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WHAT DO UK MUM'S REALLY WANT?

VOTING BEGINS FOR TOMMY'S LET'S GET BABY FRIENDLY AWARDS 2009 www.tommys.org/awards

Baby charity Tommy's is launching its Let's Get Baby Friendly Awards 2009, and they urgently need your help! If you've got a baby or are about to have one - Tommy's needs to know who YOU think is genuinely baby friendly and is doing the best job on the high street - visit www.tommy.org/awards to vote and be in with a chance to win £250.
The Awards are supported by a host of celeb mums including: Carrie Grant, Terri Dwyer, Nancy Sorrell, Philippa Forrester and Tamara Beckwith.
Awards Host, Carrie Grant says:
"Becoming a mum is a life changing experience - both physically and emotionally. It's amazing, terrifying, exhilarating and scary all at the same time. Having people around to help with all the new challenges makes a real difference. That's why Tommy's wants to know who YOU think actually makes a difference in your day to day life as a mum - so get clicking online and cast your vote!"
Tommy's Let's Get Baby Friendly Awards have been going from strength to strength since 1995. Tommy's aim is to continue to improve the standard of products and services on offer in the UK, ensuring that mums and dads' lives are less stressful whilst out and about with their baby. Votes are cast in a wide variety of categories, ranging from Best Supermarket to Best Feeding and Changing Area to Best UK Holiday Provider.
Tommy's Chief Executive, Jane Brewin says:
"Over the years, Tommy's Lets Get Baby Friendly Awards have actually changed the way retailers and service providers think - because its mums and dads casting each vote the results really matter. They now realise that parents with babies cannot be ignored. So whether that's providing better parking facilities or baby changing areas - things are improving - but they can be even better and some still need to sit up and listen to what parents are saying - so if you want your voice heard - get voting online!"
Once again, Tommy's is giving mums and dads the chance to nominate their Angel or Hero of 2009, and this year they are also proud to announce a brand new award - Tommy's Triumph:
Tommy's & Tesco Angel Award
Do you know someone who's been a real angel through a difficult time? If a partner, friend or relative has supported you through a parenting or pregnancy related problem such as miscarriage, premature birth or stillbirth - Tommy's and Tesco wants to acknowledge their support and let you say a big thank you!
Nancy Sorrell says:
"Having somebody there to share your ups and downs during pregnancy is essential. Especially if you encounter problems along the way - like Jim and I did. Tommy's is giving you a great chance to say thank you to that special someone who has been your Angel throughout. I don't think I could have gone through the long process of IVF and then bringing up our gorgeous twin girls without the love and support of Jim - he really is my Angel."
(Nancy Sorrell is married to Jim Moir/ Vic Reeves comedian and presenter)
Tommy's & ASDA Hero Award
The Tommy's and ASDA Hero award wants to recognise the support of a midwife, pregnancy expert, GP or any health professional that has gone the extra mile for mums and dads during pregnancy or birth.
Terri Dwyer says:
"We have a beautiful healthy little boy, but we couldn't have got through the pregnancy without the individual help of a number of health professionals along the way. I know my doctor and midwife were outstanding and they always went above and beyond the call of duty. If you know an unsung 'hero' and want an opportunity to say thank you to them, then now's your chance to let Tommy's recognise their support!"
Tommy's & Candis Triumph Award
Do you know someone who as a baby battled against the odds, after being born premature or experiencing complications during birth? If you've been inspired by the amazing things they've gone on to achieve in their life, Tommy's and Candis want to know so they can be rewarded for their achievements.
Philippa Forrester says:
"Thankfully our three sons were born healthy and raring to go. However, 125 babies are born prematurely everyday and others sadly suffer many other complications during birth. Some babies' continue to battle with their health as they grow older but their courage is an inspiration to us all. That's why Tommy's Triumph Award wants to reward them for what they've achieved. If you know someone who overcame all the odds, let Tommy's know."
All three winners and those whose description bought them to Tommy's attention will be invited to the star studded awards ceremony at the London Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London on 20th March 2009.
TOMMY'S LET'S GET BABY FRIENDLY 2009
NOMINATE AND VOTE NOW!
THE VOTING PERIOD FOR ALL CATEGORIES STARTS ON 12th JANUARY AND ENDS ON 23rd FEBRUARY 2009
Voting is exclusively ONLINE to register your vote for all categories log onto www.tommys.org/awards
To nominate your Angel, Hero or Tommy's Triumph, simply describe your reasons in less than 400 words and email it to: awards@tommys.org or post to:
Tommy's Angel / Hero / Triumph, Tommy's the baby charity, Nicholas House, 3 Laurence Pountney Hill, London, EC4R 0BB.

Tommy's, the baby charity is looking for mums whose Christmas is going
to be extra special this year...

Tommy's aims to save babies lives through its vital research into
finding the causes of serious pregnancy complications, as well as
providing a unique information line run by midwives, who are on hand to
answer any pregnancy related questions.

When highlighting new pregnancy research, or promoting ways to maximise
pregnancy health, Tommy's often receives requests from magazines,
newspapers and television programmes, who would like to speak to our
case studies, to highlight to the wider public the effects that
pregnancy complications can have on a family, as well as providing
comfort to others who may have gone through something similar.

Tommy's is always keen to speak to anyone who has experienced first hand
the type of pregnancy complications that the charity works towards
preventing, including:

* Miscarriage
* Premature birth
* Pre-eclampsia
* Stillbirth

In the run up to the festive season, we are also looking to speak to
anyone whose Christmas will be extra special this year, such as:

* Families who are spending their first Christmas at home with a
baby who was in special care
* Women who have had pregnancy complications in the past but will
be celebrating their first Christmas with a baby this year
* Parents of babies who were born around Christmas last year and
will be celebrating their first birthday in December

Anyone who is interested in becoming a Tommy's case study can register
their details by contacting Kristy MacLeod (kmacleod@tommys.org ) or Ben
Ashmore (bashmore@tommys.org) 0207 398 3440.

If you go down to the woods today...you could win a great big prize!

Now the summer has finally arrived, Tommy's, the baby charity is offering the perfect way to pass a warm summer day, calling for children everywhere to pack up their favourite teddy bear and picnic blanket, and host their own Teddy Bear's Picnic, supported by Early Learning Centre.

Last year hundreds of nurseries and play groups took up the challenge to host the party to end all children's parties, with tons of fun teddy activities such as teddy bear treasure hunts, face painting and 'ginger-ted' biscuit making, all to raise money for the charity, which funds research into the causes of miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth.

Getting involved couldn't be easier, simply register your nursery/toddler group or even your own child, to host an event on any date throughout August or September, and Tommy's will send you all the tools you need to make your picnic the best in town, including balloons, stickers, posters, leaflets and fun fundraising ideas to incorporate into your picnic.

In return, Tommy's asks that each child to take part makes a donation of £1, in the hope of raising a whopping £40,000 for the charity. This year £250 worth of Early Learning Centre Vouchers are up for grabs for the host of the party that raises the most sponsorship, as well as four runner up prizes of £100 vouchers - so all the more reason to come up with some exciting fundraising ideas!

Anyone who can't hold a Teddy Bear's Picnic of their own needn't fear, as willing picnickers can head down to their nearest Early Learning Centre, which will also be holding picnics in store on Tuesday August 21st. To find details of your nearest store log on to www.elc.co.uk.

Jane Broughton, Retail Marketing Manager for Early Learning Centre said, "We are all really excited to be on board with this year's Teddy Bear's Picnic. Tommy's has come up with a great idea which is simple and fun for big kids as well as little ones, yet also raises money for a fantastic cause. Let's hope we can make this year the best yet."

To further its support, throughout August, Early Learning Centre will also donate 50p to Tommy's from sales of specially selected toys - look in-store for details.

Children's soft play centre, Wacky Warehouse, will also be holding Teddy Bear's Picnics throughout the summer - see www.wackywarehouse.co.uk for sites taking part.

For more information or to register, log on to www.tommys.org/teddybearspicnic or contact Samina Sheikh on 020 7398 3430 or email ssheikh@tommys.org

Tommy's, the baby charity needs YOU!

UK wide charity calls on mums and parents-to-be to share pregnancy
experiences

As part of its awareness raising programme to highlight the issues of
pregnancy complications, Tommy's, the baby charity is looking to speak
to pregnant women and mothers of young children about their experiences
of pregnancy, who might be interested in acting as case studies for the
charity.

Tommy's is always keen to speak to anyone who has experienced first hand
the type of pregnancy complications that the charity works towards
preventing, including:

* Miscarriage
* Premature birth
* Pre-eclampsia
* Toxoplasmosis (during pregnancy)
* Stillbirth

When highlighting new pregnancy research, or promoting ways to maximise
pregnancy health, Tommy's often receives requests from magazines,
newspapers and television programmes, who would like to speak to our
case studies, to highlight to the wider public the effects that
pregnancy complications can have on a family, as well as providing
comfort to others who may have gone through something similar.

Tommy's keeps an extensive, confidential database of potential case
studies who have approached Tommy's with their stories. Once a suitable
press opportunity presents itself that Tommy's believes will be
sensitively handled, a member of the charity's press team will then
contact the individual to find out if it is something they would like to
take part in.

Anyone who is interested in becoming a Tommy's case study can contact
their press team for a brief chat, details of which will then be added
to the charity's case study database.

All information provided will be kept strictly confidential and no case
study will be approached by a journalist without their prior consent.
Anyone wanting to get involved, should contact Kristy MacLeod on 0207
398 3440 / kmacleod@tommys.org

Currently the team are also particularly interested in hearing from
women who:

* Experienced a great deal of stress during their pregnancy - this
can be either personal or work related (e.g. split up from a partner,
treated poorly at work for being pregnant)
* Worried about negative thoughts they were having about their
unborn baby (e.g. what if I don't love my baby once it's born)
* Put on a lot of weight during their pregnancy and experienced
pregnancy complications because of it
* Lost a lot of weight or possibly developed an eating disorder
during their pregnancy
* Continued to smoke, drink or take drugs during their pregnancy
* Had a partner who felt left out or jealous during their
pregnancy
* Has a partner who would like to share their experiences of any
of the above pregnancy complications

If you go down to the woods today...you could win a great big prize!

This summer, Tommy's, the baby charity is calling for nursery children in your local area to pack up their favourite teddy bear and picnic blanket, and head down to their nearest Teddy Bear's Picnic, supported by Early Learning Centre.

Last year hundreds of nurseries and play groups took up the challenge to host the party to end all children's parties, with tons of fun teddy activities such as teddy bear treasure hunts, face painting and 'ginger-ted' biscuit making, all to raise money for the charity, which funds research into the causes of miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth.

Getting involved couldn't be easier, simply register your nursery/toddler group or even your own child, to host an event on any date throughout July, August or September, and Tommy's will send you all the tools you need to make your picnic the best in town, including balloons, stickers, posters, leaflets and fun fundraising ideas to incorporate into your picnic.

In return, Tommy's asks that each child to take part makes a donation of £1, in the hope of raising a whopping £40,000 for the charity. This year £250 worth of Early Learning Centre Vouchers are up for grabs for the host of the party that raises the most sponsorship, as well as four runner up prizes of £100 vouchers - so all the more reason to come up with some exciting fundraising ideas!

Anyone who can't hold a Teddy Bear's Picnic of their own needn't fear, as willing picnickers can head down to their nearest Early Learning Centre, which will also be holding picnics in store on Tuesday August 21st. To find details of your nearest store log on to www.elc.co.uk.

Jane Broughton, Retail Marketing Manager for Early Learning Centre said, "We are all really excited to be on board with this year's Teddy Bear's Picnic. Tommy's has come up with a great idea which is simple and fun for big kids as well as little ones, yet also raises money for a fantastic cause. Let's hope we can make this year the best yet."

To further its support, throughout August, Early Learning Centre will also donate 50p to Tommy's from sales of specially selected toys - look in-store for details.

Children's soft play centre, Wacky Warehouse, will also be holding Teddy Bear's Picnics throughout the summer - see www.wackywarehouse.co.uk for sites taking part.

For more information or to register, log on to www.tommys.org/teddybearspicnic or contact Samina Sheikh on 020 7398 3430 or email ssheikh@tommys.org

VOTE FOR YOUR ANGEL

Tommy’s, the baby charity, is calling all parents to nominate candidates for the Tommy’s Angel Award 2006, sponsored by Tesco. If someone has helped you through a difficult pregnancy or parenting problem of any kind, and you think they deserve special recognition, then put them forward to win this year’s Angel Award.

Your Angel could be a partner, family member, friend or a health professional. This award is key to Tommy’s as we focus on preventing problems in pregnancy; such as premature birth, stillbirth and miscarriage and we know the important role individuals can play in helping people through such difficult times. To enter simply describe in less than a page why your Angel should win this special Tommy’s Award and email it to: angels@tommys.org or send it to Tommy’s Angel, 3 Laurence Pountney Hill, London, EC4R 0BB. Deadline for entries is the 27th February 2006.

The winner and the person who nominated them will be invited to the star-studded Parent Friendly Awards ceremony, taking place at Claridge’s Hotel, London, on 31st March 2006, where they will receive their Angel Award. Tesco will also be providing prizes; a Goodmans DVD Recorder, £200 Tesco gift vouchers, a Tesco Finest Chocolate hamper for the winner and a 3.0 million pixel camera for the person who nominated them. Their story will be featured in Mother and Baby magazine, and they will have the chance to meet Tommy’s supporting celebrities attending the event. This year’s Awards will be hosted by Gaby Roslin and will be attended by celebrities who include, Tamara Beckwith, Samantha Bond, Andrea Catherwood and Haydn Gwynne.

Tesco recognise the needs of parents and parents-to-be, and they know how important it is to make shopping with a child easy. That is why Tesco work hard to make sure that the services and facilities they offer are as family friendly as possible. “Tesco is delighted to be sponsoring Tommy’s Angel Award and to be rewarding someone who has done something really special to help a parent or parent-to-be in need,” said Kerry–Lyn Robinson (Marketing Manager – Stores Marketing) at Tesco. To find out more about the services that Tesco offer to parents log on to www.tesco.com/customerservices

BABY CHARITY SEEKS PREGNANCY IN THE WORKPLACE STORIES 11/4/05

Tommy's, the baby charity, is looking for parents who have had a
distinct experience involving pregnancy and the workplace. This could be
negative or positive. We want to hear equally from parents who feel
they've been discriminated against for being pregnant (or perhaps for
asking for paternity leave in the case of dads) AND from parents who had
a very positive experience of pregnancy in the workplace (ie found that
their employers were especially understanding.)
This is for a media campaign over the coming months and we'd seek
payment from the newspaper or magazine for any case studies used.
If you have a good story please call Nick Morgan on 0207 398 3440 or
email nmorgan@tommys.org.

Suffered from pre-eclampsia? Expecting another baby?
You could help prevent pre-eclampsia.
Pregnant women needed to take part in the Vitamins In Pre-eclampsia
(VIP) trial throughout the UK.

The UK's largest study in pre-eclampsia, undertaken by Tommy's, the baby
charity's internationally renowned Maternal and Fetal research team is
calling for expectant mothers to take part in a research project into
the effect of vitamins C and E on preventing pre-eclampsia. Participants
need to be 22 weeks pregnant or less and to have either suffered from
pre-eclampsia or known risk factors, such as high blood pressure, in
previous pregnancies.
A pilot trial showed that taking vitamins C and E during pregnancy may
help prevent pre-eclampsia, without causing any harm to the baby. With
further funding from the Wellcome Trust, the research team is conducting
a larger study to prove conclusively if vitamins C and E can prevent
this devastating illness that effects one in twenty pregnancies.
To register all participants need to do is call Annette Briley, trial
manager on 020 7188 3641 before 29 April 2005 and then inform their
doctor that they are taking part. Participants will then be sent
vitamins or placebos (dummy vitamins) in the post every month.
About pre-eclampsia
Most women have entirely normal pregnancies and give birth to healthy
babies, however each year in the UK, at least 20,000 women develop a
condition known as pre-eclampsia.

Pre-eclampsia is a complicated illness, which can sometimes lead to the
death of the mother or the baby. The signs of this condition are high
blood pressure and protein in the urine. Midwives and doctors check
these regularly in all pregnant women to pick up signs of pre-eclampsia
early, before the mother or baby become very sick. Currently there is no
cure for pre-eclampsia, other than to deliver the baby, consequently
about 15% of all babies born prematurely are delivered early because of
pre-eclampsia.

Jane Budge
Press Officer
Tommy's, the baby charity
Nicholas House
3 Laurence Pountney Hill
London
EC4R 0BB

Press Office: 020 7398 3440
Direct line: 020 7398 3446
Fax: 08707 70 70 75
Pregnancy Information Line: 0870 777 3060
Donation Line: 0870 777 7676
www.tommys.org

Do you want to help improve products and services for parents and
families?
Have your say - vote online for Tommy's Parent Friendly Awards 2005 at
www.tommys.org

TOMMY'S THE BABY CHARITY registered no. 1060508

Britain Voted Bottom of the List for Parents

In comparison with its closest rivals, Britain is the worst nation for parents, according to a new survey commissioned by Tommy’s, the baby charity. The survey - which used the top developed countries by GDP - asked 1000 British parents whether those nations are more or less parent-friendly than Britain. ^[1] In every case more parents rated Britain less parent-friendly. The table below outlines the results ^[2] :

“These results are a wake-up call,” said Tommy’s chief executive Jane Brewin. “Since we started the Parent Friendly Awards, parenting facilities have improved dramatically, but this shows how far we still have to go.”

Tommy’s is committed to improving conditions for UK parents. So we are giving parents and parents-to-be the chance to help themselves by voting for the 2005 Parent Friendly Awards, in association with Emma’s Diary, from 15 January–15 February 2005. Our belief is that by rewarding those organisations that go the extra mile for parent friendliness we’ll drive up the general standard.

Our survey shows that lack of time and money are the biggest gripes.

Bad Timing

• A fifth of parents (20%) admitted that at present they don’t spend enough time with their children. That equates to approximately one million parents nationwide (and that doesn’t include parents of children aged 10-16.) ^[3]
• Men are the worst affected: almost half (46%) bemoaned the lack of quality time they spend with their children.
• Jobs are also a factor - 47% of the full-time employed said they’d like to see their children more.

Pricing problems in the UK

• Almost two thirds (63%) think children’s toys are overpriced.
• Children’s clothes are also an issue – 45% said they’re too expensive.
• A quarter of parents (24%) employ paid help to look after their children.

Training for the Future?

• Nearly a third (32%) felt unprepared for parenthood and called for the government to introduce some form of pre-parenting training.

We believe companies and organisations can help. If facilities and services were more parent-friendly, parents would be more likely to take their children with them when they go shopping or on holiday. That’ll mean more time spent together and less money spent on finding cover.

So parents wanting to see wide aisles, crèches and other improved parenting services should vote online at www.tommys.org or get a voting form from: Asda, Blooming Marvellous, Boots, Center Parcs, Family Investments, Halifax, Haven, Ivillage, Mothercare, Moto, Tesco, or Toys R Us. Vote before Feb. 15 and you could win one of two family holidays on offer.

There are 26 awards ranging from best shopping centre to best bath-time brand. Plus, this year we’re introducing a new category, Tommy’s Angel, rewarding an individual who’s provided extra special support to ease someone through a parenting-related problem, possibly in relation to the causes we fund research into: miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth.

To enter, tell us in 400 words or less why your nomination deserves to be a Tommy’s Angel. Send it to angels@tommys.org or Tommy’s Angel, Tommy’s, the baby charity, 3 Laurence Pountney Hill, London, EC4R 0BB.

The awards will be presented at the star-studded Parent Friendly Awards taking place on March 23, 2005, with host Gaby Roslin.

[1] Source: developed nations from the CIA World Factbook (www.cia.gov) and GDP from http://www.worldbank.org/data/databytopic/GDP.pdf.

[2] The missing percentage is comprised of people who ticked either “about the same” or “don’t know.”

[3] Source: 2001 Census, [Key Statistics for Local Authorities]. Crown copyright 2004. Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO.

""We're looking for a woman who gave birth after Christmas 2003 and whose
baby experienced difficulties - related to being a premature baby. We
want to put together a feature based around what a difficult time your
baby had and how he or she has pulled through to make it to Christmas
2004. It'll be a really positive story in one of the national papers at
around Christmas time and will really help raise awareness of the vital
research Tommy's carries out into miscarriage, premature birth and
stillbirth.

Anyone interested or who would like more information, please call me on
020 7398 3440 or email at aanand@tommys.org. ""

No Time, No Training:
The plight of British parents…

Being a parent in Britain isn’t easy. A new survey commissioned by Tommy’s, the baby charity, found that 2 in 5 parents wanted to spend more quality time with their children, while a third (32%) of the 1,000 parents questioned felt unprepared for parenthood and called for the introduction of some form of pre-parenting training.

Tommy’s believes that the best way to relieve some of the stresses of parenthood is to improve the services and facilities important to parents. So we are encouraging parents and parents-to-be to help themselves by voting for the 2005 Parent Friendly Awards, sponsored by Emma’s Diary, between 15 January – 15 February 2005.

Our belief is that by rewarding those organisations that go the extra mile for parent friendliness we’ll continue to drive up the general standard and make life a little easier for Britain’s parents.

Clearly there’s still a long way to go. Our survey found that 1 in 5 parents don’t find enough time for their children. The same percentage of parents admitted that although they spent adequate time, they’d like to spend more. Men are the worst affected with almost half (46%) of those interviewed bemoaning the lack of quality time they spent with their children. Jobs are also a factor with 47% of the full-time employed saying they’d like to see their children more.

“ The increasing pressures and stresses of work not only mean people spend less time with their children, but stress can also be a problem for parents-to-be,” said Tommy’s Chief Executive, Jane Brewin. “The link between excessive stress and premature birth is well established. So it’s vital for pregnant woman to receive the right support from their employer and from family and friends.”

Our survey also found that parents are increasingly relying on other people to look after their children. Half of those interviewed (50%) said their parents regularly helped them and a quarter (24%) employ paid help. Others said they had to ask friends, other family members and unpaid helpers to chip in. We believe part of the reason for this is poor facilities mean parents can’t always take their children with them to supermarkets, shops and other similar places.

So, parents wanting to see more wide aisles, crèches, baby feeding areas and improved services for them and their families should get a voting form for the 2005 Parent Friendly Awards from one of the following places: Asda, Blooming Marvellous, Boots, Center Parcs, Family Assurance, Haven, Mothercare, Moto, Tesco, Toys R Us. Alternatively, parents can place their votes online at www.tommys.org. There are 26 categories of award covering everything from best shopping centre to best bath-time brand.

All the winners will receive their prizes at the star-studded awards ceremony, which will take place on March 23, 2005, and will be hosted by Gaby Roslin.

-ENDS-

[]For further information please contact:
Tommy’s Press Office: 020 7398 3440
Nick Morgan: nmorgan@tommys.org or Ash Anand: aanand@tommys.org

Notes to editor:

Tommy’s, the baby charity was set up in 1992 and through a national programme of research aims to end the heartache caused by premature birth, stillbirth and miscarriage. It also provides information on healthy pregnancy to parents-to-be and health professionals.
For further information visit www.tommys.org or call 08707 70 70 70.

Tommy’s Parent Friendly Awards was started in 1995 to raise awareness of the needs of parents with small children and encourage companies to take into account their needs. Since the launch of the Parent Friendly Awards, Tommy’s has credited over 150 organisations for vast improvements and higher levels of service for parents with young children. The awards are voted by parents, for parents. The voting will takes place between January and February via Tommy’s website or by picking up a form at participating retailers and the results are presented at our annual Parent Friendly Awards ceremony in March.

Emma's Diary was established in 1992. Its mission, through its regular publication Emma's Diary, is to provide parents-to-be with the best possible, up-to-date and objective information on pregnancy and parenting. Emma's Diary provides a wealth of facts and information relating to pregnancy, starting a new family and what's happening politically, economically and socially that could affect the new family. Emma's Diary can be obtained from GP's surgeries and midwives.

For further information on Emma's Diary, please contact: Nadine Joiner, 01628 640811, e-mail nadinej@cdltd.co.uk

Parent Friendly Awards Voting form
2004 - vote now


Tommy's Baby Charity News page

NEW SURVEY BLAMES EMPLOYERS FOR 1 IN 5 PREGNANT WOMEN OVER-EXERTING THEMSELVES AT WORK


A new survey by Tommy's, the baby charity, shows that a third of women feel they over-exert themselves during pregnancy and that 1 in 5 of these women believe their employers put this pressure on them. The Tommy’s survey has found that 78% of pregnant women feel stressed or unhappy and that 1 in 6 blame this on work-related problems. With 250,000 pregnant employees in the UK at any time, this means 32,500 are unhappy in the workplace.

Bearing this is mind, Tommy’s are drawing attention to their ‘Pregnancy Accreditation Programme’ (PAP), an initiative providing advice and information to employers and their pregnant employees, which has already been adopted by British Gas, Debenhams and Merrill Lynch.

“ Our survey shows that thousands of women are having unhappy and stressful pregnancies because of their work,” says Tommy’s Chief Executive, Jane Brewin. “At Tommy’s we aim to ensure that all women have a healthy and safe pregnancy which is why we are raising awareness of PAP”.

Tommy’s survey results tally with findings from The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and USDAW, the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers. The EOC claims over 1000 pregnancy-related unfair dismissal cases per year were registered at tribunals in England and Wales from 1996-2002, while USDAW found more than two thirds of pregnant employees are exposed to dangers at work because employers ignore a legal duty to provide risk assessments.

Patricia Hewitt, Secretary for Trade and Industry said, “In recent years conditions for women at work have improved a lot. But the fact that employment tribunals are still dealing with so many of these cases shows some employers still aren’t fulfilling their responsibilities to pregnant employees. Tommy’s Pregnancy Accreditation Programme should help bosses and female employees know their rights better, and I welcome it’’.

PAP provides comprehensive guides for the employer and the employee on all aspects of pregnancy in the workplace from risk assessment and maternity leave to pregnancy health and bodily changes. The initiative is aimed at benefiting both parties as staff and employers will be able to work together towards a healthy working pregnancy. Good pregnancy management will reinforce staff loyalty, create a supportive and healthy working atmosphere and increase return-to-work rates following maternity leave. Seeing as the EOC have found that the average cost of labour turnover is £4000 per leaver, PAP has the potential to save employers thousands.

To apply for PAP membership, companies must meet certain criteria that include providing a smoke-free environment, carrying out risk assessments for every pregnant employee and encouraging them to attend antenatal appointments. In exchange, companies are able to use the PAP logo and gain access to Tommy’s Pregnancy Information Line for any pregnancy health enquiries. They will also receive a quarterly newsletter and invitations to Tommy’s PAP seminars, led by experts from Human Resources, Occupational Health as well as Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

For further information about PAP or to apply online please visit www.workingpregnancy.org

Request from Tommy's -

``We're also looking for twins, triplets etc - who were born premature -
and are planning to run next year's London marathon. We are aiming to
produce a feature article aimed at the national press and television in
the run up to next year's event. So if you fit the bill, call the
Tommy's press office on 0207 398 3440 or email nmorgan@tommys.org.''

Our charity funds research into premature birth, miscarriage and
stillbirth so are looking for a woman who has faced one or more of these
experiences. We understand the importance of highlighting the
sensitivity of this issue and want to assure you that the subject will
be portrayed in an understanding and not sensationalist way.

Really, we're looking for a woman who hasn't been in printed press
before (TV is fine though) and has a strong story to tell - whether she
has gone on to have a baby after several attempts or whether she is
still trying to conceive or feels that after several attempts, she can't
go through it again. The feature aims to highlight the issue of
premature births, miscarriages and stillbirths, causes that Tommy's are
trying to raise awareness of and prevent by funding our research.

For further details, please call Ash on 020 7398 3440 or 07759 145 959.
Alternatively, please email aanand@tommys.org