Mums' support group 'buzzing' at award nomination

Ciara O'Goan turned to the charity for help before giving birth to her second child.

"They were there through very dark times, they are the reason I'm still here," she said.

She is now part of the team and uses her insight to help families in similar circumstances .

"I've done the full 360 from being totally ashamed and having a stigma and suffering in silence to now shouting it from the roof tops," she said.

"I know the difference Support 2gether can make. It's a pinhole of hope.

"We have mummys that have told us we've saved their lives."

The charity was selected by judges as one of four finalists in the Community Group Award, along with:

Co-founder Una Leonard said the Support2gether's leadership team was a "beacon of hope" for the community.

"I have lived with postnatal depression and it has not defined me," she said.

"When a mummy comes to us she is often surviving for the sake of her baby and at the end when she is surviving for herself, that is mighty."

The charity supports women through a combination of support and education.

It provides one-to-one support by a perinatal support worker, counselling, talking therapy and peer-to-peer support through workshops and get-togethers.

"There's no judgement, everybody is suffering something similar and everyone's journey's different," Ciara said.

She said the members of the group were "buzzing" to be nominated.

Una said: "It gives that recognition, that ripple effect through our community and beyond, and gets people to talk more about the illness."

This year's categories include: