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Blog: Baby Bank beating child poverty in Windsor

Ten tiny fingers, ten tiny toes, demand your attention, can you say no? As part of his Councillor donation programme, Wisdom meets BabyBank, Windsor and its founders Amy Tisi & Rebecca Mistry to find out how they are building a better Windsor for all.

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Wisdom Da Costa meets Rebecca Mistry and Amy Tisi from Baby Bank, Windsor

Summary

  • According to End Child Poverty 15%, or 3,307 children in Windsor live in poverty
  • Baby Bank help families who struggle to pay for essentials for their children with a Newborn Starter Kit and, amongst other things, also helps mothers in crisis
  • Baby Bank needs help with funds and volunteers to meet a growing demand
  • Email Baby Bank to help on info@babybankwindsor.org

Together, lets make a better Windsor for all

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The miracle of new birth never ceases to amaze me and, I have loved being a father, a grandfather and, babies, children & people generally. But, labour is one of the most dangerous times for our women and children, and this can be compounded by social or emotional deprivation and, domestic abuse.

For the 500 babies who will be born to Windsor parents this year, life will be good; after all, we live in one of the most affluent areas in the Country ranking 312 out of 322 on the poverty index.

But, for some, life will bring unwelcome challenges some of which, we can help with.

Given that our children are our future and, that the circle of life goes round, here’s an opportunity for we who can, to support those who can’t and pave the way for them. For us (humanity).

I recently met the founders of BabyBank, Windsor, Amy Tisi & Rebecca Mistry, to find out about their work helping mums, parents and babies who find themselves in need.

 

Rebecca & Amy with a Newborn Starter Kit

More about Baby Bank

Baby Bank started in early 2015 by Amy Tisi and Rebecca Mistry following the growth of the Windsor Foodbanks, and recognising that some families struggle to pay for essentials for their children.

Inspired by Finland’s baby boxes, Baby Bank provides qualifying expectant mums with a Newborn Starter Kit which includes toiletries for mother and baby, baby clothes, bedding, nappies, wipes and cotton wool all packed into a Moses basket and baby bath.

Amy articulated that Baby Bank also, donations permitting, help out families in the run up to Christmas; in 2016 they wanted to give an extra present to the mums who they had helped so they created the Elfboxes which were distributed by the Crystal team at Wexham Park hospital; they were such a success last year that they will be starting collection in November this year.  Watch Baby Bank’s Facebook pages for more info.

But their work can be more dramatic, for example, Rebecca related to me an incident when they helped a heavily pregnant woman escaping, with a toddler in tow, from domestic violence; “She had left during the night with the clothes on her back, she ended up having the baby two days later (and) she had nothing to for the baby to sleep safely in or to cloth the baby or toddler.”

Well done Rebecca & Amy.

 

End Child Poverty – Windsor 2015

Child Poverty and increasing demand

According to End Child Poverty 15%, or 3,307 children in Windsor live in poverty this is reflected in the work of Baby Bank, which is so highly valued that they now work with many local referrers including;

  • RBWM Intensive family support worker
  • RBWM housing
  • Local midwives , and the Crystal team
  • DASH (an acronym for domestic abuse stops here)
  • AYSE Social Worker
  • Slough Children’s services

Mothers can receive help when they are referred to Baby Bank by these referrers. Email Baby Bank for more information.

Amy says, “When we initially set up it was 1-3 families a month in the past year it is has risen to 4-5 a week. Unfortunately we expect to see this number increase as time goes on.”

She continues, “During May, a typical month, we received 7 referrals. If we continue at that rate, we will have provided support for nearly 60 families between now and the end of the year.”

“Families who are experiencing homelessness; refugees; those fleeing domestic violence and many other reasons.”

 

Philanthropic entrepreneurs Amy Tisi & Rebecca Mistry

Philanthropic entrepreneurs: the good get going

Amy says, “Over the last 2 and a half years, we have run on a shoestring; dipping our hands into our own pockets to launch and when funds were low.

“Our organisation thrives due to an amazing team volunteers: all of you who generously give your preloved baby items to us to pass on to other families.”

“But behind the scenes, there are just two or three of us working around day jobs, our own children and other commitments and we are struggling to maintain a decent level of fundraising on our own.”

 

How much does it cost Amy, Rebecca and Baby Bank to operate?

£50 Front – one specimen Bank of England

It’s costs a lot of love, energy, time (of the volunteers) and also money to run this amazing charitable work.

Baby Bank’s annual running costs are a frugal £5k – £6K which is made up of

  • Rent: new storage rent will be £250/360 a month depending on the square footage (£4300)
  • New cotbed mattress (Health & Safety) are £21.58 each we buy 3/4 a month (£1,000)
  • Moses basket mattress are £8.99each we buy 3/4 a month (£500)
  • Business insurance is around £300

If you donate more money, they can help more people.

 

Baby Bank Windsor logo

An opportunity to help the helpers at Baby Bank

So, how can we help Baby Bank?

Amy says, “We understand that money is tight for lots of people at the moment and there are plenty of groups asking for your help.

But perhaps you or your business can make a regular monthly donation to cover our minimal running costs?

  • If 20 people gave us £10 a month, we could stay on top of our rent.
  • If 20 people gave the same, we would also be able to afford essential extras like new Moses basket mattresses.

We need to grow our team. We need people;

  • Who understand charity work
  • Who have time to apply for grants
  • Can maintain our website at www.babybankwindsor.org
  • Can help us re-launch with our new logo and design some leaflets and also
  • Can help sort out the amazing pile of donated clothing in our store”

 

NatWest Cost of Raising a Child Calculator

Who to contact to help out

Whether you want to donate your money, your time, or both, contact email Amy and Rebecca at info@babybankwindsor.org

Follow Baby Bank

 

Ten tiny fingers, ten tiny toes, demand your attention, can you say no?

Amy, Rebecca and their volunteers at Baby Bank have created an amazing and successful service to help women, babies and parents who don’t have the same level of support as many of us do in Windsor. It’s a sad reflection on our times that their work is increasingly in demand. However, whether those in power really care or not, we, ordinary folk, can step in to help. So, I am pleased to be able to donate £250 to help Baby Bank, to cover another month of rent and, I would ask that you (residents) also consider helping them. Email Amy and Rebecca at info@babybankwindsor.org and, visit their social media pages, noted above.

Ten tiny fingers, ten tiny toes, demand your attention, how can you say no?

 

Accountably yours,

Wisdom

WWRA Councillor, Wisdom Da Costa, Clewer North, Windsor

 

More information

 

Caveat

This post is part of Cllr Wisdom Da Costa’s regular series of Blogs to inform and empower local residents; as he promised in his election leaflet

The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of the West Windsor Residents Association (WWRA).