<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Best Beginnings News </title><link>http://bb.raisingit.com</link><description>Best Beginnings is a charity dedicated to ending child health inequalities in the UK.</description><ttl>60</ttl><item><title><![CDATA[ 2010-11 Trustees' Report & Accounts published ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/2010-11-trustees-report-accounts-published ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/2010-11-trustees-report-accounts-published ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <img class="mediaImage postImageFloatLeft" style="float: left; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" title="2010-11 Trustees' Report &amp; Accounts" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=deb1a283-b050-4f68-9a15-26d4bb341f50&amp;w=646&amp;h=918&amp;src=mc" alt="2010-11 Trustees' Report &amp; Accounts" width="110" />The Trustees' Report &amp; Accounts for the 2010-11 financial period has now been published. The trustees are very pleased with the accounts, which show 24.2% growth  to &pound;569,586 income with 86.6% of this spent on charitable activity.<br /><br />A state-of-the-art online accounts overview has been created pro bono for Best Beginnings thanks to the expert services of Jinne Stiksma and Andrew Nash from <a href="http://www.openumbrella.co.uk">OpenUmbrella</a>. The online version can be <a href="http://report.tsrhome.net/bestbeginnings/ar10-11/" target="_blank">viewed here</a>.<br /><br />A PDF download of the illustrated accounts is available at the link below:<br /><br /><a href="/Han... ]]></description><pubDate>Sun, 13 May 2012 20:23:10 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Small Wonders Champions rollout form launched ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/champions-rollout-form ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/champions-rollout-form ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Baseline data collection is now underway at the Small Wonders study sites. There are currently over 260 Small Wonders Champions in neonatal units throughout the UK.<br /><br />All Small Wonders Champions need to work with their teams and clinical leads to fill in the 'Champions framework for planning the rollout of Small Wonders' form. This form will help you plan the process of rolling out the Small Wonders DVDs in your unit.<br /><br />You can download the form at the link below. Please complete all sections of the form and return to <a href="mailto:gill@bestbeginnings.org.uk">gill@bestbeginnings.org.uk</a> by Monday 30th January 2012.<br /><br /><br /><a href="/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=f2b95e01-6277-4c25-8481-87bbb93def44">Champions_Framework_for_Planning_the_Roll-out_of_Small_Wonders_form_FINAL.doc</a><br /><br /> ]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2012 09:05:04 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Neonatal Unit Clinical Assessment Tool (NU CAT) is now available ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/nu-cat ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/nu-cat ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <span class="post_introduction">Assessing staff knowledge of breast milk expression, breastfeeding, kangaroo care and positive touch for premature babies.</span><br /><br />The Neonatal Unit Clinical Assessment Tool (NU CAT) is a new clinical assessment tool to help&nbsp; hospitals increase breastfeeding rates for sick and premature babies by improving staff knowledge of practices that will support this. <br /><br />It objectively assesses neonatal and midwifery staff knowledge, and measures the subjectively assessed confidence in their knowledge of:<br /> 
<ul>
<li>breast milk expression and breastfeeding</li>
<li>kangaroo care</li>
<li>positive touch for premature babies</li>
</ul>
<br />The NU CAT has been developed as a research measure for the Small Wonders intensive interventions taking place at Guys and St Thomas&rsquo; Hospital, Kings College Hospital and Liverpool Women&rsquo;s Hospital Trust and being evaluated by Coventry University. <strong>In response to expressions ... ]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2012 02:32:16 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Best Beginnings, RCSLT and RCPCH hold successful event for Local Authorities ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/localauthoritiesevent ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/localauthoritiesevent ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <span id="ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_bodyContent_cphPageMaster_cphPageMaster_ContentPlaceHolder_NewsItem1_lblNewsContent" class="textItemBlock">On Monday 28 November, Best  Beginnings, in partnership with Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), organised an event for local authorities entitled "</span>Children&rsquo;s Centres- PbR: working in partnership with Local Authorities to deliver improved outcomes for children<span id="ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_bodyContent_cphPageMaster_cphPageMaster_ContentPlaceHolder_NewsItem1_lblNewsContent" class="textItemBlock">".<br /><br />The event Chaired by Best Beginnings Chair of Trustees, public health doctor, Prof. Alan Maryon-Davis was very successful and the venue was full to capacity. Delegates listened to the expert speakers, became involved in animated workshops, and exchanged views and ideas on how to improve their services.</span><br /><br /><a href="/pbr-key-note/">Click... ]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 15 May 2012 15:06:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Professor  Sir Michael Marmot gives Key-Note address at PbR Conference ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/pbr-key-note ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/pbr-key-note ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Best Beginnings, RCSLT and RCPCH worked together to organise an event to support the 26 Local Authorities piloting the Payment by Results scheme for Children Centres.<br /><br />The event, which focused on Outcome Measures, happened on November 28th at RCPCH where a packed-room of 80+ delegates listed to plenary sessions and engaged in dynamic workshops. The day was Chaired by Best Beginnings Chair of Trustees, the public-health expert, Professor Alan Maryon-Davis.<br /><br />Professor Sir Michael Marmot set the scene for the day with his key-note address, filmed prior to the event by Best Beginnings CEO, Alison Baum. Click below to watch the key-note address.<br /><br /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;" class="Placeholder"><!--START_RIT_VIM--><!--IDVIM:32295480:IDVIM--><strong>Vimeo Video </strong><a href="http://www.vimeo.com/32295480" target="_blank">http://www.vimeo.com/32295480</a><!--END_RIT_VIM--></div>
<br /> ]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 06:30:08 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Best Beginnings at the Royal College of Midwives Annual Conference ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/rcm2011 ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/rcm2011 ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ On the 15th and 16th of November 2011, the Best Beginnings Get Britian Breastfeeding Art Exhibition was on display at the Royal College of Midwives Annual Conference. The exhibition was seen by over eight hundreds of midwives who attended the conference.<br /><br />Get    Britain Breastfeeding is an interactive exhibition of work by design    students created to 'rebrand' breastfeeding for the parents of  tomorrow.  The  exhibition features posters created by artists from Central Saint Martin&rsquo;s College of Art &amp; Design.<br /><br /><img class="mediaImage" style="vertical-align: middle;" title="The Get Britain Breastfeeding Art Exhibition" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=8fca3145-8b94-4d5c-af82-71cb76cf2d9d&amp;w=999&amp;h=544&amp;src=mc" alt="The Get Britain Breastfeeding Art Exhibition" width="400" /><br /><span id="ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_bodyContent_cphPageMaster_cphPageMaster_ContentPlaceHolder_lblContent" class="contentContainer"><br />The exhibition also features a collection of... ]]></description><pubDate>Sun, 13 May 2012 21:54:55 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Volunteering opportunity at Best Beginnings ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/volunteer-opportunity ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/volunteer-opportunity ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <span class="post_introduction">Best Beginnings is seeking someone with the skills and determination to help us give every baby in the UK the healthiest possible start in life.</span><br /><br />Best Beginnings work depends on charitable donations from a range of s<img class="mediaImage" style="width: 139px; height: 209px;" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=97364f55-8e58-4a19-aaee-de942a693fc2&amp;w=200&amp;h=300&amp;src=mc" border="0" alt="" hspace="0" vspace="0" align="right" />ources. We are looking for a Fundraising Support Volunteer to assist with every aspect of our fundraising and ensure we have the resouces we need to make a difference.<br /><br />This role is ideal for those  looking to gain experience of fundraising in a growing organisation,  learn about the charity sector or simply seeking the opportunity to make a difference. &nbsp;<br /><br />Please contact Head of Fundraising Tom Walker at <a title="Email Tom" href="mailto:Tom@bestbeginnings.org.uk" target="_self">Tom@bestbeginni... ]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 12 May 2012 15:47:04 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Best Beginnings celebrates Small Wonders ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/celebrate-small-wonders ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/celebrate-small-wonders ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <p><strong>Best Beginnings Announce Next Stage of Small Wonders DVD at Chelsea Lunch</strong></p>
<p>50 people attended an exclusive lunch on 5th September at the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Chelsea Harbour to celebrate the penultimate stage in the launch of Best Beginnings new Small Wonders DVD to help the parents of premature and sick babies.<br /><br /><img class="mediaImage" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=f3c40fc3-ed91-4d2a-a0bf-43c98ccfccb7&amp;w=581&amp;h=389&amp;src=mc" alt="" />&nbsp;<br /><br />This DVD which will help support and inform parents of premature and sick babies follows on from the success of Best Beginnings breast feeding DVD &ldquo;From Bump to Breastfeeding&rdquo; which is given out to mother&rsquo;s to be at 36 weeks by their midwives. The DVD will officially launch in the New Year, and following stakeholder reviews of the initial rough-cut Best Beginnings are now starting the first of a series of Parent and Practitioner Champion projects in neo-natal units funded by the... ]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 19 May 2012 11:58:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Remember A Charity ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/remember-a-charity ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/remember-a-charity ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <span class="post_introduction">No one knows the importance of a will more than a stuntman. He wouldn&rsquo;t put his life on the line for the sake of mere entertainment without knowing that everyone and everything he cares for in life is taken care of, should anything happen.</span><br /><br />That&rsquo;s why Remember A Charity approached the aging stunt legend, Rocky Taylor to be the face of their new campaign. You may recognise him from his days as the Honey Monster. Or perhaps you saw him in a film, doubling for 007s, such as Sean Connery, Roger Moore and that other one.<br /><br />You name it, Rocky&rsquo;s done it. And together, we hope to raise awareness of the importance of wills to charities like Best Beginnings. Just a 4% increase in gifts left in wills would raise an additional &pound;1 billion a year for good causes.<br /><br /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;" class="Placeholder"><!--START_RIT_VIM--><!--IDVIM:27538969:IDVIM--><strong>Vimeo Video </strong><a href="h... ]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 12 May 2012 00:54:53 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ 10K Run 2011 Thank you ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/10k-run-2011-thank-you ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/10k-run-2011-thank-you ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <span class="post_strong"><span class="post_h3">Thank you to everyone who made the Best Beginnings 10K Run a success!</span></span>Everyone at Best Beginnings would like to say a huge thank you to all those that made the run on July the 10th a success. &nbsp;<br /><br />Without the support of the Royal Horseguards Hotel who provided a fantastic room for all the runners to get changed, Jonnie Allen of Batfish Media who did all the filming on the day, Frances Baker of the Big Society Network who took fantastic photographs and Katherine Tutton and Rashid Williams at Article 10 who edited the runners films. We couldn't have made the day the success it was.<br /><br />Thank you also to all those that took part in the run. &nbsp;Check out <a href="/Pages/Fundraisers/">their fundraising pages</a> to see the films and photographs that Jonnie, Frances, Katherine and Rashid have put together. <br /><br />Its not too late to sponosor any of our runners!&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 14px; line-hei... ]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:44:03 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ 10K Run in the news ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/10k-run-2011 ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/10k-run-2011 ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ 20 fantastic runner laced up their trainers last weekend to raise funds for Best Beginnings as part of the ASICS London 10K. &nbsp;We will soon be putting videos up of the day on all our runners fundraising pages showing their fantastic efforts. &nbsp;You can see their pages and sponsor all of the Best Beginnings athletes <a href="/Pages/Fundraisers">here</a>.<br /><br />Their efforts have also been covered in this weeks Ham &amp; High<br /><br /><img class="mediaImage" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=d22d9360-c232-4575-ba4a-19e47d117e59&amp;w=253&amp;h=485&amp;src=mc" alt="" /> &nbsp; ]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:26:39 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Vicki's story ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/vickis-story ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/vickis-story ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Vicki Ling' story will be a key part of our forthcoming <a href="/small-wonders/59d6dfe3-0b4c-4842-8a30-d3d16502dc4c">Small Wonders DVD</a>, Best Beginnings forthcoming change programme to support the parents of premature and sick babies to play a key role in their baby's care in ways that improve health outcomes.&nbsp;<br /><br />Vicki has been featured in the July issue of Candis Magazine who have kindly supported Best Beginnings through the Big Give.<br /><br /><img class="mediaImage" style="float: left;" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=58bb5785-3cd0-4717-a119-f68334568a07&amp;w=673&amp;h=460&amp;src=mc" alt="Candis article" width="475" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> ]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2012 15:44:35 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Small Wonders Stakeholders Meeting ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/sw-stakeholders-meeting ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/sw-stakeholders-meeting ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <img class="mediaImage" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=6d9140f0-9d04-435f-9ec1-70226fd6dc1d&amp;w=1408&amp;h=1056&amp;src=mc" alt="" /><img class="mediaImage postImageFloatRight" style="float: right; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" title="Jacqui Smith, Alison Baum and Prof. Alan Maryon-Davis" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=d5ed9851-f9ed-41fd-b74f-c3c77d4cf296&amp;w=845&amp;h=634&amp;src=mc" alt="Jacqui Smith, Alison Baum and Prof. Alan Maryon-Davis" width="200" />Rough cuts of the 6 films that make up the Small Wonders DVD have been viewed by over 200 experts. We are very grateful for their invaluable input and feedback.<br /><br /><img class="mediaImage" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=6d9140f0-9d04-435f-9ec1-70226fd6dc1d&amp;w=1408&amp;h=1056&amp;src=mc" alt="" /><img class="mediaImage" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=6d9140f0-9d04-435f-9ec1-70226fd6dc1d&amp;w=1408&amp;h=1056&amp;src=mc" alt="" /><br /><img class="mediaImage" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=34c1f1b2-9d8f-4d32-8c9d-877ddec8c2f6&amp;w=1408&amp;h... ]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:57:59 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Best Beginnings announces new Chairman ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/new-chairman ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/new-chairman ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <p><img class="mediaImage" style="float: right;" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=d114e792-4c8c-4d1b-9ecd-9013df13b34f&amp;w=685&amp;h=826&amp;src=mc" alt="" height="200" /><span class="post_h2">Best Beginnings appoints Professor Alan Maryon-Davis as Chairman.</span></p>
<p>Professor Alan Maryon-Davis has been elected as Chair of the national charity Best Beginnings.&nbsp; He takes over from media lawyer Andrew Moss who has held the post since 2009.</p>
<p><br />Professor Maryon-Davis is Honorary Professor of Public Health at King&rsquo;s College London and immediate Past President of the UK Faculty of Public Health with over 35 years experience in preventive medicine, health promotion and health policy at national and local level. As former head of health sciences at the Health Education Council he was involved in many national campaigns, including infant nutrition, child accidents and passive smoking. More recently he spearheaded local approaches to reducing health inequalities as director... ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 07 May 2012 23:58:35 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Free DVD for waiting rooms ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/free-dvd ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/free-dvd ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <img class="mediaImage postImageFloatLeft" style="float: right; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px;" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=56a056e7-65af-4136-8604-0f5e7af0331d&amp;w=534&amp;h=532&amp;src=mc" alt="'From bump to breastfeeding' DVD" width="136" height="135" />
<p>Best Beginnings is offering a free long-play version of the &lsquo;From bump to breastfeeding&rsquo; DVD for use in waiting rooms in hospitals,&nbsp;children&rsquo;s centres, GPs surgeries and other acute or community settings where the &lsquo;From bump to breastfeeding&rsquo; DVD is given out.<br /><br />This long form is a 25 minute preview which plays continuously on a loop and features the first four chapters of &lsquo;From bump&nbsp;to&nbsp;breastfeeding&rsquo;.This free Preview DVD is intended to provide families with a &lsquo;taster&rsquo; of the full version DVD to increase their chances of watching their own copy of the DVD at home both before and after the birth of their baby. Please be aware that the Preview DVD ... ]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2012 20:32:49 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Best Beginnings Funding Success ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/best-beginningspccp ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/best-beginningspccp ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Best Beginnings has been awarded up to &pound;170,000 from the Department of Health's Innovation, Excellence and Service Development Fund. This money will be used to support the 'Practioners and Parents Champions Project'. &nbsp;<br /><br />This innovative project employs a full-time time nurse for two years in a neonatal unit in an area of disadvantage to use Small Wonders effectively. &nbsp;The Nurse's role will be both to train and educate staff as a 'Practitioner Champion' and to recruit parents from the local community to act as 'Parent Champions'.<br /><br />The article below was in the Ham &amp; High newspaper on May 5th 2011 and discusses the successful grant.<br /><br /><img class="mediaImage" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=98ab2cd5-63e2-477d-a182-76b008b17c74&amp;w=529&amp;h=515&amp;src=mc" alt="Ham &amp; High" width="450" /><br /><br /><br /><br />&nbsp; ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 14 May 2012 18:24:31 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Best Beginnings in the News ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/best-beginnings-in-the-news ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/best-beginnings-in-the-news ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <span class="post_introduction"><span class="post_h2">Best Beginnings is in this weeks edition of the Ham &amp; High</span><img class="mediaImage" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=93996784-098e-4f24-bf15-fc924c9bae50&amp;w=1837&amp;h=1348&amp;src=mc" alt="" /><img class="mediaImage" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=93996784-098e-4f24-bf15-fc924c9bae50&amp;w=250&amp;h=183&amp;src=mc" alt="" /><br /><img class="mediaImage" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=93996784-098e-4f24-bf15-fc924c9bae50&amp;w=1837&amp;h=1348&amp;src=mc" alt="" /><br /><br /></span>Vicki Ling's story has been covered in the etcetera features section of this weeks editon of the Ham &amp; High. &nbsp;Vicki is one of the Mum's whose story will support and inspire the parents of premature and sick babies in Small Wonders, due for launch in Feburary 2012.<br /><br /><span class="post_introduction"><br /><span class="post_h2">&nbsp;</span></span> ]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 09 May 2012 19:16:40 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Small Wonders Exclusive Lunch ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/small-wonders-exclusive-lunch ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/small-wonders-exclusive-lunch ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <p style="text-align: center;"><br /><img class="mediaImage" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Two of the mothers who have taken part in the filming of Small Wonders, Vicki and Sinem, attended the lunch and spoke movingly about their personal experiences of caring for a premature baby." src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=b20b8b81-14dc-4b64-a7c5-42bfa4dd564c&amp;w=300&amp;h=240&amp;src=mc" alt="Two of the mothers who have taken part in the filming of Small Wonders, Vicki and Sinem, attended the lunch and spoke movingly about their personal experiences of caring for a premature baby." /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Both images from Lyanne Wylde Photography</span><br /><br /></p>
<p>This week we launched the next stage of our next big project Small Wonders at an exclusive Lunch at the Cheyne Walk Brasserie in Chelsea. Small Wonders aims to empower parents of sick and premature babies to be at the heart of their child's care in ways proven to enhance&nbsp;he... ]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 13:57:09 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Stark inequalities in child development in the UK: New data published today. ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/stark-inequalities-in-child-development ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/stark-inequalities-in-child-development ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <p>New data published today by the&nbsp;The London Health Observatory and Marmot Review Team highlights the huge health inequalities that exist within the UK. According to this new data, by the time that a child is just five years old there is already a huge discrepancy in development, with nearly half of all children starting school considered to not have a good level of development.&nbsp;You can listen to the author of today's report, Sir Michael Marmot, discuss the "compelling" evidence in support of early intervention on Radio 4's Today programme if you&nbsp;<br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9394000/9394126.stm">Click here</a>.</p>
<p><br />The fact that by the time a child starts school they are already disadvantaged shouts out the need to address inequalities early on. In order for a child to reach school with a good level of development they need a good start in life, starting from a healthy pregnancy, to being raised in a home where the quality and qua... ]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 10 May 2012 19:56:54 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ From Bump to Breastfeeding Announcement ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/dvd-availability ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/dvd-availability ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <span style="font-size: medium;">The From Bump to Breastfeeding DVD will no longer be available from the Department of Health order-line free of charge. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Given the current financial constraints and  limited availability of resources, the government is committed to reviewing its spending priorities and exploring ways of taking work forward.  As a result the DVD is now available to buy from Best Beginnings at a cost. <a title="DVD pricing" href="/dvd-pricing/"><span class="post_link">Details of prices and how to order are available here.</span></a>&nbsp; The films are also available to view online for free on the Best Beginnings <a href="/Pages/Display.aspx?Title=watch-from-bump-to-breastfeeding&amp;IDPost=fbbdb8b2-4027-4fb8-a05f-dbca1329680c" target="_self"><span class="post_link">website</span></a> and clips are also available on www.nhs.uk/breastfeeding alongside helpful information and tips to help pregnant women and new mothers.</sp... ]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 15 May 2012 19:03:06 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ 2009-2010 illustrated accounts now available ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/2009-2010-accounts ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/2009-2010-accounts ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial;" lang="EN-US"><img class="mediaImage" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=095d9d87-054e-4f95-a2a8-ee6acc251195&amp;w=550&amp;h=776&amp;src=mc" alt="" hspace="3" vspace="0" width="250" height="353" align="right" /></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt;">Best Beginnings has published the illustrated version of the charity&rsquo;s 2009-2010 accounts, which show unprecedented income for the year.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial;" lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial;" lang="EN-US">Best Beginnings&rsquo; financial year runs from August 1<sup>st</sup> to July 31<sup>st</sup>. The accounts were submitted to the Charity Commission on October 27<sup>th</sup> 2010.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial;" lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span ... ]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:46:31 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Pop superstar Sophie Ellis-Bextor supports Best Beginnings ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/sophie-ellis-bextor ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/sophie-ellis-bextor ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><img class="mediaImage postImageFloatRight" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=054efc49-2837-4fa2-b42b-ae3f2f0e2794&amp;w=250&amp;h=333&amp;src=mc" border="0" alt="" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="250" height="333" align="right" />Donations to Best Beginnings to be doubled on 6 December! </span></p>
<br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="sans">Popstar, model and mum of two Sophie Ellis-Bextor has given her support to our latest campaign </span><a title="Small Wonders" href="/small-wonders/" target="_self"><span class="sans">Small Wonders</span></a><span class="sans">. Sophie says: &ldquo;Best Beginnings is a fantastic charity which is why I support the work they do to give all children in the UK the best possible start in life.&rdquo;<br /> <br /> &ldquo;Both of my children were born prematurely so I know that those first few weeks can... ]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 10:11:48 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ New Breastfeeding Care Pathways launch ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/pathways ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/pathways ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ The two new breastfeeding care pathways can be downloaded from <a target="_self" href="http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/dhcarepathway" title="DH Care Pathways">here</a>.<br /><br />The Department of Health, with support from the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative and Start4Life, has produced two breastfeeding care pathways for mothers and health professionals. Best Beginnings' 'From bump to breastfeeding' DVD is mentioned in both care pathways.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Baby and you: Your breastfeeding journey</span> is for mothers and outlines what information, help and resources are available to them at 12 weeks, 34 weeks, at the birth, and after they return to home.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Breastfeeding care pathway</span> is a useful one-sheet reference guide for health professionals showing the standards of care they should be providing. It is based around the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and the Seven Point Plan for Sustaining Breastfee... ]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2012 12:14:42 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Help us make Small Wonders amazing ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/small-wonders-parent ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/small-wonders-parent ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <img width="200" vspace="0" hspace="5" height="267" border="0" align="right" class="mediaImage postImageFloatRight" src="http://www.bestbeginnings.org.uk/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=55e1eb53-0960-4613-aeff-e3387e2e817b&w=480&h=640&src=mc" alt="" title="" />We are looking for parents of babies who were born pre-term or sick and who have received care on a neonatal unit in the last 5 years.<br /><br />You’d need to be able to commit to giving two hours of your time in early 2012 to view rough-cuts of the films (either via a secure online site or on DVD) and then give us some honest feedback. In most cases, this will be by email or phone, although it would also be helpful at this stage to have an indication as to whether you would be willing to attend a ‘round-table’ meeting involving the production team and some of our expert panel, to give the parental perspective on the films.<br /><br /> If you are the mother or father of a baby born pre-term or sick, and are interested in becoming a parent st... ]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 15 May 2012 12:48:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Team Best Beginnings cycles from London to Paris ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/london-to-paris ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/london-to-paris ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <img class="mediaImage" title="We did it!" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=55964f2f-1f7e-45de-916f-aea31d947489&amp;w=618&amp;h=411&amp;src=mc" alt="We did it!" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="482" height="322" /><br />The sun was beaming as Team Best Beginnings cycled towards the Eiffel  Tower finish line on Tuesday 14th September.<br /><br />The team of 17 left London two days  earlier and cycled over 180 gruelling miles. So far they have raised over &pound;20,000 to help Best Beginnings give every baby in the UK the healthiest start in life. Well done to all of them!<br /><br />It's not too late to sponsor one of our riders &ndash; the ride is over but the fundraising is far from over. You can find the whole team on the <a title="Our Champions" href="/our-champions" target="_self">Our Champions page.</a> Or you can click to sponsor Best Beginnings <a title="Sponsor our CEO" href="/Appeal/sponsor-our-ceo" target="_self">CEO Alison Baum</a> and <a title="Sponsor Tom" href="/Appeal/tom-walker" t... ]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2012 22:35:44 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Summer Party 2010 ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/summer-party-2010 ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/summer-party-2010 ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><!--START_RIT_VIM--><!--IDVIM:16471513:IDVIM--><!--END_RIT_VIM--></div><br />The above video is of Best Beginnings' Summer Party, which was held on August 29 at North Middlesex Cricket Club.<br /><br />Thanks to everyone who attended and enjoyed the cricket match, charity raffle and fun &amp; games!<br /> ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 07 May 2012 22:41:30 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Best Beginnings responds to misleading Zoe Williams article ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/best-beginnings-responds-to-misleading-zoe-williams-article ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/best-beginnings-responds-to-misleading-zoe-williams-article ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Three weeks ago Zoe Williams wrote a piece in The Guardian on her opinions of breastfeeding and routines for babies. We weren't comfortable with the piece because it made several factual errors, and we wrote to The Guardian in response. Our letter wasn't printed, but we'd like to make it public so you can read it. It's worth noting that Kate Evans penned an excellent follow-up also for The Guardian, which you can <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/05/breastfeeding-benefits-child-rearing" target="_blank" title="Kate Evans">read here</a>.<br /><br />This is the letter from Best Beginnings:<br /><br />Dear Sir/Madam<br /><br />We are writing to you from Best Beginnings, the child health charity committed to working collaboratively and informed by evidence to help reduce health inequalities in the UK. <br /><br />We are deeply concerned that in Zoe Williams' article &quot;Welcome to Parenthood&quot; (G2, June 29), she suggested that the promotion of breastfeeding in ... ]]></description><pubDate>Sun, 13 May 2012 05:12:27 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Team Best Beginnings completes Asics British 10K London Run ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/team-best-beginnings-completes-asics-british-10k-london-run ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/team-best-beginnings-completes-asics-british-10k-london-run ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <img src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=29b43925-add6-4c2f-a456-829fee96deb1&w=648&h=432" class="mediaImage" style="width: 480px; height: 320px;" /><br /><br />The streets of central London were teeming with runners on Sunday for the Asics British 10K London Run.<br /><br />Twenty runners raised over £10,000 for Best Beginnings, running through Westminster, Embankment and Tower Hill in the blazing sun.<br /><br />Team spirit was the order of the day, with our runners being treated to breakfast with our Ambassador <a title="Charlie Webster" target="_self" href="/Pages/Display.aspx?Title=charlie-webster&IDPost=b2e6b859-b7be-4ce5-b93c-4d6876f71a7f">Charlie Webster</a>, before heading to the start line.<br /><br /><p style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><img src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=6291ba82-3a86-48e4-b258-fd0f4fa6e9ef&w=175&h=116" class="mediaImage" /><br /></p><br />Here’s our team on the day...<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><!--START_RIT_VIM--><!--IDVIM:14026015:IDVIM--><s... ]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 11 May 2012 00:47:18 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Breastfeeding Manifesto Coalition in Parliament during National Breastfeeding Week ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/breastfeeding-manifesto-coalition-in-parliament ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/breastfeeding-manifesto-coalition-in-parliament ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <img class="mediaImage" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=140fbdf4-2b7b-4670-b049-7e5b5b45a363&w=480&h=320" /><br /><br />Best Beginnings Ambassador <a href="/Pages/Display.aspx?Title=charlie-webster&IDPost=b2e6b859-b7be-4ce5-b93c-4d6876f71a7f" target="_self" title="Charlie Webster">Charlie Webster</a>, CEO <a href="/Pages/Appeal/Display.aspx?Title=sponsor-our-ceo&IDPost=872ebacd-8800-4301-ae20-d3eb03555c57" target="_self" title="Alison Baum">Alison Baum</a>, consultant paediatrician Dr Judith Meek, and MP Graham Allen have spoken at a <a href="http://www.breastfeedingmanifesto.org.uk/" target="_blank" title="Breastfeeding Manifesto">Breastfeeding Manifesto</a> event in Parliament.<br /><br />The event, which took place during National Breastfeeding Week, aimed to ensure the support of the new coalition government. What follows below is a short film giving an overview of the event.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><!--START_RIT_VIM--><!--IDVIM:12827299:IDVIM--><!--END_RIT_VIM--></div... ]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2012 10:54:08 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Men’s Health Week sparks celebrity stag do with a difference ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/mens-health-week-sparks-celebrity-stag-do-with-a-difference ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/mens-health-week-sparks-celebrity-stag-do-with-a-difference ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Ten up-and-coming actors are taking Men's Health Week to a new level by cycling 300km for charity as part of a stag do with a difference.<br /><br />Hot young talent Leon Ockenden (recent roles in Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Heartbeat and video game Heavy Rain) has convinced nine of his closest acting chums (including Ben Batt of Shameless fame and Harry Lloyd who starred in the BBC drama Robin Hood as well as episodes of Dr Who) to take on the challenge of riding from London to Paris to raise funds for the charity Best Beginnings.<br /><br />Instead of the usual party antics associated with the rite of passage, the actors will be putting all their physical efforts into ensuring a healthy start for Britain's babies.<br />&nbsp;<br />Best Beginnings focuses on the period from before a child is born to their second birthday, during which the foundations of a healthy life are laid. There is a large child health gap between the top and bottom of the socio-economic scale in the UK and acro... ]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2012 00:02:51 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Charlie Webster and British actors trained by Benjy, aged seven, for Best Beginnings ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/charlie-webster-and-benjy ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/charlie-webster-and-benjy ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <br />
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<br /><img class="mediaImage" style="margin-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" src="http://bb.raisingit.com/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=0705a7d5-5f6e-441c-92be-1214b3d0e2e6&amp;w=480&amp;h=320" alt="" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="200" height="301" align="right" />TV presenter <a title="Charlie Webster" href="/Pages/Display.aspx?Title=charlie-webster&amp;IDPost=b2e6b859-b7be-4ce5-b93c-4d6876f71a7f" target="_self">Charlie Webster</a> and three up-and-coming actors braved a mid-summer downpour to undertake a grueling training session &ndash; from a seven-year-old boy!<br /><br />The session took place in Soho Square, central London, and was the first official training session for Charlie and the actors in the run-up to the <a title="London to Paris bike ride" href="/Pages/Events/Display.aspx?Title=london-to-paris-bike-ride&amp;IDPost=1966390a-5205-4624-97ad-e294efa76c7e" target="_self">... ]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 19 May 2012 18:25:57 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Celia Imrie opens new Best Beginnings office ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/celia-imrie-opens-new-best-beginnings-office ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/celia-imrie-opens-new-best-beginnings-office ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><!--START_RIT_VIM--><!--IDVIM:12213781:IDVIM--><!--END_RIT_VIM--></div><br /><br /><span class="post_introduction">Celebrities Celia Imrie, Charlie Webster and Leon Ockenden yesterday opened the new office of Best Beginnings.</span><br /><br />Actress Celia, best known for her roles in Dinner Ladies, Bridget Jones’s Diary and the Victoria Wood Show, cut the ribbon to mark a new era for Best Beginnings.<br /><br />Celia said: “At the beginning of life we’re all equal, we’re all born with no clothes on, we’re all born equal wherever we are. What I think is marvelous about this charity is that it makes sure that wherever you are in the country, whether you’re in Birmingham or Hampshire or Scotland or Cornwall, you’ll all have the best beginning.”<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><!--START_RIT_VIM--><!--IDVIM:12215774:IDVIM--><strong>Vimeo Video </strong><a href="http://www.vimeo.com/12215774" target="_blank">http://www.vimeo.co... ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 14 May 2012 04:10:24 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Celia Imrie to open new office of national child health charity ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/celia-imrie-to-open-new-office-of-national-child-health-charity ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/celia-imrie-to-open-new-office-of-national-child-health-charity ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <div><span class="post_h2"><font size="5" class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 20px;">– Sky Sports presenter Charlie Webster launching London to Paris bike ride</span></font></span></div><div>Award winning actress Celia Imrie is to open the new office of national child health charity Best Beginnings on Thursday May 27th 2010.</div><div><br /></div><div>Celia will cut the ribbon at 11am to launch a new chapter for Best Beginnings, a charity dedicated to giving every baby in the UK the healthiest start in life.</div><div><br /></div><div>Set up in 2006, Best Beginnings works to change the unacceptable health inequalities that exist in the UK. A baby born in Birmingham is six times more likely to die in infancy than a baby born in Eastleigh, Hampshire.</div><div><br /></div><div>Celia, who has a 15-year-old son, said: “I count my blessings every day for my son Angus. Giving our children the healthiest possible start in life is absolu... ]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 22:10:54 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Precious milk for precious babies ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/precious-milk-for-precious-babies ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/precious-milk-for-precious-babies ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <img border="0" align="right" width="200" vspace="0" hspace="0" height="299" class="mediaImage" src="http://bb.raisingit.com/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=9eadabb6-0d6c-492d-9975-f5ffc73aa5ce&w=200&h=299" alt="Alison Baum & Jessica Kingsley" title="Alison Baum & Jessica Kingsley" style="margin-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" />Best Beginnings helped celebrate a milestone anniversary of the start of milk banking at Queen Charlotte’s Hospital in May. The event marked 75 years since the London hospital first started the process and 70 years since the opening of the milk bank there.<br /><br />The Best Beginning’s team took their innovative <a href="/Pages/Display.aspx?Title=get-britain-breastfeeding&IDPost=a67be6ee-4405-4e7c-93a8-796df8b3775f" target="_self">Get Britain Breastfeeding</a> art exhibition to the event and helped rejoice the work of the milk bank which has helped thousands of precious babies benefit from specially collected, tested and heat-treated milk over the years.<br /><br />The ... ]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 10 May 2012 20:33:59 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Please leave your review  ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/please-leave-your-review ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/please-leave-your-review ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <span class="post_introduction">We value your feedback and pride ourselves on working collaboratively. If you've seen our </span><a href="/Pages/Display.aspx?Title=from-bump-to-breastfeeding&IDPost=d6d683d6-393b-4938-aae4-411eeeede757" target="_self"><span class="post_introduction">From Bump to Breastfeeding</span></a><span class="post_introduction"> DVD, please let us know what you think in the comments section below. With your help we can develop even better resources in the future!</span><br /> ]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 10 May 2012 20:30:25 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Best Beginnings makes big impact at Primary Care conference ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/primary-care-2010 ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/primary-care-2010 ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <br />
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<br />Alison Baum, Chief Executive Officer of Best Beginnings, gave an inspiring speech to more than 1000 health care professionals at the <a title="Primary Care 2010" href="http://www.primarycare2010.co.uk/" target="_blank">Primary Care 2010</a> conference in Birmingham in May. She talked about the health inequalities that exist between Britain&rsquo;s babies and shared her vision for a future where all children have the best start in life.<br /><br />Delegates listened intently as Alison outlined the importance of health trusts signing up to UNICEF&rsquo;s <a title="Baby Friendly" href="http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/" target="_blank">Baby Friendly Initiative</a> and urged those present to use the resources that Best Beginnings have created. Amongst these is the <a title="From Bump to Breastfeeding" href="/Pages/Display.aspx?Title=from-bump-to-breastfeeding&amp;IDPost=d6d... ]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 09:25:26 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Bournemouth embraces Best Beginnings at UNICEF conference ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/bournemouth-embraces-best-beginnings-at-unicef-conference ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/bournemouth-embraces-best-beginnings-at-unicef-conference ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <img hspace="0" height="184" width="247" vspace="0" align="right" title="Lee Hall & Alison Baum at the BFI conference" alt="Lee Hall & Alison Baum at the BFI conference" src="http://bb.raisingit.com/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=641b9198-bd86-4a7d-add2-e2696f6025af&w=480&h=320" class="mediaImage" style="margin-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" />Best Beginnings hosted a popular stand at UNICEF’s Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) annual conference in November. The event, which attracts professionals and others involved in the care of mothers and babies, aims to provide the very latest information and advice about breastfeeding.<br /><br />Best Beginnings’ Chief Executive Officer Alison Baum, who sits on the BFI steering committee, was on hand to offer help to delegates at the two-day conference. She was based on the Best Beginnings stand which received considerable interest from health professionals keen to find out more about the charity.<br /><br />Many told of how useful the charity’s From Bump to... ]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 21:34:20 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Best Beginnings boosted by fun run in the capital ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/best-beginnings-boosted-by-fun-run-in-the-capital ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/best-beginnings-boosted-by-fun-run-in-the-capital ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <img class="mediaImage" src="/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=1676fd4e-e524-4e58-8817-8f323627db1e&w=480&h=320" /><br /><br />A group of fitness enthusiasts raised more than £10,000 for Best Beginnings after racing around London in July. Eighteen people took part in the sponsored 10K run which will help pay towards operating costs for the charity’s vital work.<br /><br />Among the runners were Best Beginnings CEO Alison Baum and her husband, plus the Chair of Trustees, Andrew Moss. They were joined by people living locally to the charity’s office in West Hampstead, who were keen to show their support.<br /><br />Best Beginnings is always keen to hear from people enthusiastic about raising funds. If you’re interested in taking part in the next Asics British 10K London Run or hosting any other, slightly less energetic event, please email <a href="mailto://info@bestbeginnings.co.uk" target="_self" title="Email us">info@bestbeginnings.co.uk</a> or call 020 7443 7895.<br /> ]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 11 May 2012 21:46:31 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Business leaders buy in to Best Beginnings ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/business-leaders-buy-in-to-best-beginnings ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/business-leaders-buy-in-to-best-beginnings ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <img hspace="0" border="0" vspace="0" align="right" title="" alt="" src="http://bb.raisingit.com/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=0447200a-1928-44a1-8776-63e1792b9b97&w=480&h=320" class="mediaImage" style="width: 288px; height: 200px; margin-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" />A charity fundraising event for Best Beginnings was held at the offices of international accountancy firm <a title="BDO Stoy Hayward" target="_blank" href="http://www.bdo.uk.com/">BDO Stoy Hayward</a> in June. Business leaders, lawyers and city slickers went along to donate money and find out how their organisations can assist with long term fundraising for the charity. Among those present were BDO senior practice partner Daniel Dover, Best Beginnings Patrons James Sainsbury and Nimmy March (pictured below right), and the parents of footballer and Patron Theo Walcott (pictured below left).<br /><br />Films about Best Beginnings were shown on a big screen as a jazz band played and drinks flowed freely. A raffle and prize draw r... ]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 08 May 2012 22:18:07 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Gearing up to ensure children have the best start ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/gearing-up-to-ensure-children-have-the-best-start ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/gearing-up-to-ensure-children-have-the-best-start ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <span class="post_h3">Best Beginnings charity cycle ride from London to  Paris</span><br />As Team GB return home from Beijing with their  biggest medal haul in 100 years, London's very own Team BB gears up for  its own cycling bonanza!<br /><br />Best Beginnings CEO Alison Baum,  affectionately dubbed “The Cycling CEO” by colleagues, has taken on the  olympian challenge of cycling from London to Paris this September (14th -  17th) to raise in excess of £10,000 for the charity. Alison will be  cycling 285 miles over 4 days alongside team mates Claire Davis, Annette  Kurer, Francesca Entwistle, James Sainsbury and Jack Hawker and is  looking for both individual and corporate sponsors.<br /><br />Alison says:  “This will be my 3rd charity bike ride, but my first as CEO of the  charity and certainly my most challenging from a physical perspective.  Whilst I am working on my physical health to complete the cycle ride, I  am asking you to help me consider the financial health of the charity... ]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 19 Apr 2012 22:45:34 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ London to Paris – we did it! ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/london-to-paris-%25e2%2580%2593-we-did-it ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/london-to-paris-%25e2%2580%2593-we-did-it ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Many arduous miles, saddle sore bums, a few minor scrapes, but all in  all, six very happy and exhausted cyclists completed the epic London to  Paris bike ride to raise thousands for Best Beginnings.<br /><br />Alison and the  gang enjoyed the beautiful scenery, welcome refreshments and sparkling  company over the 182 miles, all in the name of helping Britain's babies  get an equal chance of a best beginning.<br /><br />And if you haven't yet sponsored anyone, it's not too late, </span><a href="http://www.bestbeginnings.info/sponsor-the-cycling-ceo-and-team-bb" mce_href="sponsor-the-cycling-ceo-and-team-bb"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">click through to this  page</span></a><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> to see how the merry band of weary cyclists are nearing their  targets, see more pics, and to give any of us a last-minute boost!<br /><br />The  team: Jack Hawker, Alison Baum, Ann... ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 07 May 2012 21:50:10 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Bestival 2008 ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/bestival-2008 ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/bestival-2008 ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <img hspace="0" height="320" border="0" width="213" vspace="0" align="right" title="" alt="" src="http://bb.raisingit.com/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=e549577e-46fb-4872-acb6-404d7f9798cf&w=480&h=320" class="mediaImage" style="margin-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" />September 5-7, 2008 and amid the rolling hills of the scenic Isle  of Wight a festival was unfolding... not just any festival, <a href="http://www.bestival.net/" mce_href="http://www.bestival.co.uk/" target="_blank">but the acclaimed, sold-out Bestival</a>. And Best  Beginnings was there thanks to the generous support of Bestival hosts  Josie and Rob da Bank, who provided us with our very own marquee and  volunteer passes.<br /><br />Needless to say the BB team was very excited by the  preparations for our first ever festival! The weather reports painted an  ominous picture, and to the flip flops, suncream and vests in the  rucksack were added wellies, ponchos, emergency fold out canoes... But  despite the 'weather bomb' drenching... ]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 06 Mar 2012 02:37:57 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ CAF Charities Online Awards 2006-7 ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/caf-charities-online-awards-2006-7 ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/caf-charities-online-awards-2006-7 ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ We WON! Best Beginnings has just won the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cafonline.org/default.aspx?page=11266">CAF  Charities Online Accounts Awards</a> for charities in the income bracket  from £100,000 and £499,999.<br /><br /> Alison Baum and Frankie Blagden attended the awards ceremony at the Institute of Chartered Accountants  where Best Beginnings received a very special mention for winning the  award despite being less than a year old! Special congratulations go to  Frankie Blagden, Jo Bradshaw and to Sheryl Feldman at Westbury Accounts. They worked incredibly hard and effectively as a creative team on our  annual accounts. A very special thank you goes to Frankie for coming up  with the idea for applying to CAF, and for project managing the project  so effectively.<br /><br />We have won a prize of £5,000 which we can put  to very good use to help the Get Britain Breastfeeding Exhibition begin  its National Tour, engaging communities up and down the country. ]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 08 May 2012 06:49:31 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Get Britain Breastfeeding  ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/get-britain-breastfeeding-news ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ http://bb.raisingit.com/News/get-britain-breastfeeding-news ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ <span class="post_h2"><img hspace="0" border="0" vspace="0" align="right" class="mediaImage" src="http://bb.raisingit.com/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=0894e808-db20-434d-a20a-d75027451867&w=480&h=320" alt="" title="" style="margin-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; width: 267px; height: 200px;" />An art exhibition to engage the parents of tomorrow</span><a target="_self" href="/Pages/Display.aspx?Title=get-britain-breastfeeding&IDPost=a67be6ee-4405-4e7c-93a8-796df8b3775f">Get Britain Breastfeeding</a> is an interactive exhibition of work by design students to 'rebrand' breastfeeding for the parents of tomorrow. The  exhibition features seven poster panels containing artwork by students of Central Saint Martin’s College of Art &amp; Design, created as part  of a competition to promote breastfeeding to young people. There is also  a 32-page colour interactive guide with details on the artists and  questions for young people viewing the exhibition.<br /><br />We are  thrilled to now be able to take G... ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 14 May 2012 16:18:43 GMT</pubDate></item></channel></rss>
