Newcastle Hospitals Charity is delighted to have recently provided The Children’s Foundation with £25,000 to fund 100 Baby Boxes for first-time parents in Newcastle.
The Baby Box project aims to give every first time parent in the region the best start possible.
This project has been created by listening to children, parents, midwives, family nurses, GPs and experts on the 1001 critical days movement, to understand how important these early years are in shaping the rest of our lives.
Each Baby Box is packed with books and developmentally stimulating toys with a focus on laughing, playing, reading, singing and counting as well as essential items to get families started and support with the rising cost of living.
The grant from Newcastle Hospitals Charity will allow The Children’s Foundation to provide 100 baby boxes to families that are identified by Newcastle Hospitals as needing extra support.
The North East of England has the second-highest rate of low income and deprivation after Inner London and these boxes are the first of their kind in the world to take a developmental approach to the baby, rather than focusing solely on physical needs.
Alongside the books and toys, the project also provides parents and carers with access to everyday tips and advice to help make everyday moments matter, developed through a partnership with NSPCC Look, Say, Sing, Play and BBC Tiny Happy People.
Jon Goodwin, the former Head of Grant Programmes at Newcastle Hospitals Charity, said: “As the official charity for Newcastle Hospitals, we are delighted to be able to support this fantastic initiative to help first time parents.
“The Baby Boxes project will make a real difference to those that need it most and this is an exciting example of how Newcastle Hospitals Charity can develop partnerships that tackle health inequalities and broker support to Newcastle Hospitals patients from the local charitable sector to deliver greater impact across the region.”
Sean Soulsby, CEO of The Children’s Foundation said: “Bringing a newborn home from hospital is an exciting, but often overwhelming time, and we want to remind parents, families, and carers that they are not alone during those critical early days.
“There are expected to be approximately 26,000 babies born in 2023 in the North East alone and the Baby Box campaign is looking for support to raise £1 million to get boxes into the hands of as many of those families as possible.
“This support from our friends at Newcastle Hospitals Charity is invaluable but we are calling to businesses in the region and local authorities to get behind the campaign and not leave it to charities to fund projects of this importance.”
