Renewing Roots

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Renewing Roots Fréa Renewing Roots offers free, confidential support to former residents of Ireland's Mother and Baby and County Home institutions.

Our trauma-informed, person-centred service operates across the north of England.

If you believe you may have participated in a trial while resident in a Mother and Baby Home, you can request access to ...
30/09/2026

If you believe you may have participated in a trial while resident in a Mother and Baby Home, you can request access to any personal data held about you by contacting:

[email protected]

Before making a request, please visit:
https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/locations/ireland/gsk-mother-and-baby-home-information-service/

This page provides further information about the trials, as well as details of the information required to process a Subject Access Request.

If you need free, confidential advice about applying for records, or support relating to Ireland’s institutions, please visit our website for contact details and information on how we can help.

23/09/2026

A powerful and important conversation from Siobhán McSweeney on Friday night’s Late Late Show, speaking about Bessborough Mother and Baby Home and the experiences of women and children within Ireland’s institutions.

We’re resharing Siobhán’s interview because conversations like this help ensure that the experiences of survivors remain visible, heard and part of the wider public conversation.

At Fréa Renewing Roots, we support survivors and former residents of Ireland’s institutions, and their families, living across the North of England.

If you believe you may have been a participant in a trial, you can request access to any personal data held about you by...
22/09/2026

If you believe you may have been a participant in a trial, you can request access to any personal data held about you by contacting:

[email protected]

Before submitting a request, please visit GSK’s Mother and Baby Home Information Service for further information about the trials and details of the information required to process your request:

https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/locations/ireland/gsk-mother-and-baby-home-information-service/

If you need support, Fréa Renewing Roots provides free and confidential advice on accessing and applying for records, as well as wider support relating to Ireland’s institutions.

Please visit our website for contact details and further information.

🎙️ Listen to the Special Advocate PodcastWe’re continuing to highlight the important work of the Special Advocate and th...
18/09/2026

🎙️ Listen to the Special Advocate Podcast

We’re continuing to highlight the important work of the Special Advocate and the voices and experiences of survivors.

In this episode, Katie’s Voice, part of the Voices of Courage podcast, listeners are invited to hear another powerful story and learn more about the experiences of those affected by Ireland’s institutional past.

At Fréa Renewing Roots, we believe survivor voices must remain at the heart of these conversations, ensuring experiences are heard, acknowledged and never forgotten.

🎧 Listen to the episode on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1A0LzF2SCAmBc65StAc8Qc

For information and support around Ireland’s institutional legacy and redress schemes, you can also contact the Renewing Roots team.

17/09/2026

Ciaran explains the Magdalene Laundry Payment Scheme and who may be eligible to apply.

The scheme remains open, with no closing date, and support is available for survivors living in England who may be entitled to make a claim.

Through Fréa Renewing Roots, we can support you through the process, help you understand whether you may be eligible and assist you with completing your application.

If you think this could apply to you or someone in your family, please contact Renewing Roots for confidential support and more information.

For this week’s Renewing Roots vaccine trials information post, we’re looking at the Wellcome diphtheria, tetanus and pe...
15/09/2026

For this week’s Renewing Roots vaccine trials information post, we’re looking at the Wellcome diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) trial carried out in 1973.

Records show that the trial involved 30 participants across a number of institutions in Dublin, including Pelletstown/St Patrick’s, Madonna House Blackrock, Cottage Home Dún Laoghaire and Ms Smyly’s Bird’s Nest Home. One further institution could not be identified from the available records.

Vaccine and milk formula trials took place in a number of institutions in Ireland. If you believe you may have been involved in one of these trials, or would like further information, support and guidance are available through Fréa Renewing Roots.

You can find out more using the link in the description.

10/09/2026

Welcome to Fréa Renewing Roots’ 60 second video series, outlining eligibility and how to apply for the different support schemes introduced by the Irish Government for survivors of some of Ireland’s institutions.

This week’s video focuses on applying for the Support for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse (Informal Education Support) Scheme.

The scheme provides support towards education and learning opportunities for eligible survivors.

You can download an application form using the link provided:

https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/publications/supports-for-survivors-of-residential-institutional-abuse/

If you would like support completing an application, the Fréa Renewing Roots team is here to help. Visit our website for further information and contact details:

https://frea.org.uk/about-renewing-roots

🎙️ Voices of Courage: Jude’s Voice“Imagine you’re going through life.You have no full identity.And you can’t explain who...
09/09/2026

🎙️ Voices of Courage: Jude’s Voice

“Imagine you’re going through life.
You have no full identity.
And you can’t explain who you are.
Only the misinformation you have.
And you can’t confirm it or anything.

And you can imagine the thousands that went through life like that. Never finding out who their mother or father were.”

In this episode of Voices of Courage, we hear from Jude Hughes, a Dubliner, master tailor, anti racism pioneer and survivor of Ireland’s institutional system.

Born in a mother and baby home, Jude spent time in five institutions. He went on to build a remarkable life through sport, music and community activism, alongside decades of campaigning for equality.

This is a powerful conversation about identity, belonging and the lasting impact of Ireland’s institutional system, told through the experiences of one extraordinary man.

🎧 Listen to Jude’s episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Q1oLJIAltrWniTvwk5bmD?si=drnnuxV7QayRzMIbYmRTRg&utm_source=copy-link

SurvivorVoice

📢 Do you believe you may have been involved in a trial while in an Irish Mother and Baby Home?You can request access to ...
08/09/2026

📢 Do you believe you may have been involved in a trial while in an Irish Mother and Baby Home?

You can request access to any personal data that may be held about your participation by contacting:

📧 [email protected]

Before making a request, GSK advises reading its Mother and Baby Home Information Service guidance, which provides further information about the trials and the details needed to process a request:

🔗 https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/locations/ireland/gsk-mother-and-baby-home-information-service/

If you need help applying for records, or would like free and confidential support relating to Ireland’s institutions, the Fréa Renewing Roots team is here to help.

🔗 https://frea.org.uk/contact-renewing-roots

Please share this information with anyone who may find it helpful.

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Liverpool

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