Volunteers at Baby Basics have seen the need for essential items soar as a result of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. The charity has 50 sites in England, including one centre in Norfolk, at St Nicholas Church in Dersingham. The West Norfolk site serves vulnerable families across Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Breckland.
At the start, in 2016, the team of volunteers linked to St Nicholas Church would pack around 40 Moses Baskets a year for parents in need. Last year, they packed 300 baskets by the end of December. As of October 2023, they have already packed and delivered 330 baskets through health agency referrals.
Maggie Anderson leads the Norfolk team. Maggie says:
“Maternity pads have doubled in price, breast pads have doubled in price, anyone who is having a baby, knows that you cannot be without those things, whether you breast feed or not, you still need things like that. Nappies have doubled, we used to be able to get a small packet of nappies for 99pence, they’re double that now. They’re essentials. These are things that everybody should have.”
The team of volunteers meet every Tuesday morning to pray for and pack baskets for parents in need.
- If you’d like to find out more, you can watch a short film on the Norfolk Baby Basics team here:
- To learn more about the charity: Baby Basics
- To find the Norfolk team on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BabyBasicsWestNorfolk
- Or to find out how to start a Baby Basics from your church, please get in touch with: Maggie Anderson by email: babybasicswestnorfolk@gmail.com