UPDATE: |’Nobody else was helping, I don’t know anyone else like them’ News

Sam lost her job during the pandemic, and was left with two young children and nowhere to turn. Now, the thing that saved her is at risk of closing

When Sam* lost her job during Covid, she found herself left with two young children and nowhere to turn.

The 26-year-old single mum had always enjoyed a steady income from her bar job, which she used to support herself and her daughters, aged six and three. But when the pandemic hit the bar was forced to close, and Sam was suddenly living off benefits, struggling to make ends meet.

“It just wasn’t enough to stretch out,” she remembered. “I was used to earning a lot from being in the bar full-time, and suddenly I had nothing. I really needed help.”

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News today, Sam says she only made it through that dark time because she was offered a ‘lifeline’. After a referral from her health visitor, Sam was able to get clothes and toiletries for her young girls through Trafford baby bank the Little Green Sock Project.

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Based out of Stretford Mall, the charity provide clothing, prams, food, toys, baby gyms, and other essentials to families most in need in the Trafford area.

“They were so helpful,” Sam told the M.E.N. “They dropped everything off, asked if I needed anything else, asked what kind of stuff the girls liked.

“Then at Christmas they got back in touch and asked if I’d like some help with getting some gifts for them. It was great – nobody else was helping and they were the only people were actually helping families that were struggling.

“I don’t know anyone else like them.”

In 2023, Sam discovered she was pregnant with twins. As her pregnancy progressed, she was told they were suffering from a rare condition called twin anemia polycythemia sequence (TAPS), which occurs when there are unequal blood counts between the twins in the womb. Due to the condition, she delivered the twins at just 29 weeks.

Struggling to cope with both the demands of her extremely premature babies and the reality of affording double of everything, Sam But this time, she knew who to turn to for help.

“They provided absolutely everything I needed,” she said. “They were also there for me mentally as well, because it was a hard time.

“They were always checking in, making sure I was okay and asking how the babies were doing. They made sure I had what I needed when they left hospital, like the car seats, a Moses basket, and even a double pram.”

Sam is just one of thousands of parents who have found relief through the Little Green Sock Project. The charity say they feed 100 children a month and have supported thousands of families since they were founded in April 2022.

But their future is at risk. Streford Mall is due to be demolished in 2025, and with it, the charity’s hub. Now, they are are fundraising £200,000 to help them secure a new premises.

“I just don’t know how people are going to survive if they don’t make it,” Sam told the M.E.N. “Especially with the cost of living, it’s ridiculous. Everything is going up and it’s really hard for families to afford the basic necessities for children.”

The charity have managed to raise a staggering 90 per cent of their target. But the drive is now in the final weeks, and founder Catherine D’Albertanson has issued a fresh appeal for donations.

“We’re the sole baby bank in Trafford, and it is vital that this service continues,” Catherine said. “The reasons why someone might need help are so complex and varied.

“We support families who are fleeing domestic abuse. We support refugees. We’re supporting homeless families. We’re supporting people in paid employment and low income families who are just struggling to make ends meet. We’ve supported families that have had a house fire and just lost everything.

“You never know when you’re going to need that support. But just knowing that there’s a safety net there and that we are there for families when when that does happen and we can help them is so important.

“The thought of us not being here anymore is is very worrying for the community.”

You can donate to the Little Green Sock Project here.

*Names have been changed to protect the source’s identity