5K Colour Obstacle Run for Poynton PANDAS

On Saturday 12th September, Rhiannon, Jeni and Penny will be running (or at least trying to run) the Sheffield 5K Colour Obstacle Run for Parents Supporting Parents and Poynton PANDAS Support Group.

Poynton PANDAS is a voluntary organisation that is close to our hearts because it supports parents and carers (both mums and dads) who are suffering from pre or postnatal mental health.

Rhiannon set up the support group, alongside 5 other amazing mums in September 2014. We run a weekly, drop-in peer support group at St George's Church in Poynton. The group is free for parents to attend and therefore we fundraise to pay for the rent at the church, training for our volunteers and for artists and holistic therapists to help our parents and their children to relax and unwind.

Since September, we have supported 44 mums with a range of mental health problems including pre and postnatal anxiety and depression, low mood, bipolar disorder, postpartum psychosis, social anxiety and much more. Here are some quotes from our group members on what the support group means to them;

"a safe place to go when you don't want to leave the house with people who understand you without you having to say a word"

"Poynton PANDAS has made me feel welcome and accepted. I no longer feel alone and ashamed of having had a postnatal mental illness. The ladies are kind an friendly and never judge me. I have made progress".

"I have felt so isolated and lonely at times but knowing that I'm not the only one, being accepted and receiving kind, helpful words, truly makes me feel less alone".

"Poynton PANDAS provided a lifeline for me, a kind listening ear when I had no one to take my issues to. They were crucial to me at a time when I was caring for my baby and in need of are for me. A fantastic, supportive, non judgemental group of ladies with different issues but united by a common understanding of how hard feeling low or having depression can be when you have a child or a family to look after".