🗞️ WSO Monthly Newsletter
✨ Past Events Highlights
📅 Upcoming Events
Issue: March 2026
🌝🚶♀️Weekly Wednesday Wellness Walks
Date: March 4, 11, 18 & 25, 2026.
Summary: Now Spring is fast approaching and the evenings are beginning to draw out, gradually we’re able to see more of the park and River beside us, as we amble around on our Wednesday Wellness Walks. The Park continues to be surprisingly busy, even in the dark, we chat to some others exercising who wonder what a group of women are doing there and once some Army Veterans on a boot camp jokingly, or maybe not, suggested we joined them! Our Walks are slowly gaining more interest so if you’re free, come and see.
We’re not an exercise walk but more a reflective walk as we consider the day just gone and perhaps the one to come. If you have any concerns you would like to speak about in a friendly, informal peer support environment, come and join us. The evening Wednesday Wellness Walks are suited for the fit and the less mobile, including wheelchair users and for women who would feel uncomfortable in mixed company.
❄️🎅 Feature Her Friday Spotlights celebrating the “Wonderful Women of Warwickshire”
Date: March 6, & 20, 2026.
Summary: We continued our new feature to bring a spotlight on the inspiring women in our community. Each one of them brings something special to society, inspiring us to do better, get better, and be better! Watch this space for inspiring stories of “her” amongst us.
This month we featured these two amazing women:
👩🍼🚼Leanne Howlett
We are excited to spotlight the founder of “By Your Side” a perinatal support charity, Leanne Howlett!
When asked what motivated her to start this charity, she said, “I founded the local charity By Your Side to support parents with their mental health during pregnancy and after having a baby. The charity was inspired by my own experience of postnatal depression following the birth of my son ten years ago. At that time, I had no prior experience of mental illness and felt completely unprepared for the emotional impact of becoming a parent.”
“Since then, I have become deeply passionate about raising awareness of perinatal mental illness, supporting families who are struggling, championing parents’ voices, and advocating for improved support and provision. Through this work, I have written to ministers and MPs, spoken in Parliament, and delivered training to hundreds of healthcare professionals, including midwives, health visitors and GPs.”
“Driven by this passion, I made the decision to leave my career as a solicitor and retrain as a mental health nurse, so I can directly support parents who are experiencing the challenges I once faced.”
“To any parent struggling with their mental health: you are not alone. With the right help and support, recovery is possible. And to anyone considering following their passion and changing careers — do it. Life is too short not to.”
“You can follow us on Facebook @ByYourSidePerinatal or visit www.byyoursideperinatal.co.uk”
#PerinatalMentalHealth #PostnatalDepression #MentalHealthSupport #SupportForParents #ByYourSide
👶👩🍼Vicky & Melissa
On today’s “Feature Her Friday”, we at Women Stepping Out are proud to spotlight two incredible mums making a real difference in our community
Meet Vicky and Melissa, the inspiring women behind Beyond the Bump, a local CIC dedicated to supporting families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
We are Vicky and Melissa, 2 mums who run Beyond the Bump - a local CIC that provides free and fully funded support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Support looks different for everyone and can be tailored to each individual or family that needs it. Through group courses, 1 off sessions, and 1-1 support, we are able to empower and make sure every family has what they need during pregnancy and once their baby is born.
Having both felt a lack of support during different times in our pregnancies and postpartum, we know first hand how overwhelming and isolating it can feel. We wanted to create a space where women and families can feel safe, supported, and nurtured regardless of what barriers they may be facing to access support.
Whether that is financial, physical, mental health, or socially we want to make sure that no one gets left behind and that everything we do is accessible to all.
It's okay if you don't know exactly what you need or what may help - once you reach out to us we'll have a chat about what's been going on and how we can help.
We know it can feel hard, but we're here and we see you. For more information and our referral form visit our website
#FeatureHerFriday #WomensSupport #MaternalMentalHealth #PostpartumSupport #CommunityImpact
♋Breast Cancer Awareness Talk
The Breast Cancer talk, though less well attended than hoped, went forward as a hybrid meeting as the Speaker didn’t have transport to physically attend. The hybrid meeting worked well, the attendees engaged with the presentation and enjoyed the meeting and I think we all learned something too. The information given was interesting and informative, especially learning that men too can get breast cancer. Since that is largely unknown the prognosis when it’s discovered in the later stages, is poor.
🎤🧑🎤🎶Village Voices Showtime
The concert titled ‘Showtime’ on Saturday March 28th by the Village Voices Choir was a great success.
Their choice of songs to a full house from popular West End Shows, was diverse, the soloists were clear and sweet and the keyboard expertly played.
Musical accompaniment was provided by the Youth Orchestra of North Leamington School who played a range of instruments, revealing their emerging talent.
At the end of the first half Margaret spoke briefly of the life changing experience that led to her to found the charity Women Stepping Out and how the multicultural team aim to support other women through their life challenges.
The generous refreshments provided by Posh Nosh, were delicious.
👗👠Mayor’s Fashion Show
On March 10th a WSO team member attended the Warwick Mayor’s Fashion Show, a truly glittering occasion with the gleam of the visiting Mayors Chains of Office and beautiful new outfits for the summer, from three local shops and worn by volunteers. Women Stepping Out is one of The Mayor’s four charities during her Mayoral year.
👩💼💼The Warwick Mayor Jackie D’Arcy will join us on our Wednesday Wellness Walk April 8th.
🕊️🪷This month we heard of an interesting new festival for Warwick, the Festival of Peacebuilding, inviting local residents, schools, visitors and organisations to come together in a shared celebration of peace, diversity and collective action. The event will begin Friday May 8th from 6-9pm in St Mary’s Church Warwick with a youth panel discussion centred on young people’s perspective. Panelists will answer questions put to them from youth representatives and students from across the region on Climate, Social Equality, Disabled Rights, Sustainable Housing and Ethnic Rights. The next day Saturday May 9th there’ll be a display of local organisations and charities. working towards community integration, and harmony.
🙅♀️👎A talk on common Scams is already booked for May 18th 7-9pm but full details will be available nearer the time when the Venue is conformed.
