NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is celebrating the growing support for breastfeeding families across local communities, as leading football clubs join Scotland’s national Breastfeeding Friendly Scheme.
Partick Thistle and St Mirren have been awarded Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland accreditation, demonstrating their commitment to creating welcoming, supportive environments for mothers and babies both within their stadiums and across the wider community.
The Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland Scheme (BFSS), supported by the Scottish Government and delivered locally by NHS Boards, aims to ensure women feel confident and supported to breastfeed when out and about.
Through the scheme, venues display a recognisable logo to show that breastfeeding is welcome anywhere on their premises. Staff are also supported to understand the law and their role in creating a positive experience for families.
So far, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has signed up over 350 organisations to the scheme in Glasgow City and Renfrewshire, where the clubs are based. Health Improvement practitioners have worked closely with local partners to build awareness, provide training and support businesses and community venues to become breastfeeding friendly.
The scheme helps:
- Increase confidence for women breastfeeding in public
- Raise awareness of legal protections under the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Equality Act 2010
- Ensure staff understand their responsibilities in supporting mothers
Venues displaying the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland logo signal that breastfeeding is fully supported, and that mothers will never be asked to stop, move or cover up while feeding.
Joining the scheme brings wider benefits too, helping organisations create more inclusive, family-friendly environments, improve customer experience, and demonstrate their commitment to community wellbeing.
Partick Thistle was the first club to engage with NHSGGC and have long been recognised as a welcoming and inclusive space for families.
“Everyone at Partick Thistle is fully engaged in welcoming breastfeeding families and tries to make their visit as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. Being part of the Breastfeeding Friendly Scheme is a great way to show how important this is to us and to the wider community,” said Anthony Docherty, Stadium Firhill Manager.
The club’s commitment was also proudly supported by members of the team, including Mark Wilson, Football Manager, Alannah McPherson, Head of Medical, with her baby Poppie, and first-team player Alex Samuel, who all took time from their busy schedules to have their photo taken to highlight their support for breastfeeding families at Firhill.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Anthony to highlight the football club and staff’s progressive and supportive approach. It made complete sense for Partick Thistle Football Club to be part of the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland scheme,” said Annette Dougan, Health Improvement Practitioner.
St Mirren is now also proudly part of the scheme, helping to extend its reach and impact across even more communities.
“St Mirren is committed to being a family-friendly club and we are delighted to be recognised as part of the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland Scheme. We want all supporters and visitors to feel welcome, and this is an important step in showing our support for mothers and families in our community,” said Lynsey McLean, General Manager St Mirren Football Club.
By working in partnership with local organisations, including major sporting institutions, NHSGGC continues to normalise breastfeeding, improve experiences for families, and support better health outcomes for mothers and babies.
“We are really encouraged to see well-loved community organisations like Partick Thistle and St Mirren leading the way in supporting breastfeeding families. Creating environments where women feel confident and comfortable to breastfeed when out and about is vital, and schemes like this help make that the norm.
“I also congratulate our Health Improvement teams for their work on this and the number of connections that they’ve made with organisations to date. By working with partners across Greater Glasgow and Clyde, we are helping to ensure that mothers feel welcomed, supported and never judged for how they choose to feed their baby,” said Dr John O’Dowd, NHSGGC Interim Director of Public Health.
NHSGGC now looks forward to welcoming even more organisations to the scheme and continuing to build a supportive, inclusive environment for breastfeeding across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
