Do you organise or run a breastfeeding support group? Are you a volunteer or professional working to encourage breastfeeding? Baby cafés, Community clinics and community midwives can often make all the difference to new mums who have decided to breastfeed, but then find that it’s not as easy as it looks! After five years of supporting breastfeeding projects in the North West, MedEquip4Kids is launching our new Committed2Breastfeeding programme, to start in May 2009.
MedEquip4Kids has signed up to a global campaign initiated by UNICEF. The Baby Friendly Initiative is working to improve breastfeeding rates worldwide, and this campaign is supported by the World Health Organisation and the UK government, along with many of the Primary Care Trusts in our region. Its objective is to ensure that women are able to make an informed choice as to whether or not to breastfeed.
Our trustees are committed to supporting this campaign, and we are keen to seek out projects that help with this objective. We are now inviting applications from small, community based projects that promote breastfeeding.
Who can apply?
- Community Midwives
- Infant feeding co-ordinators
- Volunteer peer supporters
- Health Visitors
- Children’s Centres
Our current priority areas are the North West, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Staffordshire and Derbyshire. Applications from outside these areas will be considered.
Priority will be given to areas with low breastfeeding rates, or with specific groups that have greater need, such as Young Mums.
When:
Under £750.00
We accept applications for under £750 at any time and these are likely to be funded within six weeks.
Over £750.00
We accept applications for over £750.00 at any time, but it is likely to be up to three months before we can fund these projects.
NB If you are looking for funding for more than one group, please submit each one as a separate application.
Here are some examples of what can be funded through this programme:
- Meeting room costs
- Toys and books
- Information leaflets
- Breast pumps – manual or electric
- Slings
- Feeding cushions / chairs
- Tea / coffee
- Promotional materials
- Help with press and publicity
- Peer training costs
This list is not exhaustive, and anything that will help a group to become established, or to operate more effectively, will be considered.
Exclusions:
- We do not fund items to be donated to an individual. All items must remain the property of the group, PCT or Children’s Centre, although they can be loaned out short-term.
- We can’t pay salaries. We will consider training costs for volunteers, but not for paid staff.
- This programme does not fund projects on hospital wards, such as Breastfeeding rooms or Electric pumps for use on Neo Natal Units. MedEquip4Kids does welcome applications for these items through our normal application process. Click here for more information.
