In 2021, after hearing of a local mother’s negative experience when trying to breastfeed her baby at a high street store, I decided that action needed to be taken to change the perception of breastfeeding and baby-feeding in general. What can be an already stressful experience can be made more so with negative comments, being told to cover up or move, angry stares and at worst, open hostility to mothers who are trying to nurture their babies.

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I came up with the idea of initiative that would enable businesses to advertise that they were breast and bottle-feeding friendly, and ensure parents could find establishments that would support their right to feed their baby in a safe space. And so, Feeding-friendly Cheltenham came to be. I set up the scheme in conjunction with Cheltenham-based business, The Motherhood Society, which is run by Victoria Newman.

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Feeding-friendly Cheltenham exists to provide non-judgmental, welcoming spaces for parents to feed their babies in. As mentioned, the initiative is inclusive of both breast and bottle-feeding parents.

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As well as having the idea for the scheme, write much of the copy that details its key aspects, create articles explaining the premise of the initiative and actively seek out platforms for promotions.

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Myself and my co-founder, Victoria, from The Motherhood Society have been featured on BBC Radio Gloucestershire discussing the initiative, and I was also invited back on the show again to chat about it further along with my other work.

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Details of Feeding-friendly Cheltenham and our members can be found on The Motherhood Society website, which provides a truly fantastic platform for the project. We have a partnership with local what’s on guide, Cheltenham Rocks, which features an interactive map of the businesses that have signed up. John Lewis was one of the first members and is a great supporter of what we are trying to achieve.

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I continue to co-run Feeding-friendly Cheltenham in my spare time; writing articles, web copy, and raising awareness through social media and PR activities.

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To sign up or learn more, please get in touch.