Baby Week Bradford returns!
26 October 2021
Baby Week Bradford returned for its fourth year on 15-21 November 2021. This year’s celebration of all things ‘baby’ challenged everyone to think about why Bradford babies are everyone’s business.
The week featured a range of exciting, high-quality events and activities for families, the health and social care workforce, the early years workforce, volunteers, and policy and decision makers alike.
Celebrations kicked off with a launch on Monday 15 November at the The Great Victoria Hotel (Corniche Suite), Bridge Street, Bradford, BD1 1JX to set the scene for Baby Week Bradford 2021. This was followed by a morning of music for families with babies and young children, courtesy of Live Music Now .
With the continuing challenges brought by COVID-19, there were special opportunities for health, social care and early years staff to re-charge their batteries and boost wellbeing. In a special partnership with Writewell and the The Reading Agency , Ready Steady Flow on Tuesday 16 November explored how both reading and writing in a pandemic provided real solutions for stress and anxiety and improve relaxation.
In its fourth year, Baby Week Bradford teamed up with its northern counterparts, Baby Week Cheshire and Merseyside and Baby Week Leeds to incorporate additional events including an online celebration of Maternity Support Workers and Systems in Crisis, which explored the impact of the pandemic on maternity services
The week ended with an open event at Kala Sangham on Friday 19 November, focusing on how we give every child the opportunity to flourish, and how ‘men behaving daddly’ make a difference to their children’s lives. There was also a stress-busting vocal warm up and performance from an high-octane vocal ensemble led by Craig Anthony Lees, winner of BBC’s Pitch Battle.
Kerry Bennett, Integration and Change Manager at Better Start Bradford, said:
The early years of a child’s life, beginning before birth, are so crucial for their development and therefore their future health and happiness. With this in mind, the main aim of this year’s Baby Week Bradford is to explore just why babies are so important and should be at the centre of everyone’s thinking. We can't wait to get the conversation started!
Cllr Sue Duffy, Labour Councillor for Thornton, Allerton and Sandylane, said:
It’s fantastic that Baby Week Bradford is in its fourth year, there’s so many events and activities for both families and professionals. I wish the week a huge success and encourage everyone with an interest in caring for babies and young children to take a look at the varied programme of activities. It’s a great opportunity to find out about the services and latest early years work happening across our district, and wider in the country, and take part in many free online and in-person events throughout the week.
Better Start Bradford co-ordinates the week on behalf of the district, focusing on pregnancy and the first three years of children’s lives. Their message is simple: healthy, happy, resilient babies are more likely to become healthy, happy, resilient adults.
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Babies are amazing and are born ready for the world and really deserve to be celebrated. That’s why we dedicate a whole week to them here in Bradford with Baby Week Bradford.
