OXFORDSHIRE BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT

Grant to Oxfordshire Breastfeeding Support

Small Grant Unrestricted Core Costs

Our project can address the above needs in a way that is accessible and flexible to a spike in Covid cases. This grant will fund our weekly session at Donnington Doorstep for six months. In this session, our specialist facilitator team can offer ....more

Our project can address the above needs in a way that is accessible and flexible to a spike in Covid cases. This grant will fund our weekly session at Donnington Doorstep for six months. In this session, our specialist facilitator team can offer families in-person breastfeeding support, targeted at complex and urgent feeding issues. Donnington Doorstep - with its welcoming and inclusive ethos - is the ideal physical space as a partner organisation for this work. Our volunteers also play a valuable role in our Donnington sessions, chatting to families on a parent-to-parent basis, offering them refreshments and social support, and helping to normalise infant behaviour. Sessions remain bookable for the time being, and we have a COVID-19 risk assessment that can be tightened or relaxed as circumstances dictate. We are conscious of the need to be flexible during the winter, and to be in a position to support families should there be a significant spike in Covid-19 cases. This is why this grant includes funding for 90 virtual 1:1 consultations for six months, which would help support families with establishing breastfeeding should they need to self-isolate. Crurically, should a rise in coronavirus cases necessitate that we suspend our Donnington session, we can convert those in-person ‘slots’ into further virtual 1:1 consultations. We are primed to support Oxfordshire families this winter, whatever the situation with COVID-19. Our grant request includes support for our volunteer programme, which has been commended at the 2022 OCVA Awards. We want to go beyond simply covering volunteer expenses, to include a mentoring programme that helps prospective volunteers become accredited breastfeeding Peer Supporters with our charity. We recognise that investing in structural adjustments is crucial to increasing volunteer diversity within our organisation.

Seeking funding to expand our weekly virtual support group for pregnant and new mothers, through and beyond the second Lockdown.

To provide virtual support to Oxfordshire families during the Covid-19 pandemic, via Zoom, phone calls, Facebook and virtual antenatal sessions.

"The fund aims to:1) To reduce closures of essential charities that provide essential services to vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 crisis by ensuring they have the financial resources to operate, thereby reducing the burden on public ....more

"The fund aims to:1) To reduce closures of essential charities that provide essential services to vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 crisis by ensuring they have the financial resources to operate, thereby reducing the burden on public services.2) To ensure essential services are provided to vulnerable people, both in the short and long term through increased community support through the work of charitable organisations."

Oxfordshire Breastfeeding Support will use funding to expand its model of community breastfeeding support to new areas in the county, particularly areas of higher deprivation. The organisation is the leading group in the county for building ....more

Oxfordshire Breastfeeding Support will use funding to expand its model of community breastfeeding support to new areas in the county, particularly areas of higher deprivation. The organisation is the leading group in the county for building communities of parents, both locally and online, to support one another to sustain breastfeeding from pregnancy to weaning.

We will provide 48 weekly 2-hour Sunday breastfeeding drop-in support sessions in partnership with Donnington Doorstep Family Centre. Led by a specialist Facilitator, assisted by trained all-women volunteers (peer supporters and breastfeeding ....more

We will provide 48 weekly 2-hour Sunday breastfeeding drop-in support sessions in partnership with Donnington Doorstep Family Centre. Led by a specialist Facilitator, assisted by trained all-women volunteers (peer supporters and breastfeeding counsellors), our sessions will provide skilled assistance with feeding and social and emotional support to women at a critical life stage; the transition to becoming a mother. Specifically we aim to: 1. Make contact with 150 women & their families. 2. 30% of visitors will attend more than one drop-in session, enhancing their opportunity to connect and form sustainable support networks within the OBS community. 3. Recruit at least two mothers to the 2020-21 cohort of volunteer OBS peer supporter trainees, including at least one mother from a BME group, who will contribute to supporting families via OBS both face to face and online. These assumptions are based on data from our existing 4 weekly drop-in sessions. With over 13 years’ experience of running this service (previously known as Oxford Baby Cafes Group, founded in 2006), and an in-depth understanding of local needs thanks to close contact with service users and referrers, we are confident that these estimates are achievable.

A new weekly breastfeeding drop-in provided by OBS in partnership with Barton Community Assoc. alongside their existing community stay & play session. Run by a facilitator & volunteers, it will strengthen this diverse and growing community ....more

A new weekly breastfeeding drop-in provided by OBS in partnership with Barton Community Assoc. alongside their existing community stay & play session. Run by a facilitator & volunteers, it will strengthen this diverse and growing community of parents, reducing isolation and bringing vital services to those who can't otherwise access them.