My visit to a baby bank was eye

Mar 09, 2024

WHEN Ashley James arrived at her local baby bank with a huge bag of donations, she didn’t quite expect them to be snapped up within minutes.

We joined the DJ and presenter as she spent a morning volunteering at Baby Basics in Chelmsford, Essex and she didn’t come empty handed - bringing a pushchair, a pink baby bath support, a baby nest, a wooden baby gym and a bag full of clothes.

- Give money by donating here or by scanning the QR code.

- Give clothing, toys and essentials to a baby bank, wherever you are in the UK.

- Give your time volunteering. To find your nearest baby bank, visit Littlevillagehq.org/uk-baby-banks.

Ashley, 36, says she found it bittersweet handing over the pink bath support to a local charity worker knowing that it was going to a family in desperate need.

In an exclusive chat, Ashley, who was accompanied by her adorable four month old daughter Ada, says, “I’ve found today incredibly emotional.

"On one hand, you look at the work these volunteers do, and how amazing it is that this bank is here, but then on the other hand it’s heartbreaking that anyone even needs to come here.

“The cost of living crisis doesn’t seem like it will be going away any time soon, and there are so many charities and hospitals who rely on this bank - it’s been eye opening for me.”

She adds, “Lucy (Mecklenburgh) gave that bath support to me so I’ll have to message her to tell her.”

And Ashley is certainly keen to spread the word on the vital support baby banks give to the thousands of families across the country in need.

Ashley, also mum to Alf, two, is backing Fabulous’ Baby, Bank On Us campaign, which was launched in May in partnership with Save The Children, Little Village and more than 200 baby banks nationwide.

The appeal is asking readers to give money, their time, or essentials such as wipes, clothing, prams, nappies, toys and cots to the banks who help struggling families.

TV presenters Christine Lampard, Charlotte Hawkins and Kate Lawler, singers Alexandra Burke, Peter Andre and Kimberley Wyatt, actresses Louisa Lytton and Jorgie Porter, and Dame Arlene Phillips, have already pledged their support.

- Baby banks provide essential items for babies and young children whose parents are living in poverty – including nappies, wipes, clothing, bedding, Moses baskets, cots, blankets, toys and books.- There are over 200 baby banks in the UK, and they run out of shops, community centres, warehouse units and even people’s living rooms and garages.- Last year 4.2 million children in the UK were living in poverty and 800,000 children lived in a household that used a food or baby bank.

After helping volunteer Yvonne carefully and lovingly curate a moses basket full of supplies for a new mum and her baby, Ashley chatted to midwives and local charity workers about the importance and need for the bank in their community.

Ashley says, “The volunteers here are amazing and there’s so much attention to detail, like making sure outfits and colours match in each basket.

“Sadly so many people are relying on these banks. Today has really put things into perspective - you feel guilty for finding motherhood is a struggle because this is a real struggle. We need to do more as a society to help support new mums.”

While Ashley was busy folding clothes, Ada was being cuddled by one of the Baby Basics volunteers, Sue.

“It’s very sad to think that I'm here with my little girl and there are little girls in this country who are dependent on these banks,” Ashley adds.

“Ada’s so fortunate, more fortunate than I ever was and she doesn’t have to want for anything.

"I’m from a working class background in the north east of England. My mum was a hairdresser and my dad was a fireman.

"We weren’t by any means wealthy, but my parents lived on a budget month to month.

"When I look at people who depend on banks, we were really fortunate.”

Ashley has vowed to donate more items to her local bank in the future and is calling on readers to also help where they can.

She says, “We’re so quick to judge people in need, like it’s supposed to be their fault they are in the situation they are in, but I think we should start judging countries by how we treat our most vulnerable people.

"It’s so sad that we have to have baby banks, especially when we know that the need and numbers are only increasing.

“I just want to help spread the word and hopefully encourage people who are willing and able to donate.”

BELOW is a selection of baby banks by region. See the web address at the end of the page to find contact details for all the country’s baby banks

Baby Basics Bolton & Bury, West Lancashire

Baby Basics Carlisle, Cumbria

Baby Basics South Lakes, Cumbria

Baby Basics, Cleator Moor, West Cumbria

Trafford Little Bundles, Lancashire

TippyToes BabyBank Preston, Lancashire

Salford Baby Bank, Lancashire

Snowdrop Doula CIC Burnley, Lancashire

Cascade Baby Bundles, Audenshaw, Cheshire

The Baby Room at Spinners, Leigh, Lancashire

The Healthy Gems Baby Bank, Oldham, Lancashire

NCT Mid Cheshire

NCT Preston Baby Bundles, Lancashire

KidsBank Chester, Cheshire

Motherwell Pass It On Baby Bank, Winsford, Cheshire

Hyndburn Baby Bank, Accrington, Lancashire

Growbaby Newcastle, Tyne & Wear

Love, Amelia, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear

Birth Bath and Beyond, Scarborough, North Yorkshire

Clothe and Feed South Shields, Tyne & Wear

Clothe and Feed Sunderland, Tyne & Wear

Rosie's Corner, Hexham, Northumberland

Stockton Baby Bank, County Durham

Darlington Baby Bank, County Durham

Baby Basics Darlington

Growbaby Hull, Yorkshire

Little Acorns Baby Bank Durham, County Durham

Hartlepool Baby Bank, County Durham

Growbaby Teeside, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees

Baby Basics Leeds, West Yorkshire

Baby Basics Doncaster, South Yorkshire

Leeds Baby Bank, West Yorkshire

Baby Basics Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Birth Bath and Beyond Scarborough, North Yorkshire

Bradford Baby Bank, West Yorkshire

POPI Baby Bank Keighley, West Yorkshire

Rainbow Baby Bank Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire

Stepping Stones Baby Bank Wakefield, West Yorkshire

Calderdale Lighthouse, West Yorkshire

Tiny Hands Baby Bank Pontefract, West Yorkshire

Growbaby York, North Yorkshire

Ashley's Birthday Bank, Christchurch, Dorset

Baby Bank Network Bristol

Baby Basics Gloucester, Gloucestershire

Baby Basics Cornwall

Baby Basics Plymouth

Brighter Bristol Storehouse, Bristol

Baby Basics South, Ilminster, Somerset

Growbaby Tiverton, Devon

Children's Storehouse Plymouth, Devon

Uplift Tiverton, Devon

Exeter Baby Bank Network, Devon

Little Lighthouse Baby Bank Wythenshawe, Manchester

Baby Bundles Wiltshire

The Nest Project, Bath, Somerset

Gloucestershire Bundles, Gloucester

Open Door Exmouth, Devon

Forest of Dean Baby Bank, Gloucestershire

Small Stuff Baby Bank, Radstock, Somerset

Stroud District Kid's Stuff, Gloucestershire

Teignmouth Baby Bank, Devon

Ten Little Toes Baby Bank, Cowfold, West Sussex

Growbaby Swindon, Wiltshire

Baby Bank & Beyond (South Wealden) CIC (Hellingly), East Sussex

Baby Bank Herts, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire

Sebby's Corner Borehamwood, Hertfordshire

Stevenage Babyshed, Hertfordshire

Baby Basics Billericay, Essex

Growbaby Whitstable, Kent

Growbaby Aylesbury, Bucks

Baby Basics Bromley, Kent

Best Start Baby Bank, Eastbourne, Sussex

Basildon Borough Baby Bank, Essex

Growbaby Maidstone, Kent

Growbaby Rayleigh, Essex

Baby Basics Chelmsford, Essex

Growbaby St Albans, Herts

Growbaby Hemel Hempstead, Herts

Precious Bundles Colchester, Essex

Fighting Chance Baby Bank, Petworth, West Sussex

Baby2Baby, East Sussex

Baby Basics Brighton

Baby Basics Dover & Deal, Kent

Baby Basics Englefield Green, Surrey

Baby Basics Folkestone, Kent

Baby Basics Willvern, Essex

First Days Reading, Berkshire

Baby Basics Hastings and Rother, East Sussex

Baby Basics, Grays, Kent

Baby Basics Shoreham, West Sussex

NCT Winchester Baby Bundles, Hampshire

NCT Woking Baby Bundles, Surrey

Pelican Parcels Brighton and Hove, Sussex

Baby Stuff Braintree, Essex

Tots 2 Teens Colchester baby bank, Essex

Stripey Stork, Reigate, Surrey

Sunshine Baby Bank Southend, Essex

The Baby Bank HQ Havering, Essex

The Baby Bank HQ Thurrock, Essex

Community Wardrobe Chelmsford, Essex

The Baby Bank Windsor, Berkshire

Growbaby Storehouse Ashford, Kent

Moses Basket Brentwood, Essex,

Growbaby Chelmsford, Essex

NCT Little Bundles Baby Bank Chichester & Arun, West Sussex

NCT Baby Bundles Sevenoaks and Tonbridge, Kent

Mama to Mama, Margate, Kent

Home-Start West Berkshire Baby Bank, Newbury, Berkshire

Growbaby, Wokingham, Berkshire

The Baby Bank HQ Barking, Dagenham and Redbridge, Essex

Baby Basics Portsmouth, Hampshire

Baby Basics Guildford

Baby Branch Southampton, Hampshire

Baby Necessities Southampton, Hampshire

Portsmouth Baby Bank, Hampshire

Baby Basics Jersey

214 SPACE Baby Bank Hub Brent

214 SPACE Baby Bank Hub Hammersmith & Fulham

214 SPACE Baby Bank Hub Kensington & Chelsea

Growbaby Lighthouse, Sutton, Greater London

Growbaby, Newham

Growbaby, Merton

Bromley Brighter Beginnings

Growbaby Purley

Baby Basics, Barnet

Cariad Baby Bank, Harrow

Growbaby Kingston upon Thames

Choices Boutique Islington

Cornerstone Baby Bank Leyton

Growbaby Wandsworth

Baby Basics Sunbury

Growbaby Enfield

Ealing Salvation Army Baby Bank

The Small Project South London

Tiny Toes, Tiny Feet, Northwood

Camberwell Baby Bank

Orchard Baby Bank, Woodford

Peabody Toddlers Clothes Bank, Ilford

Pram Depot Wood Green

Little Village (London-wide)

Mammakind Baby Bank, Greenwich

MerryGoRound Islington

Growbaby Hoxton

NCT Redbridge Baby Bundles

Hackney Children & Baby Bank

Ilford Salvation Army Baby Bank

Mama2Mama Woolwich

Lloyd Park Children's Charity Baby Bank Walthamstow

The Extra Mile, Hampton, Richmond Upon Thames.

Brierley Hill Baby Bank, Dudley, West Mids

Baskets of Joy Leicester

Growbaby Leicester

Alice Charity, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire

Growbaby Northampton

The Arches, Nottingham

High Peak Baby Bank, Buxton, Derbyshire

Growbaby, Nuneaton, Warwickshire

Growbaby Bedworth, Warwickshire

Bicester Baby Bank, Oxfordshire

Elayos Baby Bank Birmingham

Baby Basics Wolverhampton

Growbaby Birmingham St Michaels Church

Baby Aid Birmingham

Baby Basics Warwick

Baby Godiva Coventry

Growkids Coventry

Baby Basics Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Baby Basics Long Eaton, Notts

Baby Basics Leicester

Baby Basics Northampton

Baby Basics Hinckley, Leicestershire

Growbaby Birmingham Vineyard City Centre Site

Tots in Need Walsall, West Mids

Spark Baby & Children's Bank Staffordshire

Staffordshire Baby Bank, Stafford, Staffs

Telford and Wrekin Baby and Toddler bank, Shropshire

Clothe and Feed Wallsend, Herefordshire

Little Stars Shropshire

Karis Baby Bank Central Birmingham

NCT Malvern Hills Baby Bundles, Worcs

Little Cherub's Baby Bank High Peak, Derbyshire

Growbaby Worcester

Baby Basics Dryffryn Clwyd Denbigh

Baby Basics Vale of Glamorgan

Baby Basics Newtown

Baby Basics Swansea

Baby Basics Port Talbot

Baby Basics Wrexham

Cwtch Baby Bank Cardiff

Baby Basics Penrhiwceiber

Cariad a Cwtch Baby Bank Llandrindod Wells

Growbaby Cardiff

Pembrokeshire Baby Bank

Splice Baby Bank Bridgend

Bundles Baby Clothing and Birth Support, Newport

Bethel Baby Bank Port Talbot

NCT Cardiff Baby Bundles

Ely Baby Bank

Feed Newport Baby Bank

Bairn Necessities, Glasgow

AberNecessities, Aberdeen

Growbaby Fife

Baby Bank Scotland, Hamilton

Bairnecessities Aberdeenshire

Bear Necessities Airdrie

Togs for Tots Dundee

Glasgow Baby Food Bank

GRA Baby Bank Aberdeenshire

Nelly Boxes East Renfrewshire Baby Bank

No 1 Glasgow Baby & Family Support Service

Tiny Treasures Baby Bank Oban

Button and Bows Baby Bank Perth

Cumbernauld & Kilsyth Care

Misty Glen Baby Bank Fort William

Dingwall Primary Baby Bank

Moray Baby Bank

Monklands Baby and Family Clothing Aid

Abi's Footprints, Sudbury, Suffolk

Baby Bank Norfolk

Baby Basics Lowestoft, Suffolk

Baby Basics West Norfolk

West Marsh Baby Bank, Lincolnshire

Suffolk Baby Bank, Bury Saint Edmunds

Baby's Basket, Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Growbaby Thetford, Norfolk

Growkids Norwich, Norfolk

Fenland Family and Baby Bank, Cambridgeshire

GrowKids Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

Little Family Baby Bank, Sutton On Sea, Lincolnshire

Little Treasures Baby Bank, Horncastle, East Lincolnshire

Little Bundles, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

Baby Basics Antrim & Newtonabbey

Baby Basics Ballymena

Baby Basics Belfast

Bump2Baby NI (Mid-Ulster Baby Bank)

Baby Basics Banbridge

Baby Basics Causeway

Baby Basics Magherafelt

Baby Basics Mullavilly

Growbaby Enniskillen

Carrickfergus Baby Bank