The SMILE Group welcomes the Mayor of Macclesfield to its Hurdsfield support session

Cheshire-based charity, The SMILE Group, which was set up three years ago by mums with first-hand experience of postnatal depression (PND), welcomed the Mayor of Macclesfield, Councillor Janet Jackson to visit its Hurdsfield-based support session.

Established by mums, Natalie Nuttall and Ruth Eglin, who felt there was a gap in support at a community level for families affected by PND, The SMILE Group operates weekly peer support sessions out of Children’s Centres in Macclesfield and Congleton and has helped hundreds of parents through what can be a debilitating experience.

The group recently secured £5,000 from Cheshire Community Foundation, an organisation which inspires local philanthropy, builds local endowment and encourages financial investment in local grass roots organisations, and has used some of this funding to create a powerful video featuring real life stories, advice from a perinatal specialist and reassurance that, with the right support, you can get better.

NHS statistics suggest that at least 1 in 7 people are affected by PND to some degree and evidence shows that peer support can contribute to recovery and complement professional treatment.

With this in mind the team of four mums who run The SMILE Group worked with video production company, 4Motiv, to film a short video to provide an honest portrayal of PND, featuring first-hand accounts and footage of parents in a peer support group setting. 

The mums all felt passionate about sharing their stories and each chose to feature their children at the end of the video as a poignant message to others in the thick of PND that you can overcome it and experience the joy of motherhood, with the right help and guidance.

The Mayor was welcomed by The SMILE Group team who gave Councillor Jackson a taste of how the charity is helping families to ease the debilitating effects of postnatal illness with signposting, complementary therapy taster sessions and the opportunity to talk to others going through the same experience in a relaxed and non-judgemental setting. The Mayor also had the opportunity to watch the group’s PND awareness video and learn how it will help others to access the support they need.

Commenting on the visit, the Mayor of Macclesfield, Councillor Jackson, said: “I really enjoyed my visit to The SMILE Group to see how this local charity is changing lives and making a difference. It was inspiring to see how people’s personal experiences of postnatal depression have turned into something so positive to support and guide others going through a similar experience. I wish the group every success and hope it continues to flourish.”

The SMILE Group runs peer support sessions on Wednesdays at Congleton Children’s Centre, from 10-12 noon, and on Fridays at Hurdsfield Children’s Centre from 10-12 noon.

To view the new website, visit www.thesmilegroup.org, follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesmilegroup and on Twitter @thesmilegroup