No need for permission to join #Flaming June – JFDI!

It’s nearly a week since lighting the fuse and setting off ‪#FlamingJune with a bang. We launched our website and we are starting to see that ripple of action as a result as well as trying to draw on existing events and plans that we knew were happening in June.

It is getting people’s attention – perfect, just as we hoped! We are being quoted and used as an example, as a change platform, a campaign it’s awesome!

But in some ways we are victims of our own success we are just that bit too innovative and cutting edge so it is hard for people to understand just what we are.

We are not an organisation, we are not employed to do this, we have no funding, we have no rules or structure.

We are quite simply people. People who are like minded, people with initiative, people who see the need for change and want to enable it to happen by bring ideas together and encouraging action.

Some of us it is true are NHS employees however this work is not in our job description we are doing this in our spare time round busy day jobs and home life. Many of us are juggling this with other jobs, small children, home commitments, life… the thing that unites us is a passion and an energy to keep improving maternity services.

So if I were to define us, we are an ever growing fluid and flexible movement of people who want to enable change and improvement in maternity services.

There are no rights or wrongs, no one needs permission to join in, we are leading by default because we happened to step forward.

There is plenty more space for people to step in to help. The key message is to value and respect all views; encourage airing problems to find solutions and we will endeavour to help and support those who can and want to jump on board as best we can.

We have a lot of exciting days to come in June & beyond. Bring it on!