New families on the breadline forced to ask city 'Baby Bank' for nappies and clothes

The Leeds Baby Bank was originally set up back in January 2017 to help out families who had had twins or triplets but it has quickly become a lifeline to help out those who have nothing and are desperate for help.

Among those to come through their doors for help was a woman found out she was expecting a baby 36 weeks into the pregnancy and didn’t have benefits in place or even a baby seat, cot or clothes.

Another case saw a family only daring to ask for the basic essentials but literally had nothing else in the house.

The school holidays have also proved to be a testing time and the Baby Bank has seen more referrals in this time.

The Yorkshire Evening Post looks at the increasing demand as part of a special report into the levels of child poverty that are affecting the city of Leeds. It follows our special series earlier this month into social inequality and the growing gulf of Life in Leeds.

Co-founder, Chantal Nogbou told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “With it being the school holidays there has definitely been an increase in the run up to that for referrals. It is between 10 and 20 a week. Whether that is because people in the support capacity know that they are going to be on holiday (and want to submit the referral) or whether it because they are in need more.

“When kids get fed at school they are not having issues paying for nappies or wipes, then the benefits cap impacts more and when you add all these things together the impact can be huge, especially when people are already struggling.”

People access the Baby Bank, based at the St John’s Centre, via a referral from a professional such as a midwife, nurse, children’s centre, social worker or housing officer and receive items like cots, bedding and clothes that have been donated and packets of nappies, toiletries, dummies and wipes.

Most items are donated to the Baby Bank by people that don’t need them any more and the organisation also fundraises to buy equipment too.

Ms Nobbou added: “Straight from the word go we realised we needed to get this available for everybody. When you have twins or triplets it is hard because you have to buy everything times two but people with one baby can have the same struggle.

“We had a woman who was 36 weeks pregnant when she found out she was having a baby and had to buy all these things but it wasn’t enough time before the baby was born to get the benefits.

“And there are people where we get the referral and go and drop it off and when you get there, there is nothing in the house. They have basically asked for the bare necessities and could have asked for so much more but did not want to take advantage and it makes you realise that we are incredibly lucky.”