Before I started using the groups at BD4 community trust I felt very lonely - I started my family again having a 10 year gap between my children so didn’t know anyone with young children, the days were long and I was beginning to feel like I was destined to be alone. My friend told me about HENRY a course based around family life and I thought that would be a good place to start. The staff were mega friendly and I really looked forward to my weekly course. I had support to ask questions about things I had forgotten about and they gave me a lifeline when I was feeling down in the dumps. I very quickly built a good friendship circle with the other parents and we started to stay for first friends which is for babies under 1 - it was an hour for coffee & cakes with friends with a safe environment for our babies and my confidence stayed to grow again as a mother with a newborn. I have attended a nurturing course which is based around family life again, we made use of the free child care once again and my daughter really thrived during her sessions. On Monday evenings we started to attend culture comforts - my older child loved this as him and the other children got chance to network and make food - I thought this was a fantastic skill to have under his belt. We then started attending the playground sessions a couple of mornings a week. My daughter even did baby ballet when she turned 1.

I’ve just recently had another baby and we were back to groups a couple of days after he was born.

During COVID-19 the staff went above & beyond, visiting families, making phone calls to check in with us and generally just supported us through such an isolating time.

We love our groups with bd4 community trust, we feel part of something special and my depression and anxiety has been helped tonnes and my medication has been reduced.

Parent

Claire Knowles