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.

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.

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.

Cultural memories of breastfeeding: race, class and migration

Anna Horn writes about the challenges of breastfeeding her first child. Her unique perspective an African American offers valuable insight of the complexities around breastfeeding for black women here and abroad.