Where To Donate Used Baby Items

Nether the strain of the coronavirus pandemic, more and more families are relying on infant banks to get by.

Infant bank Little Hamlet (opens in new tab), who provide clothes, toys and equipment for babies and children up to five years one-time, found that 83% of baby banks across the country had helped families who were concerned about being able to afford the essentials for their children final year.

Local food banks (opens in new tab) have been similarly impacted by the multiple lockdowns over the last year, with a steady increase (opens in new tab) in people turning to them following upheavals to programmes like gratuitous school meals, which would usually provide luncheon for children in school. MPs voted not to extend free school meals (opens in new tab) last year while schools were closed but reversed their conclusion, following a highly-publicised campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford (opens in new tab).

Across the UK, people were made redundant at an unprecedented charge per unit (opens in new tab) last year and with industry closures, many are still unable to discover another job. But the families using baby banks are not simply those living in poverty or receiving aid from the government. They are likewise those escaping domestic violence, refugees, families affected by the switch to Universal Credit and working parents, who just aren't earning enough to cover expenses.

Former Labour welfare reform government minister and Labour MP, Frank Field, described the situation as "desperate" before the pandemic began. He said, "All too many families are beingness crippled financially by the cost of basic items for their babies – on meridian of their rent, utilities, and food.

"Above all else, this shows united states how the face of poverty is irresolute. It is difficult-up families who are paying the price for the economical upheaval and austerity of the past decade."

Woman holds baby girl over her shoulder — Credit: Getty

Now magnified with the events of 2020, the demand for baby banks is higher than e'er. Here's how you tin support and donate to your local one...

Detect a baby bank almost you

At that place are now more than than 100 babe banks across the UK (opens in new tab), so in that location's sure to be i shut to you.

At that place is Petty Village (opens in new tab), which has 3 locations in London – in Camden, Southwark and Wandsworth.
The Modest Project (opens in new tab) in South London
Best Starting time Babe Depository financial institution (opens in new tab) in Eastbourne
Ten Little Toes Infant Bank (opens in new tab) too provides clothing, nappies and infant equipment for children aged 0-5 across Crawley, Horsham and Worthing
Lloyd Park Children's Charity (opens in new tab) supports families in Waltham Forest
Stripey Stork (opens in new tab) offers support in East Surrey
Cascade Infant Bundles (opens in new tab) in Cheshire that helps families with children up to the age of 10
The Salvation Regular army (opens in new tab) take a babe bank besides, in Ilford, Essex
Babe Bank Network (opens in new tab) in Bristol
Baby Godiva (opens in new tab) in Coventry

Type 'infant bank' into Facebook and dozens of organisations come up. The Niggling Village also have a very handy list of over 100 baby banks beyond the United kingdom, from Aberdeen to Southampton - find the map hither (opens in new tab).

Clothes donated to Little Village baby banks in London — Clothes donated to Lilliputian Village baby banks in London (credit: Piffling Village HQ)

In 2015, Eva Fernandes and Dr. Becky Gilbert co-founded the Baby Bank Network (opens in new tab) that helps families in Bristol, Aberdeenshire, Exeter and the Island of Wight. "Becky and I started the network in June 2015 and then far we've helped around 1,632 families and given abroad 6,217 items," says Fernandes, who also prepare a Existent Nappy Campaign and an upstanding plant nursery shop.

"Everything we give out is donated past the public and has been used autonomously from things similar mattresses, bottle teats and toiletries, which are purchased new [for health and safety reasons]."

Donating to a baby banking concern

If you're slap-up to donate any baby items you now longer need, it's worth contacting a baby bank near y'all to notice which items they're accepting, as many have strict guidelines.

For instance, everything that'due south donated needs to be in skillful condition and some organisations won't have things regarded as surplus to requirement. Babe Banking concern Network refuses items such as Bumbos [infant seats] 'because they're made from heavy plastic and not necessary, and baby door jumpers, because they're non something babies demand, different somewhere safe to slumber, dress, nappies, slings and pushchairs,' explains Fernandes.

Nappies and wipes donated to Little Village baby banks — Nappies and wipes donated to Piffling Village infant banks (credit: Little Village HQ)

Little Hamlet urge potential donators to consider the safety and quality of the particular they desire to donate, also. In general, most accept toys, clothes and baby equipment, but e'er be sure to bank check the specific infant bank's wishlist earlier giving whatsoever items.

Why infant banks are on the rise

While it's rubber to assume that Britain'south austerity measures are chiefly responsible for the rise in baby banks, Fernandes' motives for co-founding the Baby Bank Network were more encompassing. "Various factors have contributed to the demand for baby banks – austerity measures, the move to Universal Credit, Brexit – and there are always people that don't have family or other connections to obtain such things, or refugee families that arrive with aught, but even if poverty wasn't an issue we'd still take washed something."

And there'south also a sustainability result at the eye of baby banks. She continued, "There's a lot of waste material beingness flogged to new parents, and in that location's the environment to consider, so re-using items or passing them on makes sense."

"I believe that if we'd had such an choice xx years agone people would have used baby banks as they do today because information technology's practical and sensible to pass stuff on that isn't worn out," she adds. And while the thousands who contribute to baby banks are doing and so largely for altruistic reasons Fernandes stresses that 'some volition also exist altruistic from an environmental or lifestyle perspective.'

Although there are walk-in services, which are ofttimes run by church building groups, people don't tend to turn upwardly without being referred first past health visitors, midwives, social workers, charities and other welfare professionals.

Fernandes describes baby banks every bit 'a matchmaking service, really, considering nosotros act as a go-between between health and welfare professionals besides as refugee and domestic violence charities.' It'due south these professionals, she explains, that 'identify the families who would benefit and put an guild through depending on the infant's age, which tin be anything from a bag of clothes to the whole lot.' Sometimes it tin exist a situation such every bit a mother going into labour early, or a new mum who didn't fifty-fifty know she was pregnant and so needs everything chop-chop.

Emelynne used Babe Bank Scotland to clothe her children (credit: Emelynne Byers)

'I'one thousand so grateful... simply it's a shame so many parents are in need'

Speaking to GoodtoKnow in 2018, Emelynne Byers, 22, lives in Motherwell, Scotland, and is a single mum to iii½-year-old Maya and 1-yr-onetime Cole. Emelynne used Baby Bank Scotland after facing a number of difficulties including postal service-natal low, which resulted in her having to quit both her job and further education in Childhood Studies, and breaking up with the father of her children.

'I applied for Universal Credit so that I could build myself support and get dorsum on my feet just there were some unexpected bug and I didn't get payment [straight away]. I did ask for a crisis grant and was given a piddling money but information technology wasn't plenty to cover everything so I had to go out my house and move in with my mum,' she explains.

Byers didn't know about her local babe depository financial institution until a friend mentioned information technology, past which point she was in dire need. 'I couldn't afford wearing apparel for my children only then my friend referred me and Babe Bank Scotland contacted me. I only used the service once but I received three huge numberless filled with clothes for both of my children and a bag of nappies, which was all such a neat help as my children had a growth spurt and I couldn't afford whatsoever wearing apparel or nappies for my son.'

More: Illegal baby names: the children's names that have been banned around the world (opens in new tab)

'Some of the stories we hear are quite harrowing,' says Fernandes, 'but hearing these motivates volunteers.' Fernandes too believes baby banks 'help health professionals who experience similar they're doing something practical – if they're not able to help financially at least they can go hold of a cot and wearing apparel.'

But if babe banks accept become invaluable they're also regarded as a mixed blessing for many parents, who experience similar they shouldn't have to use them at all. 'I'm so grateful for Baby Banking concern Scotland'due south help as I'm sure are all the other parents using it, but I would love to take not needed it,' admits Byers, who has since donated everything back to help other families. Byers has besides managed to resume her studies with Open University.

'It's such a great charity,' she concludes, 'just it's a shame that then many parents are in need of this service. We all practise our best for our children and the amount of shame I felt when I couldn't provide clothes the right size for them was horrendous. There should be a lot more help for single parents to become them back into work and then that in the future nosotros won't accept to rely then much on baby banks.'

Debra Waters is an experienced online editor and lifestyle writer with a focus on health, wellbeing, beauty, food and parenting. She currently writes for Goodto and Adult female&Home, and print publications Woman, Woman'southward Own and Woman's Weekly. Previously, Debra was digital food editor at succulent mag and MSN. She'south written for Chiliad&S Food, Great British Chefs, loveFOOD, What to Expect, Everyday Health and Time Out, and has had articles published in The Telegraph and The Large Event.