National Pregnancy Help charity opens in Hastings

Pregnancy Help Hastings and Napier volunteers Vickie Hope, Malina Parkinson and Susy Ratcliffe. Photo / Warren Buckland

A national charity providing help and clothing during and post pregnancy has opened in Hastings to service the Napier/Hastings area.

Pregnancy Help Napier/Hastings opened in Camberley in March and is starting to get the word out to the community.

The charity offers clothing, equipment and support to pregnant women and mums of babies.

It began in Hawke's Bay when about six months ago Vickie Hope, now board chairwoman, thought there was a need for a branch in Hastings.

The charity takes donations of maternity clothing and premature to two years' baby clothing to give out packs to families.

It is free to anyone in need; there is no means testing and people don't have to be referred to Pregnancy Help by another agency.

"We are non-judgemental, we are not affiliated with any other group, it's literally just for anybody that needs it," board member and volunteer Susy Ratcliffe says.

"I think particularly at the moment in Hawke's Bay there's a housing shortage and there's a lot of poverty so we really hope to get the word out and be able to help people.

"There's definitely a lot of people in need. We just want them to feel like they can come and get things from us."

Some equipment is also available and if people come in needing support, they are given the details for other agencies and services.

It is run completely by about six local volunteers including one woman who works to repair items such as clothing and reusable nappies.

"That's also one of our other missions, to reduce waste so we're trying to make sure things don't just get thrown away when people are finished with them," Susy says.

"So obviously the cloth nappies are also a massive reduction in waste...and also a really good way of saving money."

So far, they have had a "really good" response from the community with midwives saying they feel it is something really important.

Social workers and emergency housing workers have also come to the charity for their clients.

"We've got the enthusiasm with the lovely volunteers and we've also got the women in the community who do need things and have already been coming to us and are really appreciating being able to get quality clothing for free."

The branch needs signage and information put out so is seeking funding from grants at the moment and would love any local businesses interested to help out.

They also want funding to be able to post parcels to people for those who have difficulties with transport.

The branch is located at 111 McLeod St, Camberley and is currently open two mornings a week from 9.30am until 12.30pm on Tuesday and Fridays

Anyone in the Napier/Hastings area who wants to visit Pregnancy Help or donate items can do so during opening hours or contact them through their Facebook page Pregnancy Help Hastings and Napier.