Wealdstone Baby Bank was featured on ITV’s Lorraine show this morning, highlighting the vital work it does for families in Harrow and beyond. Founder Aghileh Djafari Marbini was interviewed by Dr Amir Khan alongside two other parents and volunteers, showcasing the impact of the baby bank on the local community.
The segment was part of Lorraine’s Big Baby Bank Appeal, launched in partnership with The Baby Bank Alliance and Morrisons supermarket. The campaign aims to provide essential items for families experiencing hardship this winter.
With 4.3 million children in the UK living in poverty and 1 million in destitution, baby banks play a crucial role. Lorraine’s appeal encourages viewers to donate items such as nappies, wipes, bottles, and toiletries at dedicated points in Morrisons stores nationwide.
The appeal also featured a powerful visual representation: 30 baby high-chairs, 21 laden with food and nine left empty, symbolising the stark reality that 1 in 3 children in a typical UK classroom lives in poverty without access to nutritious meals.
Lorraine Kelly, who recently became a grandmother, visited The Baby Bank in Windsor to support the initiative. She said, “Becoming a grandmother has been the most magical experience for me but every child deserves the best start in life – and I hope we can all come together to make a real difference here. Baby banks do incredible work to ensure that families don’t have to struggle to provide the early years essentials for so many, and I’m so proud to be able to launch this appeal through the show to help even more of those that need support across the UK. I hope that our generous viewers will get behind this campaign and donate what they can. Even just a little can make such a huge difference.”
The Wealdstone Baby Bank operates out of Wealdstone Methodist Church and relies on community donations to support families. Items such as prams, clothes, toys, and baby bedding are in high demand. Donations are accepted every Friday between 8:30 am and 10:30 am. The baby bank also welcomes financial contributions to purchase nappies and other essentials. Since its launch in April 2020, it has supported many families in Harrow and surrounding areas, with over 70 families visiting each week this year alone.
To donate, visit the Wealdstone Baby Bank at Wealdstone Methodist Church, Locket Road, Harrow, HA3 7ND, or contact them via email at w.babybank@gmail.com or phone at +44 (0)77 2768 7328. Financial donations can be made to the account ‘Families in Action Together’ (Account No.: 48603539, Sort Code: 23-05-80) or via PayPal.
For more information, visit their Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/fact_harrow/.
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
Harrow Online reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month and has a social media audience of more than 200,000 followers.
For news tips, press releases or enquiries, contact Chris at info@harrowonline.org.
