Birth mothers open new chapter with book

Beam helps birth mothers cope with enforced child separation using peer-to-peer support

Birth mothers who have lost the care of their children have written a book to try to change the way they are perceived by others.

They have been supported by the charity Beam, which guides mothers through the emotions of enforced child separation.

Beam is based in Suffolk but helps women all over the country.

Cheryl, one of the mothers who wrote the book, said it had "shown me my strengths and that I really do matter".

Cheryl said people not seeing her for who she was made her feel "ashamed"

The mothers worked with writer Helen Jacey, who heard about the charity when she read a BBC article.

In all, 13 mothers took part in writing the fictional book, One Drop Holds the Sun, which is being launched in London.

They come from Suffolk, Essex, London, Devon, Merseyside, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.

Kye, who lives in Suffolk, lost the care of her child through addiction. She is now sober and attributes that to Beam.

"They actually helped me to get into rehab. They do not just help mums support each other. They help you with other battles in your life as well," she said.

Kye was in rehab when she was working on the book, and said the experience "helped her get on the right path, the sober path, and I am now able to live my life to the fullest".

The artwork on the cover and inside the book was all done by mothers supported by Beam

Cheryl, from Essex, lost the care of her child after her autism meant she struggled to provide care.

School was not an entirely positive experience for Cheryl but she found a new voice taking part in the online workshops run by Dr Jacey.

"I felt proud to be part of the book. I hope that when people hear my story it will change the way people see people like me," she said.

"This has shown me what I am capable of and that I am actually quite good at writing, and I am thinking about carrying that forward on my own and writing my own story separate from the Beam book."

Author Helen Jacey said the mothers "developed fictional characters in imaginary worlds, and it just kind of grew"

The project was supported using funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Dr Jacey, from St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, managed the project after reading the BBC News article.

She said "there was something about the resilience, non-judgmental, life-changing work that Beam was doing that I think all parents need".

The book developed during months of workshops with the women.

"It was about finding a fun, supportive, safe way to get in touch with creativity and words, and I think it was a wonderful process," she said.

Cherie Parnell (left) is the founder and a trustee of the charity Beam

She said it was not easy, though, to gain the trust of Cherie Parnell, Beam's founder and a trustee.

Ms Parnell, a former family barrister, said her initial response to the approach was "no", but she was eventually won over.

The stories are woven together with a character called Hope which Ms Parnell was asked to write.

"People who have read the book have said they have cried, but it's not a story of despair. It's a story of hope in name and in heart," Ms Parnell said.