Little Village Case Study
Two Magpies Fund provides a safety net to unlock innovation and scaling
Little Village is a London-based baby bank charity founded in 2016 that supports families with babies and young children who are experiencing poverty, helping to ensure every child has the essentials they need to thrive.
Through a network of hubs across the city and a large community of volunteers, the organisation passes on high-quality donated clothes, toys, books and equipment from one family to another, either through in-person visits or carefully packed home deliveries.
Alongside providing practical items, Little Village connects families into wider support networks and uses its insights to advocate for change, highlighting the realities facing many children growing up in hardship.
About the grant
Little Village received £150,000 of multi year, unrestricted funding from Two Magpies Fund over three years, which has been vital in strengthening the organisation’s core. The grant has contributed to staff salaries and overheads, allowing Little Village to protect essential roles. With a good proportion of foundational costs secure, the team has been able to focus fully on delivering support. Because Little Village operates an ongoing, responsive model, flexible funding is especially valuable, enabling the organisation to adapt to changing needs while staying true to its established ways of working.
The impact story so far
The funding has been a catalyst for both organisational development and deeper impact at Little Village, giving them the confidence to plan urgent and complex work across several years. This stability has underpinned key proof of concept efforts: the charity has been able to roll out its pandemic tested delivery model, pilot and refine the Bundles in Partnership approach, and most recently launch Emergency Hospital Packs, a development that has secured Little Village’s presence in every maternity ward across London.
Alongside these innovations, Little Village continues to provide in-person support through hubs in Camden, Wandsworth, Brent and Tooting, and operates 179 donation locations and one-off sessions across London via its supporter network. Over the past three years, this model has supported babies and children under five almost 30,000 times, helping families access essential items while reducing stress, building confidence and connecting them with wider support.
“As a strategic partner to Little Village, Two Magpies Fund has understood the value of a multi-year gift to a charity and how it unlocks meaningful change. Our teams have been able to plan urgent and sometimes complex projects for future years with confidence, knowing that a major level of funding is secured.”
Looking forward
As the organisation approaches its tenth anniversary, it is preparing to launch a new strategy focused on scaling its impact sustainably while reaching families earlier and more effectively. It is looking to grow through local authority contracts and partnership-based delivery, reserving its more resource intensive direct support for the most vulnerable families. A key priority is intervening before crisis points, supporting early developmental milestones through initiatives such as potty training packs, and strengthening families’ connection to wider services.
More than just a funder
Little Village sees Two Magpies Fund as more than a funder: they regard us as a strategic partner that brings long-standing commitment and reflective input that strengthens their work.
“We appreciate the time they allow us to reflect and report, and they are always open to acting as a strategic sounding board. On behalf of all the babies and children The Two Magpies Fund has helped to support - thank you!”
We are glad to confirm that in July 2026, Two Magpies Fund renewed its funding commitment to Little Village.
For more information about Little Village and the support they offer to families with babies and young children living in poverty across London, visit: