Charity's £200,000 plea for help as it faces losing home

NIGHT after night, a young mum in Trafford slept on the landing in order to keep her little boy safe.

- By NICOLE WOOTTON-CANE

Anxiety-ridden over the possibility that her newly-crawling son, who has special educational needs, might fall down the stairs at night while she rested, she set up camp outside his bedroom. All she needed was a stair gate - but she couldn't afford one.

Her story is one of many heard each day by Catherine D'Albertanson, founder of the Little Green Sock Project baby bank in Stretford.

Practically, the charity provide clothing, prams, food, toys, baby gyms and other essentials to families most in need in the Trafford area.

Working out of a busy hub in Stretford Mall, the team take referrals from schools, social workers, GPs and health visitors, who turn to the charity to help where social services can't.

"When we had snow earlier this year we had a massive increase in referrals for warm clothing," Catherine told the M.E.N. "We had one family referred, a family of four, who had no coats. They needed coats for their children to get them to school.