Publication Date: 14-12-2022 09:00
Children in emergency care helped by homebuilder’s donation
Bellway West Midlands is helping to provide filled backpacks for children who have to go into emergency accommodation after fleeing violence at home.
The Tamworth-based housebuilder donated £500 to the Buddy Bag Foundation, which gives youngsters bags filled with essentials such as toiletries, pyjamas and underwear as well as comfort items such as a book and a teddy bear. The bags are tailored to suit different ages, from babies through to children and young people.
The first Buddy Bag pack took place in 2015 in Tamworth. The charity, which now has its headquarters in Sutton Coldfield, helps children across the UK by delivering Buddy Bags to women’s refuges. Each Buddy Bag costs £25, so Bellway’s donation will help 30 children arriving in crisis accommodation.
Karen Williams OBE, Founder and CEO of the Buddy Bag Foundation, said: “We want to thank Bellway for supporting the Buddy Bag Foundation with the kind £500 donation.
“This will make a real difference to children in emergency care, and we are extremely grateful for the support.”
Karen set up the foundation after hearing about a similar scheme running in Australia and discovering there was a need for something similar in the UK.
The charity’s aim is to restore a sense of safety and security during a traumatic time for children and make the transition into emergency care a little easier.
Marie Richards, Sales Director for Bellway West Midlands, said: “The Buddy Bag Foundation is a wonderful charity that makes an enormous difference to children who have been through a great deal.
“It is a vital service for children across the West Midlands and beyond. These bags help youngsters who are in great need of comfort and security when they come out of some truly awful situations.
“We are so happy to be able to help and we hope this donation goes some way to easing the situations of children in emergency care and aiding the excellent work that the Buddy Bag Foundation continues to do.”
Visit https://buddybagfoundation.co.uk/ to find out more about the charity’s work.
Bellway West Midlands is building new homes across the region. For more information, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/west-midlands.
