Leeds Baby Bank is a vital community charity dedicated to supporting families with young children across Leeds who are experiencing poverty.
Operating on a referral-only basis, Leeds Baby Bank collaborates with professionals such as midwives, health visitors, and social workers to provide families with children aged 0–5 years the essentials they need. These essentials include nappies, formula milk, clothing, toys, prams, cots, and highchairs. The charity also conducts outreach sessions at community centres in some of Leeds’ most deprived areas, offering immediate assistance and connecting families to additional support services.
Leeds Baby Bank has launched an urgent appeal to raise the final £60,000 needed to open the doors to its new, much larger premises this July and resume its vital support for families living in poverty.
Leeds Baby Bank founder, Chantal Nogbu said:
“It’s a stark reality that 40,000 children in our city are living in absolute poverty. We exist to ensure no child in Leeds goes without because of poverty, but lately we have been overwhelmed by the number of people needing our support. Currently we have over 200 families needing help and have made the heart-breaking decision to close our waiting list.
“That’s why we are delighted to have found a new home around four times the size of our old one and it will mean we can expand our support enormously! The rush is now on so we can open our doors. It’s imperative we are back up and running as soon as possible.”
Leeds Baby Bank is calling for donations to help make its new centre in Armley safe, fully furnished, and ready to support local families. A Go Fund Me campaign has been launched with a £60,000 target to cover essential costs, including warehouse racking for pre-loved items, large tables for sorting donations, and clear signage to help families easily locate the centre.
With enough support, the charity aims to reopen its doors to families in need by mid-July. The new space will also enable Leeds Baby Bank to expand its services. For the first time, families will be able to visit in person to choose the new and pre-loved essentials they need to care for their children.
Leeds Baby Bank founder, Chantal Nogbu added:
“The new building will make it possible for us to host groups too, from toddler sessions to baby first aid classes, combating isolation and fostering essential parenting skills. And as we get to know our families well, we can help work with our partners to help families tackle their unique housing, employment and money difficulties, to break the cycle of poverty.”
Founded in 2017, Leeds Baby Bank provides essential items — such as nappies, formula, clothing, and baby equipment, to families in crisis across the city. The new Armley centre, approximately four times larger than its previous location, will enable the charity to serve more families and offer in-person visits for collecting necessities. Additionally, the expanded space will host parenting groups, toddler sessions, and baby first aid classes, aiming to combat isolation and foster essential parenting skills.
Leeds Baby Bank’s impactful work has been acknowledged through multiple awards, including the Child Friendly Leeds Award, the Mumbler Best Community Project, and the Compassionate City Awards Community Project of the Year. The charity has also received support from organizations like the King Charles III Charitable Fund, which recognizes its efforts in supporting families with young children in Leeds.
The £60,000 appeal will fund critical infrastructure, including warehouse racking, sorting tables, and signage to make the centre safe and accessible. Donations can be made through the charity’s Go Fund Me page Leeds Baby Bank Urgent Fundraiser
For more information or to contribute, please visit www.leedsbabybank.org
