Baby Friendly Areas Opened in HMS Drake

Two brand-new baby friendly areas have been formally opened in HMNB Devonport by Captain of the Base, Captain David Preece RN.

Located within HMS Drake’s Haven and inside the Naval Base’s Wyvern Gym complex, the pair of parent and baby facilities are already proving very popular with Service mums and their babies.

The first area, called the Bumps & Babies room is a specially dedicated room for mothers and babies to relax in within the Chaplaincy’s Haven building. The facility is well equipped with soft toys and child friendly furnishings and is a space where Service mums can gather and meet socially with others who are in similar circumstances.

Further down from the Haven in one of the gym rooms, they have set up a Maternity Fitness Suite with suitable areas for babies to play whilst parents’ exercise. Supported by the Base’s Physical Trainer Instructors it also allows them to take specifically planned classes organised by the Gym Staff.

“It’s truly been a big team effort pulling this all together, creating two fabulous new facilities here in Devonport,” said Chief Petty Officer Miriam Charlton, the organiser and lead for the project. “Having these facilities has created more opportunities for parents and babies to meet each other and share experiences.

“It’s taken a while to pull it all together, but I must thank everyone for coming along to support us and showing the enthusiasm for the Bumps and Babies Room and the Fitness Suite in the Gym complex, it is really heart-warming to create something which will benefit many people.

“I’d also like to give a big thanks to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity for their generous financial support, as well as the PT staff at gym who in their own time have created the fitness suite. It’s also great to have the Aggie Weston pastoral workers at the Haven bring together everything today, I thank you all.”

“This is really a brilliant set of facilities and I’d really like to thank Chief Petty Officer Charlton for her fantastic efforts,” said Captain Preece. “This is exactly the type of facility we should be providing on the Base and I’m proud what’s been achieved here. I hope that everyone will enjoy the Bumps and Babies room and take full advantage of these wonderful areas.”

Source: HM Naval Base Devonport