Maternity Matters North Devon

Aim

Giving birth in North Devon now means a journey to Exeter. Help us make a film so decision-makers hear the stories of those affected.

Who we are

We're Maternity Matters North Devon, a volunteer campaign started by local people. I'm Katy, one of the co-founders. I live in Northam and I gave birth at North Devon District Hospital. I also used to work with the Maternity Voices Partnership, helping represent families’ experiences. Since births were suspended at the Ladywell unit in August, we've been pressing the hospital trust, the county council and our MPs for answers. Now we want to show people what the current closure really means, not just tell them. We want this film to make an impact within North Devon and far beyond.

Why a film?

Decisions about North Devon's maternity care have been made in meetings, based on reports and spreadsheets. The families living with those decisions have barely been heard.

We've written to the Trust, spoken at council meetings, protested, been in the media and we will keep going. But paperwork is too easy to ignore. A mother explaining what it's like to labour in the back of a car on the road to Exeter is not.

A film will make it real for the people with the power to change this, and we will take it all the way to Westminster. It will stand as a permanent, undeniable record of the effects of this closure.

Our filmmaker

Sam Brown is a Barnstaple filmmaker and photographer whose work includes documentaries, campaign films and music videos. This story is personal for him too because his own child was born at the Ladywell unit, and he and his wife remember how wonderful the staff were. We chose Sam because this film needs care. It needs real families’ stories told honestly and beautifully by someone who knows exactly what North Devon stands to lose. You can see his work at sambvideo.co.uk.

The idea

A short documentary about what it means to give birth in North Devon right now. We'll hear from parents who have had to travel to Exeter or are preparing to, and from our wider community. 

Our vision

We want everyone who decides the future of maternity care in North Devon to see this film: the hospital trust's board, Devon County Council, our MPs and the government. We want this to be impactful on a national level.
Rural and coastal families shouldn't have to accept less safe care because of where they live. Closing a unit is a choice, and so is funding one properly. We want this film to make that choice impossible to ignore.

How we'll use the money

Every penny raised will go into making and sharing the film:

• Paying Sam fairly for filming, editing and sound: £3000
• Screenings in North Devon and getting the film in front of decision-makers: £500

Our target is £3600 so we have a bit extra to cover fees. Anything raised above that will go to additional campaign materials, if needed, but we’ll prioritise using it to support local families if we can. We'll post updates as we go and we’ll publish a full breakdown of how every pound was spent.

Maternity matters: rural maternity, coastal maternity, all maternity.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 18th December 2026 at 11:17pm