A mum seeking to honour her daughter's battle with postnatal depression is appealing for help to continue the fight after getting backing from two major health bodies.

Lyn Richardson, from Dover, is campaigning to improve services for women struggling with mental health after giving birth, after losing daughter Rebecca Kruza to perinatal suicide.

Her charity Everglow The Rebecca Kruza Foundation is seeking to raise funds for a respite home to care for parents and their infants with mild to moderate postnatal depression symptoms, and allow them to access rest, help and therapeutic treatments.

Insurance underwriter Rebecca, 39, was a new mum who tragically took her life after suffering postnatal depression.

She had visited doctors 12 times between March and May in 2018 but the medication was having a minimal effect on her condition.

Ms Kruza's family – who feel she was let down by health professionals – have now established Everglow in the name of their loved one, with the aim of preventing maternal ill mental health and suicide.

They also want the government to make Rebecca’s Law, to legislate on the duties of health visitors and GPs ensuring health visits continue when post natal depression is identified. Mrs Richardson said that the recent findings of the Kirkup inquiry meant that the charity’s campaign was “finally being taken seriously”, and that a festival to celebrate Rebecca’s life – ‘Everglow Fest’ – is to be held to raise “badly needed” funds.

She added: “Since losing my treasured daughter Rebecca to perinatal suicide six years ago, myself and now Everglow The Rebecca Kruza foundation have fought to have the national and local government authorities, who are responsible for the failings that lead to her suicide, admit to them and agree on the improvements we are aiming for in our campaign to help prevent perinatal mental illness and suicide.

“The findings of Kirkup’s investigation have helped us to get them to finally take us seriously and the Department of Health and Social Care to unblock comms with us so we are now continuing to negotiate on Rebecca’s Law.

“Last month, Ryan Twynn raised over £1,000 in the Whitstable triathlon as we badly need funds and volunteers to run our charity and events.”

Earlybird tickets for EverglowFest, which takes place this weekend at Barville Farm in Tilmanstone, near Dover, are on sale for £10 for over-16s, £5 for under-16s, while children under two go free.

“The festival will celebrate Rebecca’s life and bring us together for music, food and fun in memory of what she loved,” Mrs Richardson added.

“We are getting funds for our mother and baby respite home in the Dover area – where it is badly needed for mothers who are struggling to cope.

“This has 100% backing from bosses at East Kent Hospitals and Kent and Medway Partnership Trust, and will benefit fathers and partners as well.

“It is in memory of Rebecca who said many times that respite was all she really needed.”