Launch of new regional milk banking service

4th April 2014

NoWFOODFollowing the amalgamation of Cheshire and North Wales Human Milk Bank and Wirral Mothers’ Milk Bank, a new regional Northwest Human Milk Bank service has been launched. The new regional service will ensure that all premature and sick babies will have access to pasteurised, screened donor breast milk regardless of the location of their birth. The new service is based in the state of the art Food Innovation Centre at the University of Chester, which offers impressive facilities and the potential to collaborate with scientists on selected projects to add to the existing research on the benefits of donated breast milk.

“Across the globe thousands of sick and premature babies have improved health from the efforts of breastfeeding mothers who not only feed their own babies but who altruistically make provision for others in need. The new Northwest Human Milk Bank at Chester University will provide greater capacity, development and research opportunities to support the existing unequivocal medical evidence regarding its contribution to improved health. As we become more enlightened about the still many unknown qualities of this unique mammalian food we can become increasingly proactive in moving towards having available safe donor breast milk from a truly equitable national service for all.”

Lynda Coulter MBE, founder of Cheshire and North Wales Human Milk Bank

“Wirral Mothers’ Milk Bank has been operating for 10 years. Opened in 2004, the service has recruited almost 900 donor mothers from Wirral, Liverpool and other parts of the region. The demand from neonatal units for pasteurised human milk has increased year on year and during 2013/2014 over 500 litres of milk has been dispatched for feeding to preterm and sick babies across the northwest. We look forward to further developments in milk banking as we merge the two established northwest milk banks to create a new regional service. Wirral milk bank staff, volunteers and donor mothers are embracing this positive transition to become part of the first regional milk bank service in England.”

Annie Atkinson & Gill Brady, Wirral Mothers’ Milk Bank