I’d be awake all night worrying about money – I couldn’t see a way out, but the support of the baby bank saved me
ELLIE Jones had every intention of going back to her job as a mental health support worker after her daughter, Henrietta, was born.
But while on maternity leave, Ellie, 29, and her wife Alice, 26, worked out that forking out on childcare would actually leave them out of pocket, so it made more sense for one of them to stay at home.
It meant their joint income almost halved overnight, and they struggled to afford everyday essentials with the cost of living increases and bills rising.
Thankfully, Ellie, from Coventry, found support at a nearby baby bank called Baby Godiva.
When she contacted them, they provided her with nappies, wipes and Sudocrem, as well as clothes for 16-month-old Henrietta – and they brought the items to Ellie’s home, as she wasn’t able to afford the bus fare to collect them.
It comes as exclusive research of 2,000 mums for Fabulous’ Bank On Us campaign in partnership with Save The Children and Little Village in support of UK baby banks, found some 15% have visited a baby bank, while 68% say the cost of living crisis has affected their mental health.
Ellie said: “I was working full time for a charity until Henrietta was born in December 2021, and I thought I’d go back to work at least part-time after going on maternity leave.
We’ve got a house and we’re able to get the essentials, we’re not poverty stricken or on the streets
Ellie Jones
“But when Alice, who works full time as a site manager, and I started to look at nursery costs in February 2022, it was coming in at around £1,400 a month for three or four days a week. I only earned £100 a month more than that, so that would leave me with £100 for food and travel.
“It wasn’t financially worthwhile to go back to work, but I was happy to stay at home with Henrietta. Although I was getting statutory maternity pay and financially we were really struggling. It got to the point that I was really worried about money all the time, and it was affecting my mental health.”
How YOU can support Fabulous' Baby, Bank On Us campaign
– Give money by donating here or by scanning the QR code.
– Give clothing, toys and essentials to a baby bank, wherever you are in the UK.
– Give your time volunteering. To find your nearest baby bank, visit Littlevillagehq.org/uk-baby-banks.
Ellie said she visited local charity shops and managed to get a few things really cheaply when Henrietta was six months old. But they still needed further support.
The couple, who live in a two-bedroom private house, also started to use a social supermarket, which sells discounted food for those on a lower income.
Ellie then saw a post on her local council website saying those who were struggling with the cost of living crisis should contact them. She called them and they referred her to the baby bank.
“I felt really embarrassed, like this isn’t for me. We’ve got a house and we’re able to get the essentials, we’re not poverty stricken or on the streets. We used to donate to food banks, and I felt as though I shouldn’t be taking advantage of it,” she said.
I was feeling really desperate and stressed about money and costs all the time, and I didn’t know how to fix it
Ellie Jones
“But after speaking to friends, they said it’s there for everyone and to use it and give back when we were in a position to.
“We live really simply and we don’t go out and do stuff, if we do it’s a free event.
“So I called the baby bank, and they were so kind and helpful.
What are baby banks?
– Baby banks provide essential items for babies and young children whose parents are living in poverty – including nappies, wipes, clothing, bedding, Moses baskets, cots, blankets, toys and books.
– There are over 200 baby banks in the UK, and they run out of shops, community centres, warehouse units and even people’s living rooms and garages.
– Last year 4.2 million children in the UK were living in poverty and 800,000 children lived in a household that used a food or baby bank.
“As well as bringing round things like nappies, wipes and Sudocrem, they also brought a couple of snowsuits in sizes bigger than Henrietta was at the time, which was really helpful.”
Ellie said without this support, it may have meant the couple would have been forced to go without food to make sure Henrietta was provided for.
She said it really affected her mental health, and she became anxious, worrying how they would make ends meet.
“I was feeling really desperate and stressed about money and costs all the time, and I didn’t know how to fix it. I couldn’t see a way of it getting any better.
We’ve also relied on friends and family who would buy things like nappies for us
Ellie Jones
“I would be awake all night worrying about our finances. I looked at ways to get money quickly, including selling my own breast milk, but that wasn’t worth anything! We sold Henrietta’s old clothes and toys and other things we didn’t want on MarketPlace just to get a bit of extra cash.
“I’m so glad the support was there. I would say to other women to not feel embarrassed, and to get help when they need it.
“We’ve also relied on friends and family who would buy things like nappies for us. But now, we’re able to manage by ourselves. We still visit the social supermarket, but I don’t get anything from the baby bank now, although I know I can go back whenever I need to.
“I will give back when we’re in a position to, so others can benefit as we have. And I plan to go back to work when Henrietta qualifies for free childcare when she’s three years old.”
Belle Edgar-McCab, from Coventry, 44, started Baby Godiva baby bank after overhearing a conversation four years ago during which a new mum couldn’t afford nappies for her baby.
In that time, she said demand for the baby bank, to which parents need to be referred to by a welfare professional, or via self-assessment, has increased “exponentially”.
They’re able to deliver items such as pushchairs, beds, feeding equipment such as bottles and sterilisers, high chairs, stair gates and clothing. All items come from donations or grant raising.
“Help is always there if you reach for it. Women have been supporting women with raising babies since they were handing infant sized animal skins from cave to cave. We’ve always done it, it’s the way that women work,” Belle said.
“And the loss of community means that you don’t have people turning up on your doorstep with the stuff that they have used for their children any longer because you don’t know who your neighbours are.
“However, if you need help, and you don’t have that community around you, it is always there if you reach out to the dedicated baby banks or children’s charities because they’re all run by people just like me, who are there specifically to help women or families that are in need.”
