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Baby beds project helps more than 1,000 families

Read the full article on BBC News here

A project set up to ensure young children are able to sleep safely in their early years has helped 1,000 babies and toddlers in its first five months.

The Baby Basics charity in Sheffield was given a share of £2.2m by South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard to tackle “bed poverty” in families.

The money funded the Beds for Babies scheme, which provides cots, beds, baskets and bedding to those in need.

Cat Ross, CEO of Baby Basics in the UK, said the project meant that parents did not “fall through the net” and could be connected to other support services.

Baby Basics was founded in Sheffield in 2009 and the “baby bank” now has centres in Doncaster and Leeds.

The Beds for Babies launch in June was the first scheme of its kind.

Families are referred through a midwife, health visitor, GP, family worker, social worker, children’s centre, or charities, Ms Ross said.

Beds are delivered without the charity’s volunteers meeting the family directly, enabling them to access additional support.

“It’s a much more cost-efficient way than giving families a voucher to go out and buy a bed,” she said.

The first bed funded through Beds for Babies was delivered in June to Mary in Sheffield, the mother of an 11-week-old, who said it “gave her confidence as a mum”.

“It takes away the worry of ‘how am I going to have a cot for my child and where am I going to get it from?’.

“You can use that energy on something else.”

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority said the region had some of the worst health inequalities in the UK.

Coppard said: “We have started to raise the living conditions of nearly a thousand children and babies across South Yorkshire in just a matter of months.

“Bed poverty and health inequality are two of the biggest challenges facing South Yorkshire; a child born here will have a shorter life than a child born in the south of England.

“Through Beds for Babies, we are building the foundation for a better future for South Yorkshire children so they are given the same start in life and opportunities to become the best they can be.”

Ms Ross said every item donated to Baby Basics has a “real impact” and appealed for donations ahead of Christmas.

“Anything from a bottle of shampoo for a mum, a blanket for a newborn, a brand-new toy, or passing on your own baby’s bed that you no longer need.”

Listen here for an update

Safe Space to Sleep – Cot Donation Drive

On Saturday, the Baby Basics National Warehouse hosted a cot donation drive as part of the Beds for Babies: a Safe Space to Sleep project.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard has partnered with Baby Basics to tackle bed poverty within South Yorkshire by providing every child aged 0-5 with a bed and bedding to ensure they have a safe and comfortable place to sleep.
A huge thank you to the dedicated team of Amazon volunteers, who worked tirelessly to safety-check and clean each bed donated by the public. Thanks to their efforts, 15 beds are now ready to be distributed to families across South Yorkshire!
If your business is interested in contributing time or resources to this vital project, we would love to hear from you. Together, we can provide more families with safe and comfortable spaces for their children to sleep.

Struggling Sheffield families offered free beds for children – BBC News

Read article from BBC News here

A new mother who is the first to benefit from a scheme offering free beds to children under five has praised the project for “taking off the worry”.

Mary, who welcomed daughter Majesty 11 weeks ago, received the first bed donation under a scheme launched by South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard.

Mr Coppard is working with Sheffield charity Baby Basics UK to offer beds to families in need in a £2.2m project running over four years.

He said: “Over time we will do more, but this was the most urgent and that’s why we stepped in with the project.”

Research published by children’s charity Barnardo’s last year estimated nearly 900,000 children in the UK had to share a bed or sleep on the floor.

Mary, who lives in Sheffield, was the first recipient of a bed under the scheme.

She told the BBC: “For me, having a perfect place for a baby to sleep gives you confidence as a mum as it takes off the worry of ‘how am I going to have a cot for my child and where am I going to get it from?’

“It takes all that energy away from you that you could use on something else.”

Mr Coppard said: “We all know… the problems facing families in some of the country’s poorest areas, like parts of South Yorkshire.

“There are families who take their babies home and struggle to feed and clothe them and give their babies everything they deserve and need.

“So we’re stepping in where we can and this is the project that most needed our support, which is the Beds for Babies scheme, which is giving babies a safe place to sleep on the very first night and over the course of five years.”

Judith Stovell, a volunteer with Baby Basics UK, said the impact of bed poverty was felt far and wide.

She said: “So many people now are just struggling to put food on the table to heat their homes and then when a baby comes along, just to provide for them is one stretch too many.

“Parents don’t get a good night’s sleep, children don’t get a good night’s sleep, or if they’ve got older children and they’ve not been to sleep, then it affects their schooling, it just has so many knock-on effects.

“It just crushes people and there’s a shame attached to that that you feel you can’t provide for people.”

Article by BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2y46evrxvo

Bertie Bird’s Big Adventure Update

Bertie Bird’s Big Adventure is well on its way, with our mascot Bertie Bird traveling across the UK and visiting our wonderful Baby Basics Centres. This exciting journey is not just about the miles covered but the connections made and the support gathered along the way. Find out more about the adventure here!

We are incredibly thankful to all of you who have helped us so far on this adventure. Your support is making a significant impact and helping to raise awareness for the essential work Baby Basics does across the UK.

Bertie Bird is on a mission, traveling from Belfast to Cornwall, Jersey to Darlington, and finally ending where Baby Basics began in our first home of Sheffield. So far, Bertie has traveled over 500 km, but there’s still a way to go.

Why not join in on the fun and help move Bertie Bird along his route? You can participate by signing up to do a sponsored walk, run, cycle, row, swim, hop, or any other way you choose to cover the distance. Every little bit helps and brings Bertie one step closer to his final destination. Sign up here.

Let’s keep the adventure going strong! Sign up today and be a part of Bertie Bird’s Big Adventure. Together, we can make a difference and support families across the UK.

IKEA renovates underused community facility in Sheffield

Read this article from IKEA here

To help provide a safe space for those affected by housing instability

IKEA has used its design expertise, products and co-worker time to renovate a previously under-utilised council-owned space in Sheffield, as part of its commitment to the South Yorkshire Beds for Babies: Safe Place to Sleep Programme. Led by South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard, the programme has been designed to tackle inequality in early childhood, with Gleadless Valley one of four pilot locations within South Yorkshire.

As part of the programme, IKEA is working alongside Sheffield Council, Sheffield Hallam University, Baby Basics UK and Shelter to tackle child poverty levels, reduce pressure on public services, improve childhood development and reduce infant mortality.

Having sought engagement with residents of Callow Place, 19 coworkers from IKEA Sheffield set about to create a bright and inviting space for children to play, and their families to seek necessary support. Observing that parents wanted to be at floor level with their children, all furniture was designed to be easily moved or stored away to maximise floor space and the kitchen was entirely replaced with new flooring and fitted units. With the renovation complete, Callow Place can now host a range of classes to support families with young children, including baby weaning, baby massage, breastfeeding and coffee mornings.

The retailer is also providing additional funding to frontline services making use of the centre, such as Shelter, so people can access resources and the support they need for a better life at home. The funding will enable provision of legal advice and drop-in clinics, such as housing rights awareness sessions and skills for employment.

“

IKEA’s vision has always been to create a better everyday life for the many people. Better homes are integral to this vision, but we know many people in our communities can’t achieve a better home without support. Partnering with programmes like the South Yorkshire Beds for Babies: Safe Place to Sleep Programme allows us to look after our neighbours whilst helping to tackle child poverty in South Yorkshire and beyond. The Sheffield project is just one of the steps we are taking to help address these concerns across the UK.

”

Kiera GuinnaneCommunity Project Manager at IKEA Sheffield

With South Yorkshire seeing some of the starkest health inequalities in the UK, IKEA is also donating £50,000 of sleep essentials to Baby Basics UK – including cots, toddler beds and bedding – for 0–5-year-olds, for use across the region.  These items are distributed to children in need, referred by relevant organisations or statutory agencies.

Picture of the wall with a graphic saying
Beds for babies starter bag

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “I’m really pleased to see the brilliant work IKEA are doing here in Gleadless, in support of our Beds for Babies programme; helping us to guarantee babies and young children across South Yorkshire have a safe place to sleep.

“We have some of the worst health inequalities in the UK, with 1 in 9 newborns in Sheffield alone going home from hospital without a safe place to sleep last year. I refuse to let that stand in South Yorkshire. But we can’t solve bed poverty alone. That is why I’m working with partners from IKEA, our councils, the health service, the charity sector and academics to support families in need, by providing not just a bed or cot or moses basket, but wider support and advice to help with child development, and support with employment and housing.

“I’m genuinely grateful for what IKEA staff have done to this community space, with the refurbishment and wider support for Beds for Babies. I know it’ll be an invaluable asset to the local community.”

The Sheffield project will now provide a blueprint for IKEA’s work with the Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood – expanding its contribution of support, design expertise and products for babies and young children to six new locations across the UK to help families with young children experiencing the greatest disadvantage.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard chatting with four people

Cllr Dawn Dale, Chair of the Education, Children’s and Families Committee, said: “We always say that as a Council we are passionate about making Sheffield a city of hope and aspiration, where everyone can share in its success.

“In all we do we want children and young people, and their family members too, to feel loved, accepted and safe. Having safe spaces like this available to go and nurture those feelings and play and learn together is vital for everyone’s positive development.

“It’s great to see partners come together like this to create such a welcome addition to the community.”

Cllr Kurtis Crossland, Chair of the Communities, Parks and Leisure Policy Committee, said: “It’s vital that as a Local Authority we do all we can to provide for the needs of the communities we serve.

“Spaces like this enable members of our communities to come and seek support both from members of our staff and their peers to help them with any issues they may be experiencing as parents, carers, family members or just members of the community.

“We’d like as a Council to thank all those who worked hard to renovate this space for the people of Gleadless Valley to use.”

Hiliary Jenkins, Communities Lead, IKEA UK, ended: “By guaranteeing families who need access to a safe bed, cot or cot bed, we can make a huge difference to education, health and social outcomes later in their lives, as well as reducing the real-life financial pressures facing many families in South Yorkshire. IKEA’s donation to Baby Basics will provide safe sleeping arrangements, including beds, cots, or cot beds, along with essential items such as mattresses, mattress protectors, sleep bags, sheets, and duvets/covers when appropriate. This donation comprises 2,150 IKEA items, benefiting 243 children and their families.”

Pura is donating nappies to Baby Basics UK

Read why Pura is donating nappies to Baby Basics UK here.

“Pura has joined forces with Green Bottoms and childcare brand Childbase to support Baby Basics, a Sheffield-based children’s charity for struggling families across the UK.

The partnership commenced in April 2024, with each party pledging to donate 1% of the total number of nappies ordered from Pura.

An initial donation of 7206 nappies (300 cases) was made to Baby Basics on Thursday 27 June, and the partnership anticipates donating a generous total of 40,000 nappies in the coming year.

We caught up with Cat Ross, Baby Basics, CEO, to find out more about this worthy charity.”

Read on here

Over £19k Raised at the Yorkshire Glam Gala

We had an incredible time at the Yorkshire Glam Gala celebrating 15 years of Baby Basics UK. The night was filled with joy, laughter, and a deep sense of community. We are thrilled to announce that we raised an amazing £19,484.50, a testament to the generosity and commitment of our supporters.

What a fantastic evening it was! We want to thank everyone who attended and hope you had a great night, and also a huge thank you to our sponsors, all who donated prizes to our auctions and to everyone who supported us in any way they could – thank you for helping the make the night so special!

Check out some photos from the night here

Major Firms Commit to Action as Taskforce Report Identifies £45.5billion Opportunity For UK Economy From Investing in Early Childhood

  • Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood report highlights huge scale of opportunity for business to drive, and benefit from, prioritising early childhood in the workplace, community and wider society.
  • New initiatives announced, including funding for early years apprenticeships and leadership programmes, increased support for baby banks and creating welcoming spaces for families with young children.
  • Joint statement from eight founding CEOs calls on “businesses of all sizes, across the UK, to join us and help build a healthy, happy society for everyone.”

The Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood has today, Tuesday 21 May 2024, published a report setting out the business case for prioritising early childhood and announced the first tranche of action to be taken as a result of its work.

The Taskforce was established in March 2023 by The Princess of Wales to galvanise business action on early childhood. Since then, Taskforce members Aviva, The Co- operative Group, Deloitte, Iceland Foods, IKEA UK and Ireland, The LEGO Group, NatWest Group and Unilever UK, have worked together to identify the scale of the opportunity and the role that business can play.

Prioritising early childhood for a happier, healthier society has been produced by Deloitte on behalf of the Taskforce and sets out how a greater focus on early childhood would create a happier and more productive workforce today, and transform the health and wellbeing of the UK economy and society for generations to come.

It details how investing in early childhood could generate at least £45.5 billion in value added for the national economy each year. This includes £12.2bn from equipping people with improved social and emotional skills in early childhood, £16.1bn from reducing the need to spend public funds on remedial steps for adverse childhood experiences and £17.2bn from supporting parents and caregivers of under-fives who work.

Welcoming today’s report and the commitments from the businesses involved, Christian Guy, Executive Director of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood said:

“Today marks another milestone moment in our work to make early childhood a priority across society. Some of the most significant businesses in Britain have joined forces to deliver a major rallying call to their fellow business leaders to prioritise young children and those who care for them – for the good of our society and economy.

“Whether it is helping families access the support they need, prioritising the social and emotional well-being of children and the adults in their lives, or building a culture that prioritises early childhood, business has a significant part to play.

“There is such enormous potential. We urge all businesses, no matter what their shape or size, to join us – the eight founding members, the Centre for Early Childhood, and The Princess – to help transform the way our country supports the vital early years.”

There are already some businesses playing an active role in this area, but there is potential for the business community as a whole to do much more. The report identifies five areas in which businesses of all sizes can have the opportunity to make the greatest impact for children under five, the adults around them, the economy and wider society:

  • Building a culture that prioritises early childhood within businesses, local communities, and wider society.
  • Helping families facing the greatest challenges access the basic support and essentials they need.
  • Offering parents and carers greater support, resources, choice, and flexibility with their work.
  • Prioritising and nurturing social and emotional skills in young children and the adults in their lives.
  • Supporting initiatives which increase access to quality, affordable and reliable early childhood education and care.

The release of the report will be accompanied by a new business-focused area on The Centre for Early Childhood’s website containing practical information and resources.

Alongside the report, the Taskforce members have committed to taking action on the issue and several have announced new initiatives as part of the first tranche of action. These include The Co-operative Group creating a specific early childhood fund as part of its unique apprenticeship levy share scheme, and committing to raise £5 million over the next 5 years, creating more than 600 apprenticeships. Business Taskforce members, NatWest Group, Unilever UK, Ikea UK and Ireland, and Iceland Foods have joined The Co-op in sharing a combined £1million over the next 12 months.

Deloitte is focusing its ongoing investment in Teach First to include the early years sector for the first time, supporting 366 early years professionals in 2024; and NatWest Group is extending its lending target for the childcare sector to £100 million, launching an early years accreditation scheme to its staff and producing a financial toolkit for childcare providers to help them grow and succeed.

IKEA UK and Ireland is expanding its contribution of support, design expertise and products for babies and young children to six new locations across the UK to help families with young children experiencing the greatest disadvantage and The Co- operative group is supporting the Baby Bank Alliance by promoting its work to their 5- million member-owners.

The LEGO Group is donating 3,000 LEGO® Education Build Me “Emotions” sets, supported by training materials, to early years providers in the UK, helping children to explore emotions in a fun and engaging way. And Iceland Foods is providing learning, awareness and support in all 1,000 Iceland and The Food Warehouse stores by featuring emoji posters at a child friendly height – a practical tool to help customers with young children and to create a space of understanding and support in stores.

All members have committed to continuing to work with The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood and supporting Shaping Us, The Princess of Wales’ campaign to raise awareness about the vital importance of the first five years of life.

In a joint statement, leaders of the eight Taskforce members said:

“Last year, Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales brought us together. She asked us to think radically about our approach to early childhood and the golden opportunity it presents to transform the lives of children today, as well as their future life outcomes.

“Since then, our organisations have come together to share our knowledge and experience, as well as deepen our own understanding of the importance of early childhood development, to establish this comprehensive and compelling business case for change.

“If we get this right, the results for business, for the economy and for society are clear for all to see: a happier, more productive workforce today; a future workforce equipped with the skills needed to deal with all the complexity and challenges of the modern world, and £45.5 billion in value added for the national economy each year.

“As leaders of some of the UK’s largest businesses, we have a responsibility, but also a very clear vested interest in driving change in this area. We hope this report will encourage businesses of all sizes, across the UK, to join us and help build a healthy, happy society for everyone.”

Throughout the rest of this year, The Centre for Early Childhood and Taskforce members will be speaking to business leaders across the UK to encourage businesses,

large and small, to join this movement. More information about how to get involved can be found on The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood website.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor to Invest £2.2 Million to Guarantee Beds for Babies – a Safe Space to Sleep for Every Child Aged 0-5

Today, South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard has announced £2.2 million of funding over four years into the Beds for Babies: Safe Space to Sleep Programme, which guarantees a safe place to sleep for all 0–5-year-olds. Beds for Babies will provide a moses basket, cot, cotbed or toddler bed to any under-5 who needs it following referral by an appropriate organisation or statutory agency. The Mayor launched the initiative at Meadows Nursery in Sheffield alongside a range of partners during Safe Spaces to Sleep Week.

South Yorkshire sees some of the starkest health inequalities in the UK, with 1 in 9 newborns in Sheffield alone requiring a safe place to sleep last year. The programme will tackle child poverty levels, reduce pressure on public services, improve childhood development, and reduce infant mortality.

The Beds for Babies programme is part of the Mayor’s overarching health strategy for South Yorkshire, with one of the region’s bold ambitions focused on early-years development. The Mayor is the only Metro Mayor in the country who chairs his region’s Integrated Care Partnership, and his stated priority is to make South Yorkshire the healthiest region in the country.

The programme was developed by a range of partners working with the Mayor including the charity Baby Basics UK, Save the Children UK, Sheffield Hallam University, Ikea and many others. Beds for Babies aligns with existing local service delivery with Directors of Public Health and Directors of Children’s Services from South Yorkshire’s four councils – Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield, the Integrated Care Partnership and NHS all supporting the initiative. The programme is designed to work through existing referral and delivery routes including pre-natal, post-natal and midwifery services, GPs, Family Hubs, Children’s Centres and existing local voluntary and community sector organisations.

Beds for Babies is subject to approval at a Mayoral Combined Authority Board (MCA) meeting on 12 March 2024. 

If approved by the MCA, as well as providing beds across the whole of South Yorkshire, the programme will also deliver a test and learn pilot in four areas: Goldthorpe, Mexborough, Swinton and Gleadless, to build an evidence base of what works at community level and develop best practice. This will include provision of beds, cots and bedding, liaising with housing services and connecting families to access other services, and to deliver trust and stronger working relationships between statutory and non-statutory organisations. 

The programme will be evaluated and will test a different way of working at community level and delivering improved health outcomes for children in South Yorkshire including reducing bed poverty, infant mortality and referrals to statutory agencies for support.

This work was developed through participation in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, a program of the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University. The initiative is a collaboration between Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Business School, and Bloomberg Philanthropies to equip mayors and senior city leaders with tools and expertise to expand problem-solving capacity, strengthen city halls, and improve outcomes for residents.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “Having a safe space to sleep is one of the fundamentals of early childhood. It’s a disgrace that bed poverty exists in the twenty-first century with 1 in 9 newborns leaving hospital in Sheffield needing help with a safe place to sleep at home.

“Devastating funding cuts to our local authorities and a cost-of-living crisis means that we all need to work together to help the most vulnerable in our society. By guaranteeing families who need it access a safe bed, crib, cot or moses basket, we can make a huge difference to education, health and social outcomes later in life as well as reducing the real-life financial pressures facing many families in South Yorkshire right now.

“Alongside our partners, we are determined to make South Yorkshire the healthiest region in the country. It is a challenge, but by introducing programmes like Beds for Babies, we are building the foundation for the next generation of South Yorkshire’s children so they are guaranteed the same opportunity to develop into the best they can be.

“This isn’t just about ‘health’ – it’s about what this means for the future of South Yorkshire. It’s about our community looking after each other and laying the foundations for a thriving economy in South Yorkshire. With growth at the centre of our overarching mission, we must ensure that the sustainable vehicles are in place which allow our economy to thrive, decades into the future.”

Professor Sally Pearse, Director of the Early Years Community Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “We are pleased to be part of this initiative that will support families across South Yorkshire and help to address some of the health inequalities that blight too many lives. 

“Research shows that good quality, safe sleep is vital for healthy child development so this initiative is also supporting children’s long-term health and giving them a better start in life. 

“Parents in many of our communities are struggling with multiple challenges. If we can meet an immediate need such as the lack of a safe space for their child to sleep, we start to build trust and create a relationship that enables us to offer further support and help families tackle other challenges they’re facing.” 

Cat Ross, Chief Executive of Baby Basics UK, said: “Baby Basics UK was set up in Sheffield 15 years ago and we are thrilled that with our baby bank partners across the region we can be part of this monumental initiative to ensure that every child 0-5 years in the region has a safe space to sleep by supporting the provision of a physical bed. For us, the opportunity for additional investment in our work is a dream come true and we hope that South Yorkshire will not be the only region in the UK to initiate such a lifeline programme for families.”

Leanna Clark, Senior Innovation and Projects Officer at Save the Children UK, added: “Save the Children UK have been working in partnership with Meadows Nursery in Sheffield for many years through the work of the Early Learning Community. The partnership aims to improve outcomes for children in the local area by helping families and children to achieve their full potential through research and innovation in the early years. By making sure that families have a safe space and a trusted adult within their community. The Sheffield Early Learning Community has noticed an improvement in mental health and confidence among children and parents since implementation. 

“Many of the families we are working alongside face multiple challenges, so having additional funding through the ‘beds for babies’ safe space to sleep programme will contribute to the reduction of child poverty in Sheffield. Save the Children’s mission in the UK is to support children to live free from poverty and keep learning and developing.

“I have seen first-hand what it means to families when they receive items such as moses baskets and cots. It is one financial cost that they don’t need to worry about, and it provides families comfort knowing their child will sleep safe as they grow and thrive.”

Professor Jorrit de Jong, Director of the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University, said: “City leaders are critical in tackling major societal challenges, such as improving equitable health outcomes. These issues require collaboration between multiple organisations and government entities. Mayors can help forge that. Mayor Oliver Coppard’s leadership and the collaborative efforts of the South Yorkshire team are building toward progress for the people of their region. Their collaborative effort will serve as an example for other cities looking to improve health outcomes for their residents.”

Celebrating 15 Years of Baby Basics

Celebrate 15 years of Baby Basics with us at our Glam Gala on 21st June 2024, held at the wonderful Tapton Hall in Sheffield!

Join us for an unforgettable evening filled with elegance and excitement. A red carpet welcome awaits for an evening of glitz and glamour, with a three course meal, live auction and dancing – all in support of our ongoing mission.

Hosted by the amazing Rev. Kate Bottley and sponsored by the wonderful Centrica Business Solutions, this Gala promises to be an evening to remember.

Secure your tickets and find out more information by clicking here. Let’s make this milestone celebration one to cherish!