Our Slingmeets

What is a ‘slingmeet?

A Slingmeet is our monthly get together where we bring our ever expanding selection of baby carriers /wraps /slings to Carbis Bay Memorial Hall for you to explore, try on and hire out if you wish, just like you would a library book! It’s also a great place to get help with carriers you already own and meet like minded parents & carers!

What happens at the slingmeets?

St Ives Sling Support meet once a month at the Carbis Bay Memorial Hall between 10am and 11.45am. You can come along at any time during those hours and you can stay as long as you need.
On arrival we have a brief register for you to sign and we kindly ask for a £2 donation to cover our costs. The volunteer on the desk will help guide you to a peer supporter who will help you. You get about 10-15 minutes time with a volunteer, in which they can demonstrate various slings from our huge selection and you can try them on either with your child or with a demonstration doll. You are welcome to bring your own slings along to the slingmeet.
Our slingmeets are often very busy, so we appreciate your patience while you wait for a volunteer to be free. During that time you are welcome to sit and enjoy a hot drink and cake which is included in your entry donation.

What if I need more time with a peer supporter?

If you feel that you need more than the 10 minutes with a peer supporter, please tell us and we can pass on some contact details for a local babywearing consultant, who can see you at a suitable private arrangement for a fee.

What if I would like to hire a sling?

If you find a sling you would like to hire, the volunteers on the desk will help you with some paperwork, deposit and payment (we accept PayPal, cash or cheque). The hire runs from one month to the next, for a maximum of 3 months. We also hire out stretchy wraps for free! (deposit required)

How much is it to hire a sling?

We’ve simplified our tariffs for hiring as follows; for each item you hire, we ask a small £20 deposit, which is returned to you when the item is returned undamaged and complete at the end of your chosen hire period.*if you are a low income family you may qualify for our “community carriers” scheme. Drop us a message for more information.
Hire fees are simply £10/month, for up to 3 months, with the exception of stretchy wraps which carry no hire fee at all, however we accept donations to the BABA Appeal in place of stretchy hire fees if you wish to do so. This is a much more sensible way of trying out a carrier before you choose the expense of buying one brand new ; they may look similar but the fit can vary wildly between brands /styles /fabrics.
Deposits can be made via PayPal /Cheque/Cash and are refunded in the same method in which they were placed. Hire Fees can be paid by PayPal /Card /Cash. There is a cash machine 10 minutes walk away if required. We also ask for a voluntary donation of £2 per family on the door, which helps towards our running costs and includes our support and advice, liquid refreshments and most months some yummy home made cakes too!

How much is it to hire a stretchy wrap?

We run a free stretchy wrap hire scheme. We feel very passionately about carrying babies, especially during the first three months. To enable as many people to access babywearing as possible we offer a free hire for stretchy wraps and Close Caboos. A deposit of £20 is required for the duration of the hire which is then refunded upon return of the stretchy wrap.