Walsall will mark World Breastfeeding Week with a programme of free events and drop-ins aimed at parents, carers and expectant families. The activity runs across the town from 1 to 7 August, bringing health professionals, peer supporters and local services together to promote breastfeeding and signpost help available.
What the week aims to do
The campaign this year uses the theme:
“Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works.”
Locally, the borough’s Infant Feeding Team is coordinating events with midwives, health visitors, Walsall Council Family Hubs and maternity colleagues so families can find practical assistance and information in easy-to-reach community settings.
Events and where to go
Key sessions during the week include opportunities for face-to-face advice, social drop-ins and a public launch of a new facility in the town centre. The following is a summary of the planned activity:
- Monday 3 August – Tea and cake trolley education across maternity services at Walsall Manor Hospital; an inpatient coffee morning is scheduled on Ward 25 between 10:00–12:00.
- Tuesday 4 August – BabyFest at Walsall New Art Gallery (Gallery Square), 11:00–13:00. Families can meet a community midwife and take part in baby sensory sessions, crafts and baby massage. Multiple services will be represented in one space.
- Wednesday 5 August – Official opening of the new Infant Feeding Room at the Saddlers Centre, 10:00–11:00.
- Thursday 6 August – Infant Feeding Team stall in the Antenatal Clinic atrium, 10:00–14:00, featuring a cake sale, information and a raffle to support local maternity improvements.
- Friday 7 August – Cake and a Chat at North Family Hub (275 Blakenall Lane, WS3 1HJ) with the Walsall Breastfeeding Peer Support Group, 11:00–12:30.
Who will be there
Visitors can expect to meet a range of professionals and voluntary groups during the week, including:
- Walsall Healthcare Infant Feeding Team
- Community Midwives and Health Visitors
- Breastfeeding peer supporters
- Speech and language therapists
- Child car seat safety advisers
- Representatives from local counselling services
| Day | Activity | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug (Mon) | Hospital tea & inpatient coffee morning | 10:00–12:00 |
| 4 Aug (Tue) | BabyFest at New Art Gallery | 11:00–13:00 |
| 5 Aug (Wed) | Launch: Infant Feeding Room, Saddlers Centre | 10:00–11:00 |
| 6 Aug (Thu) | Stall in Antenatal Clinic atrium | 10:00–14:00 |
| 7 Aug (Fri) | Cake and a Chat at North Family Hub | 11:00–12:30 |
Practical information for families
Sessions are free to attend. For Tuesday’s BabyFest, families may book places through the Walsall Family Hubs website in advance, though the event will also accept walk-ins. The Thursday stall will raise funds via a cake sale, raffle and lucky dip, with proceeds going to a local maternity charity which supports service improvements.
This initiative is designed to make advice and peer support easier to access, whether parents are preparing for a new baby, encountering early feeding challenges, or seeking a friendly local space to meet others. The range of partners taking part reflects an approach that blends clinical help with community-based support.
For up-to-date details and any last-minute changes, families should check Walsall Healthcare or Walsall Family Hubs online channels before attending.
