A COMMUNITY franchise providing basic essentials for mothers and their babies is continuing its work – despite encountered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Baby Basics, which started in Sheffield in 2009, is one of the projects, along with the Vale Foodbank and the Restore furniture project that operates under the charity number of Coastlands Family Church in Barry.

It is completely self-funding and self-sustaining, relying on fundraising and donations.

Baby Basics project coordinator, Pauline Byrne said: “Our main remit is helping the most vulnerable in our community, from all walks of life, by packing all the basic essentials for mother and baby, into a Moses basket, and the referring agency collecting and delivering it to the family.

“This involves purchasing new mattresses, washing and ironing all donations received and presenting the starter pack as a gift.

“We also provide other items such as cots, bouncy chairs, highchairs according to availability.

“We do not provide car seats, safety gates or travel cots.”

She added: “Currently, in these unprecedented times we have been organising baskets for women expecting their babies in May and June in order for the families to receive them in plenty of time and take some of the pressure off.

“This has meant adapting our operation and working with the changes agencies have had to implement to stay safe.

“Examples of this have been requests for nappies and pull-ups for toddlers of a family who had to self-isolate and having to visit three supermarkets before I was able to purchase the items needed.

“Additionally, a request for nappies and dried milk was received, and we were able to collect foodbank parcels for the same family and deliver to the flying start staff at their office.

“Foodbank and Baby Basics often overlap, and it is even more important that we are able to work together at this time.

“While I am having to self-isolate, the phone is still being manned and a small team of dedicated volunteers are on hand for anything urgent or last minute that may come in.”

Agencies can contact them on 07933 918031 or email valebabybasics@yahoo.com

Alternatively, view and share the Facebook page, valebabybasics

For information, visit Baby-basics.org.uk