An Ottery mum is opening up East Devon’s first baby bank to support families in need.
Zoe Legg, who has six children, has been inundated with donations of clothing and baby items as she prepares to open the service in the coming weeks.
The football coach came up with the idea less than two weeks ago and with the help of the Silver Otter café, in Silver Street, found a base for users to drop in for a chat, collect items or donate.
Mrs Legg, who is currently training to be a midwife, said: “I have six kids and lots of clothes and have been a single mum. I have been there. I see to many children living without. I do a lot with kids. I’m a qualified football coach and children’s hairdresser and I see a lot of children and families that just go without.
“I would like to make that a little bit better and to do something about it and felt this was the right time to do it.
“There is nowhere like this in East Devon. We want to help everybody we can.”
She has met groups in the local area including Sid Valley Food Bank and has approached doctors surgeries and health workers to inform them about the bank.
Families will be referred to the service in the same way as they are referred to food banks and will be able to take a small number of items for their children.
Mrs Legg said: “There is no a judgement. People who need it can come here can have a chat. All of the clothes and items have been donated. It’s incredible what people will do for people.
Its about the children. People here are so generous – if you give them a cause they give to it. It’s amazing, I had the idea about a week-and-a-half ago and its turned around really quickly.”
The bank has stocks of clothing for newborns through to age seven. Families will be able to pick up a small number of pieces which will be marked on their referral form, and they will be able to bring them back and swap for something bigger as their children grow.
Also donated are nappies, Moses baskets, bouncy chairs, high chairs, walkers, feeding equipment, seasonal items and toys.
Mrs Legg hopes to stock donated school uniforms. The bank will not stock electrical items.
The bank will be open for an hour between 4pm and 5pm on Wednesday evenings in the Silver Otter cafe.
To find out more, search ‘baby bank’ in Facebook.
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