For nearly 4 years, Helen has voluntarily been running a support group for new parents who live in Poynton and the surrounding areas. She started the group when her own child was just a few weeks old, as there was nothing else like it in the area. Long after her own children have grown out of the group, it has continued to be a lifeline for many parents, who are either first time parents or parents of multiple children. It provides a safe space for new mums and dads to be able to chat to each other, build social networks and help them through the first phase of parenthood. It has also become an official Cherubs support group and we have a breastfeeding consultant who comes in once a month, who can provide support on breast and bottle feeding, weigh babies and also give mental health referrals where needed. This is a vital link for new parents, with no other group like it in the area.

Since the beginning, we have kindly been given a free space to use to run the group, which is connected to the most wonderful and supportive of coffee shops. There has been a recent change in management of the space, and unfortunately due to new policies being put in place, we are no longer able to use it as we did before. We now need some form of income to be able to rent a space and cover the costs for this group to continue long term, and keep this support group free for all those who attend it. We do not want financial constraints to impact accessibility for new parents, especially when they have reduced income during the period of parental leave.

We need £2,500 a year to cover the costs of renting the space on a weekly basis. PLEASE DONATE TO HELP KEEP THIS GROUP GOING!

Some notes from parents affected:

"This group was and still is a huge source of support for me both in my first and my current maternity leave. The informal nature and no need for financial commitment meant I felt no pressure to attend, which was a huge plus from a mental health perspective! I made some of my best mum friends in this group. What this group does for making new mums feel seen and combatting the sometimes pervasive loneliness of maternity leave is invaluable. In fact I actually arranged my son's nursery days so I could ensure I could attend the group during this maternity leave also!" Mollie

"The coffee meetups for new mums have honestly been a lifeline for me during maternity leave. I look forward to this time every single week — it has become such an important and grounding part of my routine. Having a relaxed, welcoming space where I can meet other mums, make real friendships, and get genuine support has made such a difference during what can be an incredibly isolating time. I love that it was never restrictive — being able to arrive and leave when it suited naps, feeds, or just how the day was going made it feel truly accessible and stress-free. The environment was always so lovely, supportive, and non-judgemental. I was already so excited to introduce a close friend who’s about to have a baby to this group, knowing how much it would mean to her too. " Laura

"I just wanted to share how incredibly important the coffee mornings have been for me and X. I had huge anxiety about getting X out and about in those first few months, and being invited along by another mum (thank you Laura!) really encouraged me to get out with her most weeks and its honestly been instrumental in building my confidence getting out with her, as well as being such a friendly, welcoming space to chat with other mums. It’s become a part of my maternity leave routine and I’d be devastated to lose it and it would be such a loss for future new mums in the village and surrounding areas." Jessica

"The coffee mornings were a big part of my maternity leave as a first time mum. It is a relaxed and welcoming space for new mums to speak to other mums and ask each other questions without any judgement. It also helped me practise getting out of the house in the early days and this time as a new mum can be stressful and lonely. The fact that Helen had arranged for cherubs to attend once a month and could weigh their baby was such a massive help. There were also a number of mums that were there with their second child after going to clay with their first which shows what an important space it is. To lose this group would be a massive shame to others, i have done countless recommendations and I have even recently recommended to my neighbour who has a newborn." Josie

"This was a lifeline for me after a difficult and traumatic first few months of parenthood. Finding somewhere safe, friendly and free was a blessing. Getting to the coffee mornings on a Wednesday was the highlight of some weeks." Valerie

"I attended this group almost every week during my 2 maternity leaves and it became one of the most important sources of maternity support I had. I could show up exactly as I was (usually tired and overwhelmed!) and I was met with warmth, welcoming and understanding. This group saw me becoming a mum, week by week, without having to explain myself.

The weekly consistency gave my maternity leave structure and reassurance and being able to connect informally with other mums going through the same stage made a huge difference to my confidence and wellbeing.

I will always champion this group. I’ve found myself stopping women with baby bumps and buggies just to tell them about it because I know how much it matters. This group doesn’t just offer support in the moment — it changes how new families experience those early months in ways that are deep, lasting and often unseen." Jane

"I went from being pregnant and saying: I don’t need new mum friends / I already have friends! To absolutely relying on the amazing mums (mainly - plus the odd dad too!) that I met through the Clay group for support through both mat leaves and beyond. There are many baby classes but nothing else like this group (for mums/dads)" Holly

"The Coffee meet ups were a highlight of my week whilst on maternity leave. An opportunity to make new friends, talk about things you were experiencing and be reassured it wasn’t just you!

I used to always leave feeling more energised having connected with other mums. I missed it a lot when I went back to work.

Such a safe space, full of support. There would have been weeks I was lost without it.

When I turned up with a 2 week old baby, new to mum life, everyone was so welcoming and gave me so much confidence in getting out and about.

I was so looking forward to coming back during my second mat leave." Amber