Charity supports one in 16 babies in county
A charity which helps families with vulnerable babies says it is now supporting one in 16 of the boys and girls born in its county.
Baby Basics, based in Wollaston, Northamptonshire, provides starter packs full of essential items including nappies and clothes.
It is holding its first sale of donated goods which cannot be handed out to raise money this weekend.
Its founder said she was "very worried" about a rise in referrals over the last two years.
Volunteers at Baby Basics fill moses baskets with everything from toiletries to blankets, toothpaste and even some treats.
Sabrina Oakey, a co-founder of the charity, says knitted items are particularly important "because a lot of families who receive our packs may not have a Grandma or an Aunty or that family connection that can make those hand-made items".
She is "very worried" about the number of families who need the service.
"In the last two years alone, we've seen a 51% increase which is a huge rise in our referrals.
"A lot of this is down to, we think, the rising cost of living, but also reduction of benefits for some families," she said.
The charity has seen more families coming through who have both working parents but are still in need of essentials, she added.
It expects to support around 500 babies this year, about one in 16 of those born in the county.
Laura Holmes-Trevino, who looks after the charity's fundraising, said it was very grateful for all the items donated by the general public.
But some of them cannot be used in the packs that get handed out.
"Quite often, they are items for older babies, sometimes they are items for safety reasons we can't guarantee in the home of a newborn," she said.
For the first time, Baby Basics is organising its very own boutique sale, so donated items can be turned into cash for the charity.
It takes place in "The Gatherings" in the upper mall of the Grosvenor Centre on Saturday morning.
The Department for Work and Pensions said: "£742 million has been made available to County Councils and Unitary Authorities in England to support vulnerable households with the cost of essentials through the Household Support Fund."
Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Charity sees surge in baby starter pack referrals
Family support charity reports 41% referrals rise
Charity 'blown away' after 100 baby baskets collected
Baby Basics
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Popular restaurant forced to close today as 'emergency announcement' issued
HEREFORD'S Beefy Boys restaurant has had to close today (June 8) due to an issue in its kitchen. The Old Market burger joint said in an "emergency announcement" on social media that there had been an issue with its extraction system, and that it had been forced to close until tomorrow (June 9) for an engineer to fix it. The post explained that phone calls are being made to every customer who had booked in for today. Read more City burger joint described as 'orgasmic' by TikTok star Reviews reveal why cafe rated 'best in Herefordshire' is so loved I tried this new city cafe and this is what I thought It added: "We have tried our best to sort it but we cannot get it fixed. We have made the decision to shut for the rest of today. We apologise for any inconvenience." The Beefy Boys said "normal service should resume tomorrow". The Beefy Boys also has restaurants in Cheltenham, Shrewsbury and Bath, and recently announced that a new site in Oxford would be coming soon.
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Billionaire takes on Heathrow with plan for cut-price expansion
A billionaire hotel entrepreneur is spearheading a rival proposal to expand Heathrow, as he vows to deliver the project more cheaply than the airport would. Surinder Arora is drawing up plans for the project after Mike Kane, the aviation minister, said last week that the Government was open to alternative bids to build a third runway. As one of the biggest landowners at Heathrow through his eponymous property empire, Mr Arora has teamed up with US engineering giant Bechtel to forge ahead with his development bid. 'The Government has asked for submissions this summer and we will be there,' he told The Telegraph. Mr Arora welcomed the comments from Mr Kane, who has confirmed that ministers had 'asked for Heathrow or a third party' to present alternative runway proposals. 'It's exactly what we've been asking for,' said Mr Arora, who previously led a rival expansion bid in 2018. 'We have said previously that we could do Heathrow between 32pc and 34pc cheaper,' he said. 'Obviously, times have moved on, but I think we will look to push on that. 'We can deliver the whole thing, and without a shadow of a doubt, we'd build it cheaper than Heathrow Airport Limited. 'This will give the airlines and passengers the chance to make a choice.' Mr Arora signalled that he has already enlisted hundreds of consultants to work on the project, which could include plans for a shorter third runway. However, he has vowed to listen to what airlines want before submitting his proposal. The possibility of a shorter airstrip at Heathrow has emerged as a potential alternative to the airport's more ambitious plans, which some claim could cost up to £ a runway could both slash costs and shave years off the project's completion date by removing the need to divert the M25, Britain's busiest motorway, under the new strip. Like Mr Arora, Heathrow is also working on a proposal. But this is expected to include plans for a full-length runway. While that blueprint is enshrined in an Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) adopted by Parliament in 2018, estimated costs are understood to have swelled from £14bn at 2014 prices to between £42bn and £63bn. A truncated runway would impose limits on the planes able to use it, but would nevertheless find favour with airlines that have pushed back against paying for the pricier option. The boss of one major carrier, speaking at the IATA industry gathering in Delhi last week, said the latest costing for the full-scale plan would require what he called an 'eye-watering' increase in ticket prices of between £75 to £100. Sir Tim Clark, head of Emirates, the world's biggest long-haul airline, said at the same event that he was against diverting the M25 and would back a shorter runway 'for landing purposes or single-aisle aircraft, anything to declutter what's there'. Heathrow Reimagined, a campaign group that includes British Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic, said it 'welcomes competition and alternative proposals designed to increase capacity at the airport more efficiently'. BA, which operates about half of the flights at Heathrow, declined to specify its favoured option but said 'a solution should consider the airport boundaries, runway length, total project cost and the impact on consumers.' Willie Walsh, the former chief of parent group IAG, said in 2017 that spanning the motorway would add unnecessary cost and complexity. 'Airlines were never consulted on the runway length and they can operate perfectly well from a slightly shorter runway,' he said. According to stipulations in the ANPS, Heathrow's third runway should have a length of 'at least 3,500m' that would be able to handle 260,000 extra flights or more each year. However, a strip measuring 3.2km could accommodate 90pc of flights, according to the boss of a UK airline speaking at the same event in India, who described the prospect of diverting the M25 as 'scary'. Heathrow's northern runway stretches for 3.9km, making it the longest active landing airstrip in the UK, while the southern one measures almost 3.7km. Reports in March suggested that Heathrow itself was looking seriously at modifying its pending submission to the Government to feature a shorter runway in order to cut costs. However, Heathrow chief Thomas Woldbye denied that it was the case, saying that he intended to deliver the longer runway specified and that ripping up the busiest two-mile stretch of the M25 could not be avoided. What remains unclear is how much weight the Government will give to reducing delivery costs versus the extra time in planning that a radical alternative to the previous proposals might require. Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, said in January she wanted to see 'spades in the ground' on the project before the next general election and the start of flights by 2035. Departing from the requirements of the ANPS could mean that the planning process would be lengthier. The outcome of a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) review of Heathrow's mechanism for charging airlines in the context of the third runway will also be of fundamental importance. Heathrow Reimagined is pressing ministers to abandon rules under which money spent on the airport can be charged directly to airlines through increased fees. While those fees are regulated by the CAA, carriers say the system provides no incentive for Heathrow to wring efficiencies from infrastructure projects. In his comments, reported in the London Standard, Mr Kane declined to say if Heathrow shareholders, airlines or passengers should foot the bill. Meanwhile, a Labour insider said Mr Kane's comments were intended to convey a willingness to introduce competition into the runway process, rather than a pledge to do so. However, it appears the ball may already be rolling. 'Heathrow is a huge business, and competition is a good thing,' said Mr Arora. 'We're not here to slow or delay things. We will do whatever is necessary.' The Department for Transport said that while Heathrow Airport had previously been deemed the only credible party able to deliver the runway project in its entirety, it remains open-minded and will treat other proposals fairly. A spokesman said: 'There is no live planning application for Heathrow expansion at present, but when plans come forward, we will ensure any expansion is assessed against the Government's legal, carbon and environmental obligations.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Campaigners fly banner in protest over solar farm
Campaigners have flown a banner as part of a protest against plans for a 2000-acre solar farm. Hundreds of residents took part in a community walk on the Fosse Way in Wiltshire in opposition to Lime Down Solar Park. Island Green Power (IGP), which is behind the plans, wants to build solar panels on farmland near Malmesbury to produce enough energy to power 115,000 homes. The campaign group said it was not opposed to solar power, but it did object to the "industrial scale" of the Lime Down project. More news stories for Wiltshire Listen to the latest news for Wiltshire Plans were unveiled last March for one of the biggest solar parks in the country which would span across the villages of Hullavington, Stanton St Quintin, Sherston and Luckington in north Wiltshire. Members have organised events to draw attention to their campaign including a 3.5-mile (5.6km) walk along the Fosse Way, passing along countryside which would be affected by the plans. Campaigners flew a banner above the countryside reading: "No to corporate greed - Stop Lime Down." IGP said the Lime Down project would "support national and regional aims to decarbonise our electricity systems and bolster our energy security." Senior project manager Will Threlfall said: "We are grateful for the feedback we received to the previous stage of our consultation, which continues to inform the refinement of our plans for the project and is helping us to develop our proposals responsibly, and in a way that recognises local community and stakeholder views." It was expected to submit an application for development consent later this year. Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Solar park will 'completely swamp' nine villages Report suggests 88% against solar park plans Solar farm landowners urged to put 'community above profit' Solar developer no show at meeting 'appalling' Island Green Power
