Two West Cumbrian women have won an award for their outstanding contribution to their community.
Janice Brockbank and Brenda Holden won the Peter Scott Award, first given in 2014 in memory of local business man and philanthropist Peter Scott CBE, of the Provincial Insurance Company.
The award recognises both women’s work to ensure parents in the Millom area get the support they need to bond with their baby during the first 1,001 days of life. It is, they say, the first community infant-mental health service of its kind in Cumbria.
Janice and Brenda were presented with their award by the Francis C Scott Charitable Trust.
Trust director Helen Carter said: “As retired heads, Janice and Brenda know the best start children can have is a secure attachment to their parent or caregiver. They could see the challenges children and adults face without this, and the ongoing support they require.
“After a decade of work to secure funding by Janice, and two years when both women came together to tackle operational aspects, the specialist preventative support needed to strengthen the parent-infant relationship is in place.
“It is a fantastic achievement that a Good Enough Start pilot is now running as a collaboration between the Howgill Family Centre, Cumbria NHS Partnership Foundation Trust and the Partnership of Millom Schools.
“And it is testament to Brenda’s efforts over the last 10 years, as a trustee and chair of Howgill, that it continues to thrive and support GES.”
Janice said the first 1,001 days of life were crucial to a baby’s developing brain when there is a surge of growth. She said: “If a baby feels safe and secure, and enjoys regular, quality interactions and play their brain connections develop appropriately, creating the foundations for good mental health.
“A parent may not be able to attach well to their baby, because of their own life experiences. That can include how they were parented and factors like ill-health, anxiety, stress, trauma or addiction.”
Brenda said Good Enough Start works alongside all local children and family support services to empower parents to strengthen their parent-infant relationship. And that the long-terms benefits of providing a great start in life, for individuals, communities and the public purse, are clear and supported by their funders.
“It’s our ambition that this support is available in every town across the country as a baby’s birth right,” said Janice. “It is just too important to ignore and that’s what drives us on,” added Brenda.
The award comes with a grant of £2,500, which will be shared between a new GES Baby Essentials Service for Millom families in crisis and Howgill’s Babbling Babies at Cleator Moor.
Anyone wanting to get in touch, or find out more, can do so at goodenoughstart.org
