Pop-up postboxes are allowing us to send heartwarming letters to new mums across the UK

The post boxes are part of a national campaign to raise awareness of perinatal mental health

Becoming a mum for the first time is an experience like no other. It can be as painful and scary as it is joyful and exciting - so it's no wonder why many women are left feeling isolated in the first throes of motherhood.

That's why this year, post boxes are popping up across the UK to empower new mums.

Part of the #HeyMum initiative launched by Red Letter Days, maternal mental health charity PANDAS and mums social network Mush, these little red box postboxes encourage mums to send words of support to expectant and new parents for Mother's Day.

The idea is that you post a letter with an unsealed envelope in one of the twenty postboxes dotted across the UK, with the cards then arriving to new mums in time for Mother's Day on 22nd March.

With 1 in 5 new mothers in the UK experiencing pre or postnatal mental health problems, many wonder what they can do to support struggling mums - and the introduction of these post boxes offers one lovely way to put a smile on a tired face.

Flagship Post Box at Biscuiteers, London (Credit: Amy Mace)

Alison Vickery, Marketing Director at Red Letter Days, said: 'Becoming a mother is an exciting and joyful occasion but it's also incredibly common for new mothers to feel isolated, anxious or lonely.'

'The number of women suffering from perinatal illness is something we need to speak more openly about. We therefore want to use this Mother's Day - which will be a first for many - to raise awareness, build connections and empower new mums with support and encouragement.'

Speaking of the importance of allowing the mums who have been-there-and-done-it to act in solidarity with new mothers, Vickery said: 'We're encouraging mums who have experienced the pressures, highs and lows of motherhood to write a heartwarming message to another mother who is just starting out on their parenting journey.'

She continued: 'Your act of solidarity could make a huge difference to your fellow mum's day, week, month and maybe even their year; and will remind them that they're doing a fantastic job and are far from alone.'

The Red Letter Days postboxes can be found in 20 different locations across the UK. Click here to find a post box near you.

Niamh McCollum is Features Assistant at Marie Claire UK, and specialises in entertainment, female empowerment, mental health, social development and careers. Tackling both news and features, she's covered everything from the rise of feminist audio porn platforms to the latest campaigns protecting human rights.

Niamh has also contributed to our Women Who Win series by interviewing ridiculously inspiring females, including forensic scientist Ruth Morgan, Labour MP Stella Creasy and ITV’s former Home Affairs Editor Jennifer Nadel.

Niamh studied Law in Trinity College Dublin. It was after enrolling in a Law & Literature class on her year abroad in Toronto that her love of writing was reignited. In no particular order, her big likes are Caleb Followill, hoops, red wine, sea swimming, shakshuka and long train journeys.