Airedale Baby and Children’s Bank | Castleford
Here to support local families
Airedale Baby & Childrens Bank
Airedale Baby and Children’s Bank was founded in 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, to support families experiencing financial hardship.
Change a life
A Local Charity With A Difference
Send Us Donations
Whilst we appreciate all donations, we ONLY accept good quality/good condition Baby, Toddler and Childrens items which can be gifted on to someone else in need.
Become A Volunteer
We’re looking for kind and caring volunteers to help local families in need. Just a few hours of your time can make a huge difference by sorting donations and packing essentials.
Here to help
Ongoing Support
Initially, it was thought that the need for such support would be temporary, lasting only through the pandemic and its immediate aftermath. However, demand has continued to grow, and our service has expanded tenfold. We began by helping babies and toddlers but soon realised older children were also in need. We now support children and young people from birth up to 16 years of age.
Our work is made possible thanks to the generosity of our local and wider community, who donate items that we pass on to families in need. To supplement donations, we also run fundraising activities such as raffles and tombolas, which allow us to purchase essential new items including underwear, socks, pyjamas, nappies, toiletries, and mattresses.
Supporting the community
Dedicated Volunteers
Assist Your Local Charity
Our small team of dedicated volunteers all have full-time jobs across various sectors. Recognising the scale of demand and the lack of available funding, we worked tirelessly to become a registered charity, which was achieved in 2023. In 2024, with the invaluable support of Wakefield District Housing (Now known as Vico Homes), we were fortunate to secure premises from which to continue and expand our work.
On average, we now provide support to between 40 and 50 children each week. The items we distribute range from clothing, shoes, toys, books, and games to beds, bedding, toiletries, and nappies. At Christmas 2024, thanks to the generosity of donors, we were able to provide over 1,000 gift packages for children who otherwise would have received nothing. All of these were distributed via professional referrals from schools, health visitors, social services, and other trusted agencies.
Help our cause
An important Mission
Our mission is clear: no child should ever experience clothing poverty, and no child should ever have to sleep on a dirty mattress or on the floor. With continued community support, we can work together to achieve this.
