A café has received a national award for supporting its customers to breastfeed in public.

Babyccino Coffee, on Merstow Green, Evesham was voted best breastfeeding venue in the UK in the Feed With Confidence Awards, run by breastfeeding brand Lansinoh to celebrate places and people across the country that support breastfeeding mums.

James Waple, owner of Babyccino Coffee, said: “We’re thrilled to win this award. We go out of our way to make sure everyone feels comfortable here, and love having a community of mums who visit regularly because of this. All public venues should support breastfeeding, and mums should be made to feel confident when they’re out and about feeding their babies. We’re proud to be leading the way.”

People were invited to nominate venues that support breastfeeding mums by providing an encouraging, safe and friendly environment in which women feel confident enough to breastfeed in.

Lisa Craven, UK marketing manager at Lansinoh, said: “The 2018 Feed With Confidence Awards received a record number of nominations, so to be named winner in the venue category is a huge achievement.

We’re passionate about encouraging cafes and venues to help make breastfeeding mums feel comfortable, and the number of nominations Babyccino Coffee received demonstrates that it’s a breastfeeding friendly establishment that mums love.”

The UK has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world. The number of women in England breastfeeding their babies six to eight weeks after giving birth has declined, according to figures from Public Health England. Just 42.7 per cent of mothers breastfeed their babies when they are six weeks old, according to most recent data for 2017-2018.

By encouraging people and places to be more accepting of it, the Feed With Confidence Awards aim to give more women the confidence to try breastfeeding and to do it for longer.

When mums choose to breastfeed, Lansinoh says it believes they should have the support and encouragement they need to experience all its benefits, and ensure baby feels the same.