The mayor said “it’s about a helping hand, not a give-away” and “it’s saying to mums and dads at the moment their life changes with a new baby that there’s support on hand”.
She added: “If we don’t get those first 1,000 days right of a young child’s life then too often the statistics say their life chances have already been determined.
“Let’s get in early, offer support for mums and dads and get that young baby off to the best start, and that will reap dividends during the course of their life, in school, in college and in their place of work.”
Elsie Wakefield, who runs a baby bank in Leigh, donating items to parents, said: “Some families are in very difficult situations” and don’t always have the essential items that they need.”