BBC Radio 4 Appeal Round Up

Thank you to everyone who supported APP’s BBC Radio 4 Appeal which was broadcast on 23rd March 2024. 

It provided us with an incredible opportunity to reach new audiences, raise awareness of postpartum psychosis as well as APP, and raise vital funds to support our work.

The broadcast is still available to listen to here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xm04

The appeal aimed to raise funds and awareness, and reach people who had not heard of APP before.

Our ambassador, author Laura Dockrill presented the appeal, which focused on the importance of providing peer support.  As part of the three minute broadcast, Laura shared some of her own PP story, and made a suggested donation ask of £34 which could enable APP to reach out to and support a new mum affected by PP.

All donations made to the appeal were matched by a generous donor.

Alongside the appeal we also successfully applied for an electronic billboard campaign with JC Decaux - this was live for four weeks during March 2024, with a focus on the BBC appeal for one week.

The appeal raised (with Gift Aid and match funding) £18,977.  The average donation received was £43.

The impact of the appeal goes far beyond the donations though - the awareness raised will have even longer term effects for APP and the families we support:

• Increased profile for APP - only 49 charities are chosen for BBC Radio 4 appeals each year.
• Our electronic billboard campaign reached 16 million people across the UK.
• MBUs and perinatal mental health teams across the country were invited to listen in, several did and some held listening parties and cake sales to mark the broadcast.
• New people found APP - we received letters and emails from individuals who had been personally affected by PP.
• The appeal and billboard campaign was shared by Maternal Mental Health Alliance, NCT, Royal College of Midwives, iHealthVisiting, Pandas UK and others.
• Huge reach and lots of engagement on social media during the month of the appeal (158,000 reach, a 76% increase on the previous month!) including shares from Laura Dockrill, singer Paloma Faith, musician Hugo White, author Catherine Cho and others.
• Anecdotal evidence of increase in referrals to local perinatal mental health teams.
• Significant increase in number of new users on our forum.

Some quotes from donors:

‘I am giving a donation as I listen to the Radio 4 appeal - as it was something that happened in our family but was never talked about - our great grandmother died in an asylum in 1901 having been admitted following the birth of my grandmother in 1900. Last year I went to read the medical notes in the public record offices - she was an inmate for a harrowing 10 months, her behaviour - she believed her body was not her own and wished it destroyed - all meticulously recorded by the staff. Sadly she died of an unrelated infection. My grandmother never had a mother. So to find out your charity exists is a good thing. Good luck with your future.’

‘I’m so glad you're raising awareness about this. My mother was a sufferer’

‘I follow Laura Dockrill on Instagram and I saw she had posted about the campaign on Radio 4, which is why I have donated. I know two people who have a suffered from postpartum psychosis and after going through peri and post natal depression myself, I’m so grateful charities such as APP exist. Keep up the good work!’

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Thank you to everyone for getting involved, donating, sharing our social media posts, holding events and using this appeal as a way to start new conversations about PP and maternal mental health.