19/12/2025
“From everyone at APP, I wish you and your loved ones a restful and happy festive season.” Read on for a message from Dr Jessica Heron, APP's Chief Executive.
“On behalf of Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP), I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us this year. APP is a lifeline for many families, and we couldn’t do it without you - our supporters, fundraisers, volunteers and community. Every peer support call, experience shared in the media, bake sale, marathon run and skydive plays a vital role in improving the future for others.
During 2025, hundreds of families found hope and recovery, supported by our trained staff and volunteers. 97% of those who completed our survey felt more supported after finding APP, and 44% believed they might not be alive without the support they received from APP.
In 2025, nearly 3,000 health professionals heard an APP speaker via a lived experience talk, APP full day training, and our su***de prevention webinar. 100% say our training will change their practice and 100% would recommend it to other professionals.
We have sent hundreds of APP’s free information guides and resource packs to Mother and Baby Units, Perinatal Mental Health Services, Maternity Services and organisations working with new families throughout the UK. We’ve supported key research, and through our patient information, professional training and awareness-raising, we ensure that knowledge reaches families and professionals and isn’t locked behind scientific journal paywalls. We’ve supported more than 35 media stories and creative pieces this year, including postpartum psychosis (PP) storylines on Hollyoaks and Casualty.
We’ve continued to campaign tirelessly for women with PP to access Mother and Baby Units (MBUs), working to ensure these facilities are valued and their budgets protected. We’re delighted that the Chester MBU supporting women across North Wales and Cheshire has opened this month- and will have an embedded APP peer support worker. The Northern Ireland Health Minister made a moving speech committing to an MBU in Northern Ireland, but still no funding or timeframe has been confirmed.
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2025 saw APP’s first Adventure - with families from our community and health professionals coming together in the beautiful Peak District to take on a 13km walk of Mam Tor (Mother Hill), passing through the village of Hope, raising nearly £12,000 for APP in the process.
We were also honoured to receive the prestigious GSK impact award - recognising small charities making a big difference. Judges praised APP’s ‘unique integration of lived experience’ and our ‘powerful partnerships with the NHS’.
From everyone at APP, I wish you and your loved ones a restful and happy festive season. We know that for some families, Christmas and New Year can be a difficult time, particularly for those with loved ones spending Christmas in an MBU or struggling with recovery. You are not on our own – APP’s peer supporters are available every day of the year via our Forum”.
🔗 Read more in our festive newsletter here: https://ow.ly/VYzM50XMr5B
