THE TEAM SO FAR: Rachel Bailey, Jessica Eriksson, Justine Docherty,  Vicki Hylton, Sophia Loi Shaw, Sophia Everitt, Helen Branch, Lucinda Pincott, Julie Porter, Katie Casey, Lucy Ratcliffe, Nicky Crowther, Sarah Rook, Sophie Scott, AJ Lampitt, Carleen Kirk, Kathleen Riordan, Sam Patrick, Kirsty McMillan, Anita Macdonald, Virginia Gillece, Tracy Evans, Susannah Hamilton, Andrea Starbuck, Chris Patrick, Caity Patrick, Helen Beech, Becky Beech, Izzy Beech, Paul Beech, Susan Czesoloska!

Thank you so much for supporting our London to Brighton bike ride.  

To celebrate turning 40, my wonderful girlfriends have agreed to join me in raising as much money as possible for Action on Postpartum Psychosis. 

APP is a charity close to my own heart having suffered from Postpartum Psychosis in 2005, following the birth of my daughter.

Postpartum psychosis is a severe episode of mental illness with a sudden onset in the days or weeks after having a baby. It is much less common than Baby Blues or Postnatal Depression, occuring in about 1 in every 1000 women who have a baby. Symptoms include mania, depression, confusion, hallucinations and delusions. As in my case, PP often strikes ‘out of the blue’  in women with no previous history of mental illness. It is deemed a psychiatric emergency and an incredibly frightening experience for women, their partners, friends and family. Thankfully women usually recover fully and sometimes, as I did, go on to have additional children with no further complications.  

I am now a volunteer for Action on Postpartum Psychosis. We will use the money you donate to raise awareness, support women with PP and conduct further research in to the illness. APP is a collaborative project run by women who have experienced PP and academic experts from Birmingham and Cardiff Universities.

We are all hugely grateful for your support!