Meghan Markle and Prince Harry choose tiny charity to benefit from royal birth

A small baby bank charity was left ‘completely astounded’ after being hand-picked as a trust for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The ‘out of the blue’ decision saw London-based Little Village receive donations from as far as Australia, within just 24 hours of the announcement on the expecting couple’s newly-launched Instagram account.

Charity chiefs have been thrilled with the decision, as the small Wandsworth, Camden and Southwark banks rely solely on donations.

The charity’s modest Instagram following shot up by 1,000 within a day, having received the surprise call from officials just an hour before it was publicly announced yesterday.

Sophia Parker, Chief executive of Little Village, said: ‘We’ve been completely astounded by the response we’ve received since being mentioned on the Duke and Duchess’ Instagram account.

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‘We’ve received messages and donations from as far afield as Australia, Texas and Hong Kong, it’s fantastic to think that people across the world appreciate our work.’

Little Village, along with three other charities, were chosen by Harry and Meghan in a bid to encourage the public to donate to ‘select charities for children and parents in need’.

The not-for-profit organisation works like a foodbank but providing clothes, toys and equipment for babies and children up to the age of five.

Local families donate items, which are passed on to families referred via a network of partners such as health visitors, children’s centres and midwives.

Parker added: ‘We’re a very small charity, so support like this is crucial. We often see families whose babies are being forced to sleep on cushions on the floor and children with shoes two sizes too small.

‘We support families by providing clothing for their children, safe places for them to sleep, and toys and books to help them thrive.

‘We receive no public funding so are reliant on donations and the generosity of the public – every penny really does count.’

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Little Village has helped 2,098 families since launching in 2016 and saw an increase of 97 per cent in the demand for its services in the past year.

The Instagram post read: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are immensely grateful for the outpouring of love and support in anticipation of the birth of their first child.

‘In lieu of sending gifts, the couple have long planned to encourage members of the public to make donations to select charities for children and parents in need.

‘If you already made a donation, the couple send you their greatest thanks. If you are thinking about it, they ask that you kindly consider the following organisations they’ve selected, which we will highlight here over the next few days.’

Little Village estimates it has helped find 1,022 safe places to sleep, 722 buggies, 170,000 items including clothing, shoes, warm coats, toys and books, plus 21,000 essential items such as bottles, high chairs and baby carriers.

To donate click here.