Volunteer lay members make up one third of the GMVP groups. They are current or previous service users or are involved with charities and community groups representing service users. We currently have representation from:
- Aberdeen Birth Collective (ABC)
- Abernecessities
- Conscious Birthing
- Homebirth Grampian
- LATNEM (Lets All Talk North East Mums)
- Maternal Mental Health Scotland
- MISS (Miscarriage Information Support Service)
- NCT (National Childbirth Trust)
- SANDS (Stillbirth and neonatal death charity)
- Scottish Doula Network
Here is a selection of profiles for some of our current members.
Kat – Chair Grampian MVP
I am delighted to be Chair of this group. I am mum to two boys, both born in the pool at AMH MLU. I joined the MVP as an NCT rep back in 2013. As a volunteer with the local NCT branch I was meeting lots of new mums and hearing a variety of antenatal, birth and postnatal care experiences. I was motivated to join the group to help inform the service and lobby for any improvements that were needed.
Providing a voice for families is so important to me, as is helping facilitate meaningful collaboration between service users and staff. I’m particularly interested in encouraging inclusion, informed choice and feeding support.
Louise – Co-Chair Aberdeen & Shire MVP
As a birth educator and postnatal doula, Louise is passionate about providing expectant and new families with the knowledge, support and guidance they need in order to feel confident and prepared for their perinatal journey. As part of that, Louise has joined the Grampian Maternity Voices Partnership as co-chair of the Aberdeen City group in order to facilitate change through the voices of recent service users. In addition to this, Louise is part of the Aberdeen Birth Collective (a local CIC) who aim to improve birth and postnatal outcomes for all. Louise is also a past service user and had both of her children at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital in 2017 & 2019.
Penelope – Co-Chair Aberdeen & Shire MVP
Penelope is a pregnancy yoga and hypnobirthing teacher working in the Deeside and South Aberdeenshire areas. Penelope believes that everyone should arrive at their birth feeling well informed and confident and that everyone should have access to good quality information to support their decision making processes during pregnancy and birth. This passion for birth rights, and hearing the stories of families she has worked with led Penelope to volunteer with the Grampian Maternity Voices Partnership as a co-chair. Penelope is passionate about taking the feedback she receives from the families she works with to encourage improvement in the services they receive. Penelope has two sons as a service user, one born in the MLU in Aberdeen and one born at home.
Emily- Co- Chair Moray & Banff MVP
I have two children, one born in Aberdeen and one born at home. I’m keen to support pregnant people and families in Moray with improved clarity and transparency about the services and options available so they can make informed and supported choices for their care. I would also like to improve consistency and communication throughout pregnancy, from antenatal to postnatal care.
Zara – Co-Chair Moray & Banff MVP
I’m mum to two boys – one born in Aberdeen Maternity Hospital (following transfer from Peterhead Maternity Unit), and one born in the water at home. Since my first pregnancy, I’ve become passionate about improving maternity services. I want all women to feel supported, listened to, guided and empowered to make informed choices while they navigate pregnancy, labour and caring for their newborn. I care especially about achieving continuity of care, access to birthing pools and the return of full obstetric services to Dr Grays.
Victoria – Co-chair of the Aberdeen & Shire MVP and breastfeeding peer supporter
Victoria is a birth and postnatal doula who supports families through pregnancy, birth and beyond. She believes birthing people have the right to a positive birth and postnatal experience, and that this can be achieved with the help of consistent and compassionate support. She is also a trained Traumatic Birth Recovery 3 Step Rewind Practitioner, and Perinatal Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioner. She is the mum of two girls, one of whom is autistic, and is passionate about improving support for neurodivergent people perinatally. Victoria volunteers for the NHS as a Breastfeeding Peer supporter and as co-chair of the Central and South Aberdeenshire MVP.
Fiona – Aberdeen SANDS
My husband and I had two neonatal deaths. In 1997 Gemma died in Birmingham Children’s hospital at 25 days old from hypoplastic left heart syndrome. In 1998 I had Sarah who contracted a virus and died aged 6 weeks old. I also had a miscarriage at 12 weeks gestation in 1995 and at 16 weeks gestation in 2001. We now have two children living with us and I got involved with Aberdeen SANDS in 2003.
Aberdeen SANDS works closely with the Rubislaw Ward at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital and through the MVP has collaborated with the Baird Family Hospital Project team in the planning and design of a bereavement suite for the new hospital, for which we won the Celebrate Aberdeen Corporate Partnership Award in 2019. I enjoy working with the maternity professionals to help them provide the best care for ladies in Grampian and for parent’s voices to be heard.
Florence – Breastfeeding Volunteer Peer Supporter
I joined the MVP in 2013, invited as part of the breastfeeding support group. Through my involvement, as a volunteer, I have had the privilege of going into the maternity hospital and supporting mothers one to one.
I enjoy being involved in the MVP because I have been greatly encouraged to see troubled mothers smile after listening to their struggles, and supporting them. I have also made a lot of friends.
Gill – Birth Trauma Association, Maternal Mental Health Scotland Change Agent, LATNEM
I have been a member of the GMVP since 2015 after the traumatic birth of my first child. Through attending I’ve seen some great improvements in NHS Grampian’s culture and level of awareness of the psychological impact of childbirth and a proactive approach to Perinatal Mental Health. I’m really proud of the changes I’ve been involved in and pleased by the willingness shown to engage with 3rd sector partners and lay representatives.
Tracy – NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor and Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Mum to three teenagers. I’ve been a member of the Aberdeen City MVP since 2019. It’s been a great opportunity to help shape and develop maternity care for all parents in Aberdeen City. As a breastfeeding counsellor, I run two Baby Cafés each week in different parts of the city, where I support many new parents with feeding and parenting. I also facilitate (antenatal) breastfeeding sessions for the NCT and I am a qualified breastfeeding peer supporter trainer and Introduction to Solids practitioner. And I volunteer weekly on the postnatal wards as an NHS breastfeeding peer supporter.
My particular interest is in breastfeeding and supporting families during the first weeks and months of a baby’s life. I am motivated to help improve the local services to meet the needs of parents in this area. Breastfeeding rates in Scotland are among the lowest in the world, and I hope this group, by working together, can help to promote and protect breastfeeding for all parents in Grampian. I am pleased to be part of the MVP and look forward to continuing the good work that has already taken place.
Fiona- Doula, Conscious Birthing
My name is Fiona and I live in Findhorn, Moray. I am passionate about supporting women in choosing the birth and parenting pathways that feel right for them. My hope is that they may experience informed, positive and empowering births and early parenting experiences. I am a member and representative of the Scottish Doula Network and Conscious Birthing.