Chester’s Milk Bank wins prestigious King’s Award at Nursing Times Awards
The Milk Bank at Chester, based at the Countess of Chester Hospital, has won the King’s Award for Integrated Approaches to Care at the Nursing Times Awards 2025.
The Chester team, which operates the largest NHS milk bank in England, processes and distributes screened donor milk to more than 70 hospitals nationwide.
The service provides vital nutrition to premature and poorly babies when their own mother’s milk is unavailable.
The award recognises the Memory Milk Gift initiative, a compassionate programme that supports families who have lost a baby and choose to donate milk in their baby’s memory.
The initiative provides joined-up care between midwives, neonatal teams and wellbeing services, ensuring that families are supported emotionally and physically throughout and after their donation.
One of those families is Rowen Emmett O’Toole, who donated her milk in memory of her son, Milo.
Her experience helped shape a national training course for NHS staff on speaking with bereaved families about milk donation with empathy and confidence.
What began as a local scheme at the Countess of Chester Hospital has now been adopted by more than 50 NHS Trusts across the UK.
The initiative includes the Lactation After Loss training course, co-developed with Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; the Fly Mama wellbeing programme, offering yoga and mental health support to families and staff; and Legacy options such as the Memory Milk Tree, remembrance pebbles, and an annual Ribbon Walk at Countess of Chester Country Park.
Judges praised the Memory Milk Gift initiative for its sensitive and practical approach, describing it as a model for compassionate integrated care within the NHS.
Laura Atherton, Head of the Milk Bank at Chester, said: “Since I took on the role in 2021, I’ve wanted to make sure families going through baby loss feel supported every step of the way. Milk donation after loss isn’t just a clinical process – it’s emotional, personal, and often part of someone’s healing. The Memory Milk Gift initiative is about offering care before, during and after donation, so families feel listened to, respected and never alone.”
Special recognition was also given to Perinatal Midwife Sara Balmforth from Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, whose collaboration helped establish the initiative.
The Chester model is now being used nationally and internationally as an example of integrated care that combines clinical practice with emotional and wellbeing support
Check live fuel prices near you before you set off.
Spotted something? Got a story? Email news (@) deeside.com
NEW: Add Deeside.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Latest News
