4 December 2020

Hollyoaks and APP collaboration: Christmas 2020 storyline

Action on Postpartum Psychosis has collaborated with British soap opera Hollyoaks to help create one of the soap’s biggest storylines for Christmas 2020 and into the new year.

This sees the character Liberty Savage (played by actress Jessamy Stoddart), become ill with postpartum psychosis following the birth of her child in September.

The Hollyoaks production team talked to mental health experts and women with first-hand experience of the illness to help create a realistic storyline for Liberty. APP Director, Dr Jess Heron, and APP Coordinators with personal experience of postpartum psychosis, Hannah Bissett and Dr Sally Wilson, have worked closely with the Hollyoaks team since February. APP’s team have commented on draft scripts and reviewed footage to help shape the postpartum psychosis storyline. Members of APP’s support network and clinical experts have also met (virtually) with actress Jessamy Stoddart to share their personal stories.

The Hollyoaks postpartum psychosis storyline has been building since September, when character Liberty Savage gave birth. Liberty has been showing signs that all might not be well, and things will reach crisis-point in December, when she will be admitted to hospital over Christmas.

Catch up on Hollyoaks episodes here >

APP Director Dr Jess Heron said:

Although Liberty’s story can't represent the story of all women who have postpartum psychosis - every experience of the illness is unique - APP hopes that the Hollyoaks portrayal will go some way to raise much-needed awareness of this illness, help reduce stigma, and help those who develop postpartum psychosis get diagnosed and treated more quickly, ideally in a specialist Mother and Baby Unit.

For media enquiries concerning the Hollyoaks storyline on postpartum psychosis, please email media@www.app-network.org

Read personal experiences of postpartum psychosis here >
30 November 2020

Support APP this festive season

We would like to thank you for your support this year. 2020 has been a difficult year for many people. Separation from family and friends has been a challenge for us all, but isolation and lack of support has been particularly hard for pregnant women, new parents and those recovering from postpartum psychosis (PP).

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, APP’s priority has been to support women and families who need us.

We’ve concentrated on: providing high-quality peer support; setting up new services to help people connect during this time; signposting pregnant and postnatal women to the right services; and disseminating expert information. This year we have:

  • matched 246 women or partners with a recovered volunteer to receive one-to-one peer support.
  • supported 250 people a month on our Peer Support Forum. The Forum now has more than 2,700 registered users, and is open 365 days a year, providing a place for anyone affected by PP to talk about their experiences and find support from volunteers.
  • launched a new video call 1:1 peer support service.
  • have continued to hold regular café group meet ups (via video call and socially distanced walks) and added a new café group for North Wales taking our number of regional social groups to seven.
  • increased our support for partners, with a new Partners Coordinator, Simon, and more dad volunteers trained in peer support.
  • reached millions of people with our social media campaigns and media pieces, including developing our #MumWatch graphic - raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of postpartum psychosis – which has been seen by 278,500 people.
  • delivered training and lived experience talks to more than 1,700 multidisciplinary health professionals.
  • worked locally and nationally to help improve services and campaign for the needs of women and families who develop PP during the pandemic to be met.
  • set up lots of new online social activities, for example: the APP Book Club; a Running, Walking and Cycling group; art and craft activities, and more to help people stay connected.

2020 has brought financial challenges for maternal mental health charities at a time when support has never been more vital. If you would like to support APP’s festive appeal financially you can: 

If you’re not able to make a donation this year, you can help us in other ways as we try to break down the stigma surrounding perinatal mental illness and raise awareness of postpartum psychosis. Please share APP’s posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and talk to whoever you can about the importance of maternal mental health charities and specialist perinatal services. Look out for lots of PP and APP press pieces over Christmas.

Thank you for supporting us through this difficult year.
27 November 2020

Send festive e-cards and support APP this year

Browse APP's wonderful festive designs to send as e-cards to your loved ones.

Send APP e-cards in 5 steps:

  1. Choose your e-card design from dontsendmeacard.com
  2. Write your personalised message
  3. Donate the cost of cards and stamps
  4. Send your e-card to up to 100 people with just one donation
  5. Feel good in knowing that you've helped support APP's work
Send festive e-cards and donate the cost of cards and stamps to APP > 

Thank you to our e-card artists this year

The artworks for our festive e-cards this year have been created by mums with lived experience of postpartum psychosis, their children and families, by staff at Mother and Baby Units and our supporters. Thank you to everyone who got in touch to share their designs for our e-card appeal.

With thanks to:

  • Beth, age 9
  • The Margaret Oates Mother and Baby Unit, Nottingham
  • Hannah, age 7
  • Alexis Stevens
  • MotherFeels
  • Seth, age 5
  • Jane Hamilton-Whatling
  • The Ribblemere Mother and Baby Unit, Chorley
  • Jocelyn Ellams
  • Anneliese Appleby
  • Gillian Seale
  • Sarah Spring
  • Faye Sheel
  • Ada-May, age 5
  • and to everyone else who sent in a card for our appeal
18 November 2020

Four million steps for Action on Postpartum Psychosis!

A huge thank you goes to Rachel Lucas and friends, who together as a team of 11, walked four million steps for APP during the month of November to raise awareness and money to support APP’s work. Rachel developed postpartum psychosis in the days following the birth of her daughter Evelyn and spent six weeks in Leeds Mother and Baby Unit (MBU).

Following her amazing efforts, Rachel said ‘We were very pleased we beat our target for the steps and the fundraising! It was harder than we expected to keep up the minimum steps every day for a whole month. Especially on work days, with the weather being miserable a lot of the month and the fact we had a few members of the team in isolation at various times! But it was good to have something to get us through the lockdown. I’m glad to hear our fundraising efforts will make a big difference.’

Rachel has signed up to be one of our five runners in the London Landmarks Half Marathon (LLHM) which will take place on 23rd May 2021. We hope your training goes well and you are looking forward to the big day.

Rachel’s event has raised such incredible awareness and funds through her JustGiving page, which you can still visit and donate to here. Thank you Rachel and friends for your support of APP and to all who have donated!

- Rachel’s event has so far raised more than £1,500 for APP!

If you have been inspired by Rachel, APP would love to support any fundraising ideas you have. Get in touch here.

12 November 2020

Run for APP at the London Landmarks Half Marathon!

APP is looking for five enthusiastic runners to take part in the London Landmarks Half Marathon on Sunday 23 May 2021, could it be you?!

About the event
The London Landmarks Half Marathon on 23 May 2021 takes in some of the capital's world-famous landmarks on closed roads in central London and is the only half marathon to go through both the City of London and City of Westminster.

While participants run past some of London’s most spectacular landmarks, the event will highlight how we are coming together as a nation during the Covid-19 pandemic. LLHM will be honouring the key workers, re-creating some of the fun moments of lockdown life, and remembering the kind actions of neighbours.

The race starts by The Strand, finishes by Downing Street and includes views of London’s most iconic landmarks including Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral, Nelson’s Column, the Gherkin, the Shard, the Tower of London and the London Eye.


You can find out lots more about the event here > 

How to sign up
If you would like to run the London Landmarks Half Marathon and raise funds for Action on Postpartum Psychosis at the same time, please get in touch with Kelly via fundraising@www.app-network.org. Thank You!

11 November 2020

Simon & Jude's cycle to support APP!

A huge thank you goes to Simon and Jude Hill, who organised and cycled 2,255 miles from Lands End to John O’Goats, and back to support APP!

Starting on 21st August 2020, Simon and Jude finally finished their ride (over 47 days) by early October just in time for World Mental Health day and the birth of their latest grandchild.

At the beginning of the epic journey, the weather was against them, and Jude recalls cycling up and down relentless hills in rain and heavy wind. The couple had also decided to camp whenever possible to minimise the risk of contracting corona-virus. This meant their sleep and recovery often took place in a damp tent. As campsites began to close because of the virus, they often struggled to find a place to stay. As well as raising funds the couple have been doing all they can to raise awareness of the severe mental health illness by talking to people along the way.

Following their amazing efforts, Simon said: ‘Our aim was to raise awareness of postpartum psychosis and everyone that we met showed, interest, concern and compassion and promised to talk to others about the condition.‘

The Hills were inspired to fundraise for APP after one of their daughters suffered from Postpartum Psychosis after giving birth.  You can read an article about their story here.

Simon and Jude raised such incredible awareness and funds through their JustGiving page, which you can still visit and donate to here.

Thank you Simon and Jude for your incredible efforts and support of APP and to all who have donated!

- Simon and Jude’s amazing fundraiser has raised more than £5,500.00 for APP!

If you have been inspired by Simon and Jude, we'd love to support any fundraising ideas you have! Get in touch here.

6 November 2020

Please fill in our Peer Support survey

We need your help! If you have used APP's Forum, email service, video calls, café meet-up groups or had contact with an APP Volunteer in 2019 and 2020, please complete this short survey >

We would also like to hear from any of our volunteers who have delivered peer support during the same period.

Your views are so important because they will help us improve APP’s peer support, as well as report to our funders on the importance of our work. We would like as many people as possible to take part so that we can show how many people our project is reaching.

The survey can be completed anonymously and is confidential.  Any comments or quotes you may wish to add will also remain anonymous. It will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

It's vital to everyone who works for APP that our peer support is as good as it possibly can be. So please, grab a cup of tea and let us know what you think, below!

With warm thanks for your help,
The APP Team

30 October 2020

Morning Song: Bijan Sheibani’s short film on Film4

Bijan Sheibani’s short film ‘Morning Song’ is now available to watch on Film4. It follows the story of Yasmin, a mum with postpartum psychosis, on her journey for treatment in a Mother & Baby Unit.

Bijan Sheibani is best known as a theatre director, directing ‘Dance Nation’ by Clare Barron for the Almeida, ‘The Brothers Size’ by Tarell McCraney for the Young Vic, ‘Barber Shop Chronicles’ by Inua Ellams for the National Theatre, and writing and directing ‘The Arrival’ for the Bush Theatre.

Bijan’s mother suffered from postpartum psychosis after his birth. He worked closely with Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) as he researched his film, spending time with APP’s Director, meeting partners and women with lived experience. He visited both the Birmingham Mother & Baby Unit and the Exeter Mother & Baby Unit, while it was being built.

Speaking to Film4, Bijan said: “This film was very much about trying to get as close to someone’s experience as possible.” “My ideas can start quite vague and as something that I’m figuring out or thinking about... if an idea is really good, you’ll never figure it out. And that’s why it needs to be turned into a piece of art, so that everybody can look at it together and wonder.”

Director of Action on Postpartum Psychosis, Dr Jess Heron, reviews the film:

Bijan Sheibani's film ‘Morning Song’ is a 15 minute Short, but it is a case of ‘Multum in Parvo’ (much in little). In the film’s silences, in the withholding, in the lack of dialogue and intimate, raw close ups, Bijan captures the essence and enormity of the experience of postpartum psychosis. He has crystallised, in a masterful, quiet drama, something of the experience of all women and partners who suffer the desperation of this temporary postnatal illness. 

The film does not have answers, yet with the deftest of touches, through shots of slight smiles, the gentlest of baby sucklings, or the balm of water, he manages to convey hope and healing. Similarly, he shows the kindness and understanding of those charged with Yasmin’s care; the regenerative power of sleep and safety; and optimism, in the yearning gaze of the most perfect baby.

Bijan’s film is remarkable; many mothers (and their partners) who have been through postpartum psychosis will feel: this was my truth.”

Watch Director Bijan Sheibani’s short film Morning Song on Film4 >

7 October 2020

World Mental Health Day: Mental Health for Everyone - Saturday 10th October 2020

It's World Mental Health Day this Saturday and this year’s theme is Mental Health for Everyone. We'd love you to help us raise awareness of the importance of maternal mental health. We'd like to show funders and governments how much we value maternal mental health charities and maternal mental health services.

To support World Mental Health Day on Saturday 10th October 2020 you could share something of your story, explaining why you value maternal mental health charities or services, tagging in @ActiononPP and using the hashtag #WorldMentalHealthDay.
You could also tag in any other service or charity that you wish, plus your MP or a funder. For example, you could tag:

  • Your local MP. Find their Twitter account names here.
  • Nadine Dorries, MP, @NadineDorries: Minister of State for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health.
  • Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, MP, @DrRosena: Shadow Minister for Mental Health.
  • Luciana Berger, @lucianaberger: LibDem spokesperson for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care and new Chair of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance.
  • Vaughan Gething, @vaughangething: Welsh Minister for Health.
  • Joe FitzPatrick, @JoeFitzSNP: Scotland Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing.
  • Robin Swann, @RobinSwannMoH: Northern Ireland Minister for Health.
  • Comic Relief: @comicrelief.
  • The National Lottery Community Fund: @TNLComFund.

You can also help amplify our calls for maternal mental health services by re-sharing the messages posted by our social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

World Mental Health Day: Do one thing for better mental health today 

The theme Mental Health for Everyone is especially important this year because of the huge impact the coronavirus pandemic has had, and continues to have, on perinatal mental health. This year we’re joining in with MIND’s campaign to Do one thing for better mental health. This could be for your own mental health; the mental health of a loved one; sharing a campaign message; donating to a mental health charity; or helping to raise awareness that mental health is a national priority.

Here are some ideas for things you could do:

  • Consider what you can do today for your own mental health: connect with a friend, take an online class, do something relaxing, reach out for support or to meet and talk to others, for example via APP's peer support services.
  • Join one of APP’s virtual communities to support your wellbeing. In APP’s Running, Walking & Cycling Club members share details of the activities they are planning and offer inspiration and support for keeping fit and active. APP’s Book Club is a relaxed and friendly space open to all to chat about books on any topic. Join us for a virtual meet-up on Tuesday 3 November at 8pm where we’ll be discussing Laura Dockrill’s book ‘What Have I Done?’
  • Get in touch today to find out more about our regional online café groups or about joining a volunteer group (you could become an APP Regional Rep, Peer Support Volunteer, Storytelling Volunteer or Lived Experience speaker).
  • Take time to check on family and friends. It’s more important than ever to be kind to yourself and others. Grab a cup of tea, pick up the phone and ask ‘how are you?’. See some ideas for little treats for a new mum recovering from PP on our Facebook page.
  • Share APP's latest campaign messages: Re-post our #MumWatch graphic (pictured below) - raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of postpartum psychosis so that everyone knows how to seek urgent help if a new mum seems strange. During this time of increased isolation for new mums it is vital that partners and friends know how to identify symptoms.

  • Share our urgent call for Mother and Baby Units (MBUs) in Wales and Northern Ireland, where there are none. Email app@app-network.org to get involved in our Wales campaign to support the development of an MBU and sign the petition by APP Rep, Oorlagh Quinn, for government commitment to an MBU in Northern Ireland.

  • Remind everyone on World Mental Health Day that postpartum psychosis (PP) is an illness affecting 140,000 women across the globe every year and that we won't stop until all women and families affected by PP receive the care and support they need.
  • Organise a fundraising event - it could be a Facebook Fundraiser, bake sale or sponsored run. Or you could set up a monthly donation as a gift to APP.

Need help on the day?

APP’s forum and peer supporters are here to help if you’re finding the day difficult: www.app-network.org/peer-support. You can access our web page about gaining care for postpartum psychosis during the coronavirus pandemic here.

6 October 2020

Sally runs a half marathon for APP!

A huge thank you goes to Sally Hogg, who a year after skydiving for APP, organised and ran a half marathon around her local area on 11th October to support APP.

Sally is a big supporter of APP, and has two friends who were affected by the illness, including one who spent two periods in Mother and Baby Units after the birth of her sons.  Sally also worked on improving services for women with perinatal mental health problems and is an admirer of APP’s work, particularly the central role played by women with lived experience.

Following her amazing efforts, Sally said: 'The run was great, we had some lovely support from friends.  I am thrilled with the fundraising and hope to get some more when the Royal Parks happens too’

Sally was due to be running the Royal Parks half marathon for APP in October, which has sadly been postponed due to COVID-19. However, Sally is still looking forward to completing the Royal Parks race next year.

Sally raised such incredible awareness and funds through her JustGiving page, which you can still visit and donate to here.  Thank you Sally for your continued support of APP and to all who have donated!

- Sally’s fundraiser has raised a fantastic £919.00 for APP!

If you have been inspired by Sally and would like to run in aid of APP, email us here. We would love to support any event you choose!