While the birth of a child is a moment of profound joy, for many women it is overshadowed by the trauma of domestic abuse. Maternity staff at Singleton Hospital in Swansea, who share these intimate moments, are acutely aware of this grim reality for some new mothers.
A Practical Gesture of Christmas Support
This festive season, the hospital's postnatal ward team decided to take practical action. They partnered with Women's Aid, an organisation dedicated to keeping women and children safe, to launch a special 'Giving Tree' initiative. The aim was to provide Christmas presents for women staying in a local refuge.
The project was organised by Hannah Gardner, a Swansea Bay Women's Experience Midwife. She explained the decision to focus on the mothers: "Our contact shared how the children are often covered by numerous charities, however, the women don't always get anything to comfort them at this time of year."
Tags were created for each individual woman, listing simple gift requests like slippers or fluffy socks. Hannah placed a tree with around 20 tags in the staffroom. In a stunning display of generosity, every single tag was claimed by staff within just 45 minutes.
An Overwhelming Response from Compassionate Staff
The demand was so great that staff who missed out asked if they could still donate. The hospital then coordinated a second wave of giving for shared items like fleeces and festive treats for the refuge.
"I was really proud of our staff," said Hannah. "It was just a small idea... and the response was overwhelming. The word midwife means 'being with women' and I think the response of the staff showed how much we do want to do that."
Midwife Beth Frecknall echoed this sentiment: "We spend time with these women at a really special time in their lives... You can’t help but feel compassionate for them - so when the opportunity came to do something nice for them, we all jumped at the chance."
Making Women Feel 'Seen, Valued and Cared For'
The impact of this kindness was deeply felt by the support team at Women's Aid. Nicola Davies, Support Assistant for Swansea’s Women’s Aid in Refuge Services, expressed heartfelt thanks.
"This is amazing for us," she said. "What we find is we get charities donating presents for children while some of the mums literally have no family and nothing... It’s so lovely that we can actually give the women, who suffer so much through their lives, something nice to open themselves on Christmas Day."
Hannah Gardner reflected that the initiative demonstrated the staff's deep commitment: "Their response... reflects their deep compassion and commitment to showing women in refuge, who might feel unseen, that they are seen, valued and cared for." This swift and heartfelt act by the maternity team provided a vital message of solidarity and hope during a difficult time of year.
