Kids are sleeping in drawers and unable to leave the house because they don’t have shoes

Jun 19, 2023

BABIES sleeping on mattresses on the floor, children with no shoes or coats and families unable to afford a basic pram.

It's a bleak picture, and one Sue Bain never imagined she’d see in the UK until she set up the Little Treasures baby bank in 2019.

"Things are getting worse and demands are higher for things we shouldn't have to beg, borrow and steal," Sue told Fabulous for our Baby, Bank On Us campaign, in partnership with Save The Children and Little Village in support of UK baby banks.

"We had a request from a social worker asking for a cot because there was a family with a baby sleeping on a mattress on the floor. It shouldn't be like that when some people are so lucky."

The retired 62-year-old says the cost-of-living crisis, fuelled by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, has left many British families in a dire situation.

Things are so bad that Sue often puts an extra packet of nappies in each request the bank, which is based in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, receives "just in case".

- Give money by donating here or by scanning the QR code.

- Give clothing, toys and essentials to a baby bank, wherever you are in the UK.

- Give your time volunteering. To find your nearest baby bank, visit Littlevillagehq.org/uk-baby-banks.

An exclusive survey of 2,000 British mums, conducted by Fabulous, found that 27% of families have had to ration nappies and wipes in recent months.Thankfully, the generosity of others has meant that Little Treasures has helped thousands of families in the four years it has been open.

When Sue first set it up, she was still working a full time job as a the Federation Secretary for the Lincolnshire North Federation of the Women's Institute

Since retiring two months ago, she wants to pump more energy into "redressing the balance" between those living in poverty and those living with more than they need.

And, when she first started Little Treasures from her house, many of the donations came from her now five-year-old grandson's wardrobe.

Things are getting worse and demands are higher for things we shouldn't have to beg, borrow and steal

Sue's motivation for her selfless work comes from gratitude for her life with her daughters 37-year-old Laura, a teacher in Birmingham, and 33-year-old Hannah, a yoga instructor in the south of France.

She said: "I’ve been very lucky, I haven't had to rely on this sort of thing."

Sue worked at the Lincolnshire North Federation of the Women's Institutes - also known as WI - for 11 years.

It was at this job she met Mandi Porter, 53, who she set Little Treasures up with after the pair were moved by a news report about one in Yorkshire.

A baby bank operates like a food bank but for children's essentials, with struggling families able to pick up clothes, toys and safety equipment needed for their little ones for free.

- Baby banks provide essential items for babies and young children whose parents are living in poverty – including nappies, wipes, clothing, bedding, Moses baskets, cots, blankets, toys and books.- There are over 200 baby banks in the UK, and they run out of shops, community centres, warehouse units and even people's living rooms and garages.- Last year 4.2 million children in the UK were living in poverty and 800,000 children lived in a household that used a food or baby bank.

Little Treasures’ baby bank was run out of Sue's home for the first six months before moving to its current warehouse in Horncastle, where it has been for almost four years now.

It operates on a referral basis, meaning social workers and healthcare professionals contact Sue on behalf of families.

The nan retired earlier this year and wants to devote more time to Little Treasures because the amount of families in need "is not quietening down".

Her husband Doug, 64, is also retired and mucks in where he can.

Sue has heard of children sleeping in drawers and "very young" mums planning to start motherhood with no cot, pram or clothes for their baby.

Little Treasures helps on average five families a week but Sue warned "things are picking up again".

Each request is so varied that she can't put an average price on them.

They can range from an order for twins worth hundreds of pounds in cots, prams, clothes, and toys, to something as simple as a potty.

Sue said: "It doesn't stop. Stair gates are really popular - we can't get enough stair gates at the moment."

But the reason behind the need for stair gates is another example of families feeling the strain amid the rising cost of living.

Fire services in Lincolnshire used to be able to visit homes and install a stair gate for families.

However, budget cuts mean that service is now unavailable and parents are turning to baby banks to keep their tots safe.

In the interest of safety, Little Treasures only provides brand new stair gates.

Our survey found that new clothes and shoes are the main things parents can't currently afford for their children.

We had a request from a social worker asking for a cot because there was a family with a baby sleeping on a mattress on the floor

This has had an impact on their mental health, with 68% of survey respondents saying their mental wellbeing has been negatively affected by the cost of living crisis.

This is something Little Treasures has experienced all too well.

Sue recalled how one mum couldn't afford to buy her daughter shoes, meaning she was unable to leave the house for weeks.

The mum was "so embarrassed" that she couldn't send her child to school but now is "so proud" of her collection of shoes thanks to Little Treasures.

She also recalled a woman who reacted to a call-out on Facebook for a ten-year-old's coat and went to Tesco to buy a brand new one.

Sue says she couldn't "let it go" that a young child was going to school without a coat on in winter.

Her act of kindness not only reduced the mum to tears, but the social worker on the case who had been in the job for 17 years and never seen such a willingness to help.

No donation is too small for your local baby bank - even an old potty can transform a child's life

Sue assured that "people really do want to help" and the response her baby bank gets from the community is often moving.

Little Treasures baby bank costs just over £5000 to run, including warehouse costs and bills.

It received National Lottery funding when first set up, with Sue and Mandi since applying for a grant.

Local businesses like Co-op, Masons and the Lincolnshire Development fund also donate in response to bids put in by Little Treasures, with Sue saying they "don't get anything if they don't ask nicely for it".

Sue supports our Our Baby, Bank On Us campaign because she knows first hand how even the smallest donation can change a child's life.

Our Baby, Bank On Us campaign is calling on the public to volunteer their time and donate second-hand children's items to their nearest baby bank. Plus, we are raising vital funds to support the work of the banks.

"No donation is too small for your local baby bank - even an old potty can transform a child's life," says Sue.

"By coming together in our communities, we can work towards a better future for the struggling families and children of Britain.

"The scale of the cost of living crisis is undeniable and it has never been more important to see how you can help struggling families."

To find out more about Little Treasures, visit https://www.facebook.com/littletreasuresbabybank/.

BELOW is a selection of baby banks by region. See the web address at the end of the page to find contact details for all the country's baby banks

Baby Basics Bolton & Bury, West Lancashire

Baby Basics Carlisle, Cumbria

Baby Basics South Lakes, Cumbria

Baby Basics, Cleator Moor, West Cumbria

Trafford Little Bundles, Lancashire

TippyToes BabyBank Preston, Lancashire

Salford Baby Bank, Lancashire

Snowdrop Doula CIC Burnley, Lancashire

Cascade Baby Bundles, Audenshaw, Cheshire

The Baby Room at Spinners, Leigh, Lancashire

The Healthy Gems Baby Bank, Oldham, Lancashire

NCT Mid Cheshire

NCT Preston Baby Bundles, Lancashire

KidsBank Chester, Cheshire

Motherwell Pass It On Baby Bank, Winsford, Cheshire

Hyndburn Baby Bank, Accrington, Lancashire

Growbaby Newcastle, Tyne & Wear

Love, Amelia, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear

Birth Bath and Beyond, Scarborough, North Yorkshire

Clothe and Feed South Shields, Tyne & Wear

Clothe and Feed Sunderland, Tyne & Wear

Rosie's Corner, Hexham, Northumberland

Stockton Baby Bank, County Durham

Darlington Baby Bank, County Durham

Baby Basics Darlington

Growbaby Hull, Yorkshire

Little Acorns Baby Bank Durham, County Durham

Hartlepool Baby Bank, County Durham

Growbaby Teeside, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees

Baby Basics Leeds, West Yorkshire

Baby Basics Doncaster, South Yorkshire

Leeds Baby Bank, West Yorkshire

Baby Basics Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Birth Bath and Beyond Scarborough, North Yorkshire

Bradford Baby Bank, West Yorkshire

POPI Baby Bank Keighley, West Yorkshire

Rainbow Baby Bank Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire

Stepping Stones Baby Bank Wakefield, West Yorkshire

Calderdale Lighthouse, West Yorkshire

Tiny Hands Baby Bank Pontefract, West Yorkshire

Growbaby York, North Yorkshire

Ashley's Birthday Bank, Christchurch, Dorset

Baby Bank Network Bristol

Baby Basics Gloucester, Gloucestershire

Baby Basics Cornwall

Baby Basics Plymouth

Brighter Bristol Storehouse, Bristol

Baby Basics South, Ilminster, Somerset

Growbaby Tiverton, Devon

Children's Storehouse Plymouth, Devon

Uplift Tiverton, Devon

Exeter Baby Bank Network, Devon

Little Lighthouse Baby Bank Wythenshawe, Manchester

Baby Bundles Wiltshire

The Nest Project, Bath, Somerset

Gloucestershire Bundles, Gloucester

Open Door Exmouth, Devon

Forest of Dean Baby Bank, Gloucestershire

Small Stuff Baby Bank, Radstock, Somerset

Stroud District Kid's Stuff, Gloucestershire

Teignmouth Baby Bank, Devon

Ten Little Toes Baby Bank, Cowfold, West Sussex

Growbaby Swindon, Wiltshire

Baby Bank & Beyond (South Wealden) CIC (Hellingly), East Sussex

Sebby's Corner Borehamwood, Hertfordshire

Stevenage Babyshed, Hertfordshire

Baby Basics Billericay, Essex

Growbaby Whitstable, Kent

Growbaby Aylesbury, Bucks

Baby Basics Bromley, Kent

Best Start Baby Bank, Eastbourne, Sussex

Basildon Borough Baby Bank, Essex

Growbaby Maidstone, Kent

Growbaby Rayleigh, Essex

Baby Basics Chelmsford, Essex

Growbaby St Albans, Herts

Growbaby Hemel Hempstead, Herts

Precious Bundles Colchester, Essex

Fighting Chance Baby Bank, Petworth, West Sussex

Baby2Baby, East Sussex

Baby Basics Brighton

Baby Basics Dover & Deal, Kent

Baby Basics Englefield Green, Surrey

Baby Basics Folkestone, Kent

Baby Basics Willvern, Essex

First Days Reading, Berkshire

Baby Basics Hastings and Rother, East Sussex

Baby Basics, Grays, Kent

Baby Basics Shoreham, West Sussex

NCT Winchester Baby Bundles, Hampshire

NCT Woking Baby Bundles, Surrey

Pelican Parcels Brighton and Hove, Sussex

Baby Stuff Braintree, Essex

Tots 2 Teens Colchester baby bank, Essex

Stripey Stork, Reigate, Surrey

Sunshine Baby Bank Southend, Essex

The Baby Bank HQ Havering, Essex

The Baby Bank HQ Thurrock, Essex

Community Wardrobe Chelmsford, Essex

The Baby Bank Windsor, Berkshire

Growbaby Storehouse Ashford, Kent

Moses Basket Brentwood, Essex,

Growbaby Chelmsford, Essex

NCT Little Bundles Baby Bank Chichester & Arun, West Sussex

NCT Baby Bundles Sevenoaks and Tonbridge, Kent

Mama to Mama, Margate, Kent

Home-Start West Berkshire Baby Bank, Newbury, Berkshire

Growbaby, Wokingham, Berkshire

The Baby Bank HQ Barking, Dagenham and Redbridge, Essex

Baby Basics Portsmouth, Hampshire

Baby Basics Guildford

Baby Branch Southampton, Hampshire

Baby Necessities Southampton, Hampshire

Portsmouth Baby Bank, Hampshire

Baby Basics Jersey

214 SPACE Baby Bank Hub Brent

214 SPACE Baby Bank Hub Hammersmith & Fulham

214 SPACE Baby Bank Hub Kensington & Chelsea

Growbaby Lighthouse, Sutton, Greater London

Growbaby, Newham

Growbaby, Merton

Bromley Brighter Beginnings

Growbaby Purley

Baby Basics, Barnet

Cariad Baby Bank, Harrow

Growbaby Kingston upon Thames

Choices Boutique Islington

Cornerstone Baby Bank Leyton

Growbaby Wandsworth

Baby Basics Sunbury

Growbaby Enfield

Ealing Salvation Army Baby Bank

The Small Project South London

Tiny Toes, Tiny Feet, Northwood

Camberwell Baby Bank

Orchard Baby Bank, Woodford

Peabody Toddlers Clothes Bank, Ilford

Pram Depot Wood Green

Little Village (London-wide)

Mammakind Baby Bank, Greenwich

MerryGoRound Islington

Growbaby Hoxton

NCT Redbridge Baby Bundles

Hackney Children & Baby Bank

Ilford Salvation Army Baby Bank

Mama2Mama Woolwich

Lloyd Park Children's Charity Baby Bank Walthamstow

The Extra Mile, Hampton, Richmond Upon Thames.

Brierley Hill Baby Bank, Dudley, West Mids

Baskets of Joy Leicester

Growbaby Leicester

Alice Charity, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire

Growbaby Northampton

The Arches, Nottingham

High Peak Baby Bank, Buxton, Derbyshire

Growbaby, Nuneaton, Warwickshire

Growbaby Bedworth, Warwickshire

Bicester Baby Bank, Oxfordshire

Elayos Baby Bank Birmingham

Baby Basics Wolverhampton

Growbaby Birmingham St Michaels Church

Baby Aid Birmingham

Baby Basics Warwick

Baby Godiva Coventry

Growkids Coventry

Baby Basics Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Baby Basics Long Eaton, Notts

Baby Basics Leicester

Baby Basics Northampton

Baby Basics Hinckley, Leicestershire

Growbaby Birmingham Vineyard City Centre Site

Tots in Need Walsall, West Mids

Spark Baby & Children's Bank Staffordshire

Staffordshire Baby Bank, Stafford, Staffs

Telford and Wrekin Baby and Toddler bank, Shropshire

Clothe and Feed Wallsend, Herefordshire

Little Stars Shropshire

Karis Baby Bank Central Birmingham

NCT Malvern Hills Baby Bundles, Worcs

Little Cherub's Baby Bank High Peak, Derbyshire

Growbaby Worcester

Baby Basics Dryffryn Clwyd Denbigh

Baby Basics Vale of Glamorgan

Baby Basics Newtown

Baby Basics Swansea

Baby Basics Port Talbot

Baby Basics Wrexham

Cwtch Baby Bank Cardiff

Baby Basics Penrhiwceiber

Cariad a Cwtch Baby Bank Llandrindod Wells

Growbaby Cardiff

Pembrokeshire Baby Bank

Splice Baby Bank Bridgend

Bundles Baby Clothing and Birth Support, Newport

Bethel Baby Bank Port Talbot

NCT Cardiff Baby Bundles

Ely Baby Bank

Feed Newport Baby Bank

Bairn Necessities, Glasgow

AberNecessities, Aberdeen

Growbaby Fife

Baby Bank Scotland, Hamilton

Bairnecessities Aberdeenshire

Bear Necessities Airdrie

Togs for Tots Dundee

Glasgow Baby Food Bank

GRA Baby Bank Aberdeenshire

Nelly Boxes East Renfrewshire Baby Bank

No 1 Glasgow Baby & Family Support Service

Tiny Treasures Baby Bank Oban

Button and Bows Baby Bank Perth

Cumbernauld & Kilsyth Care

Misty Glen Baby Bank Fort William

Dingwall Primary Baby Bank

Moray Baby Bank

Monklands Baby and Family Clothing Aid

Abi's Footprints, Sudbury, Suffolk

Baby Bank Norfolk

Baby Basics Lowestoft, Suffolk

Baby Basics West Norfolk

West Marsh Baby Bank, Lincolnshire

Suffolk Baby Bank, Bury Saint Edmunds

Baby's Basket, Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Growbaby Thetford, Norfolk

Growkids Norwich, Norfolk

Fenland Family and Baby Bank, Cambridgeshire

GrowKids Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

Little Family Baby Bank, Sutton On Sea, Lincolnshire

Little Treasures Baby Bank, Horncastle, East Lincolnshire

Little Bundles, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

Baby Basics Antrim & Newtonabbey

Baby Basics Ballymena

Baby Basics Belfast

Bump2Baby NI (Mid-Ulster Baby Bank)

Baby Basics Banbridge

Baby Basics Causeway

Baby Basics Magherafelt

Baby Basics Mullavilly

Growbaby Enniskillen

Carrickfergus Baby Bank