'Making a difference': Premature baby packs donated to Pinderfields neonatal unit

At what can be a difficult and worrying time for some parents, Tesco has donated packs of F&F Premature Baby Essentials to the hospital’s neonatal unit, containing sleepsuits, bodysuits, hats and scratch mitts.

The Salvation Army is partnering with Tesco to help deliver the clothing.

Jan Marchant, Managing Director for Tesco’s Home & Clothing, said: “Premature babies are often unexpected and it can be difficult to find clothing items to fit at such short notice. We want to provide practical help to mums and dads at Pinderfields during a stressful time and help give the babies a stronger start in life.”

According to data from the Office for National Statistics, on average seven to 10 per cent of babies born in England and Wales are born prematurely.

Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said: “Having a baby born prematurely can be a really worrying time for so many, and with our hard-working staff across the country continuing to do all they can to provide care and support to premature babies and their families, it is fantastic that Tesco is donating specialist baby clothing to every NHS neonatal unit across England to provide additional help.

“These clothing packs could make a huge difference to tens of thousands of babies and their families who need it most over the next year, and we are extremely grateful to Tesco, and to the Salvation Army, for making this possible.”

Kirk Bradley, Head of Corporate Partnerships from the Salvation Army, added: “Providing this support means The Salvation Army can continue to provide practical help for people in need across the UK. These generous donations provide comfort for the most vulnerable and give these families essentials in their time of need.”

Christmas saw Tesco stores collect tens of thousands of toys from generous shoppers to help struggling families. And last winter Tesco stepped in to help families struggling with the cost-of-living by donating almost 4,000 new F&F coats to people in need through FareShare, the Salvation Army and the Cottage Family Centre children’s charity in Kirkcaldy.