Health visitors celebrate 150 years of service (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Health visitors celebrate 150 years of service
11:50am Monday 13th February 2012 in News By Claire Lomax
Members of the Allerton group
Parents and babies have said a special ‘thank-you’ to a Bradford health visiting team, as the profession celebrates 150 years of providing healthcare to children and their families across the UK.
There are 117 health visitors employed by Bradford District Care Trust working across the district, and the team in Allerton were invited by Allerton Children’s Centre to attend a baby yoga session.
A ‘celebration cake was laid on to mark the 150th anniversary.
Gail Barraclough, family support lead at Allerton Children’s Centre, who organised the event, said: “Our local health visitors are very important to us and we work closely with them. They come along and support our activities and in turn we are able to support families they feel may need a little bit more help.
“They are a fantastic team and our parents speak very highly of them. It is a nice relationship that works really well.”
Health visitors are vital in making a big difference to the health and wellbeing of children, families and communities and to improving public health and reducing inequalities.
James Cooke, acting head of children and family services at Bradford District Care Trust, said: “From pregnancy through to a child’s fifth birthday, health visitors are instrumental in supporting and educating families through an important time of their lives.”
Suzanne Convery, health visitor CPT (Community Practice Teacher), attended the event. She said: “It was great to celebrate 150 years of the profession alongside my colleagues.
“I’m proud of the work we do to support families and children in the area.
“It’s a rewarding career. Some people believe health visiting is all about weighing babies – it’s not. It involves working with children and families at different stages in their lives. Health visiting is a unique profession and this makes each working day a new and exciting challenge.”
