About By Your Side
A local charity supporting families across Coventry & Warwickshire with perinatal mental health difficulties.
Who We Are
We are a local charity offering peer support to parents in Coventry & Warwickshire experiencing difficulties with their mental health in pregnancy or following the birth of a child.
Mental health difficulties are so much more common than people realise in pregnancy and after having a baby. You aren't alone.
Volunteer-Led Support
We are run completely by volunteers, most of whom have their own experiences of perinatal mental illness.
We provide a small and nurturing space to express how you're feeling with like-minded people, sharing experiences and making friendships as you heal and recover.
Our Approach
No Referral Criteria
We don't want to add barriers to accessing support
No Diagnosis Needed
You don't need to be receiving support from services already
Flexible Support
Support tailored to suit you - text, email, phone, or in person
Completely Free
All our services are free of charge to access
The Team
Our charity is run entirely by dedicated volunteers who bring their own lived experiences of perinatal mental health difficulties. This personal understanding allows us to offer genuine peer support and empathy to the families we work with.
Every volunteer receives training to ensure they can provide safe, supportive, and informed peer support whilst maintaining appropriate boundaries and self-care.
Trustees
Leanne Howlett
Trustee
Leanne brings powerful lived experience to her work in perinatal mental health. After experiencing postnatal depression herself, Leanne made a significant career change from solicitor to mental health nurse, inspired by the care she received.
She is now a Specialist Perinatal Psychiatric Nurse.
Leanne is deeply committed to improving outcomes for families, actively supporting policy development, co-production, and national advocacy in perinatal mental health. Her work has included contributing to key roundtable discussions in the House of Commons and House of Lords, campaigning for families experiencing perinatal mental illness, speaking as a keynote speaker at conferences, receiving awards for her contributions to perinatal mental health and being awarded an honorary fellowship with the Institute of Health Visiting.
In her spare time she enjoys running, reading and crafting.
Theresa
Trustee
Theresa is a mum of 2 and a Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist by profession. She's had a passion for perinatal mental health since having her first born 23 years ago. She has now been working in this field for over 19 years.
In her spare time she enjoys crafting, particularly paper crafting and will always host a crafting fundraiser for By Your Side at Christmas!
Amanda
Trustee
Amanda is a mum to 2 girls and an accountant by profession. She enjoys reading, trips to the cinema and has recently got back into supporting her local ice hockey team Coventry Blaze.
She has always lived in the Leamington and Warwick area and is very proud to support a local organisation that really helps to make a difference to parents in their time of need.
Kate
Trustee
Kate is a BABCP-accredited Psychological Therapist with 20 years' experience working in public sector and community mental health services.
She is passionate about perinatal mental health and has a strong interest in supporting people through the emotional challenges of pregnancy and early parenthood, particularly where anxiety, depression, or trauma are present.
Alongside her clinical work within NHS specialist services, Kate is involved in teaching, supervision, and training future psychological therapists at Coventry University. She is committed to promoting wellbeing, equality, and compassionate, evidence-based care.
Outside of work, she can be found listening to music, booking trips and travels, and running to a good audiobook.
Volunteers
Amy
Peer Support Volunteer
Hi, I'm Amy.
Why am I a peer support volunteer?
I've volunteered with By Your Side since we started. When I was getting better after my perinatal illness my psychologist introduced me to Leanne because she wanted to start up a support group and I didn't hesitate to get involved!
Why I love Stay and Play?
You can feel desperately alone going through mental health struggles, but I came out of the other side, so I can have empathy and hope for others. It's a privilege to listen and offer love and support. I can also signpost people to other useful information. It's lovely getting to know families and be part of their recoveries, and also see parents build supportive friendships with each other. It's sad when people leave, often to go back to work, but some parents return as volunteers themselves! We also offer more individual separate 1:1 support…and I love playing with the babies, now that mine are much older!
Our Values
Compassion & Empathy
We understand because we've been there. Our lived experience allows us to offer genuine empathy and support without judgement.
Safe & Non-Judgemental Space
We provide a warm, welcoming environment where you can be open about your feelings without fear of judgement.
Accessibility for All
No referral criteria, no barriers. We believe everyone deserves support when they need it, however they need it.
Community & Connection
Building connections and friendships helps in healing. We foster a supportive community where you're never alone.