Safe Space Hub - funded by The National Lottery Community Fund
An overview of the last two years work with TNLCF, creating our Safe Space Hub at Fairview Community Centre and Hexham Road Community Centre
We’ve successfully completed our two-year program in Reading, with significant growth in our "Safe Space" project. This initiative offers compassionate peer support for perinatal mental health, led by trained local parent volunteers, facilitators, and professionals. It’s accessible to expectant parents and those with young children, drawing a regular group as well as new attendees through targeted outreach with the NHS and community groups.
"Safe Space" was designed to provide an open, welcoming environment for parents facing social isolation or perinatal mental health challenges. The project strengthens community bonds, fosters resilience, and supports parents through early parenthood with confidence and connection.
Our funding enabled a new monthly support group at Hexham Road Community Centre, which has been challenging due to high mental health stigma and low engagement in the area. Despite initial obstacles, our sustained presence has gradually increased attendance. This group has also helped us build valuable partnerships with Reading Borough Council, local community teams, the University of Reading, and several other community organisations.
Our research, collected through monthly and online feedback, shows that participants found the parent-child meetings both enjoyable and a valuable source of social and emotional support. They reported that these sessions improved their understanding and skills for fostering healthy behaviors in themselves and their children, with many actively applying what they learned in daily life. Parents particularly appreciated the practical advice from guest speakers, facilitators, and peers, noting that the positive, supportive atmosphere made it easier to embrace and apply new strategies.
We held sessions addressing mental health topics like anxiety, PTSD, birth trauma, depression, and coping strategies, alongside creative workshops in sewing, yoga, poetry, and seasonal crafts, which provided a comfortable alternative for those who preferred activity-based participation.
Parents also valued the interactive, creative workshops that blended health-oriented activities with play, helping them practice mindfulness while spending meaningful time with their children.
Additionally, we’ve seen a strong rise in online engagement after hiring a communications manager to handle newsletters, social media, and content creation. We expanded our outreach with postcards at local coffee shops and worked closely with social prescribers at GP surgeries, attended perinatal meetings, and distributed materials in community centers, playgroups, churches, hospitals, and health centers. This targeted approach has resulted in a significant increase in attendance at our groups.
We’d like to take this opportunity to thank The National Lottery for it’s support these last two years in establishing ourselves as a respected perinatal charity in Berkshire. This funding has enabled us to provide essential services, resources, and training, ensuring that families receive the care and support they need. Thank you for investing in this vital area and helping us make a positive impact in our community and we look forward to continued growth and partner expansion next year.
