I had worked at a head office for 12 years. I had been promoted a couple of times, I always received fantastic feedback at my anual reviews and was told I was a natural successor if my boss were to leave. I was selected to go on a managerial course, which I did and was soon promoted to manager. I was then told by two senior managers not to get pregnant – this was dressed up as a joke, but the fact of the matter is they meant it. Shortly after becoming a manager I fell pregnant (having already been trying for 18 months). I was supported and was made to feel very secure in my position at work. The first worries came when 3 of my replacements fell through, so the decision was made to cover my job within the team. I went on maternity leave, worried about the situation, but again reassured they were really keen to have me back and that I could come back in whatever capacity I wanted. Then one month before I was due to return to work, after 11 months mat leave, I received ‘the call’ to tell me my position was under threat of redundancy. I was to be pitted against other managers of the same level – but managers that had been in that position for years and were there to fight for their jobs. I didn’t stand a chance.