I moved to BD4 when I was 18 and pregnant with my first child. I didn’t know anyone in the area but my partner’s cousin lived nearby and invited me to one of the BD4 Family playgroups at St John’s Bowling.
I thought I would stand out as a younger mum, but everyone was really nice, so I started coming more and more, and eventually every day! It’s hard when you’ve got little ones, but knowing that there were people here that I could chat to really meant a lot to me.
BD4 Family is special, it’s not like other playgroups. You don’t feel like you are just coming to bring the kids to play, you feel at home, you feel welcomed. It’s a very loving place. People here are like a second family. I’ve even done 3 parenting courses here – they were really good and helped me to grow in confidence as a mum. I have suffered with anxiety and depression for 10 years. Things would have been a lot different if I had just been sitting at home. People here want to bring out the best in you – I feel like I’m rocking being a mum!
Now I volunteer at BD4 Family, supporting other families in the same way I have been supported. It’s given me a purpose, alongside being a mum. I love it, it’s great!