There are now over 200 baby banks across the UK and they work on the same principle as Food Banks where you usually need a referral. Baby Banks can then help you with donated baby items including equipment, toys and clothes for children under five.
Baby banks are becoming so vital that, after several private visits, the Duchess of Cambridge has recently supported a campaign encouraging brands and retailers to donate items to Baby Basics, Little Village, and AberNecessities, who operate baby banks across the UK.
Little Village has a map of baby banks across the UK littlevillagehq.org/uk-baby-banks/ If you can’t find a Baby Bank in your area, you can ask your Midwife or GP to point you in the right direction and you can check community Facebook pages for your area.
Baby Basics is a volunteer-led project aiming to support new mothers and families who are struggling to meet the financial and practical burden of looking after a new baby.
They provide ‘Moses Basket’ of clothing, toiletries and essential baby equipment and have centres in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Little Village is London’s largest baby bank network. It was set up in 2016 and has eight locations across the capital. They provide equipment, clothes and toys to families with children under the age of five, and can link them to key services. Little Village volunteers also provide emotional support and practical advice over the phone to parents. They have supported over 22,000 children – including 6,400 children in 2021 alone.
AberNecessities provides disadvantaged families across the North-East of Scotland with basic necessities. This includes maternity bundles for mother and baby to nappies, formula milk, clothing, toys and equipment for children aged 0-18 years.