SALLY Bunkham was going through a tough period in her life.

The joy of her first child being born soon changed to despair when she suffered severe post-natal depression and she was self harming.

It was 11 months after the arrival of her second baby in 2015 that her GP finally diagnosed her with post-natal depression (PND).

That proved a turning point and now she set up her own company devoted to new mothers.

Now the founder of mumsback.com in Brighton has been recognised by British businesswoman Jacqueline Gold for her success as a female entrepreneur, and awarded with a prestigious #WOW badge.

Sally was one of three winners selected by Jacqueline after she entered Women On Wednesday – a competition she launched in 2011 to celebrate the growing number of UK female entrepreneurs and businesswomen.

Women On Wednesday takes place every week and is run through Jacqueline’s Twitter page.

When selecting the winners, Jacqueline looks for businesses that are interesting, have strong brand values and that she thinks have potential to grow and succeed in their industry.

Sally said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have been recognised in this way. It is very exciting, both for me personally and the business.”

She founded mumsback.com a year ago when she realised there weren’t enough new mum gifts on the market that focussed on the mother and not the baby.

Mum’s Back provides luxury hamper gifts with all the things women have been denied in pregnancy such as wine, prosecco, gin, pate and cheese.

The company also has a strong social aim following Sally’s bleak experience of post-natal depression after the birth of her second baby.

Some £1 from every hamper sold goes to perinatal mental health charity Pandas Foundation and Sally raises as much awareness of PND as she can via blogs, interviews, articles and TV appearances.

Jacqueline Gold said: “Mums Back is a wonderful concept, treating new mums with some delights that they will have missed during the magical but sometimes restrictive months of pregnancy.

“It is a creative and thoughtful way to celebrate new mums after the amazing journey they have been on while carrying their baby.

“Being a mother myself, I think this is an original concept and am impressed by the variation of products that are included in the gift hampers.

“On top of this, the fact that Mums Back donate £1 from every purchase to The Pandas Foundation, a charity that supports perinatal mental health, is admirable.

“For me, #WOW is all about inspiring and celebrating female entrepreneurs.

“My vision is for women in the UK to come together, celebrate their strengths, skills and fantastic businesses, and do all that they can to inspire other women to realise their potential.”

For more information about Mum’s Back visit www.mumsback.com