Funding boost for Omagh charity who help mothers

AN Omagh charity that provides invaluable support to dozens of mothers living with postnatal and antenatal depression has received a £500,000 funding boost to continue doing its life-saving work in the community.

Support 2gether, based at the Community House in Omagh has secured a grant of £125,000 per annum for the next four years from National Lottery Fund.

The organisation, which was the first of its kind in Ireland, was established 15 years ago when founder, Una Leonard, and her sister, who both had postnatal depression, saw massive gaps in support for local mothers transitioning to parenthood.

Now, the charity supports and educates around 60 mothers and families who are living with postnatal and antenatal depression and anxiety, something which affects one-in-five mothers.

Una said, “We are absolutely delighted because we know that there is a massive need in the community for what we are doing.

“And, to be honest, we have had to close our books because of the demand for our services, which will open again in February.

“We do need more staff and more resources in order for us to be able to fulfil the proper duties and to give our community the best chance,” Una said, before offering an insight into the valuable nature of the funding.

“There was a lot of worry and apprehension before we got the news, because people were seeking our support and we weren’t in the position to give it because we were full capacity.

“Really and truly, if we didn’t get this money, it was looking like we would have to close our doors and there would be around sixty mums who wouldn’t be getting support.”

As Support 2gether are oftentimes a local mother’s last port of call before they reach a crisis, the charity have essentially saved countless families in despair.

Una said, “We are often supporting mummies before they go into crisis and a crisis can mean anything from hospitalisation to taking their own lives.

“We have had mothers tell us that if it weren’t for Support 2gether, they would be dead.

“So the feedback that is coming back to us is that we have actually saved families and for that reason we cannot disappear and that’s why this support from the National Lottery is invaluable,” Una added.

“These four years of funding give us a great opportunity to become more self-sustainable, work towards our social enterprise and most importantly – save more lives.”