Aylesbury PANDAS Support Group Turns 2

PANDAS is Buckinghamshire's only perinatal mental health peer support group.

The group, led by mental health charity The PANDAS Foundation, aims is to make sure no parent, family or carer feels alone. The charity have a variety of support services available to ensure help is delivered in a way that is right for everyone. Aylesbury PANDAS peer support group was set up, and is voluntarily run by Amy Scullard and Alicia Peasley. Both ladies have lived experience of postnatal depression and wanted to help others experiencing pre or postnatal anxiety and depression. The group has even been mentioned in Parliament recently by MP Laura Kyrke-Smith.

Amy Scullard explained, "I struggled with my mental health after my first child Emmett who was born in 2015. I was trying to help myself as much as I could and, with a Google search, came across the charity PANDAS. Attending that group, meeting other amazing mums who, alike me, were struggling with pregnancy and parenthood, and being able to chat to them and bounce ideas off them, was incredibly helpful to me. I was so grateful for their support.

When I fell pregnant in 2018 I started attending again, to ensure I had the support in place early. Thankfully my mental health was much better this time around and I found myself being more of a peer support for the other mums. Whilst attending in 2019 it came out that the Family Centres were going to close the group and I was heartbroken, it was such an important group. I fought hard to save the group, successfully, however a few months later the pandemic closed down all groups. I contacted the Family Centres management frequently to chase the groups restart. Eventually it was confirmed that they would not be restarting the group.

Myself and Alicia felt that this support was essential and, even if it meant we needed to run it, it was going to be an option to those who need it in Aylesbury and beyond. It took us a great deal of time to find an appropriate venue and with no cost. We gratefully received an offer to host our group for free, twice a week, at Aylesbury Vineyard. They were able to provide us with private space, ample toys so our attendees can bring their kids, and even refreshments, so in March 2023 we launched a new Aylesbury PANDAS Peer Support Group."

If you are a dad, mum-to-be, new mum, or a mum on baby number 5, and you are struggling with your mental health, then you are welcome to join. Aylesbury PANDAS meets the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month (excluding bank holidays but including school holidays) 10-11.30 at Aylesbury Vineyard. 

You can find Aylesbury PANDAS on Facebook or email AylesburyPANDAS@outlook.com for more information.