August 08, 2025 - 589 views
Three more areas in North Wales, Rhyl, Holywell, and Llangefni, have been named Breastfeeding Welcome Communities for their strong support for breastfeeding.
These locations have peer and mutual support networks, community groups led by health visitors, and business support for breastfeeding.
The initiative aims to create a positive atmosphere for breastfeeding in public spaces. This comes during World Breastfeeding Week promoting the benefits of breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding has many long-lasting health and wellbeing benefits for mothers and their babies. It protects against common infections, and helps to reduce the risk of some serious illnesses.
Betsi Cadwaladr Executive Director of Public Health Dr Jane Moore said: “It’s so encouraging to see such strong support for breastfeeding in the community across North Wales, and particularly in our new Breastfeeding Welcome Communities in Rhyl, Holywell and Llangefni.
“Our health visitors, infant feeding specialists and peer supporters offer lots of help for families in all areas of North Wales – and it’s really heartening and important to see this initiative is getting such consistent support from the business community too.
“Venues which are part of the Breastfeeding Welcomed scheme are directly supporting the health and wellbeing of our next generation of young people, and share our commitment to making it as easy and comfortable as possible for mums and babies to feed while they are out and about.”
The right to breastfeed in public places is protected by law under the Equality Act 2010. Our Breastfeeding Welcome scheme is designed to offer greater support and reassurance for families, and help mothers and babies continue breastfeeding while out and about.
All locations displaying the logo have signed up to our Breastfeeding Welcome policy, which encourages businesses and organisations to help breastfeeding mothers feel comfortable and train staff to increase their awareness of breastfeeding and its benefits. More than 450 businesses across North Wales are now members of the scheme.
The programme, first developed here in North Wales, is now being explored and adopted in other areas of Wales and has already been launched by our colleagues in Powys.
