Carol, Sarah, Viv and Sheila helped out at the Baby Bank this morning. It was Viv's first volunteer at the facility but she quickly got to grips with the checking process for clothes donations. We spent the morning checking, sorting, and putting away clothes alongside some corporate volunteers.

Angela, Carol and Sheila went to help out at the Baby Bank, and were delighted to meet with Sarah, who has volunteered with them previously, but this is her first official Goodgym session. Carol bravely took on the task of sorting through the shoe donations, while Sarah set about trying to get the bags of clothes donations into the correct storage travel cots, moving on to distributing the spare pyjama packs. Angela and Sheila were sorting clothing, concentrating on the age groups we are short of, so we can fulfil some requests. When we left, the facility was looking a lot more ordered, but still plenty for the Monday team to do

On the first post- Christmas opening of the Baby Bank, we were treated to a nice quiet morning as it was not open for donations. So Carol, Rupi and Sheila were left in peace to sort out the clothes boxes, filling them from the overflow bags where possible, and preparing a list of what we are short of. All ready now for full service next week!

Baby Bank regulars Carol and Sheila were joined today by Jane on her first Goodgym community mission. It was the final session before Christmas, and it was planned to be a tidy-up before the break. The 3 of us took on the toy room, trying to bring order and sort through the bags that and been left in there as well as sort through the donations, as the piles were in danger of blocking the fire exit. During the morning, last-minute requests for new presents were still coming in, but luckily some new toy donations came in as well, so it all worked out in the end. Well done to Jane for getting stuck straight in , and helping creating some order before the facility closes for the holidays

It was a community mission of two halves - Sue joined Carol at the Baby Bank facility to aid with the continuing big clothes-sorting task. Meanwhile Sheila was helping at a Gifting event, where families who are struggling financially could come and choose Christmas gifts for their children. It was an amazing event, a collaboration between the Baby Bank, Abri and Achieving for Children. There were so many lovely new toys to choose from, parents could choose 3 or 4 items per child. The parents were so grateful that they would have something to give their children this Christmas - some got quite emotional. And we also gift-wrapped them if requested, while the parents had a coffee and a snack made by the community chef. A really joyful event that helped 65 families and 150 children.

Sheila, Carol and Ananda were joined at the Baby Bank this morning by Rupi for her second community mission, and very glad we were, too, to have her. The Baby Bank is not accepting any clothes donations at the moment until we have been able to sort through the enormous mountain of clothes bags already piled up. A corporate team of 7 were there from Centrica doing the first-sort, and our challenge was to keep pace with them and do a second check and put things away in the boxes. Between us we made a huge difference, despite Carol being re-deployed to put together a referral. Kudos to Carol for walking there, Sheila for cycling , Rupi for going to the gym beforehand and to Amanda for squeezing in a good deed after the school run and before dashing off to her next commitment