New Leeds Milk Trail Invites Families to Explore City Centre

A free family trail launching during Leeds Baby Week will encourage visitors to explore nine city centre venues while promoting breastfeeding-friendly spaces.

Families across Leeds are being invited to explore some of the city's best-known attractions through a new free trail designed to celebrate breastfeeding-friendly spaces and encourage learning, discovery and fun.

The Leeds Milk Trail will take participants on a journey around nine city centre venues, combining an interactive family activity with information about breastfeeding and the support available to parents.

The initiative will launch during Leeds Baby Week, running from 14 to 20 November 2026, and is open to everyone, whether or not they have experience of breastfeeding.

Nine popular Leeds venues taking part

The trail encourages families to follow a specially designed map, visiting participating venues to discover hidden answers to a series of themed questions.

Nine locations are involved:

• Leeds Central Library

• Leeds City Museum

• Leeds Art Gallery

• Henry Moore Art Gallery

• The Light

• Trinity Leeds

• Kirkgate Market

• Leeds Playhouse

• Royal Armouries

Each venue is part of the Breastfeeding Friendly Leeds Scheme, which recognises businesses, public spaces and community organisations that actively welcome and support breastfeeding.

The trail is designed to make exploring the city enjoyable for families while highlighting places where parents can feel comfortable feeding their babies.

Promoting breastfeeding-friendly spaces

Alongside providing an entertaining activity, the Leeds Milk Trail aims to increase awareness of the importance of breastfeeding and the support available across the city.

Organisers say breastfeeding can provide important health benefits for babies, including supporting immune system development and helping strengthen emotional bonds between parents and children.

The trail also seeks to normalise breastfeeding in public by showcasing venues committed to providing welcoming environments.

Importantly, participation is not restricted to breastfeeding parents.

Families, children and visitors of all backgrounds are encouraged to take part.

Launch coincides with Leeds Baby Week

The new trail will be introduced as part of Leeds Baby Week, an annual celebration of services, activities and support available to babies, toddlers and families with children aged five and under.

First established in Leeds in 2016, Baby Week has since developed into a registered charity, with similar initiatives taking place in other parts of the UK.

This year's theme is 'Chat, Play, Read With Me', encouraging families to support early childhood development through communication, play and reading.

Free family showcase at Temple Newsam

Celebrations begin this weekend with the Leeds Big Showcase for Little Ones at Temple Newsam.

The event takes place on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November, from 10.30am until 3.30pm.

Families can enjoy free estate entry, stalls, sensory zones and specially organised children's activities.

Visitors attending on Saturday will also have an opportunity to learn more about the Leeds Milk Trail and collect associated branded goodies.

The showcase is a new addition to the Leeds Baby Week programme.

Council welcomes new initiative

Councillor Emma Flint, Leeds City Council's executive member for equalities, adults and health, welcomed the project.

She said:

"This new trail is a fantastic, visible and fun way to showcase our city's support for breastfeeding and reinforce our work to ensure Leeds is child, family and breastfeeding-friendly."

Councillor Flint said the project had been developed through collaboration between organisations across the city.

She also highlighted the importance of ensuring parents feel comfortable breastfeeding in public.

"Breastfeeding in public is a legal, protected right and Breastfeeding Friendly Leeds venues go one step further by creating a positive, welcoming environment where babies can be fed comfortably and confidently."

She encouraged families to take part, discover new places and enjoy the experience together.

Part of wider support for young families

The Leeds Milk Trail follows similar initiatives introduced in Hull and Doncaster.

It also supports Leeds City Council's Best Start and Beyond Strategy, a ten-year programme developed with NHS and voluntary-sector partners.

The strategy aims to improve health and educational outcomes while reducing inequalities among children from conception to the age of five.

By bringing together cultural attractions, family activities and information about breastfeeding, the new trail aims to help make Leeds a more welcoming city for parents and young children.

Further information about the trail and participating venues is expected to be available through Leeds City Council and Leeds Baby Week.

Source: Leeds City Council – Leeds Milk Trail and Baby Week announcement.