Light Peer Support
Light Peer Support was established in 2010 by three mums who, inspired by their own experiences with postnatal depression, were determined to support other families affected in Sheffield and beyond.
The peer support charity aims to reduce stigma, increase awareness and provide meaningful support to Sheffield women and their families through support groups, 1-1 sessions, and more.
Light was awarded a £1,000 grant through the Legacy Fund, which is managed by the South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation.
The Legacy Fund awards grants of up to £1,000 to grassroots community organisations within a three mile radius of Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, which facilitate activities around the mental and physical wellbeing of local residents. This grant helps the organisations to fund this vital community support, aiming to cover the majority, if not all costs associated with activities and events.
For Light Peer Support, this grant has allowed them to run regular wellbeing walks for local mothers, while also providing support and refreshments.
This initiative helped get new mums out of the house and socialising in green spaces across Sheffield, which can be a struggle for many. These walks offer the perfect opportunity to local women for fresh air, exercise, and a chance to open up to support workers and those around them.
Tina Russon, the lead peer support worker behind the Light project, said:
The grant has funded 13 wellbeing walks across Sheffield, and so far we have been able to support 10 mothers and their babies.
The walks have been successful and we are now including them in our regular service provision.
Helen Miles, CEO at Light Peer Support said:
The Wellbeing Walks have opened up new opportunities to Mums across Sheffield, allowing them to grow their self confidence, which often dwindles after the birth of a baby.
The Mums can opt to have their travel expenses reimbursed, something that Light Peer Support would have struggled to provide without the SYCF funding, and in times of such financial worry, this makes such a difference to Mums, as we know that money is sometimes a barrier to Mums accessing our support.
Through 2024, these walks took place in the likes of Hillsborough Park, Norfolk Park, Firth Park, Rother Valley, Concord Park, Graves Park, Endcliffe Park, and Millhouses Park.
The grant also allowed Light to plan a trip to Bakewell in the Peak District, with a fully funded minibus, lunch, and drinks for the mothers in attendance. This minibus helped the women to gain confidence around using public transport with their babies in the future, allowing them to venture further independently.
Michelle Dickinson, Head of Philanthropy and Programmes at SYCF said:
We are so pleased to be able to help Light support local mums through this fantastic initiative. It is so important to make space for conversations about perinatal mental health difficulties within the community, and we are delighted to have helped this fantastic group take these steps forward.
Claire Fretwell, Operations Manager for Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, said
We are proud that this funding is having such a big impact on the community.
It's wonderful to see that local groups have been able to use the funding in different ways to benefit the health and wellbeing of people living near Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.