As part of his calling to raise-up local charities doing work to support those most vulnerable in the diocese, Bishop Martyn recently paid a visit to Baby Basics Leicester.
Baby Basics Leicester is part of the Church of the Martyrs in the city and has been supporting families in Leicester and Leicestershire since 2017.
The volunteer-based charity provides much needed baby essentials and equipment, for free, to families who are struggling to meet the financial and practical responsibilities of looking after a new baby.
During his visit, Bishop Martyn met with the Baby Basics team and helped sort through donations.
Chatting to the volunteers, he learned about the charity’s ongoing journey and challenges, as well as seeing the impact they are having in the local community.
Currently, Baby Basics Leicester supports around 90 children a month - through referrals from healthcare professionals and other local charities - providing families with everything from Moses basket starter kits, clothes and toiletries to cots, buggies, highchairs and more.
Having expanded over the years, and thanks to a National Lottery grant, they are now based in Whetstone and have 20 regular volunteers and two part-time paid employees.
Laura, who founded the Leicester branch of this baby bank national network, said: “I am amazed to see how Baby Basics has grown over the last seven years. It is heart-breaking to see how much we are needed, but we are also glad we can support families the best we can to give them a better start in life.”
She added: “I'm so proud of our journey and the team of volunteers and I couldn't do it without their hard work and dedication. God has blessed us with the right resources and the much-needed funds to be a successful baby bank serving Leicestershire.”
Recent financial support from Leicester City Council, through its Household Support Fund, has enabled them to purchase cots and mattresses so that many more babies and young children have a safe place to sleep.
“This has made an immense difference, as previously we had 65 families waiting for a cot despite our efforts of fund raising and using second hand cots,” said Laura.
“We hope that Bishop Martyn’s visit will help highlight the importance of our work to the wider church family in Leicester,” she added. “As Christians we are called to love and serve the vulnerable. Bishop Martyn was able to see how we run, who we support, and how the church is reaching out to help.”
Bishop Martyn, who serves as the lead bishop for welfare in the Church of England, has spoken widely and passionately about the need to eradicate child poverty, using his seat in the House of Lords as a vehicle to do so.
He recently said: “Every child is a precious gift and should have the opportunity to flourish. Yet the scourge of poverty we see in our country today has profound implications on their health, wellbeing and life chances.
“Churches will continue to play their part in supporting children and their families, experiencing hardship, meeting need where we find it…”
Talking about the visit, he said: “It was a privilege to visit Baby Basics and see the significant and very much needed support this Christian charity offers families locally, particularly in the city of Leicester.
“I heard many stories of people who struggle to provide for their families, unable to afford even the very basics needed at the beginning of a baby’s life, who’ve been gifted with moses baskets stuffed-full of clothes, nappies and all the essentials.”
You can read more about Laura and how Baby Basics Leicester came to be here.
INFO:
If you would like to donate to Baby Basics, the charity has a regularly updated wish list of needed items (good quality second hand or new) on its website and Facebook page.
Please check to see if items you have are needed. Due to space, they cannot always take specific items if they are full of them.
You can also give financially to the charity, which welcomes local community groups arranging their own fundraising to help support ongoing work at www.babybasicsleicester.co.uk
Feel free to email with questions or queries on babybasicsleicester@gmail.com