I want to share what is happening in the UK with all you Lactnuts and
Lactivists - I'm not sure what I hope to achieve, other than a bit of
support, and possibly some who read it are in UK but unaware.  I have held
off making any public comment til now, but it was covered in the UK
national press (Guardian) today, so I feel free to comment.

The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) is the leading childbirth charity in
the UK - with antenatal education, breastfeeding counselling and postnatal
support.  Also campaigning, and breastfeeding promotion.  Breastfeeding
counsellors (bfcs) have a code of conduct, are considered health workers
within terms of WHO Code, and work towards UK adoption of WHO Code.

The formula market in the UK consists of Cow and Gate, Milupa, SMA and
Farleys.  These brands are available widely - supermarkets and chemists
(pharmacies).  More recently Boots the Chemist (the leading high street
chemist) and Sainsbury (a leading supermarket chain) have introduced
own-brand formulae.  Boots are (apparently) very keen to be linked with
NCT, and this has resulted in much discussion over the years, though no
money has yet been accepted.  The NCT has accepted money from Sainsbury -
paying for the new membership leaflet, printed in Sainsbury colours, not
NCT blue, and sponsoring the Annual Conference to be held this June.  I
have informed the NCT that I will resign as a bfc and tutor if any link is
made with Boots, and unless they guarantee no more money from Sainsbury.  I
am staying for long enough to fight this issue, this is a matter of
conscience for me.

There is no doubt that NCT is divided over this.  Not all NCT members are
interested in breastfeeding - and some feel breastfeeding is not really
important.  Other members feel that perhaps if they don't break the WHO
Code, or because it's only a small part of their sales, it's OK to get
money this way.  Those who know me can probably guess my view - if they
have an own brand milk they have a stake in breastfeeding failure, and I
will have no part in that.  I was always proud to say that the NCT had no
axe to grind - we were completely independent, so mothers could trust us.
No more.

Sorry this is so long - you will know this really matters to me - and IMHO
to UK parents and babies

Mary Broadfoot, Paisley, Scotland
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