White Rose Shopping Centre marked the fourth Baby Week Leeds with a very special ceremony – the planting of one tree for every baby born in Leeds during Baby Week.
White Rose is working with Nurture Landscapes to plant the 187 trees on its South Leeds site in honour of Baby Week Leeds, the initiative launched with partners from all sectors including Leeds City Council, Child Friendly Leeds, and NHS Leeds.
Baby Week aims to raise awareness of early years services across Leeds, and also of the important growth stages both mentally and physically at a young age.
Deputy Executive Member for Children and Families at Leeds City Council, Councillor Salma Arif, who attended the landmark tree planting, said:
“It was fantastic to be at the White Rose Shopping Centre to help plant 187 new trees in recognition of the 187 babies that were born in Leeds during Baby Week. It is such a wonderful way to mark the births of our newest residents and something that will grow alongside them over the coming years.
“Since Baby Week was launched in the city back in 2016, the initiative, the aim of which is to raise awareness of a baby’s important growth and development both mentally and physically as well as celebrating services from across the sector, has gone from strength-to-strength. The programme of activities and events on offer this year was again tremendous and a great way in which to showcase to new parents what we have to offer in Leeds.”
White Rose prides itself on offering a family-friendly environment, with state-of-the-art family changing facilities developed alongside Child Friendly Leeds. The room has been designed with children and families in mind, and include a baby change area, showers, and curtained areas for those who would prefer to feed or breastfeed in private. The space also includes a Changing Places space to meet the need of those with profound and multiple learning or physical disabilities.
In 2018, White Rose also opened its new all-weather outdoor play area, offering a fun and covered space for children to enjoy year-round, and also introduced a Smoke and Vape Free area in The Village. The space, developed in association with Leeds City Council and Child Friendly Leeds as part of the city’s Clean Air Leeds ambition, covers the entirety of the outdoor leisure area.
Dean Stratton, Centre Operations Manager at White Rose Shopping Centre and Child Friendly Leeds Ambassador, said:
“We’re incredibly proud to support Baby Week, and Leeds City Council’s wider aim to make our city the most child-friendly in the UK. Ensuring that White Rose is accessible to people from all walks of life and of all ages is important to us, and we’re looking forward to working alongside Child Friendly Leeds for years to come.”
Baby Week Leeds takes place each November. For more information, visit www.babyweek.co.uk
This post is based on a press release issued on behalf of White Rose Shopping Centre
Pictured:
Leeds City Council Chief Officer, Children and Family Services – Sue Rumbold.
Deputy Executive Member for Children and Families – Councillor Salma Arif.
Operations Manager at White Rose Shopping Centre – Dean Stratton.
Lead Midwife, Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust – Laura Walton.
Leeds City Council Communications and Engagement Officer, Children and Family Services – Sadiya Salim.
Churchill Fellowship 2013-14 and founder of Baby Week- Lucy Potter.
Nurture Landscapes Team – Andrew Williams, Chris Horner, Bradley Lowther, Paul Ryan.
