OUR STORY
The Pregnancy and Parents Centre (PPC) is a local, independent charity overseen by a group of voluntary trustees. Staff, facilitators, practitioners and volunteers run the Centre day-to-day. The PPC believes that supportive networks, a strong sense of community and strong family cohesion are invaluable during the transition from pregnancy to parenthood and beyond. Together, they contribute to positive mental health and wellbeing by increasing confidence and reducing anxiety, isolation and stress.Â
Through a timetable of groups, drop-in sessions, workshops and courses, the PPC aims to be open and welcoming, and provide much-needed emotional support, information and practical help.
OUR AIMS, VALUES AND OBJECTIVES
Aims
To enable parents-to-be and new parents to have access to education, information, practical resources and support during this important time in families’ lives.
To work proactively to provide equal access to parents or families experiencing social exclusion or inequality
To enable and encourage parents-to-be and new parents to develop supportive networks which sustain and strengthen family and community relationships.
To involve parents and parents-to-be in the running of the Centre.
Objectives
Developing programmes of classes, drop-in sessions, support groups and workshops which meet parents-to-be and parents’ needs.
Providing resources and practical help such as a library, demonstrations about real nappies/slings, equipment hire e.g. birthing pools, maternity and baby clothes nearly new sales.
Working to increase access to our services by running outreach sessions for a range of different communities.
Supporting individual parents through one-to-one work and counselling.
Providing opportunities for parents to develop friendship networks and feel part of a community of support through drop-in sessions, group support, helping with fund-raising events and volunteering in the Centre.
Our Values
People make the best choices for themselves and their families when they have balanced and comprehensive information, non-judgemental support and confidence in themselves.
Normal birth and breastfeeding should be supported where possible.
Parents’ different circumstances and choices around birth and parenting should be respected.
Supportive networks and a sense of community is invaluable during the transition from pregnancy to parenthood and contributes to positive mental health and wellbeing.
MEET THE OFFICE TEAM
VAL INNES
PPC Coordinator
Val started working with the PPC as an admin assistant after a period of being a full-time mum. It gave her the opportunity to use her finance and banking background in a more family-friendly, balanced (and far more enjoyable) environment. She never left and is now the PPC's coordinator, overseeing the operations of the Centre on a day-to-day basis and reporting to our wonderful board of volunteer trustees.
She has two children (both of whom came to groups at the PPC when they were little) and spends her weekends walking, watching football, growing herbs, practising yoga and reading.
KASIA BANASZEWSKA-DIAZ
Finance Officer
Kasia is originally from Poland, and came to Scotland 16 years ago. It was only for a short adventure, but Kasia ended up making Scotland her home!Â
She started working at the PPC as an administrative assistant 12 years ago, and moved to her finance role after a few years. Kasia also works for another small charity based in Edinburgh. She is the mum of two beautiful, smiley children with whom she attended antenatal and postnatal sessions at the Centre (her youngest is still enjoying his Music with Jackie sessions!).
In her spare time, if any, Kasia loves gardening, enjoying music and food.
SARA FERREIRA-JEFFRIES
Marketing Officer
Sara first walked through the doors of the PPC to join Woman Song, a singing group that uses the PPC at its base. She remembers feeling the warmth and welcoming spirit of the Centre straight away, and to be particularly impressed by its richly-stocked free library! Shortly after that, Sara started volunteering with the PPC, helping out at Nearly New Sales, and preparing information packs for the local midwifery teams.
In 2019, she joined our friendly and relaxed office team as Administrative Assistant, and just over a year later she also took on the role of Marketing and Communication Assistant.
Beyond her work with the PPC, Sara supports local families as a fertility, birth and postnatal doula, and she’s a member of the Scottish Doula Network.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time connecting with friends, walks in nature, cooking and knitting. In her own words, Sara feels ‘very grateful to work for a charity that provides so much support, information and a community to families during pregnancy and early parenthood, and to work with such a group of dedicated, skilled and giving people in the world about which I'm truly passionate – that of pregnancy, birth and postpartum!’