London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Mayor Sadiq Khan has insisted Londoners donate preloved coats, shoes and blankets to their local baby bank as the winter season approaches.
The mayor threw his backing behind the Winter Warmers campaign executed by the charity Little Village, a network of baby banks working across the capital. As part of the campaign’s takeoff, Mr Khan has declared £93,000 in City Hall funding, which will permit Little Village hubs to stay available for a longer set of hours.
The charity’s appeal is especially calling for donations of pre-loved coats (0-6 years sizes), pram suits, boots, shoes and blankets so that Little Village can give them on to families in need. Between October 2023 and February 2024, the charity helped over 2,600 children.
Why is the winter warmers campaign crucial this season?
Mr Khan stated: “It is shocking that in a country as successful as ours so many families are going without necessities, and as temperatures start to drop, it will be a difficult for many parents to afford essential winter clothes.
“That’s why Little Village’s Winter Warmers movement is so important and why I’ve committed funding that will raise the baby banks’ opening hours and help provide more essentials to families across the capital. As mayor, I will continue to do all I can to stand up for Londoners as cost-of-living pressures persist, building a better and fairer London for everyone.”
What impact does poverty have on London’s children?
According to a report last year by the Childhood Trust, over 800,000 children in London live in poverty, after housing expenses have been accounted for. Little Village stated that over half (58 per cent) of the households they support are anxious about the expenses of keeping the heating on to keep their homes warm. More than one in three (39 per cent) are anxious about being able to afford comfortable beds and warm blankets. Nearly three-quarters (71 per cent) are working to afford basic winter essentials like hides and waterproof shoes.
In 2023, the charity contributed 7,747 coats, thousands of blankets and around 15,500 pairs of shoes to 8,529 children, and it has already helped 5,165 children so far this year.