A new group has been set up for parents and carers of twins and triplets, to help combat loneliness amongst families and provide support.

Launched up by mums Stephanie Elderton, 28, from Huntingdon, who has identical twin boys, and Sarah Ball, 36, from Godmanchester, who has a twin boy and girl, the group aims to help support families in the area.

According to the Twins and Multiple Birth Association (TAMBA), in a survey of 1,000 mothers of twins and triplets in 2008, 17 per cent of mothers who had a multiple birth experienced post-natal depression, compared with an average of 10 per cent among all mothers.

“That is why we decided to set up a group like this,” Stephanie said.

“I met Sarah through a play group and we couldn’t believe that there were no multiple groups in the area, the nearest to us was Cambourne or Sawtry. We had tried different baby groups, but it isn’t the same when you have twins. It can be difficult and we wanted to offer a support group for people so that people could come along and speak to people that have been in the same position as them.”

The pair decided to start the group in January as they had experienced how “lonely” being a parents of a multiple could be following the birth of their twins, and wanted somewhere for people to meet.

The Multiples Huntingdon group is free for anyone to attend and the pair are currently applying for burseries and grants to cover the costs of the venue and equipment, which currently comes out of Stephanie and Sarah’s pockets.

The group, which meets every Friday, allows parents and carers of multiples to enjoy tea and coffee with other parents, and children are encouraged to get involved in arts and crafts and free play.

Sarah said: “It can be quite isolating and lonely if you have twins and no-one really understands how hard it can be unless they have experienced it. We have had some great feedback from people that come along to the group, and hope we carry on doing it. “We were quite picky when we were looking for venues as we wanted somewhere where we could provide tea and coffee, as we felt that it was a big aspect of socialising with other people, and wanted the space to be welcoming for everyone.”

INFO – The group meets every Friday at St Barnabas Church, Huntingdon, from 10-11.30am. No membership required, drop-ins are welcome.