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Baby Basics Newark launches at Southwell Methodist Church




Struggling parents now have access everything they need for their newborn baby thanks to the launch of a Newark branch of a national charity.

Jennifer Winnington has launched Baby Basics, which offers struggling new parents a Moses basket filled with the essentials needed for a mum and newborn.

Known as Baby Basics Newark, the branch will be working throughout the district served by the maternity team King’s Mill Hospital in Mansfield, with mums being referred through their midwives who will contact Jennifer and the team directly so that the family does not feel a “sense of charity”.

At the Baby Basics launch, from left: Peter Brooker of Southwell & District Lions, Mayor Diane Ledger, Jennifer Winnington, midwife Debbie Hopkinson, and President Nick Cocks and Nick Parr of Southwell & District Lions.
At the Baby Basics launch, from left: Peter Brooker of Southwell & District Lions, Mayor Diane Ledger, Jennifer Winnington, midwife Debbie Hopkinson, and President Nick Cocks and Nick Parr of Southwell & District Lions.

The baskets provided by Baby Basics Newark include nappies, outfits, cardigans, and baby grows — as well as a range of essentials for the mum as well including toiletries, a hair brush, breast pads, maternity towels, a book and toy for the baby and more.

Among those who can access help from Baby Basics include families or mums living in poverty or struggling financially, those in refuge fleeing domestic abuse, the homeless and pregnant mums serving time in prison.

Baby Basics Newark officially launched on Thursday (October 24) at its base in Southwell Methodist Church.

Jennifer Winnington with Baby Basics chief executive Cat Ross.
Jennifer Winnington with Baby Basics chief executive Cat Ross.

Jennifer said: “I’m blown away by how it’s taken off and the support I’ve had.

“I’d like to say thank you for all the support.

“We want to give mums the dignity to be able to walk into hospital and have her baby like every other mum, with everything she needs.”

Newark Mayor Diane Ledger was in attendance, and she said that it was a “privilege” to attend the launch, and after fleeing domestic violence herself and giving birth to her daughter in a refuge, that she wishes something like this would have been available then:

Jennifer Winnington with Mayor Diane Ledger at the Baby Basics launch.
Jennifer Winnington with Mayor Diane Ledger at the Baby Basics launch.

“I’m so impressed with the ethos that Baby Basics stands for.

“I’m so pleased we can help women and children and families here in Newark in the future and I’d like to take the opportunity to say that it is amazing and to say thank you to Jennifer for setting this up.”

The launch was also attended by midwife Debbie Hopkinson, community team leader who covers the Newark area.

She said: “It’s an amazing thing, and a wonderful scheme, we’ve had a couple of women who’ve had a basket and they’ve been overwhelmed.”

The group is now appealing for anyone who can provide new, or clean preloved items for their baskets to come forward, with items needed the most including newborn baby clothes and knitted blankets, hats, or cardigans — these must not be made from patterns with holes in.

Donations of items can now be dropped off at the Methodist Church on Barnbygate in Newark on Tuesdays from 11am to 2pm, as well as between 9am to 11am on Wednesdays at Southwell’s Methodist Church.



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