Baby Basics Leicester
Hello from Leicester!
We are a busy centre supporting around 90 children a month with the essentials and equipment they need. We cover Leicester and Leicestershire working closely with Health Professionals and other agencies to support families in need of help.
We are open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9.30am- 2.30pm.
We are based at Unit C, Chantry House, Grange Business Park, Enderby Road, LE8 6EP.
Every few weeks we update our wish list of items that are needed. We have 10 drop off points around the City and County to drop donations off to. Please check out our Facebook page or website for updates before donating.
About Us
In 2017 Baby Basics Leicester was formed and is part of Church of the Martyrs. Since then we have done over 4200 referrals! In 2024 we supported 1118 children with items they needed such as Moses basket starter kits, clothes, toiletries, books and toys, cots, highchairs, pushchairs, sterilisers and much more.
We have a team of 20 regular volunteers who help collect and sort donations, check equipment is safe to reuse, pack referrals and help raise vital funds.
Meet the Team
Get Help
Families
If you are due to have a baby, or have a young child, and are worried about not having the essentials you need or being able to afford them we can help. We work on a referral basis so you would need to have a chat with your Midwife or Health Visitor and ask them to make a referral to us.
Once we have received the referral we will be in touch with the Health Professional when the items are ready. We do our best to provide everything you need, depending on the donated stock. Larger items like pushchairs and cots sometimes can have a short waiting list.
Make a Referral
A referral can be made by any health professional or charity who has identified a mother who is struggling to provide the essential equipment for herself, new baby or existing children. Please download our form from our website www.babybasicsleicster.co.uk, complete it and then email it back to us on babybasicsleicester@gmail.com
We require the health professional or charity to collect the items themselves (or a team member), rather than the client the referral is for. Although we try and fulfill every order in full, we can only offer what we have had donated at that time. This may mean at times that we may not have an item that you have requested, but we will always do our best to source it.
Give Help
Donating secondhand items
We are really thankful for all your donations. We take clean, good quality second hand items (as well as brand new items). As we are always short of space so we have to limit what we take so that we do not end up of too many of the same donation. Please check our wish list below to see if your donation is needed at the moment.
Donating equipment
Please check the following before donating:
Cots- Does it have all the pieces, bolts and screws? Is it in good condition?
Pushchairs/ strollers – Is is clean and in good working order? Please check the brakes, straps or for any mould (We are not able to take car seats). If it has a bassinet, does it also have a 6 month plus seat to go with it?
Clothes- Are they on the current wish list? Are they clean and in good condition?
Toys & books- Are they in clean, complete and working condition? Are they suitable for 0-5 years old? We can not take large toys.
We are unable to take:
Second hand car seats and stairgates, electric items, travel cots, nursery furniture other than cots and used baby bottles.
Donating financially
Regular or one-off
Essential funds are always needed to continue the vital work we do. Funds cover items such as rent, bills, wages for our 2 part time staff, items we are short of for referrals and general day to day running of Baby Basics Leicester.
We also welcome groups and communities to host events to raise money on our behalf. Please get in touch if you have an idea and would like to do this.
