Burnley support hub Snowdrop Doula CIC launches ALBI Scheme to help struggling new parents buy essential baby items like prams, cots and car seats

Michelle Bromley has launched the ALBI Scheme offering large essential baby items like cots, prams and car seats at discounted prices at The Doula Place shop in St James Street/Charter Walk.

Michelle, who runs the Snowdrop Doula Community Interest Company, will offer the new service to residents with a BB postcode who are more than 25 weeks pregnant and qualify for benefits or have exceptional circumstances.

It will serve as an extension to the baby bank that she set up in 2013 to offer toys and goodies to people in difficult situations, like refugees, the unemployed or victims of domestic violence.

Now, she says, even more people are falling on hard times - those who have never traditionally needed help before and have little left over from their wages to buy other essentials due to rising food and energy prices.

She said: “The need for support is increasing, and there’s more of a need coming from people who are in work but they have less and less disposable income and can’t afford to buy much. We’re seeing more and more people in different situations than before.

“It’s scary and worrying - how much is that need going to increase with the energy crisis?

“We’ll see more referrals but our capacity to deal with it will be limited.”

A second shop is open in Accrington Arndale Centre

To make a professional or self-referral to the ALBI Scheme, contact Michelle on [email protected] or 01282 926410, or visit https://snowdropdoula.co.uk/