Children's services
Saddlers Centre joins 60+ breastfeeding-friendly venues as new feeding room opens in Walsall
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Two new breastfeeding rooms have officially opened at the Saddlers Centre, providing families with a welcoming and comfortable space to feed their babies while visiting Walsall town centre.
The new facilities were officially launched on Wednesday 5 August and have been developed through a partnership between local families, Walsall Family Hubs, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, Public Health and the Saddlers Centre.
Designed with input from parents and carers, the rooms provide a dedicated drop-in space where families can feed their babies comfortably while away from home, with no booking required. Facilities include a comfortable seating area, privacy for breastfeeding and infant feeding, and access to nearby baby changing facilities, giving families more choice when visiting the town centre, whether they wish to breastfeed, express milk or take time out in a quieter environment.
“ We want families in Walsall to feel confident, comfortable and supported when feeding their babies, wherever they are in the borough.
The new breastfeeding rooms at the Saddlers Centre are a welcome addition to Walsall town centre and have been shaped by the experiences and feedback of local families.
The new rooms are also an active step forward in our Walsall 2040 vision to be a child-friendly borough and help children have the best possible start in life. These new spaces reflect the wider work taking place through our Family Hubs and partners to create more welcoming areas for families, removing barriers, and making sure that support is available when and where people need it. “
“ Having access to welcoming places to breastfeed can make a real difference to families, particularly when they are visiting busy places such as the town centre.
These rooms give families more choice and reassurance, whether they want a quieter space to breastfeed, express milk, or take a moment with their baby.
It is fantastic to see the Walsall Welcomes Breastfeeding Scheme continuing to grow, with more than 60 venues now signed up across the borough. “
“ We are pleased, as part of the refurbishment of the Saddlers Centre, that we have been able to include a new facility to add to the scheme.
Having accessible parking, toilets for all and such valuable facilities to families helps to deliver to our local community who use the Saddlers Centre on a regular basis or who visit Walsall and need such support. “
National research shows that confidence and access to suitable places can affect families’ experiences of breastfeeding in public, with around 12% of mothers who had not breastfed in public saying they had wanted to or had tried to. Through the Walsall Welcomes Breastfeeding Scheme, families can identify venues across the borough where they can feed their babies in a welcoming environment.
The Saddlers Centre is the latest venue to join the scheme, which was established by Walsall Council in 2024 to help families feel more comfortable feeding their babies in public spaces.
Venues signed up to the scheme display a blue ‘Walsall Welcomes Breastfeeding’ sticker, showing that breastfeeding is welcome in their public areas. Some venues also offer designated spaces for those who would prefer to breastfeed or express milk in private.
More than 60 venues are now part of the scheme, including Walsall’s Family Hubs, leisure centres, libraries, community groups, cafes, restaurants, nurseries and other local organisations.
Families can also use a new interactive map on the Walsall Family Hubs website to find breastfeeding-friendly venues near them: https://family-hubs.walsall.gov.uk/feeding-your-baby
The launch forms part of Walsall’s wider programme of activity marking World Breastfeeding Week, which takes place from 1–7 August 2026. World Breastfeeding Week supports Walsall’s wider vision to be a child-friendly borough by 2040, and ensure all children and young people can thrive, be happy, and reach their full potential.
Support for families continues all year round through Walsall’s Family Hubs, weekly breastfeeding peer support groups and the Walsall Welcomes Breastfeeding Scheme.
Details of local support groups, breastfeeding-friendly venues and infant feeding advice can be found on the Walsall Family Hubs website: https://family-hubs.walsall.gov.uk/
