Bristol’s ground-breaking Baby Bank celebrates massive milestone with ‘a sense of sadness’

It started as an idea from three young mothers sitting around a kitchen table – to make sure that perfect baby gear and clothes don’t just get thrown away. But it quickly became one of Bristol’s leading and most innovative charities.

And now, as it approaches its tenth year of operation, the city’s Baby Bank network is celebrating a massive milestone – the number of families supported and helped has reached 10,000.

But it’s a milestone that’s also met “with a sense of sadness,” those who now run the network say, because it means so many mothers, fathers and families have found themselves in need of what it is effectively the equivalent of a food bank. , but for all things having a growing baby.

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The Baby Bank network in Bristol started in 2015 when Melissa Burger, Becky Gilbert and Ev Fernandes came together to decide to start something. They had had babies and seen how expensive everything was, from clothes to prams, sterilization equipment to toys, prams to shoes – and the worst part was that a growing baby meant in a few months a lot of toys, equipment and clothes too small or out of date.

At the same time, they saw in Bristol that many parents were struggling to afford the basics for a baby, while at the same time, very often, mothers who handed in their outdated equipment gave it to other mothers who could. they can probably afford to buy their own.

“A big reason I got involved was because I wanted to make sure there was more reuse of baby kits and clothes that would otherwise be thrown away or go to people who could afford to buy new.” , Eva explained. “When we started Baby Bank Network Bristol we had no expectations of how it would grow to the extent it has. I am so proud to have helped so many families and avoided emissions through less waste and fewer new items in need. to be manufactured in the first place.

“I’m also proud that we’ve created meaningful work and volunteer opportunities for all the people who’ve helped us over the past nine years, as well as supporting referral partners to do their jobs more effectively,” she added.

The Baby Bank Network works in a similar way to a food bank – people with babies are referred by partners – from social workers or doctors to children’s centers and food banks – there are over 560 agencies or people who refer people to Baby Bank. Over the past nine years, more than 411,000 items have been distributed after being donated by other parents.

Very often mums who are referred to the Baby Bank receive a ‘package’ which includes a basic range of things new mums need, but any parent with a child up to five years old can be referred. “Every package we prepare is more than just items – it’s a message of hope and support,” explained a spokesperson for the Baby Bank Network.

“Each package is a lifeline for a family in need. From safe sleeping kits with cots and new mattresses to toiletries packs and pre-loved clothing, these essentials make a tangible difference in the lives of parents and children,” she added.

Since that kitchen table in 2015, Baby Bank Network has grown exponentially and regularly appeals for more donations, bigger spaces and support. Demand has almost always exceeded supply. In July 2018, Bristol Live reported that the Baby Bank Network had just helped its 1000th family in the three years since it was established. In the six years since then, that number has grown to 10,000.

“Ten thousand is not just a number,” the BBN spokesperson explained. “Each referral represents a family facing extraordinary challenges – parents fleeing domestic abuse, seeking the safety of their children, asylum seekers starting a new life in an unknown land, families facing homelessness or those who experiencing unexpected job loss or other financial difficulties.

“Our support reminds us that no family survives in our community, especially during the difficult time of raising young children. By providing essential items, we don’t just meet material needs. We offer dignity, hope and the assurance that Bristol cares. Every package we prepare is a step towards a more stable future for a family in crisis,” she added.

The network, like many, had a difficult time with the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Donations dried up, volunteers could not devote as much time, but at the same time demand for the network increased.

Jane Dennett works at Central Bristol Children’s Center and is part of a huge network of people and organizations who refer families to the Baby Bank Network. “Families often come from marginalized communities, without recourse to public funds, face insecure housing and financial difficulties,” she explained.

“Providing equipment such as prams and cots for their children is simply not possible without support. The Baby Bank Network provides quick access to these much-needed resources, helping parents feel they are providing for their children and keeping them safe. Families are extremely excited about the good quality, mostly pre-loved items they receive,” she said, adding that it’s about more than filling a specific need for a piece of equipment like a crib or stroller.

“This support led to better mental health for parents, including improving their feelings of being a good parent who can look after their children. Their children are safer because of the equipment they receive, especially cots and Moses baskets,” she added.

One of the first volunteers who heard about the Baby Bank Network starting up and decided to help was Ellen Marsh. She soon found that there was a lot to do managing the warehouse. “In those early days, volunteering at the warehouse meant doing almost everything — from getting a referral, to making sure we had the items we needed or getting them, to arranging for them to be collected,” she said.

“It has been phenomenal to be part of such a fantastic local charity, to see how it has developed over the years and to know that through the determination of the founders and the dedication of the team of volunteers, together we have been able to support so much. many families in Bristol, as well as ensuring that so many items are reused,” she added.

Becky, one of those three women around the kitchen table in 2015, said they started with the goal of helping three families a week. It now averages around 40 families each week and has gone up to 76. It’s still growing.

“While we are grateful to have been able to support so many families over the past nine years, reaching this milestone also comes with a sense of sadness – that so many families in Bristol have found themselves in situations where they have had to use our service,” she said.

“With referrals increasing every year and this trend reflected in the sector, we know there is more work to be done.

“It’s hard to believe that our original goal was to help three families a week, then ten,” she added. “Recently we’ve averaged around 40 families each week, with our busiest week ever being 76. It’s grown so much, but there are still many more families who need support.

“Looking forward, we want to continue to develop our core service, but also look at how we can adapt to reach more families and work with other organizations in new ways. Of course, none of this would be possible without our amazing team of staff and volunteers who constantly go above and beyond to make Baby Bank Network the organization it is,” she added.

To find out more visit the Baby Bank network “Support Us” page..