A Dumfries community group that loans baby slings and baby carriers to parents has received a £500 grant from Scotmid Co-operative. Slinging Around, a sling library and parent support group, plans to use the funding to buy more baby slings to meet the demand for its services in the local area.
The not-for-profit group allows parents, grandparents and carers to hire a sling or carrier for their baby for a small fee, rather than buying their own. Studies have found that babies who are carried more frequently cry less, while also supporting brain development and bonding.
As well as a hire service, Slinging Around offers social activities and meetings for parents and one-to-one and group consultations on babywearing. They also offer workshops to teach parents essential skills, such as how to wrap a newborn and how to wear their baby safely.
Debbie Macdonald, who started Slinging Around said: “There are a lot of advantages to using slings and carriers for babies. It helps with bonding, it can aid digestion and brain development, and many people find that their baby cries less since using the sling. My baby suffered from colic and reflux and using the sling was a saviour for me.”
She added: “We give parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles and friends the chance to try different slings and carriers and hire them out when they need them. The support from Scotmid has been out of this world. It was such a big relief when we got the news about the community grant! Scotmid’s donation will enable us to buy more slings to help more parents and families. We’re also looking to expand into other areas. I think it’s really important that businesses like Scotmid support local causes in this way. It’s a massive help.”
Yvonne Goodfellow, Membership and Community Officer for Scotmid Co-operative said: “Scotmid is delighted to award this community grant to Slinging Around, so that they can buy new slings and carriers for parents to hire. Our community grant scheme is one of the ways that we give back to local areas and it is a true pleasure to help. We hope that even more parents will now get to benefit from their vital support and services.”
Slinging Around was awarded the donation as part of Scotmid’s community grant scheme. Scotmid donates around a quarter of a million pounds to local causes through its community grant scheme each year. Applications are encouraged for projects that support children and education, active lifestyles, the environment, health promotion, the elderly, homelessness, Fairtrade, arts and culture, and charity.
Community groups and projects can apply by completing a community grant form from their local Scotmid store or online at www.scotmid.coop. Community groups and projects must meet certain criteria to be considered for funding. The applications are then considered by their Regional Committee before being awarded.