Miriam Donaghy, Founder and CEO, MumsAid
MumsAid was Highly Commended in the Healthy & Wellbeing category at the 2022 Business Awards.
What do you love most about your job?
So many things. Seeing the difference, we make to women’s lives is enormously gratifying. Working with a fantastic team who are all so committed and passionate about what they do is great. Getting opportunities to interact with cute babies is a bonus.
A tip for women who want to start their own business?
I think of all the qualities required being resilient enough is probably the most important one. There are many ups and downs when starting or running a charity, being able to stay calm in a crisis will help you cope with what can be a rollercoaster ride sometimes. My tip for that is to have a good support network and a great staff team who share your vision.
How do your organisation work with, and support, other women in the borough?
Many of our key staff and volunteers are Greenwich residents. We provide a range of services for women in the borough all focused on support for new mothers’ emotional and mental wellbeing. We offer free counselling to women during pregnancy and postnatally, we have a 24-hour text service, therapeutic and creative groups for trauma and other mental health struggles.
We also have some specialist services for young mums aged 15-21, we provide 2 drop-in groups, home visits, support to access practical help with benefits, donated goods, and trips during the summer. Last but not least, we have a service called Mighty Acorns that provides a range of support for mothers who have a baby or toddler aged up to 3 years old, with a disability or complex medical condition.
What do you like most about running your business in Royal Greenwich?
I grew up in Royal Greenwich and am still a resident here, so it is important to me to make a difference for the people that live in my own borough. I love that Royal Greenwich is so diverse, and this is reflected in the women we support where we see the commonalities of motherhood across all communities.
What role does your business play in the local area?
I think we play a crucial role in the local area. Mothers are often the bedrock of their family and so increasing the wellbeing of mothers is important not just for themselves and their babies but for all members of the family, and healthy families make strong and healthy communities.