Plant Dewi Receives £60k

Families with babies will receive help and support through the Plant Dewi Baby Bundle Bank thanks to West Wales Freemasons.

left to right Catrin Eldred, Plant Dewi Manager, James Ross, Head of West Wales Freemasons

and Rt Revd Dorrien Davies, Bishop of St Davies.

Wednesday 5^th March 2025

Hundreds of families with babies from across Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire will receive essential supplies for their child thanks to a grant from West Wales Freemasons to the Plant Dewi charity.

The £60,000 grant will support the Baby Bundle Bank project to continue to distribute much needed essential items to families with babies under 12 months old who are struggling to purchase clothing, toiletries, blankets, cots and buggies etc. The project will gain referrals from families and agencies across the region to ensure no baby has to go without.

The Plant Dewi Baby Bundle Bank gave out 308 bundles to families in need in 2024 and this is set to continue for a further two years thanks to the Freemasons.

The funding will make a significant difference in the lives of families by providing them with the items they need for their baby, to reduce the stress and worry at what should be a happy time, welcoming their baby into the family. As well as the bundle, Plant Dewi will also signpost families to supporting agencies in their area to allow them to access services that meet their needs.

The grant will fund salaries and stock for the Baby Bundle Bank for two years and during this time, Plant Dewi hope to build on the number of bases in each county and increase the number of volunteers to support with the rising demand for the project. Volunteers are on hand to help to sort donations as well as put bespoke bundles together, depending on what the family needs.

The Baby Bundle Bank receives donations of new and good quality pre-loved items from families and supporters across the region and more recently, a number of groups have been knitting for the project, making bags and organising fundraising events to go out and buy much needed stock.

Around 30 per cent of children in Wales are living in hardship and nearly 57 per cent of referrals received for a bundle last year were from families who were facing financial difficulties. Other reasons cited for referrals included domestic abuse, mental health issues, general health problems, lack of family support and living in temporary accommodation and of those, 42 per cent were young parents, under the age of 26. All of those families were facing some challenges resulting in them having to reach out to Plant Dewi.

The grant from West Wales Freemasons comes through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is funded by Freemasons, their families and friends, from across England and Wales.

Plant Dewi Manager, Catrin Eldred said:

“We’re extremely grateful to West Wales Freemasons for their generous grant. Plant Dewi has been working with families across the counties of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire for 22 years and since the Baby Bundle Bank project was established in 2016, we’ve seen the demand for our services increase greatly. This grant allows us to secure the Baby Bundle Bank for another two years, at a time when we know that families are facing greater financial hardship.

James Ross Head of West Wales Freemasons, said:

“I’m really pleased we’ve been able to help Plant Dewi with their essential help for families with new babies. Whether it’s providing baby clothes, cots and prams, or helping them to access vital services from other agencies, the wonderful work of this charity has helped hundreds of families from across the region.”