A pregnancy loss support charity is seeing more people after coronavirus lockdown restrictions prevented vital support from family and friends.
Tim Gosden, co-director of Norwich-based TimeNorfolk, said during the past year the charity has seen a rise in requests for help from people who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, a traumatic birth experience, prenatal or postnatal depression, either during lockdown or before.
It is currently supporting 52 free counselling/support sessions each week on a one-to-one or couples basis, either online, over the phone or face-to-face, and it has a waiting list.
He said: "We have had lots of people getting in touch looking for help. The lockdown has made people reflect on their lives and think about things that happened to them. Because of covid and the restrictions on hospitals people have had a difficult time. They have not been able to have the support of friends or family.
"For people who have had a difficult experience and have had to go through it alone without their loved one, it has been really isolating and lockdown has not helped."
Mr Gosden praised the NHS for its support and emphasised to people who are struggling: "We are here to help."
He added the implications of going through a pregnancy loss and not getting help could be life-changing.
"Getting help can be the difference between being able to get out of bed in the morning or not. People who don't get help can get anxiety," said Mr Gosden.
"Society is more comfortable talking about pregnancy loss but there is still more to do."
The charity which has 23 volunteer practitioners was not in "desperate financial need" but the co-director added competition for funds post-lockdown was high.
He said community fundraising was important for the charity, which has helped people across Norfolk and Waveney.
A major fundraiser is the Bishop's House Open Gardens, in Norwich, on Sunday, August 1, from 10.30am-4pm.
Socially distanced slots are available and have to be booked through https://bit.ly/2WlsKKl
Visit www.timenorfolk.org.uk
Special accolade for Bishop's Garden
A gardening tool with a difference was presented to the Bishop of Norwich as recognition of his private grounds raising thousands for worthy causes.
The Rt Revd Graham Usher received a hand fork from Julia Stafford Allen, county organiser for Norfolk of the National Garden Scheme (NGS) on July 27.
It marked the private garden, next to Norwich Cathedral, being open to the public on special days each year for the NGS for the past 20 years.
The NGS set up in 1927 initially to fundraise for district nursing now raises money for the health charities.
Over the past 20 years the Bishop's Garden has raised just under £20,000.
The Bishop said: “It gives me great pleasure to receive this commemorative garden hand fork in recognition of the custodianship of my predecessor and myself, along with the hard work and creativity of the Bishop’s Garden team. We love working together to enable so many people to enjoy and benefit from our open garden days.”
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