2023 was supposed to be the best year of our lives, having our first child in Spring and getting married at Christmas time.
Within 12 weeks we went from the feeling of reassurance that the 20 week scan gave us, to living apart for nearly five months when Megan was admitted to a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) following a mental health crisis.
I'd heard of the baby blues and postnatal depression but I'd never heard of postpartum psychosis (PP), which happens in around 1-2 in 1000 pregnancies. I also didn't know the most common cause of death of women within a year of having a child was suicide, a risk I didn't think we would be managing after becoming parents for the first time.
While PP most often occurs following birth, our case was slightly different and things started to go wrong while Megan was still pregnant. She became more and more anxious about the pregnancy, worrying that something awful was happening and that she couldn't feel any movement. We were visiting A&E regularly, being sent for yet another scan, waiting for hours to be told everything was fine and being asked if this was our first child. People suggesting we were worrying for no reason became our norm.
However, we were told she didn’t meet the threshold for perinatal mental health support when we finally got an assessment. This cycle went on for weeks with Megan's anxiety becoming worse by the day, and her severe sleep issues led to stronger delusional beliefs. It was only when Megan became suicidal that I feel like we were finally listened to.
At 32 weeks pregnant she was sectioned. It was awful for her and I will never forget the sadness in her eyes as I had to say goodbye. As difficult as that was I knew that her safety, and our unborn child were the priority. A few weeks later, our beautiful son was born prematurely and he spent some time in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, while I spent my days visiting him in one part of the hospital and Megan in the other. Three weeks later was the first sign of hope I had, as Oscar was discharged and able to move to the MBU to be with his mummy, and supported by the most wonderful nursery team who looked after my family outside of visiting hours and when I returned to work.
Coming back to an empty flat for the best part of five months broke my heart but mums and their babies need each other and that's one of the reasons MBUs exist. Sadly, there still isn't enough of them across the UK and none at all in Northern Ireland where we planned to have our children. I spent a lot of time researching postpartum psychosis and finding the stories on APP’s website and forum gave me hope - as did the MBU staff reassuring me that "she will get better".
Rory and Megan's son, Oscar
When Megan and Oscar came home I told myself if I could get through those months, everything else would be a breeze. And whilst things slowly got better, my personal resilience was shot, just as I was finally feeling like a proper dad for the first time and not relying on hospital staff. In truth the last year and a half has not been easy as Megan continued to recover at home, and we have both had our mental health challenges.
Megan continued to engage in the professional services even when she didn’t want to. Her hard work, support from our family who visited regularly, our patience for each other and the love of the most amazing little human have got us to where we are now. Now we are looking forward and building memories as a family and have a lot be thankful for. Sadly not everyone makes it this far, but those who access the support we have are able to have a much better chance.
Seeing how far Megan has come in the last 6 months makes me proud. She kept a lot of her feelings and experiences inside as there is a lot of stigma associated with mental illness, but she has come through that and no longer feels shame. She has now shared her experiences openly with friends and family, many of whom had no idea what she went through, as well as social media, and that's what's inspired me to write this.
The work of APP is critical in raising awareness including their campaign to open Northern Ireland’s first MBU, and educating medical professionals in maternal mental health. For anyone reading this who is going through something similar, don’t lose hope as things really can get better.
Rory is running the London Marathon for APP in April 2026. Find out more and add your support for his run here.
For the last couple of years, APP volunteer Chris has made it his mission to raise awareness of postpartum psychosis.
Not only is he doing talks, appearing in magazines and academic journals, he's also taken on a personal challenge to try and watch a match at the nearest football ground to every Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) in the country, wearing his special APP footie top, and getting a mention in as many matchday programmes as he can, as well as visiting the local MBU where possible. Read about all his adventures so far here.
He's already been to his first fixture of his third season as part of this challenge. Here's his latest match report...
'Season 3 of my postpartum psychosis football awareness tour... HERE WE GO!
So far I have been to 10 football matches around 9 MBUs. And on Saturday 2nd August 2025, I kicked off my 3rd season by seeing my 11th match at Colchester United!
I went to this match with my dear friend Katie, and her son and nephew. It was Katie's nephew's first ever live match. My home form woes looked set to continue - until an 87th minute Colchester equaliser! Phew!
Colchester put a lovely entry in their digital matchday programme about my challenge, postpartum psychosis and the MBUs.
But the standout moment was definitely being featured on the big screen in my MBU/APP football shirt, with the stadium announcer giving me a shout-out and sharing my challenge with everyone in attendance—both before the match and during halftime!
This was such an incredibly unique and emotional moment for me. I knew that I was going to be featured on the big screen, which was incredible itself, but to hear the stadium announcer share my challenge to the almost 6000 fans in attendance was just amazing.
The JobServe Community stadium is less than 30miles from the Rainbow Unit MBU in Chelmsford. And I actually got to visit this MBU on this trip. It had a room with the handprints of mums and babies who had stayed there with positive affirmations which was just beautiful to see.
I am so incredibly proud of this challenge. And I am loving every moment of it!'
Next stop on Chris's tour was Notts County on 15th November, where he managed to get his name up in lights!
'Myself and two good friends went to see the world's oldest professional football club - Notts County - draw 1-1 with Harrogate at Meadow Lane.
There is no doubt about it now...I am officially a home team curse! But regardless of the result, it was a great weekend with great company!
I’ve been so lucky with the support from clubs so far on this challenge, and Notts County FC once again helped me spread the word by giving me a shout out before kick off and at half time and sharing a few words about postpartum psychosis and the MBUs on the scoreboards!
Meadow Lane stadium is less than 5 miles from the Margaret Oates MBU. And I actually got to visit them on this trip! It was so lovely to meet the Deputy Ward Manager Pip and Nursery Nurse Sam, and to talk about their incredible work in helping new mums with their mental health. Margaret Oates is such a lovely MBU! The whole place is filled with uplifting, positive affirmations, and I was particularly impressed with their post-discharge debrief meetings and the support they provide for partners.
This match marked the official halfway point of my challenge — I’ve now been to 12 football matches at 11 of the 22 Mother and Baby Units across the UK! It’s been an intense but incredible two weeks of raising awareness, and I’m so grateful for all the support so far.
If you need support, or want to talk about postpartum psychosis, please reach out to APP - they offer incredible support for the whole family. Please remember that you’re not alone 💜'
If you have accessed APP’s peer support services, please tell us what you think by completing our survey.
The survey will take around 15 minutes to fill in. It is open to anyone who has used APP's peer support service (whether that is the online forum, café groups, one to one support via email, video/phone call or face-to-face, creative or wellbeing groups, or had any other contact with an APP peer support volunteer or staff member). We would also like to hear from volunteers who have delivered peer support.
Your responses will help us improve APP’s peer support and report to our funders on the importance of our work. If you have used our service this year, please complete the survey and help us demonstrate how many people our service is reaching.
The survey can be completed anonymously and is confidential. Any comments you wish to add will also remain anonymous, but might be used as quotes in our reports.
Free APP webinar: Essential knowledge for preventing maternal suicide
Most powerful session I have ever attended.
So much valuable information delivered today, so well put together. Very touching real-life stories bravely told from those who have lived experience.
The 2025 APP Webinar for frontline health professionals working with families in the perinatal period will be held on Wednesday 8th October.
Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death in the UK and rates are increasing nationally. This free webinar is open to frontline health professionals working with families in the perinatal period and will outline the actions needed to support and protect women who develop postpartum psychosis.
The webinar will be delivered in collaboration with The National Centre for Mental Health at Cardiff University (NCMH) and General Practitioners Championing Perinatal Mental Health Care (GPCPC), and will include talks from APP’s clinical, academic and lived experience experts.
This will be the third in the webinar series. 6,438 health professionals have signed up in previous years. Of attendees, 93% rated the training as ‘excellent’; 7% rated it ‘good’ and 100% agreed they would change their practice as a result.
You can book your free place here. There’s no limit to the number of places available - please share the details with colleagues and encourage them to join us for this important event.
A poster to promote the webinar can be downloaded here. Health professionals, please put one up in your place of work!
Health professional training in postpartum psychosis: book your place
Book now for our online training “Best practice care in postpartum psychosis” on Wednesday 12th November 2025.
The one-day online course is suitable for professionals working with pregnant and postnatal women and families. It draws upon cutting-edge research in postpartum psychosis and bipolar disorder and the experiences of women and families. It is designed to increase confidence in identifying and managing risk, identifying early symptoms, and providing high quality support to women and families from preconception to full recovery.
1 day course cost: £195. There is a special early bird rate of £165 for bookings made before 13th September. Find out more and book here.
If you would like training tailored for your team, have questions, or to join our training mailing list, please email: training@app-network.org
Peer support volunteer training
I attended the APP peer support training to become a peer supporter myself. It has been so very special to be able to share my own recovery to help other women in theirs.
Are you a Black mum in the UK who has experienced mania or psychosis in the perinatal period? Would you like to train to support others?
We will be running a peer support training for new volunteers in London on 6th September. We already have lots of interest from potential new volunteers, but we would love to train more Black peer support volunteers who are willing to offer a few hours a month to support recovering mums.
If you are interested in finding out more, please get in touch with us: app@app-network.org.
The packs, to support women being treated on each unit, have been made possible thanks to generous donations from Booktrust and Spacemasks and include board books, finger puppets and a Spacemask (for mum) all in a lovely canvas bag. Also included are copies of APP leaflets, posters and four Insider Guides, including our latest guide, Being A Parent after Postpartum Psychosis.
Free PP guides for mums, parents and families
Well done to everyone who put this together - it’s really useful and well written.
Our newest Insider Guide, Being A Parent after PP, is now available as a hard copy. We can post FREE printed copies of this and all our helpful guides about postpartum psychosis to individuals and health professional teams in the UK.
Just email us with your name, address and which guides you’d like: app@app-network.org. Or download them from our website here.
Not only are the staff at Ribblemere Mother and Baby Unit an amazing support for the mums and families on the ward… but also incredibly artistic!! Look at the window they painted at the weekend! Jocelyn, Peer Support Facilitator, Lancashire and South Cumbria
Do you live in the North West? APP has partnership projects with the NHS in Lancashire and South Cumbria, and in Manchester. If you’d like to meet other mums, parents and families with experience of postpartum psychosis at our community café groups or become an APP volunteer, please email: lancsandcumbria@app-network.org or manchester@app-network.org
In the media
Rich Baish, APP’s Development Manager, talked to Healthcare Today about postpartum psychosis and how it should be treated.
APP volunteer, Natalie, wrote a moving article for Chat magazine for Fathers' Day last month about her experiences of PP and how her partner Chris supported her through it. Chris and Natalie do so much to raise awareness of PP and we're so grateful to them for sharing their story (below).
Fundraiser thank yous
We had a wonderful time on our first ever APP Adventure last month! More than 35 people came together in the beautiful Peak District to take on a 13km walk of Mam Tor (Mother Hill) passing through the village of Hope. The walk was slightly more challenging than some of us anticipated, and we endured all weathers - from a heatwave to sideways rain! But a fantastic time was had by all, new friendships made, old friends reunited and nearly £12,000 raised for APP in the process. (It’s not too late if you fancy sponsoring the APP staff team for their efforts - click here to add your support!)
Fancy joining us for our next adventure? We’re already making plans - watch this space for more details very soon!
A massive thank you to all our recent fundraisers - and there’s been a lot!
A team of eleven runners took on the Barnsley 10k on a super hot day in June, raising more than £4,000 in the process. Amazing effort!
APP peer support volunteer Amy T planned her own massive Miles for Mums and Babies challenge in early July - walking 36 miles over two days along the South Downs Way from Chichester to Winchester. She wanted to raise funds for APP because:
Accessing APP’s peer support was a critical step in my recovery and I now volunteer to support other mums. Walking was fundamental to my recovery - being out in nature, covering ground and moving through landscapes helped me heal and return to myself.
Clément braved the London 10k in temperatures of over 30 degrees last weekend - he says:
APP is a cause close to my heart as my mother experienced postpartum psychosis shortly after my birth.
Over in the United States, Clinical Psychologist Eliza (pictured below) took on the Hudson Valley triathlon for APP!
Amy B took part in an amazing 5k inflatable obstacle course in Southampton during the same heatwave weekend - she took on the challenge to help raise awareness and reduce stigma.
Plenty more fundraisers coming up too
In September, Alan and his team are planning an ultramarathon across the county of Northamptonshire to highlight the lack of provision for families affected by PP in that area.
And in the North East, we’ll have a team of six taking on the world famous Great North Run for APP - look out for our runners Fiona, Jo, Gemma, James, Debbie and Hannah on the TV coverage or give them a cheer if you’re in the area!
Feeling inspired?
Check out our updated challenge page where you’ll find events for the autumn and winter, plus new ones for 2026 that are already open and selling fast! Brighton Marathon, Edinburgh Marathon, London Landmarks Half, Manchester Marathon, Paris Half and so many more! We’ve got something for everyone from 4.5k ‘Santa in the City’ fun runs for the whole family, to ultramarathons and trail runs. We’d love to have you on board #TeamAPP!
Making A Difference Cards
Check out our brand new designs available exclusively at Making A Difference Cards - with artwork generously created and donated by one of our youngest supporters, Thomas, age 8. The sale of every card includes a donation to APP so if you have an occasion coming up - birthday, anniversary, graduation, or if you just need a 'thinking of you' card - click here and go to ‘charity’s own designs’ to browse Thomas's artwork and find out more.
Regular Giving
We're so grateful to our donors who give regularly via a monthly direct debit. Each year our generous regular donors contribute enough to help us reach out to and offer peer support to more than 145 new parents affected by postpartum psychosis - peer support that parents tell us is life changing and life saving.
Regular donations like this are vital as they allow us to be able to budget and plan ahead. If you could support us with a regular gift, of any size, it really does make a difference, and it’s so easy to set up. Find out more here.
Easyfundraising
Booking a holiday? Travel insurance? Airport parking? Theatre tickets? Whatever you have planned for the summer holidays, if you shop via easyfundraising, APP will receive a donation at no extra cost to you! Supporters have raised more than £300 through their shopping and it’s super easy to set up. There’s a quick explainer here about how it all works.
APP joins expert panel following screening of ‘Holy Baby’
APP’s Community Engagement Manager, Rachel Evans, was invited to join an expert panel to discuss the themes explored in Holy Baby – a new short film produced by actor and writer, Phoebe Cowley, in partnership with fellow producer Isabel Gaytan.
Holy Baby, which premiered at Finsbury Park Picturehouse in July, follows the story of a young couple, Stef (played by Phoebe Cowley) and Louis (played by Shadrach Agozino) who are struggling to come to terms with their situation following the traumatic birth of their baby. Stef thinks that the only option is to give the baby away and leaves him outside her local church believing he will be safer there.
The story explores themes of postpartum psychosis and has been inspired by real life stories. The APP team also provided Phoebe and Isabel with messages of support for their crowdfunding campaign as well as expert guidance and factual messaging relating to postpartum psychosis, while producers also collaborated with Maternal Mental Health Alliance and Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow Mind.
Rachel said:
Holy Baby is a sensitively produced short film highlighting the devastating impact of postpartum psychosis on new parents. It highlights the pivotal role partners can and do play in supporting women to access the urgent help and support needed.
The soundtrack to the film is extremely clever, in its portrayal of everyday sounds becoming heightened during psychosis whilst other sounds are more muted, it makes for a very effective short film - especially in highlighting this illness to new audiences.
APP Peer Supporter, Maria Fernández also attended the screening. She said:
I was touched by the respect and compassion that the filmmakers gave to the subject of postpartum psychosis. Ultimately Holy Baby was a compelling portrait of the illness and will help to raise awareness and reduce stigma.
The film was directed by James Coyle, with cinematography by Eoin McLoughlin and will be screened at a range of festivals and events in the coming months. APP hopes to share updates on local screenings later this year.
Vacancies of interest
Peer Support Worker - Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has a vacancy for a peer support worker (PSW) at Leeds Mother and Baby Unit.
Working as part of the multi-disciplinary team, the PSW will provide formalised peer support and practical assistance to service users/partners. The PSW will also act as a recovery champion within the team and an ambassador of recovery for the Trust with external agencies and partner organisations. You can read more about the role and find details of how to apply here.
Diary dates
APP Lancashire and South Cumbria virtual café group meet up, Monday 11th August
APP dads and co-parents virtual café group meet up, Wednesday 20th August
APP Lancashire and South Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Blackburn, Friday 5th September
APP Lancashire and South Cumbria virtual café group meet up, Monday 8th September
APP UK-wide virtual café group meet up, Thursday 11th September
APP Lancashire and South Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Blackpool, Friday 12th September
APP London face to face café group meet up, Saturday 13th September
APP dads and co-parents virtual café group meet up, Wednesday 17th September
APP Lancashire and South Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Lancaster, Wednesday 17th September
APP Northern Ireland virtual café group meet up, Thursday 18th September
APP Lancashire and South Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Preston, Friday 19th September
APP London virtual café group meet up, Tuesday 23rd September
APP Yorkshire face to face café group meet up in Leeds, Saturday 4th October
APP Scotland face to face café group meet up in Edinburgh, Saturday 18th October
Contact information for all APP café groups is available here.
Conferences/Events
Wales & South West England Maternity & Midwifery Festival, Tuesday 23rd September
Free to attend professional festival in Cardiff, bringing together qualified and student healthcare professionals to hear from maternity leaders on a wide range of topical themes. Booking details here.
Suicide Bereavement UK's 14th international hybrid conference, Thursday 25th September.
Hybrid conference in Manchester and online for anyone who comes into contact with those bereaved or affected by suicide. More details and booking information here.
Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating in the Perinatal Period, Thursday 25th September
Online conference looking at how Women with Eating Disorders can be better supported in pregnancy. The event will focus on learning from lived experience, understanding why pregnancy can trigger eating disorders and exploring how we can better identify women with disordered eating. A 20% discount is available for members of the APP network with code hcuk20app . More details and booking here.
Recognising and Responding to Maternal Deterioration, Wednesday 15th October
Online conference looking at how MEWS, NEWTT2 and the Perinatal Optimisation Care Pathway have been adopted in organisations across the country and the impact on recognising and responding to deterioration in maternity care. A 20% discount is available for members of the APP network with code hcuk20app . More details and booking here.
If you would like to advertise your event here, please get in touch: app@app-network.org.
APP's new short film showcasing our work was first shown time at a special ceremony to collect our 2025 GSK IMPACT award in May 2025.
The video, which features APP peer support staff working with families at Mother and Baby Units as well as Shaheda Akhtar from our Diverse Communities Outreach project, was commissioned as part of the GSK IMPACT award prize package.
You can read more about APP's GSK IMPACT award here.
Join our Northern Ireland Mother and Baby Unit campaign
There’s been an incredibly powerful response to the BBC Spotlight programme ‘Mums in Crisis’ which investigates perinatal mental health care in Northern Ireland. The programme explained just how urgently a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) is needed to save lives and prevent trauma.
Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK without a Mother and Baby Unit and APP is campaigning for this to change.
Our Northern Ireland media consultant, Liz Morrison, worked with programme producers, supporting them to meet members of our Northern Ireland café group, and others from the APP team. Cafe group member, Shelley bravely tells her story in the programme along with others with lived experience of severe postnatal mental illness, the family of Orlaith Quinn, perinatal mental health professionals from NI and from Jasmine Lodge MBU in Exeter. Shelley also shared her story with BBC News Online and Liz talked to BBC Radio Ulster.
We are so grateful to the production team and everyone who took part in the programme for helping to raise awareness of the issue. We must continue to keep the pressure up to ensure the promised MBU is delivered.
Dr Jess Heron, Chief Executive of Action on Postpartum Psychosis said:
It’s been 16 years since Michelle O’Neil and the Stormont Health Committee agreed that Northern Ireland needs a Mother and Baby Unit, but only now are we seeing real plans for this to progress. The Minister has told the Assembly he hopes to greenlight it this calendar year, but we need a commitment that this will happen. Until it opens, women continue to be separated from their babies for treatment by non-specialists, causing life-long trauma and risking the lives of mums and babies.
You can read more of APP’s response on our website.
If you haven’t watched the programme, you can see it here. It’s powerful, emotional and deeply moving. If you choose to view it please look after yourself and reach out to members of the APP staff peer support team for a chat if you need it.
If you have experience of PP or severe postnatal mental illness, live in Northern Ireland and would like to join our continuing campaign for a Mother and Baby Unit or learn more about our café group, please get in touch. National or NI charities and organisations can connect with the Maternal Mental Health Alliance or Aware NI to find out how to support the campaign.
Northern Ireland face to face café group
We were delighted to hold our second in-person café group (pictured above) for Northern Ireland in Belfast recently.
APP’s National Peer Support Coordinator, Ellie Ware, was joined by ten women and family members who have experienced postpartum psychosis.
The group meets each month via video call, but nothing beats meeting in person. As we train more NI peer support volunteers, we hope to arrange more in-person meet ups.
To find out more about joining the group, or to express an interest in training as a NI peer support volunteer, please get in touch.
Watch our GSK award film
Photo credit: Lisa Bretherick
Members of the APP team attended a special ceremony to collect our 2025 GSK IMPACT award.
We’re thrilled that Action on Postpartum Psychosis has been honoured in this way. The annual awards, which are delivered in partnership with The King’s Fund, are a mark of excellence in the charity sector, recognising outstanding work by small and medium sized charities. More than 700 charities entered this year’s awards. Ten winners, including APP, were chosen by the panel.
A new short film showcasing APP’s work was shown for the first time at the event. The video, which features APP peer support staff working with families at Mother and Baby Units as well as Shaheda Akhtar from our Diverse Communities Outreach project, was commissioned as part of the GSK IMPACT award prize package. You can watch it here and read more about the award on our website.
APP Webinar 2025: book your free place now
On Wednesday 8th October APP will be hosting the 2025 APP Webinar for frontline health professionals working with families in the perinatal period.
Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death in the UK and rates are increasing nationally. This free webinar is open to frontline health professionals including GPs, midwives, health visitors and antenatal educators.
APP experts, women and families with lived experience and clinicians will highlight the early signs and symptoms of postpartum psychosis and discuss how frontline health professionals can work with perinatal mental health teams to help prevent maternal suicides.
This will be the third in the webinar series. 6,438 health professionals have signed up in previous years. Of attendees, 93% rated the training as ‘excellent’; 7% rated it ‘good’ and 100% agreed they would change their practice as a result.
You can book your free place here. There’s no limit to the number of places available - please share the details with colleagues and encourage them to join us for this important event.
Peer support volunteer training
I attended the APP peer support training to become a peer supporter myself. It has been so very special to be able to share my own recovery to help other women in theirs.
Are you a Black mum who lives in the UK who has experienced psychosis in the perinatal period, and are interested in being a peer support volunteer with us?
We will be running a peer support training for new volunteers in London on 6th September. We already have a lot of people who are interested in attending, but we would love to have more Black peer support volunteers who are willing to offer a few hours a month to support recovering mums.
If you are interested in finding out more, please get in touch with us: app@app-network.org.
Thai translations of APP Insider Guides - can you help?
Do you speak Thai and have lived experience of postpartum psychosis (PP) either in the UK or Thailand? Could you help give feedback on our new Thai guides?
We’re working with the Pranaiya and Arthur Magoffin Foundation to translate our Insider Guides into Thai. These free guides provide vital information for women and families affected by PP, co-produced by those with lived experience, specialist clinicians, and leading experts.
We rely on the support of partner organisations for translation. The translations are reviewed by Thai speaking clinicians, but we also need feedback from those with personal experience to help us review the accuracy and tone of the guides.
If you are a Thai speaker with experience of PP or severe postnatal mental illness, and can help give feedback, please get in touch: app@app-network.org.
New Chester Mother and Baby Unit: update
APP’s Jocelyn Ellams and Sally Wilson (pictured above) recently visited Seren Lodge, the new Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) under construction in Chester.
As part of our ongoing campaign for more MBUs, Jocelyn and Sally, along with local APP volunteers, have been working with Helix Experts by Experience group inputting into the development of Seren Lodge.
The eight-bed unit will provide vital support for families across North Wales and North-West England and is set to open by the end of the year. You can watch a video of Jocelyn and Sally’s visit here.
If anyone with lived experience in the Cheshire, Wirral, or North Wales areas would like to find out more about the Helix group you can do so here.
Reading Well for families
APP is supporting a new scheme designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of families during pregnancy and the early years (from conception to age two).
The Reading Well for families booklist was launched on 10th June and is available across public libraries in England and Wales. It includes information and personal stories on topics such as parental wellbeing, perinatal mental health problems (including anxiety, depression, OCD and birth trauma), and coping with loss (including miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death).
Amongst the books on the list are “What Have I Done?” by APP Ambassador Laura Dockrill and “Bonkers” by Olivia Siegl, both accounts of the authors’ experiences with postpartum psychosis.
Find the books in your local library or browse the collection here.
Raising awareness of PP: support for dads and co-parents
APP volunteer Chris Wasley and Partner Peer Support Coordinator Simon O’Mara attended the Royal College of Midwives 2025 Conference (pictured above), where Chris gave a presentation about his family’s experience of postpartum psychosis.
Simon writes:
Chris’s presentation was a very powerful lived experience, delivered with passion, perfect pacing and spot on timing. It left the audience in no doubt of how postpartum psychosis can affect partners and as I looked around I could see how much it resonated with the audience. He was greeted by a huge round of applause that continued to fill the theatre for some time.
We’re really grateful to Chris for sharing his story in this way. If you’d like to find out more about APP’s dads and co-parents peer support, or if you have a few hours a month to raise awareness or support other partners, you can read more on our website or email Simon.
APP at Ireland Perinatal Mental Health Conference
On May 20th, APP’s National Training Coordinator, Dr. Sally Wilson, delivered a keynote speech at the Republic of Ireland Perinatal Mental Health Conference, held at University Maternity Hospital in Limerick, Ireland.
Centred around the theme of connection, synergy, and integration, the conference brought together experts dedicated to improving maternal mental health care. Sally spoke about the importance of MBUs, PP health professional training and the vital peer support services APP provides to families affected by postpartum psychosis.
Sally said:
It was inspiring to hear about the incredible work being done by specialist perinatal mental health teams across Ireland. I had the privilege of meeting so many dedicated professionals from different health trusts, all deeply committed to supporting families during the perinatal period. The day was a celebration of collaboration and the achievements of the teams so far
Ireland currently has no Mother and Baby Unit, so next steps will focus on expanding community perinatal mental health teams and progressing plans to establish an MBU.
If you live in the Republic of Ireland and have experienced PP and would be interested in linking up with APP as a regional representative volunteer, please get in touch.
Can you help to improve recovery after postpartum psychosis?
APP has been working with a team in the Department of Clinical Psychology at the University of East Anglia for the past few years on the development of tools to support psychological recovery from PP.
As part of this work, second-year Trainee Clinical Psychologist, Beth, is looking for people who have experienced postpartum psychosis to complete a survey.
The aim of this research is to better understand recovery after an acute episode and help develop new psychological support for others going through similar experiences in the future.
Please help us by taking part. You can find out more and take part here. If you have any questions Beth can be contacted via email: Bethany.Palmer@uea.ac.uk
Have your say on research gaps for women and families affected by PP
Postpartum Psychosis research has been underfunded for many years, leading to gaps in knowledge about the condition. This lack of knowledge can be distressing for women and families trying to seek information and for health professionals trying to provide high quality care.
The Perinatal Mental Health Priority Setting Partnership, supported by the James Lind Alliance, is gathering data to outline future research priorities to improve the lives of women, birthing people, babies, and families.
They would like to hear from people with lived experience, healthcare professionals and voluntary organisations on the research questions that need answering.
APP will be highlighting difficulties caused by knowledge gaps around: the causes of PP; prevention; medication (lack of specially designed drugs, and limited research of medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding); psychological recovery; diagnosis; long term illness course and outcomes; impact on children, and how care influences outcomes for children; and managing menopause, to name a few, but please highlight anything else you feel impacts on parental mental health.
If you would like to highlight the personal impact of gaps in knowledge about postpartum psychosis, and have a few minutes to spare, this is your chance to influence future research priorities. You can take the survey here.
Fabulous fundraisers
Thank you to everyone who took part in our Miles for Mums and Babies challenge during May - from ultra marathon runners, to long distance walkers, to team challenges and fun runners - there’s been a lot going on right across the UK! And of course, it’s not too late to get involved - with this challenge you can do it whenever you want to. Learn more about our wonderful Miles for Mums and Babies fundraisers and find out how you can take part too here.
Good luck to the amazing team taking on the Great North Swim in Lake Windermere for APP this weekend! Claire, Louise, Mary, Roban and Laura, all healthcare professionals from the South Yorks Community Perinatal Mental Health Team, are aiming to complete a one mile open water swim. They’ve already raised over £1,500 and are looking forward to the challenge! More here.
And another good luck message to the fantastic team of nine who will be taking part in the Barnsley 10k at the end of June! Jemma, Gemma, Amy, Beth, Joel, Danni, Steph, Emma and Sally are hoping to turn the town purple on the 29th to help raise lots of awareness and funds for APP. Thank you team! Check out their fundraising page here.
We’re also all so excited that our first ever APP Adventure is happening on 21st June! We have more than 40 people signed up for our Mam Tor Challenge, including teams from the Margaret Oates MBU in Nottingham, and the Yorks & Humber MBU in Leeds, as well as APP supporters, parents, grandparents, friends, trustees and staff members. Fingers crossed for good weather as we hike together across the Peak District. We’ll be posting updates so keep an eye out for photos, and do send us some good luck messages to keep us going!
We are delighted to share a beautiful maternal mental health planner that can now be purchased from journal company DayDot - a gentle, reflective, supportive space designed to support new parents through the highs, the lows, and everything in between.
This new maternal mental health planner has been created in collaboration with APP and with input from our network, and all profits from the planner will go directly to APP, helping fund vital support for families experiencing postpartum psychosis.
The planner is designed not just for those who have experienced postpartum psychosis, but for any mother navigating the emotional landscape of early motherhood.
A huge thank you to Tara and Chris for all their hard work bringing this planner into fruition. You can read more, and access DayDot, here.
International Fathers' Mental Health Day, Monday 16th June
APP Lancashire and South Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Lancaster, Wednesday 18th June
APP dads and co-parents virtual café group meet up, Wednesday 18th June
APP Lancashire and South Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Preston, Friday 20th June
APP Mam Tor Adventure, Saturday 21st June
APP UK-wide virtual café group meet up, Thursday 26th June
APP Manchester face to face café group meet up, Friday 27th June
APP Muslim women’s virtual café group meet up, Tuesday 1st July
APP neurodiverse virtual peer support group, Monday 7th July
Contact information for all APP café groups is available here.
Conferences and Events
Improving Perinatal Mental Health Services, Friday 27th June
Online conference with presentations from expert speakers at local and national level. Learning from the most recent MBRRACE- UK Report and roadmap to strengthening perinatal mental health will be shared. Members of the APP network will receive a 20% discount with code hcuk20app. Book here.
Northern Maternity & Midwifery Festival, Tuesday 8th July
Free to attend professional festival in Manchester for practising and student healthcare professionals working across maternity and midwifery. Booking details here.
Wales & South West England Maternity & Midwifery Festival, Tuesday 23rd September
Free to attend professional festival in Cardiff, bringing together qualified and student healthcare professionals to hear from maternity leaders on a wide range of topical themes. Booking details here.
Suicide Bereavement UK's 14th international hybrid conference, Thursday 25th September.
Hybrid conference in Manchester and online for anyone who comes into contact with those bereaved or affected by suicide. More details and booking information here.
If you would like to advertise your event here, please get in touch: app@app-network.org.
Media release: 3rd June 2025 For immediate release
Today’s BBC Spotlight investigation into perinatal mental health care in Northern Ireland shows just how urgently a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) is needed to save lives and prevent life-long trauma, national charity Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) says.
Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK without an MBU, a specialist inpatient mental health treatment centre where mothers can be admitted with their babies for care and treatment. Instead, mums are admitted to acute psychiatric wards for non-specialist treatment, separating them from their babies.
APP estimates that around 100 women a year will require hospital admission for severe mental illness in the year after birth, including about 35 with postpartum psychosis, a severe and life-threatening mental illness that can develop suddenly. Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death in Northern Ireland.
While APP welcomed the announcement more than six months ago that Belfast Trust will take forward plans for NI’s first MBU, we are concerned that we still haven’t seen ring-fenced funding, a firm timeline, and interim measures.
Dr Jess Heron, Chief Executive of Action on Postpartum Psychosis said:
“Tonight we heard from mums and their families who urgently need better mental health care. It’s a story APP hears all the time from the mums who attend our postpartum psychosis Northern Ireland peer support group who, like Shelley, have been separated from their babies and admitted to psychiatric inpatient wards for treatment.
“And too often we hear the stories of tragedy, with lives lost - a story we all heard tonight from Siobhan Graham about her daughter Orlaith Quinn.
“We’ve waited 16 years since Michelle O’Neil and the Stormont Health Committee agreed that Northern Ireland needs a Mother and Baby Unit, but only now are we seeing real plans for this to progress. And we keep waiting. We have a site chosen, but there still isn’t a business plan. The Minister has told the Assembly he hopes to greenlight it this calendar year, but we need a commitment that this will happen.
“We are concerned that in reality, it could be many years until an MBU opens. Years when women continue to be separated from their babies for treatment by non-specialists; where they don’t receive appropriate physical care in the weeks after giving birth; where they miss out on vital bonding with the baby; and where families struggle to provide care for babies. Years in which women continue to die by suicide because they aren’t getting the care and treatment they need.
“We’re cautious about calling for interim measures, as there is always a risk that what should be short-term solutions become long-term, or even permanent. But there needs to be a plan while we wait; we know there are women dying, and being needlessly traumatised in non-specialist units.
“Spotlight visited the Exeter MBU which is a great example not just of how an MBU supports recovery while keeping mum and baby together, but is also an example of how an interim unit has been just that – not ideal, but a safe and appropriate space where mums can be with their babies while they recover from severe postpartum mental illness while a permanent unit is built.”
For more information or to arrange an interview contact Liz Morrison on 07711 558 296, liz.morrison@me.com / Lucy Nichol on 07771 967 032, lucy@app-network.org
Anyone affected by postpartum psychosis, now or many years ago, can access support from APP, including an NI Peer Support Group for mothers who have experienced it at any time. Email app@app-network.org for more information. For more information on postpartum psychosis and support available go towww.app-network.org
Background
Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that doesn’t have a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU), which provides specialist inpatient care for mums experiencing severe postnatal illness and their babies. Instead, mothers are admitted to general acute psychiatric wards for non-specialist treatment, separating them from babies.
An MBU provides specialist care for both mum and baby. Mental health teams with specialist training are able to provide the best care, for example: prescribing drugs that are suitable for use in the perinatal period; supporting the mother-infant relationship and the development of parenting skills; providing adequate postpartum physical care and appropriate facilities (such as nappy changing, milk fridges, play areas, safe places for older siblings to visit).
One in 5 women will experience mental health problems during pregnancy or after birth. Around 1000 women each year in Northern Ireland will develop a severe postnatal illness. This can include postpartum psychosis, severe depression and anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Between 84 and 122 will need admission to hospital. Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death, but with the right care is almost always preventable.
Postpartum mental health problems, in particular postpartum psychosis, can come on and escalate very quickly. This is not rare. The charity, Action on Postpartum Psychosis, who run a peer support group for women in NI who have experienced PP, estimates that 35 women in NI will develop the illness each year. While women with bipolar disorder are more likely to develop postpartum psychosis, 50% of cases are ‘out of the blue’, to women who have experienced no previous mental health problems.
The risk was highlighted at the 2022 inquest into the tragic death of Orlaith Quinn, who took her own life on a maternity ward while experiencing postpartum psychosis. The Coroner called for an MBU in NI.
According to the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths, suicide was the leading cause of maternal death in the first year after birth in the UK.
Facts about postpartum psychosis
Episodes of severe mental illness, such as mania or psychosis, follow 1-2 in 1,000 deliveries.
In Northern Ireland, around 35 women a year experience postpartum psychosis.
An average-sized maternity unit would see 8-10 cases of rapid-onset psychosis following childbirth in a year. Around 1,400 cases occur each year in the UK.
Postpartum Psychosis is a devastating illness for mothers and families.
It strikes at a time when families are full of expectation. Mothers feel loss, guilt, and responsibility for missing out on the early months of motherhood. Fathers become responsible for a newborn or are separated from their families. They do not know if their partners will fully recover.
Postpartum Psychosis can occur in women from all social classes, occupations, and educational backgrounds. Often, it occurs 'out of the blue' to women without any previous psychiatric history.
The stakes are high if the illness is not identified sufficiently early, or is poorly managed, both in terms of maternal outcome (including risk of suicide) and child outcome (including rare and tragic cases of infanticide).
According to The Confidential Enquiries into Maternal and Child Health (MBRRACE-UKhttps://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/mbrrace-uk), suicide is the leading cause of maternal deaths. Half of these suicides occur in mothers suffering the acute onset of psychotic illness. Completed suicides are the tip of the iceberg in terms of ‘near miss’ events occurring to women who develop Postpartum Psychosis.
Postpartum Psychosis is eminently treatable, but services must respond quickly and appropriately to these psychiatric emergencies. Episodes have a rapid onset, usually within days of delivery, and may escalate to full-blown psychosis quickly - within hours or days.
Although episodes of Postpartum Psychosis are among the most severe illnesses seen in clinical practice, Postpartum Psychosis also has one of the best prognoses.
Acute symptoms are similar to those of bipolar disorder and may include: extreme elation or euphoria, rapid mood changes, or depressed mood; the rapid onset of unusual beliefs; visual and auditory hallucinations; extreme confusion; and behaviour can be very bizarre. Episodes can be very frightening for women and their families.
The causes of Postpartum Psychosis are unknown, but the dramatic hormonal and biological changes that occur at childbirth are thought to be involved. There is some evidence of a genetic component to the illness and of a link with bipolar disorder. One in 4 women with a history of bipolar disorder experience Postpartum Psychosis following childbirth.
The majority of women are substantially recovered within a few months, but full recovery and coming to terms with the illness may take 12 months or longer.
Recovery is a difficult and lengthy process. Factors that contribute to these difficulties include: limited availability of information about Postpartum Psychosis and recovery; isolation caused by lack of visible others who have experienced the illness; poor awareness in the general public and media; the stigma associated with experiencing mental illness - particularly at this time when women have high hopes of new motherhood; difficulties coming to terms with behaviour during the illness; limited availability of specialist psychological and practical support following admission to facilitate coming to terms with the episode, looking after a baby, rebuilding relationships, and mothering confidence.
Misguided portrayals in the media can contribute to mothers' feelings of isolation and to difficulties in discussing their experiences with other mothers. Often, when women or their partners search the internet for information about their illness, alarmist stories about mothers harming their babies are the first they encounter.
Postpartum Psychosis is not simply a more severe form of postnatal depression. In fact, many mothers with Postpartum Psychosis do not experience any symptoms of depression at all; rather, they experience extreme elation, spirituality, confusion, and quickly lose contact with reality. The majority of women, therefore, are unable to seek help for themselves, and others must obtain help for them.
Thank you so much to everyone who has been involved in our Miles for Mums and Babies challenge so far this year.
From ultra marathon runners to team challenges to fun runners and long distance walkers - we've had a bit of everything!
The challenges kicked off earlier in the year with members of the team from the North London Foundation Trust (NLFT) Perinatal Services collectively running, walking, cycling or swimming 1,400 miles during January and February, representing the 1,400 people who experience postpartum psychosis in the UK each year.
Then activity stepped up in May for Maternal Mental Health Awareness month, with teams and individuals from across the UK joining in.
In Manchester, the Andersen Ward MBU got involved for the second year in a row, with staff, mums, babies and families walking, running, toddling and buggy pushing with the aim of completing 1400 miles as a team.
In the North East, Kayleigh and her husband Dave took on an epic challenge of covering 56,000 steps in a single day - representing the 56 miles Dave had to travel every day to visit Kayleigh when she was being treated in an MBU. Not only did they smash their step target (reaching over 60,000!) they also left little notes of encouragement along the way to raise further awareness.
In Wales, Laura took on an incredible ultra marathon challenge, running an amazing 70 miles from the Maternity Unit at Ysbyty Gwynedd across North Wales to the Seren Lodge site at the Countess of Chester and along the beautiful Welsh coastline in just over 24 hours.
In Liverpool, Anna chose to aim to run 72 miles in a single month - the distance between her house and the mother and baby unit where she received treatment when she was ill. Anna has really enjoyed the challenge, saying 'It feels quite empowering to be doing something publicly positive after surviving PP. Its made it a little easier to talk about my experiences.'
Well done to everyone to has taken part already, and good luck to those still part way through - and don't forget it's never too late to get involved if you're feeling inspired and fancy taking on your own challenge to help raise funds and awareness for APP.
My friend said I’m the world’s worst patient and she is absolutely right. My brain doesn’t cope well with being told what to do or being stuck indoors, so I keep it happy by being active and spending lots of time outside. So, if I’m being honest, I absolutely loathed being stuck in an MBU. But I don’t know where I’d be today without the high standard of care that I received in there.
It was after giving birth to my firstborn that I became unwell, although, when I look back on it, I was struggling with anxiety for a long time before I even got pregnant. I found the pandemic really tough - not the fear of being ill, but the fear of being confined. I was also struggling with anxiety around the pregnancy, as I miscarried the first time which was really traumatic. Due to covid restrictions my partner waited in the corridor while I sat on my own waiting for our scan to confirm the pregnancy had ended. He was briefly allowed in before being sent back outside. We weren’t offered any counselling or support.
I got pregnant a few months after the miscarriage and hated every second of the pregnancy. Even after the 12-week scan when they told me my baby was well and wriggling around, I couldn’t relax. I became convinced the baby had stopped moving and was going to die.
I told myself that when the baby arrived I’d be able to relax, but my daughter wasn’t gaining weight and seemed so vulnerable. And so after the birth my fears about dead babies intensified.
I wasn’t sleeping, I was having to drive to the other side of the city for health appointments because of the pandemic and I was exhausted. But I kept powering through. When I couldn’t sleep at night I was cooking or painting furniture at 4am, and I was putting my daughter in her baby sling and going for four-mile walks across the moors. Because I’m such an active person these things didn’t stand out too much, but in retrospect they were definitely extreme - even for me.
I saw my GP and was diagnosed with postnatal depression and given antidepressants – and things rapidly deteriorated.
After starting antidepressants, I was cycling through rapid mood swings – being absolutely manic one minute and telling my partner I felt like jumping off a bridge the next. Plus, my sleep at this point was pretty non-existent and I became convinced that it was because of the colour of my bed sheets. I was terrified that I might never sleep again and the lack of sleep would kill me. I became increasingly possessive over my baby and refused to let my partner take on his share. I was hearing babies crying when I did manage to step away from her for a shower or to rest but would come downstairs in a panic to find her sleeping peacefully.
About ten weeks post-birth I mentally hit a cliff edge, the crisis team was called, and I was admitted to a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU).
I already knew what an MBU was because they came up in my Google searches when I was trying to find out what was wrong with me. I knew something wasn’t right - I just didn’t know what - so I agreed to go in voluntarily. My partner later told me that had I not agreed, I would likely have been sectioned the following day.
It was a weird experience because it was during the pandemic, and I had to stay in 24-hour isolation upon arrival, but it was good for me because I was given lorazepam and finally slept.
They immediately took me off my antidepressants and started me on antipsychotics and the psychosis improved really quickly. Still, I didn’t enjoy being in there. I know people need MBUs and hospital care, but I resented being inside and feeing like my life was controlled – and all the pandemic restrictions on top of that were tough, too. But I knew it was the best place for me.
Although the psychosis subsided quite quickly, I had really bad anxiety and my sleep patterns were all over the place. Even after discharge, I had recurrent periods of insomnia and I lost a lot of confidence. I found myself deferring to my partner when I’m naturally independent and stubborn.
I was back at work 10 months after giving birth and, although in hindsight I probably wasn’t fully ready for it, my manager was great and I felt really supported.
After having PP, I didn’t think I’d have another baby. But after a few years I felt ready to try.
I became pregnant really quickly and have been lucky that the second time around I didn’t become mentally unwell – but I also knew I had lots of NHS professionals on the case if I did.
I feel so grateful that, when I needed it, that specialist care on an MBU was there for me – because the idea of being separated from your baby on a general psychiatric ward is inhumane. I was told there were only eight beds for Yorkshire and the Humber so I was incredibly lucky to get a place when I needed it – and that’s why we need more MBU beds available for anyone who needs them. You hope you won’t need one but if you do become seriously ill, it’s definitely the best place for you. It will probably be hard but what would be a damn sight harder is sitting at home and letting it get worse and worse.
That’s why I think, if you get the choice to go voluntarily, you should absolutely take it. You might feel as though you’re losing your freedom at first, but you’ll get your freedom back so much sooner if you accept all the specialist help on offer. And when you look back on it, you’ll feel good about making that choice and accepting that help. I know that being on a mental health unit doesn’t make me a crap parent – and that accepting the help was the best thing to do for me and my baby.
Members of the APP team have attended a special ceremony to collect our 2025 GSK IMPACT award.
We’re thrilled that Action on Postpartum Psychosis has been honoured in this way. The annual awards, which are delivered in partnership with The King’s Fund, are a mark of excellence in the charity sector, recognising outstanding work by small and medium sized charities.
More than 700 charities entered this year’s awards. Ten winners, including APP, were chosen by the panel. The winning charities each received £40,000 of funding along with a three-day training and development programme at The King’s Fund, which was rounded off by the London award ceremony.
Photo credit: Lisa Bretherick Photography
The presentation of the awards was led by Katie Pinnock, Director of GSK’s UK Charitable Investments, and APP's Vice-Chair, Anna Jones and APP’s Chief Executive, Dr Jessica Heron accepted our prize (pictured above L-R with Kim Mullard, APP's Director of Finance and Operations and Lisa Weaks from The Kings Fund). A new short film showcasing APP’s work was also shown for the first time at the event.
The video, which features APP peer support staff working with families at Mother and Baby Units as well as Shaheda Akhtar from our Diverse Communities Outreach project, was commissioned as part of the GSK IMPACT award prize package. You can watch it above or here.
The award judges said:
Action on Postpartum Psychosis is the only national charity exclusively supporting mothers and families affected by this frightening and sometimes devastating illness. APP's strength lies in its unique integration of lived experience into its work, ensuring that women’s voices directly shape the charity’s work and wider services.
Through its powerful partnerships with the NHS, dedicated volunteers, and a focused approach to reaching those in greatest need, APP continues to lead the way in offering help and raising awareness among both the public and health professionals to make a lasting difference.
APP Chief Executive, Dr Jess Heron, said:
We’re proud that our work has been recognised by GSK and the Kings Fund. When we began, 15 years ago, postpartum psychosis (PP) was surrounded by stigma and few people dared to speak about it. We have had a wonderful few days training with The Kings Fund, surrounded by inspiring staff, trainers and other charity leaders, and we’re delighted with our film. The impact that GSK and The Kings Fund have by highlighting and supporting the work of smaller health charities is immense. Postpartum psychosis is a life-threatening and terrifying illness. At least 140,000 new mums across the globe experience it each year, many with little access to care. No woman or family should face PP alone. We know the award will help us spread awareness and good practice.
On June 14th, a team of healthcare professionals from the South West Yorkshire Community Perinatal Mental Health Team will heading to the Lake District to take part in the Great North Swim to help raise funds and awareness for APP.
Attempting the one mile swim in the UK's biggest open water swimming event will be Claire, Louise, Mary, Roban and Laura - all of whom work together in the perinatal mental health team.
Claire explains more about how they got started and why they chose to take on this amazing challenge for APP.
'We started going out swimming once a month and now meet two - three times a week. It really has had a fantastic impact on our lives. It is so freeing being out in the water. We chat, put the world to rights, laugh and off load with each other, or swim bits on our own to just get some real time for ourselves in our busy lives.
It’s been really nice recently swimming (literally) alongside baby ducklings, swans and geese. It’s feels really special and the warm weather is definitely making it a pleasure to be out in the water.
Although we are not distance swimmers, we have all now swum a mile in the open water so this has given us a real confidence boost for the actual swim.
We are blown away by the generosity of people who have donated to your charity. We work with families affected by this illness and they often tell us no one had ever told them this was an illness that could affect them after having a baby, so we wanted to help raise awareness so women and birthing people and families know what the illness is and how to access support if they feel they are at risk or are experiencing symptoms.
We hope the number of donations reflects we have managed to spread the message and raise funds so you can continue all the work APP does.'
A huge thank you to all the team from all of us at APP - we can't wait to hear how you get on, fingers crossed for nice weather on the day!
But the standout moment was definitely being featured on the big screen in my MBU/APP football shirt, with the stadium announcer giving me a shout-out and sharing my challenge with everyone in attendance—both before the match and during halftime!
'Myself and two good friends went to see the world's oldest professional football club - Notts County - draw 1-1 with Harrogate at Meadow Lane.
Attempting the one mile swim in the UK's biggest open water swimming event will be Claire, Louise, Mary, Roban and Laura - all of whom work together in the perinatal mental health team.