On Thursday 24th March, PMH Founder Suzanne Alderson’s tireless work for the Parenting Mental Health community and charity were recognised and celebrated on BBC1’s The One Show. Suzanne was nominated for their flagship “One Big Thank You” award which recognises those who have gone above and beyond to help their community.
The One Show is regularly watched by over 5 million people, so this was a great way not only to show our gratitude to Suzanne for her dedication to the community and charity, but also to raise awareness of Parenting Mental Health and reach many families in need of support.
Suzanne was surprised by a film crew and BBC Radio Coventry & Warwickshire presenter, Trish Adudu, at the Iron House art gallery and venue in Birmingham, under the cover story of her Husband being filmed by a local news crew, to talk about the impact of the pandemic on hospitality venues. Suzanne was asked to unveil a new painting at the gallery, unaware that the painting had actually been created especially for her. Nearly 100 members of the PMH community had contributed to the artwork, creating poems and photographs which were woven together by local artist Ioana Enache into an astonishing 6ft x 6ft canvas. The expression and emotion on Suzanne’s face when she realised that the meaning behind the artwork is absolutely priceless!
After the initial shock had worn off, Suzanne was taken to a nearby park where another big surprise was waiting. Nearly 30 members of the PMH community cheering and clapping around a huge outside broadcast screen. Video messages of thanks from the PMH community, from the UK to California and Australia were played. Mental Health advocate and TV presenter Stacey Dooley had also taken time to thank Suzanne.
Suzanne said: “This came as a huge surprise, but I want to thank our great community and ‘The One Show’ for it. Parenting Mental Health was born during one of the hardest moments of my life, but to see it provide a service for 27,000 other families around the world is amazing to see.”
Today we support parents globally, in fact, the BBC producers commented that this was their first international ‘One Big Thank You’. Our community have shared stories and experiences, created bonds and friendships which will have helped many families through some of the darkest periods of their lives.
In the BBC studio Suzanne was cheered and clapped by singer Michael Buble and Chef Gordon Ramsay, as well as One Show presenters Alex Jones and Rylan. The feature concluded with Rylan shouting out “We love you Suzanne!”, a sentiment we at PMH definitely share!
