A baby charity based in Balham has celebrated a milestone, supporting 1000 families since it was founded in 2016.

Little Village Wandsworth, at St Mark's Church Hall, Rowfant Road provides support and vital supplies for some of Wandsworth’s most vulnerable families.

Families in need can get clothes, toys and equipment for babies and children up to the age of five from the charity.

The organisation collects donations of high quality baby and children’s items from local parents who are looking to pass them on.

Founder and CEO Sophia Parker, who is a Tooting based mum of three said: “Supporting 1000 families is a fantastic milestone and makes me incredibly proud of our dedicated team of volunteers and staff, but sadly it also indicates a dire level of need in our local communities.”

Families who urgently need essential equipment or clothing are referred to Little Village by professionals like health visitors or midwives. They are then invited to attend weekly drop-in sessions where they can choose the items they need.

The sessions also benefit families emotionally, as they can receive support from staff, volunteers and like-minded parents.

Talking about the families who visit the charity, she explained: “Every week we meet parents raising their kids in desperate circumstances. We see mums unable to pay for nappies and food; babies sleeping on towels and broken beds; new-borns living in rat infested properties. It’s heart-breaking.”

Since the charity was set up two years ago, Little Village Wandsworth has gifted on items worth over £612k including 340 safe places to sleep, 366 buggies, and many high chairs and baby grows.

Sophia went on to highlight a recent trend of increasing child poverty.

She finished saying: “Child poverty is rising for the first time in 20 years and we are certainly seeing the impact of that at Little Village.

“My ultimate dream is for the need for organisations like ours to decline, but sadly we are seeing quite the opposite.”