When it comes to great nutrition, breastmilk certainly takes some beating, which is why the Melton Breast Friends group will be taking an active part in this year’s Melton Food Festival, providing a welcoming space where mums (whether breast or bottle feeding) can come and feed their babies in comfort.  The festival showcases the best food and drink from all over the East Midlands and takes place on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 October at the Cattlemarket in the centre of Melton Mowbray.

While browsing the 200+ stalls, families are welcome to pop along to the Melton Breast Friends area to feed their little ones. A high chair, changing facilities and toys will also be available. Parents will also be able to find out about the work of the group, which runs a popular weekly drop-in breastfeeding café every Thursday from 12 – 1.30pm at The Cove Children’s Centre on Sysonby Street.

Melton Breast Friends is run by volunteer breastfeeding peer supporters, who have undergone an intensive 12- week training programme with Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT)’s public health nurses. The peer supporters are on hand at every session to talk to mums about any difficulties they are experiencing with feeding their babies, and to make them a hot drink which they can actually take time to enjoy! All of the volunteer peer supporters are mums who themselves have breastfed their babies for extended periods. The breastfeeding café is held at the Children’s Centre, which provides a relaxed space with toys to keep older siblings busy. Melton Breast Friends also has a welcoming community on Facebook and a dedicated phone number: 07825 114014

Further support and advice with all aspects of infant feeding can be found on LPT’s website, Health for Under 5s (www.healthforunder5s.co.uk). And, if you can’t make the food festival, the group will also have a stand at this year’s Victorian Christmas Fayre, which runs from Friday 30 November until Sunday 2 December in the centre of Melton.

ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) provides community health, mental health andlearning disabilities services for the one million people living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. We have a budget in excess of £275 million and employ approximately 5,500 staff.
For more information visit: www.leicspart.nhs.uk. Our registered charity is called Raising Health (charity number 1057361). The charity fundraises to support excellent care initiatives, equipment and innovations which go above and beyond core NHS provision to enhance the experience of our patients, service users and staff. See www.raisinghealth.org.uk
Parents and carers can find trusted information and advice about a range of subjects, including infant feeding, on LPT’s Health for Under 5s website (www.healthforunder5s.co.uk). All the content has been written by health professionals. LPT also has a confidential text messaging service, ChatHealth, which parents can use to contact a public health nurse. The service is available from 9am-5pm Monday – Friday, and texts are responded to within 24 hours. In Leicester text 07520 615381 and in Leicestershire/Rutland text 07520 615382.
Follow Health for Under 5s on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @HealthforU5s
Melton Breast Friends can be found on Facebook at Melton Breastfeeding (www.facebook.com/groups/101502523228082/)
Melton Food Festival is organised by the Melton Mowbray Food Partnership. More information can be found at www.goleicestershire.com/events/east-midlands-foodfestival.aspx
For further information contact: Rosie Huckle, Communications Manager for Families, Young People and Children’s Services, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Tel: 0116 295 0802, Email: rosie.huckle@leicspart.nhs.uk