Croydon MNVP

12/05/2026

📹This video is recorded by three amazing women, Ayesha (Croydon resident), Davina (MNVP neonatal lead) and Georgina (CUH midwife), for Black Baby Loss Awareness Week 2026.

🫶🏿It has been identified that Black women are 43% more likely to suffer from perinatal loss, including miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, still birth and neonatal death (The Lancet, Miscarriage Matters, April 26 2021).

💬Ayesha, Croydon resident and British national, honestly and bravely discusses her experience of early pregnancy loss, while temporarily living in another country, The Gambia, West Africa, so she had to navigate a different health care system.
Ayesha talks about her mixed feelings due to the pregnancy being not planned, not feeling ready, relationship doubts and insecure finances. These are common and normal feelings, that women (and their partners) often feel too ashamed to talk about.
Ayesha, also explains how confusing the whole time was before she knew she had suffered a miscarriage. With multiple positive pregnancy tests plus ‘feeling’ pregnant but having negative scan results and unempathetic clinicians. Also, although Ayesha had episodes of bleeding, this alone is not a clear sign of miscarriage. Seeing multiple clinicians, leaving her feeling annoyed at having to repeat what she was going through.

👩‍⚕️Croydon Health Services, midwife and maternal mental health specialist, Georgina, reflects on listening to Ayesha’s experience and why hearing the experience of black women is so important in improving care in the NHS.

🗝Key reflections from Ayesha, experience:
Ayesha listened to her intuition, noticing how her body was feeling.
Any pregnancy loss can leave you feeling low and time needs to be taken to process emotions.
Having conversations with other women, enabling Ayesha to not feel so alone in her experience.
Being able to lean on the support of family and friends.
The importance of having caring and emotionally aware professionals.
Ayesha, continues to talk about her baby and has kept a reminder of her baby in the form of tattoos, acceptance doesn’t mean forgetting.

💖🌹Thank you Ayesha, for sharing your experience with us 💖🌹

12/05/2026

💜 Black Baby Loss Awareness Week 2026 is observed from May 11th to May 17th, offering support, education, and community events for families affected by pregnancy and infant loss.

💜We'd like to share our Abigail's Footsteps podcast with you.

💜Series 2. Episode 4 – Black maternity care matters
Keji Moses, Founder of Mayah’s Legacy tells us about her experiences and what led her to set up her charity. She hopes to empower and educate those affected by pregnancy loss with the tools they need to have their voices heard. Bereaved mother, Teean Smith-Robinson shares her personal experience of loss.

💜 Listen here:
https://abigailsfootsteps.co.uk/support-for-parents/podcasts/

11/05/2026

✨Today marks the start of Black Baby Loss Awareness Week 2026.
Croydon MNVP advocates for hearing all the experiences of the people of Croydon, who would like to share their loss and what they felt they needed to survive the grief.
🕕At 6pm tomorrow, Tuesday 12th May 2026, we will upload the full video of our brave Croydon resident Ayesha, speaking to our neonatal lead Davina, describing her emotions as she realised she was losing her baby in early pregnancy.
👩 To end our video, we will also hear from Croydon Health Services, midwife and Helix maternal mental health specialist Georgina, reflecting on listening to Ayesha's experience.

07/05/2026

Anyone who wonders where the sun has gone and would like to get out of the house, tomorrow is a babes in arms screening of Little Amélie at the David Lean Cinema, 11am.

If, the kids are at school or nursery and you would like some down time out of the house, go enjoy a movie at the David Lean.

The David Lean cinema is located in the Croydon Clocktower, on Katherine Street.

Our next BABES IN ARMS screening.

Friday 8 May at 11.00am
LITTLE AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN (PG)
2025 France/Belgium 77 mins – subtitled

This Oscar nominated film follows the early life of a little Belgian girl growing up in Japan. Initially unresponsive to those around her, the shock of an earthquake brings her to life. Colourful animation skilfully mixes European and Japanese style, showing a beautiful but challenging world through the eyes of a child.
Tickets only £6 and free hot drinks and biscuits!

Booking & trailer: https://davidleancinema.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173677249/events/428819923

06/05/2026

🌿 EBSNA Workshop for Parents & Young People 🌿

Struggling with school attendance linked to emotional needs? You’re not alone—and support is here.

Join us for an informative and supportive workshop focused on Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA).

👩‍🏫 Hear from Croydon Educational Psychologist Nicola Tallis and a Croydon SENDIAS Advisor, who will guide you through:
• Understanding EBSNA
• Your legal rights
• School responsibilities
• Practical strategies to support young people

📅 Date: 14th May
⏰ Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm
📍 Location: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Centre, Croydon

This session is open to parents, carers, and young people looking for clarity, support, and practical tools.

⚠️ Booking is essential – spaces are limited.

Let’s come together to better understand, support, and empower our young people. 💬
🌿 EBSNA Workshop for Parents & Young People 🌿

Struggling with school attendance linked to emotional needs? You’re not alone—and support is here.

Join us for an informative and supportive workshop focused on Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA).

👩‍🏫 Hear from Croydon Educational Psychologist Nicola Tallis and a Croydon SENDIAS Advisor, who will guide you through:
• Understanding EBSNA
• Your legal rights
• School responsibilities
• Practical strategies to support young people

📅 Date: 14th May
⏰ Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm
📍 Location: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Centre, Croydon

This session is open to parents, carers, and young people looking for clarity, support, and practical tools.

⚠️ Booking is essential – spaces are limited.

Let’s come together to better understand, support, and empower our young people. 💬

Booking form:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=Z0cT7o0f_EePJQmRP5BjCA8vViggUl9El95cbIQl3hJUM1JYS0FaUzU5S1FJUkxWTjdLWEVSQTNYVC4u&route=shorturl

05/05/2026

05/05/2026

🍰 Davina and Larissa, Croydon MNVP leads, checking out , as a future venue for our upcoming events.
🎤We are hoping to run events for the families of Croydon, to offer an opportunity to hear the voices of the people who have used Croydon Health Services, maternity and neonatal care.
👩🏽‍🍼We use the experiences of the Croydon community to help improve and develop the maternity and neonatal care for everyone 🧑‍🧒🧑‍🧑‍🧒🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒🧑‍🧒‍🧒

29/04/2026

Congratulations Chloe on your new role as director of midwifery, neonatal and gynaecology services 🎊.
CroydonMNVP look forward to collaborating with Chloe, to help improve Croydon Health Services - Maternity and neonatal services for all the families of Croydon 🥰

Congratulations to Chloe Bruney on her appointment as our new Director of Midwifery, Neonatal and Gynaecology Services 🌟

Chloe has worked at Croydon Health Services for the past ten years and currently holds the role of Associate Director of Midwifery and Neonatal Services. She is well known to many of our teams and families and brings a strong clinical background, deep knowledge of our services and a real passion for supporting women, babies and families across our community.

As a member of the local community, Chloe has a strong personal connection to the care we provide and the people we serve every day.

We wish Chloe every success in her new role!

💙 # NHS

29/04/2026

Are you a parent with a child under 3 with special educational needs? There is a playgroup on Tuesdays in Shirley (term-time only)