Kate Middleton went to look round Sebby’s Corner, a baby bank in Barnet, north London (Picture: PA)
The Princess of Wales visited a charity providing a ‘lifeline’ of support for parents in the lead-up to the festive season.
Kate Middleton went to look round Sebby’s Corner, a baby bank in Barnet, north London, which distributes nappies, baby clothes and other things to families in need.
She helped volunteers decorate a Christmas grotto filled with toys as part of her visit.
She told members of the newly formed Baby Bank Alliance: ‘The work going on here is so essential… you are such a lifeline in so many ways, but you’re also hidden.
‘We need to be able to normalise this and make this more visible.’
The organisations have joined together to provide much-needed items to parents across London and Hertfordshire, throughout the year as well as around Christmas.
The baby bank said it has seen a year-on-year increase in referrals due to the cost of living crisis.
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It is run by the Baby Bank Alliance, which provides much-needed items to parents across London and Hertfordshire (Picture: PA)
The Princess of Wales said the charity provides a ‘lifeline’ of support for parents in the lead-up to the festive season (Picture: PA)
Kate spoke to and helped volunteers as part of her visit (Picture: PA)
The baby bank said it has seen a year-on-year increase in referrals due to the cost of living crisis (Picture: PA)
Families are referred to the bank by midwives, health visitors, teachers and other professionals.
More than 5,000 families have been helped since the alliance was formed in January 2021.
Kate’s visit comes after singer and actress Michelle Heaton visited the Little Village Baby Bank, in Brent, to highlight Metro’s Formula For Change campaign.
Michelle said: ‘I don’t know what I expected today but this place is so much more. You’re not just giving families what they need but what they want. It gives them pride, dignity and love.’
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In partnership with charity Feed, Metro is calling on the government to urgently review their infant formula legislation and give retailers the green light to accept loyalty points, all food bank vouchers and store gift cards as payment for infant formula.
Unfortunately not all food banks supply formula, and last month it was reported some charities were being forced to ration it due to a surge of families struggling to afford it.
Baby formula has risen in price by 24% in the last two years, and current government policy prohibits the promotion of formula.
In some extreme cases, families have been watering down the formula to make it last longer.
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‘The work going on here is so essential.’