Our Baby and Pregnancy Support Event at the Guildhall Shopping Centre
Supporting families through pregnancy and early parenthood has always been at the heart of what we do at Nurturing Maternity Support. That's why, on Saturday 16th May 2026, we were delighted to host our first-ever Baby and Pregnancy Support Event at the beautiful Guildhall Shopping Centre.
Bringing together local businesses, support services, and expectant and new parents under one roof, the event was designed to create a welcoming space where families could access information, discover local services, ask questions, and build connections within their community.
Looking back, it was a truly special day.
Why We Created the Event
Pregnancy and early parenthood can sometimes feel overwhelming. While there is a wealth of support available across Devon, many families don't always know where to find it.
The idea behind the Baby and Pregnancy Support Event was simple: bring together a range of trusted local services in one place, making it easier for families to discover the support available to them.
Whether visitors were expecting their first baby, adjusting to life with a newborn, or supporting a growing family, we wanted them to leave feeling informed, reassured, and connected.
A Fantastic Turnout
As this was our first event of its kind, we weren't sure what to expect. We were absolutely delighted when close to 100 expectant parents and new parents visited throughout the day.
Families spent time chatting to exhibitors, learning about local services, entering our raffle, collecting goody bags, and making valuable connections with professionals and other parents.
For a first event, the response exceeded our expectations and highlighted just how important these opportunities are for local families.
Showcasing Incredible Local Support
One of the highlights of the event was the range of fantastic local organisations and businesses that took part.
Visitors had the opportunity to meet and speak with exhibitors covering a wide variety of pregnancy, birth, baby, and family services, including:
Little Lens Photography
Inner Calm Birthing
Devon Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership
The Baby Room Exeter
Devon Aquanatal
Tibi Do Yoga
Clarity Ultrasound
Nurtured Soul
Home-Start Exeter East & Mid Devon
The diversity of support available was wonderful to see and demonstrated the strength of the local maternity and family support community.
The Importance of Community
One thing that became very clear throughout the day was how much parents value opportunities to talk.
Many visitors shared that they had come along expecting to browse the stalls for a few minutes but ended up staying much longer because they found the conversations so helpful.
Pregnancy and parenthood can sometimes feel isolating, particularly for first-time parents. Being able to speak face-to-face with professionals, ask questions without judgement, and connect with others on a similar journey can make a huge difference.
Events like this remind us that support isn't just about information — it's also about community.
The Raffle and Goody Bags
The event also featured a raffle packed with fantastic prizes generously donated by local businesses.
Prizes included:
A £50 Guildhall Shopping Centre voucher
A 4D scan experience
A Mini First Aid class
A Father's Day photography session
Yoga classes
Wellbeing vouchers
Weaning resources
Pregnancy and baby products
Visitors also enjoyed receiving goody bags filled with samples, information, and useful resources from a variety of family-focused brands and organisations.
The generosity of our exhibitors and supporters helped make the day feel extra special for attending families.
What the Event Meant to Me
As the founder of Nurturing Maternity Support, organising this event was incredibly rewarding.
Throughout my work delivering antenatal classes across Exeter and East Devon, I regularly meet parents who are looking for trusted local support but aren't always sure where to find it.
Seeing so many families leave with new connections, useful information, and greater confidence reinforced exactly why this event was needed.
The feedback received from both visitors and exhibitors was overwhelmingly positive, and many people asked whether we would be running another event in the future.
The answer is yes.
Looking Ahead
Following the success of our first Baby and Pregnancy Support Event, we're excited to be planning future events that continue to connect local families with local support.
Our aim is to create regular opportunities for parents to access trusted information, meet local professionals, and build relationships that support them throughout pregnancy and beyond.
Because preparing for a baby isn't just about birth — it's about building a network of support that helps families thrive long after their baby arrives.
Final Thoughts
The Baby and Pregnancy Support Event at the Guildhall Shopping Centre was a wonderful reminder of the power of community.
We are incredibly grateful to every exhibitor, volunteer, supporter, and family who attended and helped make the day such a success.
Together, we created a welcoming, supportive environment where parents could learn, connect, and feel reassured that they don't have to navigate pregnancy and parenthood alone.
We can't wait to do it again.
At Nurturing Maternity Support, we provide antenatal classes, birth preparation, and ongoing support for families across Exeter and East Devon. Our mission is to help parents feel informed, confident, and supported throughout pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood — and events like this are just one way we bring that mission to life.
