‘As a child I didn’t have a lot, baby bank would have been amazing’, Dame Arlene Phillips on her poverty-stricken roots

HER name is synonymous with dazzling glitter balls, opulent costumes and grand ballrooms, but Dame Arlene Phillips’s poverty-stricken roots are never far from her mind.

The 80-year-old former Strictly Come Dancing judge, who grew up in Didsbury, Manchester, still recalls yearning for cheap toys her parents couldn’t afford.

Olivia West - Commissioned by The Sun

Olivia West - Commissioned by The Sun

In an exclusive chat, she says: “I remember going to Woolworths with my mum.

“They had one counter with little plastic watches, with paper faces.

“Me and my sister wanted those watches so badly.

“They were sixpence each at the time, which wasn’t very much, but Mum said, ‘Sorry darling, we can’t afford to buy them’.

“In a shocking moment, a woman standing nearby bought the watches for us. My sister and I have never forgotten that.

“It’s always stuck in my mind to give when you can.”

Arlene is backing Baby, Bank On Us — the campaign launched by The Sun’s Fabulous last week in partnership with Save The Children, Little Village and more than 200 baby banks nationwide.

Breaking point

The appeal is asking YOU to give money, supplies or time to the hundreds of baby banks which provide essentials such as wipes, clothing, Moses baskets, toys and cots to struggling parents across Britain.

Since the campaign’s launch, a host of celebs have signed up in support, including TV presenters Christine Lampard, Charlotte Hawkins and Kate Lawler, and singers Alexandra Burke and Kimberly Wyatt.

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Arlene says her childhood encounter in Woolies helped to spark a life-long passion for helping children, and adds: “I totally want to give back, to think about charity as part of my life.

“My granddaughters are aged two and four and the loves of my life.

“My daughters have been taught to always give if you can afford it.

“Parents are ground down all the time, another and then another bill comes in then suddenly you’re lost, absolutely lost.

“I saw this as a child. It is important that helping one another becomes a big message that we cannot ignore.”

The cost of living crisis has left many families with young children at financial breaking point, and baby banks, such as Little Village in Camden, North London, are a lifeline for families facing hardship.

Little Village, founded by mum-of-three Sophia Parker in 2016, now has five branches across London, which have helped more than 11,000 children.

Her aim was simple — every child in the capital should have the essential items they need to thrive.

Sophia says: “It’s not about the rich giving to the poor, but about families helping families in the same community — a cycle of giving.”

Arlene visited the Camden branch to see first-hand the life-changing work the bank does, and made an instant friend in seven-month-old Ryan. (name changed)

His penniless mum Amelia (name changed) relies on the bank for clothes and nappies.

Wearing snazzy Paddington Bear dungarees and giraffe-print trainers, Ryan giggled and pulled at Arlene’s apron as she toured the bank with him.

Many parents who visit Little Village are working, yet have fallen on hard times.

As Arlene joined volunteers, folding care packages of vests, trousers, T-shirts and babygrows for kids aged three to six months, she was noticeably touched during her conversations with a mum about her lack of money for nappies.

Arlene says her own early years were difficult due to lack of money.

She adds: “I was brought up by a barber father who was constantly unwell.

“Being one of three children meant my mum was at home looking after us and we didn’t have sweets, and fruit was hard to come by.

“I remember the differences between the haves and the have nots as a child. You’re affected by it. You feel left out.”

Mum-of-two Arlene, whose own mum, full-time home maker Rita, died of leukaemia aged 43 when Arlene was just 15, says: “I didn’t have sleepless nights worrying about money but worry was always there.

“We didn’t have a lot of toys. I appreciated having a toy or a gift, and I know what going without was like.”

At Little Village, wooden xylophones and brightly coloured jack-in-the-boxes are displayed enticingly on well-kept shelves as this baby bank, like 200 others across the UK, provides toys for families who cannot afford this luxury.

At the sight of a trolley stacked with neat piles of brightly coloured kids’ books, Arlene reflects: “Seeing the toys in here, so many new ones, makes you think — toys are so expensive.

“Here they have Peppa Pig toys and Sylvanian Families. Going out to buy these as a parent would be too expensive, £30 or £40.

“There would be such a thrill for a child to receive one of these.”

Arlene is also impressed by the rails of tiny spring jackets and Peppa Pig wellies and shelves of wipes, nappy bags and waterproof buggy covers.

Touching a clothing rail filled with fancy dress costumes, from superhero all-in-ones to sequined, taffeta party dresses, she gasps and says: “The best bit is the dressing-up rails.

“I never wanted to go to a party because I never had a party dress.

“There were no birthday parties when I was little. I always remember watching a girl down the street with a beautiful brand new pair of patent black shoes. I wanted black patent shoes so badly.

“I missed out on silly things like The Quality Street Club in school, where you could only join if you could bring Quality Street sweets in and then swap them.

“We couldn’t afford dance classes — it took a long time for me to get into dancing. But it was all I read about and all I dreamed about.

“The ballet came to Manchester but we couldn’t afford to go. So we went to the stage door to get autographs. I’ve still got my old autograph books.”

She adds: “Two of the mums I have spoken to today have very different circumstances, but both are struggling. Not only do they come here for things their children need, but for the staff.

“They both mentioned how much it means to them that it’s a place they can come where they feel they can talk to people when they need to, or feel vulnerable, especially if they are a young, single mother.

“This centre is something we’d have absolutely benefited from when I was growing up.

“If there had been baby banks we could have come here. It is so special to be able to look on rails — everything is hung like a shop and beautifully fresh and clean.

“The amazing volunteers come in and make this part of their life.

“Time and time again they come in to volunteer. They may have used the bank themselves and now want to help, they want to give back.

“I encourage everyone to donate what they can to the Fabulous Baby, Bank On Us campaign.

“Whatever you can donate, just know it will make a huge difference to the lives of small children across the UK.”

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• Find the address of your local baby bank at: littlevillagehq.org/uk-baby-banks