Carpe Diem: Wednesday

[smallhobbit]

Wednesday's child is full of woe

Tell us about a cause you’re passionate about

It's squee again, and it will come as a surprise to nobody when I choose Gloucestershire Bundles.

This is the charity I volunteer with and for whom I am the Treasurer and one of the Trustees.  My main role is finance and grant applications, although I also help out at other events on occasion.

We are a baby bank.  Which means we provide items for pregnant women and families with children up to the age of 16 who find themselves in crisis situations.  We are not unique, there are many baby banks around the country, although each one works slightly differently, so if you live in the UK there'll be one somewhere in your vicinity.  They also exist in parts of the States.

The items we provide include toiletries for mothers going into hospital and children; clothing for all ages from newborn to 16; equipment, including all the essentials necessary with a baby or toddler up to bedding for single beds; toys and books.

We work on a referral only basis, so professionals such as social workers, health visitors, school pastoral teams, refugee support etc etc, will let us know what the family needs and we do our best to provide it.  The reason for being in need can be loss of income (for a variety of reasons), families fleeing domestic violence, refugees, teenage mothers not old enough to claim benefits so the demands are on their own parents etc.

We receive donations of good condition pre-loved items from the public, and we also receive new items from them, especially toiletries and toys for our Christmas Appeal.  We also buy items, such as cot mattresses where they need to be sent out new.

We raise money from holding table top sales and having tables at local fairs.  We sell items on Ebay.  We receive grants.  But we have no statutory funding.  As well as items we need to buy, we also have running costs for the unit and wages of our one part-time member of staff.

How can you get involved?  While I obviously support my local baby bank, as I said there are others.  See if you can find yours and see what they want - not what you think they might like, but what they actually want.  If they have a Christmas Appeal, maybe you could help collect items at your workplace - last year we provided a large bag of individually sellected presents, new pyjamas and pants, and a chocolate selection box for 260 children - so every little helps.

Comments

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

A great cause. Glad they have you.

[smallhobbit]

Thank you very much :)

[kat_lair]

It is such a wonderful thing to exist though it makes me mad that it's a necessary thing to exist.

[smallhobbit]

Exactly - we would love to not be needed, but sadly the number of referrals is going up year on year.

[bethctg]

What a great service. :)

[smallhobbit]

Thank you.

[margaret_r]

Your Gloucestershire Bundles is a wonderful organisation and so needed these days.

[smallhobbit]

Thank you very much.

[turps]

I'm glad you talked about this cause again because I think it's a great one.

I didn't know about baby banks until recently where the local news featured one in Gateshead. It looked like an amazing place, and I'm sure Gloucestershire Bundles is just as amazing.

My sister and her wife just had a baby two weeks ago, and due to them having a lot of family and friends, and also both working, my new baby niece has everything she could want or need. It's heartbreaking that others don't have that, so good that others are there to help.

[smallhobbit]

Thank you - this was bound to be what I'd talk about. Baby banks are definitely worth supporting when possible, they meet such a significant need and yet get little notice. I'm delighted your new niece has had a great start to life and I'm sure she'll not just have material things, but also lots of love.

[debriswoman]

An excellent cause…sad it is needed so much.

[smallhobbit]

Indeed - I totally agree.