About Us
We are here to support you on your path to parenthood – or not. Whatever the issue, whatever the outcome, we are here for you.
Muma Nurture Trustees
Karen - Chair
I’m Karen and I am one of the Trustees for Muma Nurture and have been since before we were even officially a charity! I am also our Counselling manager and one of our most senior experienced specialist counsellors and supervisor.
As a multi-disciplinary therapist, counsellor, supervisor, teacher of all of the aforementioned, and a mum who’s children have struggled with infertility and baby loss I believe absolutely in the need for this charity and the services we provide.
Siobhan - Treasurer
Jen - Secretary
Ayoub - Trustee
I’m Ayoub, the trustee for diversity and inclusion. I’m different to the other trustees, and having experienced the heartbreak of failed IVF I know it’s important for people to have help with that, the men as well.
I will do whatever I can to help this charity and my wife (Victoria) make that happen.
Adam - Trustee
My family and I have supported Muma Nurture since the beginning as we initially struggled to have children, experienced the pain of baby loss and understand how important this support is.
When I found out they needed trustees it seemed a natural next step.
Our Office Team...
Victoria - Founder
Hi I’m Victoria, the founder of Muma Nurture. I manage the charity, and am our most experienced senior specialist counsellor and supervisor.
During my own struggle with infertility I saw many therapists who promised to get me pregnant and left me feeling like (more of) a failure, and others who I just didn’t feel got it, or me. By the end of it, I was struggling to accept we would never have children and feeling alone, misunderstood, crazy and totally undervalued. It seemed to me there was a need for a service that was about the client, not the ‘problem’ or the therapist and their need to fix it or way of working.
My background as a baby bereavement counsellor and multi-disciplinary therapist made me think maybe I could make it happen, and so Muma Nurture was born!
Laura - Counselling Co-ordinator
Amy - Community Co-ordinator
Our Counsellors...
Kelly
Counsellor
I’m Kelly, and I am a trainee Transactional Analysis Psychotherapist and have also had trauma training.
I chose to work with Muma Nurture as I am particularly interested in Women’s therapy and know from personal experience that the journey towards, and becoming a mother, can be a complicated one. I wanted to be part of a community-minded organisation that gives women the encouragement and support that they deserve.
Muma Nurture offers women a safe and supportive space in which to have their voices heard and their stories told.
Vicky
Counsellor
I’m Victoria, I’m an Integrative Counsellor on placement with Muma Nurture. Having experienced baby loss and infertility myself, I know how important effective therapeutic support can be and by working here I help the charity provide specialist support to families experiencing infertility, baby loss and pregnancy.
Our Volunteers...
Our Journey...
2017 - The foundations were laid...
Muma Nurture was opened at The Old Printworks in Eastbourne by Victoria as a therapy centre to support Infertility and Perinatal death due to a lack of support for those issues in the area.
2018 - The Charity was formed.
• Quickly it became apparent that not everyone needing support could afford to pay, and the policy of ‘pay if and what you can afford’ was introduced.
• A board of trustees and constitution was formed and an application made to the charity commission.
• 5th October 2018 – Muma Nurture became officially registered as a CIO, charity number 1180220
2019... Grants are received and Perinatal Mental Health work begins.
• We ran our 1st community group enabling us to reduce the isolation our clients feel through differentiation to their peers thanks to a grant from the National Lottery.
• We built a team of 12 volunteers both therapists and admin and were able to train them all in active listening to adequately support our clients thanks to a grant from Eastbourne Borough Council.
•We introduced support for perinatal mental health due to the needs of our clients and lack of adequate support elsewhere.
•We ran a number of successful events raising funds and awareness for our course and planned to grow these each year.
2020 - Difficult times ahead, but it wasn't going to beat us...
• 16th March 2020 – pregnancy was declared high risk for COVID-19 and we made the decision to close the clinic.
• 18th March 2020 we began offering online counselling and groups.
• August 2020 we closed our HO in The Old Printworks due to ongoing uncertainty and lack of need.
• Despite ever changing times, team and directives and the complete inability to fundraise we were able to successfully provide 100s of counselling sessions and many groups online, the lack of geographic restriction meant we were now supporting clients from all over the UK.
• We were lucky enough to secure many emergency grants to enable us to manage this including; CAF, National Lottery, Sussex Community Fund, Devonshire West Big Local, Tesco bags of help.
2021 - A new location and continued growth.
• We ran an online community group monthly to reduce isolation and fear for our clients throughout the ongoing uncertainty.
• July 2021 we started working from Faraday House in Eastbourne.
• September 4th 2021 we had our 1st #emptyprampush (and first event for a long time) along Eastbourne seafront pushing empty prams 5.5km to represent the 55% of people affected by the issues we support and raising over £2000.
• Our 1st group of 4 placement counsellors started with us, which will enable us to double the counselling offered within a year
• The community coordinator role was created and filled to reintroduce community events and connect and build our community of clients, supporters and team online and in the local area
2022 - We're on the move again...
We moved to our current address in February 2022 giving more space for face to face appointments, events and community groups.
Funding was secured for a craft club, who make things to sell and fundraise for charity.
Our Community champion changed in August and a Charity Manager started training in October in preparation for Victoria going on maternity leave in December.
Jubilee party was funded by Asda to bring our whole community together clients, counsellors, volunteers, staff, craft club, etc
We held our 2nd #emptyprampush along seafront in September, this time we changed direction Holywell – Langley Point promenade as we’d nearly killed off our older participants with the climb back to road level the year before!! However, it was important to keep the 5.5km length to represent the 55% struggling with the issues we support.
Funders Included:
The National Lottery -Awards for All
Asda Community Fund
Spar Community Cashback
John Ackroyd Foundation Trust
John Jackson Charitable Trust
2023 - Despite difficulties we continue to grow...
• An office refurb was funded by Morrisons to make it a warmer more inviting community hub.
• Our charity struggled without Victoria at the helm, less grants were secured, less successful fundraising events were held, both office staff left and we were faced with the irony that when our founder finally had her miracle baby the charity she started to support those that struggled may have to close.
• Whatever the financial situation incoming enquiries and provision of quality specialist counselling was provided regardless, other services were streamlined.
• Several of our community walked with their rainbow babies in the carnival procession in May.
• Victoria returned to work in September.
• A team of volunteers was put together to organise and run pre-loved baby sales, to raise much needed funds and awareness, prevent waste and provide an affordable medium for baby goods.
• Yoga courses for pregnancy and mum and baby and retreat days were introduced to extend services on a paid basis to generate additional funds.
• A walk and talk group was started to give informal access to support to new mums and anyone that needed it.
• Funding was secured to trial walk and talk counselling sessions for new mums that were unable to attend a standard counselling session without baby.
• Lesley Powell joined us from another charity as a trustee and fundraising expert to write grant applications.
• Karen Deane took over as counselling manager as well as chair of trustees.
• We began training another counselling manager.
Funders Included:
Asda Green Tokens
Mrs A Lacy Tate Trust
Morrisons Foundation
Duke of Devonshire Community Trust
Tesco/Groundwork
The National Lottery -Awards for All
The Souter Trust
2024 - Another busy year for team Muma Nurture.
• Our #emptyprampush took place in April this year as there hadn’t been one in 2023. It marked 5.5 years as an officially registered charity.
• A new Charity Manager officially took the reins in April when Victoria went on maternity leave for a 2nd time having returned to work pregnant again!
• Rachel Liles joined the board of trustees as an ex-beneficiary to ensure our community is officially included in our decision making always.
• Our ‘Orange Heart Chocolate’ campaign was launched inviting people to drink orange hot chocolate and raise awareness of the issues we support and just how many people are affected.
• We started a women’s circle as a way to enable people to access informal support and or support the charity financially.
• Social media was outsourced to a professional and a new website was built to help generate awareness of our services online.
• A freelance fundraiser began working with us to generate additional revenue streams.
We began to run specialist training for other organisations supporting our community, the first being some bespoke postnatal peer supporter training for latch on breastfeeding group.
Funders Included:
The Chalk Cliff Trust
The Souter Trust
John Jackson Charitable Trust
Enjoolata Foundation
