New name for Buxton charity after it expands to wider areas

The Buxton Baby Bank will now be known as the High Peak Baby Bank.

Founder Kirsty Lownds set up the charity in January last year.

She said: “I can’t believe how much we have grown in just over 12 months.

“We have gone from just helping people in the Buxton area to covering a huge geographical area so we felt we needed a new name to reflect the changes.”

Baby Banks are a relatively new idea, with only around 100 currently operating in the UK. They supply essential items to families expecting or with new babies.

Not only does Kirsty’s life-line charity provide clothes, food and nappies, it also provides families with access to bigger items like cots, bed guards and prams all for free.

She said: “Everyone is struggling at the moment with the cost of living rising so we are helping people who are working poor – those in employment and not receiving benefits but struggling to clothe their children too which isn’t right.”

Kirsty said she works four days a week doing shifts at a Buxton pub and seven days working on the baby bank.

She said: “It’s grown so big and so quickly I spend all my evenings and free time working on what the charity needs next.

“By changing our name to the High Peak Baby Bank we wanted to be more inclusive so people who live outside of Buxton would feel they could come to us if they needed to but we are helping families all the way from Stoke to Stockport so there really is a need for help like this.”

The charity, which is still based in Buxton Community Church, now offers monthly stay, play and weigh sessions where little ones can get weighed while parents can chat to a pharmacist for basic health information.

Kirsty added: “We are also setting up a milk bank to help those who want to breast feed but are struggling and parenting classes to teach people the basics of how to change nappies and wind newborns.

“It’s a really exciting time for the baby bank and I’m really pleased to be helping more people.”

For more information visit highpeakbabybank.co.uk.

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