Well Women at crisis point, charity says

A critical maternal health service that has supported thousands of mothers across
Auckland and North Waikato is on the brink of shutting down.

Well Women Trust is a charity that has been providing free, life-saving peer support to women experiencing antenatal and postnatal distress since 2009.

The trust says it may be forced to significantly reduce or even suspend services during July and August unless urgent financial support is secured.

Well Women Trust needs to raise $100,000 within 100 days to keep services running.

Operations Lead at Well Women Trust, Karen Bowden, says this is a crisis.

“Our services are a lifeline for many women who are struggling with the transition to motherhood, postnatal anxiety or depression, or simply feeling overwhelmed. We walk alongside women in their toughest moments, and without our support, many would simply go without any help at all.”

After 15 years of helping women through one of life’s most vulnerable stages, the trust can no longer rely on grant funding to sustain its vital work.

“While short-term funding is expected to arrive in late August or early September, the gap in July and August puts essential services, including peer support groups, home visits, and 24/7 crisis response, in immediate jeopardy.”

With demand for services soaring, the charity is calling on funders, businesses, and everyday New Zealanders to step up before it’s too late.

In 2024 alone:

• 1,754 mothers attended peer support workshops.
• 197 individual women attended 228 groups.
• 627 children were cared for during daytime sessions.
• 263 home visits were made to mothers, including those experiencing trauma, PTSD, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.
• A 42 percent spike in referrals was recorded.
• Hundreds of calls and texts were handled through the 24/7 support line, including many for women in crisis.

In Term 1 of 2025, demand surged with 117 women accessing Well Women services, with referrals continuing to rise.

“We are being overwhelmed by need and underfunded to meet it,” Bowden said.

According to the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, as many as one in five mothers will experience postnatal depression, a statistic that underscores the demand for specialist, community-based support services.

Well Women Trust fills a vital gap in the health system, providing community-based care often to women unable to access mainstream services.

Well Women continues to support other social services working with vulnerable children.

However, recent Ministry of Social Development (MSD) funding cuts to a range of community services, combined with the government’s shift toward a social investment model, are placing increasing strain on charities, Bowden said.

These cuts have reduced the capacity of frontline services, leaving organisations like Well Women to shoulder greater responsibility with fewer resources, all while demand for support continues to grow.

Well Women Trust is calling on anyone who cares about women, mental health, babies, families, and their collective future to stand with them.

• Donate now at www.wellwomen.org.nz/support-us.
• Partner for long-term sustainability.
• Share your story and advocate for better maternal health funding.