Donate
Thank you so much for considering donating. It’s through generous donations of items that your children have loved or made good use of, that we will be able to help so many local families in need.
Please read through this page before contacting us to find out what items we need and can accept. You will also find below all the details of what to do before you bring your donation in, and where to find us.
Before you contact us
Please check the lists below. There are certain items that we cannot accept. Also, there are times when we have too much of certain items and can’t accept any more.
We are only able to accept limited donations by appointment. Please see our Facebook page for posts on items we can currently accept for rehoming.
Please note that occasionally we may be unable to re-home donated items. If this is the case, we reserve the right to sell such items and use the funds to help us to support local families in need.
Urgently Needed
- Item 1
- Item 2
- Item 3
- Item 4
Always Needed
- Item 1
- Item 2
- Item 3
- Item 4
No Thank You
- Item 1
- Item 2
- Item 3
- Item 4
FAQ
Thank you so much for considering donating. It’s through generous donations of items that your children have loved or made good use of, that we will be able to help so many local families in need.
Please clean and check any items you bring to us as we want the families to feel like they are receiving a special gift that will put a smile on their face.
We are only able to accept limited donations by appointment. Please see our Facebook page for posts on items we can currently accept for rehoming.
Occasionally, we may be unable to re-home donated items. If this is the case, we reserve the right to sell such items and use the funds to help us to support local families in need.
You can also check our Facebook page for updates or Contact us with any queries.
Pelican Parcels office is based at Unit 9, Industrial House, Conway Street in Hove easily accessible by train, bus or car. Click here for a map.
HOW TO FIND US:
Directions if driving: Turn into the Industrial House car park from either Ellen Street or Fonthill Road. There is a loading bay with yellow hatchings (this is inbetween Logo Sports and Hire4All ,however please be considerate and don’t park in their spaces) and next to the big blue door is our buzzer, we will come down to take donations. Please be patient as we’re on the second floor and if the lift is in use this can take a few minutes.
As a small charity we are not able to offer a collection service but you can stop right outside our premises and we’re more than happy to help you unload your car. Alternatively we’re very close to major bus routes and only 5 minutes from Hove train station.
If you are not local, please see this map of other baby banks in the UK as there may be another charity in your area as there are several around the UK including the amazing Stripey Stork in Surrey and the international inspiration that is St Kilda Mums in Australia (thanks to them and everyone involved so far in getting us underway).
If you have items for babies and children that you no longer use and would like to donate them, do please bring them along to our office so that we can pass them on to a family who really need them.
Here’s what you need to do before you bring your items to us:
- Please check the list of baby and children’s items we can rehome.
- If the items you have match what we can rehome, please either email us with a list of your items, or check our ‘How to donate’ tab to find out where and when to take your items.
- Please note we cannot offer a collection service.
- If you have a cot, pram, pushchair or highchair, these items have mandatory safety standards please check our safety checklist to ensure they meet mandatory safety standards. We would be hugely appreciative if you can take a few minutes to read these standards. If you are unsure whether your donation is safe please email us.
- Please ensure that your donations nice and clean when you bring them to us as then we can process and distribute them more quickly.
What we do NOT re-home
We do not rehome used car seats, mattresses, electrical items, potties/toilet seats, door bouncers, Bumbo seats, used electric breast pumps or maternity or adult clothing. Please review this list of what we can rehome and if in doubt please contact us.
We need volunteers to to help sort through donations, package up parcels and undertake admin tasks. If you can offer a minimum of half a day a week, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us an email.
As a new charity any financial help you can offer would be very gratefully received. Although we are aiming to cover our core costs such as the building rent and utility bills from grants, we still need to raise funds to buy things like mattresses and high request items such as baby formula, nappies and wipes. You can donate money online or get in touch if you’d like to discuss making a donation. We also have an Amazon wishlist if you’d like to purchase items for us directly.
Want to do a sponsored event? Having a raffle or tombola? Running a race? Maybe you could you help run a fundraising event for Pelican Parcels? Please do get in touch if you’d like to discuss fundraising for us.
Before bringing your donation in
Please clean and check any items you bring to us as we want the families to feel like they are receiving a special gift that will put a smile on their face.
How To Find Us
Directions if driving: Turn into the Industrial House car park from either Ellen Street or Fonthill Road. There is a loading bay with yellow hatchings (this is inbetween Logo Sports and Hire4All ,however please be considerate and don’t park in their spaces) and next to the big blue door is our buzzer, we will come down to take donations. Please be patient as we’re on the second floor and if the lift is in use this can take a few minutes.
As a small charity we are not able to offer a collection service but you can stop right outside our premises and we’re more than happy to help you unload your car. Alternatively we’re very close to major bus routes and only 5 minutes from Hove train station.
If you are not local, please see this map of other baby banks in the UK as there may be another charity in your area as there are several around the UK including the amazing Stripey Stork in Surrey and the international inspiration that is St Kilda Mums in Australia (thanks to them and everyone involved so far in getting us underway).
What We Can Rehome
Click to read more.
Arts and crafts
Paper, pencils, felt, stickers, paint and all things that kids love to use for making those special pictures.
In the bathroom
Toiletries for children and/or new mums, new full bottles only please eg toothbrushes, bubble bath, soap, wipes, flannels and sponges, hairbrush or comb
Baby baths or bath inserts
Baby towels.
Blankets, bedding and sleeping bags
We accept flat or fitted sheets, duvet covers and pillow slips, blankets, quilts/duvets and mattress protectors for Moses baskets, cots, cobeds and single beds. We can accept a limited stock of double bedlinen – please do check it’s needed before you bring it.
We don’t accept sleepy heads.
Books
All books in good condition with no missing pages or flaps. We don’t take battery books.
Bottles and sterilisers
In near new condition, but please no used teats please.
Microwave and cold water only, no electric ones.
Buggies (see Prams below)
Bouncer chairs / rockers
These are for babies to lie in – must have a three point safety harness.
We are not able to pass on door bouncers or ride on rockers.
Carry Cots
Carriers
Children's chairs and tables
Plastic or wooden toddler table and chairs
Clothing
Premature baby size through to 12 years. All clothing should be freshly laundered please and of a quality that you would give to your best friend. We would be incredibly grateful if you can sort clothing by size eg newborn, 0-3, 3-6, 6-12 months, 1-2, 2-3 yrs etc and label bags accordingly.
Please note we can’t pass on items with any family member reference on them eg best brother, mummy loves you, as if our family doesn’t have that relative then it could be upsetting. We also don’t pass on items with any country, religion, football team etc for the same reason.
We also do not pass on any adult clothing or maternity clothing.
Cots and Travel cots
We must be able to pass these on with the assembly instructions. If you don’t have the manual please find it online and print a copy so that you are sure it is being donated with all the requisite parts.
Travel cots must have all four panels as mesh.
We always need bedlinen to go with beds so please do donate these if you can.
Formula
We can only take unopened formula that has 3 months left to expiry.
Highchairs
Must have a safety harness and a tray and be either Ikea style or foldable. Please give it a scrub before donating if you can!
Mobiles for cots
Moses baskets / bassinets
Please note we provide new mattresses due to H&S regulations, so please take out the mattress before you bring it to us.
We can’t give out moses baskets with frayed handles so please double check yours before donating 🙏
Muslins
For the Mums
It’s not all about the children! New mums need things like disposable breast pads, maternity pads and we also give them bathing products like tummy cream and bath oil.
Nappies
Disposables can be from opened bags.
We don’t accept nappy bins or reusable nappies.
Nappy change bags
Nappy change mats
Please check your mat is in good condition with no holes
Playmats
Please do wash the playmat as this helps us pass it onto a family more quickly.
We do not pass on activity centres or moving sit in toys.
Pram accessories
We take everything form cosey toes, newborn headrests, sunshades and rain covers to spare wheels.
Prams / buggies
Must have 5 point harness, safety sticker, brakes fully working and can fold. Please give it a scrub before donating, and if possible include the original manuals.
Safety gates and other safety items
We accept safety items like plug covers and cupboard locks.
We no longer take safety gates as another charity locally now provides these new for families.
Shoes and wellies
In good condition where the sole isn’t worn. Please give a clean before donating so they can go straight to a new family.
Toiletries
We give out toothbrushes and toothpaste, baby bubble bath, sponges and flannels, nappy rash cream, hairbrushes, nail clippers and cotton wool for babies.
We also give out shampoo and conditioner, toothbrushes and toothpaste and shower gel for older children.
Mums/dads don’t get forgotten either and toiletries will be provided for them too 🙂
Toilet training
We accept potties, children’s portable toilet seats, small steps.
We don’t accept nappy bins.
Toddler beds and bed guards
Beds must come with instructions to ensure that all parts are included and the item is safe. Please note we provide new mattresses due to H&S regulations so please remove this before donating.
Towels
Baby towels in new or next to new condition only
Toys
No enormous stuffed toys please, just small cuddly ones!
We accept all complete games, puzzles and children’s toys. However we don’t take any electronic toys requiring batteries.
We can’t rehome ride on toys or activity centres. Generally we need things to roughly a shoebox size or smaller as many of our families are in emergency placements or accommodation with very limited space.
Wipes and nappy cream - unopened
Items we cannot rehome
Car Seats
Battery toys
CDs or DVDs
Door bouncers
Bumbo seats, ride on toys, sit in activity centres
Nappy bins
Bikes or helmets
Maternity clothing or any adult clothing
Safety Checklist
Children’s Toys
All children’s toys must meet strict safety requirements, whether they are new or second-hand. All new toys are required to bear a CE mark, which is a declaration that the toy complies with safety requirements. When you receive a second-hand toy to pass on, whether CE marked or not, you should thoroughly inspect it to ensure that it is not unsafe. Generally speaking, toys must not:
- Be made of flammable materials
- Have sharp edges of points
- Have easily detached parts or features (eyes, buttons, stuffing etc.)
- Contain toxic substances, or be painted with toxic paints
- Operate at more than 24 volts
- Toys should be designed and manufactured to meet standards of hygiene and cleanliness and avoid any risk of infection, sickness or contamination. To avoid suffocation, plastic bags used for packing toys must be too small for a child’s head, and should be made of plastic which is of sufficient thickness not to pose a suffocation risk.
Bear in mind that small parts are a choking hazard to children under 36 months of age.
Cot/Cotbeds
All cots and cotbeds must meet strict safety requirements, whether they are new or second-hand. Pelican Parcels checks all donated cots/cot beds to assess their suitability, ideally they will have a label giving information of the size of mattress to be used. The spacing between the cot bars cannot be less than 24mm or more than 60mm. There also must not be any open ended tubes, sharp edges or small parts. Ideally a manual will be provided or details available to download.
Wheeled child conveyances
The term ‘wheeled child conveyances’ refers to all wheeled vehicles designed to carry one or two babies or infants – prams, buggies, travel systems – but does not apply to transporters for carrycots, toys or vehicles enabling children to move themselves about. Items must conform to the three points below:
- Wheeled child conveyances must conform to British Standard 7409 (or an equivalent European Standard) and must be marked BS 7409:1996, together with the name or trademark of the manufacturer or importer. The label with these details is usually found on the frame or seat covering
- A permanent notice on the vehicle must state: Children should be harnessed in at all times and should never be left unattended. The child should be clear of moving parts while making adjustments. This vehicle requires regular maintenance by the user. Overloading, incorrect folding and the use of non- approved accessories may damage or break this vehicle. Read the instructions.
- Instructions in English must be supplied with each vehicle. They should relate to the operation, assemble, use and maintenance of the vehicle. If the original instructions are lost then replacements may be downloaded from the internet.
Special advice regarding Maclaren pushchairs I
If you are checking one of the Maclaren models – Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller – it must be fitted with a hinge safety cover. Covers are available, free of charge, from the Maclaren website http://covers.maclaren.co.uk and must be fitted before passing on to a new family.
Highchairs
Pelican Parcels checks all donated highchairs to assess their suitability for re-homing. Key requirements include that the highchair has a harness that goes around the child’s waist and between their legs. That the highchair has a strong, sturdy framework and a wide stable base. If the highchair folds, it’s essential that it is stable and that all the locks work, or if the highchair has wheels that the front or back pair have a lock (usually a small black switch).
