Staff and volunteers from Bright Horizons have worked with Life House support staff to create a thoughtfully designed, safe, and enriching Bright Space garden for families to enjoy, creating a symbol of resilience and progress.

The occasion was especially meaningful for Bright Horizons Regional Director, Mel Pease. When Mel was pregnant and experiencing homelessness 35 years ago, Life provided crucial support and a place in a Life House, which empowered her to raise her daughter and to pursue the successful career she has today.

Life are so grateful to Mel for giving back to the charity by sharing her story, to spread the message to other women that they are valued and can be supported whatever their situation, with a space in a Life House or any of the other services Life offers.

Mel said, “I’ve always wanted to have a Bright Space in my local area so when The Foundation presented the opportunity to partner with Life Charity and create a Bright Space, I was delighted. Giving back to an organisation that did so much for me is a surreal, full-circle moment.”

Life exists to support women, men and families facing unexpected pregnancy and the 20 Life Houses around the UK provide a safe, supported environment for women to step into motherhood despite the challenges of unexpected pregnancy.

The Bright Horizons Foundation works in partnership with other charities, public services, and specialist agencies to provide safe and enriching play spaces for children and families experiencing crisis and disadvantage. There are now 100 Bright Spaces across the UK, in domestic abuse refuges, police child protection suites, prison visit areas, hospices and other settings, including the Oxford Life House!

Beckie Reeves, Head of Housing Operations at Life, added, “This Bright Space will bring joy and comfort to the families we support. We are incredibly grateful to Bright Horizons for their partnership, and to Mel for helping others who find themselves in the same situation that she was in 35 years ago.”

If you or anyone you know is facing an unexpected pregnancy or is pregnant and without a safe place to live, please call our National Helpline today.

Phone: 0808 802 5433
Text: 07860077339
Email: help@lifecharity.org.uk

It’s completely free, confidential, professional and impartial; our skilled listeners and counsellors support people to explore their feelings and situation and can refer women for  a home in a supported Life House if needed.

If you would like to support women like Mel, to give them and their child a strong foundation for their family’s future, please consider making a donation today. Call 01926 312272 or visit lifecharity.org.uk/donate.

The post Bright Space makes Life House a Home appeared first on Life.

It’s a week that helps to unite the pregnancy and baby loss community; we come together and speak out across the week to increase understanding of the impact of loss and remember all babies.

It also plays a crucial role in raising awareness of the importance of ongoing bereavement support, something our National Helpline are experienced in. We’re here to walk with anyone who has experienced baby loss, including miscarriage, stillbirth and loss through abortion, as they explore their feelings and ways to move forward.

The Baby Loss Alliance is an initiative started by a group of parents 22 years ago, it has now evolved into an Alliance of over 130 dedicated pregnancy and baby loss organisations, including Life. Whether you’re someone who has experienced loss, a family member, friend or healthcare professional, we want you to know this Alliance stands together with you.

Few experiences can compare to the trauma and pain of pregnancy and baby loss. During this Baby Loss Awareness Week, we will acknowledge that finding ways to nurture your mental and physical wellbeing is a vital part of anyone’s bereavement journey.

Together, we care for ourselves and each other as part of a community of people affected by all forms of pregnancy and baby loss, including miscarriage, stillbirth, and abortion. Self-care is essential, so you can sustain yourself and be able to raise awareness in a way that’s right for you.

Grief affects every person differently and can change over time, even during Baby Loss Awareness Week itself. It can be extremely hard for any bereaved person to speak out on the issues that matter to them, if they do not have the time and tools to care for themselves first.

Strong emotions after loss are common and completely normal, and we understand that these emotions may become a barrier to practicing self-care. We offer a safe space through our Helpline for anyone who has struggled or is struggling and wants a professional and compassionate ear.

And for those who want to be an ally to people affected by pregnancy and baby loss, we will help you share with care this Baby Loss Awareness Week.

Baby Loss Awareness Week ends with the global ‘Wave of Light’ on 15 October. Everyone is invited, wherever they are in the world, to light a candle at 7pm local time as a special mark of support and remembrance.

To anyone navigating this journey, whether recently bereaved or longer ago, we hope we can offer reassurance that there is a community that understands and is here for you, whatever you need – be it guidance, shared stories or simply a listening ear to help and offer comfort.

If you have been affected by any form of pregnancy loss, including loss through abortion, we’re here for you. Click here to contact our helpline.

The post Baby Loss Awareness Week – Together We Care appeared first on Life.

Esther Bird, a Support Worker for the new Life House, says: 

“I’m super excited to be involved in the opening of a new Life House in Littlehampton. It’s fantastic that we have this opportunity to offer support to more women and children from the local area.  

“I’m really looking forward to working alongside Star Community Housing and the rest of the Life team to make the house a safe and welcoming home for those that need it and hope it becomes a place where positive steps forward can be taken and good memories can be made.” 

As a Community Interest Company (CIC), Star Community Housing provides accommodation solutions for individuals with complex needs, working alongside support providers to deliver each  client’s unique package.  

Life shares Star Community Housing’s passion for providing personal care and support to all clients and residents, for example the life skills training given by Support Workers and Volunteers, including things like mental health, parenting, education and community connections (for example building confidence in taking a toddler to the park). All of this is possible thanks to the charity’s generous donors and fundraisers. 

Karen Proudlock, Director of Housing for Life, says, “I’m so pleased that we are able to open another Life House in this area. The community and volunteers around our first Littlehampton Life House are so supportive and have made a difference to so many mothers’ and babies’ lives already. We just know this house is going to be well supported so that many families can learn to thrive here. 

“Our mission as a charity is to create a world where no one faces pregnancy or pregnancy loss alone, and the coming together of so many people with the help of Star Community Housing is a brilliant example of how we can all be a part of creating a better world.” 

This is a moment of celebration not just for Life and Star Community Housing, but also for those who have supported Life’s work, and for every woman and child that will  benefit from staying in the Littlehampton Life House, now and in the future. 

Read more about what our Life Houses mean to our clients here. Thank you so much to everyone who is a part of this. 

Pictured: Hannah Millard (Life Area Services Manager) Francesca Silvestri (Life Area Services Coordinator) Esther Bird (Life Support Worker) Terry Locke and Sharon Dickins (Star Community Housing). 

The post New Life House Opening New Hope appeared first on Life.

Allyson Felix, the most decorated female track and field Olympian ever, was instrumental in setting up the nursery, to provide a quiet environment and support for athletes who are parenting young children. The nursery featured a private breastfeeding area and its existence showed a great respect for parenthood, boldly stating to the onlooking world: parenthood is no barrier to success. 

“He made me who I am today” 

Joe Clarke, Olympic Slalom Canoeist, credits his young son after winning a silver medal 

Olympic fencer Nada Hafez announced on her social media during the games that there was in fact an extra person on the platform with her, as she was competing while seven months pregnant! Every pregnancy is different, but for Nada it was safe and possible to do this and so she didn’t have to put her dreams on hold while carrying a child. 

Amber Rutter, sharp-shooting women’s skeet silver-medallist came to the games without her three-month baby Tommy, as she felt that she needed to focus on her sport and it would be hard to be in mum-mode as well as battling it out in the greatest sporting games on the planet. Her husband James respected her need to throw herself into her mission, and to her surprise and joy, he also understood her need to be close to her young son in this special moment in her life. He followed her to Paris, waited secretly in the wings so Amber could focus on the games, before reuniting mother and baby as soon as she’d won silver! 

Everyone experiences pregnancy and parenthood differently. For the incredible stories arising from Olympians, there is always a foundation of the loving support of spouses, coaches, family and friends as well as an understanding of the importance of parenting and work/life balance even at the top echelons of sport. 

Not every woman is fortunate enough to have the support around her to make pregnancy, birth and parenthood or adoption as easy and joyful as it can be. Life Charity are here to change that. 

Offering the support a woman needs, right from wondering whether she is pregnant, through free counselling, practical support and even housing, we want to be here to every step of the journey into motherhood. 

If you or someone you know is pregnant in unexpected or crisis circumstances, contact our free national helpline here. We’re here for you before, during and after pregnancy or pregnancy loss. Whoever you are and whatever your circumstance, Life will walk with you on your journey. 

 Photo: Amber Rutter, Olympic silver medallist in Women’s Skeet Shooting, BBC News. 

If you are interested in supporting Life’s work, see how you can get involved here.

The post “He made me who I am today”: What Olympians say about parenting appeared first on Life.

Ms Fleet has opened up about becoming pregnant at 15 after being groomed and raped by an older man.

She says that, despite the man telling her to have an abortion, she chose to continue with the pregnancy and gave birth to her daughter, now 23, who she says is the “absolute love of my life”.

Ms Fleet says, “I really want to be a voice for all of those people, all of those women that have children in far from ideal circumstances.”

There are over 3,000 conceptions every year from rape. Becoming pregnant after assault, which is a terrible and traumatic event, is an indescribably difficult situation to be in. Life offers free, qualified, non-judgmental counselling and skilled listening to anyone experiencing unexpected pregnancy and we are keen to spread the word about our services in order to reach any woman who needs support.

Life works hard to reach every woman in the UK who finds herself in an unexpected or crisis pregnancy, or who needs someone to talk to due to pregnancy loss or any of the many circumstances surrounding this issue.

Our National Helpline counsellors and skilled listeners are qualified, compassionate and impartial. We also have support services that go further than the free counselling we offer.

We help tens of thousands of women every year through our services. All the way from mailing out free, discreet pregnancy tests to offering housing in one of our 19 multiple-occupancy Life houses for pregnant women and those with a baby. We want to create a world where no one faces pregnancy or pregnancy loss alone.

Life offers a heartfelt thank you to Natalie Fleet MP for having the courage and determination to tell this story. We believe it will encourage other women to seek support, no matter what the situation.

Get in touch with Life here if you are looking for support, help us spread the word by sharing our news and social media posts, or by signing up to our mailing list.

The post Pregnant after assault: A courageous story appeared first on Life.

I’ve been volunteering teaching weekly or fortnightly cooking life skills since around August 2022.

What do you most enjoy about volunteering for Life?

I love getting to know the girls and their babies, earning their trust and bonding with them over cooking!

What has been your best volunteering moment?

The loveliest time has been meeting one client who was pregnant throughout our cooking sessions, seeing her pregnancy progress and then finally meeting her baby for the first time! That was very special.

What’s one interesting thing about this role that someone might not know?

It’s amazing how rewarding volunteering is –  seeing the clients grow in confidence in the kitchen is fantastic!

What advice would you give to anyone considering this volunteer role?

Definitely go for it! It’s very fulfilling and enjoyable to meet new people and feel you are making a difference.

Thank you for all you do, Oli!

The post “It’s amazing how rewarding volunteering is!” appeared first on Life.

Littlehampton Volunteer

How long have you been a volunteer with Life?

I had my first session in the house in April 2021 so around nine months. 

How did you hear about the volunteer role?

Through my church – there was an advert in our newsletter asking for volunteers for specific roles in our local Life House so I asked for my details to be passed on. Then I met up with the Support Worker to have a chat about what it would involve and we went from there.  

What do you most enjoy about volunteering in the Life House?

I’ve really enjoyed simply spending time with the women and the children, chatting about how they are getting on and watching the children grow and develop. I also like the feeling of playing even a small part in something that is making a positive difference to their lives. 

What has been your best moment?

One moment I remember is when we were doing a play activity that I had prepared for the women and children to do together. One of the children was a little unsure to begin with and took a while to join in but after a while she really got stuck in and you could hear the pride in her Mum’s voice as she watched her do something new – as a Mum myself I know that little moments like that can create special memories so it was nice to part of that! 

How has the role impacted you?

I have found the courage and strength of the women I have met really inspiring and motivating. Being in a supported house environment, the enjoyment I got from it and the welcome I received encouraged me to apply for employment in a similar setting and I believe that the experience I got from volunteering contributed to me being successful in that! 

What would you say to anyone considering applying to be a volunteer with Life?

Definitely take the step to find out more and have a chat to someone about how you could get involved. It doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment and it could open up a whole realm of experience and opportunity. Life is a fantastic organisation to be part of and you will get a lovely welcome! 

What the Support Worker (Francesca) said

“Volunteering works both ways, its not always just beneficial for the clients but also for the person volunteering. She has been a joy to have in the house, full of ideas and encouraging the clients to try news things and opening their eyes to new opportunities.”

What one of the Life House mums said

“She gave us lots of help and some really good parenting tips.” The volunteer has just secured a job working in a women’s refuge and the Life House mum said, “We wish her luck in her new role, they are very lucky to have her!”

The post Interview with a Life House volunteer appeared first on Life.

When my partner and I had an unsought pregnancy, it was the beginning of a long journey. That journey convinced me that dads have a powerful role to play in helping their partners meet pregnancy and the circumstances of life.

Lauren and I were best friends. We’d tried a few business partnerships, trying to get our lives together and make our own way in the world. We were still pretty young when we discovered that Lauren was unexpectedly pregnant.

Our reactions were totally different. I come from a huge family, which meant that we took each new baby in our stride. Perhaps I was a touch naïve; I just felt that having this baby wouldn’t be anything we couldn’t handle. I never thought this baby would end our lives.

For Lauren, though, her reaction wasn’t great – to put it mildly. She was really emotional, scared, and frightened. When she told me about the pregnancy, she said, “My life is over” and she was considering an abortion.

Speaking for me, I wanted the baby. I’d always wanted a baby; the whole thing was really difficult for me to process and I was very emotional. Lauren asked me, “If I had the abortion, would you hate me?” I told her that I wouldn’t but, putting my heart on my sleeve, it would be really difficult for me.

Dads have a powerful role to play in helping their partners meet pregnancy and the circumstances of life.

Tip #1: Help her see that she has the option to have the baby and her dreams, too

The biggest difference between Lauren and myself is that she felt that her life was over – and she wasn’t ready for that – while I never thought this baby would end our lives. So I sat her down and asked why she felt that having a child would end her life. “What are you scared to lose? How would your life be over?”

For Lauren, it came down to four things:

1. Travel
2. Photography
3. Modelling
4. Relationships

She has an adventurer’s heart and loves to travel. She’s also a photographer and does modelling. And she was worried that her relationships with family and friends would change a lot. She worried that people would treat her differently, reduce her identity down to “mum”, and she wouldn’t have time to go out with friends.

For her, she felt that having a baby would mean the end of all of these and that she’d be giving up a part of herself.

When I helped us think about it more carefully, though, solutions – and even some broader horizons – started to emerge.

I offered that, if Lauren ever wanted to go travelling, I’d look after the baby at home. Or we could find ways to take the baby with us and make it an adventure we share as the three of us.

For the photography and modelling, I pointed out that there are loads of successful Instagram accounts that do mother and baby stuff. Really, having a child would be another string to Lauren’s bow and help her widen her influence, reach, and audience.

That ticked off three of the four. Then relationships. I suggested that most of what she was worried about could be dealt with by communicating properly with her friends. I have a new routine, I’m still me, I’m available here and here.

Lauren was pretty hormonal and emotional during this, and it was really valuable to sit down together and take a logical and optimistic view of things. We realised that each problem had a solution. Lauren was depending on me to be her rock during all this.

When I helped us think about it more carefully, though, solutions – and even some broader horizons – started to emerge.

Tip #2: Talk, talk, and talk some more

We talked through everything and I suggested solutions. Lauren was very open to ideas and didn’t get defensive. I think this was really key.

I’m going to be honest: it was rocky at the beginning. She was scared and frightened. She thought her life was over and, although we both knew that she didn’t mean her physical life, it still was emotionally like she was considering her own death. It was talking that helped us to see that this wasn’t really the case.

This was the time when she needed me the most – my support and reassurance that she could take on the changes that were going to happen to us without losing herself. It felt good to give that to her. So keep the lines of communication open. Don’t let them close up. I could have backed off but I knew that being there and giving her the space to talk was what I needed to do, even if it was rocky at first.

This was the time when she needed me the most – my support and reassurance that she could take on the changes that were going to happen to us without losing herself. 

Tip #3: Do it as a team

All throughout, we were doing it as a team. I was offering to support and help her to deal with the changes so that she didn’t lose the things that were precious to her.

The turning point? She’d spoken to an abortion clinic but still wasn’t sure. I’d backed off a little and gave her room to process what I’d said. Eventually, she came back to me and said, “You know what, I think I can do it.” She didn’t know why she took so long to make that decision. She said, “I’m so happy!”

So we started helping prepare her for the baby. We moved into a new place, I bought cots and baby supplies, and I agreed not to smoke or drink while she’s pregnant. If she can’t, why should I? She’s big on things being fair and I wanted to do anything I could.

All throughout, we were doing it as a team.

So if I had any advice for dads out there:

• Help her see that she has the option to have the baby and her dreams, too. Offer suggestions and sacrificial actions you can take to make this possible.
• Talk, talk, and talk some more. The bond between you should be strong enough to give stability during all the rough times.
• Do it as a team. Show solidarity, be her reassurance, and help her prepare for the baby.

Our baby was born two months ago. Things are going really well. She is fantastic and gorgeous.

The post For the guys: 3 ways to support your pregnant partner [Eric’s story] appeared first on Life.

Working with a volunteer from the charity IMPACT, the Crawley Life House tenants receive cooking sessions. These sessions help the clients to:

• Learn new skills, and build confidence in growing outside their comfort zone.
• Try new foods, adapt meals, and cook homemade meals.
• Build confidence, self-esteem, and independence.

The volunteer delivered the sessions over WhatsApp during COVID-19. Below are some of the meals the tenants cooked, with ingredients some of them had never tried before. Congratulations!

One of the tenants said:

“I love how we all have a role to play during the sessions and how we get the recipes sent to us as well. I learnt skills I will take with me when I move into my own place to be able to cook meals on my own and independently.”

A new tenant said:

“It’s great to spent time getting to know the other tenants while cooking.”

A quote from a client who hadn’t eaten a leek before:

“It’s really nice.”

Another tenant said:

“I enjoyed learning to cook a variety of different foods like the fish pie.”

It’s vital that tenants learn skills that they take into independent living. So we were particularly delighted to see this quote and photo from a tenant who remade the recipe after they moved out:

“I did it girls “

The post Crawley Life House tenants grow in confidence through cooking sessions appeared first on Life.

The house already had a volunteer for the garden. Early this year they also recruited another volunteer to support with this Life Skills programme.

Having fun and enhancing well-being

So far the clients have benefited from gardening sessions, cooking, and play activities. These are delivered inside the House and in the back garden highlighting the importance of fresh air. The sessions provide a good opportunity for the clients to spend quality time with their children having fun. The sessions also support support their children’s physical and emotional well-being. One client said, “I am looking forward to doing more activities.”

Making musical instruments was an especially popular session – dancing and singing were enjoyed by all.

Growing by trying new things

For one client with anxiety, the play sessions allowed her to try new experiences with the volunteer’s support. For another client, cooking was an opportunity for their child to taste new food that had been grown. She said, “She really liked it, and ate it all!”

The clients get involved with planning for the activities. Even better, they’ve started to initiate play sessions together during the week. They have seen the importance of play for them and their children.

Learning skills for independent living

COVID-19 and lockdown had brought added pressures to the clients living in the Life Houses. They particularly felt the effects on their mental health and felt isolated from their families. The Life Skills grant has allowed the clients to use some of this time to decorate rooms and overhaul the garden. Having a living environment that they like being in has great positive effects, while also preparing them with skills for independent living.

Support Workers and volunteers also get involved in the sessions, and it creates an opportunity for conversation, laughing, and socialising together. For new clients it creates a relaxed environment to get to know other clients. One lady who had experienced low mood this year said that the garden session was “therapeutic and good for my baby to be outside.”

Plans for the rest of the Life Skills programme include:

• Cooking sessions
• Play sessions
• Garden sessions
• Community outings
• Monthly house coffee mornings

The Life Skills session volunteer says, “I am really grateful for the opportunity to come in and I look forward to trying out some other activities.”

The post Life House tenants flourish with Life Skills programme appeared first on Life.