BETTER START BRADFORD (OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT): People who are making a big difference to fellow residents through their efforts in the community.

THE three nominees for this year’s Better Start Bradford Outstanding Achievement award at this year’s Community Stars Awards have been revealed.

The award recognises groups and individuals which go the extra mile to make a difference for new and expectant mothers and their families in Bradford.

The winner of the award will receive the Bradford Medal when the results are announced at the awards night on Wednesday, December 6, at the Midland Hotel.

Voting is open until Friday, November 27, and the winner will be the nominee readers think is most deserving of the accolade.

Right click on the voting form below and select 'save image as...' to save a printable version to your computer.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

The three nominees for the award are Alice Wilkinson, Bumps and Babes Refugee Group, and Baby Basics Bradford.

Alice Wilkinson, from Wyke, has been shortlisted in recognition of her work promoting breastfeeding and encouraging more mothers in the BD5 area to breastfeed their children.

She breastfeeds her 15-month-old daughter Poppy, and uses her skills and knowledge to help other mothers to understand the benefits breastfeeding can bring.

She also created the ‘breastfeeding box’ to encourage and reward mothers who breastfeed and also provide practical support.

She was nominated by Edwina Lintin and Alison Brown.

They said: “Alice is a very warm, insightful and considerate young woman.

“She is very creative in her ideas such as the breast feeding box above. She is determined and shares her time, energy and commitment .

“She is a young mum and is able to reflect on her own experiences of becoming a young mum and how things could be made better for others.”

Miss Wilkinson, 26, said: “I couldn’t believe it when I found out, it was a bit of a shock.

“Before I started I didn’t really think about breastfeeding much, but going through the problems of it I thought it was really important to give women the right information and facts before they make a decision on it.

“I’m just honoured to be nominated, it’s not just about wining and I hope it helps bring more attention to the importance of breastfeeding.”

The second nominee is the Bumps and Babes Refugee Group, which is a group for refugees and asylum seekers who are pregnant or have young children.

It offers them the chance to socialise and support each another, and operates in the Better Start Bradford area.

Katie Swinden, who put forward the group for the award, said: “This group caters for women who often have little support or places to go and can sometimes become isolated.

“The group offers a welcoming space away from ‘professionals’ which allow women to seek support from each other and make new friends.

“The group is so warm and friendly and it is a real testament to the volunteers who give their time to run such a special place.”

The final nominee, Baby Basics Bradford, is a volunteer run service providing Moses baskets and starter kits, including baby clothes, for vulnerable pregnant women and their families.

It has been nominated by Eve McElveen, who said: “The women using the service are vulnerable and often living in difficult circumstances.

“Without this service some families would struggle to provide a safe place for their baby to sleep or find it difficult to be able to provide suitable clothes for their baby.

“Items are provided free of charge to families who are often struggling financially

“Providing this equipment reduces the pressure faced by some vulnerable families at the end of their pregnancy.”

Lorely Rossell, who runs the group, said: “It’s fantastic, we are quite a new group; we have only been running for a year.

“We work with midwives who identify women who are in need, and they pass on their details to us.

“By giving them the packs it gives the baby somewhere clean to sleep and nappies and wipes, which is one thing less for the mothers to worry about. A lot of them are vulnerable, asylum seekers or coming out of abusive relationships, often living in hostels.”

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