Killead Parish supports Baby Basics

Thursday May 2nd 2019

Jill Hamilton receives donations for Baby Basics Belfast from Killead Parish.

A big thank you to Killead Parish who took on the Baby Basics Belfast 4-week challenge during the month of February.

Baby Basics Belfast is run by Connor Children’s Project Development Officer Jill Hamilton and Church Army Evangelist Karen Webb from the North Belfast Centre of Mission, Connect Base. It supports new mums and their babies, following referrals from health professionals and charity workers who work with poor and needy families across Belfast.

The Killead parishioners were asked to buy a few extra items as part of the weekly shop and bring them to church to help fill Baby Basics starter packs. Items include nappies and other toiletries for baby, toiletries for mum and dad, household products such as washing powder, baby clothes, Moses baskets, new mattresses and lots more besides.

Lots of beautiful hand knit items.

Mrs Jacqui McCord co-ordinated the effort and got the support of Killead Mother’s Union and Killead’s knitting group ‘Pins and Needles’ as well.

Jill came and spoke to the Mother’s Union about Baby Basics and returned to speak to the whole congregation at the Sunday service at the end of April and to collect all the items.

“There was an amazing array of donations,” said Jill. “We had a hard job getting everything fitted into one small Hyundai i20 but we managed it!

The Rev John McClure thanked Jacqui during the service for all she did in bringing everyone together to support Baby Basics so generously. Jacqui said: “We just want to help and it good for us as a church to support folks in need.”

The donations included lots of lovely knitted items from Pins and Needles who have worked really hard to produce all the beautiful knitwear over the past months. The group has supported Baby Basics before, and Jill expressed gratitude for their continued help and support.

Baby Basics Belfast is ongoing and continues to be very busy and so far this year had sent out 62 starter packs up to the end of April.

“We very much value the support that churches across Connor Diocese have given us,” Jill said.