Branching Out
- Abi Yardimci
- Jun 10
- 5 min read
Even though our national webinar for the grassroots community in perinatal mental health is over, we are still riding high on the generosity, wisdom and positivity of the day.
On Wednesday 20th May 2026, people from all over the UK sat down at their laptops, found a quiet space with their phones or took their screens with them during their daily activities, so they could be part of this experience.
Aimed at cultivating and connecting this incredible sector, whilst embracing creativity, diverse learning styles and authentic inclusion, Branching Out was a core part of the Hearts & Minds Partnership's Trusted Spaces workstream this year.
Branching Out was our third national meet-up. The last two have been face-to-face in Birmingham but this time we chose to spend the day online as we wanted to broaden reach, increase accessibility, and enable delegates to join for all or part of the day, building it around their other commitments (because life is busy!).
Hearts & Minds is currently experiencing a phase of uncertainty as we don't yet know if our funding will continue beyond September 2026. We were honest and upfront about this at Branching Out, echoing the past and current experiences of many of the VCSEs attending. We suggested that everybody join us in honouring moments like this — not with fear, but with honesty, creativity, curiosity and care.
The day was facilitated by the core Hearts & Minds team (Sarah, Mel and Abi) along with our amazing EDEI Root Makers: Ameena Rahman (Sister Circle), Alex Paterson (Infant Mental Health and LGBTQ+ Families Advocate), Aileen White (My Birth Support CiC) and Matt Taylor-Roberts (Proud 2 b Parents). You can find out more about all of us and our backgrounds here.
Throughout the day, we wanted to give delegates the chance to sit back and reflect on:
The strength of our roots
How our services are cultivated
Where our practice is flourishing
Opportunities to bloom
New seeds of learning we could sow
Where we can extend a branch to others
The agenda for the day included:
A heartfelt welcome from the core H&M team
Exclusive film and poetry premieres
Plenty of screen breaks for resting and recalibrating
An open invitation to work with individual learning styles and creativity
Multi-speaker, topic-based segments presented by sector leaders
Cross-landscape insight into health, policy-making, strategy, commissioning & more
Encouragement to cultivate and explore new connections
Segments included:
A WARM WELCOME
A chance to truly arrive, understand context and get settled in. An outline of the day AND a film premiere of 'Gathering Growth' - a video collage of this incredible sector (created by Ruth Edmondson of Story Stuudio):
LIVE HONEST CONVERSATION
A hosted panel chat exploring the last two years of the 'Root Maker' experience - the team behind the Hearts & Minds Partnership's commitment to connect, grow and empower a more inclusive and equitable sector
Hosted by Matt Taylor-Roberts (Proud 2 b Parents) and including: Ameena Rahman (Sister Circle), Alex Paterson (Infant Mental Health and LGBTQ+ Families Advocate) and Aileen White (My Birth Support CiC).
CREATIVITY IN ACTION
Exploring creativity in person-centred, perinatal wellbeing work and how it can encourage inclusivity and accessibility. A collaborative presentation from sector peers about how and why they embrace creativity as a core value
Hosted by Aileen White (My Birth Support CiC) and with presentations from Dr Katie Hall (University of Bristol) and Sonah Paton (Black Mothers Matter).
TRAINING FOR EVERY STAGE OF GROWTH
Shining a bright beam of sunshine on our free digital training platform, Smart Space featuring new content, demos, Q&A and feedback from the community.
Hosted by Abi Yardimci (H&M) and Alex Paterson (Infant Mental Health and LGBTQ+ Families Advocate) with contributions from Alexa Henry (Sister Circle).
THE LANDSCAPE & YOU
Using Mothers For Mothers' recent 'This is Our Truth' report as a springboard, an exploration of the challenges facing the perinatal mental health VCSE sector including responses and insights from cross-sector stakeholders.
Hosted by Maria Viner (Mothers For Mothers) and featuring:
Dr Ruth Naughton-Doe (University of York)
Manisha Sheth (Nottinghamshire NHS Trust)
Laura Kyrke-Smith (Labour MP for Aylesbury)
Nikki Wilson (Maternal Mental Health Alliance)
Richa Mitra (Maternal Mental Health Alliance)
Natasha Lloyd-Lucas (Coventry and Warwickshire and Hereford and Worcester Integrated Care Board)
THIS IS NOT GOODBYE
A wholehearted celebration of the day, the community and the sector. The big reveal of the poem written throughout the whole of Branching Out.
Facilitated by Sarah, Mel & Abi and our rogue poet, Mark Labrow reading out his poem for the first time . . .
You can also download a PDF of the poem here:
WHAT A FANTASTIC DAY IT WAS!
If you'd like to access the slide decks, featured films or anything else to do with the day, just click the button below:
We've been delighted to receive some really fantastic feedback from delegates and will be using this to shape any future events with Hearts & Minds:
"Thank you so much to the Root Makers for their honesty and vulnerability during that conversation. Your openness is inspirational"
"Wow, what an amazing way to bridge the gap in understanding and get the voices of lived experienced heard in such a powerful way"
"Brilliant, validating and some really great calls to action here"
"That was really moving - to be part of something with all these wonderful people today and to be summed up by something so creative and beautiful"
"How brilliant and beautiful that something collective and creative comes from this day for us all to use and take forward"
"A really lovely event. It's clear a lot of thought and preparation went into it and as always it was a really valuable and inspiring day"
"What I experienced was lots of inspirational and positive people coming together with a shared mission - thank you so much!"
"Inspiring and gives hope to see people championing for the provision of the voluntary sector"
"Such a fabulous day. Very thought provoking and inspiring. I loved the array of speakers, this kept the day interesting and easier to keep focus"
"An engaging, well thought through, well put together, diverse, thought provoking event that showcases so many excellent organisations in the Perinatal Mental Health sector and where they are at"
"Excellent webinar. Positive and empowering just what I needed"
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So what's next?
We're so delighted with the positive feedback about Branching Out and feel really pleased that we were able to work so collaboratively to bring this webinar to the sector.
We recognise this is just one small stop on the journey of improving perinatal mental health support for families everywhere and feel very thankful to everyone involved in the Hearts & Minds commitment to connect, support and empower this space. If there's one thing this webinar confirmed, it's that none of us are working in isolation.
Whilst the Partnership's funding future is uncertain, we are striving to bring you more Trusted Spaces, a constantly improving digital map and our ever evolving training platform, Smart Space. We are also working hard to be your voice for the sector and ensure the VCSE voice is heard at every single strategic meeting, movement and summit.
A huge THANK YOU to everyone involved in Branching Out:
Sally Wilson from APP who made sure all of the tech ran smoothly
All of the amazing delegates who attended
Our Root Makers and Evaluation Partners
Our guest facilitators, particularly Maria Viner from Mothers for Mothers
Ruth Edmondson from Story Stuudio who edited and produced the fantastic Gathering Growth film
All of the VCSE leaders who submitted films for Gathering Growth
Mark Labrow, our Rogue Poet
Our core partner charities, Smile Group and Acacia Family Support
Our funders, the National Lottery Community Fund
NB: If you're seeing this blog post before 23rd June 2026, you've still got time to book your FREE space on our next online Conversation Space with the subject of:
Between Chapters - holding uncertainty with honesty and hope
Tues 23rd June 2026
10.30 - 11.30am
ONLINE
Find out more and book here!
