I felt alone as a mum but so many vulnerable women have it much worse – baby banks are vital, says Louisa Lytton
FROM a young age, all Louisa Lytton ever wanted was to become a mum. So when she got a positive pregnancy test in January 2021, Louisa and her then fiancé Ben Bhanvra were over the moon.
However, motherhood hasn’t always been plain sailing for the actress, 34, and she admits that at times, it’s been harder than she ever expected.
In an exclusive chat, Louisa explains, “I feel very, very fortunate and lucky that I’ve been able to have a healthy baby. Aura is all I’ve ever wanted. But while I’ve had a support network of family and friends, there are times when, as a mum, you can feel isolated.
“There are days when I’m literally surrounded by people, but feel alone. You’re over tired, you feel stressed, you worry about silly things, like ‘is she OK’ – and you feel like the only person having these thoughts and feelings. I have to tell myself it’s very normal to feel this way. Having a baby is definitely the biggest life change I’ve ever experienced.”
The former EastEnders star, who has just celebrated her first wedding anniversary with Ben, is backing Fabulous’ Baby, Bank On Us campaign.
Launched in May in partnership with Save The Children, Little Village and more than 200 baby banks nationwide, the appeal is asking readers to give money, supplies or their time to baby banks.
There are hundreds of banks across the country, each providing essentials such as wipes, clothing, prams, nappies, toys and cots to struggling parents.
Louisa is the latest celebrity mum to back our appeal. We joined her as she spent the morning volunteering at her local baby bank, Little Village, in Brent, north London.
TV presenters Christine Lampard, Charlotte Hawkins and Kate Lawler, singers Alexandra Burke and Kimberley Wyatt, plus Dame Arlene Phillips, have already pledged their support.
Louisa says, “It’s such an important campaign and as a mum it’s something close to my heart.
“I was very fortunate when I had Aura that I had a lot of friends and family who could help and support me. It’s incredible how many things a tiny human needs and how much it all costs. But sadly not everybody has the money, means or support. I just can’t imagine what it’s like to be in a vulnerable position and to be bringing a baby into the world. It’s very, very tough.”
Louisa kindly donated a huge bag of baby items to the bank and helped its volunteers fold babygros and blankets and sort socks into ages.
During her time there, Louisa met with families who rely on the facility, and at one point became tearful as they shared their stories.
Lorna*, 44, explained how the bank was a lifeline for her when she arrived in the country as an asylum seeker with her three year old daughter Lucy* last year.
How YOU can support Fabulous' Baby, Bank On Us campaign
– Give money by donating here or by scanning the QR code.
– Give clothing, toys and essentials to a baby bank, wherever you are in the UK.
– Give your time volunteering.
To find your nearest baby bank, visit Littlevillagehq.org/uk-baby-banks.
Lorna now volunteers at the bank two days a week and helps signpost other vulnerable women to social care.
“When I came to this country, I had nothing,” Lorna says. “Little Village welcomed us, they gave me clothes, nappies and toys for Lucy to play with. Now, I want to give back and help other women. They’ve not only supported me and put clothes on my daughter’s back, but through volunteering I’ve made friends, and for the first time we feel part of a family.”
Louisa and Lucy spent time together playing with fairy toys, and at one point Louisa picked up a toy guitar to play a tune – much to Lucy’s joy.
Louisa says, “Lucy is adorable and such a happy little girl. Despite everything that Lorna has been through, Lucy knows nothing of it and is just a normal, sweet little three year old.
There are days when I’m literally surrounded by people, but feel alone
Louisa Lytton
“When I was her age, if my mum and dad struggled, I didn’t know about it. They would always make sure that no matter the situation, there was food on the table and that I felt safe. I can see that’s what Lorna is doing for her daughter.”
She adds, “What is great about this baby bank is that it’s a safe place for families, it’s very welcoming and set out like a boutique. The children can play in the dress up area and you can have a cup of tea and feel looked after.
“It can be hard for some people to ask for help, but this is such a warm and friendly environment. I feel like it’s a place where people can come and talk, but also feel listened to.”
What are baby banks?
Baby banks provide essential items for babies and young children whose parents are living in poverty – including nappies, wipes, clothing, bedding, Moses baskets, cots, blankets, toys and books.
There are over 200 baby banks in the UK, and they run out of shops, community centres, warehouse units and even people’s living rooms and garages.
Last year 4.2 million children in the UK were living in poverty and 800,000 children lived in a household that used a food or baby bank.
Little Village, founded by mum-of-three Sophia Parker in 2016, has five branches across the capital, and has already helped more than 11,000 children.
However, Brent branch manager, Renata Acioli, says more work needs to be done and there are currently 850 families across London currently in desperate need of newborn goods, from clothes, prams and Moses baskets.
Having a baby is definitely the biggest life change I’ve ever experienced
Louisa Lytton
Renata, who welcomed The Princess of Wales as a visitor to the bank last year, fears the need will only become greater as more and more families are hit by the cost of living crisis.
“There’s a huge group of people in need,” she says. “We see nurses, midwives and other professionals walking through our doors and needing our help. There’s a lot of people suffering from economic hardship.
It’s incredible how many things a tiny human needs and how much it all costs
Louisa Lytton
“What we’ve noticed is both parents are working, but it’s not enough and they still need the help. The financial crisis is affecting everybody.”
Louisa has vowed to return to Little Village to volunteer – and will be bringing Aura, 22 months along, to help.
“She would love it here,” she says. “She would love to play dress up and meet some new friends. After seeing firsthand today the work that is being done, I want to do more to help. I will be donating more items and will be telling my friends to all do the same.”
*Names have been changed
BABY BANK LOCATIONS
BELOW is a selection of baby banks by region. See the web address at the end of the page to find contact details for all the country’s baby banks
- North West
Baby Basics Bolton & Bury, West Lancashire
Baby Basics Carlisle, Cumbria
Baby Basics South Lakes, Cumbria
Baby Basics, Cleator Moor, West Cumbria
Trafford Little Bundles, Lancashire
TippyToes BabyBank Preston, Lancashire
Salford Baby Bank, Lancashire
Snowdrop Doula CIC Burnley, Lancashire
Cascade Baby Bundles, Audenshaw, Cheshire
The Baby Room at Spinners, Leigh, Lancashire
The Healthy Gems Baby Bank, Oldham, Lancashire
NCT Mid Cheshire
NCT Preston Baby Bundles, Lancashire
KidsBank Chester, Cheshire
Motherwell Pass It On Baby Bank, Winsford, Cheshire
Hyndburn Baby Bank, Accrington, Lancashire
- North East
Growbaby Newcastle, Tyne & Wear
Love, Amelia, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear
Birth Bath and Beyond, Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Clothe and Feed South Shields, Tyne & Wear
Clothe and Feed Sunderland, Tyne & Wear
Rosie’s Corner, Hexham, Northumberland
Stockton Baby Bank, County Durham
Darlington Baby Bank, County Durham
Baby Basics Darlington
Growbaby Hull, Yorkshire
Little Acorns Baby Bank Durham, County Durham
Hartlepool Baby Bank, County Durham
- North
Growbaby Teeside, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees
Baby Basics Leeds, West Yorkshire
Baby Basics Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Leeds Baby Bank, West Yorkshire
Baby Basics Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Birth Bath and Beyond Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Bradford Baby Bank, West Yorkshire
POPI Baby Bank Keighley, West Yorkshire
Rainbow Baby Bank Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire
Stepping Stones Baby Bank Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Calderdale Lighthouse, West Yorkshire
Tiny Hands Baby Bank Pontefract, West Yorkshire
Growbaby York, North Yorkshire
- South West
Ashley’s Birthday Bank, Christchurch, Dorset
Baby Bank Network Bristol
Baby Basics Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Baby Basics Cornwall
Baby Basics Plymouth
Brighter Bristol Storehouse, Bristol
Baby Basics South, Ilminster, Somerset
Growbaby Tiverton, Devon
Children’s Storehouse Plymouth, Devon
Uplift Tiverton, Devon
Exeter Baby Bank Network, Devon
Little Lighthouse Baby Bank Wythenshawe, Manchester
Baby Bundles Wiltshire
The Nest Project, Bath, Somerset
Gloucestershire Bundles, Gloucester
Open Door Exmouth, Devon
Forest of Dean Baby Bank, Gloucestershire
Small Stuff Baby Bank, Radstock, Somerset
Stroud District Kid’s Stuff, Gloucestershire
Teignmouth Baby Bank, Devon
Ten Little Toes Baby Bank, Cowfold, West Sussex
Growbaby Swindon, Wiltshire
- South East
Baby Bank & Beyond (South Wealden) CIC (Hellingly), East Sussex
Sebby’s Corner Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
Stevenage Babyshed, Hertfordshire
Baby Basics Billericay, Essex
Growbaby Whitstable, Kent
Growbaby Aylesbury, Bucks
Baby Basics Bromley, Kent
Best Start Baby Bank, Eastbourne, Sussex
Basildon Borough Baby Bank, Essex
Growbaby Maidstone, Kent
Growbaby Rayleigh, Essex
Baby Basics Chelmsford, Essex
Growbaby St Albans, Herts
Growbaby Hemel Hempstead, Herts
Precious Bundles Colchester, Essex
Fighting Chance Baby Bank, Petworth, West Sussex
Baby2Baby, East Sussex
Baby Basics Brighton
Baby Basics Dover & Deal, Kent
Baby Basics Englefield Green, Surrey
Baby Basics Folkestone, Kent
Baby Basics Willvern, Essex
First Days Reading, Berkshire
Baby Basics Hastings and Rother, East Sussex
Baby Basics, Grays, Kent
Baby Basics Shoreham, West Sussex
NCT Winchester Baby Bundles, Hampshire
NCT Woking Baby Bundles, Surrey
Pelican Parcels Brighton and Hove, Sussex
Baby Stuff Braintree, Essex
Tots 2 Teens Colchester baby bank, Essex
Stripey Stork, Reigate, Surrey
Sunshine Baby Bank Southend, Essex
The Baby Bank HQ Havering, Essex
The Baby Bank HQ Thurrock, Essex
Community Wardrobe Chelmsford, Essex
The Baby Bank Windsor, Berkshire
Growbaby Storehouse Ashford, Kent
Moses Basket Brentwood, Essex,
Growbaby Chelmsford, Essex
NCT Little Bundles Baby Bank Chichester & Arun, West Sussex
NCT Baby Bundles Sevenoaks and Tonbridge, Kent
Mama to Mama, Margate, Kent
Home-Start West Berkshire Baby Bank, Newbury, Berkshire
Growbaby, Wokingham, Berkshire
The Baby Bank HQ Barking, Dagenham and Redbridge, Essex
- South
Baby Basics Portsmouth, Hampshire
Baby Basics Guildford
Baby Branch Southampton, Hampshire
Baby Necessities Southampton, Hampshire
Portsmouth Baby Bank, Hampshire
- Channel Islands
Baby Basics Jersey
- London
214 SPACE Baby Bank Hub Brent
214 SPACE Baby Bank Hub Hammersmith & Fulham
214 SPACE Baby Bank Hub Kensington & Chelsea
Growbaby Lighthouse, Sutton, Greater London
Growbaby, Newham
Growbaby, Merton
Bromley Brighter Beginnings
Growbaby Purley
Baby Basics, Barnet
Cariad Baby Bank, Harrow
Growbaby Kingston upon Thames
Choices Boutique Islington
Cornerstone Baby Bank Leyton
Growbaby Wandsworth
Baby Basics Sunbury
Growbaby Enfield
Ealing Salvation Army Baby Bank
The Small Project South London
Tiny Toes, Tiny Feet, Northwood
Camberwell Baby Bank
Orchard Baby Bank, Woodford
Peabody Toddlers Clothes Bank, Ilford
Pram Depot Wood Green
Little Village (London-wide)
Mammakind Baby Bank, Greenwich
MerryGoRound Islington
Growbaby Hoxton
NCT Redbridge Baby Bundles
Hackney Children & Baby Bank
Ilford Salvation Army Baby Bank
Mama2Mama Woolwich
Lloyd Park Children’s Charity Baby Bank Walthamstow
The Extra Mile, Hampton, Richmond Upon Thames.
- Midlands
Brierley Hill Baby Bank, Dudley, West Mids
Baskets of Joy Leicester
Growbaby Leicester
Alice Charity, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire
Growbaby Northampton
The Arches, Nottingham
High Peak Baby Bank, Buxton, Derbyshire
Growbaby, Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Growbaby Bedworth, Warwickshire
Bicester Baby Bank, Oxfordshire
Elayos Baby Bank Birmingham
Baby Basics Wolverhampton
Growbaby Birmingham St Michaels Church
Baby Aid Birmingham
Baby Basics Warwick
Baby Godiva Coventry
Growkids Coventry
Baby Basics Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Baby Basics Long Eaton, Notts
Baby Basics Leicester
Baby Basics Northampton
Baby Basics Hinckley, Leicestershire
Growbaby Birmingham Vineyard City Centre Site
Tots in Need Walsall, West Mids
Spark Baby & Children’s Bank Staffordshire
Staffordshire Baby Bank, Stafford, Staffs
Telford and Wrekin Baby and Toddler bank, Shropshire
Clothe and Feed Wallsend, Herefordshire
Little Stars Shropshire
Karis Baby Bank Central Birmingham
NCT Malvern Hills Baby Bundles, Worcs
Little Cherub’s Baby Bank High Peak, Derbyshire
Growbaby Worcester
- Wales
Baby Basics Dryffryn Clwyd Denbigh
Baby Basics Vale of Glamorgan
Baby Basics Newtown
Baby Basics Swansea
Baby Basics Port Talbot
Baby Basics Wrexham
Cwtch Baby Bank Cardiff
Baby Basics Penrhiwceiber
Cariad a Cwtch Baby Bank Llandrindod Wells
Growbaby Cardiff
Pembrokeshire Baby Bank
Splice Baby Bank Bridgend
Bundles Baby Clothing and Birth Support, Newport
Bethel Baby Bank Port Talbot
NCT Cardiff Baby Bundles
Ely Baby Bank
Feed Newport Baby Bank
- Scotland
Bairn Necessities, Glasgow
AberNecessities, Aberdeen
Growbaby Fife
Baby Bank Scotland, Hamilton
Bairnecessities Aberdeenshire
Bear Necessities Airdrie
Togs for Tots Dundee
Glasgow Baby Food Bank
GRA Baby Bank Aberdeenshire
Nelly Boxes East Renfrewshire Baby Bank
No 1 Glasgow Baby & Family Support Service
Tiny Treasures Baby Bank Oban
Button and Bows Baby Bank Perth
Cumbernauld & Kilsyth Care
Misty Glen Baby Bank Fort William
Dingwall Primary Baby Bank
Moray Baby Bank
Monklands Baby and Family Clothing Aid
- East
Abi’s Footprints, Sudbury, Suffolk
Baby Bank Norfolk
Baby Basics Lowestoft, Suffolk
Baby Basics West Norfolk
West Marsh Baby Bank, Lincolnshire
Suffolk Baby Bank, Bury Saint Edmunds
Baby’s Basket, Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Growbaby Thetford, Norfolk
Growkids Norwich, Norfolk
Fenland Family and Baby Bank, Cambridgeshire
GrowKids Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
Little Family Baby Bank, Sutton On Sea, Lincolnshire
Little Treasures Baby Bank, Horncastle, East Lincolnshire
Little Bundles, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
- Northern Ireland
Baby Basics Antrim & Newtonabbey
Baby Basics Ballymena
Baby Basics Belfast
Bump2Baby NI (Mid-Ulster Baby Bank)
Baby Basics Banbridge
Baby Basics Causeway
Baby Basics Magherafelt
Baby Basics Mullavilly
Growbaby Enniskillen
Carrickfergus Baby Bank