A charity that provides nurturing, trauma informed doula services to vulnerable birthing people in and around Glasgow has received funding.

West Scotland selected Amma Birth Companions to receive £1,000 through its Community Champions scheme, which supports local projects and groups in the area where the company is building.

Chris Logan, Managing Director of West Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Amma Birth Companions with the outstanding work that they carry out in the wider community.”

The charity trains birth and postnatal companions to help actively dismantle the oppressive systems that may impact the birthing experiences of marginalised groups. Their mission is to provide a safe and supportive space through Companionship, Peer Support and Advocacy. The majority of the people that they support are in the Glasgow asylum process, a group of people who experience significantly lower birth outcomes and are frequently subjected to systemic inequalities and discrimination, poverty, and social isolation.

Abigail Stein, spokesperson for Amma Birth Companions, said: “We will use this funding to continue our work with disadvantaged birthing people within the community. Our mission is to be able provide practical and emotional support from pregnancy up to twelve weeks following birth and facilitate opportunities for the parents we support to connect with one another”.

“We also provide our clients with the information and resources needed to make informed choices about pregnancy, birth, and parenting. When necessary, we will advocate on behalf of the individuals we support to ensure their choices are heard and their rights upheld”.

The Community Champions programme sees each regional office make two donations of up to £1,000 every month. Groups working with the under-18s can also apply to the Building Futures scheme, which is set to give away more than £1 million.  Applications are being accepted up to and including 15^th August.

Details of both funding initiatives and online application forms can be found at www.persimmonhomes.com/charity.