PEER SUPPORT GROUP

Morton Manor Community Centre – Carlisle

9.30am – 10.30am Tuesdays

Join us in the lounge at Morton Manor for a friendly informal support group just for mums.

There is plenty of parking at the community centre and bus stops on Wigton road only a few hundred metres away. When you enter the centre, head to the left, walk through the cafe then turn right, walk towards the double doors and the lounge is on the right. Don’t worry – we put up nice yellow signs with arrows to help you find your way!

What to Expect at a Happy Mums Group

In the room:
You’ll find a welcoming circle of chairs, with a mat and some toys off to one side for the little ones.

The people:
There’ll be at least one friendly group helper on hand to make you a lovely cuppa and help keep the little ones entertained, so you can have a moment to just be you. You’ll also meet one or two facilitators who gently guide the session and help things flow.

What actually happens:
Once everyone’s settled and it’s just past 9:30, the facilitator will start by reading out the group agreement (you can check it out ahead of time here). It’s a simple set of guidelines that helps create a safe and respectful space for everyone.

Then, we ease into the sharing part. The facilitator will ask if anyone wants to start by sharing how they’re doing. If no one feels ready, that’s totally fine—they’ll go first to get things rolling. Whether it’s good, bad, or somewhere in between, everything is welcome here. This is a judgement-free zone.

We’ll move around the circle, giving everyone a chance to speak if they’d like to. There’s absolutely no pressure—you’re welcome to just listen if that’s what feels right for you. If something comes up that suggests extra support might be helpful, we may gently signpost to other services. But it’s always your choice what to do next, unless someone is at risk of immediate harm.

As we approach 10:30, we’ll start tidying up the toys and winding things down. Then we say our goodbyes and hope to see you again next week.

That’s it. Simple, but powerful. Peer support like this can make a big difference—helping to ease feelings of isolation and boost mental wellbeing.

If it’s your first time:
One of the team will ask for your name and email so we can send you a registration form and keep track of attendance (this helps us keep the groups free—thank you!).

If you’re nervous about attending we can arrange for one of the team to meet you beforehand so you’re not walking in alone, just let us know in the comments when you sign up or email info@happymums.org.uk (We’ve been there!)

A space just for mums:
These groups are created by mums, for mums, and run by people who’ve been there too. Yes, little ones are welcome (because where else would they go?), but this isn’t a mum-and-toddler group. It’s a mum group—and it’s all about you.

Join in with Happy Mums

Looking to join a group? Volunteer with us? Help us fundraise? or just have a question, complete this form and one of the team will get back to you.