‘Fish ’n Chip’ babies go home warm

In 2018, the Rotary Club of Kenton-on-Sea became involved in a project to help babies born to indigent families.

The project was originally started by St David’s Anglican Church at Boesmansriviermond when they discovered that these tiny souls were leaving hospital wrapped, not in a snuggly receiving blanket, but newspaper. And so the Fish ‘n Chip baby project was born.

Rotary became involved as a result of one of its members hosting a visiting Rotarian couple from the Rotary Club of Libertyville Sunrise in Illinois.

The story of these babies so distressed them that when they got home they involved both their club and friends to put together a package of beanies, receiving blankets and little jackets which arrived in Kenton a few months later.

“This amazing gift was posted on our club’s Facebook page where it drew the attention of several friends of Rotary who made further generous donations,” Rotarian Pippa Steele-Gray said.

“Now we had enough to start putting together packs for the babies. A visit to the Port Alfred Hospital maternity ward confirmed the dire need and we have been delivering the packs on a regular basis ever since.”

Steele-Gray said many groups and individuals now support the Fish ‘n Chip babies project, and each newborn goes home wrapped in a warm receiving blanket and wearing a babygro or jacket and leggings, a beanie, and with a toiletry item.

“The need is always there and we would be so grateful for any new donors of such items. Contributions, in cash or kind, may be left at Kenton News Agency.”