A new bilingual breastfeeding café has opened at Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin in Derry, providing a community space where mothers and babies can access peer-led perinatal support in both English and other community languages. The initiative is a partnership between North West BAPS, SureStart and La Leche League, and was launched to coincide with World Breastfeeding Week.
Community-led support in a safe, welcoming venue
Organisers say the café offers a relaxed environment where new and expectant mothers can meet, share experience and receive practical advice on feeding and early parenting. The venue is already being used by local families: photographers captured groups of parents with babies attending the first sessions, including mothers from Ukrainian and other communities.
The partnership brings together voluntary and statutory services to reach people who might otherwise face barriers to accessing support, including language, cultural differences and social isolation. Activities at the café are peer-led, with experienced volunteers from breastfeeder support groups working alongside SureStart staff.
"vital peer-led perinatal support."
Who is involved and what services are offered
The collaboration aims to combine practical breastfeeding help, emotional support, and signposting to wider family services. On-site volunteers can offer guidance on positioning, latch and feeding concerns, and help parents connect with longer-term support if needed.
- North West BAPS – community outreach and links with local families;
- SureStart – early years and family support services;
- La Leche League – experienced breastfeeding peer supporters.
Photographs from the opening show a cross-section of attendees, including young mothers, infants and toddlers, reflecting the café’s aspiration to be accessible to diverse families across Derry.
| Partner | Role |
|---|---|
| North West BAPS | Community outreach and cultural liaison |
| SureStart | Early years support and signposting |
| La Leche League | Breastfeeding peer support |
Local context and potential impact
Access to culturally sensitive perinatal support has been identified locally as important for maternal and infant health. For families who speak languages other than English or who have arrived in recent years, community hubs offering bilingual services can be particularly valuable. The café’s location within Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, a longstanding cultural and community centre in Derry, is intended to reinforce familiarity and accessibility for attendees.
By bringing peer volunteers together with early years professionals, organisers hope to normalise breastfeeding, reduce feelings of isolation and ensure parents receive timely information on feeding and early development. The initiative also provides informal opportunities for social connection, which public health studies link with better mental health in the postnatal period.
Attendees at the opening included mothers and children whose names and images were recorded in local coverage: Nasihah with her son Yusuf, Polina with her daughter Solomia, and several young parents pictured together with their babies. Their presence underlined the café’s role as an everyday community space rather than a clinical environment.
Organisers plan to continue sessions on a regular basis and to promote the café through partner networks so that more families across Derry can make use of the service.
For further information or to find session times, parents are advised to contact Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin or the partner organisations directly.
