Joint Barnsley project provides parents with baby essentials

A collaborative project between Wombwell with Barnsley Salvation Army and Barnsley Donation Centre is providing new parents with the essentials they need after having a baby. 

Barnsley Baby Baskets, which is run from The Salvation Army in Park Street, provides Moses baskets filled with items like baby grows, nappies, blankets, clothes, bibs, baby mattresses and more for families who are struggling financially and in many cases cannot afford the basics needed for bringing a baby home.  

The scheme, which takes referrals from midwives, relies on donations which are collected at the SATCoL (The Salvation Army’s trading arm) Donation Centre in nearby Old Mill Lane. Members of the public and knitting groups have also been generously donating.  

Volunteer JC Trent, who co-ordinates Barnsley Baby Baskets, said: “The baskets contain all the essentials you need when you get home from hospital, things like nappies, muslin cloths, blankets, bundles of vests, hooded towels. There are also things like toiletries for the mothers. 

“Lots of items are pre-loved, but we do try and make sure there are new things in there too. We recently made up a basket for a refugee family who had nothing. I thought how wonderful it would be for them to receive brand new items.  

“All of this is all done through a referral system with midwives. When a midwife tells us ‘this family has got nothing so whatever you’ve got will help’, I say ‘fetch your car because I can fill it for you’. We have midwives collecting things and they will be in tears because of what we can give. It’s amazing to be able to make a difference like this.” 

Many community groups are involved in providing items for the baby baskets including Barnsley based crochet group Yarn in Tarn, Penistone Knitting group and Hookers and Clickers do it for Charity, who make blankets, cardigans, hats, booties and mittens, and bought 250 vests and baby grows to get the project started. Their crafters from all over the country, including from Northampton, Dorset, and Cumbria, send items in the post. One lady makes changing bags out of repurposed fabrics and another makes fabric bunnies to sell to buy nappies and toiletries.  

JC added: “People who are not connected to The Salvation Army are really supporting us because they believe in what we are doing. Wombwell is such a giving community. There is a lot of poverty, but even when people are struggling, they want to give back.”  

Donations are received and collected at the SATCoL Donation Centre, which has strengthened links between the church and the Donation Centre. 

Captain Diane Pryor, who leads Wombwell with Barnsley Salvation Army, said: “Barnsley Baby Baskets has become a big mission for us. We’ve been doing it for about a year so it’s still early days, but we’re running with it and seeing how it develops. We go where the spirit is leading that ministry. 

“We knew we couldn’t do it by ourselves so we worked in partnership with the Donation Centre who receive donations for us and store them at a local church so that JC can top up what she needs. Working with staff and volunteers at the Donation Centre has been a whole new ministry in itself. 

“It’s about community coming together using its gifts and talents to help those that need it at a particular moment in their lives. We are revelling in the goodness of God who is motivating people to help us invest in something that is giving to those in need.”