Act 13 of 30: Bundles of Hope for Long Eaton Families 

Sometimes, the most impressive community projects are the ones quietly solving everyday problems right on our doorstep. 

For Act 13 of our 30 for 30 campaign, Premier Community founder Gill Isterling visited Bundles of Hope in Long Eaton, a community project supporting local parents and families with the practical things children need as they grow. 

What she found was much more than somewhere to pick up a few clothes. 

She found a real hub for families. 

A welcoming place where parents and carers can meet, find support and access essential items at a time when household budgets can already feel stretched. 

And alongside it, the same passionate team are helping give some of the area’s newest arrivals the best possible start in life. 

Helping families make a little go further.  

Children grow quickly. Clothes suddenly don’t fit. Shoes need replacing. Nappies disappear at an alarming rate. For families already managing a tight household budget, those everyday costs can quickly add up. 

Bundles of Hope helps relieve some of that pressure by providing families of preschool children with access to preloved clothing, shoes, nappies, wipes and other essentials free of charge. 

But Gill quickly discovered that the value of the project goes beyond the items on the rails. 

It creates a place where parents and carers can come together, meet other families and access support in a welcoming community environment. It’s practical help, but it’s also connection. And both can make a considerable difference. 

Giving babies the basics they need 

Operating alongside Bundles of Hope is Baby Basics Long Eaton. 

While it is part of the wider Baby Basics network, the Long Eaton centre is run by the same local team and supports expectant families through referrals from professionals including midwives, health visitors and social workers. 

The team creates Moses basket starter packages containing essential items for a newborn baby, giving families practical support as they prepare to welcome their new arrival. 

A complete Moses basket can be sponsored for around £50. 

Inside is far more than a basket. 

It represents somewhere safe for a newborn to sleep, alongside some of those essential first items a family will need during baby’s earliest days. 

For a family facing financial difficulty, receiving that package can remove one significant worry at an already life-changing moment. 

Passion for families 

For Gill, one thing stood out throughout her visit: the people behind the projects. 

The team clearly care enormously about the families they support. 

Every donated item is sorted, organised and prepared so that it can find its way to somebody who needs it. Every Moses basket is carefully put together. 

And every family coming through the door is met by people who understand that asking for support shouldn’t come with judgement. Gill left the project inspired by what she had seen. Two schemes operating side by side. One helping families navigate the everyday costs of raising young children. 

The other helping make sure babies arriving into families experiencing difficult circumstances have some of life’s most basic essentials waiting for them. 

Community supporting community 

Our 30 for 30 campaign is about celebrating Premier Community’s 30th anniversary through 30 acts of kindness for the communities around us. And Bundles of Hope feels like community kindness in its purest form. People donate the things their own families no longer need. Volunteers give their time to sort and prepare them. Professionals identify families who need additional help. 

And those resources are passed on to give another local family a little more breathing room. Nothing wasted. No judgement. Just people helping people. 

For Act 13, we were delighted to discover a project in Long Eaton with families firmly at its heart. Gill returned home with one overriding thought: What an incredible bundle of hope this team has created. 💙