Picnic events planned in Bridlington and Skipsea this Friday set to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week

Free events will take place from 11am on Friday, August 5 at North Side Beach, Bridlington and Mr Moo’s ice cream parlour in Skipsea.

The theme for this year is Step Up for Breastfeeding – Educate and Support and a number of events are being organised by East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s children’s centres, supported by integrated specialist public health nurses from Humber NHS Teaching Foundation Trust, to help provide help and support to those who are breastfeeding.

Councillor Victoria Aitken, portfolio holder for children and young people’s education, health and wellbeing at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The benefits of breastfeeding are well documented and can have long-term positive effects on babies.

“Being a new parent can bring some challenges and some mothers may find breastfeeding difficult so I’d encourage anyone who would like support to breastfeed to get in touch with the staff at the children’s centre who really can provide that help and support.

“I’d also encourage mothers, fathers, families and friends to attend the events on Friday. We’ve had a difficult two years with the COVID-19 pandemic and so this is an opportunity for new parents to meet up, share tips and advice and potentially make new friendship groups with people in similar situations.”

Debbie Jackson, infant feeding co-ordinator at Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust, said: “World Breastfeeding Week is a great opportunity to celebrate our local mothers who are giving their babies breastmilk, either directly from the breast or giving expressed.

“We know that this will improve the health of children in Hull and the East Riding both in the short and long term.

“Our ISPHN 0-19 team has recently expanded, which will help us to provide more opportunities to work within our local communities, strengthen collaborative working, share innovations and ideas, and ensure that local families continue to receive the best infant feeding advice and support possible.”

○ For more information about the events, or for advice and help on breastfeeding go to www.eastriding.gov.uk/living/children-and-families/childrens-centres