Local Branch Meeting

We've found that it helps for parents to talk to others who are in a similar situation and are able to share their experiences. That's why we organise meetings all over the country. Our members can talk to and support each other directly, share their experiences and provide help. You may be looking for others to talk to, or need help of specific sorts - this is especially useful if you are going through a court process, as many of our members choose to represent themselves with the support of other FNF members.

Meetings are organised and run by FNF members who are volunteers. Meetings vary in size, frequency and nature. Some branches may invite non FNF members to participate and offer advice, such as representatives of organisations like CAFCASS or even solicitors who will offer their time free of charge. Meetings can also be partly social occasions where you can talk about issues that you may not be able to at other times.

Please note that our meetings are open to all parents - and if you are a grandparent, aunt, uncle, family friend who would like to attend on behalf of your son, daughter, sibling etc. then we will make you very welcome.

Equally, if you are visiting a meeting and would like a parent, brother, sister or friend to accompany you, they are also welcome to attend.

You are not obliged to be a member if you come along to a meeting, but if you feel you would like to come more often, we hope you will join and become a member and help us to continue to support you and so many others in the future.

If there aren't meetings already in your area, you may wish to consider starting one up. If you would like to find out more, please contact admin@fnf.org.uk

To find out about the other services available to you as a member, see Join Us

Below is our FNF GOOGLE MAP which shows meeting locations, times, contact details and additional information about speakers etc.

For details of branches in Wales, please see the FNF BPM Cymru website.

View FNF Google Map on a larger scale.

Branch Meeting List

England and Northern Ireland

If solicitors or McKenzie Friends attend our meetings, their presence should not be taken as an endorsement or recommendation of their services by FNF.

Any support or guidance provided to visitors at our meetings is for them to consider and evaluate for themselves, whether provided by professionals or others at the meeting.

Confidentiality - Family Court proceedings are subject to tough legal restrictions by the court - For more details see Practice Direction 12G.

All meetings take place under the Chatham House Rule. This states:
When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.

Listings followed by ' * ' are branches; these groups have a formal committee and constitution. Those without ' * ' are meetings with no formal committee or constitution. Branches and meetings both offer support and guidance to parents, grandparents and wider family. All are welcome!

We wish we had more branches to offer you, but please only contact branches nearest you as our branch volunteers are unable to cover all parts of the country.
Please do not call our branches to ask for help. You should contact our Helpline for help, or visit our branch on the published meetings date.  Branch officers are volunteers and cannot provide help over the phone. 
Thank you for understanding.

Occasionally events can result in a meeting being cancelled without us being informed in time. So we do recommend that you check with a branch or group beforehand that a meeting is taking place.

We appreciate your feedback. Let us know what you experienced at our Branch meetings - whether good or bad, we'd like to know!     admin@fnf.org.uk

Scotland

Wales

For details of branches in Wales, please see the FNF BPM Cymru website, or call 08456 004446.

Please note that sometimes local meetings scheduled for bank holidays will not take place or be postponed to another date due to closures of premises, etc. Many meetings do not take place in July and August.

Those intending to visit meetings at such times should call the contact number(s) listed for the individual branch before travelling.

Important - The FNF Branch Officers organising FNF meetings cannot charge for support or advice given at the meeting and on the meeting premises. However there may be solicitors and/or McKenzie Friends present who may wish to provide visitors with services outside the meeting. The organiser has the responsibility to ensure that no business is solicited by anyone during meetings. FNF does not recommend the services of such providers who may be present although we maintain a McKenzie Friends Listing. who have undertaken to abide by the FNF McKenzie Friend Charter Please note that any such providers provide their services entirely independently of FNF and it is the responsibility of any prospective service user to ensure that the provider has the qualifications and experience necessary to meet their needs. Providers should always provide users with full service and fee information before entering into any commitments to provide services. FNF generally advises against paying in advance for any services.