Health and wellbeing
Flu Fairies support informed choices on vaccinations in pregnancy
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Over 1,000 interactions have taken place since September 2025 with pregnant women and their families as part of a project to promote vaccinations during pregnancy.
Flu Fairies, a project supported by Walsall Council in partnership with Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, offers creative, friendly and informative support to help pregnant women make informed choices about the RSV, flu and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccines.
The Flu Fairies sessions are held in the antenatal clinic (ANC) at Walsall Manor Hospital, giving women and their families the chance to have relaxed and informal conversations with the team, while making a fairy to photograph in a diorama and take home. To date, the project has supported the creation of more than 700 fairies through these interactions.
Information about vaccinations in pregnancy is shared in multiple languages, helping to ensure that women and families for whom English is an additional language can access clear, accurate and culturally sensitive guidance.
Women who have taken part have praised the project for making vaccination information accessible, reassuring and easy to understand. Feedback highlights how clearly the team explained the benefits of vaccination, helping families feel confident in their decisions and encouraging uptake. Many parents described the experience as straightforward and empowering, with several saying it helped them choose vaccination to protect themselves and their babies.
“ Projects like Flu Fairies help make conversations about vaccination in pregnancy clearer, more supportive and more accessible, giving women confidence in the decisions they make to protect themselves and their babies during pregnancy and beyond. The project also offers a safe, welcoming space where women can ask questions and share any concerns.
If you are pregnant, getting vaccinated reduces the risk of you and your baby becoming unwell. RSV, flu and pertussis vaccinations are available and free on the NHS. If you have any questions about vaccinations, speak to your GP or midwife. “
“ The antenatal clinic (ANC) waiting room at the Manor Hospital provides an ideal location for us to talk and listen to pregnant women and their families’ views on the vaccinations offered during pregnancy.
The most common reason pregnant women shared for choosing to vaccinate was wanting to protect their baby. They talked about following medical advice, as well as the influence of partners, families and friends. Many told us how their personal experience of a baby or child having bronchiolitis caused by RSV, and how poorly they had been, motivated them to take up the offer of the RSV vaccination.
As fairies and arts workers, we’re there to support the fantastic work being done at the ANC and out in the community. We’d like to thank all the staff at the Manor Hospital for their warm welcome, help and guidance in what is now the 12th year of this project. “
Flu is a viral infection that can cause fever, aches and pains, headaches and extreme tiredness. Pregnant women have a higher chance of developing serious complications of flu, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy, including pneumonia and even death. The flu vaccination is strongly recommended for pregnant women each year, which helps to protect the baby from serious illness and can be given at any stage in pregnancy.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common virus that usually causes mild cold-like symptoms but can lead to serious lung infections like bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants and older adults. Women who are 28 weeks pregnant or more are eligible for the RSV vaccine to help protect their newborns from severe illness.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is an infection of the lungs and airways. It can be life-threatening for babies and children, and anyone who is between 16 and 32 weeks pregnant is strongly recommended to get vaccinated against it.
To learn more about vaccinations in pregnancy visit the NHS website: Vaccinations in pregnancy - NHS.
