We run a drop in session for families 4 times a year. Families are invited to these sessions by a range of health and social care professionals: Family Centres, Outreach Workers, Social Workers, Safeguarding Team, Midwives, Perinatal Team, Health Visitors, Women’s Refuge, Cherished, Dacorum Community Trust and the Tenancy Sustainment Team. At these sessions, families can choose the clothing, shoes, bedding, toys, books and baby equipment they need. Larger items such as buggies, highchairs, stairgates, baby bouncers, cots, toddler beds have to be requested in advance of the session by a family’s health / social care worker. This is to ensure that items go to families most in need. Families are also offered refreshments and the chance to sit and chat.
In addition to this we regularly put together crisis packages for urgent needs and families who are not able to attend a drop-in session. Families receive these packages via their health / social care professionals.
At Christmas we also run a new toys session – families are again invited by their health / social care professionals to come and choose a new toy to give their children for Christmas + a few smaller stocking fillers. New toys are donated by individuals in the community and collected by us, and at Tesco Jarman Park (27th/28th 2022).
In the last year we have supported 67 different families and put together 42 crisis packs for families in urgent need. Over Christmas 121 local vulnerable children received new toys for Christmas via Storehouse.