A Pathway to Parenthood: Welcoming the first Centrica baby

When husband and wife Cherridan and Dafydd first heard about Centrica's Pathway to Parenthood programme, they saw it as a rare chance to access expert healthcare and financial support through their employer - and it’s a decision that changed their lives. 

Based in Cardiff, the couple have been part of Centrica for more than 12 years. Meeting through the business nearly 11 years ago, both have built successful careers while navigating the challenges of growing their family with complex medical needs. 

A chance to build a family

After six years of trying to conceive and already being parents to a nine-year-old, the couple faced a difficult fertility journey. Cherridan’s struggle with unexplained pain eventually led to a diagnosis of endometriosis - identified through the private healthcare benefit she was able to access via Centrica’s Pathway to Parenthood programme, after years of waiting for NHS treatment. Through the programme, the couple also received specialist surgery and IVF funding, giving them renewed hope and the chance to continue their family journey. Earlier this year, that hope became reality when they welcomed their second child. 

“The support from Centrica was unbelievable - it removed the stress of finances and gave us peace of mind during what was a tough and emotional time,” says Cherridan. “We felt really cared for, like the business was behind us every step of the way.”

Financial assistance meant Cherridan could focus on her health without the worry of mounting costs. The couple were among the first to benefit from the programme, describing the process as smooth, straightforward, and genuinely life-changing.

“Having access to the best care made all the difference. The Pathway to Parenthood gave us the freedom to try again after a failed transfer, and hope when we needed it most,” says Dafydd. “And now, with our new arrival, it feels like our family is finally complete.”

The Pathway to Parenthood

Centrica’s Pathway to Parenthood programme is recognised as one of the UK's most comprehensive. We offer colleagues financial support for fertility treatments - a £15,000 lifetime allowance per couple or single member, covering everything from the cost of egg/sperm storage to fertility treatment, surrogacy and adoption. This allows every single one of our colleagues the best chance to build the family they want, whatever that looks like, whilst removing some of the financial burden.

We also provide access to a wide choice of healthcare providers, and a dedicated team to guide our colleagues through every step of their journey, including:

➔ Private healthcare: offering a fully funded healthcare plan to all colleagues, helping cover fertility costs

➔ GP 24/7: providing round the clock GP access so everyone can speak to a doctor whenever they need it

➔ Flexible working: giving colleagues the choice to work from home and shift their core hours with the FlexFirst app to better cope with treatment

➔ Additional leave: up to 5 days helping to juggle work and IVF treatment

By integrating healthcare and wellbeing with workplace support, we are proud to empower employees like Cherridan and Dafydd to balance their careers and family life without compromise. The programme reflects our broader commitment to supporting working parents and building a truly inclusive workplace.