A group created to support new mums in Sheffield to improve their physical and mental wellbeing is stepping up thanks to charitable funding.

Light Peer Support has received a £1,000 grant through the Legacy Fund, which is managed by South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF).

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.

The Sheffield-based charity aims to reduce stigma, increase awareness and provide meaningful support to local women and their families through support groups, 1-1 sessions, and more.

This grant has allowed the peer support charity to run regular wellbeing walks for local mothers, improving their physical and mental wellbeing with fresh air, exercise, and space to open up.

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.

Helen Miles, CEO at Light Peer Support said:

The wellbeing walks aim to get parents out of the house, as some new parents struggle to do this, and to improve their confidence and support them to open up to both support workers and to the other parents.

 

The walks have taken place across various green spaces in Sheffield, including Hillsborough Park, Norfolk Park, Firth Park, Rother Valley, Concord Park, Graves Park, Endcliffe Park, and Millhouses Park.

The grant also allowed Light Peer Support 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.

Tina Russon, the lead peer support worker behind the Light project, 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 accessing our support.

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.

 

Claire Fretwell is the Operations Manager for Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park. She 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.

 

Michelle Dickinson, Head of Philanthropy and Programmes at SYCF said:

We are so pleased to be able to help Light Peer 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 supported this fantastic group to take these steps forward.

 

 

For more information or to apply to the Legacy Fund click here.