Baby charity hands out 1,000th support basket

Jane Allen said the baskets were "full of everything" a new mum might need for the first few months

A charity which supports new parents in Long Eaton has handed out its 1,000th Moses basket.

The Long Eaton branch of national charity Baby Basics, which was set up six years ago, reached the milestone number of baskets on Thursday.

The charity said it provided baskets filled with essential items to mothers and families who were struggling to cope with the financial and practical challenges of caring for a new baby.

Jane Allen, project director of the branch, said: "We do it because the need is there and the mums are just amazed when they see the baskets."

She added the baskets were "full of everything" a new mum might need for the first few months including blankets, clothes, knitted items and toiletries.

Ms Allen told the BBC the volunteers at the charity do not meet the mum or family of the baby due to safeguarding and data protection.

Instead, families are referred to the service, and the charity aims to prepare the basket six to eight weeks before the baby is due - with the person who referred the family to the service then collecting the basket.

"It's just heart-warming that we can be involved in a project like this," she said.

"All our volunteers do it because they want to help the mums and they see the need."

Ms Allen said the branch took four years to hand out its first 500 baskets and had handed out 500 in the last two years.

She added that the service was currently providing about 25 to 30 baskets each month this year, but was "not struggling with the demand at the moment" due to support from the community.

To celebrate the 1000th basket, the charity held a party which was attended by supporters.