Who We Are
Our Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP) is supported by a dedicated committee made up of parents, local birth workers, antenatal educators, hypnobirthing practitioners, and other passionate individuals. We also have a team of volunteers known as Service User Representatives, who play a key role in gathering feedback from the community.
You might spot our reps at local groups or events, engaging with families and listening to their experiences of maternity and neonatal care.
In addition to our volunteer team, the MNVP benefits from a broad and collaborative network of NHS professionals and partner organisations.
Regular meeting attendees often include:
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The Director and Head of Midwifery
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Consultant Midwife
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Antenatal, NICU, Labour Ward & Postnatal Ward leads
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GPs and Obstetric representatives
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Infant Feeding and Health Visiting team members
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Representatives from Buckinghamshire CCG, Healthwatch, and Buckinghamshire New University
…and many more, all working together to improve maternity and neonatal care across the region.
Meet The Team
Olivia
Bucks MNVP Co-Lead
Hi, I'm Olivia (confusingly also known as Lulu), Co-Lead of Buckinghamshire Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP) and single mum to two boys. My own experiences of pregnancy and birth, including receiving support from the Perinatal Mental Health Team, inspired me to become involved in improving local maternity and neonatal services. Perinatal mental health conditions affect around 1 in 5 women and birthing people during pregnancy and the first year after birth, and ensuring families feel heard, supported and involved in their care is something I'm deeply passionate about. As Co-Lead of Bucks MNVP, I work alongside families, volunteers, clinicians, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and system partners to ensure that the voices of women, birthing people and their families help shape and improve local maternity and neonatal services through genuine co-production. Outside of the MNVP, you'll usually find me outdoors with my family- running around with the boys, gardening, or heading to Cornwall whenever we get the chance. Alongside my MNVP role, I also work full time in the NHS in a legal and governance role, bringing experience in patient safety, investigations and healthcare governance to my work supporting maternity services.
Becca
Bucks MNVP Co-Lead
I’m Becca and I’m Co-Lead for Buckinghamshire MNVP. I joined the team in November 2023. I have three children, all of whom I had completely different birth experiences with. My youngest spent some time in Transitional Care and as a result, I felt passionate about joining MNVP and trying to make a difference. My background is legal and I also volunteer as a Witness Support for Citizens Advice, supporting vulnerable people.
Leanne
Engagement Lead
I’m Leanne, Engagement Lead for Bucks MNVP and the longest standing member of the committee. I gather feedback and help coordinate the Engagement Reps across the county. I'm a mum of 2 boys, a Birth & Postnatal Doula, Hypnobirthing and Antenatal teacher and am also training to be a counsellor. I love seeing the transition as people's families grow. I’m based in Tring, but have supported hundreds of parents locally. I believe the MNVP gives people a voice and a chance to engage with their maternity service and help push for change. I like having the connection with the hospital, so I can communicate with the parents I meet what’s happening to reassure them or let them know, their voice has been heard and the changes that have happened as a result. When I am not immersed in the world of birth or my family, I help coordinate a local environmental group called Parents for Future to care for our planet and children’s future.
Lauren
Bereavement Lead
Hi, I’m Lauren. Bereavement Lead for MNVP. Mum to Four children, one of whom was born sleeping. Nothing can prepare you for losing a child. But after experiencing such a profound loss, I began to appreciate the importance of support from those who truly understand. I started working for MNVP in January 2024 and my aim is to be able to offer families a safe space to grieve, to be listened too and supported whilst taking those difficult steps forward into a future that was not plan for. To make the services available to us the best they can be.
Coming soon!
Finance Lead
Jasmin
Governance Lead
Katie
Neonatal Lead
I’m Katie, Neonatal Lead for Bucks MNVP. I gather feedback from families who have experienced Neonatal Care. I am Mum to two young children. My daughter spent time on the Units at both Stoke Mandeville and The John Radcliffe back in 2023. My aim is to help give back to the local charities and organisations that supported me through our NICU journey. Since then I have volunteered for BURPS, (Baby Unit Relatives & Parents Support) Charity, helping support families on the Unit at Stoke. I help put together gift bags for all occasions including Mother’s Day, Father's Day and all religious holidays. Then deliver them to the Unit to provide comfort and support around special celebrations. I also run the Oxford Half marathon annually to help support SSNAP (Support for the Sick Newborn And their Parents) over at Oxford. I love visiting the Units with the children and keeping in touch with all the team members who looked after us. Drawing on lived experience, close collaboration with health care professionals and families, my aim is to help improve and shape neonatal services that listen to and learn from the experiences of those who use them. Being part of the MNVP is another way I can help give back and make positive change for other families going through their NICU journeys.
Khairun
Engagement Representative
Hello, my name is Khairun and I have 3 young children. I joined first as a mama attending the Mamas and Babas session (which I now help run) where I heard about Bucks MNVP which then led me to the Engagement Lead role. It’s a very fulfilling and rewarding role which gives me an opportunity to make a positive impact for mothers, newborns and also for the community. I hope to continue making the changes and playing a part in improving the outcome for everyone.
Rachel
Engagement Representative
Alex
Engagement Representative
I’m Alex and I am an Engagement Representative. My role is to gather feedback from families who have experienced maternity services in the area. I had my little boy in 2022 and struggled with not having the birth experience I had hoped for. It opened my eyes to the lasting impacts that maternity care can have. I joined the MNVP because of this and their ethos of listening to and representing people throughout the local community, using lived experiences to focus change in the right areas and highlight strengths. I am also an infant feeding volunteer on the postnatal ward at SMH and love being able to support families in the first crucial few days.
Helen
Engagement Representative
Hi, I'm Helen and I am one of the Engagement Reps for the MNVP. In my role I focus on engagement work and gathering feedback from LGBTQIA and disabled communities, though you will find me at a variety of community events and listening clinics too. I gave birth to my son in 2013, and my experience led to my wanting to be involved bringing change to maternity services with the voice of the service user at the heart. I'm an AuDHD woman, we have 3 cats in our family (not sure if 3 makes me an official crazy cat woman) and I live with my partner Andy, and our son in S Bucks. Outside of the MNVP I have been a birth worker for more than 10 years.