Post boxes are popping up across London from today to raise awareness of perinatal mental health

If you want to do something worthwhile this Mother’s Day, keep an eye out for the little red post boxes popping up across the capital from today. Popular family-focused spots (including Biscuiteers in Clapham, BOXPARK in Croydon and Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End) are part of a national campaign launched by experience gift company Red Letter Days and maternal mental health charity PANDAS to support and empower new mums who might be feeling isolated in the early days of motherhood; and it couldn’t be easier to get involved.

With 1 in 5 new mothers experiencing pre- or postnatal mental health problems – and 56% of parents with children under five admitting to experiencing loneliness* – Red Letter Days are encouraging mums across the country to send words of support and solidarity to expectant and new mothers, passing on the words or messages they know they need at this time in their lives.

The #HeyMum mums-to-mums initiative, running in partnership with PANDAS and supported by the mums social network Mush, hopes to lift spirits by sharing thoughtful messages and words of encouragement with new mums who might need reminding they’re not alone and are doing a great job.

Red Letter Days hopes the campaign will raise funds and awareness for perinatal mental health. Between 9th – 22nd March, 20% of the sales from selected Red Letter Days Mother’s Day gifts will go directly to PANDAS, to help raise funds for the crucial work they do in supporting families experiencing perinatal mental health conditions.**

Cards can be posted, with the envelope unsealed, in the bespoke Red Letter Days post-boxes in London. Others are also located across the UK. The cards will then be delivered to groups of new and expectant mums on Mother’s Day. If you can’t make it to one of the official locations, you can also post a card to a dedicated address.

How to get involved:

1. Grab a Mother’s Day card, write a thoughtful and encouraging message to an anonymous new mum, and post it in one of Red Letter Days’ letter boxes (not a Royal Mail one!) in an unsealed envelope.

2. You can also write a message on the spot using one of the cards provided alongside each letter box. Please note there are only a limited number of cards available in each location, so best to buy your own to avoid disappointment!

3. Should you be unable to make it to one of the post box locations, post a card to ‘Red Letter Days Campaign, c/o Keyboards & Dreams, Ground Floor, 34-35 Hatton Garden, EC1N 8DX’, where a member of the Red Letter Days team will keep it safe and deliver it to somebody who’ll greatly benefit from your kind words.

4. Share a photo of yourself posting your card on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, tagging @RedLetterDaysUK and using the hashtag #HeyMum. Five people will be selected at random to win a Red Letter Days voucher, which they can redeem on a once-in-a-lifetime experience of their choice!

Card writing tips: We suggest including your name, age, and a bit about yourself and your family in your message, and don’t forget to wish the recipient a Happy Mother’s Day! Perhaps you could tell them something you wish you’d known when you had a new baby. All cards will be vetted, so keep messages positive, friendly and sensitive, and leave envelopes unsealed.

Red Letter Days’ bespoke red post boxes can be found in the following London locations, all of whom have generously volunteered their spaces as part of the campaign:

• Flagship Postbox: Biscuiteers, 13 Northcote Rd, London SW11 1NG

• Stanford’s, 7 Mercer Walk, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9FA

• Cuckooz Nest, 24 Ray St, Farringdon, London EC1R 3DJ

• Stepney City Farm, Stepney Way, Stepney Green, London E1 3DG

• Pickled Pepper Pot Books, 10 Middle Ln, Crouch End, London N8 8PL

• BOXPARK Croydon, 99 George St, Croydon CR0 1LD

• BOXPARK Wembley, 18 Olympic Way, Wembley Park, Wembley HA9 0JT

You can also find the special post boxes at the following locations across the UK:

• Windmill Hill City Farm, Philip St, Bristol, BS3 4EA

• Bristol Aquarium, Anchor Rd, Bristol BS1 5TT

• Jubilee Library, Jubilee St, Brighton, BN1 1GE

• Brighton Women’s Centre, 22 Richmond Pl, Brighton BN2 9NA

• Cardiff Central Library, The Hayes, Cardiff CF10 1FL

• Canton Library, 4 Library St, Cardiff CF5 1QD

• Penylan Library and Community Centre, Pen-Y-Lan Rd, Cardiff CF23 5HW

• Wigwam Coffee Shop, 70 Rose Ln, Liverpool L18 8AG

• Victoria Gallery & Museum, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3DR

• Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley St, Manchester, M2 3JL

• Mama Sanctuary, 1 Prince’s St, Stockport SK1 1SL

• Museum of Childhood, 42 High St, Edinburgh, EH1 1TG

• RedBox Marchmont, 2-6 Spottiswoode Rd, Edinburgh EH9 1BQ

• Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3DH

• The Maple Tree Children & Family Centre, Littleworth Road, Wheately, Oxford, OX33 1NW

• Magna Science Adventure Centre, Magna Way, Rotherham, S60 1FD

• Eureka! National Children’s Museum, Discovery Rd, Halifax, HX1 2NE

• The Museum of Childhood, 42 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1TG

Please check the opening times of each individual venue before you plan your visit.