Cardiff’s Birth Partner Project will support more women during pregnancy and birth after the charity has received funding from various sources.
The charity, which has supported over 65 women of 22 nationalities living in the area, is now looking to provide practical and emotional support to increased levels of women across the city in a bid to achieve better outcomes for both mother and baby.
The Birth Partner Project, which has been running since 2017, has been successful in its bid for funding from various grant funders including Postcode Community Trust and Community Foundation Wales, whilst one of its trustees, Smitha Coughlan, has also gained support from her employer, gas pipeline and emergency service, Wales & West Utilities.
Smitha, a Trustee who also works as a Revenue and Pricing Manager for Wales & West Utilities, explains:
Most of the women we support are asylum seekers or from the refugee community, who may have little knowledge about what to expect from childbirth in the UK and which services are available to them. We work with these pregnant women, who might lack support during the latter stages of pregnancy, labour and birth, and the early post-natal period.
By working with our birth partners, women get access to emotional and practical support during pregnancy to understand their choices and prepare for birth, whilst help during labour ensures they don’t go through birth alone. This continues post-birth when they are then signposted to sources of help and information.
We are reliant on external funding including grant and donations so that we can continue to support women from all walks of life. No one should have to go through birth alone and we are here to make sure this doesn’t happen.
On behalf of women who access our services I’d like to say a huge thank you for this money – without it, we wouldn’t be able to help as many women across Cardiff.I am touched that my employer has got behind my volunteer efforts and the money from Wales & West Utilities will go directly to cover our administration costs.
The charity received large grants from Postcode Community Trust and Community Foundation Wales, whilst Wales & West Utilities donated £300 to support the charity with insurance and ongoing administration costs. The money was provided as part of its commitment to support its colleagues’ charitable efforts and the communities it serves.
The effort that Smitha and the rest of the volunteers at The Birth Partner Project go to support women is fantastic.
We are committed to supporting the volunteering efforts of our colleagues and, in the same way that Smitha wants the best outcomes for women and their babies across Cardiff, we’re proud to be able to play a small part in this. We’re delighted that this money will make such a difference to a small charity.
Wales & West Utilities look after the pipes that keep the gas flowing to heat the homes and power businesses of 7.5m people across Wales and south west England. They operate the gas emergency service, connect new homes and businesses, and upgrade the gas network so it’s safe today and fit for a green future.
To support The Birth Partner Project please visit: The Birth Partner Project | Localgiving