Ryeish Green Sports Hub supports breastfeeding

Our collective effort to provide mothers and families with confidence in breastfeeding has expanded to Ryeish Green Sports Hub, Arborfield Green Leisure Centre and Bulmerhse Leisure Centre as they become our latest centres to adopt the ‘breastfeeding friendly’ status.

Wokingham Leisure Centre at Carnival Hub signed up for the Breastfeeding Network’s (BfN) Breastfeeding Friendly Scheme last year upon its reopening in August.

Our centres in ,Reading, Arborfield and Woodley have now followed suit in a commitment to support mothers in feeding their children. The initiative allows us to officially demonstrate our support in breastfeeding and promote our centres as comfortable places to do so.

Tony Penge, our Contract Manager at Wokingham Leisure Centre commented: “We do our utmost to make all of our leisure centres a welcoming place for families and we know breastfeeding can be a sensitive issue.”

“It is therefore important that mums and families feel happy about feeding their babies in a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere.”

Women can be made to feel uncomfortable because of public views surrounding breastfeeding, particularly in leisure centres and pools. At Places Leisure, the practice of breastfeeding is allowed throughout our centres including in the pool and pool area.

The BfNs scheme exists to do away with the stigma and discrimination surrounding breastfeeding – something that we at Places Leisure take very seriously.

Face-to-face support available (must be pre-booked)

Red Kite: Every Monday except Bank Holidays, drop-in 1.30pm - 2.30pm, alongside Baby Play

Ambleside: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays each month, small group 1.15pm - 2.30pm (term-time only)

Rainbow Park: Every other Wednesday, appointments at 10.00am and 10.45am (runs term-time only, must be pre-booked)

Finchampstead Baptist Church: 2nd Friday of the month. Appointment 9.30am - 10.00am, drop-in 10.00 - 11.00am alongside Baby Play

Video calls can be arranged if preferred (evenings/weekends and weekends available)