Connecting Hearts

Care Travels Through a Network of People

Portraits with Purpose - Connecting Hearts is a collection of ten original oil portraits created in collaboration with Professor Amy Brown of Swansea University and the Human Milk Foundation. The project celebrates the people and relationships behind donor human milk services, recognising the generosity, dedication and care that connect donors, recipients, families, volunteers and healthcare professionals.

Donor human milk provides important nutritional support for vulnerable babies when their mother's own milk is unavailable or insufficient. Behind this service is a remarkable network of individuals and organisations, each playing a vital role in helping milk reach the babies who need it.

Through ten individual portraits, Leanne brings these often-unseen contributions into focus. Each painting celebrates the person behind the service, helping audiences understand not only how donor milk provision works, but also the compassion and commitment that sustain it.

The collection has been exhibited at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital and shared through activities connected with Swansea University and the Human Milk Foundation. However, its value extends beyond these initial presentations.

The portraits continue to be used in promotional activities, social media and events, helping to raise awareness of donor human milk and the people who make the service possible. The project has also created lasting connections with those portrayed, providing opportunities to continue sharing their experiences and supporting the wider message of the organisations involved.

Accompanying audio recordings allow participants to share their own experiences in their own words, adding another dimension to the portraits. Together, the paintings and personal accounts create a more engaging and accessible way for audiences to understand the relationships, experiences and contributions behind donor milk services.

Connecting Hearts demonstrates how a commissioned art collection can become a lasting resource for an organisation, supporting public awareness, stakeholder engagement and education while strengthening relationships with the communities it represents.