Tesco is donating packs of premature baby clothes to parents confronting challenging times at Princess Anne Hospital.
The supermarket is providing packs of F&F Premature Baby Essentials to the hospital's neonatal unit.
The packs each include sleepsuits, bodysuits, hats and scratch mitts, with Tesco partnering with the Salvation Army to deliver the clothing.
Around 7-10 per cent of babies are born prematurely in England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Jan Marchant, managing director for Tesco’s Home and Clothing, said: "Premature babies are often unexpected and it can be difficult to find clothing items to fit at such short notice. We want to provide practical help to mums and dads at Princess Anne Hospital during a stressful time and help give the babies a stronger start in life."
Tesco is giving 23,000 packs of essential items to 157 neonatal units across the country, which means half of premature babies will receive necessities.
During Christmas, Tesco stores gathered tens of thousands of toys from shoppers to aid families in need.
Also, last winter, the supermarket donated almost 4,000 F&F coats through partner organisations FareShare, the Salvation Army, and the Cottage Family Centre children’s charity in Kirkcaldy, to support those bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis.
Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said: "Having a baby born prematurely can be a really worrying time for so many, and with our hard-working staff across the country continuing to do all they can to provide care and support to premature babies and their families, it is fantastic that Tesco is donating specialist baby clothing to every NHS neonatal unit across England to provide additional help.
“These clothing packs could make a huge difference to tens of thousands of babies and their families who need it most over the next year, and we are extremely grateful to Tesco, and to the Salvation Army, for making this possible.”
July saw Tesco launch Stronger Starts, a £5m grant programme ran in partnership with Groundwork UK.
The grants help schools and children’s groups provide nutritious food and healthy activities.
Customers can support local schools and children's groups by depositing the Tesco blue token they get at checkout into the voting box.
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