The Breastfeeding Welcome Here Awards aim to highlight Derbyshire venues which make their premises welcoming for breastfeeding families.
And now Wirksworth Town Hall has received its accreditation to become the 400th venue in Derbyshire to be signed up, joining others like cafes, libraries and GP surgeries.
Councillor Dawn Abbott, Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, said:
“We’re delighted that we have reached such a milestone in supporting families across Derbyshire.
“Breastfeeding has lots of positive impacts for the health of mums and their babies and it’s really important that families feel comfortable to feed their children while out and about.
“Creating a welcoming space for them can help reduce feelings of loneliness, improve mental health, reduce stigma and help mums on their breastfeeding journey, which as we know isn’t always easy.”
To be eligible for the free accreditation venues should:
- provide a comfortable place for people to breastfeed – it doesn't need to be a separate room, but it should never be a toilet
- treat customers who are breastfeeding the same way you would any other patron
- ensure all staff are aware of the law that protects breastfeeding and know how to deal with any comments from other customers.
- consider developing a breastfeeding policy for their business or venue
Sue Gratton, Deputy Town Clerk at Wirksworth Town Council said:
“We are proud to announce that Wirksworth Town Hall has become the 400th breastfeeding friendly venue in Derbyshire and have recently added our Memorial Hall too.
“This reflects our commitment to ensuring families feel welcome, supported, and comfortable when feeding their children within our facilities. We are delighted to be part of this positive initiative for our community and would encourage all local businesses and community venues to do the same.”
Councillor Abbott added:
“Having a breastfeeding friendly venue can help families to feel confident to breastfeed in public.
“This is not only good for families, but great for your venue as well so I’d encourage others to join the scheme.”
The scheme is free to join and businesses or organisations can sign up by filling in a simple accreditation checklist. Venues that qualify to take part in the award receive a 'Breastfeeding Welcome Here' certificate and sticker to display on their premises.
Find more information or sign up to the scheme.