I couldn’t afford maternity wear, it felt like Christmas when a bag of brand new outfits arrived at my door
A STRUGGLING mum said it felt like Christmas when a charity handed over maternity wear that she could't afford to buy.
Bethany Forsyth, 17, is going to become a mum for the first time in September.
She was forced to ask baby bank charity AberNecessities for help after her relationship broke down and her home was in a mess.
A fortnight later she broke down when a package including a bag full of brand new maternity clothes from Boohoo arrived.
She was so overwhelmed that she pinned the note from the charity on her wall and it’s still there to this day.
Bethany said: “I was struggling. I was in a complete state and my home was a wreck.
“They provided me with essentials to get me back on track. I was crying when it arrived.
“It was stuff I would have bought for myself and it was all brand new. It was like Christmas but in May.”
Staff at Aberdeen's vital baby bank are often moved to tears when they hear stories from parents who are struggling to cope in the cost of living crisis.
The charity is one of a network of more than 200 being backed by The Sun’s Fabulous campaign Baby, Bank On Us - in partnership with Save The Children and Little Village.
Most read in Fabulous
The drive is highlighting their amazing work and asking readers to dig deep to help them with money, supplies or time.
More than one in five kids in oil-rich Aberdeen are forced to live in poverty in 2023.
Teacher Danielle, 36, set up the lifeline charity - which is one of more than 200 of its kind being highlighted in the appeal - four years ago because she saw for herself how dire the situation is.
Youngsters were missing class because their parents couldn’t afford shoes or underwear, or to wash their school uniform.
She started offering mums basic items, like milk and nappies, from her dad’s garage.
And the team has been forced to adapt recently as the problems hitting households change. For example, pasta was always a staple in food parcels.
But mums have said it’s too expensive for them to cook because of soaring energy bills and they would prefer tinned dishes they can heat in the microwave.
Danielle and her crew go out of their way to think of the smallest details to help struggling families.
When a mum is forced to flee her home because of domestic abuse they find out the child’s favourite toy and make sure they have it at their new home.
Meanwhile, every package is delivered as if it’s a gift from a friend or relative and even has a note at the bottom saying that it’s come with love.
Danielle said: “It’s one mum helping another mum. It’s not charity - it’s a gift.
How YOU can support Fabulous' Baby, Bank On Us campaign
- Give money by donating or by scanning the QR code.
- Give clothing, toys and essentials to a baby bank, wherever you are in the UK.
- Give your time volunteering. To find your nearest baby bank, visit .
“Mums should feel empowered. They shouldn’t see it as a sign of weakness that they’ve asked us for help.”
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Bethany broke down again as she thanked the team.
She said: “It meant a lot to me. And it’s so reassuring to know they’re there if I ever need them again.”
