A Bolton-born woman who runs a breastfeeding peer support service in the town and further afield has been recognised for her efforts.

Elaine Edwards, 56, who lives in Darwen, is chair of trustees at Families and Babies, which started back in 2004 when she had a difficult start to breastfeeding her daughter Jessica and struggled to get support.

She went to a local Sure Start Centre for help, and it was there Elaine met other mums who were in the same position.

Together they realised the power of mothers supporting each other and the need for a support network to access help easily and be given evidence-based information.

And now, Elaine has been recognised for the work she does across Greater Manchester.

On March 31, Elaine was given her award by High Sheriff Lorraine Christine Worsely-Carter and she said it was "touching" to look back on the past 20 years.

Elaine said: “It felt really good, I was awarded it for all the work I have done with families and babies and setting it up over the last 20 years.

“The High Sheriff recognised the work that I had carried out over the last 20 years which was quite touching really, and it was really nice to think back at what I actually had achieved over the years.

“Families has been going now since 2003/2004 and we are a breastfeeding support charity, so we support mums, antenatally and postnatally on the ward, at home and in groups.

“We are very very lucky in Lancashire where we have services which are commissioned through the council.

“Sadly, in Bolton we don’t have any commissions for services so whatever we do in Bolton, we do from the money we have raised from our eBay shop and from out charity shop on Tonge Moor Road.

“So, we currently have a refuge support group that runs every Tuesday morning in Dunelm in Bolton and then we are looking to open a new one in a couple of months at Tonge Cricket Club.

“I used to live in Bolton, I lived in Egerton for a long time, so Bolton is my hometown and Bolton is where we have our head office, and we all muck in to get things done and get our hands dirty.

“Since we began the charity, we have supported just over 270,000 families across the UK and people can access our services by accessing our website or they can ring our shop at 01204 328715.”

To find out more or to access services go to https://www.familiesandbabies.org.uk/