2022 has seen so much happen at Peeps; we have reached more people and been able to offer support in different ways, whether that’s having a chat with a fellow HIE mum or dad, arranging and paying for counselling or trauma therapy, via our online resources and group sessions, as well as Peeps Together events, or funding for equipment that wouldn’t otherwise be available.

It’s a real privilege to be able to support in some way, being alongside families as they navigate their HIE journey.

Our tiny team has expanded. We welcomed Anne as our Family Inclusion & Support worker, to join myself, Liz and Michelle. We’re all part-time, but what we may lack in hours we certainly try and make up for in commitment and compassion. We know just how precious every donation to Peeps is, so we always spend money wisely, and that includes making sure we work as smart as we can!

One of our aims has always been to raise awareness of HIE, and thanks to our relationships – existing, new and growing – with the NHS, community groups, charities, individuals and organisations, more and more people are able to say they have #HeardofHIE. This is something we want to continue in 2023 (pop the 4th April in your diary for HIE Awareness Day), so if you work for a company or have any contacts that may be interest in joining forces, please do point them in our direction.

We have also been involved in several research projects, supported by our Parent Panel to ensure that as many voices as possible are heard from the HIE community. This has developed further as we launched our Professional Panel, bringing together even more experience and expertise, from those who work closely with families touched by HIE.

Both of these panels are run on a voluntary basis, and we are super grateful to everyone who gives their time.

I hope you don’t mind, but I thought it would be nice to share a little festive picture of our daughter, Heidi – our reason for, and driving force behind, Peeps.