Portraits inspire families to find out more about local Start for Life offer
A North East artist has created four portraits showing Gateshead mums with their children with aim of inspiring families to find out more about their local Start for Life offer.
Leanne Pearce, who lives in Newcastle, was commissioned by Gateshead Family Hubs following several successful portrait projects to celebrate early years, breastfeeding and parenthood, including work with Blackburn Family Hubs and St Oswald's Hospice.
Four portraits were created with Gateshead mums from across the borough to show the tangible bonds between mother and child when breastfeeding, playing or simply in embrace.
The artworks aim to inspire families to find out more about the range of support on offer at Gateshead Family Hubs. This includes perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship support, infant feeding support and parenting support for children of all ages.
Ahead of providing the portraits to the mums to keep, they were celebrated at a partnership event held at Wrekenton Family Hub with artist Leanne Pearce, the families and invited guests including representatives from Gateshead Family Hubs and maternity services. Copies of the artworks have also been made to display at Gateshead Family Hubs and the Queen Elizabeth hospital.
Olivia Brown, a mum who participated in the project to raise awareness of her own experiences with breastfeeding, shared:
"Breastfeeding has created a bond like no other. It wasn't always easy, and on the hardest days, I wanted to give up—but I'm so glad we didn't.
"The more I've learned about the benefits—and honestly, the magic—of breastfeeding for both mother and baby, the more I wish everyone knew."
Karen Parker, Associate Director of Midwifery at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, said:
"We're incredibly proud to offer mums across our communities the care and kindness needed for their families to thrive.
"We have maternity services based within four Family Hubs, making support from our team as accessible as possible, which is so important for new mums.
"The love and adoration displayed in these portraits is truly moving for us, and we're incredibly grateful to the Gateshead Family Hubs team for their donation of the portraits for our maternity unit at the QE."
The celebration follows confirmation of Gateshead Council receiving funding from the Department for Education to continue working with partners to deliver the Start for Life offer locally, following the new Family Hubs model launching in spring 2023.
Councillor Bernadette Oliphant, cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing at Gateshead Council, said:
"It's fantastic that funding for the Start for Life offer locally is continuing.
"Since Gateshead Family Hubs were launched almost two years ago, we've had countless families benefit from the range of support offered, and we know the Start for Life offer is particularly important.
"The first 1,001 days of a child's life can have a huge impact on how their health and wellbeing, and this commissioned art project highlights just how meaningful these days are to families.
"I'd encourage all families in Gateshead to find out more about the support that can be offered with Start for Life, both in person at our Family Hubs and through our online directory of resources."
A North East artist has created four portraits showing Gateshead mums with their children with aim of inspiring families to find out more about their local Start for Life offer.
Leanne Pearce, who lives in Newcastle, was commissioned by Gateshead Family Hubs following several successful portrait projects to celebrate early years, breastfeeding and parenthood, including work with Blackburn Family Hubs and St Oswald's Hospice.
Four portraits were created with Gateshead mums from across the borough to show the tangible bonds between mother and child when breastfeeding, playing or simply in embrace.
The artworks aim to inspire families to find out more about the range of support on offer at Gateshead Family Hubs. This includes perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship support, infant feeding support and parenting support for children of all ages.
Ahead of providing the portraits to the mums to keep, they were celebrated at a partnership event held at Wrekenton Family Hub with artist Leanne Pearce, the families and invited guests including representatives from Gateshead Family Hubs and maternity services. Copies of the artworks have also been made to display at Gateshead Family Hubs and the Queen Elizabeth hospital.
Olivia Brown, a mum who participated in the project to raise awareness of her own experiences with breastfeeding, shared:
"Breastfeeding has created a bond like no other. It wasn't always easy, and on the hardest days, I wanted to give up—but I'm so glad we didn't.
"The more I've learned about the benefits—and honestly, the magic—of breastfeeding for both mother and baby, the more I wish everyone knew."
Karen Parker, Associate Director of Midwifery at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, said:
"We're incredibly proud to offer mums across our communities the care and kindness needed for their families to thrive.
"We have maternity services based within four Family Hubs, making support from our team as accessible as possible, which is so important for new mums.
"The love and adoration displayed in these portraits is truly moving for us, and we're incredibly grateful to the Gateshead Family Hubs team for their donation of the portraits for our maternity unit at the QE."
The celebration follows confirmation of Gateshead Council receiving funding from the Department for Education to continue working with partners to deliver the Start for Life offer locally, following the new Family Hubs model launching in spring 2023.
Councillor Bernadette Oliphant, cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing at Gateshead Council, said:
"It's fantastic that funding for the Start for Life offer locally is continuing.
"Since Gateshead Family Hubs were launched almost two years ago, we've had countless families benefit from the range of support offered, and we know the Start for Life offer is particularly important.
"The first 1,001 days of a child's life can have a huge impact on how their health and wellbeing, and this commissioned art project highlights just how meaningful these days are to families.
"I'd encourage all families in Gateshead to find out more about the support that can be offered with Start for Life, both in person at our Family Hubs and through our online directory of resources."
