Holding Time at Halton Family Hubs: Celebrating Mothers’ Voices

Photography, poetry and creative storytelling supporting maternal wellbeing across Runcorn and Widnes.

The Holding Time Project expanded into Halton Family Hubs in 2024, bringing together photographic portraits, creative writing workshops and an immersive audio trail to celebrate mothers’ experiences of breastfeeding and motherhood.

Working alongside Halton Borough Council and NHS partners, the project introduced portraits of breastfeeding mothers across seven Family Hub venues, helping to create more welcoming and representative public spaces for families.

Led by writer and creative producer Rachel New, the Writing for Wellbeing workshops invited mothers who had tried breastfeeding to explore their experiences through creative writing and poetry. The sessions offered opportunities for reflection, conversation and shared creative expression.

In June 2024, participating mothers performed their poetry at Halton Lea Library, bringing personal stories of breastfeeding into a public setting.

The programme also included an audio tour around the historic walled garden at Norton Priory, allowing visitors to encounter mothers’ voices in a distinctive outdoor environment.

Part of Holding Time’s wider Cheshire and Merseyside programme, supported by Improving Me, the Women’s Health and Maternity Programme, and Arts Council funding, the Halton project demonstrates how photography, storytelling and community partnerships can make breastfeeding experiences more visible and open new conversations about maternal wellbeing.

• Portraits of Cheshire and Merseyside (C&M) mothers across the Halton Family Hubs
• Free Writing Workshops for mothers in Halton who have tried breastfeeding
• Celebration Event and Audio Tour of breastfeeding conversations in the walled garden at Norton Priory

Stacey Cameron, the Infant Feeding Specialist Lead and Clare Gouldson, the Parent and Infant Mental Health Lead from NHS Bridgwater,  will also be on hand to offer support. 

We are really excited to be offering workshops with The Holding Time project through Halton Family Hubs. We recognise the value of sharing stories and using creative writing to explore and process emotions, and address these in a supportive environment.

Rebekah Walsh, Practice Manager, Halton Borough Council

The writing workshops were delivered by Rachel New, a writer and experienced Creative Lives producer who is delivering workshops as part of  The Holding Time Project, a photography exhibition of breastfeeding portraits, a selection of which will be on permanent display at the Runcorn and Widnes Family Hubs.

You can listen to our latest podcast where Rachel describes her process of writing for wellbeing, working with groups and hear more of the poetry below:

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lisa-creagh/episodes/Halton-Holding-Time-e2lh2ru/a-abdc840

This Halton Family Hubs exhibition is the latest development of the Cheshire and Merseyside project, an NHS commissioned initiative funded by Improving Me, the Women’s Health and Maternity Programme (WHaM) and Arts Council Lottery Funds. This project was shortlisted by the Royal College of Midwives ‘Excellence in Public Health’ award in 2023. 

For further information please contact info@holdingtime.org