The Member for Macarthur, Dr Mike Freelander MP, today hosted his second annual Welcoming the Babies event in St Andrews.

The event involved young children, aged between 0-2 years old, being officially welcomed into the community by the longstanding paediatrician.

Throughout the event, parents and guardians were provided with the opportunity engage with a number of local services and organisations, who hosted stalls at the ceremony, and joined Dr Mike Freelander MP for morning tea.

“There is nothing more rewarding than nurturing a child. However, becoming a parent can be a challenging experience - this event is an excellent opportunity to expose young families to a range of local services and information that may be of use as their families grow”, said Dr Mike Freelander MP.

During the event, 42 babies were officially welcomed into the Macarthur region, with parents registering their attendance through Dr Freelander’s office over the past couple of months. Around 100 guests attended altogether, with the event reaching capacity quickly.

“After hosting Macarthur’s inaugural Welcoming the Babies last year, I received a lot of positive feedback from parents and the wider community,” said the Member for Macarthur.

“Many young parents and carers also contacted me, telling me that they appreciated the opportunity to mingle and meet with other young families from the local community.”

All children in attendance were presented with a formal certificate of welcome from the Member for Macarthur, along with a gift bag containing a number of useful products from vitamins to baby wipes.

“I want to thank all parents who came along to this ceremony; it was fantastic to be able to meet the next generation of Macarthur locals!”

Dr Freelander also thanked those organisations which hosted a stall at the event, including Campbelltown City Council, the Benevolent Society, WILMA, Kanga Training and Medela.