Fenland Families and Baby Bank wins support from Clarion Futures so it can help more people
A Wisbech-based charity has seen demand for help grow over the past few months as the cost of living crisis continues to bite families.
The Fenland Families and Baby Bank on Union Street has been open since November 2020.
The non-profit community organisation was set up to support families in the Fenland area, who are experiencing financial hardship and need support with accessing essentials for their children aged 0-5 years.
The baby bank is staffed by a friendly team of local volunteers who provide access to clothes, toys, baby milk, nappies, prams and bedding – anything a young family could need.
Items are donated by the local community and the baby bank also enables parents to swap items meaning, for example, that a mother with baby clothes that no longer fit their child can donate them and replace them with items of the right size.
Parents can be referred for support by professionals including social services, health visitors, midwives and teachers, as well as being able to self-refer, with people asked to make an affordable donation in return for goods provided.
For those facing severe financial hardship, individual circumstances are assessed and goods provided free-of-charge where possible, or for as small a donation as possible.
In addition to access to essential goods, the baby bank also acts as a source of advice and guidance for new parents, as well as signposting to other sources of support.
It is this element of the model that those running the baby bank want to build upon, with ambitions to open a community hub which would continue to support families but also provide access to a wider range of advice and guidance and activities for local people.
The charity has been receiving financial support from Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Clarion Housing Group which owns and manages thousands of homes across Fenland, since it launched, helping to get the new initiative off the ground.
To provide some breathing space and support the baby bank’s ambitious plans for expansion, Clarion Futures has paid the rent at the organisation’s base on Union Street in Wisbech for the coming year.
Clarion Futures has also provided non-financial assistance including business development support and capacity building through its Recovery and Resilience Programme set up to help its partners adapt and grow.
Mother of four, Rachel Green, who set up the Fenland Families and Baby Bank, said: “It makes me sad that in this day and age something like this is needed, but here we are. When household budgets are squeezed to breaking point, it can be hard to find the money for everything you need for a young family, so we’re here to help fill that gap.
“Our door is open to anyone who needs help, from any walk of life, whether they’ve been referred to us or just want to pop in and see what we’re all about. As well as access to essentials like baby milk, nappies and clothes, coming to the baby bank is like being part of a family, all looking out for each other and providing advice and companionship. We’re so grateful for the support we’ve received from Clarion Futures and are excited to see what the future holds.”
Matt Parsonage, head of communities at Clarion Futures, said: “With the cost of living continuing to bite, initiatives like this one are so important, helping people to cover the cost of everyday essentials and providing some breathing space. Rachel and the team at the baby bank are a real inspiration, helping young families living locally access whatever they need for their children as well as signposting to additional sources of advice and guidance, and we’re proud to support them.”
The Fenland Families and Baby Bank at 11 Union Street in Wisbech is open from 10am-4pm Tuesdays to Fridays all year round and every other Saturday from 1 April until the end of September.
To find out more or make a donation, call 07985 727025 or email fenlandbabybank@gmail.com.
