First ever regional awards celebrate excellence in infant feeding support
Winners of the inaugural Yorkshire and Humber Infant Feeding Awards were announced at a special ceremony at York St John University on Wednesday 15 January. The awards celebrated the impact of individuals and organisations across the region who play a pivotal role in providing families with infant feeding support.
Hull’s St Stephen’s Shopping Centre scoops prize for being most infant feeding friendly public place, offering private spaces, comfortable seating in food courts and dedicated areas for public health promotion campaigns. Hull City Council was also awarded for the creation of Breastfeeding Hubs and the Hull Milk Trail where parents can easily identify breastfeeding-friendly spots around town.
Leeds City Council was named the region’s most breastfeeding-friendly employer for its infant feeding policy, which includes paid time for staff to breastfeed or express milk, alongside all Council buildings being breastfeeding-friendly with designated spaces for expressing and storing milk. York St John University was awarded as the region’s most breastfeeding friendly university for their support to families returning to work, flexible working to allow the continuation of breastfeeding, paid breaks for staff to breastfeed or express milk, and dedicated areas on campus which welcome children and breastfeeding.
Health professionals, charities and advocates working alongside mothers and families in Barnsley and Huddersfield were crowned winners for providing outstanding support. Mothers who overcame significant medical or social challenges, who then went on to successfully breastfeed their child, were also recognised in a special category.
The awards evolved from a pioneering project aimed at improving infant feeding support. The Yorkshire and Humber Infant Feeding Project was founded by Dr Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi, Associate Dean at York Business School, York St John University. Working with health professionals, local authorities, regional charities, and academic researchers, the project aims to understand the barriers that exist around infant feeding and develop support to empower parents with knowledge and resources to positively impact the physical and emotional wellbeing of children. Whether the mother is breastfeeding, formula feeding or a combination of both, education and physical support is critical.
Dr Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi has conducted research and written extensively on shared parental leave, zero hours contracts, support for breastfeeding employees in the workplace, and the impact on infant feeding when parents return to work. Her current research focuses on men transitioning into fatherhood and the impact this can have on their mental health.
Commenting on the importance of normalising discussions around infant feeding and the impact of the awards, Ernestine said:
“For a long time, infant feeding has been regarded as a mother’s problem. However, the success of infant feeding goes beyond the mother’s input and extends to stakeholders such as health professionals, employers, businesses, government, academics, and society at large.
“Infant feeding is a topic that is not often discussed freely and mothers and health professionals working in this space are often left feeling alone. This event has shone a spotlight on infant feeding, normalising conversations on the topic and demonstrating the impact diverse stakeholders have in this area while celebrating people who have gone above and beyond to support mothers.”
Dr Tim Hughes, President of York Medical Society for 2024/25, added:
“Despite the clear benefits, many mothers face challenges in initiating and maintaining breastfeeding. A lack of guidance, societal pressures, and limited workplace accommodations often result in mothers stopping earlier than intended. Addressing these barriers through community support groups, educational programmes, and workplace policies can significantly improve breastfeeding rates across the UK. Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to give children the healthiest start in life. We are delighted to support this project and the awards to raise awareness, offer practical support, and create environments where mothers feel empowered to breastfeed.”
Individuals and representatives from organisations across the region attended the sellout event to congratulate winners across 10 categories.
Excellence in Infant Feeding Education
Winner: Sara Balmforth, Midwife at Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, Huddersfield
Shortlisted:
Goodwin Doula and Breastfeeding Peer Support Project (BFPS)
Anne Amott (Infant Feeding Team Leader, Barnsley 0-19 Public Health Nursing Service)
Sarah Beardsall (Infant Feeding Coordinator, Barnsley Hospital Maternity Services)
Sara Balmforth (Midwife at Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, Huddersfield)
Most Sustainable Infant Feeding Local Council
Winner: Hull City Council
Shortlisted:
East Riding of Yorkshire Council
Sheffield City Council
Hull City Council
Infant Feeding Friendly Public Place
Winner: St Stephen’s Shopping Centre, Hull
Shortlisted:
White Rose Shopping Centre, Leeds
Trinity Shopping Centre, Leeds
St Stephen’s Shopping Centre, Hull
Excellence in Breastfeeding Support
Winner: Robyn Clark (Barnsley)
Shortlisted:
Treasure Chest York
Hull 0-19 Service
Robyn Clarke (Barnsley)
Outstanding Breastfeeding Advocate
Winner: Natasha Day MBE
Shortlisted:
Goodwin Doula and BFPS project
Natasha Day MBE
Anne Hemsley
Breastfeeding Friendly Employer
Winner: Leeds City Council
Shortlisted:
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Leeds City Council
Ministry of Defence
Breastfeeding Friendly University
Winner: York St John University
Shortlisted:
University of Hull
University of York
York St John University
Community Breastfeeding Champion
Winner: Infant Feeding Team, Barnsley Council
Shortlisted:
Infant Feeding Team, Barnsley Council
Leeds Bosom Buddies
Goodwin Breastfeeding Peer Support Project
Leeds Maternity Infant Feeding team
Breastfeeding in Adversity
Winners:
Helena Ramsden
Louise Prashad
Beth Brennan
Rochelle Millar
Alice Thatcher
Infant Feeding Research Award – sponsored by the Institute for Health and Care Improvement at York St John University
Winner: Barnsley Council’s Children’s Public Health Team and 0-19 Public Health
Find out more about the Yorkshire and Humber Infant Feeding Project and the 2025 Infant Feeding Awards on the event webpage.
Read about the family-friendly support and policies offered at York St John University.