Neonatal charity receives over £157k of National Lottery funding to help little ones get the best start in life

A neonatal charity that helps mothers and families recover from traumatic birthing experiences has received over £157,000 in National Lottery funding to help it expand its services.

Spoons - which has an office based at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit inside the Royal Oldham hospital - has received the funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK, to help develop its neonatal care across Greater Manchester, including provision for extra Family Support Coordinators.

These roles will help families better transition from hospital to home, supporting vulnerable parents to attend local groups and sessions, and making referrals to other services that may be able to help them give their babies the best start in life.

Family Support Coordinators also conduct home visits to support those who find it challenging to get out.

One of the Family Support Coordinators will be multi-lingual and will specifically support families from marginalised and diverse backgrounds, including migrant families, and those facing specific challenges.

Spoons was set up by Operations Director Kirsten Mitchell after her own baby spent 127 days in neonatal care.

After struggling to find the kind of support she desperately needed in the weeks and months that followed, Kirsten offered other families in her position the chance to connect both online and in person.

The group quickly grew and soon Kirsten began volunteering at her local neonatal unit as a peer supporter – meeting new parents, acting as a confidant, sharing her experiences, and providing a listening ear.

After recognising the difference she was making, Kirsten began recruiting other parents to offer similar support, and in 2020 the organisation received a separate grant from The National Lottery Community Fund to help it reach more neonatal families across Greater Manchester.

Spoons now supports around 300 families every year and operates out of five sites at hospices in Oldham, Bolton and three in Manchester.

All sites provide emotional support, trauma therapy and counselling, as well as practical help such as emergency financial aid with baby essentials, travel to hospital, and guidance around medical terminology.

Kirsten said: “The effects of neonatal care can have a real and long-lasting impact.

"This wonderful grant will help us to support families through traumatic times and look to the future.

"As we face more economic uncertainty ahead, our families are relying on us more than ever.

"On behalf of parents of neonatal babies in Greater Manchester, a huge thank you to the The National Lottery Community Fund and National Lottery players.”

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes funding on behalf of National Lottery players who raise more than £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK.

In the last 12 months it has given out nearly £600 million to 12,500 organisations reaching every local authority and constituency in the UK.

To find out more, visit: www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk

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