Learn About Us

How did we begin?

Following the birth of her first child in 2004, Maggie Gordon-Walker felt isolated, panicky and lonely. It was like she’d disappeared because all of the attention was now focused on her baby. She needed a group to share her experiences and all the thoughts in her head…..

Wanting to help other local mums Maggie founded Mothers Uncovered in 2008 as a project for registered charity Livestock. The groups and workshops have expanded from Brighton and Hove to include other areas of Sussex and online nationally, supporting mums in various stages of matrescence, which means the process of becoming a mother.

How do we help mothers?

Hundreds of women have attended our creative support groups focused on the mother, rather than the baby. The groups are all facilitated by past participants. We give women the chance to talk openly and honestly, without fear of judgement, and to celebrate and mark this point in their lives. Participants explore their experiences through art, writing, singing or mindfulness. This helps build self-esteem and validate a woman’s perspective. It also brings the often hidden nature of motherhood into the open.

100% of participants say attending has helped their health and well-being by reducing feelings of loneliness, anxiety and depression, making them feel like they can better cope with the demands of motherhood.

What’s the idea behind Mothers Uncovered and why is it different?

We support women in matrescence, a term meaning the transition of a woman into motherhood. Recorded figures show post-natal illness affects at least 1 in 5 women, up to 100,000 women in the UK every year. However, these are just those who speak up; many are unable to admit to feelings of depression, anxiety and loneliness and suffer in silence. In matrescence, it is completely normal to be blissfully happy one minute and in the depths of despair the next.

Mothers Uncovered is a peer-led organisation, offering peer support. Read below for how we are different.

We are struck by how many of our participants express the feeling that NO group they have attended has understood, or been able to help with what they are going through. Some say they were diagnosed with post-natal depression, many more didn’t go to their doctor, feeling they could or should battle on regardless.

The work they are doing is valuable, powerful and also takes it toll on their health.

We create a space where mothers can come together to create a community, a community that often continues for several months or even years.

These are excellent if a mother is feeling robust and confident and/or knows others attending. Yet many mothers find themselves completely alone following the birth of their baby, having no community around them who understands what they’re going through. A drop-in is not the right place to explore difficult or painful feelings with people they have just met. The mothers we work with need and appreciate a space that is created to hold their feelings and facilitate their unique experiences.

The unique and often underestimated value of peer support is that sharing a similar experience with somebody provides a participant with the tools they need going forward for better mental health and happiness. Health professionals can be excellent clinicians, but they don’t have to be mothers to do their job.

“The importance of being able to share, in a supportive, relaxed and intimate situation, the experiences of motherhood must not be underestimated.”

– Emma, Past Participant