Two south Leeds mums who have been working independently of each other, are hatching plans to develop two new annual early years initiatives for Leeds.
Emma Tabor brings The Baby Show to Leeds, taking place at the Corn Exchange on Saturday 10 September 2016. And Lucy Potter brings Baby Week 12-16 September 2016. Both are helping to provide a platform for businesses and organisations in the maternity, children and families sector to join together and help inform families of the variety of groups and services available to them.
Little did the pair know a year ago when their embryonic ideas were just forming that both events would eventually sit side by side in the same week.
It was at a ‘Preparation for your baby’ event at Mothercare Crown Point in August that Lucy first met Emma;
“After booking my stall for the Baby Show to help promote Baby Week. I clocked her and we both realised we lived in the same part of the city, and working towards the same goal; to help inform families of the great services for them out there.”
Emma’s idea has two influences. First, from being a new mum and trying to find the ‘right’ groups out there for her and her baby in the local area. And second, to assist her new business ‘KAT’s Keepsake’s, specialising in making quilts and keepsake bears out of clothing parents have loved which their little one’s have grown out of.
With a bit of background experience in event planning she set about creating an event for others to exhibit their goods and services at a much less competitive price than other larger shows. Leeds Baby Show will see suppliers who are there to offer information and advice on health services, classes, keepsakes, clothing, photography and toys to name a few. It opens at 10am this Saturday (10 September 2016).
Lucy’s idea follows on from her research which she undertook as a Churchill fellow on her travels to Brazil in 2014. Keen to help promote the great voluntary and mainstream services for families, Baby Week aims to raise awareness in the critical growth stages of a babies mental and physical development.
Baby Week will launch on Monday 12 September 2016 at the Rose Bowl at Leeds Beckett University with a conference with speakers, delegates and stall holders. This will mainly be targeted toward professionals, and then host a whole week of exciting activities at various children centres for families including Two Willows children centre on Cardinal Square in Beeston – see website for full details.
It will conclude on Friday 16 September 2016 with a closing ceremony at the Civic Hall with Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, who will see it forward to another year. After which there will be a pram parade in Millennium Square with two fitness midwives from Bumps and Babes. Baby Week will be a vehicle to help promote the Best Start Plan which is a new targeted early intervention policy and part of the south & east clinical commissioning group, which has supported this event.
Leeds Baby Show opens this Saturday 10 September 2016 at the Corn Exchange, admission is free – and is open from 10am–5pm.
Baby Week opens on Monday 12 September and closes on Friday 16 September 2016, please see website to book onto the events.
Baby Week is taken from Semana do Bebe in Brazil which has helped reduce infant mortality and helped inform national policy over 17 years in maternity and children’s service supported by UNICEF. Baby Week Leeds which is the translation, will be the first English speaking country in the world to replicate the model – supported by South & East Clinical Commissioning Group, Leeds Beckett University and Child Friendly Leeds.
Emma (Baby Show) is organising a raffle for two charities; Bliss, which works to provide the best possible care and support for all premature and sick babies and their families. And Sands, which provides support for bereaved parents and their families whether they experience a neonatal loss, or stillbirth.
The closing date for the applications for the Winston Churchill fellowship ends September 2016. This is also the last year they are having the ‘Early Years’ Category.
Facebook – Leeds Baby Show
