Community Grant Awards: Baby Bank & Beyond CIC

Hailsham Town Council has provided funding of £500 to Baby Bank & Beyond CIC, one of a number of recent grants given to local community groups and voluntary associations as part of the Council’s 2025/26 Community Grants Scheme.

A total of £12,215.47 has been awarded to a wide range of non-profit organisations, aimed at enhancing facilities, activities, and projects that benefit the residents of Hailsham. Such funds are intended to assist organisations that rely on public donations, fundraising, and volunteers to deliver valuable services to the community.​

Baby Bank & Beyond CIC is a volunteer-led not-for-profit organisation based in Hellingly, which has been providing pre-loved baby and young child basics to local families for over two years.  The organisation passes on essential clothing, equipment such as highchairs, stairgates and prams, bedding, toys and toiletries and will soon be giving out its 2000th bundle.

The organisation has warehouse space in Eastbourne and covers Hailsham, Seaford, Lewes and the South Wealden area.

“Not everything we give out is second hand and items such as mattresses for cots, cot beds and Moses baskets, as well as toiletries and nappies, duvets, pillows and underwear need to be new and funding is required for this,” said Nicky Walker on behalf of Baby Bank & Beyond CIC.

“For many families, times are difficult at the moment not only because of low incomes but also providing things for your children becomes more complicated if you suffer from poor mental health, are unemployed, escaping domestic abuse, are sick or seeking asylum.”

“That is why it is grants like the £500 awarded to us by Hailsham Town Council are really important to us, and it is great to know that they support us in providing the basics that every local child deserves to have regardless of their family circumstances.”

The Mayor of Hailsham, Cllr Chris Bryant commented: “The Town Council is pleased to offer a grant of £500 to Baby Bank & Beyond for everything they do in terms of providing a free service, with donations going directly to people that are finding it hard to afford the essentials for their little ones.”

“Our grant scheme is the main way in which the Town Council provides funding and support to the voluntary sector. Most of the time, voluntary groups and charities survive on the generosity of donations from the public, fundraising and the willingness of volunteers to give up their time.”

“Small grants such as these are a valuable addition to this mix and can make a considerable difference to them when planning and funding a worthwhile project.”

A full list of recipients of the Community Grants Scheme can be found here.

Due to an underspend in the 2025/26 grants budget, a second round of grant applications will commence later this year whereby the remaining £3,784 (with a starting budget of £16,000) will be shared amongst successful applicants. The new deadline for applications will be announced soon.