The Isle of Wight is bursting with community groups and organisations aimed at helping those in need and Ventnor is no exception.
The latest scheme to be set up in the town is a community-led project called Baby Box.
Help for struggling families
With the roll-out of Universal Credit and a rise in the number of families seeking help from the Isle of Wight Foodbank, the Baby Box Project is designed to help families who are struggling to provide their children with basic essentials.
The project is being run by local residents, who say they “literally don’t have any money, but what we do have is a love of Ventnor”.
Items needed
The Ventnor Town Council have very kindly provided a storage room for donated items, but to get the initiative off the ground they need your help with donations.
The wish list at the moment includes:
- Baby clothes and toddlers clothes 0-5 years
- Cot sheets and blankets
- Bottles and dummies (must be new)
- Nappies of differing sizes
- Baby wipes
- Baby bath products
- Baby lotions, etc
Please help by making sure everything is clean and in a usable state when donating.
Distribution once a week
Donations will be collected every day except Sundays, and will then be distributed back out to those in need every Friday morning from 11am in Ventnor Central (the old youth centre), Victoria Street, PO38 1ET.
Just send a private message via Facebook with details of what you need (what size of nappies or what clothing) and the team will do their best to help you.
Christmas treats and raffle prizes
If you don’t have any baby or toddler items, perhaps you can donate other things suitable as Christmas treats and gifts for small children or babies or maybe you can spare items suitable for use as raffle prizes for their fundraising.
The drop-off point for donations is Isle of Vapes at 17 Pier Street, Ventnor PO38 1ST. The shop is open every day between 10am-5.30pm, except Sunday.
For more information about the project, see the Baby Box IOW Facebook Page.
Image: vinothchandar under CC BY 2.0
