News and Events
Happy 30th Birthday LLL Waltham Forest!
LLL Waltham Forest began life as LLL Woodford. It was the 6th group to be set up in the UK and was started by Sarah Brown in 1992. Sarah worked beyond the local area as a Co-ordinator of Leader Accreditation, helping to grow LLL around the country. Sadly Sarah died suddenly aged 48, in 2008, having moved to the Cotswolds and become part of that group.
In 1993 Petra Hoefhurtner began going to the meetings. She was accredited as leader in 1997.
Linda Rowland joined Petra as Leader of the group in 2000. Together they were involved in getting breastfeeding cafes started up in Waltham Forest, working with colleagues from NCT and BfN. They worked with local health professionals in baby weighing clinics and Sure Start/Children’s Centres. In 2005 two further Leaders were accredited, Sarah Barnard and Laura Wiebe. Laura set up a new group in Broxbourne and Cheshunt. 2008 saw Saradadevii Hull-Jurkovic accredit.
The great name change happened in 2009 when LLL Woodford became LLL Waltham Forest to better reflect the wider area in which we meet and from which we draw mothers. Having begun attending meetings in 2001 after the birth of her first child Elizabeth Owen was accredited as leader in 2010. She later also became an active District Co-Ordinator for the London area. Eva Hughes started attending meetings in 2016 and joined Elizabeth as a leader after accrediting in March 2019. Sian Keller began attending meetings with her first child in 2011 and became an accredited leader in 2020 as the covid pandemic hit.
La Leche League Waltham Forest has changed over the years, shaped by the Leaders it has been lucky to have, and the mothers and babies involved in the group. We are grateful for the many and varied ways in which we have been meeting the needs of mums and babies for 30 years, and we look forward to many more! At our busiest we held twice weekly breastfeeding support meetings, with socials and antenatal evenings on top of this. We have an active membership and have held evaluation and planning meetings, as well as fundraisers for the group. During lockdown we adapted quickly to online meetings to best serve those who needed support in the vacuum created by many services pausing, including holding 'specials' for those breastfeeding little ones of 3y+, tandem feeding, and weekly specials for those in the newbie 0-8 week phase. We run antenatal breastfeeding workshops and are growing new leaders. We are excited to see what the future of LLL Waltham Forest brings!
Happy 30th Birthday LLL Waltham Forest!
In 1993 Petra Hoefhurtner began going to the meetings. She was accredited as leader in 1997.
Linda Rowland joined Petra as Leader of the group in 2000. Together they were involved in getting breastfeeding cafes started up in Waltham Forest, working with colleagues from NCT and BfN. They worked with local health professionals in baby weighing clinics and Sure Start/Children’s Centres. In 2005 two further Leaders were accredited, Sarah Barnard and Laura Wiebe. Laura set up a new group in Broxbourne and Cheshunt. 2008 saw Saradadevii Hull-Jurkovic accredit.
The great name change happened in 2009 when LLL Woodford became LLL Waltham Forest to better reflect the wider area in which we meet and from which we draw mothers. Having begun attending meetings in 2001 after the birth of her first child Elizabeth Owen was accredited as leader in 2010. She later also became an active District Co-Ordinator for the London area. Eva Hughes started attending meetings in 2016 and joined Elizabeth as a leader after accrediting in March 2019. Sian Keller began attending meetings with her first child in 2011 and became an accredited leader in 2020 as the covid pandemic hit.
La Leche League Waltham Forest has changed over the years, shaped by the Leaders it has been lucky to have, and the mothers and babies involved in the group. We are grateful for the many and varied ways in which we have been meeting the needs of mums and babies for 30 years, and we look forward to many more! At our busiest we held twice weekly breastfeeding support meetings, with socials and antenatal evenings on top of this. We have an active membership and have held evaluation and planning meetings, as well as fundraisers for the group. During lockdown we adapted quickly to online meetings to best serve those who needed support in the vacuum created by many services pausing, including holding 'specials' for those breastfeeding little ones of 3y+, tandem feeding, and weekly specials for those in the newbie 0-8 week phase. We run antenatal breastfeeding workshops and are growing new leaders. We are excited to see what the future of LLL Waltham Forest brings!
Happy 30th Birthday LLL Waltham Forest!
We had a wonderful 2021 with you all - and some of it was in-person! Thank you for making LLLWF all that it is. Our last 2 months were rather sparse meetings-wise (for a variety of reasons) but we still managed to support mothers and babies over the phone, by email and message.
We've had a busy year supporting mothers and babies!
We enjoyed two workshops with Naomi Stadlen in December, exploring What Mothers Learn From Breastfeeding - That Can't Be Taught. Thank you to all who joined us! If you missed these opportunities take a look at Katie's wonderful write-up which featured in Breastfeeding Matters the LLLGB members' mag. Find details of how to receive this under the 'Membership' tab.
Events from the recent past...
SUNDAY 19TH APRIL BLUEBELL WALK CANCELLED
We love our Annual Family Bluebell Walk and we love everyone's safety, this year's walk was cancelled BUT you sent us photos of you and your little ones enjoying nature through art, poetry and craft. Find them here.
We love our Annual Family Bluebell Walk and we love everyone's safety, this year's walk was cancelled BUT you sent us photos of you and your little ones enjoying nature through art, poetry and craft. Find them here.
Wednesday 4th December saw our amazing, community, family-feeling Seasonal Social. With food and drink galore (some highlights for me were pakora, non-alcoholic mulled wine and freshly delivered pizza!) we spent a lovely time in each other's company enjoying the range of ages present from 2 weeks old to 4 years old. Special thanks go to Vicke for her incredible parsnip and orange cake decorated just for us! We had a turnout of 30 families and a Gently Used Table, with donations to group funds, which was a great success. We also took the opportunity to invite others working in the building to come in for some food and drink - it was a good opportunity to learn more about each other and how we might be able to work together - of course they couldn't resist cooing over the babies and being drawn into conversations with the toddlers and pre-schoolers!
We would love to hear from you! (even if you filled a similar one in last year). This short survey should take about 5 mins to complete and will be used to help inform the support we offer, click here to begin: Survey
Irene's Ghost film screening Saturday 7th September, introduced by Animation Director Ellie Land with Q&A by Action on Postpartum Psychosis. LLLWF had a stall at this event and learnt a lot and gained much insight from the experience. Thank you to all who came and said 'Hello!'
Black Breastfeeding Week event Friday 30th August 10-4pm N17 8AA
We had a valuable time of learning at this event.
We had a valuable time of learning at this event.
Wednesday 17th July
Family Picnic We had a lovely time catching up with old faces and getting to know new ones even better. A big thank you to all who came!
Family Picnic We had a lovely time catching up with old faces and getting to know new ones even better. A big thank you to all who came!
Tuesday 11th June
Professor Amy Brown Talk
Professor Amy Brown Talk
Thank you to all who came, helped, ate cakes and asked questions. It was a wonderful event and our brains will be buzzing for a long time to come over the things we heard and learnt.
LOOKING BACK
Our annual Bluebell Walk was a great success in April. We saw the bluebells, had lovely chats and raised £55 for the LLLGB National Helpline. Thank you all - especially Mary for sharing your wonderful flora and fauna knowledge with us.
Our annual Bluebell Walk was a great success in April. We saw the bluebells, had lovely chats and raised £55 for the LLLGB National Helpline. Thank you all - especially Mary for sharing your wonderful flora and fauna knowledge with us.
Looking further back, to a time when this website was in its conception, we hosted Vanessa Olorenshaw speaking about Liberating Motherhood on Wed 29th March 2017. Her book can be found here.
We hosted Naomi Stadlen speaking about Mothering Through Breastfeeding on Wed 29th November 2017. Her books can be found here.
Both events were huge successes with the warmth of our usual LLL meetings re-created on a Gnome House scale with lashings of homemade food and drink to enjoy alongside conversations and book signings! We are so very grateful to all who attended and helped in any way to the running of these events.
We hosted Naomi Stadlen speaking about Mothering Through Breastfeeding on Wed 29th November 2017. Her books can be found here.
Both events were huge successes with the warmth of our usual LLL meetings re-created on a Gnome House scale with lashings of homemade food and drink to enjoy alongside conversations and book signings! We are so very grateful to all who attended and helped in any way to the running of these events.
La Leche League GB
Registered Charity Number 283771
Registered Office 129a Middleton Boulevard, Wollaton Park, Nottingham NG8 1FW
Registered Charity Number 283771
Registered Office 129a Middleton Boulevard, Wollaton Park, Nottingham NG8 1FW
