During the panic buying at the start of the COVID-19 crisis, a young single mum in Birmingham put out an appeal on social media. Supermarket shelves had been emptied of nappies, and she could not find the right size for her newborn child.

Seeing this tweet was the impetus for Sparkhill Councillor Nicky Brennan to set up Brum Baby Bank. This is a non-profit organisation providing help to mums across Birmingham who need nappies, baby food and other essentials.

So far Brum Baby Bank have raised over £1700 in donations from members of the public and Trade Unions, and have used this money to support over 270 families throughout the city. Indeed, Brum Baby Bank has received so many requests for help that they are applying to become a charity, so that they can apply for larger grants from organisations and not just rely on small donations from individuals.

Thank you to all the volunteers who have donated money and helped deliver essentials to families. It’s great to see communities coming together and showing solidarity at this very difficult time.

If you would like to donate to Brum Baby Bank, you can do so via their GoFundMe page or take part in their sweepstake. If you have items to donate or would like to volunteer your time, please e-mail brumbabybank@gmail.com.