Leeds Baby Bank calls for more donations to help families

Since the beginning of June alone, the charity has extended its crucial support to an "unprecedented" 550 families in Leeds. This alarming figure underscores the escalating crisis faced by many households, a situation Nogbou anticipates will only worsen as the colder winter months approach. "We get even more people needing help then because they want to put the heating on, but they still need to buy nappies and feed and clothe their child," Nogbou explained, illustrating the impossible choices many parents are forced to make between warmth and basic necessities for their infants. The rising cost of living, including exorbitant energy bills and persistently high food prices, has pushed many families to breaking point, making the services of Leeds Baby Bank more critical than ever.

Chantal Nogbou’s journey to establishing Leeds Baby Bank began in 2017, rooted in her own experiences as a single parent raising four children, including twins. It was during this time that she gained a profound understanding of the immense challenges and financial pressures faced by families striving to provide for their little ones. Recognising a significant gap in support and an overwhelming need within the community, Nogbou was driven by a powerful desire to help. What started as a grassroots initiative quickly blossomed into a fully-fledged charity, providing invaluable support ranging from Moses baskets and prams to nappies, clothes, formula, and other indispensable baby equipment. The charity is set to mark a significant milestone in January, celebrating its tenth year of dedicated service to the Leeds community, a testament to Nogbou’s vision and the enduring commitment of her team and volunteers.

Over the past decade, Nogbou has witnessed a profound and concerning shift in the demographics of families seeking help. "When we started, pre-Covid, maybe one in five children in Leeds lived in relative poverty," she recalled. "Now, you’re looking at one in two children in some parts, and that’s just a shocking number that really shouldn’t be happening." This dramatic rise highlights a deepening crisis of child poverty, impacting vast swathes of the city’s youngest residents. The statistics are particularly troubling as they reveal that approximately 70% of the children the baby bank now assists have at least one parent who is working. This phenomenon, often referred to as "in-work poverty," signifies that even with employment, many families are "not managing to manage the bills with energy and fuel prices going up." These are not families reliant solely on benefits; they are families where parents are actively contributing to the economy but whose wages are simply insufficient to cover the spiralling costs of raising children in the current economic climate.

The grim reality in Leeds is mirrored across the broader region. According to recent government statistics, a staggering 27% of children in the Yorkshire and Humber region live in relative low-income families. This figure places the region in a joint top position alongside the West Midlands for the highest proportion of children experiencing such hardship in the country. A family is defined as living in relative low income if their household income is less than 60% of the median national household income for that year, a threshold that an increasing number of working families are now falling below. This data underscores the systemic nature of the challenges, extending beyond individual circumstances to reflect broader economic pressures and policy impacts. The strain on families is immense, often leading to chronic stress, poor health outcomes, and a cycle of deprivation that can be incredibly difficult to break. Baby banks, therefore, do more than just provide material goods; they offer a glimmer of hope and dignity in challenging times.

The escalating demand for services has inevitably brought significant financial challenges for Leeds Baby Bank itself. The charity recently undertook a major relocation, moving from its previous city centre office to a larger and more accessible building in Armley. This strategic move was essential to accommodate the growing volume of donations, expand storage capacity, and ultimately enhance the range and efficiency of services provided to families. The new facility offers improved logistical capabilities for sorting and distributing items, as well as potential for creating dedicated spaces for volunteer work and family support. However, this expansion comes with its own set of costs. "All that has cost money and obviously bills for us have also gone up when it comes to the utilities, so it’s definitely a scary thing as a charity," Nogbou admitted. Like the families they serve, the charity is also contending with rising operational expenses, from heating and electricity for their larger premises to fuel costs for deliveries, making community support more critical than ever for their continued operation.

Nogbou stressed that the charity’s survival and its ability to continue serving vulnerable families are entirely dependent on the generosity of the community, through both donations of physical items and crucial financial contributions. The shelves of Leeds Baby Bank constantly need restocking with essentials such as nappies of all sizes, baby wipes, formula milk, infant clothing (from newborn to age two), Moses baskets, cots, prams, car seats, baby baths, high chairs, and even toiletries for both babies and parents. Beyond these tangible items, financial donations provide unparalleled flexibility. "It’s the people that, instead of buying a coffee every day, set up a direct debit and send £5 to Leeds Baby Bank every month," Nogbou highlighted as an example of sustained, impactful giving. She further illustrated the power of small, consistent financial contributions: "That £5 can buy something like a brand new mattress for a Moses basket," an essential item for safe infant sleep that often cannot be reused due to hygiene reasons. A small donation can also secure a large pack of nappies, a tin of formula, or several outfits for a growing baby, directly alleviating immediate pressures on struggling parents.

The human impact of the charity’s work is profound. Imagine a new parent, overwhelmed by the arrival of a baby, facing the impossible choice between feeding their child and keeping them warm, or lacking even a safe place for their infant to sleep. Leeds Baby Bank steps in to fill these critical gaps, providing not just physical items but also a sense of relief, dignity, and care. Families referred by health visitors, social workers, and other professionals are often at their most vulnerable, and the items provided by the baby bank can make the difference between despair and hope. This support allows parents to focus on bonding with their newborns and navigating the early stages of parenthood, rather than being consumed by financial anxiety over basic provisions. By ensuring children have access to clean clothes, warm bedding, and safe equipment, the charity also contributes to better health and developmental outcomes for infants, laying a more stable foundation for their future.

The strength of Leeds Baby Bank lies not only in its dedicated staff but also in the unwavering support of the wider community. Local businesses, schools, faith groups, and individual residents have historically rallied to collect donations, organise fundraisers, and volunteer their time. This spirit of collective responsibility is what sustains the charity and allows it to adapt to ever-increasing needs. As the call for donations intensifies, the charity hopes that more individuals and organisations will consider how they can contribute, whether through one-off donations, regular financial pledges, or by dedicating time to sort and organise items at the Armley warehouse. Every pair of donated baby grows, every packet of wipes, and every pound contributed helps to ease the burden on a family struggling to give their child the best possible start in life.

In conclusion, Leeds Baby Bank stands as a beacon of hope for countless families across the city, providing essential support that helps alleviate the crushing pressure of poverty. Chantal Nogbou’s urgent appeal underscores a stark reality: demand for assistance is soaring, driven by the relentless cost of living crisis, and the charity’s resources are being stretched to their limits. As winter approaches, the need for essentials will only become more acute, making the community’s continued generosity absolutely vital. By donating items or making financial contributions, residents of Leeds have the power to directly impact the lives of vulnerable infants and their parents, ensuring that no child goes without the fundamental necessities they deserve. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a tangible difference, transforming a struggle into a moment of relief and bringing warmth and comfort to a family in need.