Baby Week UK turns 10 in the city where it first began

Running from November 14-20 at venues across the city, the week aims to showcase the wealth of support and activities on offer locally for babies, toddlers, new parents and families of children aged five and under.

The annual initiative was first established in Leeds in 2016 – the brainchild of Lucy Potter, a former Leeds City Council family support worker who had travelled to Brazil on a fellowship and wanted to replicate the success of their UNICEF-funded ‘Semana do Bebe’ project.

Since then, it has grown fast – becoming a registered charity in 2018 and now emulated in 20 other regions across the UK, including Nottingham, Newcastle and Cambridgeshire.

This year’s theme is ‘Healthy Parent, Healthy Baby’ and in Leeds, over 175 activities are set to take place throughout the week including taster sessions, health and wellbeing talks and parenting classes – all free or at low cost.

Founder Lucy, who remains a trustee of Baby Week UK, said: “It’s incredible to see the vision we brought to Leeds back in 2016 grow on a national scale and continue to bring services and sectors together to promote the best start in life.

“This week has become a real one-stop shop to celebrate babies and young children and show a full range of activities and help on offer across Leeds and the UK so parents and carers know where to look for crucial advice and support.”

Activities in Leeds will include music classes, postnatal yoga, a nationwide online ‘introduction to first aid course’ and a baby and toddler takeover day at the Thackray Museum of Medicine.

Leeds children’s centres, family hubs, libraries and Active Leeds leisure centres are also hosting over 75 sessions between them throughout the week.

This year Leeds is also holding a free national conference for professionals focusing on health, early years and good practice on November 20, when Leeds City Council and partners will also be launching a new 10-year strategy to improve outcomes for 0-5-year-olds in Leeds.

Called ‘Best Start and Beyond’, the strategy is jointly led by the authority’s public health and education teams, bringing together partners from the NHS and voluntary sector. It sets out priorities and actions to improve health and education outcomes and reduce inequalities experienced by children aged 0-5 from 2025 to 2035.

The strategy will be officially unveiled at Leeds Health and Wellbeing Board that morning, before being shared with attendees at the national conference in the afternoon.

Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for children and families, said: “Together with our partners across the city, we’ve really blazed a trail in our work to raise awareness of the critical importance of a child’s first years of life and I’m so proud of the national institution that Baby Week has become.

“The week is a real highlight of our Child Friendly Leeds initiative, supporting our ambition for Leeds to be the best city for all our children and young people to grow up in.”

Councillor Emma Flint, Leeds City Council’s executive member for equality, health and wellbeing, added: “Baby Week 2025 is once again shaping up to be action-packed, with a full programme of events showing the scale, and range, of support offered in this city to young children and families.

“To coincide the week’s special anniversary with our new 10-year Best Start and Beyond strategy further reinforces our commitment to doing all we can to make Leeds a happy and safe place and improve outcomes so all children and young people can reach their full potential.”

For full details on Baby Week in Leeds, visit https://babyweek.co.uk/leeds/.

This year’s event is sponsored by the charity National Energy Foundation, which delivers the Better Housing, Better Health project, offering support and advice to help families stay warm, safe and healthy.

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

Leeds City Council communications and marketing,

Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk

Tel: 0113 378 6007