My name is Laura and I am a mental health nurse working for the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Perinatal Mental Health Service. Our service provides a specialist range of evidence based, holistic care and treatment options for women living in North Wales who are experiencing upper moderate to severe mental illness during their pregnancy and up to the end of their first postnatal year.

In Winter 2025, Seren Lodge Mother and Baby Unit will be opening at the Countess of Chester Hospital. The unit is the result of a unique collaboration between Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP), Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, BCUHB, NHS England and NHS Wales.

Seren Lodge will be a an eight-bedded specialist mental health Mother and Baby Unit that will provide evidence-based care, treatment and support to women whom are in the perinatal period. The unit will provide a safe and therapeutic space for women to receive care and treatment and will enable mothers to remain with their babies while they recover. The unit will also provide support to the partners and families of the woman during her admission.

We know that admission to a mental health unit can be a scary and stressful time for many of our families and we want to be able to offer additional support to anyone who may need it during this time. In addition, we also want to continue to offer help and support to those families under the care of our team which is why, during the first week of May 2025 (to coincide with Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week), I have decided to embark on a big challenge in order to raise funds for our service and the women and families who access it. We also want to continue to support Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP), a UK charity who are set up to help support mums, parents and families through postpartum psychosis – a severe, but treatable, form of mental illness that occurs after having a baby and affects 1400 new mums in the UK each year. APP offer information and peer support, facilitate ground breaking research, raise awareness ad campaign for improved services.

On Sunday, 4th May 2025, I will be attempting to run (walk, shuffle, crawl) from the Maternity Unit at Ysbyty Gwynedd across North Wales to the Seren Lodge site at the Countess of Chester – approximately 70 miles door-to-door. The run will start at 6am and continue until I reach Seren Lodge, sometime on Monday 5th May. The challenge will involve me running from my home area to an area that I am completely unfamiliar with and will see me continue through the night, without stopping to sleep. I will be using the Welsh Coastal Path for long sections of my route and the stunning North Wales coastal areas will be the backdrop to my journey.

I am very fortunate to have an amazing support crew to help me with my challenge and will be joined at various stages by members of our fabulous team, as well as my husband and friends who have described my adventure as a point-to-point relay race with me as the baton.

With 6 weeks to go, training is well underway and it would be amazing if we can raise funds for two very special causes. Unfortunately, JustGiving no longer enables people to fundraise for two charities so we are asking people if they would be willing to divide whatever money they feel able to give between the two pages – one for Awyr Las that will go directly to the Perinatal Mental Health Service, the other to Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP).

Thank you so much for your support.

Diolch o galon i chi gyd.

Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) is a UK charity. We’re here to make sure mums, parents and families are supported through postpartum psychosis – a severe, but treatable, form of mental illness that occurs after having a baby and affects 1400 new mums in the UK each year.

We offer information and peer support, facilitate ground breaking research, raise awareness and campaign for improved services.

Our life changing peer support network helps women and families affected by postpartum psychosis feel understood, supported and less isolated.