Trustees and supporters

Trustees

The Board of Trustees are volunteers on the management committee that oversee the running of the charity. Being a small charity the role of a PPC trustee is quite hands-on and the members are involved in anything from discussing the strategic direction for the Centre to serving tea and cakes at our fundraising events.

Daisy Dinwoodie

I first came into the doors of the PPC (then the Birth Resource Centre) in 2004 when pregnant with my first child. The support and information I accessed there was the foundation of the parent I would become, and would lead me into the Birth Educators Course offered there from 2006-2008, into becoming one of the trustees (to give back to this phenomenal organisation), then into becoming one of the facilitators at the Centre, where I offer yoga for pregnancy sessions, run Active Birth workshops for couples and also host a homebirth support group. I also represent the PPC on the local Maternity Services Liaison Committee.

One of the projects I am heavily involved with as a Trustee at present is being actively involved in the renovation of our new premises in the Pleasance. This is so exciting for us!

Being both a facilitator and a trustee allows me to see the small and large picture of the PPC and help where I can to keep things running smoothly for everyone. I am so proud of our little charity and all that we do within our community.

Nadine Edwards

I am one of the Trustees and also a member of the Birth Project Group and co-facilitator of the Birth Educators course.

I became involved in childbirth issues while I was pregnant with my first child in 1976 and quickly understood the impact of pregnancy and birth on women and families and the difference support and information can make. Through the yoga groups, I hope to contribute positively to women’s physical, emotional and spiritual experience of pregnancy, birth and early motherhood.

I am working very closely with our other trustees to ensure we have a lovely welcoming new home at the Pleasance – which is nearly finished!

I joined the Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services (AIMS) in 1980 after the birth of my third baby and am currently one of its Vice Chairs. I completed the first Birth Teacher’s Course through the West London Birth Centre in 1982 and have run pregnancy groups in Edinburgh since 1985.

I completed a PhD on women’s experiences of home births in 2002, which was published as a book, ‘Birthing Autonomy: Women’s Experiences of Planning Home Births’. I continue to research and write about birth issues in books and journals and was co-editor of the MIDIRS Midwifery Digest.

I live with my husband and am fortunate to be a mother of three grown up children, and Grannie to five beautiful grandchildren. My passions are my family, improving women’s and families’ experiences of birth and researching into and campaigning on the politics of birth and midwifery.

Nessa McHugh

I provide a link between Edinburgh Napier University and the Centre, the midwifery programme team at Napier is keen to promote links between the midwifery programme and the PPC.

I am also member of the Birth Project Group which is a cross nations/ universities/ voluntary sector group keen to provide support to birth workers of all areas and backgrounds.

I also help to facilitate the Birth Education Course which I find very enjoyable. Finally I act as a link supervisor of midwives for the centre.

I got involved in the centre via Nadine Edwards. I had been involved in community organisations in England and when I moved up to Scotland I got in touch with Nadine to see what was happening locally. This turned out to be a great decision.

I have been a midwife for over twenty years, during which time I have worked in a variety of midwifery settings. Currently I am a Midwifery lecturer at Edinburgh Napier. I have been involved with a number of voluntary groups in the past and am interested in grass roots maternity organisations.

I am married with two grown up children, a bouncy dog and a cat. I have masses of interests but top of the current list are: I love disappearing into books, knitting (which unfortunately I do badly but I just love wool) and generally mooching about with my friends and family.

Francesca Dymond

I joined the Board of Trustees in October 2019, after the birth of my second son, Leo. My journey with the PPC started in 2015 when I was pregnant with my first son, Freddie, and it came as a revelation. I was searching for ante-natal yoga online, and what I stumbled upon was an enriching, positive space for expectant parents that it completely altered my perceptions and mindset going into childbirth. I feel so lucky to have found them, and have made countless connections within the PPC’s walls that are so valuable to me, four years on.

I am a Digital Marketing and Communications professional, and am joining the PPC at a time of exciting change in 2019. I hope to be able to support the fundraising, marketing and comms activities of this vital organisation and help them reach families that – frankly – don’t know what they’re missing! Delighted to be on board.

Supporters – volunteers who help us regularly

Sheryl Vickery

My first experience of the PPC was in 2016 when I started to attend Yoga for Pregnancy while expecting my first child. I went on to attend Motherspace during the early months, and I found it was a precious space where I could turn up exactly as I was that day, with no judgement, and a whole lot of support. Since then I’ve attended nearly new sales, a first aid course, and in 2019 I’ve had another child and started the cycle again. The Centre is one of the few places I’ve found in Edinburgh where everyone is treated as an equal, and you are surrounded by people who truly care about supporting you and your own journey through pregnancy and parenting.

Joanna Doheny

Joanna joined the Board of Trustees in early 2019 bringing with her a wealth of experience in Accountancy. Joanna has a young daughter and attended Yoga for Pregnancy at the Pregnancy & Parents Centre. She stepped back from Board in March 2020 but continues to support us.

Rebecca Doggett

Rebecca joined the Board of Trustees in summer 2019 and she brings with her a background in the Arts as well as communications experience. Rebecca has attended a number of post natal groups and classes at the PPC and has a young son with another wee one due in Summer 2020. Rebecca continues to help the PPC around compliance issues and in particular GDPR.

Ros Claase

I joined the Board of Trustees in January 2016, having benefited from the services of the PPC throughout and after both my pregnancies in 2013 and 2015. Without a doubt, the PPC was the best part of my pregnancies and early forays into motherhood! I found the services of the centre to be invaluable, both in terms of advice, support and friendships made, in particular through the Pregnancy Yoga sessions. My husband still reminisces with a slight glint in his eye about the Dads to Be course.

I am the mum of a 6 and 4 year old, who keep my husband and I very busy, (not to mention the retired greyhound), and am currently Head of Student Experience for the University of Edinburgh Business School, with a background in Higher Education administration and Financial Services HR and recruitment, both in the UK and overseas.

As a trustee I was able to bring some of my professional skills, in particular around talent development and management, to the PPC in order to help it to thrive as a local charity which provides so much to expectant and new parents, children, and the wider community.

I stepped down as a trustee in October 2019 but support the centre in a volunteer capacity in a number of areas that I have the skills to help the PPC thrive.

Sarah Denniston

I first heard of the Pregnancy and Parents Centre through another mum in the playgroup circuit. As soon as I walked into MotherSpace with Lee, I felt welcomed and relaxed. I started to explore different groups: New Arrivals/International Parents Groups and La Leche League (Breastfeeding Support). After attending groups for a year, I started volunteering with New Arrivals and became a trustee soon after.

I love how the PPC is a community of women and families of different backgrounds, choices and lifestyles. Through my background in counseling, mental health care and nursing I try to ensure the PPC provides a safe, non-judgmental space where people can be listened to with compassion, provided accurate information if requested, and respected for their choices. I believe it is important to uphold the aims of the PPC, especially being inclusive of all circumstances and ensuring parents, volunteers, facilitators and staff feel part of a supportive community.

I stepped down as a trustee in October 2019 but continue to support the organisation as a volunteer, taking part in a number of subgroups that focus on areas such as policy and governance.

Oddny Jonsdottir

I moved to Edinburgh in 2013 to start a PhD in understanding why women choose a specific location to give birth in. I was introduced to Nadine and the Pregnancy and Parents Centre and fell in love with the warmth of the centre and the secure feeling I felt each time I entered the building. I could sense that the Centre was a place where women and their families were being supported through their journey in becoming parents.

I have two wonderful children who were both born at home and my birth experiences awoke a passion for pregnancy and birth choices and an understanding of the importance of having a supportive environment during pregnancy and through childbirth. These experiences are also why I am currently training to be a midwife.

Due to my interest and passion of supporting women and their families with their pregnancy and birth choices, I wanted to be part of the wonderful work that the Centre does. I became a trustee in October 2015 stepping down recently to concentrate on my midwifery studies though remain involved with the centre in a volunteer and supporter capacity.

Harriet Hall

I am a Mum to two young boys and have fourteen years experience in communicating and campaigning about health, equality and child protection issues and fundraising.

I started yoga classes at the PPC when pregnant with my first child. We have benefitted enormously from the unique support the Centre offers women and their families by providing non-judgmental information about birth choices and the opportunity to make friends over a cuppa after every class.

I’m proud to play a part in the Centre’s work to empower women and help their new families to blossom. I have been a trustee and now help with fundraising and funding applications to further the Centre’s work.