Monmouthshire Building Society Charitable Foundation donate £1000 to local baby charity

Cwtch Baby Bank is a small charity based in Cardiff. The charity redistributes pre-loved baby items to vulnerable families in the community, providing essential equipment, clothing and toiletries for newborn to 24 month old babies, directly to people who need them.

Since launching in 2016 the charity, which is based in Taffs Well, has helped over 3200 families in the local area.

Although Cwtch Baby Bank predominantly redistribute pre-loved items, the number of good quality, useable moses baskets they receive each month through donations is far outweighed by demand. At the moment, they are seeing demand from midwives and social care providers reaching around 27 orders of new baby bundles every month, with the number of useable, pre-loved moses baskets they receive each month being between only five and 10.

Cwtch Baby Bank applied for funding to Monmouthshire Building Society’s Charitable Foundation at the end of last year to purchase 25 moses baskets for families of new babies. Their bid was successful and they were awarded £1000.

The Monmouthshire Building Society Charitable Foundation is funded by the Newport-based building society and aims to provide modest donations that have a positive impact on the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people in communities across south Wales and the south west of England.

Since it was formed in 2000, the foundation has contributed over £300,000 to local community groups, organisations and good causes across south west Wales and beyond.

Clare Bird, Distribution Centre Manager at Cwtch Baby Bank, said: “Fundraising has been really difficult for us since the beginning of the pandemic, with all our usual fundraising streams such as afternoon teas, sponsored walks, the annual ball, lost due to restrictions, so this grant has been vital in helping us to continue to help others.

“The funding supplied by Monmouthshire Building Society’s Charitable Foundation has made a huge difference to us and has enabled us to cover the cost for one full month of orders in February.

“We are really grateful to have been chosen as a beneficiary of one of the Monmouthshire Building Society grants as it has allowed us to help vulnerable families in the community both through the provision of a safe place for babies to sleep, and removing stress from families who cannot afford to buy such essential equipment themselves.”

The Charitable Foundation is just one of a number of community initiatives from Monmouthshire Building Society. The Society also provides sponsorship for local grassroots organisations through their high street branches and encourages colleagues to volunteer for local organisations through their Colleague in the Community initiative.

More information about Monmouthshire Building Society’s Community initiatives and funding can be found on their website www.monbs.com or by dropping into a local Monmouthshire Building Society branch.