Leeds Baby Bank work on a referral-only basis to provide vital support and urgent baby essentials for families in need.
Leeds Baby Bank was set up in January 2017 by the Co-Founders who had a shared interest in supporting families in and around Leeds. Together with a passionate team of Trustees, volunteers and an army of amazing supporters, the charity has grown at rapid speed and helped provide thousands of families in need with essential items to ensure that their little ones are safe, growing and developing.
We work on a referral only basis. Referrals are received from professionals working directly with families. Our charity actively seeks donations of pre-loved items to reduce landfill and help promote a more sustainable city. Leeds Baby Bank runs a successful volunteer programme for the local community and provides placement opportunities for local colleges, universities and businesses.
Over 170,000 people in Leeds are estimated to be in relative poverty after housing costs. It is estimated there are at least 33,000 children living in poverty in Leeds – (that’s around 20 per cent in comparison to 17 per cent nationally). It is also thought that these figures are under-representative of the true number of children living in poverty. Children experiencing poverty are more likely to face a wide range of difficulties, both in day-to-day life and for the future. There are strong links between experiencing poverty as a child and having poorer mental and physical health, a shorter life expectancy, lower educational attainment and lower paid insecure work.
Leeds Baby Bank is dedicated to ensuring all children can thrive and develop as they should by having safe places to sleep, food to eat, and toys to grow and develop as they should. Baby banks should not have to exist, but while there are children in poverty in our city we will do everything in our power to help struggling families. Families just like us.
A few stories of families we’ve supported recently via our referral partners:
“I referred a family to the Leeds baby bank who had recently moved into the country and had applied for universal credit. The youngest child did not have a cot and was co-sleeping in a bed with Mum. Mum was also struggling to buy nappies and clothes for her older child and the baby. I referred to the baby bank for a cot and mattress, pushchair, clothes and nappies as she had no benefits until the Universal Credit claim was processed, which could take up to 8 weeks.
The baby bank were able to provide all of the items that were requested and the baby had a safe place to sleep. Both children had clothes that would fit and keep them warm and they had an adequate supply of nappies so that their basic care needs could be met. When the equipment was delivered the parent was so relieved and grateful and the children were very excited to see new things coming into the house.”
“I referred a family to Leeds Baby Bank for help with their one year old and two day old baby. I requested milk, bottles, a steriliser, a pram for the newborn, a cot and a toddler bed for the one year old. The family had not been in the country long and had not been using sterile bottles and re-using the bottles they were given in the hospital due to lack of funds. The one year old child was sleeping in a buggy and the two day old baby was sleeping in a dolls pram as they had no cot or crib. The family had absolutely no money and no recourse to public funds.”
Join our amazing team of volunteers working behind the scenes to help families across Leeds. Leeds Baby Bank intend to recruit volunteers twice a year, once in the summertime and once in winter. We are recruiting volunteers to help in our unit: Apply Now Alternatively, the following are descriptions of the types of roles we have here at Leeds Baby Bank, with individual application forms for each post.
Meet Sunita, who kindly gives time to our organisation. Hear why she loves volunteering with us!
Are you someone with attention to detail, like sorting, keeping things neat, tidy and in order? The Leeds Baby Bank HQ is where we store all the stock that gets donated and purchased in Leeds. There is always lots to do, as donations flood in weekly. From sorting clothing, checking toys and equipment, testing prams, building cots, and sorting bundles to be gifted; there are a variety of ways to support.
You will help change lives and develop valuable skills and friendships along the way! Leeds Baby Bank Unit Volunteers help keep our stock sorted, sort items ready for collection and help the general flow of the operation. We’d be very grateful for your help and are happy to be as flexible as possible for reliable volunteers. From the satisfaction of helping families in Leeds, to learning new skills and meeting like-minded colleagues, you’ll get a lot back.
We’ll be there to train and support you at each stage and we’ll ensure you have the right training, shadowing and supervision. Leeds Baby Bank welcomes and values every volunteer from all walks of life and all kinds of backgrounds. Want to make a difference? We are currently recruiting volunteers: www.leedsbabybank.org/volunteer
Among the charity’s donors are families who have previously benefited from the service and are now keen to give back and extend a helping hand to others. Leeds Baby Bank supports children and families living in poverty across Leeds. It provides basic essentials and pre-loved quality items so that no child goes without. Every parent wants to give their child the best possible start in life. Your donations www.leedsbabybank.org/donations can help make that wish come true.
We give pre-loved baby items to other families. Please see our Amazon Wish List to find out what we currently need most, and be sure to check our list of items we accept and items we cannot accept.
Leeds Baby Bank is located in the Unit 5/6 Upper Mall, St John’s Centre, Merrion Street, Leeds, LS2 8LQ and can be contacted via e-mail: admin@leedsbabybank.org For more information about Leeds Baby Bank please visit www.linktr.ee/LeedsBabyBank or follow us for the latest updates on Facebook at @LeedsBabyBank and on Twitter @LeedsBabyBank
It is our mission to support families in and around Leeds with baby essentials to ensure that no child goes without.
Thank You 
