FAQs

Overview

  • 🤱 Gathered is a community primarily for South East London based mums of babies under 1, who want to talk about what motherhood is really like, in a deeper and more authentic way. At it’s heart are our weekly Gatherings: gently facilitated conversation circles led by experienced mums who will welcome, support, validate and give context to your experiences.

    If your baby/child is older than this, we also have follow-on toddler and evening sessions, as well as a monthly evening Dads gathering. Contact us for more info and to join these groups.

  • A Gathering is an in-person conversation circle for mums to share the ups and downs of early motherhood.

    Each session is gently led by a facilitator, a local mum with slightly older children who guides the group and offers perspective. Gatherings last about 90 minutes, and include plenty of time to talk about life more generally, things that are feeling tough or just to share this week’s ‘laugh or you’ll cry’ moments, before leading into our weekly parenthood-themed topic.

    In our main groups, Gatherings happen weekly (46 weeks per year), moving to monthly for our evening Gathering format.

  • Gathered is primarily designed for mums of babies aged 0–12 months. Whether you're a first-time mum or have done this before, if you're looking for connection and support, you’re welcome.

    If your baby/child is older than this you are welcome to join our follow-on toddler or evening sessions, contact us for more info & to join.

    For Dads, we have a monthly evening membership. Contact us for more info & to join.

  • Absolutely, bring them in a pram/sling/car seat/clutched in your arms/in their poonami stained onesie or adorable twinning outfit. Whatever works for you, however you can both make it.

    We provide a rug and toys, and babies can play, nap, feed, or cuddle throughout the gatherings. Feel free to breast or bottle feed, change, or comfort your baby as needed throughout. Babies tend to love the relaxed atmosphere at Gathered, too.

    At our follow-on toddler sessions, we set up a taste-safe sensory play activity and toys, in a more contained venue so that mums can continue to Gather whilst older babies and toddlers play.

    NB: Evening and Dads sessions are baby-free and take place from 8-9.30pm.

  • Not necessarily at all, if you can get to us, you’re welcome. Our in-person Gatherings are based in and around East Dulwich, Peckham, and West Norwood.

    That said, most mums live within ~3km, including areas like Camberwell, Herne Hill, Honor Oak, Forest Hill, and Crystal Palace.

  • It’s cliche, perhaps, but it’s the people that make it (including, hopefully, you). Our facilitators and members genuinely look to support and validate one another, looking beyond the surface differences that can divide mums and seeing the commonalities in our experiences: that we’re all trying to figure out how to make it work for us and our unique, individual families.

    Because our gatherings are gently facilitated by trained, insured, experienced mums who aren’t also trying to care for their own baby at the same time, the conversation is kept flowing and you don’t need to worry about arranging it, who will show up or what you’ll talk about. You can just relax and take what you need from the conversation, even when that’s just sitting back and listening to it.

    What also sets us apart is our focus on you—how you're really doing, not just as ‘mum’ but you as a whole person, going through a massive identity shift in your life. Yes, we talk a bit about the mechanics of mothering of course, but in the main, it’s about how you are experiencing your life right now, rather than us dishing out yet more ‘shoulds’ to add to the pile.

    There are so many more reasons Gathered is special, but perhaps one more for here. Gathered is more than just a weekly mums meetup. It’s a connected membership, with access to a private app, a WhatsApp group, a weekly podcast, book club, and social events, so the community is there for you all the time, not just once per week. It’s a place you can belong, as yourself, not ‘just’ as a mum.

Membership

  • Gathered exists as a membership to provide stability and consistency to our members, and ensure a wider feeling of belonging and cohesion. Here’s how it works once you’ve been along to your taster session, or taster month:

    💳 Rolling monthly subscription – £48/month (subsidised rate of £38 is available, no questions asked, just take this if you feel you need it)

    ❌ Cancel anytime with just 1 week’s notice, we really do know that life changes a lot with little ones as they grow.

    📅 Includes 46 Gatherings per year with 6 evenly distributed break weeks, no long school holiday stoppages.

    🌍 Away for a month or more? Pause to online-only for £10/month and keep your spot in the gathering.

    💞 If you’re going to miss your own gathering on any week, you’re welcome at another instead.

  • 💸 Membership starts at half price for your first month.
    After that, it’s £48/month as a rolling subscription.

    We offer a subsidised rate down to £38/month, designed to support lower or single income families to access our support. There are no explicit eligibility criteria to meet, you’ll just be asked during your first month which rate you’d like to progress onto, and we’ll apply it from your second month onwards.

    Finally, we have a small hardship fund available for existing members going through temporary financial difficulty so that they may continue their membership.

  • If you’d like to try a taster month (4 consecutive gatherings) and we’re closed on any one of them, don’t worry, you’ll still get your full four sessions. When you book via Happity, closure weeks show with a strike-through, so you’ll see that your 4 sessions span a break week.

  • No problem at all, we know all too well that life with a baby/small kids is unpredictable.

    🔸 Just drop us a quick message in the app to let us know you won’t be there, so we don’t set out your spot (or worry about you!)
    🔸 If you’d like, you’re welcome to attend a different session that week instead, just let us know and as long as there’s space in the group that day, you can join there instead.

  • Yes, absolutely! You can join via a one off taster session, or book the block of 4, either is fine.

    The block of 4 sessions / taster month is designed to give you a more rounded experience of the Gathered community, as it can include the app, podcasts and whatsapp groups, too.

    But mainly, it gives you a bit more time to settle into the group and feel comfortable sharing, to see the natural ebbs and flows of the group as some weeks will have more laughs and others someone might be having a trickier time of it.

    If you’re not sure, feel free to contact us to chat it through over the phone, or by whatsapp, and we can help you figure out what feels best.

  • Gathered extends well beyond the first year, but most of our members join us at the under 1 stage- whether this is with their first, second or even third baby.

    Many members stay on into our other formats for extended membership, and some even coming back into the main groups with a new sibling later down the line.

    However, if you’re already past the 1 year old stage, you really are still welcome to jump in at whatever point suits, just contact us to arrange.

    To summarise our over-1 options:

    👶 Mums with babies over 1 are welcome to stay in their current group until their little one becomes too mobile to comfortably join the circle or focus on the conversation.

    🌈 Progress to our toddler group – these are on Fridays in East Dulwich with facilitator Helen. Includes sensory play in a secure space.
    £58/month (to cover the extra setup and clean-up).

    🌙 Join our monthly evening group – Baby-free Gatherings in East Dulwich, 8–9:30pm, perfect for after bedtime or work.
    £20/month

Gatherings

  • Each session has a loose structure, to pull the conversation together and so members know what to expect, whichever gathering they join. With plenty of wiggle room for people being complicated, late, and just.. human. It goes roughly like this:

    🔸 First 15 mins – Settle in, grab a drink, get babies comfy
    🔸 First half – Each mum has 4–5 mins to ‘check in’ and share what’s been going on that week for them, anything they would like to share, discuss, talk about.
    🔸 Second half – Group chat around a weekly motherhood theme
    🔸 Last 5 mins – ‘Check out’ with something you’re looking forward to, plans you have coming up that week, a little ‘re-engage with the real world’ moment to end.

    You’re welcome to feed, cuddle, change, or settle your baby anytime. It’s normal to get up and move around too, to rock buggies around the outside of the circle, or to stay nap-trapped in the circle under a sleeping baby once the gathering ends.

  • Each month we explore a motherhood (or fatherhood, in our Dads group)-related theme, with different weekly angles to break it down into bitesize chunks.

    Our facilitator team works hard to plan out broad, but relevant themes that make space for a whole range of experiences within them, and are just as relevant whether it’s your first baby or your third, or fifth. The topics help to give context to your experiences and aim to have you feeling ‘I’d never thought of it that way’, or thinking ‘finally I have the words to express that nagging feeling I have never quite been able to articulate!’

    Recent themes have included:
    • Traditions (good ones from your own childhood, family ones you want to keep, new ones you’d like to start with your own kids)
    • Friendships (how they change in motherhood, and why, where we find the best ones, what makes a great friend to you, what kind of friendships we hope our kids find)
    • Connection (when do we feel most connected to our kids, partners and ourselves, why do those moments sometimes feel so fleeting, what leads us to feel disconnected and how does that impact us).
    • Expectations (what did we expect motherhood to be like, how is it different, what does society expect of us and how is that changing)
    • Sustainability (of all the stuff, or our time and most importantly of our energy, how do we create lives that don’t overwhelm us)

  • At the beginning of each week, we post a short topic intro and a few gentle prompts in the members’ app

    We also share a 30 ish-minute podcast, where our facilitators (and sometimes members) chat about the week’s theme

    The podcast is totally optional- some listen every week, others never do. But if you do tune in, it might help the conversation land a little deeper

    However much or little you engage beforehand, you’re always totally welcome, just as you are.

  • Both are totally fine. We’d always rather you come for part of the session, if you can, so if we’re still there, you weren’t too late!

    We understand that life with a baby can be (very) unpredictable, but if you’re able to, it’s great if you’re able to let us know via the app if you’re on your way, so we know you’re still coming.

Inclusivity & Accessibility

  • Everyone who identifies as a mum (or dad, in the dads' group) is welcome. This includes trans parents, adoptive parents, solo parents, LGBTQ+ parents, and parents from all cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds.

    We hold our sessions in pub venues because they offer private, relaxed spaces that are baby-friendly and affordable, and many parents find them comfortable and welcoming spaces. They are also easily accessible for wheelchair users, and for parents using large or double buggies.

    However, we do recognise that not everyone feels able to attend, in a pub setting. We’re actively looking at funding options to include alternative or additional venues to support wider inclusion in the future, and we’re always open to feedback on how we can improve.

  • Not at all! While some of our members are navigating motherhood for the first time, we have lots of second or even third time mums in our community, and all mums are welcome.

    Whether it’s your first, second, or fifth baby. One of the joys of Gathered is that it unites mums at different stages, and every experience brings something valuable to the group.

  • Yes! We run a monthly evening group for Dads, from 8:00–9:30pm. Some members have partners in the mums' community, others don’t. If you're a Dad and would like to join, just drop us an email and we’ll send you an invite.

    We’d also love to launch a daytime Dad & Baby circle if there’s enough interest. If that’s something you’d be up for helping get started, we’d be really happy to chat, just get in touch!

  • Yes, we welcome trans mums and dads in the groups that align with their identity.

    It’s worth being aware that many of our discussions explore the cultural and gender expectations tied to motherhood and fatherhood. While this is often powerful and validating for many, we also want to be sensitive to how these conversations might land differently for transgender parents. We are committed to being thoughtful, respectful, and inclusive in these conversations. If you’re a trans parent and considering joining, we’d love to hear from you, and we’re happy to talk through what to expect, or explore ways to help the space feel more welcoming to you.

    For non-binary parents, we understand that neither our mums' or dads' group might feel quite right, and we're happy to chat one-on-one to help find the most comfortable fit or explore other support options, including creating a gender-inclusive gathering as part of the community. If this is something that you would be interested in establishing with us, we would love to hear from you.

  • Absolutely. Gathered is a safer, supportive space for all mums, including those who have experienced postnatal mental health challenges. Our facilitators are trained to offer empathy and understanding, and some have been through similar experiences.

    Our groups are not a substitute for therapy, and it’s important that you reach out to your GP or local mental health support services (we can signpost you if needed) for the right treatment. However, our groups make a great accompaniment to the right treatment plan, by reducing isolation, providing more structure to the week and connecting you with others who may have had similar experiences.

  • Yes, absolutely. We warmly welcome neurodiverse mums, including those who are diagnosed, self-identifying, or just starting to wonder if they might be. Some of our facilitators are themselves neurodivergent, or ‘neurocurious’, exploring neurodiversity and figuring out if this is them.

    We know that traditional social settings can sometimes feel overwhelming or performative, and we aim to do things differently. Our sessions are structured so soon feel familiar, and there’s no pressure to make eye contact, small talk, or share if you don’t want to.

    You're welcome to let us know in advance if there’s anything we can do to make the space more comfortable for you (e.g. sitting near the edge of the group, avoiding surprise questions, etc.). Just let us know if there’s anything you need.

  • We have clear group guidelines and a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination. If anything ever makes you uncomfortable, please let us know. We take it seriously and will address it with care and confidentiality.

Soothing the nerves

  • Absolutely- and you’re not alone. It’s very normal to feel nervous before coming to something new, especially in early motherhood when everything can feel raw, unfamiliar, and a bit overwhelming.

    There’s often a huge identity shift that happens when you become a parent. You’re navigating new routines, changing relationships, and figuring out who you are again, and that can make stepping into a group feel daunting, even if you know it might help.

    We get it, truly. Our groups are designed to be gentle, welcoming and pressure-free. You’re welcome to just listen, arrive late, leave early, or simply be quiet for a while—however you need to show up is okay with us.

    If you’re feeling especially nervous, you can always drop us a message in advance. We’re happy to chat on the phone beforehand if it helps ease any worries.

    You don’t need to have it all together. Just come as you are, we can’t wait to meet you.

  • You’re not required to share anything you're not comfortable with. You can participate as much or as little as you like.

    Some parents share lots about their lives and what is going on for them, whilst others engage in the topics from a more theoretical perspective. Whatever works for you is fine with us!

  • Absolutely! Many of our members come alone and make new connections during the sessions. You’ll be welcomed into a friendly and supportive community and will soon find that you’re one of the experienced members welcoming new mums into the group.

  • Of course! We welcome friends to join the group together if you would like to, just book both of you in for the taster session/month, and let us know that you’re attending together.


    Whilst our mum and baby groups aren’t suitable for (Dad) partners to attend, they could always come with you to the session start, and/or collect you at the end.