Welcome To the Blackpool Infant and Young Child feeding Service webpage, commissioned by Blackpool Better Start and the National Lottery Community Fund
Here you can find lots of useful information about the early days with your baby, breastfeeding, formula feeding, combinations of both and starting solids.
We offer practical and emotional support in many ways
- Telephone/video support
- Drop-in sessions
- Online and face-to-face workshops bookable via our Tockify calendar
Why not take a look at our calendar to register your interest in a workshop. You can also ring our helpline on 01253 746788, email us at blackpool@henry.org.uk or fill in our online form http://links.henry.org.uk/Blackpool-Request-For-Support
Meet the team
Josie Celisse - Service Manager
Hello Blackpool! My name is Josie & I’m the Service Manager for HENRY's Infant Feeding and Oral Health services in Blackpool. I'm passionate about providing a brilliant infant feeding service for local families and supporting positive change in oral health.
As breastfeeding is the best way to reduce health inequalities, we are committed at HENRY Blackpool in supporting this positive health choice with practical help as well as ensuring families feed responsively and safely, whichever way they choose to feed their babies.
I joined HENRY because of the holistic perspective the charity has in supporting families and the wider community. I believe getting to know families and babies during their children’s early years is a real privilege, and so is getting to know the skilled professionals who work with the community, inspiring positive change.
I will be pleased to meet you out and about in the community in the near future.
Vincent Lilly - Administrator and Data Officer
Hello, I'm Vincent, the Administrator & Data officer for the Blackpool team.
I've been with HENRY for a few months, handling a lot of the background work for everybody. I work closely with our lovely practitioners and management day to day. Sometimes, I cover our helpline, so you may hear from me if you get a chance to call us. I greatly enjoy working here as it's a very friendly environment where I can take the lead on IT and data processes and, in turn, aid how much the team is able to help Blackpool.
Vicky Spencer - Infant Feeding Lead
Hello, I'm Vicky Spencer and I'm the Infant Feeding Team Lead for HENRY in Blackpool.
I have a background as a teaching assistant for children with additional needs and as an art practitioner for a local inclusive theatre company. When I had my first child, I found the support I received from a local breastfeeding group invaluable. This spurred me to complete my peer supporter course, which led to a position initially as an Infant feeding practitioner for HENRY in Blackpool when we first launched.
I am very passionate about providing support for local families, being from Blackpool myself. My current role involves coordinating the service we provide and ensuring that we provide the best support possible for our families. Having the opportunity to support children in getting the best possible start in life is something that I am very proud of, and I look forward to building on the successes we have already enjoyed as a service.
Ellen Davis - Infant Feeding Practitioner
Hi, I'm Ellen, one of the HENRY Infant Feeding Practitioners in Blackpool.
I work on Mondays and Fridays and am based at Talbot and Brunswick Family Hub on Monday mornings, where I offer face-to-face appointments alongside the health visiting clinic. My work includes answering helpline calls, offering support to families and staff on the neonatal unit and co-delivering our online workshops. I'm hoping that soon we'll be able to offer more in-person training and support and set up a feeding group for families.
I am really enjoying the variety this role brings: offering one-to-one support in different ways and settings, delivering workshops to groups, and connecting with health practitioners and other professionals. It's been great getting to know families, exploring issues together, sharing information to help, or just being there as a listening ear. A family's feeding journey can be challenging at any time, and for many reasons - I feel privileged if I can play a small part in helping their experiences to be positive ones.
It's been lovely having contact with so many families and health professionals in this first year of our service, and I'm looking forward to having many more.
Zara Shettima - Infant Feeding Practitioner
I'm Zara, mum of two.
I've been working in Infant feeding for around 12/13 years now, initially as a Blackpool Star Buddy volunteer for the Breastfeeding Network.
I'm the newest Infant Feeding Practitioner with HENRY, and I'm keen to help support parents, having faced struggles with feeding my own children; I appreciate the value good peer support has for the families we work with.
I'm really enjoying my new role, and I'm looking forward to helping HENRY build further relationships within the community.
Kathryn Ivison - Training and Volunteer Coordinator
Hello. My name is Kathryn, and I am the Training and Volunteer Coordinator for HENRY in Blackpool.
I have many years of experience working with children and families in primary education. I am looking forward to spreading the HENRY message and awareness of all the services we have to offer to families in Blackpool.
I will be organising and facilitating our workshops for parents, carers and practitioners, including Core Training for professionals who work with families and the Starting Solids workshop for those starting the next stage of their feeding journey. I will also be working to build and coordinate our volunteer team to support our work in the community.
I have felt so welcomed by the HENRY team and look forward to meeting many of you out and about at the local hubs or workshops over the coming months.
Kirsten Brannigan - Trainee Infant Feeding Practitioner
Hello, I'm Kirsten, one of the newest HENRY Infant Feeding Practitioners here in Blackpool.
I work on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays where I work alongside the Well Baby Health Visiting clinics, answer helpline calls, as well as offering support to families at Blackpool Teaching Hospital. I also do home visits for 1-to-1 support.
I am a mummy to a 2 and a 4 year old and through various experiences in my own feeding journey, it made me realise my passion for giving little ones the best possible start in life.
I feel so fortunate to be able to support families in what can sometimes be a daunting and overwhelming part of the parenting journey.
I'm learning every day, and I feel so privileged to be able to play my part in supporting you.
I really look forward to meeting you soon.
What families have said about HENRY
“It was individualised. Lots of options to consider to suit our family. Very informative. Non-judgemental.”
“Very friendly, helpful, inviting, lots of information given so that I am confident in giving out the HENRY helpline number to parents.”
“They were very kind, approachable, and informative.”
“Supportive, reassuring, understanding”
“I felt listened to and understood. I came away feeling reassured”
Social media links
www.facebook.com/HENRYinBlackpool
www.instagram.com/HENRYinBlackpool
