volunteered as a peer supporter with APP, attending café groups, after being supported through the West Midlands teams after the birth of her second child. You can read more about our Birmingham and Solihull project and find out how to get involved as a volunteer here. To join the café group, please email birmingham@app-network.org.

(Pictured above Rachel Rollins, left, with Peer Support Facilitator Natalie Thompson)

Festive bake off

A big thank you to Cheshire and Mersey Specialist Perinatal Service for holding a Christmassy Big Bake in support of APP. It looks like there was lots of festive fun and plenty of tasty treats on offer!

If you fancy holding your own Big Bake to help raise funds as well as awareness of postpartum psychosis and APP, please email fundraising@app-network.org and we’ll send you more details and your Big Bake fundraising pack so you can get started.

APP Book Club

Join us for the next meeting of APP’s Book Club on Wednesday 13th March. We’ll be meeting on Zoom to discuss Matrescence: On the Metamorphosis of Pregnancy, Childbirth and Motherhood by Lucy Jones. Find out more and book your free place here.

Fundraising

Lee completes his final challenge!

Our amazing fundraiser Lee Smith (pictured above with MBU staff) has finished his epic year of challenges to raise awareness of, and funds for, APP His final challenge saw him run 22 miles from his home in Washington to the Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) in Morpeth, where his wife Jess was treated in December 2020. Lee said:

"Huge thank you to the staff on the Mother and Baby Unit in Morpeth, giving me a tour of the ward at the end of the 22-mile run. Due to covid restrictions I [had only been able] to imagine where Jess was staying. A really comfortable, homely environment to get the best support with staff - the mothers are definitely in safe hands."

Over the course of the year Lee has completed the Great North Run, a Tough Warrior event, climbed mountains and even braved a bungee jump! He's raised more than £4,300 and done a huge amount to raise awareness of PP as well. Find out more about his amazing feats here. Lee's work is not quite finished yet though - keep an eye on our social media platforms to hear about an interview with him on BBC Radio 5Live in the run-up to Christmas!

Thank you

A massive thank you to every single person who has taken on a fundraising challenge for us during 2023 - whether you were involved with Miles for Mums and Babies, organised a Big Bake, took on a marathon, did a collection at work, climbed a mountain, cycled, swam, swam, walked, toddled or jumped...! Every single fundraiser has been absolutely amazing this year and we are so grateful to all of you. You've helped raise an incredible amount of money this year which is already making a huge difference. Thank you for being part of Team APP! We can't do any of this without you.

Nominate APP

To end the year, easyfundraising is giving fifty causes £50 each. If you would like to nominate Action on Postpartum Psychosis for a £50 award - please take a minute to complete this form and tell them why you love APP in 50 words or fewer by 31st December. It's a really short form - just the 50 words or fewer plus your name. If you have 5 minutes any time before the end of the year, please do give it a go and we'll let you know if we win! Thank you.

Festive support
We'd love your support over the festive season! Every donation makes a difference. Here are a few ways you can support us this December if you would like to.

APP gift voucher
Are you struggling to think of present ideas for the person who has everything? Make a donation to APP in their name then drop us an email and we’ll send you a downloadable gift voucher for you to print and wrap for them for the big day. 

Dates for your diary

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Blackburn, Friday 5th January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria virtual café group meet up, Monday 8th January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Lancaster, Wednesday 10th January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP London virtual café group meet up, Thursday 11th January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Blackpool, Friday 12th January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Northern Ireland virtual café group meet up, Thursday 18th January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Birmingham face to face café group meet up in Birmingham, Friday 19th January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Preston, Friday 19th January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Yorkshire virtual café group meet up, Tuesday 23rd January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Scotland virtual café group meet up, Thursday 25th January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Manchester face to face café group meet up, Friday 26th January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Black Country face to face café group meet up in Walsall, Tuesday 30th January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Wales virtual café group meet up, Tuesday 30th January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Sussex and Hampshire virtual café group meet up, Wednesday 31st January 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Blackburn, Friday 2nd February 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Muslim women’s virtual café group meet up, Thursday 8th February 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP UK-wide virtual café group meet up, Thursday 8th February 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Blackpool, Friday 9th February 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria virtual café group meet up, Monday 12th February 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Lancaster, Wednesday 14th February 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Preston, Friday 16th February 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Birmingham face to face café group meet up in Birmingham, Friday 23rd February 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Manchester face to face café group meet up in Manchester, Friday 23rd February 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Black Country face to face café group meet up in Walsall, Tuesday 27th February 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Sussex and Hampshire virtual café group meet up, Tuesday 27th February 2024: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Book Club virtual meeting, Wednesday 13th March 2024. Discussing Matrescence: On the Metamorphosis of Pregnancy, Childbirth and Motherhood by Lucy Jones. Book your free place here.

November 2023 newsletter

Northern Ireland Mother and Baby Unit news

We are delighted with the news this week that Belfast Trust has been chosen as the site of a Northern Ireland Mother and Baby Unit (MBU). APP would like to thank Oorlagh Quinn, our NI Regional Rep, and all the families who have bravely shared stories to show why an MBU is so important.

But we are not there yet – there has been no funding allocated, no timeline given and no plans for women who develop PP before an MBU is open. You can read APP's full statement here.  

APP staff and storytellers Laura, Tara, Liz and Ellie have been in the press raising awareness and responding to the announcement.

In October 2022 we worked with the Women's Resource and Development Agency to present an open letter to then Health Minister Robin Swann, signed by 40 mental health and parenting organisations, calling for an MBU, as well as a public petition with almost 7,000 signatures.

#MumBabyTogetherNI

Café groups news 

The next UK-wide café group meeting will be on Thursday 7th December at 7.30pm. We have seen lots of interest in this group – thank you to everyone who has attended so far. To find out more or sign up, email app@app-network.org. 

The next café group for Muslim women who have experienced PP will be on 5th December, starting at 12.30pm. To sign up email us: app@app-network.org. 

Our 10 regional café groups continue to meet regularly, both virtually and face-to-face. The groups are attended both by those newly recovering from PP and those who have recovered many years ago. If you are interested in joining any of the groups – in Manchester, Wales, Sussex & Hampshire, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Yorkshire, North East & North Cumbria, Lancashire & Cumbria, Birmingham and London - please email app@app-network.org.  

The dads and co-parents group meets on the third Wednesday of every month (apart from December) and is for people who have supported a partner through PP. Our grandparents group meets approximately six times a year. If you would like to be on the mailing list for either of these groups, please email app@app-network.org.

APP 2023 peer support survey 

A big thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our 2023 peer support survey.

The results show APP’s peer support service continues to be life-saving and an essential ingredient in recovery.

Respondents accessed our peer support for a variety of reasons: 82% had experienced postpartum psychosis (PP), 16% were a partner or family member of someone who had experienced PP, 2% were at risk of PP or ‘other reason’.

The most common reasons for accessing APP’s peer support services were: looking for help and support (66%), wanting to connect with others with similar experiences (62%), and wanting to join a community of women and families with experience of PP (53%).

For respondents for whom the question was relevant, since finding APP:

• 99% felt more supported
• 96% felt less isolated
• 97% felt more informed about PP
• 87% felt less negative about PP
• 94% felt more hopeful about the future and 97% felt that APP had helped, or was helping, them to recover.
• 46% felt they ‘might not be alive if I had not found APP's peer support services’.

 “The support APP provides is life saving and life changing. APP’s service means community to me - from picnics, to fundraising events to cafe groups I’ve always felt included. All staff and volunteers inspire me every day - keep doing the amazing work you do APP!”

“As a partner, being able to utilise the forums and, in particular, use the virtual cafe to chat to other Dads has been brilliant and made me feel much happier and positive about the future. I think,
especially so far as mums are concerned, that sometimes there isn't anyone to turn to and having the option of a dedicated service for PPP where you can talk to people that have lived and breathed it could literally be a life saver during the recovery phase.”

 We added new questions this year about the symptoms people experienced in relation to their episode of PP.

Additional questions were also included to find out more about difficulties people have with practical and legal issues because of PP. We will be working with a specialist to follow up these findings and explore the need for specialist support and advice around such issues.

Health professional training: book for 2024!

Book now for APP’s future health professional training days. Our workshops are highly rated by attendees, with 100% rating them as excellent/good and 100% saying they would recommend them to colleagues:

"Really brilliant session. Balanced, informed, inspiring, emotional. So raw and real and yet very professional and contained. Best training I've attended in a very long time.”

Supporting dads and co-parents affected by postpartum psychosis

This online workshop is informed by real life experiences of dads and co-parents whose partners have experienced postpartum psychosis. At the end of the workshop, you will be aware of the research on partners; have a deep understanding of the needs of dads and co-parents; and have considered strategies and interventions to improve support.

Friday 8th March 2024 / Zoom
 10am – 12.30pm BST
 £99
 Find out more & book.

Insider Guides translated into 5 languages 

All three APP Insider Guides – Recovery after PP; PP: a Guide for Partners; and Planning Pregnancy  after PP – are now available in Arabic, Bengali, Polish, Slovak and Urdu on our website. 

We’d like to thank Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust for funding the translation work.

APP is continually seeking ways to translate our guides into multiple languages to ensure the information in them is accessible to everyone who needs it. If you would like to help us, please get in touch. 

We are recruiting

APP is recruiting casual Peer Support Worker(s) to join our innovative collaborative project with Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT).  

We’re looking for people with lived experience of postpartum psychosis to help support women, one-to-one and through small group activities, at the MBU. Peer Support Workers also spend time talking to partners and families, sharing information, giving hope and signposting to APP’s online support, community forum, and information. Part of the role will be spent helping to run monthly café groups in the region. You don’t need to have experience of peer supporting. Training will be provided.

Full details of how to apply for the role are on our website. The application deadline is midnight on 26th November 2023.

Thank you, volunteers

It’s International Volunteer Day on Tuesday 5th December and we would like to say an enormous thank you to everyone who volunteers for APP. 

Our volunteers make a huge contribution to our work and we couldn’t do what we do without them. 

Peer Support volunteers connect with women and families throughout the UK via our forum; social media; one to one email, video call and telephone support; our NHS partnership projects and regional café groups.

Media volunteers help to raise awareness of postpartum psychosis, our charity and our campaigns by telling their stories in the press, on social media websites, television and radio.

Regional Reps connect with health professional teams locally, disseminating information, support patient involvement in developing NHS services and giving lived experience talks.

Fundraising volunteers plan events and come up with fundraising ideas to support our work. 

If you would like to learn more about volunteering for APP you can find out how to get involved here.

Fundraising

Thank you to everyone who donated as part of our Big Give campaign last month. We were delighted to reach our target of £5000 in just one week! This will go towards our work supporting women and families from diverse communities. Look out for more ‘double your donation’ opportunities in 2024.

Thank you, Laura! A massive thank you to Laura Walton from Darlington, who ran 50 miles during October, raising over £700 for APP! Laura also generously shared her own experiences of postpartum psychosis with us to help raise awareness. You can read more about her story here. Laura completed her amazing challenge with a fabulous purple party for family and friends! Thank you, Laura!

Time for a festive Big Bake?

Inspired by the amazing looking cakes at Laura’s party? Why not get your friends, family, or colleagues together this winter for a festive afternoon tea, a mince pie bake off or a Christmas Cake decorating competition? Get your FREE festive Big Bake pack (including the APP team's favourite recipes!) by emailing fundraising@app-network.org 
We can't wait to hear about what you have planned! www.app-network.org/get-involved-with-app/fundraise-for-us/the-big-bake/ 

Festive cards

If you're looking for Christmas or Hanukkah cards... Buy your cards this year from www.bit.ly/APPcards and APP will receive a donation with every purchase, plus each card helps raise awareness of PP. There are hundreds of designs to choose from, including these images exclusively designed for APP by our supporter Gillian Seale. 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!

Christmas shopping

Don’t forget to sign up to use easyfundraising when you do your Christmas online shopping this year. Over 7,500 brands including eBay, John Lewis & Partners, Argos and M&S will donate to APP for FREE when you use easyfundraising to shop with them. So you can raise donations for us when you buy anything from decorations and festive food shopping to gifts like toys, jewellery, tech, experiences and more! These donations really help us. It only takes a minute to sign up: www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/actiononpp 

Looking for a new challenge in 2024?

We have access to hundreds of running events from fun family friendly 5ks to full marathons here in the UK and even overseas! We already have people signed up for the London Landmarks, Brighton Marathon, Paris Half and of course the APP team taking part in the Manchester Colour Rush event… and we’d love for you to join our running team! Find out more here: www.app-network.org/get-involved-with-app/take-on-a-challenge-to-fundraise-for-app 

Dates for your diary

APP London face to face café group meet up, Saturday 18th November: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Yorkshire face to face café group meet up in Leeds, Saturday 18th November: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Scotland virtual café group meet up, Tuesday 21st November: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Black Country face to face café group meet up in Walsall, Tuesday 28th November: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Sussex and Hampshire virtual café group meet up, Thursday 30th November: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Muslim women’s virtual café group meet up, Monday 4th December: APP regional café groups webpage

International Volunteer Day, Tuesday 5th December

APP UK-wide virtual café group meet up, Thursday 7th December: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Manchester face to face café group meet up, Friday 8th December: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Book Club virtual meeting, Wednesday 13th March 2024. Discussing Matrescence: On the Metamorphosis of Pregnancy, Childbirth and Motherhood by Lucy Jones. Book your free place here.