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Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support 2005

Press Release 11 November 2005

(click here to download as a pdf)

The third Julie Crawford Award for Breastfeeding Support was announced at the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors' Association (CPHVA) Annual Conference in Bournemouth on Friday. Sharon Breward, a Health Visitor from Bethesda, North Wales won the award because she had not only made a significant contribution to breastfeeding support in the UK, but had also demonstrated outstanding commitment to the protection of parents from commercial influence.  

Paying tribute to the mothers in her care, Sharon is outspoken in her concern about the impact of commercial promotion:

“I believe that our profession is long overdue a hard look at itself.  Are we merely paying lip service to our public health role while as health visitors (and indeed our professional conference and journal) acting as a conduit for the marketing activities of milk companies? With increased emphasis on breastfeeding as an effective public health intervention there has been much wringing of hands in the health visiting profession regarding the “culture” of artificial feeding. The impression is that  there isn't much that we can do about it. But health professionals, including health visitors', are a main pillar supporting the cultural acceptance of artificial feeding as normal in our society.”

Ten years ago the local NHS trust moved the sale and provision of baby milk out of health clinics and fully endorsed a strong ethical basis to its breastfeeding policy.  The WHO International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes is upheld and all mothers' in contact with NHS services, are protected from the commercial influences of milk companies. Sharon set up North Wales' first breastfeeding clinic and has done much to bring awareness of the “magic of breastfeeding” into schools, colleges and cafés in the region.  The breastfeeding initiation rate in Sharon's caseload is now 76%  (up 25% over 5 years)  85% of whom are still breastfeeding at 8 weeks. Nationally about 50% have stopped by that time.

Sharon is a member of the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers (ABM) which she says gave her the confidence to raise her head above the parapet as an advocate for mothers' and babies.  Sharon also thanks the Queen's Nursing Institute and her primary health care team that “believes in the magic of breastfeeding sufficiently to allow me the freedom to try out new ways of working (and what results we have had!)”    

The award is given by the Baby Feeding Law Group  (BFLG) and nominations are sought from parents via the group's 16 member organisations, which include the CPHVA and the Royal Colleges of Midwives, Nursing and Paediatrics and Child Health.  The BFLG represents the concerns of over half a million health professionals and breastfeeding counsellors and was set up with the express purpose of bringing UK and European legislation into line with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent relevant WHA Resolutions.  Its members meet four times each year to discuss current marketing and to draw up strategies for ensuring that infant and young child health is protected.

Background: In November 2001, Julie Crawford died from a rare disease, at the age of 42. Julie was a health visitor and a former Director of Baby Milk Action. She cared passionately about breastfeeding and was never frightened to stand up and fight for the rights of mothers to independent and sensitive care.  Julie was especially concerned about the extent of industry funding of education for health professionals and was also keen to push for legal action in defence of mother's rights to breastfeed.

There were five other nominations : Lisa Arber from Witham, Concy Okwe from Northumberland, Gina Graham from Fife, Jill Barnes  from Kendal and Elspeth Macfarlane from Bristol.

The 2003 award was given to Gill Rapley, and the 2004 award to Deanna Vearncombe.

The Judges for 2005 were: Magda Sachs, MA (Cantab), Breastfeeding Supporter, Breastfeeding Network, Obi Amadi, Lead Professional Officer, (Health Visiting) CPHVA, Charlotte Young, Breastfeeding mother and Trainee Breastfeeding Counsellor with the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers. Patti Rundall, OBE, Policy Director, Baby Milk Action.

For more information: Patti Rundall, Baby Milk Action, 07786 523493, prundall@babymilkaction.org

Member organisations: Association of Breastfeeding Mothers - Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services - Association of Radical Midwives - Baby Milk Action - Breastfeeding Network - Food Commission - Community Practitioners and Health Visitors' Association - Lactation Consultants of Great Britain - La Leche League (GB) - Maternity Alliance - Midwives Information and Resource Service - National Childbirth Trust - Royal College of Midwives - Royal College of Nursing - Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health - Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative.

Secretariat: c/o Baby Milk Action, 34 Trumpington St,   Cambridge   CB2 1QY    United Kingdom        
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