Holding Time at Liverpool University Hospitals: Art, Breastfeeding and Maternal Wellbeing

The Holding Time Project brought photographic portraits, animations and mothers’ stories to Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in a major exhibition programme running from November 2023 to February 2026. Developed by artist Lisa Creagh with mothers from Cheshire and Merseyside and supported by Improving Me, the exhibition celebrated the diversity of breastfeeding experiences while challenging stigma and promoting maternal wellbeing. Touring the Royal Liverpool, Aintree and Broadgreen hospitals, the project connected creative health, public art and NHS breastfeeding policy.

Half a Million Views and Rising

The Holding Time Project is celebrating an extraordinary milestone, with mothers’ stories reaching audiences around the world.

Originally commissioned by Improving Me, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Women’s Health and Maternity Programme, the project uses photography, film and creative storytelling to amplify women’s lived experiences of breastfeeding, birth and motherhood.

With 2,400 hours of watch time and hundreds of new subscribers, these stories demonstrate the power of creative health to challenge misconceptions, reduce isolation and connect families.

Exploring Breastfeeding Challenges in Bradford Podcast Episodes

The Bradford season of the Holding Time podcast brings together a diverse range of mothers’ stories about breastfeeding, adoption, pregnancy, free-birthing, donor milk, preterm babies and birth trauma. Co-created with mothers, local infant feeding teams and community partners, the series examines breastfeeding as part of the wider experience of motherhood and maternal wellbeing in Bradford.

Bradford Mothers’ Voices Take to the Streets in the ‘Holding Time Milk Line’

The Holding Time Milk Line celebrates Bradford mothers through an immersive walking trail of art, poetry, and storytelling. Created by artist Lisa Creagh for Baby Week Bradford, the trail links Family Hubs and green spaces, inviting families to listen, reflect, and connect with local stories of motherhood, feeding, and wellbeing.

Growing Time: The Holding Timepiece and Maternal Time

The Holding Timepiece is an evolving artwork by Lisa Creagh that challenges conventional ways of measuring time. Inspired by Cosmatesque geometry and developed through glass sculpture, photography and 3D animation, it visualises maternal time as something that grows rather than passes. Created over nearly a decade, the Timepiece is now central to Holding Time’s development of an immersive virtual reality intervention designed to support mothers experiencing neonatal intensive care.

Bradford Podcast | Creativity and Wellbeing Week

The Bradford Podcast amplifies mothers’ diverse voices on breastfeeding, adoption, milk donation, birth trauma, and cultural traditions—part of Holding Time’s wider Creative Health programme in Bradford.

Breastfeeding a Neurodivergent Child

I’ve come to realise why it was hard at times in my breastfeeding journey and a lot of this relating to being neurodivergent. As we see an increase in awareness around hidden disabilities, I hope other mums can feel confident to seek help if they’re finding it hard to breastfeed/parent a child with additional needs.

The Holding Time Chair: Celebrating Motherhood in Bradford’s Bowling Park

The Holding Time Chair was unveiled in Bowling Park, Bradford, during Baby Week 2024. Created by sculptor Dan Jones in collaboration with artist Lisa Creagh and Better Place Bradford, the monumental 4.5-tonne Lincolnshire stone sculpture celebrates motherhood, breastfeeding and the importance of rest and care. Inspired by ancient maternal figurines, the artwork provides a welcoming place for families to pause, connect with nature and discover Bradford mothers’ stories through an integrated QR code.

Bradford Writing for Wellbeing | Holding Time Project

Mothers and families throughout Bradford shared their experience of breastfeeding as part of the Holding Time Project, launched with a live event during Baby Week Bradford on the 14th November 2024.

Stones a 5 minute film about Endometriosis…

Stones is a five-minute film by Lisa Creagh reflecting on 25 years of living with endometriosis and severe menstrual pain. Created as the first of a two-part work, the film uses personal memory to explore chronic illness, treatment, menopause and resilience. It was made in collaboration with Creagh’s daughter and acknowledges the pioneering surgery that made motherhood possible.

Writing for Wellbeing

I’m Rachel New, a broadcaster, writer and workshop facilitator. I’ve been running creative and therapeutic writing workshops for breastfeeding mothers, … More

Ablaze in Bradford

Ablaze in Bradford explores the ideas, collaborations and creative development behind the Holding Time Project’s ambitious Bradford programme. Artist Lisa Creagh describes how an encounter with prehistoric maternal figurines in Malta inspired the monumental Holding Time Chair, a stone sculpture connecting public art with mothers’ recorded stories. Combining photographic portraits, creative writing, exhibitions and outdoor audio trails, the project brings breastfeeding and maternal wellbeing into Bradford’s parks, hospitals and communities.

Holding Time at Halton Family Hubs: Celebrating Mothers’ Voices

The Holding Time Project brought photography, poetry and creative health workshops to Halton Family Hubs across Runcorn and Widnes. Featuring breastfeeding portraits across seven venues, writing workshops led by Rachel New and an audio tour at Norton Priory’s walled garden, the programme created opportunities for mothers to share their experiences of breastfeeding and motherhood. Developed with Halton Family Hubs and Improving Me, the project celebrates mothers’ voices and explores how creative practice can support maternal wellbeing.

Holding Time Chair Unveiling

Motherspeak: Holding Time Storytelling and Singing at Manchester Art Gallery

Singing Mamas joined with the Holding Time Project Manchester mothers to create a warm afternoon of storytelling and chorus for the end of the writing workshops at Manchester Art Gallery.

The Podcast

Gathering together key conversations from the Holding Time project about motherhood, breastfeeding, history, culture, support and more…!

Holding Time exhibition at Open Eye Gallery featuring photographic portraits, stop-motion images and interviews with mothers about breastfeeding and motherhood.

Open Eye Gallery Interview

Women are constantly faced with this difficult choice. And it is often a woman’s choice whether they want to carry on with their career and keep climbing the ladder and earning more and getting what they deserve, or whether they want to prioritise their children. There’s just this constant juggle of yourself over your child. I feel like I do prioritise myself a lot. I’ve been very selfish in many ways to continue with this work. The unselfish thing perhaps, would have been to go and get a job.

Motherspeak at Kala Sangam Arts Centre

Motherspeak brought the voices of Bradford mothers to Kala Sangam Arts Centre through a moving live performance of poetry and personal stories. Developed through creative writing workshops led by Rachel New as part of the Holding Time Project, the event explored breastfeeding, birth trauma and maternal wellbeing. Through storytelling, mothers transformed deeply personal experiences into powerful expressions of resilience, connection and shared understanding.

Stories, Places, Spaces

I quickly realised that I needed a whole new map of my city: one that outlined the best places to meet, sit, feed without feeling awkward or in the way. better still, I needed places with built-in free activities ; mother groups, childrens activities for friends with toddlers and anywhere, ANYWHERE WITH CAKE.

The Ecology of Care | Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool 2022

At Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, The Ecology of Care explored themes of motherhood, care, and connection through art, photography, and music—highlighting community, resilience, and maternal wellbeing.