Newham residents scoop National Childbirth Trust awards
Kelly Drake (left) and Andrea Weyand (right) with Seana Talbot, NCT President and Prunella Briance who founded NCT in 1956 - Credit: NCT
A National (NCT) volunteer and an antenatal practitioner have been honoured at a national parent’s charity event.
Forest Gate resident Kelly Drake was named NCT Volunteer of the Year while Andrea Weyand from Plaistow received the Practitioner Reaching All Parents Award at the NCT Stars Awards.
The ceremony recognises volunteers and practitioners who give their time and skills to support mums and dads in their communities. The awards were held at City Hall earlier this month.
Kelly, a volunteer from the NCT Newham Branch, has been described as being a “walking ambassador” for NCT.
She regularly distributes flyers around the borough, speaks at health visitors’ meetings and runs groups in Plaistow, Forest Gate, Canning Town and Stratford.
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In accepting the award, she said: “I feel truly honoured to be recognised for what I genuinely love doing.
“The satisfaction I receive from working within my local community and seeing how NCT and its volunteers can transform so many new parents’ experience with parenthood spurs me on every day.”
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Andrea Weyand, who lives in Plaistow and works in three London boroughs including Newham, was awarded for being the NCT practitioner who has done the most to increase the reach of the parenting charity in her area.
She has worked to train more breastfeeding peer supporters in the borough and has successfully recruited more women from local black and ethnic minority communities.
She also helped set up a drop-in feeding support group for Newham parents.
Andrea said: “I’m delighted to win this award which recognises the work we’re doing in the local branch to support parents.
“It’s an honour to win during NCT’s 60th anniversary as it’s a reminder of the parents we’ve supported in the area over the years.”
NCT is the UK’s largest charity for parents. For more information about becoming an NCT practitioner or volunteer, call 0300 330 0770 or visit nct.org.uk
