Giving birth to your first child in the midst of a pandemic is bound to pose unique challenges, but one Malvern mum found way to overcome them.

Laura Cale, 28, became a mother for the first time in May 2020 when she gave birth to her daughter, Lily Rose.

With lockdown restrictions in place, Laura, like many new mums, was forced to tackle motherhood without the usual support on offer.

Laura came up with the Pandemic Mum Picnic group to unite new mothers and show them that they are not alone, the first event was held in August 2020 in Priory Park, Malvern.

She said: "When the first lockdown ended, I simply thought, I can’t be alone in these feelings and there must be so many others like me.

“I wanted to meet and relate to other mums who may share these thoughts and I wanted my baby to actually be able to see people and socialise with others that we would have done in ‘normal’ circumstances.

She added: “It’s been so overwhelming, the number of mums who have thanked me for creating the group and said it’s really helped them, knowing they are not alone.”

Having a child in lockdown meant that Laura’s partner wasn’t able to stay with her once their daughter had been born.

She said: “Thirty minutes after my caesarean, my husband had to leave, and we didn’t see each other for two days. Very scary.

“I don’t have any other children, which in a way may seem easier as becoming a first-time mum in such unknown and crazy times, I simply don’t know any different.”

Twenty mums came to the first picnic at least 52 are expected at the next event, on August 29 at Bennetts Willow Barn, Lower Wick.

Laura owned a salon for seven years before the challenges of the pandemic and changes in the family forced her to shut up shop, she now works part-time in the family business alongside her duties as a mum.

She added: “I want all the pandemic mums to be celebrated! We are a generation who will go down in history, we birth, cared and raised a baby in a worldwide pandemic, we did it!

"We are stronger than we may give ourselves credit for, creating an even stronger generation.

“I really just want to thank everyone for their incredible support.”