A CHILDREN’S group is under threat of closure unless more volunteers come forward to help it stay afloat.

Basildon, Billericay and Wickford National Childbirth Trust (NCT) has already had to cancel its popular weekly event, Bumps, once because not enough people were available to run the group.

The trust provides support and social opportunities for new parents and their children up to aged three, as well as mums-tobe.

It supports about 50 families in the borough, but it is running without a chairman, secretary, event organiser, and press officer, and only has the minimum number of volunteers available to run its popular Bumps event.

Bumps, which welcomes parents of children who are aged up to three for socialising and play at Noak Bridge Village Hall, in Coppice Lane, every Wednesday, had to close last week because volunteers weren’t available.

Liz Limentani who became a Bumps co-ordinator after giving birth to her one-year-old daughter Eve Newman, said volunteers usually only stayed on until their child moved to older activity groups.

She said: “Potentially our branch could fall down completely.

It would be a big shame if we had to shut for good as it’s a really big support for people in the early days of parenthood.

“If this network wasn’t here when I had my daughter my experience as a new mumwould have been a lot worse – I would have felt very isolated.

“It gave me an opportunity to meet other mums who were going through the same thing as me. With those friendships I could pick up the phone and ask for help.”

The branch is running a recruitment drive to ensure it always has the minimum of five volunteers to run Bumps every Wednesday, as well as helpers to run events and outings.

Mrs Limentani added: “I expect people will think it will take up hours and hours of their time, but it’s only an hour every so often.

“The more people you have on the team the more likely we are able to run all the time.”

If you would like to volunteer, or for more information, e-mail bbwbumpsandbabies@nct.org.uk