Baby grows, nappies, toys and pushchairs are just some of the items that people have donated to a new initiative set up by two local mums.

Bicester Baby Bank provides a way for low income families and vulnerable people to have free access to baby items.

Debbie Clack, 37, from Finmere, and her friend Sarah Harrison, 35, from Bicester, have set up the group where people can donate unwanted quality baby items which can then be given to people who need them the most.

The bank, which was set-up in January this year, is currently being run as a voluntary organisation but the pair are now in the process of applying to become a registered charity.

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Mrs Clack said: “The community is really behind us and there’s a definite need for it.

“We’re a small team of volunteers at the moment and so we don’t have any money. We’ve applied for three grants so far but also need more storage space.”

Families in need get referred to the baby bank by midwives or doctors. They are given vouchers stating how many children they have, what age and gender they are and what they are in need of.

So far, the bank has helped more than fifteen families in need.

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Mrs Clack has worked with vulnerable people in the past which is one of the reasons why she decided to set up the bank with her friend.

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She said: “I have worked with vulnerable people during my work life and I decided that I wanted to donate our baby clothes and accessories. But I couldn’t find anywhere to donate that would be passed on to a vulnerable family in need.

“I found one in Milton Keynes and started talking about it with Sarah and thought we’d set one up in Bicester and give it a try.”

The team will be meeting with social housing developer, Sanctuary Housing, this week, which plans to gift them a garage which will be a bigger space for them to store items as they are currently ‘bursting at the seams’ at the Bicester Community Hall.

The bank take donations of clean baby, toddler and children’s items ages 0-5.

Some items accepted include high chairs, shoes, baby wipes and changing mats.

The bank is open on Tuesdays from 12.30 to 2pm and Wednesdays from 11.45am to 1.15pm at Bicester East Community Centre on Keble Road.